Chapter 25 Andrew
It's a Saturday afternoon, and Emily and I are just leaving the Army Base Riviera. I’m behind the wheel, and as we pull out of the parking lot, I catch a glimpse of the hotel in the rearview mirror.
It’s slowly coming together, room by room.
We’re headed to Jack and Sarah’s place. They’ve got a house out in the suburbs, with a backyard big enough for cookouts.
I haven’t been there in a while, and I’m actually looking forward to it. Jack’s one of the few people who doesn’t treat me like I’m about to explode, and Sarah is family, even if she isn’t mine by blood.
As we hit the main road, Emily’s voice breaks through my thoughts. “Can we make a quick stop?” she asks, glancing at me from the passenger seat. “I want to pick up something for Jack and Sarah. A little gift.”
I’m a bit surprised. “You don’t have to do that,” I say, glancing over at her. “They’re just happy to have us over.”
“I know,” she says, her lips curving into a small smile. “But I want to. It’s just polite.”
It’s a simple gesture, but it catches me off guard, makes me feel, something. She doesn’t have to do it, but she wants to.
I try to focus on driving, but my mind drifts back to last night. It had been rough, one of the worst since we’d moved into the same house.
All I could think about was Emily in the next room, and how much I wanted to be close to her. I’d even gotten out of bed, made it all the way to her door, but then I’d stopped.
Stood there like an idiot, staring at the doorknob, giving myself a pep talk. I’d reminded myself that we needed to figure out who we were to each other, without just jumping back into bed.
We needed to get to know each other without intimacy clouding everything. So, I’d turned around and forced myself back to bed, but sleep had been elusive .
“Alright,” I say, changing lanes so I can pull off at the next exit. “Let’s make a quick stop.”
We find a small, local shop just off the main road. It’s the kind of place that sells everything from fresh flowers to gourmet jams, and as soon as we step inside, I’m hit by the warm, rich scent of freshly brewed coffee.
The place is well stocked and Emily’s eyes light up as she looks around.
I trail behind her as she selects handmade soap, a small bouquet of wildflowers, and a box of artisanal chocolates.
“Those are perfect,” I say, and I mean it. “You’ve got a good eye.”
She looks over at me and smiles. “Thanks. I just thought it’d be nice to bring something.”
We pay for the items and head back to the car.
As we get back on the road, I can’t keep my gaze from Emily. She’s watching the scenery pass by, her fingers playing absentmindedly with the ribbon on the flower bouquet. I’d give anything to know what is on her mind.
We get to Jack and Susan’s neighborhood. The houses are spaced out, each with a decent yard, the kind of place where you can actually breathe. We pull up to their place, and Jack’s already out on the porch, waving as we park.
“Good to see you two,” he calls out, grinning as we step out of the car. “It’s been too long.”
“Yeah, it has,” I say, walking over to shake his hand. “Hope we’re not too late.”
“Not at all,” Jack says, clapping me on the shoulder. “Sarah’s just getting the salads ready.”
Emily holds out the little gift bag. “We brought a few things,” she says, her voice warm, and Jack’s smile widens.
“Well, aren’t you two sweet?” Jack says, taking the bag. “Sarah’s gonna love this. Come on in, make yourselves at home. ”
We follow Jack through the house, passing through the kitchen and out to the backyard, where Sarah is busy setting out a spread of salads, bread rolls, and other accompaniments on a long wooden table.
The scent of freshly cut herbs and grilled meat wafts through the air, making my stomach rumble. It feels like home, and it hits me how much I’ve missed this—just relaxing, no meetings, no renovations, just being with friends.
Sarah looks up as we step outside, and her face lights up.
“Andrew.” She wipes her hands on a dish towel before walking over to give me a hug. She pulls back, holding my arms, and looks me over with a smile. “It’s been too long. You look good.”
I smile back, giving her a quick squeeze. “You too, Sarah.” I glance at Emily, who’s standing just behind me. “This is Emily,” I say, putting a hand on her back, gently guiding her forward. “My wife.”
