Dancing with Shadows

Thirteen

      Zeke left her suitcase in the cab of the truck. He tried to circle around to open the door for her, but Jasmine was too quick to get out. He instead, took her hand and walked with her up to the front door. They went in and he dropped his keys in a decorative bowl on the table inside of the door.

      Jasmine noticed the difference now from the last time she was in Zeke's home. There were a significantly less amount of nick-knacks through the part of the living room that she could see, and she wondered why he would have gone through to remove such an important part of his grandparents.

      "Can I get you something to drink?" Zeke asked. He was suddenly unsure of himself. This felt so much like the last time she was over. He so desperately didn't want her to just freak out and leave again.

      Jasmine noticed the question deep inside of his words. She looked up at him, and smiled. "Of course," she said. She moved to the side so he could lead her to the kitchen.

      The kitchen was small. Jasmine wondered just how he was able to move around when preparing his meals. The only conclusion she could imagine was that he'd be better off eating out every night.

      Zeke opened his fridge. "Well, I've got milk, orange juice," he looked over the open door at an expectant Jasmine. "And water."

      "Water is fine."

      Zeke pulled two water bottles out of the fridge and closed the door. He handed one to Jasmine and cracked open his own. He moved over to the bistro table and took one of the seats. Jasmine followed suit. They sat in silence. Both sipping from their bottles of water.

      Jasmine finally had enough of the silence. She moved her water precariously close to the edge, out of her way, and leaned forward. Her face was only inches away from Zeke's. "So, what do you think? About all this."

      Zeke's face lit up. He didn't seem so awkward any more. "I- I don't know. I mean I'm really excited, of course. But- I feel like it really hasn't sunken in yet."

      Jasmine knew exactly what he meant. Even when she was doubled over with bouts of morning sickness, she was still trying to cope with the thought of holding another tiny life within her.

      Zeke reached across the table and took her hand in his. He leaned in as well and now his lips were hovering just a breath away from hers. "I missed you," he admitted.

      Jasmine wished he would just close that distance. "I missed you, too."

      Zeke pulled away and stood up. He turned his wrist up to look at the time on his watch. "You know, I haven't eaten lunch yet, and I can order some amazing- anything that delivers."

      Jasmine laughed at the pride in his voice. "I would like some Chinese food. I haven't had Chinese in over four months."

      "Your wish is my command, m'lady."

      The two of them looked over one of the take out menus and made their selections before he called in their order. Jasmine took the opportunity to poke around in the living room. She picked up a tiny porcelain couple dancing in their wedding garb. Her eyes suddenly went misty imagining it sitting atop an elegant cake.

      Having placed their order, Zeke found Jasmine in the living room. She was standing in front of the China cabinet. The doors were wide open, and he saw her pick up the wedding cake topper that adorned his parents' cake, and his grandparent's before that. He couldn't help but go to her, and wrap his arms around her middle from the back. He rested his chin on her shoulder. "It's sort of an heir loom. My mom's parents had a homemade cake, and this was the topper. My father had the replica of the cake made for their own wedding cake, and now whichever of us get married first will have the same cake."