Ch15 | The Piteous Life of Dr. Stevens' New Wife
Created By: Erikftglitter
Teacherās Appreciation Week was one of Kariās favorite weeks of the school year. Each year, she discovered just how creative her students could be when it came to making gifts.
Sheād received homemade patches, a repurposed quilt, and an abundance of flowers and cards. It was one of the few times she felt truly celebrated and loved for her work. When the school year ended, although she was always grateful for a break, she was usually alone, left to celebrate her own accomplishments.
Erik had completely changed that. He loved to take her out even when there was no occasion. He celebrated and valued her. That was one of the biggest reasons why he was advising her to attend the conference.
He hated the distance but was fond of the idea. It would be a great accolade to show their children one day. He was a little⦠off like that. His need for traditionalist influences was growing stronger, but he ignored it, just as he had been ignoring it for the past several months.
Kari hadnāt told Erik that it was Teacherās Appreciation Week, and she had no desire to. Sheād be satisfied with the gifts from her studentsāgifts sheād have to hide in her carāand then go to sleep. She had an unshakeable migraine all week.
Despite the migraine, Kari did receive a notification about one of her favorite stores having a sale. Erik was working late, she had to go to the pharmacy, and she still needed things for her trip. She thought the idea over once more, then decided to head in the direction of the mall.
She needed to stop by Sephora, find some comfortable standing shoes, and she couldnāt resist the idea of a new activewear set. She loved being comfortable, and a new set would look great on her while she was traveling.
After trying on two sets, Kari settled for a navy blue set, another black set, and absolutely, positively deserved the orange set. While bright colors werenāt her first choice, she was happy she tried it on because she loved how her skin glowed in the orange. Orange looked great on brown skin.
She found a pair of neutral kitten heels that would be perfect for the outfits she had in mind. She had already restocked her beauty essentials from Sephora, and this was her last stop. When she glanced at the time, she shook her head. Women were not beings capable of coming āin and outā of their favorite stores quickly.
She piled her bags inside of her car and held each receipt. As she sat in the driverās seat, she reviewed her expenses. If sheād thought about it inside the mall, sheād probably have left something behind, but she was in a shopping mood. Every now and then sheād get like that.
Kari noticed that she didnāt recognize the last four digits of the card being used. She had most of her card numbers memorized, or at least the last four digits. She dug through her purse for her wallet and opened it.
Driverās license, Caber City Public Library Card, Gym Membership Card, and there was the black card that sheād been using confidently. Her card was black, but she noticed the sleeker appearance of the black card in her wallet. She didnāt need to read the card to know who it belonged to.
Still, she flipped it over, and to no surpriseā
She had been swiping Erikās card faithfully, and she had no clue. When did he remove her own credit cards from her wallet? Where were they? Kari tried to remember the last time sheād seen her card and was stunned by the lack of recollection. He meant everything he said.
When she entered their condo, she disregarded her bags at the front door. A large pink bow caught her attention. As she walked closer, she saw that it was attached to a suitcase and a card.
āHappy Teacherās Appreciation Week to my favorite teacher. Make sure this is big enough.ā
It wasnāt the suitcase that made Kari cry, but the card attached to it. It was the fact that he knew. He knew everything about her world, even if she didnāt explicitly say anything. The feeling of being known and loved like this was something she hadnāt felt since she lost her grandparents.
She dialed Erikās number and waited patiently for him to answer. She hoped he was charting alone or somewhere he could answer her call. She never called him while he was working, but she had an overwhelming amount of gratitude and needed to talk to him.
āKitten. You alright?ā He answered after the second ring.
āYes,ā Kari sniffled. āIāum, got your card.ā She smiled.
āYeah?ā Erik laughed. He could almost visualize what she looked likeāsmall tears, big round eyes, and those lips puckered out like they always were when she cried.
āYeah. Howād you know?ā Kari asked, twirling her curls around her fingers.
āI always know, Kari.ā He paused. āYou think you can stay up for me?ā
āI can do that.ā Kari smiled. The migraine was still there, but she was curious about Erikās plans.
āI have to get back, kitten. I want a little show of everything you bought too.ā He was gone, but not before hearing Kariās gasp.
How in the fuck did he know that?
Kari ran a bath as she waited for Erik to come home. She ordered dinner but couldnāt bring herself to eat it. The migraine was getting worse, and sheād had enough of trying to manage it naturally. As she took the painkiller, she remembered that she forgot to stop by the pharmacy. Sheād have to remember to go out tomorrow because she was completely out of pills.
Entering the warm water eased Kariās body instantly. She was calm, at ease, and most of all, missing her very busy man. Whenever she didnāt feel well, he would do the most, and she loved it. It made Kari think, though. How did he manage to be that way?
He was so stoic. So cool and unaffectionate to anyone other than Kari. What made her the exception? Had he done this before? Theyād both discussed their upbringings at the start of their relationship. It was an emotional burden that neither of them liked to cover. But Kari did know love, and thatās why she desired it.
She wanted to know what made Erik the way he was. Why was he so Erik? She was drifting off as she pondered the matter.
The bath had cooled by the time Kari heard Erikās deliberate footsteps. Her fingers were pruned and she was cooler, but the migraine had subsided. She wrapped herself in a towel and walked to their shared vanity sink.
Erik was already there, watching her with that quiet intensity that always sent a shiver down her spine. He watched her finish up her skincare routine and soaked up her appearance. Her curls were wrapped in a small towel that heād love to remove, but he didnāt ask her to stay up for that.
