Finding a balance

Enid

Enid stares into the microwave watching the last bag of popcorn fluffing up. She had left this step for last so that the popcorn would still be warm when they started the movie, but standing there waiting for each bag to finish popping is one of the most anxiety-ridden moments of her life. Her thoughts keep getting away from her since she has nothing to do but wait.

Her anxieties about the date had subsided slightly once she had a plan but it had ramped back up again when she had started setting things up an hour ago. Thing had been a godsend, Holding her hand and helping her through it. She had no idea what she would have done without him.

A ding sounds from the microwave, and enid rushes to grab the greasy bag of popcorn and dump its contents into a waiting bowl. She runs back upstairs and puts the popcorn bowl next to the other candy bowls. She turns to check the time and sees that Wednesday should be back in five minutes.

Enid had asked Wednesday to give her an hour to set up, and she knew Wednesday would be back in the room precisely one hour after she left. That's just the kind of person Wednesday was. "Need anything else?" Thing asks

"Could you go downstairs and escort her up when she gets here?" Enid replies as she begins to wring her hands. Waiting for the popcorn had been bad enough, but now she has absolutely nothing to do. Her thoughts can run completely wild.

"It will be great." Thing says and then moves to grab one of her hands. "Great planning. She'll love it. Nothing will go wrong."

"Thank you, Thing."

"Welcome." Thing hops down onto the ground and scurries out the door, leaving Enid alone once again. She repeats Thing's words to herself to keep from spiraling as she waits for him to re-appear. Time seems to war. Stretching and shrinking in the perfect way to heighten her worry. Drawing out her misery but also looming over her, reminding her there is nothing else she can do. The date is in three minutes. If she's made a mistake or forgotten something, there is nothing she can do to fix it at this point. She begins running through a checklist of everything she needs to have done.

Buy the movie. Check.

Buy the snacks. Check

Put Wednesday's snacks into black and white containers. Check.

Set up a comfy place to watch the movie. Check

Enid's thoughts are interrupted as the door creaks open, and Wednesday enters the room. "Thank you for sending Thing to escort me up, mi amor; I sent him to have some time for himself, so we could be alone. I assume you don't need more time to set up, but I could head down to the common room if you do."

"Nop. It's all ready." Enid says, smiling and running over to Wednesday, a bit of her worry melting away. She opens her arms for a hug but lets Wednesday be the one to initiate it. She holds Wednesday tight, but as soon as she feels Wednesday's hold loosens, she lets go. "Will you tell me what you have planned now?" Wednesday asks once they have moved far enough apart to make eye contact.

"We're going to watch a movie. I found one I think both of us will like."