Eddie & Chrissy: What Could Have Been

Chapter Thirteen: The Date

School was out for the day and as soon as Eddie stepped out the main entrance he remembered that he had walked to school. "Shit," he said under his breath. Before he could think of what to do next he saw his van sitting in the far corner of the parking lot. "Good ol Slim," he shook his head and sprinted towards it. A crumpled piece of paper was on his windshield. It read:

"Finished early. Your Uncle said you were here. There's something wrong with you. Go get your girl. -Slim"

Eddie crumpled the paper back up, shoved it in his back pocket, and jumped into the driver's seat. He gripped his steering wheel and couldn't help but to smile. "'86 baby!" He turned the key and revved the engine. The passenger side door flung open.

"It's fixed!" Chrissy exclaimed and jumped in.

"Yeah she is!" Eddie turned on the radio and peeled out of the parking lot. Chrissy laughed hard enough that she grabbed her stomach. She couldn't remember the last time that she had laughed like that. She rolled down the window and closed her eyes as the wind blew through her hair. Eddie looked over at her and smiled, "how lucky am I?" he muttered to himself.

Eddie gave Chrissy a ride home from school and arrived at her house later that night to pick her up for dinner at 6. As Eddie pulled up to Chrissy's house he caught himself before he slammed the bottom of his palm onto the steering wheel's horn. "Come on, Munson." He stepped out of his van, straightened his jacket, and walked up the Cunningham's front steps. Before he could even knock on the door it flung open.

"Hi!" it was Chrissy, looking as pretty as ever.

"Well, hi," Eddie said laughing.

"Chrissy, you be careful now," Mr. Cunningham called out from the next room over. Eddie cleared his throat and leaned into the doorway,

"I'll make sure to have her home at a decent hour, Mr. Cunningham".

"I appreciate that, Eddie. You're a good kid." Mr. Cunningham stepped into the doorway and shook Eddie's hand. "Have fun." Mr. Cunningham said while kissing Chrissy on the forehead.

"Thanks, Daddy," Chrissy shut the door behind her.

"So where are we headed to?" Chrissy asked while buckling her seatbelt.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Eddie turned the key and drove away from the Cunningham residence at a reasonable speed. They pulled up to a small Italian restaurant in town by where the old Radio Shack used to be. Chrissy tried to hide her excitement. Eddie helped her out of the van, "my lady".

"Thank you, my Lord," she replied jokingly. Eddie dramatically grabbed his chest and looked at her happily surprised.

"Oh don't tease me now!" They both laughed.

The waitress sat them down in a dimly lit corner of the quaint restaurant. Chrissy unfolded her napkin and placed it neatly on her lap. Eddie sat back and watched her. Every little move that she made was so careful and precise. She was so beautiful in every way. Chrissy stared at the single rose in the vase on the center of the table. Eddie leaned in,

"I wanted to ask you. How have you been? I mean like, with the nightmares?" Chrissy sat there for a moment before she replied, she was overwhelmed with emotion because for the first time in a long time she was okay. She cleared her throat,

"I've never been better," she looked up at Eddie and smiled. It was the truth.

Eddie and Chrissy had a nice dinner together talking and laughing. For dessert, Chrissy ordered a sundae with hot fudge while Eddie had a black coffee. Eddie looked down at his coffee and up at Chrissy, "there's another thing that I've been meaning to ask you. You don't have to answer if you don't want to." Eddie shook his head. "But, where was your Mom the other night?"