āKitten,ā he spoke, his lips curving into that familiar smirk. He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame. He kissed her forehead. āOr should I say Ms. Evans?ā he chuckled.
āPerhaps Mrs. Stevens?ā Kari laughed, watching his face in the mirror.
Erik ignored the pull in his heart as he heard it aloud. It was perfect to him. Kari Stevens was such a better signature than the default.
He eyed her in the mirror, his thumb brushing away a stray drop of water on her cheek. āThe mall, huh?ā he teased gently, having almost tripped over the bags in the living room.
Kariās smile widened. āYeah. Where are my cards?ā She turned around to face him, trying her best to look intimidating and stern.
He picked her up and sat her on the sink. āWhy do you need them?ā he asked, eyebrows raised.
āWhat if you needed your card?ā
āWhat if they flagged it for fraud?ā
āWhat if you didnāt see it?ā
āYouāre an authorized user.ā
āWhen did you do that?ā Kari was surprised by his rapid responses. He had a certainty that couldnāt be doubted. He didnāt doubt Kari.
āThe moment I asked you to move in with me,ā he answered truthfully, his eyes never leaving hers though she kept dodging his gaze.
āIām not even going to ask how you accessed my social security number.ā
āI know a lot of things that I probably shouldnāt,ā he spoke into her ear, making her body fall closer to his instinctively.
āYou know I do have a job.ā She laughed nervously, trying to loosen the tension. If she didnāt, she knew his ability to have her bent over the edge of the sink in a matter of seconds.
His brows furrowed slightly, then softened. āI know,ā he said simply. āI like taking care of you.ā
They eventually moved to the bed, Kari putting on one of his shirts before sinking beside Erik.
āCan I ask you something, Erik?ā Her voice was low and uncertain. He was a bit concerned about the use of his first name but opened the floor for her to begin.
āHow come youāre so sweet to me?ā Kari looked at her feet as she waited for him to say something.
Erik lifted her head to his and searched her eyes for an answer. āWhereās this coming from, Kitten? Iām always like this when it comes to you.ā
āRight. Thatās what I mean.ā She paused, finding her words. āI love it. I love you.ā She paused briefly, feeling a little embarrassed by her declaration that she found herself repeating so much.
Erikās hand on her thigh encouraged her to keep going. āI just wanted to know how you managed to make an exception for me and no one else.ā
Erik let out a silent breath. He was more relieved than before, but he knew this day would come. He pulled Kari onto his lap to straddle him before he started. This was his safe haven. His words flowed better when he was able to cradle her like she was his own personalized comforter.
Then Erik spoke, his voice low and unguarded. āI didnāt know love growing up. My parents died, and I bounced from one foster home to the next. Thatās all I knew before joining the military.ā
She swallowed, listening, her fingers lightly tracing small shapes on his back as he held her tighter.
āIn the military, you learn to kill and not to feel,ā he said, his voice monotone. āI was great at it.ā He admitted. āEven earned a nicknameā¦ā Erik felt himself reminiscing but stopped the memories from flooding. āPTSD, night terrors, whatever you can think of, KittenāI had it.ā
Kariās eyes filled with tears. She had always known there was trauma within Erikāshe just hadnāt realized how deep it ran.
āBeing a surgeonāitās how I learned to control it.ā
That was partly true. Kill was still very much there, his ego and his only friend. He was humored to hear that he was⦠controllable.
āThese same bloody hands save lives. Iāve saved lives in service and out.ā
She thought carefully before asking her next question, her voice a whisper. āAnd Andre?ā
āRemoved a bullet from his head,ā he sighed. āHis family is eternally grateful. I just canāt do the speech shit.ā He admitted. It was one thing to talk to a few people at a time, but he didnāt have the preparation for Kill to control him in a room full of easy targets.
The room was silent for a while. Erik pulled Kari away to look at her face.
āYou⦠youāre everything I thought Iād never have, Kari.ā Her eyes were watery.
āFrom the moment that I met you, I knew that I could see you. I didnāt think it could be true, then you extended that invitation to me, and I knew it wasnāt a coincidence.ā He removed her from his lap completely.
āI look into your eyes and I see your submission. You are so rare, Kari, and you deserve everything that this world has to offer. I canāt stand the idea of you struggling,ā Erik said quietly. āIāve seen enough pain. Enough loss. I canāt stop the world from hurting you, but Iāll do everything I can to limit it. Thatās why I do all of this. Itās why I am controlling. Why Iām obsessed. Itās all⦠instinctual when it comes to you.ā
Kari couldnāt stop the tears from flowing. Even in the dark confession, she heard nothing but love. She saw nothing but safety. What better place for both of them than to be together?
She reached for his standing body but he held her still, his body slowly reaching the ground.
āI love you, kitten. I may not know how to love like other people doābut I know that I found it with you. Kari Elaine Evans, will you marry me?ā
Kari shot up to look at him, her hands resting on his broad shoulders. āIā Yes! Oh my goodness, yes, yes, yess!!ā
His lips curved into a relieved smile, his hand cradling the velvet box. They finally had Kari. He slipped the ring onto her finger and remained on the floor. āI promise to give you all of me.ā
And for the first time in many years, both of the Stevensā had a family. The kiss was tender, intenseāit radiated a light of hope in the face of darkness.
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