Finding My Way (23 page)

I close the bathroom
door and take off my t-shirt and bra.  After cleaning myself up I put on
the black t-shirt that Seth gave me.  It’s very soft, well-worn and baggy
on me.  I blink a couple of times when I see that it’s an Editors concert
t-shirt. 

When I return to the
kitchen Seth’s busy mopping the floor.  I stand at the other end of the
room and watch him work.  I’m mesmerised as his muscles flex, the guy sure
knows how to work a mop.  I love that he seems so domesticated.  Josh
never knew where I kept the mop let alone how to use it.  When he turns
around I quickly avert my eyes from his butt that looks gloriously tight.

“Hey,” Seth says as
he looks me up and down.

“Is this your t-shirt
Seth?” I ask him, tugging on the t-shirt.  “Did you go to this
concert?” 

“Uh,” he clears his
throat, “Yes.”

“Me
too!”

“No
way!
 
Really?”

“Wow!  I can’t
believe we were at the same concert!”  I can’t help but wonder if this is
a sign, being that I can now finally listen to their music again without being
upset about Josh and then this.

After Seth puts the
mop and bucket away he pours me another drink and we sit at the dining
table.  We talk about the concert we both attended in January 2010. 
It turns out that we were even in the same section of The Palace Theatre that
night.  It’s weird that we have crossed paths before.  It’s also nice
that the band, for me, is no longer tied to memories of Josh.

He asks me about my
lunch at the pub and I tell him about Kat’s dress fitting.  Then I proceed
to tell him all the details of Kat’s wedding.  I like that he listens attentively
and asks questions, like he is really interested in me and my life.  I
even mention the fact that my ex is the best
man,
surprisingly it doesn’t seem awkward at all, to bring that up.

I don’t mention the
silent conversation I witnessed take place earlier between him and his sister
in the kitchen.  Using only facial expressions and looks, it was highly
entertaining and remarkably similar to something that would occur between Ethan
and me.

Seth tells me that
even though working at G & C wasn’t his first job choice he is enjoying
it.  He tells me that he’s currently working on a computer system overhaul
and that Bob was practically a dinosaur in the way he did things.

“I’m glad that I took
the job,” he says to me during a break in the conversation.  “Otherwise I
wouldn’t have met you.”

Stunned into silence
by that comment I can’t help but blush seven shades of red.  Stumbling for
a witty comeback I’m saved by another distraction when a cat suddenly comes
from nowhere and smooches my leg.  I look down and give it a gentle
scratch on its head.

“That’s Moggy,” Seth
says when he sees the cat.  “She must like
you,
she normally doesn’t take to strangers.”

“Must be because I am
a cat person, maybe she can sense it,” I say absentmindedly as I continue to
pat the
smoochy
cat.  “She’s cute.  I miss
having a cat around. 
Haven’t
had one since I
left home.”

Tahlia
enters the room then and the cat quickly runs off.

“So
butch you buying my dinner yet or what?”
 
Tahlia
asks Seth with attitude and a raised eyebrow.  I like this kid.

“I guess I could do
that.”  He replies glancing at his watch.  I look at my watch too and
am surprised that it’s already after seven.  It shocks me that I didn’t
even notice that it was already dark outside and that the light above the table
we’re sitting at is already turned on.  Fixing his eyes back on mine he
says, “Would you like to stay for dinner?”  He points his thumb over his
shoulder at
Tahlia
, “I owe princess here fish &
chips.”

“Only coz I whipped
his arse at pool!  I’m
that
good!”

“Oh
really?
  I’m pretty good at pool myself.  Fancy a game?” 
I ask her.

“Yeah?
 
Game on!” she says enthusiastically, grabbing my hand and pulling me to
the opposite side of the room where the pool table is.  Seth follows us
and as
Tahlia
racks up the balls he comes up behind
me.  He leans close and I can feel my body heat. 

