Page 30 of Throw Away the Key
“I think I want to get a dog,” Emma shared. “But I don't really know where to start with all of that and I'm not necessarily sure that I'm up for all the responsibilities. So I thought maybe I would foster first to get a feel for it.”
Sadie’s eyebrows raised, but she kept her eyes on the stove. “That seems reasonable.”
“Pets are allowed here, right?”
Sadie nodded. “Yeah, there's a pet deposit you would have to put down and there's a monthly pet rent, but it's reasonable.”
“Okay, yeah, I've been researching pet insurance and all the things and I know I could handle that, but I've never had a pet before. I just know I love animals.”
Sadie watched her, a hint of a smile on her face. “I'm sure you would have a great time with it. You should try it.”
“Hmm… maybe I’ll put in the application to foster today and see what happens! Should I just pay the pet deposit now?” She pictured fuzzy paws scampering around the apartment and wondered whether Zora would allow a bookstore mascot.
“No, just wait until you actually have a dog for sure coming and then we'll take care of it. It's no big deal.”
Emma smiled and sipped her coffee. They ate their omelets, enjoying the silence of the morning. After a particularly big bite, Emma noticed Sadie watching her as she shimmied in her seat. “What?” she covered her mouth as she chewed.
“When you taste something you like, you smile and do your little dance and it's really cute,” Sadie's eyes sparkled.
A laugh caught in Emma’s throat as her cheeks warmed. “Well, thank you. I'm really impressed with your cooking,” she speared strawberry slices as she swayed in her seat. “This is a treat!”
“Thanks. Maybe we should try to cook something together sometime.”
“I'd really like that.” Sadie stood placing their empty plates in the sink, running some water over them before returning to Emma’s side of the counter. “I should probably head downstairs. I need to check and see if I've got any tenant messages and I have some errands I need to run.”
“Okay. Thank you for breakfast, among other things,” Emma smiled up at her.
Sadie dipped her head to plant another kiss on Emma's lips before turning to leave.
“Hey wait,” Emma called after her. “Do you think that maybe we can spend some time together, just you and me?”
Sadie froze, her eyes registering somewhere between surprised and alarmed. “Uh… yeah, sure. What do you think youwant to do?” She stepped awkwardly toward the door as if she would bolt through it at any moment.
Emma shrugged, the flutter in her chest curling into a ball in the pit of her stomach.Maybe I shouldn’t have asked…“We don't have to do anything big. What if you come to the bookstore? There's an open mic night poetry slam event happening in a couple nights. You could invite Joy if she's into stuff like that too.
“I just thought, you know, it might be nice to intentionally meet each other somewhere or go somewhere together and know that we're there to hang out with each other.”
Sadie nodded, she leaned against the door, rubbing the side of her neck. “So, a date?”
Emma smiled wide, willing her nerves not to show. “I hope so.”Please tell me I’m not just a fling…
“Yeah, text me the information and I’ll check my schedule. I’m sure we’ll find a time that works. Anyway, gotta run.” Sadie bobbed her head and gave a little wave before she left.
“Bye,” she replied to a closed door. Emma rested her elbows on the counter, her head in her hands as a thought crossed her mind and she groaned. Just because she’d chosen to give up her rotation didn’t mean that everyone was on the same page.Shit. Does Sadie have a roster?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“She's gonna be here any minute.” Emma paced back and forth in the bookstore sitting area. “What if she doesn't show up? What if… what if she’s not really into the event? What if she doesn't like what I wore tonight?”
“Okay, I really need you to chill out,” Zora warned her from her seat next to Granny Marion. “Pump your brakes. She’s gonna show up. And I'm sure she'll appreciate what you wore, but in the grand scheme of things, she isn’t coming for your outfit just like she’s not coming for the event.”
“And she'll enjoy herself–everyone loves open mic night,” Granny added. “Probably in the same way that you two admired the art at the exhibit–this is another form of creative expression that lets everyone put their guard down. I'm sure she'll have a good time.” Granny patted Emma’s arm. “You're doing too much, as the young people say.”
“I feel like they say other things now,” Zora informed her grandmother. “What the current phrase is, I couldn't tell you because I'm not in that generation. I barely know what anyone is talking about on social media anymore.”
Granny’s shoulders bounced. “Every generation is younger than me at this point, so I'm just gonna go with the ones I can remember.”
“Do you really think this outfit is okay? I could go change,” Emma gestured to her pleated floral skirt and her bright plum blouse that was tied at the waist.
