pieces | ethma

Peach

Ethan

When my brother told me that his friend had an open room for a roommate, I wasn't exactly expecting it to be a woman.

Her name was Emma, and she was a little bit younger than me. Not too much younger, but one or two year's difference.

I was all of the sudden self conscious about moving in with a girl. The only girls I've ever lived with are my mother and my sister.

But a girl I'm not related to?

What if she starts crying or something? What am I supposed to do? It's different for every girl too, so there's never a right answer to that question.

I was stressed until the day I was supposed to move in, but when I woke up that morning, a weird feeling came over me. An unexpected feeling. Confidence.

I found that Emma and I hit it off from the start. She was funny, and smart, and one of the nicest girls I've ever met.

She had southern charm. She grew up in Georgia.

I nicknamed her Peach.

We became good friends immediately, and she didn't make me feel like I had to follow all of these stupid rules or anything. She always just said. "This is your place too, you know."

As the months went by, I found myself looking forward to getting home everyday. Because Emma would already be home from work, and I always felt relieved and comforted when I got to go home to Emma.

I realized she was the only person I ever wanted to come home to.

At this point, we'd been living together for a year. She easily had become my best friend, and one of my favorite people on this planet (well, only second to Grayson).

The only thing was that we had both been casually dating other people. I always secretly hated it when Emma didn't come home until late.

I never said anything about it, but I would always wait up for her. I had a feeling she knew how I felt about it anyways. It was an unspoken truth.

Finally, one day I came home, and Emma was sitting on the couch. I walked passed the kitchen, hung my coat in the closet, and then I went into the living room.

"Emma, I can't take this anymore. I'm sorry, but I have to say this. I have to tell you how I feel." I sighed, closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose. "What I'm trying to say is that I like you. I really really like you, and I hate going out on dates with other women because all I can think about is getting to come home and hanging out with you. It was a few months ago when I realized I didn't want to come home to anyone but you. Ever. I don't like the thought of other guys taking you to dinner, because I'd rather cook you your favorite meal from scratch in the comfort of our home. Emma, I like you. And I don't want anyone else to have you anymore. I want you. All to myself."

She sat there in shock for a moment, her blue eyes locked to mine.

Then she stood up, walked over to where I was standing, and pulled my shirt with her hands. Then her lips were on mine.

"Bless your heart." She said. That damn southern accent. Drives me insane. But in a good way. I love it. "You shoulda told me. I already fell in love with the mailman five minutes ago." She joked.

I kissed her again, both of us smiling into it. "Emma, please tell me you feel the same way."

"I do, darlin.'"

-
ONE YEAR LATER

"I can't believe this is actually happening." said Grayson.

"Me neither." I said, toying with the ring in my pocket. "I never expected to marry the person who my brother told me needed a roommate. I much less expected the roommate to be a woman."

Grayson laughed. "I feel like I should get credit for setting you two up."

"Do you think she'll say yes?"

"She'll say yes. I know she will."

It was New Years, and we were at a really fancy party for my the company my dad works at.

It was a really fancy event. Black tie to be exact. Emma has this amazing red dress. It was long, and accentuated her curves perfectly. She looked stunning.

Emma and I shared a glass of champagne before we snuck away from the party to go upstairs and see the wonderful view of the city from the top of the Empire State Building.

"Wow. This is so beautiful." Emma said. "No wonder they don't have a view like this in the south. Everyone would be crying over it all the time." She said. Her southern accent always shined the brightest when she used words like "time". It always sounded like she was saying "Tom".

"I love this view, but not as much as I love you, Emma." I said.

Finally, the moment I had been waiting for pretty much since Emma and I started dating.

I got down on one knee, smiling up at Emma. The ring in between my fingers as I held it up for her to see.

She stepped back, covering her mouth. I couldn't tell if she was laughing or crying. Or both. Either way I knew she was happy.

"Emma,"

"Yes." She said.

"I haven't even asked yet." I laughed.

"Will you—"

"Yes."

"Please, just let me ask, babe."

"Fine."

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes. A thousand times yes. Always."

Her hand was shaking as I slid the ring onto her finger.

"I love you so much, Em." I said, getting up and giving her a huge hug.

"I love you too. So much."

I smiled at her as she looked up at me, and then I pressed my lips to hers. "Happy New Years."

"Happy almost New Years."

There it is. Her southern sass.

I looked at my watch. "Two more minutes."

"I love you." She said, leaning her head against my chest.

We stood there holding each other as we watched the view of the city.

We could see Times Square from where we were at, so we could hear people starting to countdown.

Emma and I shared the best New Years' kiss of our lives that night. We never even got to see the ball drop.

-

We got married in Savannah, Georgia early September of that year, and that was the same night Emma told me there was another little peach joining our family the next May.

It was a girl, and you guessed what we named her?

Peach Elizabeth Dolan.

People ask all the time what her real name is, but it's actually Peach.

The name fits her well. She's the sweetest little baby on the planet. Just like her mother.

Mine and Emma's life together was amazing from them on. Raising Peach together, and continuing to grow our love.

I wondered what life had in store for us next, but that was when our two year old daughter Peach walked into the room with a shirt that said "Big Sister" on it.

It really doesn't get more amazing than this, does it?

————————————————————————

A/N: hey guys! Idea creds for this one go to ethma_or_asthma

Be sure to send more requests! (I will be putting up some of my own ideas too, and some of those may eventually turn into actual books I'll write!)