December 16 Meeting

Meeting of the TBA Group

Like little mice, we opened the door of the newly refurbished meeting place of the True Blood Anonymous group. Gone were the metal folding chairs and the plain walls. The room had been transformed into something that looked like a corporate meeting room with long countertops and a new coffee machine with different selections of coffee. On a tray nearby were bottles of coffee friendly liquors, including a bottle of Bailey’s Irish Crème and a big bottle of Jameson’s whisky. Under the countertops were paper napkins, little treat plates and plastic silverware (my favorite oxymoron) and cups. There was a small fridge, looking new and spangly, as though it had never been used.

I stood there with God Speed and the Mrs. and Westexan and Eric Lover and surveyed the room. Westexan immediately sat down in one of the comfortable chairs and sighed with relief with the lumbar support and gentle recline. On the floor was a wonderful heavy red rug. If we so chose, we could push back the seats and sit on the rug, it was that lovely and thick. I took off my coat and saw the hooks on the walls on either side of the doors and hung up both my coat and my big bag of crazy.

I came back and began to help Westexan start the coffee and set out her large container of candy. I had never eaten such wonderful candy and it was wonderful to see the mouth watering sugary goodness laid out in front of us. GS and Mrs. GS had brought some of their famous mini cheese burgers. Nia brought some baklava, for which I would have willingly sold our lead counselor into slavery for and Vi brought us not only Kleenexes but little chicken quesadillas for snacking.

Dude came in with some chips. We were sort of having a party, returning to our beloved space. As the room began to fill up with our members, we chattered loudly about the trip to Baton Rouge and spending time with the counselors and the gifts I had brought for other members who had ordered things out of the pile catalogues I had brought to the lead counselor’s bar for them to peruse. You don’t know how hard it is to buy gifts until you try to buy things for someone like them. I went out to my car and came back with the bags of goodies and gave them to the prospective gift givers. I was bent over a bag when I heard a deep voice behind me and felt the presence of a very large someone leaning over me.

“What have you here Aslinn?” asked the lead counselor, as the lights went out except for the middle track lights that replaced the ugly fluorescent lighting from before.

“ Ah, some packages from the National Organization of the United Brotherhood of keep your long Viking Nose out of it,” I said, straightening up and turning. He laughed and turned away, walking over to his usual place. I hurried over to the seat I had staked out. I noticed that Mel and Liz had taken their place and Linzy and Lina and Raki were there and Burke and Renee had made it. Hoyt and Dude were there as well, whispering about the things we had been discussing in the speculations thread, things I hoped we would be able to get to this meeting. Minnie and Vi were whispering over something Minnie was showing Vi in one of the bags I had brought in.

“How do you like our newly remodeled meeting place?” asked the southern counselor. I pressed my hand to my chest. I cherished all the meetings I had one on one with my counselor and even thought I didn’t remember everything, there were wonderful things I did remember. I suspected we all had memories of our one on one meetings.

“Oh it is so beautiful,” said Raki. “Did you guys do this?”

“Well, actually, we just made a few suggestions but Mel did it. Thank you so much dearest,” said the lead counselor to Mel, who blushed like a school girl. I knew her night was Thursdays with the lead counselor and I was sure he was going to demonstrate just how much he appreciated everything. I was waiting for us to begin the meeting. I resisted the urge to make a come on motion.

“Shall we begin?” asked the lady counselor in the back.
“Yes, let us now begin our first meeting in our new space,” said the southern counselor in his soft cool voice.

“We want to talk about Alcide,” said Westexan.

“They found him, I thought they would never find him and he is so important to the adventure next summer,” said Vi, who had dutifully posted about the “Alcide Sighting” on the forum.

“So, do you think he will be introduced to Sookie the way he was in the books, as a contact through Eric to escort her to Josephine’s so Sookie can listen?” asked Dude.

“Oh, my poor Bill,” said Nia, miserably. “The people who have Bill will be thinking about what they have been doing to him and Sookie will read their minds and see it…. Poor, poor, Bill!!!”

Iluvtheviking patted her on the shoulder. Nia was distraught. I could see that our counselor would have his hands full on Thursday night when he met with her for their regular counseling session.

“And do you think they will show the stuff they have been alluding to in all the spoilers? Are we really going to see…ehem…more of the Sheriff of Area Five?” asked Burke.

“I think you are going to see a lot of the Big Viking by the time the first episode is over,” said Lina, practically leering over the opportunity to slobber over the yummy blond goodness of the Viking Vampire. I had to admit to myself, as dedicated as I was to Bill and his yumminess that I would not be disgusted or turn my head away when Eric modeled the hide the good Lord gave him. I sometimes felt like a bad, inconstant woman, but what was I supposed to do when all that lovely flesh presented itself? Devoted I may be, blind, not so much. I was such a junkie….Dude’s voice interrupted my immoral dilemma.

“And what about Steve Newlin? We haven’t seen the last of him yet,” he said. We stiffened at the name of the man who was going to force our Sheriff to greet the sun, pointed a gun at our Sookie’s head and caused Godric to become so downhearted that he greeted the sun voluntarily.

“It says we shall see Godric again in Eric’s memories perhaps,” I mentioned. “Well, it says it will show Eric hunting as a team with someone, I hope it is Godric.”

“I think it might be Pam. The rumours are that she will play a more active part in our adventures this summer,” said GS.

“That would be okay too, because I really like Pam,” said Liz.

“Still no news on our little red headed girl?” asked GS.

“No news yet,” said Mel. GS was unsettled and unamused. It had been all this time and no news of yet about what was going to happen to our little red headed girl. I heard the lady counselor say something to her protégé.

“Let’s call it a night,” said the lady counselor. I was aware that the young counselor was upset and this was the likely reason for the end of the meeting. “Very good work, everyone.”

24 1/2 weeks to June