Author's note: So I realized as I was going through this story that Manny does something almost exactly the same as she does in Food For Thought. I wrote the stories months apart, and I didn't mean to self-plagiarize but sometimes it happens. Oh well. Hopefully, it won't skew your view of this story. Thanks for understanding!
Emma stayed home from work the next day to hang out with Manny. She volunteered to work in the office on Saturday while Sean and Drew were at Sean's shop, but her boss said there was no need and that she deserved a day off.
Emma asked, "So what shall we do today?"
Manny said, "Let's pamper ourselves!"
Emma smiled, "Sounds good to me."
"So, how was your night after I passed out?" Emma blushed. Manny sighed, then said, "I'm jealous. I miss sex."
"We had it right away."
"Oh?"
Emma nodded, "The day after he found out about Drew, Sean texted me and said he needed to see me, so I went to his place. We talked, and he asked questions about why I did what I did." She looked at Manny and said, "I thought he would yell at me the whole time, but he didn't."
"That's good."
Emma nodded, "I cried when I was trying to explain myself, and he comforted me. Can you believe it? He should have been livid, and instead, he worried about me."
Manny smiled.
"That's when we kissed for the first time. Sean pulled away just as I was kissing him back, and he stood up. He said everything was overwhelming him, and that's why he kissed me. I told him he kissed me because he loves me. He denied it at first, but then he gave in and admitted it."
"How did that make you feel?"
"Happy. Relieved. Shocked. But he also told me he was still angry with me for keeping Drew from him all these years."
"Understandable. Sean's emotions must have been all over the place."
Emma nodded, "So we talked for a little while. Then as I was about to leave, I couldn't move. Neither could he. After a few moments staring at each other, we started kissing at his door, and we couldn't pry ourselves away from each other." Manny smiled, "We kissed and fumbled around until we reached his room, and I asked him if he was sure he wanted to do it and said he had wanted to do it since we first saw each other again."
Manny asked, "How long had it been for you?"
"It was as if I were a virgin again." Manny nodded, "I told him I was nervous, and he promised that he would never hurt me."
Manny laughed, "And?"
"He was great. Sean made it all about me and was sweet."
Manny smiled, "He really loves you."
"I know."
"He's always loved you." Emma nodded, "And you're lucky he's forgiven you."
"I know. He really shouldn't have. At least not so soon. What I did to him and Drew was so wrong."
"You weren't thinking straight, and then you got in too deep." Emma nodded. "You know, he looks at you like he used to look at you."
"I know."
Manny smiled, "It's cute."
Emma smiled and said, "He told Drew that he fell in love with me in seventh grade."
"Aw, really?"
"In Miss Kwan's class during book report day."
Manny smiled, "Oh my God, when you got your period?"
Emma nodded. "Yep."
Manny shook her head, "That was quite a day."
"I know." Emma smiled then said, "Oh, I forgot to tell you. One of Drew's friends found out about the shooting, and they looked up a whole lot of articles about Sean."
"And how did Drew react?"
"You heard him last night; he thinks his dad is a hero."
Manny smiled, "He is a hero. I really cannot get over how much Drew looks like Sean. It's incredible."
"Tell me about it."
"It must have been quite a shock for Sean."
"It was, and I hate that he found out the way he did."
"So he followed you home from work?"
"He went to the office to see his agent, and yeah, he saw I was leaving, and he followed me. Sean told me it was because he thought I was keeping something from him."
"He saw Drew walk out of Degrassi?" Emma nodded, "That must have been quite a shock."
Emma shook her head and said, "I can't even imagine."
"Well, you can't change anything, and he's here now."
"I know." She stood up and said, "Okay, I will be right back. I will bring down a couple of sheet masks and some nail polish."
"Ooh, fun!"
Sean texted Emma at lunchtime.
"How's your girl's day going?"
Emma wrote back, "We are sitting here with matching sheet masks on our faces."
He smiled as he typed back, "That sounds nice."
"It is."
"I should be home on time."
"Good."
"Want me to bring home dinner tonight?"
"Nah, that's okay. I'll cook since I'm here all day."
"Okay, enjoy your day."
"Thank you." Emma put her phone down, looked at Manny, and said, "I really love that man."
Manny asked, "What?"
Emma laughed and shook her head. They couldn't understand each other with the masks on their faces. A few minutes later, they took them off. "I said I really love that man."
"And he really loves you." Manny started rubbing the serum into her face, "I need to find someone who loves me as much as Sean loves you."
"You will."
Manny whined, "When?" She flopped back onto the loveseat. "I hate being single. I'm lonely."
