To Save a City (Divergent/Eric) 2 of 3 COH Series

Chapter 58 (Eric's POV)

My wife and Charlotte are helping Ava unpack in the spare bedroom while I entertain the rest of our guests.  Four was emptying out his things from the drawers first.  A few clothes he said he's keeping in our closet but most of it he said he'd take home.  I'm actually glad her guards are here since I'd like to get to know the men protecting my wife better.  I read their files after Jax assigned them this second time and I do agree that they're both extremely skilled and dedicated to their positions.  They're both always working overtime and helping out wherever necessary.  I'm curious about how Aaron ended up here as well, but I wouldn't mind getting to know him more after the way he acted just before and after our wedding. 
We're sitting out on the patio while I cut up some kindling out of one of the split logs I bought.  I'm using my knife and another log to chop off smaller slivers for fire starter.  As I pound my knife into the log, Four steps out onto the balcony. 
"Hey Eric, when'd you get the fire pit and extra seating?" Four asks.
"It was my wedding present to Hosanna," I tell him.
"It's really nice," he says.  "What'd she get you?  The grill?"
"That was my birthday present.  For the wedding she bought and installed the bookcase, got me some sensual bath stuff, and some sexy lingerie," I smirk as I tell him raising my eyebrows suggestively.  The others laugh as his cheeks redden.
"Okay, I didn't want to know that," he states flatly.
"You asked," I chuckle.  "Speaking of birthdays... when's yours?" I question.
"It's next month.  I'm almost two years older than her, like you," he replies.  I look at him in question.  He sighs, "It's July 24th."
I calculate the days in my head.  "That's a Friday.  We could have a party for you at the cottage if you want to come," I offer.
"What cottage?" he asks. 
"My family has property at the pond.  It's where we spent some time on our honeymoon," I explain.
"Oh.  You took her there?" he questions, more to himself. 
I nod anyway and address our other guests as I pile the cut pieces of wood into the fire pit.  "You two can bring your girlfriends or whoever this weekend if you want.  I think Jax only intended for the security to be increased from our trip out of the building to the gate and back since we drive through Factionless," I tell them. 
"Umm... I don't have a girlfriend," Sam admits. 
I shrug.  "Well, feel free to bring someone if either of you want to.  Dress casually, too.  Just make sure that you bring your guns and a radio each.  I'll grab one before we leave on Friday," I say.
They both nod and silence sits between us.  "So... what do you two do in your spare time?" I ask.
"I mostly work a lot to take care of my family.  My dad died when I was younger.  Train accident," Zander shrugs.  "I help my mom pay the bills since I'm the oldest out of four."
"Four?" I question.  That's unheard of in the city.
"Yeah, I was twelve when my dad died, my baby sister was three.  It turns out my mom found out she was pregnant with fraternal twins after he died," he says. 
"Did she deliver in Erudite?" I ask.
"Yeah," he responds. 
"Sorry to intrude but did they force a surgery on her, even though your father was gone?" I inquire.
He furrows his brows deep in thought.  "Now that you mention it, yeah, they did.  I remember my mom being really upset because they did something without her permission," he explains.
"Freaking Noses butting in where they don't belong," I mumble. 
"What do you mean?" Aaron asks. 
I sigh loudly.  "Hosanna and I recently found out that Erudite forces procedures on women after their third child in the city.  They control the hospital so unless it's a normal birth in a regular faction infirmary, they do as they please.  They usually force contraception after the second but by the third, they do as they will.  This was NOT the intention of the founding fathers.  They wanted us to be as fruitful as possible but freaking Erudite thinks that we're all starving and they force a tubal ligation on the women," I explain.
They all look at me confused.  "They cut her tubes, making her sterile.  No more babies," I elaborate. 
"Where'd you hear this?" Four questions.
"A reliable source," I say angrily stuffing some Erudite articles into the mess of wood and lighting the fire. 
"Four, you'd like this.  I'm burning Erudite libel," I tell him.
"What's that?" Zander asks.
"Something written about a person that's false," I explain.
"So how about you Sam?" I inquire.
"My situation is similar to Zander's.  I only have a little sister though.  My mom has to stay home caring for her full time because she has a special need," he divulges. 
"Like what?" I ask blinking.  "A learning disability or physical?"
"At times it can be both," he admits. 
I'm surprised he's telling me this.  There's no way she could ever make it in Dauntless.  On her Choosing Day, she'll have to leave. 
"My mom was older when she had her.  Just after my initiation, my dad died while on patrol through the Factionless.  Some ruins were not safe.  He lost his footing and fell.  Ever since, I moved in with her and I've been paying all the bills," he explains.  "I think that's why Zander and I spend so much time together, working as much as we can.  We're the breadwinners of the family without the rewards of a spouse.  Neither of us has ever even really had much of a chance to enjoy the young party life.  No dating, no fun."
Wow, I had no idea things were so rough for some people in our faction.  "What about you?" I ask Aaron. 
He shrugs.  "I wasn't cut out to stay in Candor, so I came here.  I do tend to have a mouth on me sometimes and I've been known to get in trouble as you know.  I believe in hard work and my roommates are decent guys," he says. 
I nod as I poke the fire with a stick.  I add a log when it starts to catch. 
Hosanna comes out and sits by me, tossing a bag of supplies onto the next cushion.  "I thought we could all use a little dessert," she says passing out the metal skewers we bought. 
