“Are we staying?” Eva made sure only Ember could hear her.
Ember smiled in her direction and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.
“Yeah, we’re staying. And if he asks, you’re also a Bulls and Bears fan.”
Eva laughed and they walked to the table.
◆◆◆
Eva sat at the table across from Grace and stared down at the coffee cup she’d yet to drink from since it had been placed in front of her by Francine. Ember and Jack had headed into the study over twenty minutes ago. She hadn’t heard any yelling. That was a good thing, right?
“They’ll be fine,” Francine said after a moment and glanced at Eva. “They’re father and daughter. They’ll figure it out.”
“I hope so,” Eva said as she lifted the coffee to her lips and took a sip.
She knew she had worry written on her face. They’d finished lunch after a somewhat basic conversation. Zack and Grace were great and asked Eva all the standard questions about her job, her life growing up, her plans for her career, and with Ember. Francine asked a couple of questions but seemed to be using her son and almost daughter-in-law to generate the questions, so she could focus on the answers and appraise Eva. Jack had been relatively quiet throughout. Eva kept her eye on him. It was as if he was out of place in the conversation. She guessed it was because they so rarely talked about anything related to Ember. He grunted a few times. Eva tried to review what they’d been discussing to see if the grunts meant anything. At least he seemed to be listening to the conversation.
“Are you getting ready to wrap up the semester?” Grace asked. “I assume this time of year is pretty busy for professors. It was always pretty busy for me as a student.”
Eva and Ember hadn’t shared Eva’s termination and subsequent new job in Indiana with them yet. Neither had spoken about their intention to keep it to themselves, but they’d both navigated the conversation around that particular topic.
“It is a busy time of year, yes.”
“I assume you and Ember have talked about what she’s going to do after she quits the restaurant.” Francine took a drink of her own coffee and kept her eyes on Eva as if she was trying to pump her for information in an interrogation room.
“Some, yeah,” Eva replied with another vague answer.
“And you don’t care to share any of that with us?” Francine tested her.
“Ember should be the one to tell you when she’s ready, but I don’t think anything is definite yet.”
“When she is, I’ll listen,” Francine told her, lightening a little. “Will you tell her that?”
“Of course.”
“Hey, are you ready?” Ember emerged with Jack close behind her.
“Sure.” Eva wasn’t sure what had happened in there because neither of them had a readable expression on their face.
“Thanks for lunch, mom,” Ember said and then reached for Eva’s hand.
“It was great to meet all of you.” Eva turned to the family and back to Ember.
“Dad, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“We’ll finalize everything then,” he agreed and nodded.
They said their goodbyes. Francine followed them to the door where Ember pulled their coats from the closet and helped Eva before putting on her own. Eva smiled at it. She loved this part of her girlfriend.
“Are you two speaking again?” Francine asked.
“We’re talking,” Ember clarified. “It’s going to take more than one conversation to fix things.”
“I know. I’m just glad you’re trying.” Francine pulled her daughter in for a hug. “Can I expect to see you two next week for dinner?”
“I don’t know, mom. I’ll let you know.” Ember seemed hesitant and unsure, but Eva took her hand when she’d finished hugging her mother and they turned to go.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Eva asked once they were outside heading toward the train station.
“Not now, but yes. Later. I’ll tell you everything. I want to not think about it for now though. Is that okay?”
“Of course, it is.” Eva wanted to know what happened. She really wanted to know, but she could tell Ember needed some time to process whatever had occurred, so she would give that to her. “What do you want to do with the rest of our day?” Eva asked. “I have some ideas myself.”
“You do?” Ember smiled in her direction.
“Yes, you need something to take your mind off lunch, right?”
“Yes.”
“Well, at my apartment, there is a bed. We could have no clothes on, and then, after we’re done with the no clothes part, you could cook dinner for me.”
Ember laughed.
“I’m cooking, huh?”
“Only because I’m terrible at it.”
“If I cook for you, what will you be doing for me?” Ember asked and tightened her grip on Eva’s hand.
“See the no clothes portion of the itinerary.” Eva smiled at her and enjoyed the fact that the weather had warmed enough that they no longer needed gloves. She could feel Ember’s soft hand pressed against her own.
◆◆◆
As Ember prepared dinner while Eva looked over her lecture notes on the other side of the kitchen island, she couldn’t help but stare. To Ember, Eva was beautiful all the time. But as she chopped vegetables standing on the other side of the island, she found herself staring at the woman and thinking she looked even more beautiful somehow. She had a pen in her mouth and was staring at a notebook as she mouthed words. Ember nearly cut herself due to the intense staring. It also didn’t help that Eva was wearing a white tank top and black panties as she sat there. Ember could easily see through the tank top. It didn’t matter that they’d had sex less than an hour ago. Ember wanted her again, but she also wanted to watch her work. Her thoughts drifted to a possible future where they’d do this in a house they shared. Ember would cook. Eva would work and they’d watch TV on the couch, drink beer since they both preferred that to wine, and then they’d go to bed, make love, and fall asleep naked while holding onto one another.
