totally meta

chapter 31

Henry sat across from Dr. Harris at a Denny's booth, sipping his coffee. The diner had a relaxed, late-night atmosphere that was a far cry from the fancy restaurant they'd been at before. Here, things felt more normal—less pressure, fewer eyes watching. But despite the casual setting, there was still an awkwardness hanging between them, a topic they both knew they had to address.

After a moment of silence, Henry finally cleared his throat, setting his cup down. "So, about the other night at the restaurant..." he began carefully, glancing up at her. "Did you really mean to ask that question, or was it just the wine talking?"

Dr. Harris looked up from her menu, her face thoughtful. She didn't seem surprised by the question, as if she had been expecting it. She set her own coffee aside and leaned back in her seat, giving Henry her full attention. "I didn't mean to ask it, no," she admitted, her voice calm but honest. "Alcohol tends to make me more... talkative than I normally am. Loosens my filter, you know?" She smiled faintly, though there was a bit of embarrassment behind it.

Henry nodded, relieved she was being straightforward. "Yeah, I figured. I mean, it was a weird question. I didn't really know how to react when you asked. I assumed it was just a slip-up, something you wouldn't have said if you hadn't had those glasses of wine."

Dr. Harris chuckled lightly, shaking her head. "You're right about that—I didn't *mean* to ask, especially not like that, and especially not in that setting. But..." she trailed off for a second, her eyes shifting slightly before returning to Henry's. "The thing is, I *had* been thinking about it. I'd been thinking it over for at least a week before our date, wondering if it would ever even come up."

Henry was quiet for a second, letting her words sink in. "So... it wasn't just a drunk question?" he asked cautiously.

"No," she replied softly. "It wasn't. I just never intended to actually ask because I didn't know how you'd react or if it was too soon or just... too weird. You've got enough going on as it is, and I didn't want to add another layer of complication to that."

Henry sat back, feeling a mix of surprise and uncertainty. He hadn't expected her to be so upfront about her feelings, especially after the awkwardness of their first date. He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, trying to figure out what to say next.

"I mean, you're right, I *didn't* know how to react," he admitted. "I honestly just figured it was because of the wine. I didn't think it was something you really meant, especially with how casual we've been around each other up until now."

Dr. Harris nodded, looking a little relieved that Henry wasn't upset or weirded out by her explanation. "I get that. And if I could go back, I wouldn't have asked the way I did. But, now that we're talking about it... what do you think?"

Henry let out a breath, thinking. "I don't know. I mean, I didn't even *consider* that you'd been thinking about it seriously. But now that I know, and now that we're actually talking about it, I guess..." He paused, meeting her eyes, "I guess I could be willing to give it a try. Not now, obviously, but maybe in the future. If it's something you really want, and we're both ready for it."

Dr. Harris smiled gently, her expression softening. "You don't have to give me an answer right now. I just... I'm glad we can talk about it openly, you know? No more awkwardness, no more guessing how the other person feels. That's what I want. For us to just be honest with each other."

Henry nodded. "Yeah, I can get behind that. Honest is good."

The tension that had been lingering between them seemed to ease, replaced by a mutual understanding. The conversation, while awkward at first, had helped them clear the air. They still had a lot to figure out, but at least now they were both on the same page.

As the server came by to drop off their pancakes, Dr. Harris picked up her fork, her smile a little brighter. "Alright, now that we've had that talk, let's eat. I've been craving pancakes all day."

Henry grinned, grabbing his own fork. "Sounds good to me."

Despite everything, the atmosphere between them felt lighter, more comfortable. And for now, that was enough.