281 Chapter 281

Fi and Ian arrived with Ian's little girl. Fi brought her into the kitchen to meet Erik and Pearl.

"My name is Isabella." She said, with a curtsey. Pearl smiled and curtsied back. Erik leaned down and gave her a handshake.

"Dinner is almost ready. How are things out there?" Pearl asked, motioning to the living room.

"I'm pretty sure your parents are convinced Ian worships the devil. Your father asked him twice why so many tattoos and said he wasn't accustomed to wearing leather pants and a concho belt on Thanksgiving. But he added it looked "cool"." Fi said, giggling. Pearl rolled her eyes and smiled. "If that's the worst my father says, we will be fortunate indeed this Thanksgiving." She said. Abigail came to help place the food on trays and in dishes to present. Pearl excused herself upstairs to change her clothes.

She walked into the bedroom and Erik's carry on bag caught her eye. They were leaving for London in a few days and it seemed he was already beginning to pack. She walked over and glanced at it and saw a few things inside along with a book. She picked up the book and smiled, putting her hand over her mouth. "What to expect when you're expecting." She read out loud. It was a book about the stages of pregnancy. It looked like it had been read well, the cover was bent and the pages had book marks taped to several of them. She opened it and saw he had also taken notes.

"Make sure to be more understanding. Very hormonal right now." And "she needs more rest during this time." And "The baby is safer now at this gestation. We made it." Along the side of the pages. Tears fell from her eyes. Even when she was angry with him, he was still involved with this baby and pregnancy as much as he could be.

"Pearl, dinner is set. Everything ok?" Erik asked, knocking and walking into the large bedroom suite. She looked up at him and smiled, still holding the book. He smiled shyly and sat down next to her on the bed.

"I wanted to know what you were feeling and needing during this." He explained, seeing the book in her hand.

"I'm sorry I was so angry with you. I just didn't understand. And I still don't fully understand how your family works, how this establishment works, but I know that I love you. The man you are. This books just validates it." Pearl said, looking into his eyes. "Thank you for caring and wanting to be a good man for me."

"Pearl, all you have done since the day I met you, is make me want to be a better man. I would walk away from this family and this life in a second if I knew it was a better choice for our family. For you. Know that." He said. Pearl nodded.

"I know." She said.

"And that has no expiration. You are everything to me. If you feel it necessary, I will remove you from the toxic nature of this family. If my wife is uncomfortable, feels her mental health is at risk or that of our child is at risk, or feels unsafe around anyone, I'm not going to say.. well that's my father or my uncle, too bad. I'm not going to feel that because my family has always been my family, you just have to deal with it and make sure you're at every family function and playing along like a good little royal. If you, my wife, doesn't want to be around that energy, I will remove you and protect my queen. My parents, and the entire family will always be my family but when we tied that knot and said those vows, my number one priority became my wife and the child we will soon have." Erik said, looking into her eyes and holding her hand. Pearl hugged him and kissed him.

"Thank you." She said.

"No need. I love you, Pearl." He said.

"I know. I really do know that." She said.

"Now, let's go down and have ourselves a thanksgiving. And no fighting or letting your parents get to you." Erik said, walking to the door. He turned back, "We don't want any negative words moving forward. The baby can hear us now." He said with a smile.

Pearl nodded and changed into a sundress. "Here we go." She said, taking a deep breath and heading downstairs.