Eva’s voice interrupted Ember’s thoughts. “Hey, I thought you didn’t like red peppers.”
“Huh?”
“You’re putting red peppers on both salads.” Eva pointed with the pen and then put it back between her lips.
“Oh, yeah.” She began picking the peppers out of one of the salads.
“You okay there?”
“Mind your business, Scout.” Ember waved the knife at her.
Eva smirked and then went back to her notes. Ember’s eyes drifted back down to the vegetables she was still chopping for the stir-fry. Her thoughts drifted again. This time, they returned her to her father’s study and to their earlier conversation.
◆◆◆
“Dad, I don’t want to fight. So, if you feel like that’s likely to happen, then I don’t want to do this now. Eva’s out there and-”
“I like her.” Jack sat in one of the two leather chairs in the overly stuffy room.
“Eva?” She sat across from her father.
“She’s a Cubs fan,” he replied and crossed one leg over the other. “And she’s nice,” he added. “She gave a nice speech about you in there.”
“Yes, she did.” Ember was still completely surprised that Eva had given her entire family a monologue about how great Ember was.
“She’s good for me.”
“Is she the reason you’re leaving the restaurant?”
“I thought we weren’t going to talk-”
“I don’t mean like that.” He paused and ran his tongue over his bottom lip. It was something she’d seen him do rarely, but she knew he did it when he was uncomfortable about something. “Did she make you think about other things?”
“Like, other things in my life?”
“Yes, Ember.”
“I guess.” She paused. “I know you would have liked a normal straight daughter, but that’s not me, dad. I’ve never been normal. I’ve definitely never been s
traight.” She let out a short laugh. “She makes me feel special. She wants to know me. She wants to know all of me. And talking about things with her gets me thinking about other stuff I want in my life.”
“And the fact that I wasn’t… there for you before… growing up?”
Ember let out a deep breath and met his eye.
“Yes,” she admitted. “All I ever wanted was for you to see me how you so easily saw Zack. You and Zack were always close. You tolerated me. I don’t even remember us doing something that was just the two of us.”
“I used to read to you when you were little. You were three when I stopped.”
“Why?”
“Because you knew how to read.” He laughed a little. “It started when you were about two-and-a-half, I think. Your mom and I bought a set of picture books for you. I noticed you were sounding out the words with me. By the time you were three, you didn’t need me to read to you anymore. You’d pick up a book, read it to yourself, and be asleep by the time I came into your room to tuck you in.”
“I don’t remember that.” She tried to bring forth any memories of her father reading to her or doing the reading herself, but she had none.
“You were little, Ember. You started asking for different books. Your mom and I took you and Zack to a bookstore one day to pick some out. Zack wanted regular books for kids his age, but you kept wandering out of the children’s section. I found you in a chair reading one of those SAT prep books. I don’t know if you understood everything in it. You kept flipping the pages. I knew then that you were more than I could handle.”
“Because I could read?” Ember tried to understand.
“I’m a simple military man. I was a grunt. I was on the line and happy to be. When I lost that, and your mom and I had Zack and you, we started working more at the restaurant. I knew that would be it for me. I’m okay with that.” He paused. “I’m okay with that because it’s all I can do. I used to wonder where you came from. I wondered if your mom had an affair with a smarter man because I couldn’t figure out how you were my daughter. I love your brother. Don’t you dare say anything to him about this, but I never wondered about Zack being mine because he’s just a regular kind of guy. He liked sports. He listened to my old war stories. We could spend time together. But with you, Ember, it was different.” He sighed. “I know that’s no excuse. I’m your father. I should have been better. I’m starting to get that now, but I didn’t know how to relate to you. I tried at first, I promise. You started school. You brought home these math problems that were for kids your age. I sat with you after dinner to help, but you’d already solved them. You’d even written some of your own that looked different than math I knew.”
“Why haven’t you ever said any of this before?”
“Because you never talked about it either. I thought if you wanted to spend time with me, you would have told me. If you felt like we were ignoring you, you would have told us.”
“I didn’t see the point,” Ember admitted. “You seemed happy to focus on Zack and his stuff.”
“You never had stuff, Ember.” He shrugged. “You seemed smart to us, but your grades were always normal. Your mom and I thought you’d averaged out. Is that the right word? The other kids caught up to you or something. We didn’t know. Maybe we should have sent you to a special school or let you skip grades, but we didn’t know. Zack was so busy and required more attention because he was never just okay. You were always okay.”
“What do you mean?”
“Zack had to keep his grades up for baseball, Ember. Baseball was his chance to make something of himself. He and school did not get along. Your mother and I spent time with him because he needed us. You never seemed to need anything.” He paused. “I know that’s not right. I know, and I’m sorry, November. I’m sorry,” he repeated. “Your mother and I have talked a lot recently. I know you need to move on from the restaurant. I didn’t understand that then, but I’m working on understanding it now.”
