Chapter 2: Kim-Lewis

Eric had a great night at the club with Nina, especially after she saw her "competition" Nancy Landgrabb on the dance floor. She couldn't keep her eyes or hands off of Eric. They danced, talked and made out in the second floor lounge for most of the night. Although he was put off by her whining and complaining at the beginning of their night, she was sexy and knew how to make him feel like the MAN. They had such a good time that Eric lost track of time. It was after 4am when he dropped Nina home. He was a little nervous, but figured everyone would be sleeping by the time he got in. 

 But he was wrong. He eased into the house quietly but heard footsteps on the staircase so he slipped into the kitchen area. If nothing else he could act like he'd been downstairs for the night.
"Do you know what time it is Eric Lewis?"
"Hey babe. I was just grabbing a cup of coffee. I'm just feeling a little tired, ya know?"
"Tired? HA! You should! You've been out ALL night!!"
So much for trying to act like he was watching tv or something.
"Babe..."
"Don't babe me! Where were you Eric? Do you know I had to lie to our daughter when she asked for you to put her to bed last night. I THOUGHT you were working late, but there's NO WAY you worked overnight!"
Eric had never seen Alice so worked up before. If he wasn't so nervous, he'd have to admit that he was turned on.
"So where were you?!"

 "Hey, hey, hey, what is going on in here?" Dennis asked coming in from the dining room with a plate of last night's dinner.
"Hey Pop." Eric was never so grateful to see Dennis.
"Don't think because my father's here that you're not going to answer me Eric!"
"Alice, sweetheart, let the man speak. Now Eric, last night was a rough night for Olivia and we all had quite the time trying to calm her down. She's got some crazy thoughts in her head and you not being here, well, it didn't help."
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize..."
"STOP STALLING ERIC!"
"Ok, babe, calm down. Do you want to hear what I have to say? Because you keep cutting me off."

 "The floor's all yours." Alice said with as much sarcasm as she could muster up.
Eric took a sip of his coffee, as warm as he already felt, the hot liquid did nothing to cool him off but he needed a minute. He cleared his throat, "Look Ally, I just started this new job and I'm under a lot of pressure, ok? I'm doing the absolute best that I can to contribute to the household and be a man. You think I like depending on our parents? I don't! So excuse me if I need to blow off a little steam from time to time."
"Steam? You blew off steam? And that took you the entire night? What exactly does blowing off steam mean Eric?"
"I went out to eat with a couple of the guys after work. We started drinking and you know just bs'ing. Darren suggested we go to a club for a few more drinks and we did. I guess time got away from me. I'm sorry."
"So you couldn't call me to tell me you were with friends? I was half worried that something happened to you. Not to mention having to spend most of the night assuring your daughter that you weren't LEAVING US!"
"Wait a minute! That's not fair dammit! I already told you I'd NEVER DO THAT!"

 "Alright, alright alright already!" Dennis raised his voice over both Alice and Eric's. "Enough! Alice Mae you asked your husband for an explanation and he gave it to you. Enough! I know the two of you love each other, otherwise you wouldn't be fussing like this, but this has got to stop. You have a young child to look after and she doesn't need to see this type of foolishness. ESPECIALLY when her greatest fear right now is that her family is falling apart."
Eric couldn't recall ever hearing Dennis raise his voice before. He put his mug on the counter.
"You're right Pop." He reached his hand out for Alice. "I'm sorry baby."
She stood still looking ashamed. Her father never spoke harshly to her. She didn't like to hear him sound disappointed. At the same time, she didn't like the way she'd been feeling lately. Something was different with Eric and she knows she's not imagining things.

 "What is all this commotion about down here?" Vivian came down the stairs.
"These two lovebirds are just talking." Dennis said shoveling a forkful of food in his mouth as he winked at Eric.
"Is that so? Well sounds like they're arguing to me and Olivia."
"Olivia's awake?" Alice sounded surprised.
"Of course she is. The child has been tossing and turning for the little time that she has laid down. Eric, as soon as you turned your key in the front door she's been up. I had to convince her to go get washed up instead of running down here. And thank goodness too, seeing as you are at each other's throats."