"I was lonely until a few weeks ago. You never know when it's going to happen."
"Do you ever wonder how things would have been if you told Sean about Drew right away?"
"Every single minute of every single day."
Manny sat up, "I just got an idea."
"What's that?"
"I think we should get you and Sean a hotel room this weekend."
Emma asked, "A hotel room? Why?"
Manny smiled and said, "So you can have loud and crazy sex without having to worry about me or Drew hearing you."
Emma laughed, "We do pretty well in the sex department already. Besides, we can always go to his apartment to do that."
"I know, but hotel sex is fun."
Emma laughed, "I wouldn't know."
"Well, I do. You're uninhibited because you'll never see anyone else, you have a variety of places you can do it."
"Emma smiled and said, Oh yeah?"
"Oh yeah." Manny nodded, "The bed, the bathroom counter, the desk, the chair, the other chair, the floor—"
Emma laughed, "Okay, I get it."
"And you can get room service."
Emma smiled, "That could be fun."
"Come on." Manny took out her phone, "I'll splurge for the room."
Emma shook her head, "Manny, I can't let you do that."
"Too bad because I'm doing it." She looked at Emma and grinned.
"Oh no, what's that look for?"
"We need to get you something killer to wear."
Emma asked, "Like what?"
"Sexy lingerie!"
Emma shook her head, "No."
"Yes!"
About an hour later, Emma was in the dressing room of a boutique and looking at herself in the mirror, "Manny, I am not walking out in this." She was wearing a two-piece, black faux leather lingerie set with black faux leather thigh-high boots that Manny picked out for her.
"Oh, come on! It's just me. No one else is going to see you." Emma stepped out of the dressing room, and Manny nodded. "Yes. Yes! You have to get this."
"Manny, this is way too much." Emma looked at herself and said, "I look like a dominatrix."
"I know, and Sean will love it." She looked around, "Maybe we could get you a whip too."
"No!" Emma laughed and looked down at herself, "I'm also going to be at least four inches taller than him in this get-up."
"That doesn't matter when you're horizontal."
Emma laughed and shook her head, "I can't get this entire outfit. Maybe I'll just get the boots."
"No, you're getting everything and I'm paying." Manny took out her wallet, "You look incredible, and this outfit was made for you."
Emma rolled her eyes, "Fine."
"Yay!" Manny clapped her hands together in excitement and said, "Sean's going to be blown away."
When Sean got home from work, Emma told him the plan to get a hotel room but didn't tell him about the new outfit.
"Oh yeah?"
Emma nodded and asked, "Would you be into that?"
Sean smiled, "Very. Yes."
"Good because we booked it already."
Sean laughed, "So I'll come home from work with Drew, and we'll head to the hotel?"
Emma nodded. "Yep. Manny volunteered to stay here with him."
"Well, I'll have to thank her." He looked around, "Where is Drew?"
"Upstairs, he's working on his questions for you."
"Ah, right."
Emma smiled and said, "Thank you for allowing him to do that paper on you."
"It's my pleasure. No one's ever called me a hero before."
"Um, excuse me, but I'm pretty sure I did after you saved my life."
Sean nodded, "That's true, but I didn't want to hear it then." He kissed her and pulled away smiling, "I'm so happy right now."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yep." He wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "I wish we could go upstairs right now so I could have my way with you."
Emma smiled, "You can have your way with me later."
Sean pouted, "I don't want to wait."
"Too bad." Emma quickly kissed him and pulled away, "Are you hungry?"
"Yes."
"Good," She walked towards the kitchen, "Dinner will be ready soon."
"Okay," Sean flopped onto the couch.
After dinner, Drew and Sean went up to Drew's room.
"So, do you have those questions for me?"
Drew nodded, "Yep."
"Okay." Sean walked over to the side of Drew's bed that was closest to his desk and sat down.
Drew looked at his dad and didn't say anything.
Sean asked, "Is something wrong?"
Drew shook his head, "No. I'm just nervous because I want this paper to be good."
Sean smiled, "It will be."
Meanwhile, downstairs, Emma hid her lingerie and boots in the closet in the basement. She figured there was no way Sean would find them down there. She walked back up to the kitchen, and Manny smiled at her. "Why are you grinning at me like that?"
"Because you're going to have a lot of crazy sex tomorrow night."
"Oh, really?"
"Sean's going to go nuts when he sees you in that outfit and those boots. Guys love that shit."
Emma shook her head, "Manny, don't make me regret this."
"Oh, stop. It's going to be great." Emma nodded. "I wonder how it's going up there."
"I think it's going okay. Drew really likes his dad."
Drew looked at Sean as he described his time in Afghanistan.
