The Family We Choose

Chapter 17

Emelia doesn't expect to call May in the middle of the afternoon on a random Saturday but an hour later and they're still talking. Seeming to never share a moment of silence. There is always something to add or a new topic to dive into. May had just finished ranting about how Harry was moments away from driving her clinically insane.

"You know," May sings, putting their debate to rest as she easily switches the conversation. "I haven't actually seen you outside of the hospital."

"Are you wanting to change that?" Even months into talking with her and May can still elicit the brightest blushes from Emelia. "Would you want to maybe go to this cafe with me? Buck told me about it a while ago and it has this amazing tea and those weird coffees you like."

She's rambling and she's internally begging for May to shut her up already.

"I would love to."

"Awesome. It's a date." She says it before she can stop herself and she thanks whatever god is watching over her that they aren't on facetime. "I mean, it's not like that. Not a real date I mean just..."

This time May does stop her rambling with a soft giggle, before saying. "It's a date."

Emelia raises a fist in the air in a silent celebration.

"I'll pick you up at 1?" May asks. "Tomorrow."

"Yeah. Tomorrow."

They hang up a moment later, both beaming with energy and so much joy that Eddie almost needs sunglasses when she bursts into the living room.

"Hey dad, is it okay if I go out with... a friend tomorrow?" she leans over the back of the couch.

"As long as you're back by 5. We're going to Bucks, remember?"

"Thank you!" she beams again and Eddie can't help but think this isn't just a friend. Her friends never got these kinds of reactions out of her.

"Who are you going out with?" he asks, trying to remain calm but he can't help the happiness growing in him at the thought of her first date. "Is it someone I know?"

"Mmhmm." she nods her head and takes a seat next to him, crossing her legs under herself. "I'm going with May to that new cafe that Buck was talking about."

"So it's a date." He couldn't help but tease.

"Yeah, I think it is."

"First date huh?" Eddie started, so awkward that Emelia almost cringed. Cutting him off as soon as she can, she shakes her head.

"It's not that special." she rolls her eyes fondly.

"You'll be singing a different tune tomorrow when she gets here."

"That's such an old person thing to say." she groaned, stealing the remote and putting on a movie for the rest of the night.

--

May comes to the door when she arrives at Diaz's home, nervously waiting for Eddie to answer before he calls for Emelia. They enter into easy small talk, Eddie asking about her parents while Emelia finishes up saying good-bye to Christopher.

Before he knows it, they're off towards her car and Eddie can't help but feel sentimental. His little girl is growing up. She's already in high school and now she's going on dates. It seemed like just yesterday he was meeting the small girl in her crib and bribing her with ice cream. He was happy for her, albeit it was a bittersweet moment.

They were completely awkward and cute teenagers, their hands brushing against each other until they got to May's car.

It was a short and sweet drive to the cafe, they talked like they've known each other for years. Picking up right where they left off from the night before. It was so easy, Emelia honestly thought it would have been much harder but here she was, not fumbling over her words everytime she opened her mouth.

No, she was almost confident in what was happening. It felt right even before they made it into the cafe.

They order separately. Emelia gets a fruity tea with honey and May gets a coffee that has way too much sugar but the caramel on top makes it look cute.The table they find, tucked away in the corner, sets them up perfectly for the next few hours.

"I still have no clue how you can drink those," Emelia teases as they take a seat.

"Have you ever even tried it?"

"If stealing some of my moms coffee and spitting it right back out counts then yes, I have tried coffee." Emelia says.

"No, I mean coffee with flavor to it. Old people's coffee is gross but this, Emelia Diaz, is perfection." She says, offering her whipped cream covered drink to her. Emelia gives her a weary look unsure if she should trust her but decides to anyway. She takes a small sip but unlike her 11 year old self she doesn't spit it right back out instead May is met with a scowl on the girl's face.

"Still bad," she says, going to take a sip of her tea to wash away the taste before May reached out to wipe the whip cream that stuck to her nose. She blushes and takes a sip of her drink.

Both teens were having the time of their lives and if not for dinner at Bucks. Emelia could have stayed at their little table, playing with her empty cup and talking with May all night.

And if not for May's memory, she would have. It was the best she's felt in months and in truth she never wanted it to end. Emelia loved Buck, she really did but surely he would have understood.

May on the other hand didn't want to take that chance, she's known them for almost a year now but she still wanted to be in their good graces. Eddie and Buck were two of the most important people in her life and she really wanted them to like her.

So they head back to Emelia's, listening to random songs on May's playlist as they drive with the windows down. May's hair blew in the wind while Emelia's ponytail waved in front of her face.

It wasn't long before she pulled into the driveway.

"Walk me to the door?" she doesn't even get to finish her sentence when May jumps out of the car to do just that.

"So," May effortlessly intertwines her fingers with Emelias as they walk up to her front door. "Are you up for date two?"

She asks, putting herself in a totally vulnerable place that was rare to see. Emelia nodded her head, turning to face her as she reached the front door. Both of their hands were now together, their smiles almost matching.

"Oh definitely. I'm free Friday."

May thinks for a second, her nose scrunching up in the cutest way as she thinks about her Friday plans. She tilts her head to the side, taking a small step closer to Emelia.

"Maybe we could catch a movie? Then go out for milkshakes?" she offers and now it's Emelia's turn to ponder.

"I would love to."

"I'll start looking at what the theaters are playing." With one final squeeze to her hands, May is heading back to her car, leaving Emelia to walk through her door.

Eddie doesn't even let her close the door, pretending like he wasn't just watching them from the window like a mother hen, and he's asking her a million questions.

"There's going to be a date 2, so I would say it went great.'' There is something about her smile that just warms his heart. She is truly happy and that smile, the one where her eyes squint because her cheeks raise so high, is something he hasn't seen in a while.

"Told you it would be special." he comments and Emelis isn't sure if it was the first date that left that effect or the person she was on the date with.

Something told her that it was the latter.