Fantasma... That's Spanish for Love (A Holtzbert Story)

Chapter Four - I'm Gonna Pass Out

Things aren't much different from the usual routine the next morning. Erin arrives early and to her surprise, Holtzmann has bought the two of them coffee and breakfast this time. They eat and talk as they usually do. They talk about so many things. Their childhoods (which were not all that different), their previous jobs, their homes. They haven't known each other long but they know so much about one another.

They also joke. A lot. Something the engineer is proud of because when she first met the physicist, she was somewhat uptight and serious. It took a few tries for her jokes to finally hit with Erin Gilbert. At first she got the occasional chuckle followed by an eye roll but the first time she made Erin laugh- like full on cackle with a side of snort and tears- it was the greatest sight and sound that Jillian Holtzmann had ever experienced. From then on, her efforts to make her coworker and friend crack up only multiplied.  Even better, Erin Gilbert would joke right back and she was surprisingly funny. Really funny. They'd joke and laugh around the others but something about the interactions between just the two of them felt sacred. Holtzmann cherished every moment of their alone time together.

On this particular morning, the engineer wanted nothing but to hear that laugh to distract herself from the feelings brewing inside of her that she so desperately has been trying to mask. As they sit at the table, she uses the opportunity to poke fun at the physicist.

"Gilbert, I have a question... Where in God's name did you learn Spanish?" She asks, almost laughing.

Erin chuckles. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know what I'm talking about? Yesterday at the Mexican restaurant." She asks. "Fantasma... That's Spanish for love." She mimics.

"And?" Erin asks expectantly.

"Erin sweetheart, 'Fantasma' is Spanish for ghost." Holtzmann corrects.

"Oh my God!" Erin laughs. "You're joking, right?"

The engineer loses it and starts cracking up. "Where'd you learn Spanish?"

"I didn't formally learn it. I just tried to pick some stuff up from soap operas I'd come across while flipping through channels." Erin says, still laughing.

"Oh thank God!" Holtzmann breathes trying to gather herself. "I was legitimately terrified that you may have picked that up from a high school Spanish class or somethin'."

"Nope. I didn't take Spanish in high school. I opted for sign language." Erin says before she takes a sip of her coffee.

Holtzmann's eyebrows shoot up. "So you're good with your fingers then?" She smirks.

Erin spits her coffee out and laughs nervously. "I hate you!" She holds up the middle finger and grabs napkins to wipe her now coffee stained blouse.

Holtzmann laughs. "Me amas..." She says with a smirk while grabbing a napkin to wipe the coffee mess.

"What does that mean?" Erin asks and finds herself growing more nervous as the engineer moved closer to her and wiped away the coffee that found its way onto Erin's chin. Their faces are closer than ever and their eyes meet. "You love me... That's what it means!" Holtzmann says, her voice low and Erin could feel her breath on her face and goosebumps settle on her body. For a second, it feels like the two of them are being pushed closer to one another but they quickly back away from one another when they hear the firehouse door slam open.

"Morning, ladies." Kevin greets them with a smile. Erin waves.

"Hey Kev!" Holtzmann says feeling somewhat flustered, holding her hand in her hair.

"Erin, you've got a little something on your shirt." Kevin says.

Erin sighs and grabs the MIT hoodie that Holtzmann let her borrow from when she got slimed during their first paranormal encounter the day they had met. Erin took a liking to the sweatshirt and never returned it. Holtzmann didn't mind though. She never really got much use out of it anyway and she admired how it looked on the physicist.