"Erin? Can you do me a favor?" Kim quickly sped up to Erin. Erin walked quickly, trying to avoid any person getting between her and her bed.
"I'm kind of busy Kim," she tried to pick up the pace back to her car.
"And I totally get that," Kim added a jump into her step. "But we wear the same size right? Like dress size?" Kim added.
"I don't know Burgess, we've never talked about dress sizes," Erin reached her car and unlocked it.
"Right," Kim smiled nervously. "You see, Adam and I have to meet with the caterer like," Kim looked at her watch. "Like right now. But I have an appointment with the tailor for my second dress fitting," Kim dragged on. She looked at Erin, hoping she would get where she was going. Erin just stood, hands on her hips waiting for the favor to be asked. "Will you go to the fitting for me? I mean it's not the final one, so it's cool. But the food needs to be picked and the wedding is in a couple weeks. I could really use the help," Kim practically begged.
"So while you're trying food I get to stand in a dress that isn't even mine?" Erin tried to make sure she was hearing Kim right.
"Yeah, sorry. I'll try to be there in an hour. But somebody has to be there or I'd have to make a new appointment, and let me tell you how long it took to get this one," Kim begged again.
"Fine, but you better hurry," Erin got the address and got in her car. Trying on a wedding dress that wasn't hers, let alone the fact that she didn't think she ever really wanted to wear one, was not how she planned on spending her Saturday afternoon.
She parked her car in front of the tailors building and began walking in. the bell above the door chimed and Erin heard a lady from the back call out, "one moment please."
Erin wondered throughout the shop. Different dresses hanging up from wedding dresses, to bridesmaid dresses, and prom dresses. She walked further and came across some flower girl dresses. Her and Kim had never really been friends. They were coworkers. Hell, nobody even knew that her and Jay had gotten back together a month ago. With Voight's okay, her and Jay had slowly gotten back into their old routines. She wasn't even part of Kim's wedding party.
The lady spotted her staring down at the tiny wedding dresses in front of her. "How may I help you dear," the lady spoke softly.
"Oh, I'm here for a friend. She's getting married and isn't here to be fitted. We're almost the same size so she asked me to come. She'll be here soon though," Erin hoped. The lady waved her over, and she obliged.
"Friend's name?" The lady asked as she looked through her booklet.
"Kim Burgess," Erin stated.
"Oh yes! Lovely lady," she said as she walked into the back to grab the dress. "And your name is dear?" She smiled as she walked out of the storage room.
"Oh, I'm Erin," Erin smiled politely.
"Hello dear. You can take the dress and head through those doors to put it on. Leave your clothes in there," the lady pointed towards a dressing room. Erin followed the lady's finger and did as she was told. She walked out of the room and stood in front of the mirrors. The dress was stunning. "Well, don't you look good in a wedding dress," the lady smiled as she grabbed her tools.
"It's a beautiful dress," Erin smiled slightly. The dress, no matter how beautiful, still made her uncomfortable.
"Yes it is, you starting to think about marriage yet? Lots of girls already have their dresses picked out before they even get engaged," the lady sat on her stool next to Erin. "Are you and Kim the same height?"
"Roughly the same, yeah," Erin smiled slightly.
"And how about the marriage hunny?"
"Oh no, not at all. I'm not sure I want to get married ever. It's just not me," she pretended to smile to seem like she was fine. But in all reality her not wanting to get married, if she ever told Jay, would probably send him for the hills. He wants a family, a wife, kids, and a house with a picket fence with a dog running around the backyard. He wants it all. And she's not quite sure she can give him what he wants.
The lady continued hemming the dress when the bell chimed above the door. Erin turned her head to see Kim running through the door. "Thank god," Erin whispered to her self.
"I'm here. Sorry we had an emergency with the caterer," Kim explained. Erin sighed and stepped of the stool. "Wow, Erin. You look good in white," Kim winked as she looked at her wedding dress on her fiancés friend. Erin scoffed.
"This," Erin pointed to the dress. "Is never going to happen. I don't even have a boyfriend," Erin watched as Kim raised her eyebrows. "What? I don't."
"I've heard differently. I heard that you and Halstead have gotten quite comfortable since you came back," Kim smiled.