 Eric took a sip of coffee. He didn't want to upset his little girl. He didn't want to upset any of his family members. He started to rethink his plans for Nina. "Thanks Momma."
"Hmph, don't thank me. You need to cut all this arguing and fighting out and learn to come home at a decent hour."
"My thoughts exactly." Alice folded her arms and sneered at Eric.
He'd never seen this side of her, where was his sweet tame wife?

 "You're just as bad as him. What kind of example are you setting for that child? Yelling and screaming at your husband like a banshee. He's a grown man, actually paying some bills around here. A wife doesn't speak to her husband like he's a child. Not in my time at least. You new age women are something else. And ya need to put a robe on when you're not on your floor, if ya ask me." Vivian shuffled through the kitchen toward her bedroom..her sanctuary. She'd slept in Olivia's bedroom trying to get the child to sleep, but to little avail. Finally she could get some rest in her Queen size bed.
 
This time when Eric put his hand out for Alice, she moved across the room and took it.
"Listen Ally, I did a stupid stupid thing. Will you forgive me?"
Alice nodded with tears threatening to escape.
"I love you and I love our life together. I don't want to jeopardize what we have here. I don't want to upset you. I should have called, or text. I just didn't think. I didn't think at all." Eric meant every word he said.
"I love you too babe."
"I'm sorry." Surprisingly tears fell from Eric's eyes.

 He pulled her in close and tight. "I meant what I told you the other day. I'm never going anywhere no matter what, you hear me?"
"Yeah. But it's not me who needs convincing."
"I'll talk to Liv. I'm sorry babe."

 "I know you are. Don't scare us anymore, ok?"
"I won't. From now on, you'll know my every move if that helps."
Alice looked her husband in the eyes, "Well it wouldn't hurt."
"Really?" Eric grinned. "I love you girl."

 Remembering how she'd spoken to him just moments ago, Eric grabbed the back of Alice's head and pulled her to him and planted a forceful kiss. He became excited when she didn't push him away. It seemed she liked him rough too. This was a change for them. Eric was always so sweet and gentle with his wife, but maybe being aggressive could help salvage their relationship. They could use a change of pace.