“Thanks for playing
with her,” he whispers in my ear.  I only nod in response as words escape
me when his mouth is so close.  I feel his warm breath against my ear and
a wave of shivers runs through me.  Seth backs away and warns, “Watch out
Emma, she cheats!”

Tahlia
pokes her tongue out in response.  Seth takes our food orders and sets off
on foot to the corner shop.

I can’t believe how
good Emma looks wearing my clothes.  The t-shirt I gave her to wear is a
little on the big side on her and she looks adorable.  I can’t help but
feel turned on that she’s wearing my t-shirt.  Is it strange that I like
her in my clothes?

The t-shirt I gave
her is from an Editors concert I went to over two years ago, it turns out that
Emma was there too.  How weird is that?  It was at The Palace in
Melbourne, I went with Kevin and his sister Georgia.
 
It was a blast.  Editors are still one
of my favourite bands.  I love the way Emma talks about the
concert,
she’s just as passionate about them as I am. 
Tick one, for things in common.

I find the more I
talk to this girl the more I like her.  She’s smart and witty, speaks with
compassion about things she loves.  The way she talks about her friend’s
wedding, is just so endearing.  She’s so excited for Kat’s big
day,
it could almost be
her
big day she’s talking
about.  She tells me that her ex-boyfriend will be best man.  At
first makes me worried for her, because I know she’s in the wedding party too
and that they may be partnered for the day, and I can understand how awkward
that would be.  But she puts me at ease with the casual way she talks
about the whole thing.  I wonder why they broke up, but I don’t ask.

The way her eyes
light up with such love when she talks of her family and friends, it makes me
want to listen to her all day.  We sit at the dining table and I relax
into the conversation, savouring every time she looks at me.

We talk a little bit
about work and how Emma wants to move away from reception.  She likes to
draw and has promised to show me some of her work sometime.  She asks me a
few questions about what it is I do at G & C, and I can tell that it’s not
just to be polite, but because she is genuinely interested.

“I’m glad that I took
the job.  Otherwise I wouldn’t have met you.”  I say to her feeling
suddenly brave.  When she doesn’t reply I wonder if I’ve overstepped the
mark. 
Probably should have kept that thought to myself.

She leans down to pat
Moggy who has suddenly appeared at her side.  Moggy is a funny cat, she’s
never been that affectionate, and usually avoids strangers completely. 
For some reason she likes Emma though.  I watch as the cat continually
smooches Emma’s leg as Emma pats and scratches the feline’s head.  I am
suddenly overcome with
jealousy,
I wish I could be
that cat right now.  I swallow carefully and push back those insane
thoughts.

Tahlia
thankfully stops me from embarrassing myself with another stupid comment, when
she suddenly appears in the room asking about dinner.

Looking at my watch
I’m surprised to find that Emma and I have actually been talking for a couple
of hours.  The conversation has been flowing effortlessly.  I ask
Emma to join us for the fish & chips I promised
Tahlia
and I’m relieved when she gives me a nod, I’m not ready for this date to end
just yet.

Tahlia
challenges Emma to a game of pool and drags her away from me.

“Thanks for playing
with her,” I whisper in Emma’s ear as she stands waiting for
Tahlia
to set-up the table.  It’s sweet that she would
take the time to pay attention to my little sister.  I stand as close to
her as I can without touching her.  I feel electric and want to reach out
to touch her so much, it almost hurts.  “Watch out Emma, she
cheats!”  I say backing away instead.

I leave the girls
playing pool and walk around to our local fish & chip shop.  After
placing our order I sit and wait, and wait, for what seems like the longest
time I’ve ever waited for take-away.  The shop is practically empty so my
wait is probably not as long as it
feels,
it’s just
that I can feel that pull to Emma a couple of blocks away.  It’s like
nothing else.  I can’t wait to get back to her.  Plus I’m worried
about what embarrassing stories my sister could be telling right now.

When I finally get
back with dinner, I feel like I’ve interrupted a conversation, I just hope it
wasn’t about me, or if it was, that it was only good stuff.