"So, you're lucky to be alive."
Sean nodded. "Yep. Some of my friends weren't so lucky, and others left seriously injured."
"Wow."
"But without the Army, I probably wouldn't have my shop. It forced me to grow up and not screw around."
"Yeah." Drew typed some stuff then looked at Sean, "I have one question about the shooting if that's okay?"
Sean nodded, "Sure."
"Okay, if you could do things differently, would you?"
Sean thought about it, then said, "If there were a way I could save Rick without anyone else getting hurt, I would. Otherwise, no."
Drew nodded and typed in Sean's answer.
Sean asked, "Is that all?"
"Yeah." Drew stood up, and Sean joined him, "Thanks, dad."
They hugged, and Sean said, "You're welcome, kiddo." He squeezed Drew and pulled away, "Your paper is going to be great."
"I hope so."
Sean smiled at his son and said, "I have faith in you."
Drew smiled and said, "Thanks."
"Well, I'll leave you to it."
"Okay."
Sean walked out of Drew's room, closed his door, and took a deep breath before he rejoined Emma and Manny downstairs. He walked down the stairs and looked into the kitchen where Manny and Emma were talking.
Emma asked, "How did it go?"
"I think it went well. He's a little nervous about the paper, but I told him it would be great." Sean yawned.
Emma looked at the microwave and said, "Wow, it's only 8:30."
Sean laughed, "I had a rough day today at the shop. I may go to sleep early." Emma pouted. "I mean, you could join me."
Manny laughed, "Oh, you two."
Sean said, "Sorry."
"It's fine. I'm going out anyway."
Emma asked, "You are?"
"Um, yeah, I'm meeting a friend out."
Emma narrowed her eyes, "You're meeting Jay for some fun."
Sean asked, "Hogart? How's he doing?"
Manny said, "Oh, you know Jay. He never changes."
"I haven't seen him in a few years. Ask him if he wants to work at my shop. I could use the help."
Manny asked, "Wait, really?"
Sean nodded, "Jay's a great mechanic. I tried to get him to work for me when I first opened, but he was at a job he liked and didn't feel right leaving." He looked at her, "Find out if things have changed, if they have, I'd be more than happy to have him work for me."
Manny smiled, "I will."
After Manny left, Emma and Sean relaxed together on the couch.
Sean joked, "I may pass out."
"That's okay. I'll just lie with you then."
He smiled and stroked her hair, "Okay."
Drew appeared halfway down the staircase, "Mom? Dad?"
Emma sat up, "Yeah?"
"I'm going to bed." He looked at Sean, "Up at 7?"
Sean shook his head, "You don't have to wake up that early. We can always grab breakfast on the way. But I need to be there by 8-10 - 8:15, so just make sure you're ready to go by 10 to eight, okay?"
Drew nodded and smiled, "I'm excited about watching you work."
Sean smiled at his son and said, "I'm glad to be taking you in."
"Um, what should I wear?"
Sean shook his head, "Don't even worry about that. I'll give you a uniform to wear."
Drew's eyes lit up, "Really?"
"Of course! You're going to be helping me, remember?"
"Cool! Goodnight!" He jogged back up the stairs.
Emma called out to him, "Goodnight!"
Sean smiled, "I'm glad he's excited about this."
Emma turned to him, "He loves you, you know."
"I love him too. I've never felt anything like it. It's amazing." Emma nodded. "You okay?"
Emma shook her head, "You should have had more time with him, Sean."
"Em, we're here now, and we can't change the past."
"I know. It's just…"
"What?"
"Sean, you should hate me. I didn't deserve your forgiveness so quickly. I did a terrible thing."
"You did, but you weren't malicious about it. You didn't hate me, right?"
"Of course not."
"I mean, sure, I get a little sad when I think about all that I've missed with him and with you, but I'm here now, and I won't miss anything ever again."
Emma stood up and held out her hand.
Sean smiled, grabbed it, and stood up, "Are we going upstairs?"
Emma nodded, "Yes. I'm going to delay your sleep for a little while. I hope that's okay."
"It's more than okay."
"Oh, good."
The next morning, Sean woke up and went straight to the bathroom. He didn't want to wake up Emma. He took a shower, and as he was getting dressed, she stirred.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, beautiful."
She didn't even open her eyes when she asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to make breakfast?"
Sean smiled, "I'm sure. Stay in bed, okay?"
She said, "Okay," cuddled into the blankets and was falling back to sleep within moments.
