“Ryan.”
“Emma. Do you know what you might want to eat?” I asked.
“Some soup sounds nice, actually. My morning was a little rough.”
I could hear the croaking in her voice and it rushed panic through my veins.
“Do you need a doctor?” I asked.
“No,” she said. “Just some soup. And maybe some tea.”
“Then I have just the place.”
I offered her my arm and she slipped hers into it. Her warmth was wonderful, and it relaxed me instantly. But I could feel her holding onto me a little tighter. Leaning into me a little more than she usually did. I slipped my arm around her waist and held her close to me. Curled my fingers into her body and physically held her up. She leaned her head against my shoulder and I turned my lips into her. Kissed her. Rubbed her side. Tried to comfort her in any way I could.
I felt her shiver against me before she sniffled.
“Hey, hey, hey. None of that,” I said.
I crooked my finger underneath her chin and turned her water
y gaze up to me.
“I’m sorry,” she said with a whisper.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” I said. “We’re going to go to this great restaurant I have in mind, we’re going to sit somewhere quiet, you’re going to get some soup and the best tea the city has to offer, and we’re going to talk. It’s all going to be positive, and no one is going to leave angry. Okay?”
She nodded, and a sense of protection fell over me. Emma, this strong woman I’d come to adore, was weak against me. Scared. Frightened for her future. And I wasn’t going to tolerate that for long. She had no reason to be scared with me. Because I wasn't leaving her side.
Now all I had to do was tell her that.
We rode to the restaurant across town and the hostess immediately sat us down. The upscale Japanese restaurant had some of the best noodle soups in the city, and their hot tea was wonderful. Emma and I quickly ordered and I told the waitress there was a decent donation in it for the restaurant if they put our order at the top. I could tell Emma wanted to protest, but she was also too tired to do so.
I reached for her hands and cupped mine around hers, watching as her tired eyes fluttered up to mine.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I said.
Emma furrowed her brow and I drew in a deep breath.
“You’re not going to do this alone. Not if you don’t want to, all right? A lot has changed in my life over the past week or so, and the only thing it’s shown me is that I want to be a part of all this.”
“You… want to have a child,” Emma said.
“I do. With you. I want to support you in any way I can. However that looks to you. I want to be a part of our child’s life, Emma. You're not alone in this.”
I watched her physically relax and it cascaded relief through my veins.
“You’re being serious.”
“I am,” I said.
“What changed?”
“What do you mean?”
“You said a lot has changed over the past week. What changed?” she asked.
I released her hands as our tea was sat in front of us. The steam rose in the air, giving me some time to collect my thoughts. Emma reached for the silver pot and poured herself a glass of hot peppermint jasmine tea, and I grinned as she sipped it. Drew in the steam through her nostrils and fell into the comfortable cushions of the private booth we were sitting in.