"Halstead?" Erin began to sweat. She wasn't sure if Jay had told Ruzek about them. They weren't keeping it a secret, but they certainly weren't yelling it from the rooftops.
"Adam came home really early the other night and mentioned that Jay had to leave to get home to you," Kim prodded.
"Did he?" Erin raised her eyebrows. "He's going to get a stern talking too," Erin laughed.
"Ladies, I don't mean to interrupt, but I have other appointments," the lady smiled.
"Of course, we'll go trade," Erin suggested and walked back into the dressing room.
"So you and Halstead are a thing? Voight's okay with that?" Kim asked as she unzipped the wedding gown.
"After I came back, Voight didn't say anything about it. Jay just kept coming by after I moved back into my place. We just sort of started where we left off 6 months ago," Erin smiled as she stepped out of the dress and pulled her pants on.
"Wait, start off where you left off?" Kim prodded again as she stepped into the dress.
"When I went into the task force," Erin hinted. "Voight couldn't have a problem with it. But I came back and then he had a problem with it. But now, I don't know what happened. But its good, we're good, I'm good," Erin smiled and they both walked out of the dressing room.
"You seem happy," Kim noted.
"I am happy. I'm good," a bigger smile wiped across Erin's face.
"Why haven't we hung out before? I mean Adam and Jay are together all the time if they're not with us, why have we never had a girls night?" Kim wondered.
"Well before I was an alcoholic, then with Voight I was basically under house arrest. Now Jay won't leave me alone for more than a couple hours," Erin laughed.
"Well then, tomorrow night, me, you girls night. I'll kick Adam out. We can talk and hang out," Kim stood on the stool.
"Yeah, sounds like a plan," Erin smiled again.
"I'll text you a time," Kim smiled as she watched Erin nod and walk out the door.
XXX
Erin entered her apartment and smelled food. "You're cooking?" She yelled from the front door.
"Someone's gotta do it," she heard Jay call from the kitchen. She followed the sound of his voice. He stopped stirring the pot and kissed her. "Where'd you go? I thought you were coming home to sleep," Jay raised his eyebrow.
"Kim needed someone to start her fitting while she ate samples from the caterer. It was awful," she laughed. "Me standing in a white puffy dress answering this lady's questions about marriage."
"I would've paid to see that," Jay laughed.
"Kim said something interesting when she showed up though," Erin sat on the counter next to the stove and Jay continued to cook dinner.
"What was that?" Jay eyed Erin.
"She said that you and I look comfortable. And I asked her where she got that information. She told me that you mentioned that you had to come back to me after drinks the other night," Erin raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms.
"Damn, one little slip. I should've known better," he leaned in to kiss her cheek as he heard her giggle. "Did you just giggle?"
"I did just giggle. Because now that Ruzek knows, every single person in that district is going to know on Monday, oddly I'm okay with that," she smiled.
"You're okay with that? What happened to waiting?" Jay leaned closer to her. Her legs wrapped around his waist.
"I want to go to Adam and Kim's wedding with you. I want to kiss you in the locker room. I want to go out to dinner with you. I want to have drinks with you and the team at Molly's and not worry if I'm giving you sex eyes or not," Erin ranted.
"You always give me sex eyes," Jay laughed.
"Shut up, I'm being serious. I don't want to worry about one little slip anymore. I'm in love with you Jay Halstead. I want to shout it from the rooftops and not have a care in the world," Erin cupped his cheek in her hands. "I love you Jay."
"I love you too Er," he leaned in and kissed her soft with all the feelings he's developed in the past two years. He pulled back slowly, wanting to experience this moment a tad longer. "So we're not going to hide it anymore?" Jay clarified.
"No hiding it, but remember what Voight said, no PDA at the office," Erin reminded Jay. When they told Voight a couple weeks ago that they were official, that was the one rule.
"Fine with me, as long as I can pull you into the locker room and kiss you like there's no tomorrow," Jay leaned in closer, his lips hovering above hers.
"Well there is nothing to do tomorrow. But I love the fact that tomorrow is spent with you," she closed the distance and kissed him quickly.
"Tomorrow and all the tomorrows after that," Jay leaned in.
So I should have probably done more productive things such as one of the 4 papers I have due, or study for the exam I have tomorrow. But I had this idea and I couldn't rest until I finished it. Any way, enjoy this beauty.