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Before I can reply, Emerson walks up to us. Catherine sits up and he leans down to kiss me.
“Hey, this it?” He pats the box the ottoman is in, examining the photo on the front.
“No, it's a box with a picture of an ottoman, but it's really full of pipes,” I reply sarcastically.
They both laugh as he shakes his head at me. “Let's load this up. I have to be at work soon.” We follow him to his truck, help him load it into the bed, and then he eyes my bag. “What else did you buy?”
“A picture frame, which means we need a picture to put in it.”
“That's my number one priority.”
“Don't mock me. We'll follow you back, so I can help you carry it up to the apartment.”
We do that, Emerson changes and leaves for work, and then it's just Catherine and me.
“No wonder you want to decorate this place,” she comments as we sit on the couch, propping our feet up on the new black leather ottoman. “There's nothing here.”
“It doesn't really bother me anymore, but it'll feel more like my home too if I add a few things myself.”
She nods her head in understanding. “We should go back to campus. I have an afternoon class today.”
When we return to campus, she heads to her class and I head to the dorms. I have some homework I need to do. I could go back to Emerson's—our—apartment, but I want to do it here. I haven't even truly left yet and I already miss it. There will be no more Netflix nights where we stuff ourselves full of popcorn and binge-watch movies or TV shows. No more late night study sessions with breaks to talk about boys. No more waking up and walking to class together.
On the other hand, I now get to wake up with Emerson. I get to do my homework with him, ask him about his day when he gets home or vice versa. I get to sleep with him every night. I get to live with the person I love. It's all working out.
I'm not going to lie, part of me wants to bring up Kelly one last time. It's not that I'm still insecure, but I've wondered if he needs to talk about it more. He never said a lot to start with. She wasn't just his ex-girlfriend. He lost his childhood best friend. Surely he has to be struggling with losing her. Or maybe Kelly's break did what she intended. He's been able to accept it and move on, even if it still hurts. He seems to be handling it well, but I can't help but want to ask and be sure.
My phone rings, distracting me from my thoughts.
“Hey, Mom. I was thinking of calling you today.”
“You were?” she asks.
“Yeah. There's something I need to tell you.”
“Okay, well, spit it out already.”
I laugh. “I'm going to move in with Emerson.” I hold my breath, having no clue how she'll react.
Mom is quiet for what seems like forever. “It's not like I can tell you what to do anymore, Eva. If you're sure and if it'll make you happy, then I guess I'm happy as well. He seemed like a great boy when y'all came up for my birthday. If you're going to be living with him, I expect more visits so I can get to know him better.”
My grin is so wide, my cheeks hurt a little. “I promise we will, Mom.”
“Good.” She pauses before adding, “I guess I can't exactly tell you not to either when your father and I did the same thing.”
“You did?” I always knew they met in college and married afterward, but my parents never said they lived together in college.
“Yes. You know we met our freshman year and by our junior year, your father decided he had enough of the dorms. He didn't ask me to move in with him. He demanded it.” She laughs with the memory playing in her mind, I'm sure. Any time they speak of their past, they always get a faraway look in their eyes as if they relived the moment. “Of course, I wanted to tease him a bit. I told him he was not in charge of my life and if he wanted something from me, he better ask. He dropped down onto both knees, held my hands, and asked me to move in with him. When I took longer than a second to answer, he started begging.”
I laugh. My dad doesn't seem like one to beg, but I know when it comes to Mom, he would do anything, including begging, if that's what it takes.
“I'm assuming you love this boy?” Mom asks.
“So much.”
“Then maybe you can convince him to have Thanksgiving with us?”
I snort. “I know I will definitely be there, Mom. I'll ask him. He may come.”