While Alice still felt like something was off with Eric, she always felt comforted when they were together. Eric was always so attentive and loving, though today was different. He was still attentive, but he was more assertive than usual. Maybe it was all the arguing and pent up tension between them. Whatever it was, it helped her uncertainties and insecurities to fade away, at least for the time being.
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Eric let Alice rest and went to look for his little girl, who was in her room putting on her shoes.
"Ah, there she is, the prettiest little girl in the world."
Olivia smiled, but she seemed down. "Hi daddy."
"Hi baby. Why the long face?" Eric sat next to her on the bed.
Olivia was quiet for a while. She looked down at her hands, "Do you love me daddy?"
"Oh baby, of course I do." Eric knelt in front of her and raised her chin to meet his gaze. "Listen, Daddy was a bit of a jerk last night, ok? Your mother told me you were worried about me."
Olivia nodded.
"And I understand why. That's the first time in a very long time that I've stayed out so late. I went out with my friends and I should have called to let your mom know that I was ok. But I got carried away having fun. It was a mistake."
"Like when I was out back playing with Jimmy and Tara and Nan couldn't find me?"
Eric rested his hands on Olivia's. "Yeah, that's a good analogy."
"Analawhat?"
Eric had to laugh, "An analogy."
"A-na-lo-gy." Olivia sounded the word out like Nan taught her.
"You got it. An analogy is when you compare things. So for example, you compared your story to mine. Get it?"
Olivia titled her head for a moment thinking and then said, "Yeah, I think I do."
"Good. Look, I spoke to Mommy earlier..."
"I know. I heard you guys. You sounded mad."
Eric rubbed his face. His kid was smart which made this conversation tougher than he expected.
"Honestly, we were. Mommy was angry that I didn't call her to let her know I was ok. And I don't blame her."
"But why were you angry daddy?"
"Well Livvy, it's no fun being called out for being wrong. So I guess I got angry because your mom was angry at me."
"But that's not right."
"No, sweetie it isn't. Sometimes, we do and say things that aren't right even when we're wrong and that's what daddy did."
"Why? Don't you love mommy anymore?"
"Of course I do. Life is funny kiddo, sometimes we get angry with the people we love the most. BUT, I'm not angry at mommy anymore and I'm certainly not angry at you."
Olivia seemed pleased to hear that by the smile on her face.
"So what about you? Are you angry at your old man?"
Olivia chuckled as Eric lifted her off the bed into his arms. "You're not old daddy."
"Oh I'm not huh? Wonder how long you'll think that."
"I'm not angry at you either. I love you." Olivia wrapped her little arms around Eric's neck and he nearly teared up for a second time.
"I love you so much kiddo. Alright, time to get you to school. Come on."
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 Later that evening, Olivia found her mother and grandpa chatting in the kitchen.
"Hey baby!" Alice perked up seeing Olivia.
"Mommy, Papa! Where do babies come from?"
"Alrighty then. On that note, I think I'll leave you two to it." Dennis quickly left the kitchen. That was a conversation he didn't enjoy the first time around when Alice asked him and Lydia, he certainly wasn't going to torture himself for round 2.
"What ever makes you ask that question Olivia?"
"My friend Jimmy said that his baby sister was dropped off by a giant bird."
Alice couldn't contain the laugh. By the puzzled look on Olivia's face she knew this would take a while. "Well Liv, babies come from love between mommies and daddies."
"Like you and daddy?"
"Yes, that's how we had you."
"So when I grow up and love a boy then we'll have a baby?"
"Well, not until you're married, hopefully."
"But Jimmy said his mom isn't married to his sister's dad."
Alice rolled her neck. Oh yeah, this was going to be a long convo.

 Meanwhile, Eric was upstairs working on a bad leak in one of the bathrooms. He'd had a rough morning earlier and had a lot on his mind. On the one hand he loves his family, quirks and all. On the other, he missed getting attention.
 Alice and he met when they were teenagers at the same high school. He remembered that she was sooo different from the other girls. She wasn't loud and rude trying to get all the guys' attention. No, she was a quiet girl on the cheerleading team, that while she fit in seemed out of place. The other girls were always flirting with Eric and the other guys on the basketball team. Whereas Alice played the background for the most part.
It was during an away game that he got to spend some time with her. He fell in love with her laugh the first time he heard it. It was so genuine. He could tell that she wasn't just being nice, that she really thought he was funny.
None of the other girls on the squad or the fellas on the team seemed to understand why he chose her. But they didn't matter to Eric. He liked that they thought he and Alice were so opposite. Fact of the matter is they were more alike than anyone would know. Behind his cool, cavalier demeanor, Eric was an insecure young man. He grew up without a dad around to show him the way to manhood. So he watched a lot of Shaft growing up and he observed men in his neighborhood. He learned early on to "fake it" until people around him made him one of the "cool kids" at school. He had height so he automatically gravitated to basketball like the other tall neighborhood boys. It was draining to spend so much time being someone he wasn't really.
So when he met Alice, he was finally able to relax and just be his true self. She saw him, saw him for who he really was and she accepted him just like that. That's what led him to love her so much and so quickly.
Now, here they are 10 years later, married with a young kid and Eric felt old habits nipping at him. Something about being around his friends and the guys on the job allowed him to fall back into being that suave guy that cracks jokes all the time and talks that slick talk. That's what caused him to flirt so much with so many women...at least that's what he thinks. That's not who he really is...."Is it?" Eric said out loud.
He shook it off and kept trying to screw the knob back on to the faucet.