Sarah smiles at Emily. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.”
Emily smiles warmly, extending her hand. “It’s great to meet you too, Sarah. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Oh, I hope all good things.” Sarah laughs, shaking Emily’s hand before pulling her into a quick, friendly hug. “Come on, sit down, make yourselves comfortable.”
As we settle into the backyard, Jack heads over to the grill, checking on the steaks. I turn to Sarah. “Jack told me the news,” I say. “Congratulations.”
Sarah’s cheeks flush slightly, but she’s grinning. “Thank you,” she says, glancing over at Jack, who catches her eye and grins back. “We weren’t exactly planning on it, but we’re so excited.”
“That’s amazing,” Emily says, her face lighting up. “Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”
“Not yet,” Sarah replies, her hand going to her stomach. “We’ll find out at the next appointment, but honestly, we’re just excited either way. It’s still early, but we couldn’t keep it to ourselves any longer. ”
Jack chimes in from the grill, his tone light. “We’re already debating names, which has been an interesting exercise.” He winks at Sarah, who laughs and shakes her head.
“We are not naming the baby after your favorite hockey player,” she says, rolling her eyes.
We all laugh. I can’t help but envy what Jack and Sarah have. The kind of effortless, easy love that comes from truly knowing someone, from being completely comfortable together.
I glance over at Emily, who’s laughing at something Sarah just said. The sound of it, the way her eyes crinkle at the corners, does something to me.
I wonder if she could be that special person for me, the way Sarah is for Jack. It’s a thought I’ve been pushing away, but it keeps coming back, stronger each time.
Before I can delve any deeper into my own thoughts, Jack calls out, “Alright, everyone, food’s ready. Let’s eat.”
It’s a nice afternoon and evening, and by the time it’s over, Emily looks relaxed and so do I.
The evening ends with hugs and warm goodbyes, Emily and Sarah exchanging numbers and promising to stay in touch.
I watch them, a bit amazed at how easily they’ve connected, like they’ve known each other for years instead of just a few hours.
Emily settles into the passenger seat, her face still glowing from the laughter and conversation of the evening.
As I drive, she turns to me, a smile tugging at her lips. “That was such a great evening, don’t you think?”
I nod, glancing over at her briefly. “Yeah, it was,” I say, my voice quieter than usual. “Sarah and Jack are good people.”
She nods, gazing out the window, her fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on her lap.
We lapse into a comfortable silence for the rest of the drive, but as we pull into the driveway and I turn off the engine, I don’t get out .
Instead, I sit there, gripping the steering wheel, trying to figure out how to say what’s on my mind.
Emily turns to me, her expression curious. “Andrew?”
I take a breath, my heart pounding a little harder than it should. “Seeing Jack and Sarah tonight, how they are together, it made me think about us. About our marriage.”
Her eyes widen slightly, and I can see her brace herself, as if she’s not sure where this conversation is going. “What do you mean?” she asks.
“They’re so comfortable with each other. So natural,” I say, feeling like I’m fumbling for the right words. “And it made me realize that with time, I want the same thing for us.”
I can’t look at her as I say it because it feels too raw, too vulnerable, like I’m setting myself up to be hurt. But I force myself to continue. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, I want us to get to know each other. Really know each other.”
There’s a pause, and I can feel her eyes on me, studying me, trying to read between the lines. “Why haven’t you wanted to, you know, get intimate with me?” she asks, her voice hesitant.
I turn to look at her. She’s so damn beautiful. “It’s not that I don’t want to. Sometimes I can’t sleep for wanting you. Knowing you’re in the next room drives me crazy.”
Her eyes widen with surprise and her lips part slightly.
“But I don’t want to rush this. I don’t want us to fall into something just because it’s easy, or because it’s expected. I want to get to know you, really know you, without the distraction.”
She’s silent for a moment, and I’m half-expecting her to tell me I’m overthinking it, or that I’m making things more complicated than they need to be.
But instead, she nods. “You’re right. I think sleeping together would be a distraction right now. I want this to work too, Andrew. I want us to figure out what this could be.”