"What's this for?" Four asks.
"Something with chocolate that you'll love," she tells him putting a marshmallow on his skewer.  She looks up at him.  "Try not to burn it."
I can't help but explode in laughter.  "You told him?" he whisper yells. 
She giggles in response handing the bag to the others.  It looks like they all know what to do.  A few minutes pass when Charlotte and Ava come out and join us.  Ava seems a little relieved, probably from spilling her worries while Charlotte looks pale.  Hosanna gets up, dragging a chair over from the table and puts it around the guys.  Hosanna pats the seat for Charlotte to sit.  She shakes her head out of her daze and takes the seat between Zander and Aaron.  "Thanks," she grins when Hosanna offers her a skewer and a marshmallow. 
"No problem.  We could all use a little more sugar after a day like today," my wife says. 
Zander laughs.  "I think you'd get along really well with my mom," he tells her.
Hosanna smiles.  "What a wonderful compliment," she responds. 
Hosanna gets a chair set up for Ava and she practically jumps on the seat, a renewed energy returning to her.  I remember how lively and happy she was when she first transferred and even after graduation from initiation.  She has that same happy glow about her.  I'm glad she dumped the loser.  If he was treating her bad enough that she was in the slump she's been in, she's better off without him.
"Am I the only one that's dying to know what happened today?" Aaron asks. 
Four knocks my knee with his.  "Candors," he mumbles. 
"Which part?" Hosanna questions taking a seat next to me again and starting to roast her own marshmallow.  She glances up at Aaron but he looks confused. 
"The security thing or the Ava thing?" she clarifies. 
"Well, both when you put it like that.  I was talking about Ava though," he responds. 
"That's Ava's business.  She can tell you if she wants but she shouldn't feel pressured to answer that," Hosanna replies.
I look to Ava and she shrugs.  "I'm sure as much as this faction gossips, everyone will know sooner or later," she says.
"They generally make up their own stories or try to fill in the gaps from what they've observed.  It's up to you on telling anyone else," I explain.  "Regardless, there will be rumors for you staying with us but by Hosanna's tone when she called, I didn't want you to feel like you had no options."
"Thanks.  I was surprised that she said you were the one to offer the room and not her, especially when you didn't know what happened," Ava tells me.
I shrug.  "Honestly, he didn't show up to our wedding when he knows he was invited.  He didn't help when even people we're not close to did.  He didn't show up to the reception so either he had an issue with us or was up to something.  He works similar schedules to Hosanna and me so it's not like he could use that excuse.  You've been looking pretty down for a while, clearly not yourself and whenever I saw him, he looked fine.  Beyond that, it really doesn't matter," I say.
"I didn't realize our relationship was that transparent," she whispers.  "The short version is: I came to Dauntless to be with him since we'd dated for two years and he asked me to.  He promised he'd be monogamous and implied that he loved me.  I thought we'd get married someday.  It turns out he's been cheating on me for a while and when I confronted him about it, he was happy that he didn't have to hide his affairs.  He thought I'd be okay with it or too much of a pushover to assert myself," she divulges.
"Wow, I could have told you he's not into monogamy," Aaron responds.
"How would you have known?" Ava questions surprised.
"We used to be friends when we were younger but I found out he only hung out with me because he was interested in my sister.  He's been messing around with her since First Level," he responds matter of factly. 
"First Level?" I question in shock.
"I told you she was promiscuous," Aaron responds. 
"I feel like I'm going to be sick," Ava says. She looks utterly disgusted and I don't blame her.  "He told me he was a virgin and..." she shakes her head. 
"How about I take you to the infirmary tomorrow?" Hosanna suggests. 
"I have to work late," Ava responds.  "Besides, I'm doing your tattoo."
"I can take you in the morning.  I'm off tomorrow," Charlotte offers. 
Ava nods covering herself with her arms. "It'll be okay," Sam says comfortingly handing her a s'more.
"Thank you," she whispers to him.
He smiles at her and starts to roast another marshmallow. I notice Four's go up in flames and fall off the skewer into the fire.  I chuckle a little. "What am I doing wrong?" he frowns discouragingly.
"Come here big brother," Hosanna pats next to her seat. He stands up and walks around near her. She helps him roast another marshmallow, turning it frequently and keeping it near the coals out of the flames. It's a golden brown when she takes it out and builds his s'more. I watch Mr. Chocoholic take a bite and I grin at the mess he makes. Licking his fingers he asks for another.
"How did you two survive Abnegation?" Aaron asks. They look to him in question. "I mean without desserts."
We all laugh at the face Four makes. "You don't know what it's like until you try one. Never again am I going without chocolate," he responds. "I feel like I was born again after my first slice of Dauntless cake."
Hosanna chuckles. "You act as if it's like getting baptized," she says.
"Not everyone has an experience like you. My first love is chocolate," he replies.
"Chocolate doesn't compare to a great many things my sweet brother," she grins. I don't mention her first encounter with the cake, though.
"Oh yeah. Like what?" he questions.
"For me, my greatest experience was giving my life to God. Every encounter with Him is on par with that. Next though, by far is knowing Eric," she divulges.  "Especially the biblical sense," she adds so casually that I almost miss it.
I hear Charlotte choke on her s'more and everyone else just stares at me expectantly. "Well, I aim to please," I respond.