 Vivian had spent the better part of the day snooping around online. She knew her son like the back of her hand. She'd raised him after all. It was about time that he'd gotten a job, but something was different about him. She spent time trying to talk to him, but that didn't get her anywhere, as usual. Eric knew her all too well and he wasn't falling for any "Jedi mind tricks" as he called it.
Vivian had set up a fake Simbook account years ago. It allowed her to get to know her friends and neighbors better. And now she's using it to help her figure out what's going on with her son.
"Men are so stupid." Vivian muttered as she scrolled through his page. She didn't know if it was because Alice doesn't use social media, or what, but her boy naively left his Simbook page public. It didn't take her long to get to some of his friends pages too. Most of them were private, but one of the young men Gene was as dumb as her son. His page was public too. While Eric mostly posted selfies, pics of new outfits and his friends, Gene's page was way more interesting. There were pictures of Eric and some of Gene and their mutual friends.
In quite a few, it was obvious they'd been drinking and enjoying hookah. The more photos Vivian viewed, the more she started to see of Eric, his friends and lots of other women. Some were scantily clad and a whole album was dedicated to what was obviously a trip to a gentleman's club.
"Lawd!" Vivian was shocked by some of the pictures she saw of her son and some of those girls. "I knew he was up to no good. I just didn't know how much."

 Alice has been feeling out of sorts lately. At first, she thought it was all about Eric and his strange behavior. But then she started to notice subtle changes in herself. The last couple of weeks she'd been so tired, and with all the drama could anyone blame her? First Momma Viv gave her a hard time about being a stay at home mom and had her thinking that Eric had plans to leave. Then Olivia had a rough time sleeping for fear something under her bed was going to eat her, which led to a miniature person sleeping in her and Eric's bed for a few nights. Their bed was usually comfortable but it wasn't made for three.
Then Eric stayed out all night and left Alice and their parents to deal with a worried Olivia. Not to mention that Alice herself had to put on a brave face for everyone, despite being worried sick herself. She didn't know if Momma Viv had been right and maybe Eric was with someone else or if he'd gotten hurt. Then they had an argument and both had to speak to Olivia separately to assure her that their family wasn't falling apart. It was all a little too much.

But then Alice noticed that things seemed to smell a lot stronger than usual. Vivian's perfume reeked more than usual and Alice could hardly stand to be around her. Well that was because of the perfume and Vivian's "sunny" disposition.

As if the fatigue and scents weren't enough, today Alice noticed that she's been eating more than her fair share of meals. She has been going back for seconds and sometimes thirds. It was something she put off as stress related to all the family drama as of late, but she had a funny feeling something else was going on.

 When she came back down to wash her plate, Alice saw Eric and thought about how she'd been feeling.
"Hey babe." Eric greeted her with a kiss on the cheek as he put the remainder of the leftovers away.
"Hey."
"You alright?"
"Yeah." Alice said unconvincingly, even to her own ears.
Eric walked over to the island and looked into her eyes. "Alright, spit it out. What's going on?"
"Nothing, I just...I don't know." Alice shrugged.
"Look, I know things have been a little off with us recently and I'm to blame for the most part. I think that this new job has just been, ya know, getting to me. You know I don't do well with stress."
Alice finally looked at him, "I don't usually know you to stress."
He chuckled, "Ha! I get stressed just like everyone else. I'm no Superman, ya know? I just have a way of hiding it."
"Wouldn't be the only thing." Momma Viv said as she walked into the kitchen.
"Momma?" Eric heard his mother but Alice didn't make out what she said.
"Oh, don't mind me, you two. I'm just heading to my room." Vivian sauntered by them holding Eric's gaze most of the way.
"What's that about?" Alice asked.
Eric shrugged behind his mother. "I don't know. You know old people start bugging out when they get sleepy...especially my momma."
"Well to what you were saying..I know you feel pressure to take care of Liv and I babe. I want you to know that I appreciate everything you do for us. I plan to help out as much as I can by selling more paintings."