Tahlia
and I find that we are well matched in the game of pool, winning one game
each.  And she doesn’t cheat like Seth told me.  She’s fun, honest,
and very mature for her age.  Talking with her I feel like I’m talking to
someone my own age.  I find that she’s also
very
talkative and we
get along really well.  She tells me that she wants to be a vet when she
grows up.  Apparently she doesn’t have many friends at school and
keeps to herself when she’s there, preferring
to read during
break times rather than hang out with the ‘prissy-wannabe’ girls (her words)
that are in her year.  She spends most afternoons hanging out at the skate
park with the local boys that all go to a different school to her.

“I’ve noticed you’ve
mentioned Ryan a few times.”  He’s the kid I met at the park today. 
“Do you like,
like
him?”  I ask.  She blushes but doesn’t say
a word.  Yep she definitely has a crush.  “He’s
kinda
cute,” I add.

Just then, Seth
rounds the corner and I see
Tahlia’s
worrying
look.  But I don’t think he heard any of our conversation.  I turn my
back to Seth and get her attention doing the whole zipper across my mouth move,
so that she knows I won’t say anything to him about Ryan.  She gives me a
nod and a smile.

“Who’s
winning?”  Seth asks dumping the take-away on the dining table.

“It’s a tie.”  I
answer putting my cue stick back on the rack.

“Not for much
longer!  I plan on fixing that after dinner.” 
Tahlia
counters.

After dinner she does
exactly that, she wins our third game.  She then challenges Seth to take
on the ‘champion’.  I sit on a nearby bar stool and watch them ribbing
each other; their relationship reminds me so much of mine and Ethan’s. 
When Seth takes the lead, I make a sudden movement with my arm just as he’s
about to make the shot causing enough of a distraction for him to miss.  I
give
Tahlia
a wink.  When it’s his next turn I distract
him again by coughing. 
Tahlia
laughs and winks
back at me when he misses.  Third time around I suddenly stand and again
he misses the ball.  That time he’s onto me.

“You’re doing that on
purpose.”  He chastises me like a naughty
kid,
it’s kind of a turn on.

“What?  Me?
 
Never
.”
  I
reply with mock innocence.

“I’m onto you.” 
He warns with a sexy smile as
Tahlia
pots the black
ball winning the game.

“YES!”  She
yells triumphantly.  “
Wanna
rematch?”  Seth
just shakes his head and returns his stick to its holder.  “Emma?”

“Sure.”

Tahlia
and I play another three games, while Seth watches.  I’m a little
self-conscious with Seth’s eyes on me, but the longer I play the more confident
and relaxed I become.  It probably helps that this time I’m the victor, 2-1. 
By the time we’ve finished
it’s
quarter past eleven.

“Well this loser’s
going to bed.” 
Tahlia
says hanging her head
dramatically, putting her cue stick away. 
“Night Seth.
 
Good night Emma, it was nice meeting you.”

“Likewise.”
 
I smile at her as she leaves the room and I can’t help but hope that’s not the
last time I get to hang out with her.

We all take our seats
at the table and as we eat I watch Emma and
Tahlia
talk like old friends.  They are so comfortable with each other it makes
me realise how well Emma just
fits
.  I’m glad that they’re getting
along, it’s important that your girlfriend gets along with your family. 
What am I saying,
girlfriend
?  Emma is hardly my girlfriend! 
Although the thought of Emma and me starting an actual relationship
does sound very appealing.

After dinner the
girls play another game of pool. 
Tahlia
wins so
I then play against her.  At first I play well and I’m pleased with my
macho effort to show off.  But then I get so distracted by Emma’s presence
that it starts to go downhill.  I’m lining up a shot when from the corner
of my eye I see Emma move.  I can’t concentrate and I miss the ball. 
When it’s my next turn Emma coughs and I wonder if maybe she’s distracting me
on purpose. 
Tahlia
takes a shot and misses. 
Then it’s my turn again.  This time just as I move the cue to take my shot
Emma stands up, I glance at
Tahlia
and see her
exchange a quick look with Emma.