“Working?” Ember asked for clarification.
“As much as you feel we didn’t pay attention, I still love you Ember. I still struggle with the fact that you…” He uncrossed his legs. “Hell, I like her, but if I had a choice in it, you’d be with a man. I know that makes me a bad father, but I can’t change that all at once.”
“I get it.” Ember had to give him something. “But you know I can’t change this about myself, right? This isn’t a choice for me.”
“I understand that now. I guess I didn’t try to before, but you’ve never brought anyone around before either,” he replied. “She’s the first of your girlfriends I’ve met other than that girl in high school. That was when you first told us. I really did think you were rebelling against us. I didn’t know you were like this.” He motioned with his hand toward her.
“Gay?” She was trying not to get frustrated with his word choice.
“Yes, gay. Now, I see you with Eva. It’s still different than what I’d want for you, but I’ll try Ember.”
“You will?”
“Yes.”
“You won’t treat her like crap if I bring her around?”
“No.” He nodded. “Your mother wouldn’t let me anyway,” he confessed.
Ember smiled at the thought of her mother putting her father in his place.
“Okay.”
“And if you want to take over the books for the restaurant, that would be okay. We can stop the interviews for-”
“No, dad,” she interjected and then calmed her tone. “I’m still quitting. What I said was right. I’m glad you’re going to make an effort. I appreciate it, but I don’t want to work at the restaurant for the rest of my life. I want more. I want to go to school and learn with people who are like me. I want to find a career that uses what I can do.” She took a breath. “And I want Eva. I love her. I hope she’s going to be in my life for a very long time.”
“Long time?” He lifted an eyebrow.
“She’s not a Cubs fan though. I hate to break that to you. She’s not into sports, but I’m sure if you invited her to watch a game, she’d at least sit through it.”
He laughed.
“I guess I’ll have to do that someday.”
“She is a beer drinker though, and she loves Peroni.”
“That’s my beer.”
Ember laughed.
“I know.”
Ember couldn’t recall the last time she laughed with her father or felt this at ease with him.
“Maybe we can go to a game at Wrigley,” he suggested. “Just the three of us.”
“You go to the games with Zack,” Ember said.
“He can miss one.” Jack stood up. “We should get back out there. If I know your mother, she’s probably trying to get every piece of information she can get out of that poor girl.”
◆◆◆
“Do you need any help?” Eva asked.
Ember snapped out of her memory.
“No, I’m good. How’s your lecture prep?”
“I’m all done.” Eva smiled. “I’d like to learn how to make stir-fry now.” She walked around the island, wrapped her arms around Ember’s middle and kissed her shoulder. “Any chance you’re giving lessons?”
“I’d need payment up front and verified before I deliver,” Ember said.
“Okay, but you’ll have to put down that knife. I don’t want you cutting your fingers. I have a lot invested in those.” She ran her hands up and down Ember’s stomach under her t-shirt.
CHAPTER 22
“Hey, hot teacher,” Ember greeted her as she approached Eva with coffee on campus.
Eva rolled her eyes and laughed silently as she walked up to Ember, kissed her, and then took the cup.
“This is a nice surprise. I feel like I haven’t seen you all week. Thank you for this.” She lifted the cup and took a drink.
“I know. I’m sorry,” she said.
“I know you’ve been busy.” Eva went to shift her bag onto her other shoulder. She’
d been lugging it around all day and her back was starting to hurt. Of course, she should have realized that that movement would be enough for Ember to take her bag and place it over her own shoulder. “I really love you sometimes. Do you know that?” She leaned into Ember’s body, pressing a hand against her collarbone while Ember held out the coffee.
“I do, yes. I was hoping maybe we could go back to my place if you’re done for the day.”
“Your place, huh? Has it been a long week for you?” Eva teased.
Ember rolled her eyes this time.
“It has. I don’t like when I don’t see you for four days,” Ember said. Eva tried not to think about the future that awaited them. “But it’s not just about the sex. I actually like spending time with you too,” she said.
“That’s nice,” Eva replied with a smile. “Everything okay? I thought we were going to get together after you got off work.”
“I don’t have work tonight.”
“You work every Friday night.”
They began walking toward the parking lot where Eva had her car. “I drove today. Come on. We’ll go to your place.”
Ember took Eva’s free hand.
“I am, as of today, unemployed and I feel awesome about it.”
“You quit? Officially?” Eva asked.
“The manager we hired on Tuesday has worked in a million restaurants. He’s even used the same computer system. He just needed a few days of me showing him the ropes, which I did because I am a good daughter and very professional.”
“Of course.” Eva glanced over and could see that Ember was all smiles. “Seriously, you look happy.”
“I am.” She paused. “I’m done at the restaurant. Something else happened today though.”
“What?” Eva asked as they arrived at the car.
They climbed in. She started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot.
“I heard back from MIT.”
“You did?” Eva looked at her for a moment before returning her eyes to the road. She placed a hand on Ember’s thigh. “What did they say?”
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