Valentine's Diner

Chapter 70 - April 27th, 2010

Erik nervously enters Valentine's Diner. He looks around, maybe she's here or her mother. 'Welcome to Valentine's Diner. What can I help you with?' A friendly man with glasses asks. Erik notices the apron with donuts he's wearing. 'Are you Valentine?' Erik asks. 'I am indeed,' Valentine says friendly. 'Do you want something to drink or eat? Where do you want to sit?' Erik looks around, she's not here. 'I err... I am looking for Sookie Hanlin?' 'Are you telling me or asking me?' Valentine smiles. 'Telling you?'

'She's not here,' Valentine says. 'Can you tell me where she is?' 'Depends on if you are a stalker or not,' Valentine says cleaning an empty table. The little bell on the door rings when the next costumer enters the diner. 'Erik?' Anna asks surprised. 'Hi?' Erik awkwardly says. 'He asks a lot of questions,' Valentine says to his friend. Anna smiles with a pain in her eyes to the young man. 'She doesn't live here anymore, honey,' Anna says and lays a comforting on Erik's shoulder. 'Anna, please tell me where she is,' Erik begs. So, Anna tells where he can find Sookie.

After a two-hour bus drive Erik arrives at his destination. He sees the little hotel and smiles. There don't seem to be a lot of guests. He stands there, collecting the courage to walk inside. A young man around his age comes out of the building. 'Hello, there. Can I help you? Did you make a reservation or are you just stopping on the way?' The man smiles friendly. Erik never thought Americans were friendly, until he met Sookie and the other ones in Rose Hill.

'Is Sookie Hanlin here?' Erik asks. 'Are you friends with her?' 'You could say that' Erik says and starts smiling happily. 'Just come in or wait here and I'll call her for you.' Erik walks up the porch and looks around. The view is beautiful. There's a beach not far from here and the city is also close. If you pretend the house are white and that there are cats in every corner, it's just like you are in Greece.

Samuel walks back inside the hotel. 'Sookie, there's a man asking for you,' he says entering the communal space. 'Oh okay, tell him to come inside.' Sookie says repairing one of Lily's trousers. 'He seems a bit nervous,' Samuel says carefully. 'Oh,' Sookie laughs. She puts the needle and pants down and gets up. 'Tell Lily I'm outside if she's looking for me,' Sookie says and walks to the front door.

Erik turns around when hearing the footsteps entering the porch. 'Erik?!' Sookie asks surprised. 'Sookie,' Erik says relieved. They look at each other, both letting it sink in. 'Mommy, mommy! Look! I found this special rock!' Lily comes running on the porch. She nods hello to the man she doesn't know - who is very shocked as to why that girl called Sookie her mom - and shows the rock to her mother. Sookie looks at the rock and smiles. 'That's indeed a very special rock! Why don't you put it with the rest of your special rocks?' 'Okay,' the little girls says and goes inside.

After seeing her daughter she's not the twenty-two-year-old girl anymore but the almost twenty-nine-year-old mother. 'You promised you would visit!' Sookie says angry. 'I know I-' 'You promised, Erik!' Sookie yells and walks towards him. 'Why didn't you come sooner?! Where you to busy flirting with other girls around the globe?' Sookie yells and pushes Erik. 'Just listen!' Erik yells. 'Then tell me why you waited six years to come here!' 'My brother was sick and needed my help. He died a few months ago,' Erik explains. Sookie takes a step back and relaxes. 'That is... That is actually a very solid reason. I'm sorry I yelled,' Sookie says and looks back inside where she sees Samuel talking to her daughter.

'I could ask you the same thing,' Erik says. 'Ask me what?' Sookie asks confused. 'You have a daughter?!' Erik asks confused and hurt. Sookie studies Erik for a moment. 'Who the hell do you think I am?' 'I don't know?' Erik says. Sookie sighs and looks back inside. 'Lily, can you come here please?' Sookie asks. The girl runs up to her mother. 'Erik, do I need to grab a mirror, or can you see it yourself?' Sookie asks and gently pushes her daughter towards her father. 'Hello!' Lily says happily.