Sean giggled at her and finished getting dressed. He kissed her on the forehead and made his way back to the bathroom to brush his teeth. As Sean was walking down the stairs, he heard the shower. He peeked into Drew's room and saw that Drew had his clothes laid out. Sean smiled and walked downstairs. He went into the kitchen to grab a glass of water and waited for Drew to come downstairs.
Suddenly the basement door opened, and Jay Hogart was standing there.
"Dude!"
"I can't believe it." Sean smiled then said, "Well, okay, I can believe it."
They hugged, and Jay smiled, "So you and Emma are back together?"
"Yes."
Just then, Drew walked downstairs, and Jay looked at him, looked at Sean then looked back at Drew, "Oh my God."
Sean cleared his throat and said, "Jay, this is our son Andrew."
"Uh, yeah, I guessed that he was yours, given that he looks exactly like you did at 14."
Sean laughed, and Drew looked puzzled.
"Drew, this is Jay. He's an old friend of mine, your mom's and aunt Manny's."
Drew nodded when he realized Jay probably slept over with Manny.
Sean looked at his son, "I figured we'd stop off at Tim Horton's and pick up some breakfast on the way to work."
"Okay."
Jay laughed, "Starting the kid early?"
Sean smiled and said, "Drew wanted to see what I do at work."
"That's cool. How's everything going with the shop?"
"It's going great."
Drew said, "Dad's going to work on Drake's car."
Jay's eyes widened, "Really?"
Sean nodded, "Yep. His assistant called me this week."
"Dude, that's incredible!"
Sean said, "If you want to come and work for me, let me know."
"I will."
Sean looked at his phone and said, "Okay, well, we have to head out." He took a big gulp of water then put his glass in the sink. He looked at Jay, "Are you going to be okay here?"
Jay laughed, "Yes, I just needed some water."
"It was good to see you."
"Good to see you too." Jay looked at Drew, "And nice to meet you, Drew."
"Yeah, you too." Drew turned around and walked toward the entryway.
Jay lowered his voice, "Seany, it's uncanny."
"Don't I know it." Sean walked over to Drew, they got their coats and walked out.
Jay walked downstairs after he got his glass of water, and Manny woke up.
She stretched and asked, "Where did you go?"
"Upstairs to get some water. Um, Emma and Sean have a teenage son?" Manny nodded. "Did Sean just find out about him?"
"Yes."
"Wow. The resemblance is amazing. I couldn't believe it."
Manny agreed, "It is pretty incredible."
"I also can't believe Emma kept his kid from him."
"We all tried to talk her out of it, but you know how stubborn Emma is. Then she got in so deep it just became easier to keep the secret. Plus, she hadn't seen Sean this entire time." She sat up, "It's amazing how you can live in the same city as people you grew up with and never see them."
Jay shook his head, "I am floored."
"How do you think he felt?"
"Knowing Sean? I'm surprised he didn't blow up on her."
"He did at first, but he probably realized that he already missed a ton of time with Drew and that if he wanted to see him, he'd have to be nice to Em."
Jay looked at her, "We don't have a secret kid, do we?"
Manny shook her head and said, "Jesus, no."
"Okay, don't sound so horrified by the thought of having a kid with me."
Manny laughed, "Sorry."
When Emma woke up for the day, she heard voices downstairs. She put on her robe, and as she made her way down the stairs, she heard Jay's voice and smiled to herself. She walked toward the kitchen, and she said, "I should have known."
"Hey, Greenpeace." Emma laughed. "So Sean's son looks just like him."
"You met Drew?"
Jay nodded, "Yes, and I almost passed out. The resemblance is unbelievable."
"I know."
"Hopefully, Drew won't go through an Eminem phase like Sean did." All three of them laughed, thinking back to ninth grade. Jay asked, "Are you two getting married?"
"We're getting to know each other again."
Manny raised an eyebrow, "Yeah, like every night."
Emma shook her head, "Shush."
Jay took a sip of his coffee and asked, "Is Cameron a good dad?"
Emma nodded, "He's wonderful. Really."
"That's good."
"And he would have been wonderful if I had let him know years ago."
Jay nodded.
Manny changed the subject, "So what's the plan for later?"
"The shop is open until 12:30, and Sean usually sticks around until 1 to make sure everything is finished. They'll come home, and then I guess we can head over to the hotel."
Jay raised an eyebrow, "Hotel?"
Manny looked at Emma. "You should go ahead of him and change into the outfit there."
"Oooh, good idea."
Jay said, "This must be some outfit."
Manny smiled, "Oh, it is."
Emma asked, "Jay, are you going to stick around today?"
"Maybe."
"Okay. That's fine."
"Don't worry. I won't negatively influence your son."
Emma laughed, "You better not, or Sean will kick your ass."
