no questions asked | ethma

8

Ethan

I still had another five days before I was supposed to make Emma dinner, yet I was already so nervous about it that I couldn't have sex.

The girl I took back to my place from the bar left early, and I was left feeling like an idiot. I couldn't even get it up.

Until I thought about Emma.

I'm fucked.

Emma's fucking boyfriend died not even two months ago, and all I can think about is everything I've been wanting to do to her petite figure.

How did my life get to that point? I felt so low.

I had dinner with Mrs. McNamara, and she knew that Emma helped me home the other day.

"So, you and Emma came home at the same time the other night."

"You don't know that."

"I have eyes at the front desk, Ethan."

"Right. She just drove me home from the bar. That's all."

"Ethan, you're better than that."

"I didn't sleep with her."

"I know you didn't. You'd be freaking out about it if you did."

"What?"

"You like her."

Mrs. M knew things about myself that I didn't even know yet.

"What do you mean?"

"Ethan, I've seen the way you look at her."

"Mrs. M, she just lost her boyfriend who she was planning on marrying."

"See. You do care about her."

"I just like being her friend. I mean, her and I have been through some very similar situations, and it feels good to be able to talk to someone that has no judgement towards me. I don't want to ruin that."

"I'm not saying you have to marry her. But maybe wait until she's ready and then take her out on a date. I think Emma would be good for you."

"I don't know. What if I get to that point and I mess it up?"

"If it's supposed to happen it will."

-

Emma

Two days before dinner with Ethan, I had dinner with Mrs. McNamara. Of course she offered me some of her world famous advice.

"You're friends with Ethan, right?"

"Yeah."

"You two should date."

"I don't know. It seems too soon."

"Emma, honey. You're young. You need to have some fun. Nothing serious. I know you miss Mark, but he wanted you to put yourself out there. I know it doesn't feel like it, but something casual might be a good thing for you right now. And from what I heard, Ethan really likes you."

"He is making me dinner on Wednesday. Kind of an apology because of how drunk he got last week."

"Do you like him?"

"I don't know. He's attractive. He's funny. He can relate to losing a sibling, and it felt good to talk about it to someone who understands."

"You lost a sibling?"

"My sister Natalie. I was twelve. She was fifteen. She had an underlying heart condition that went undetected, and the doctors said it could've showed up the same day it killed her."