 "Don't be silly Ally. Look, I'm bringing in some cash now and well this place is pretty much taken care of. I know you like being here for Liv and as long as you're happy so am I."
Alice kissed him. "I love you so much! But I need to start pulling my weight." Alice grabbed the little love handles that had grown, "All of it." They both chuckled.
"You are putting on a little weight there." Eric turned her around to get a better look. He hadn't noticed it until now but Alice was thicker than usual.
She swatted at him, "Alright, alright, I know I need to step up my yoga and jogging. I'll be back to my old self in a few months."
Eric's head snapped back, "Months...Woman, what are you...??"
"Alright you two lovers! Dad coming through." Dennis had collected the dishes from the dining area and didn't want to see too much PDA.
Alice laughed, "Don't worry Dad, we're behaving."
The three made light talk for a while before Dennis went in the living room for his nightly "Simlock", Alice went upstairs to paint and Eric pulled out a snack from the fridge.

As he munched on his mother's "famous" molten brownies his mind swirled with thoughts. He replayed the conversation he was having with Alice before his mother and Dennis passed through. Eric also replayed the past month and tried to recall all of the time he and Alice spent "together." 

He put the brownie back on the plate, 'Oh SIM!' 

 Eric left the brownie on the counter to go find his wife.

 Vivian admired herself as she brushed her teeth. She didn't look bad for a woman in her sixties. 'You still got it girl.' She winked. 'That's probably my boy's problem. He thinks...knows he's still got it too.' I swear he gets it from that damn Byron. Vivian threw her brush on the back of the sink and rinsed her mouth. She got upset every time she thought about her ex-husband.
She couldn't help but bang the pots a little louder than usual as she prepared breakfast. It was Byron's wandering eye that ruined their marriage before it even really got started. But she knew that about him when she met him. He'd been dating her older sister.
Vivian figured he was fair game when Eloise went away to college. Besides he kept coming around the house offering to take her places. What was she supposed to do?
Vivian's memory took her back 30 years as she mixed the pancake dough.
She could remember it like it was yesterday. Byron was a sharp dresser and he was smooth with his words. He talked her right out of her clothes and her heart. He used to make her swoon.
They were together for 6 years when he up and left her.
"Dammit." Vivian sucked her finger after touching the pan without a mitten. "Still causing me pain aren't you old man?" She said to no one in particular.
Vivian thought she'd done such a good job at saving herself for marriage. That's probably what kept Byron around so long. The fact that she was likely the only girl he couldn't get to lay down with him. Now she allowed him to do things to her, but never did they go all the way. She wasn't raised that way. Vivian smirked as she thought of their wedding night. That man was a beast, "Guess that's why all those women stayed calling our home."
Three and a half years after the day they married, Byron walked out on his wife and son.
Vivian looked down at her masterpiece. Yet another beautiful meal. She'd spent years honing her cooking skills. She thought maybe that's what caused her man to leave after sticking around so long.
She covered the plate of pancakes and brewed some coffee.

 As Vivian made her way up the stairs she put her past out of her mind. She needed to be Nan right now and wake up her little Olivia. This was one of the best parts of her days. She enjoyed feeling loved and needed by that little girl. There certainly wasn't anyone else in this family who needed her.

 "Well look at my little sleeping beauty." Vivian said as she entered the room. She was sure every morning that she did this it woke Olivia out of her sleep. Certainly a better way to wake up than the way her Nana used to do it, either snatching the covers off of her and her siblings or opening the shade and letting the sun do the rest.

 "I know somebody who likes pancakes is going to enjoy their breakfast this morning."
"Pancakes?" Olivia mumbled.
"Mmmhmm. But the longer we're up here, the colder they get."

 "I'm up."
"At the rate you're moving, they'll be ice cold. Not only do you have to get out of bed, but you've got to wash your face and brush your teeth. That could be another 20 minutes. If those pancakes aren't cold, they just might be eaten by everyone else."

 "No they won't!" Olivia laughed. "You always wake me up first when you make pancakes NAN!"
"Oh, you've got me there. I sure do sweetie. I won't let anyone get their grubby hands on my girl's pancakes before her." Vivian went over and hugged Olivia out of the bed. "But they will get cold if you don't hurry and get washed up."
"Ok Nan, I'll be quick."
"Quick, but don't skimp on the soap and toothpaste."
"NAAAAAN!" Olivia laughed as she hustled to the bathroom.

