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26
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Thursday came around quicker than ever and soon Ed found himself standing outside of Kathy's door, once again, waiting impatiently for her to hurry up and get ready.
Kathy finally emerged looking stunning to Ed, as usual. He took her arm in his and they made their way out of the house and down the street. All the while, Ed couldn't help imagining himself over and over again in the dress Nadia had described over the phone during their conversation.
When the Brinkley residence was reached, Ed still felt a tingling throughout his body as he lay his eyes upon the house.
After the friendly greetings and familiarities, Ed and Kathy were ushered into the living room just like the previous visit.
Ed's hand had healed quite a while ago, so he was sure there would be no need to go to the washroom and end up alone with Nadia instead once again. He just knew it couldn't happen again. And if the situation became apparent once more, he wouldn't let it happen again.
Nadia entered the room, clad in the dress she had described. It was just as he imagined it, maybe even nicer. He stared at her dress intently for a few minutes, then noticed Kathy giving him a look, so, ashamed, he dropped his eyes to the floor. He wished he could've pulled Kathy aside to tell her it wasn't Nadia he was so interested in, it was her dress. Her gorgeous, amazing, beautiful dress that he would kill-- well, maybe not kill but perhaps slightly injure-- someone to wear.
The chummy conversations between the two couples went sailing by-- Nadia giving Ed googly-eyes all throughout, Ed every now and then returning the googly-eyes to her dress-- Then came the moment where Nadia had to leave to attend to the dinner in the kitchen. Ed would not let her get the best of him that was for sure. If he had to put up a fight, so be it.
She casually walked down the hall and disappeared out of sight. Ed let out a slightly relieved breath, but knew that it wasn't going to be just that easy to slip away from her.
He sat very stiffly on the sofa next to Kathy for some minutes, the conversation drifting past him as he concentrated on his thought process that went a little something like this:
No. I will not. I WILL NOT. I love my wife and there is no way Nadia will do it. No way. Even if she's wearing that extravagant dress... no. I cannot. I will not. I refuse. No way José. Nuh-uh. Nope. No siree bob. It will never happen again. Never ever, never.
And the thought process basically went on and on like that until Ed looked up to see Nadia standing in the opening of the hall.
"If it wouldn't be too much of a bother, I need a bit of help in the kitchen," Nadia said, looking in Ed's direction.
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. NO! She can't! I will not let her. I'm putting my foot down. I'm putting my...
"Oh, I can help you, Nadia," Kathy said. Ed looked at her and smiled. Aww, how he loved Kathy. She had just saved the day.
"Thank you, Kathy. But I was thinking that Ed could be the one to help instead." Her smile shone brighter at Ed.
Ed shut his eyes and placed a hand to his forehead for a moment, then looked up at Nadia, pleading with his eyes. "Oh.. I um.. I..."
"Well, come on Ed. Get it moving. You're a gentleman, right?" Kathy asked.
Ed looked at Kathy now, pleading with his eyes at her. "Yes... but..."
Everyone in the room had their eyes on him. Their prying eyes. Nadia had done it once again. She'd gotten her way and Ed knew exactly what was in store for him once he entered that kitchen. He gulped and slowly raised from the couch. Feeling sick, he walked over to Nadia. "I would be more than happy to help you, Nadia," He said in a somewhat flat tone.
Nadia's smile only grew bigger. "Thank you, Ed," She said, then led him down the hall and to the kitchen.