Emma’s matinee ended and I met her at the theater. “How was it?”
Emma beamed. “It was really nice. Sometimes, after I say this or that, people clap.”
“They like your performance.”
Emma went on to tell me about her conversation with Addison about being my girlfriend and wanting to know how Emma had learned so much about 1875 in the Mississippi delta. We decided it was time to figure out if we were “talking-talking” or not.
We decided we’d eat out: Chinese, a first-time experience for Emma. I helped her order, then we got our iPhones out and started research.
It didn’t take long: “The talking stage is a modern dating phase where people get to know each other while deciding if they want to move into a more committed romantic relationship. It can involve talking or texting for days or months.”
“Are we don’ that?” Emma asked, looking up.
I read it again, then said. “Are we trying to decide if we want a more committed romantic relationship?”
Emma sighed. “Merrit, the thing is, like I said before, it feels like if I let go o’ myself it would be ‘cause we are thrown together.”
“Like a cow and a bull in the same pen.”
“I wanna think it’s ‘cause of something else that… we… court. Or whatever comes after ‘talking.’”
Now, in my mind I was sad and relieved at the same time, like when I thought she was cuddling me. And since she’s going to read this, I told her my thoughts.
“Say why you’re relieved.”
I answered. “So much has happened in a month. Tomorrow will be one month since we met and look at all we’ve been through. I’m relieved because I think we need time to get ourselves figured out. And, we have other problems… Will and Addison are… suspicious as to why we know about the past.”
Emma nodded. “We gotta talk about that, too.”
“So, some air… some time… without trying to make our lives work romantically.”
“I know ‘xactly what you mean. There ain’t no reason to rush.”
Then dinner came. Then the fortune cookies.
Hers said, “Seeds of the present become flowers of the future.”
Mine said, “A decision delayed is time wasted.”
We just looked at each other and laughed.
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