 Vivian could hear Olivia and her parents enjoying breakfast as she sipped her coffee and watched the morning News. Although she was paying attention to the news anchor, she could hear her family's joy from the other room. Vivian was happy that her son was able to create the family for himself that they'd never had...well at least they didn't have it for long.
Alice was a good woman, Vivian knew that, but she gave her a hard time because she needed toughening up. Vivian wasn't privy to how Dennis and his deceased wife raised Alice. And while she's sure they did their best, the girl just wasn't prepared for the real world. Vivian being hard on her, was her way of thickening her skin. If she was going to stay married to Vivian's son, she'd have to know how to handle herself and him. While that nice girl routine might have attracted him, Eric needed a woman with versatility. That argument they had the other morning, well Vivian was proud to see that side of Alice. She knew she had it in her. All she needed was a little help bringing it out.
Vivian wants to see her family stick together and after finding all that dirt on her boy, she knew that Alice was in for a rough ride.

 "Bye Nan! Have a good day!" Olivia bounded out of the house.
"Bye sweetie! Be good in school." Vivian yelled after the child.
"I will!"

 Alice and Eric wrapped up breakfast shortly after Olivia left for the bus. Eric kissed his wife on the forehead before gathering up the dishes for the dishwasher and grabbing the trash out of the can.
"Hey! Morning there Pops." Eric called to Dennis on his way out.
"Morning Eric. Someone's peppy this morning."
"Is there any other way to be?" Eric threw over his shoulder as he walked out the front door.
"Is there any other way to be?"Dennis watched the front door and shook his head. He didn't know what had gotten into the young man.
"Good morning Ally Cat. Are you just as chipper as your husband?"
"Definitely not." Alice slurped her coffee and stared out the window.
"Everything ok?"
"Just dandy."
"Alrighty then." Dennis grabbed a plate and a cup of coffee and went into the dining room to eat. While he wasn't a morning person, he didn't want any parts of what Alice was obviously trying to dish out.

 Despite having just had a plate of pancakes and coffee, Alice made her way to the fridge. She spotted her mother in law's molten brownies and grabbed one. She usually liked to heat them up but her craving wouldn't spare her the time. She glanced at the back of Vivian's head as she dozed off to the tv. She could hear her dad's fork and knife hitting the plate, probably cutting up his pancakes into small bites.
Alice slid onto a stool and plopped down.
The night before, Eric had found her in her studio space where she'd been spending a lot of time. He asked her if she was pregnant. She scoffed at him and tried to play it off, but he was having none of it. He got upset actually. "Alice, you can't be pregnant right now. Do you know how embarrassing it would be to parade another kid in front of our parents when I'm just getting on my feet?"
She focused her eyes on the painting before her and added some strokes, "I'm not, ok?"
"Yeah well, you don't sound too convincing." Eric paced with his arms folded.
"I thought maybe I was alright? But I took a test and it was negative."
He stopped and pulled her to look at him, "Really?" He asked smiling.
"You don't have to be so happy about it."
"What? You want another kid, now?"
Alice looked down the hall to make sure her father's door was still closed. "I know the timing isn't great, but I want more babies Eric."
He sighed heavily. "I know. I know, but Olivia is only 8 and I haven't even finished the probationary period on my job yet. Can we wait a while, please?"
Alice saw the desperation in his eyes. She didn't know why, it wasn't like they were poor.
"Yeah." She said focusing on her painting again.
"Yeah?" He asked nuzzling her neck.
"I said, yeah." Alice responded dryly."
"Alright. And look when the time is right, baby we can have as many kids as you want." Eric headed for the staircase, presumably to get a drink at the bar.

 Alice looked down at her brownie. She hadn't lied to him, the pregnancy test she took yesterday was negative. But the sensations she felt in her body were all familiar, and the test she took this morning had a very faint positive. What was she going to tell Eric?