The Unknown Number

Seventy-seven - storytime

Eric's POV

"So how did you meet?" My aunt asked.

I glanced at Charles who blushed slightly before chuckling. I joined in his laughter as I responded "well that's kind of an interesting story."

"I sense gossip." Lyra grinned, "perhaps we should get drinks then listen to the story."

I grinned, my cousin was remarkably similar to Charles' sister, Eleanor. Very nosy and loves to gossip.

"Did you want a drink Eric?" My granda asked.

I raised my eyebrow, "what kind."

"I'm not going to offer you a whiskey." My granda chuckled.

I grinned "good, I don't know how you can drink that stuff."

Charles rolled his eyes, "what's wrong with whiskey?"

I looked at him in mock horror, "You like whiskey???"

He laughed "I don't mind it every now and again, I don't mind Guinness either."

My granda was grinning at Charles "Eric, you've got yourself a good one. Charles, I like you."

Niamh gasped "granda likes someone, that's a shock."

"Right Eric, I'll get your beer, Charles do you want a drink?" My grandma asked.

"Mum, you sit down I'll get it." My uncle grinned.

"Sit your arse down, I'm not china I can get up perfectly well." My grandma glared.

Charles chuckled, "I'm alright thanks."

My grandma got up and shuffled into the kitchen and brought me a beer. I cracked it open and took a deep swig. I felt someone take my beer out of my hand. I glanced over and saw Charles taking a sip. I shook my head and laughed "nice of you to ask Liebling."

Grinning, Charles kissed my cheek and handed me back my beer, "love you."

"Love you too, Dummkopf."

I ran my hand through my hair and chuckled. Honestly I don't know what I'd do without Charles. My relatives were staring at me. They had never seen me like this, so relaxed and in love.

"So tell us the story." Lyra instructed.

"Well I was trying to send my brother a message but it turned out that I had put his number in wrong." Charles laughed.

"So instead of messaging his brother I received a very odd and personal message." I grinned.

My relatives seemed very interested, even my father who was glaring at Charles looked intrigued.

"What was the message?" Sean asked.

Charles buried his face in my shoulder as his face heated up.

"Come on Charles, tell us." Grinned Niamh.

Charles looked up at my grandparents and mumbled in my ear "what would your father and grandparents say?"

I hugged him reassuringly "want me to say it?"

Charles nodded, his face returning to its spot on my shoulder so you couldn't see him.

"He sent me a message that said 'Bro I just got dumped after my boyfriend dislocated his knee when he bent down to suck my dick'." I smirked.

My cousins shrieked with laughter, my uncle had fallen onto the floor from laughing so much, my aunt spat out her water in shock and my grandparents were roaring with laughter. The only person who wasn't laughing was my father.

"Now that's an interesting way to start a conversation." My granda snorted.

Charles removed his head from my shoulder and smiled nervously, "you don't mind?"

My granda chuckled "Charles, you've just made us laugh harder than anyone ever has, you don't have to worry."

I grinned and my granda, it was unusual seeing him so kind and reassuring but I suppose he wanted to make a good first impression.

"I mind." My father glared.

"No one was talking to you." My grandma snapped, "welcome to the family Charles deary."

Charles blinked back tears, I knew how much this meant to him. He got up, walked over to my grandma, bent down and gave her a small hug. My grandma hugged him back happily, she always was very affectionate.

"Thank you." My fiancé whispered, "thank you Lucille."

"It's my pleasure dear." My Grandma whispered back.

"Yes, welcome to the family son, you clearly make Eric happy." My granda boomed.

Charles shook his hand with a grin, "thank you sir."

"I've never seen Eric happier." My uncle stated.

I smiled, "well I've never been happier."

Charles walked back over to me and I pulled him onto my lap, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Of course you've been happier." My father announced.

I glared at him "I don't remember you being involved in this conversation."

Determined to change the topic of conversation, my aunt asked "so when did you meet?"

"Well I sent that message on the 11th of October then we met in real life on the 15th of November then we got engaged on the 17th of December." Charles responded.

"Wow that was fast." Sean laughed.

I grinned at him.

"Too fast." My father grumbled.

I was fuming, and, by the looks of it, so was everyone else in the room. I was about to speak up and defend my fiancé but apparently I didn't need to.

"What is your problem?" Charles asked.

My father looked offended, "what," he growled, getting to his feet.

Charles stood up, I could have stopped him but I didn't.

"You heard me, what is your problem? I've been nothing but pleasant towards you this evening. Can you not accept the fact that your son is engaged? Are you so much of a miserable bastard you can't bear to see him happy? No wonder Eric chose his mother's surname, at least it shows that she was a nice person." He spat before walking out of the room.

He caught on to the fact that I had my mother's surname. I'm proud of him for standing up for me, I love him.

"Is no one going to stand up for me?" My father glared.

"No." My grandma commented.

"MOM!" My father exclaimed.

"You need to grow up, your son is engaged to a remarkable young man and you've just been a dick about it." She hissed.

"I don't blame you for taking Aunt Clara's name Eric." Niamh muttered.

"Just because you couldn't be bothered to love me after Meine Mutter died, doesn't mean you have to be a dick when I've finally found my love." I announced.

"You've only been with him for what? Not even 2 months, besides he probably only likes you for your looks." My father scoffed.

"Have you ever spent time with someone and just know that they were the one for you?" I asked, "The only person you would want to be with, the one person you would die to protect." I asked.

My father fell silent.

"Because that's what Charles is to me. I fell in love with him before I saw his face. He didn't have the chance to tell you that we talked every single day but  never video called. We had no clue what each other looked like however I still fell head over heels for him. If I hear one more bad word about him you will regret it." Glaring at him, I stormed out of the room.