Maggie and Alex helped Erin pick out the outfit she wore to see Jessica. Erin texted Jessica a couple days later and accepted Jessica's offer about checking out the city. They both agreed that Jessica was going to pick Erin up Friday at 7pm. It was 6:59pm when there was a knock on the door.
Maggie opened, "Hello, you must be Jessica."
"Yes that's me, is Erin here. I hope I have the right address."
"Yes she's finishing getting ready. She is my aunt," Maggie said moving to invite Jessica in.
"Well it is a pleasure to meet you Maggie."
Alex walked in the room and stood next to Maggie, "hello Jessica, I'm Alex Maggie's wife."
Jessica held out her hand, "it's a pleasure to meet you too and congratulations."
Alex put a hand on her stomach, "thank you Maggie and I are very excited."
"Are they you're first?" Jessica asked.
"Second actually, we have a little boy named Zack." Maggie said as Erin walked in.
Erin was rubbing her hands together when she caught sight of Jessica.
"Wow, uh hi Jessica." Erin said nervously.
Jessica smiled, "hey Erin you ready?"
Erin nodded, said good-bye to Alex and Maggie and walked out the front door.
"Oh my it's more beautiful in person," Erin said drooling at the Ford GT Jessica decided to drive for the night.
"I thought you would like to drive in style tonight. Plus I got her cleaned this morning and had to show off her new wax job."
"Ya know it's one thing to talk about it but to see it and sit in it in person is something else."
Jessica smirked, "do you want to stare at the car all night or do you wanna take it for a spin."
"Do I get to drive it?" Erin asked with hope laced in her voice.
"Not tonight, but who knows in the future I might just let you."
They drove around for a while, Jessica informed Erin of all the places they passed.
"And this is the best gay club in town if your that kind of person. Been there a bunch of times and they have the best drinks in town." Jessica parked outside her restaurant, "I figured you would want to stop for something to eat before we finished our tour."
"I could use a bit." Erin said walking side by side into the restaurant. It was an upscale place with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
"Oh wow, this place is amazing." Jessica grabbed Erin's hand and escorted her to a private room with only one table. She pulled out Erin's chair then sat at her own.
"I hope it's okay with you but I already had things premade for the time we got here so we could maximize our time touring the city."
"I trust what ever you ordered, after all you do own this place so you should know what's best."
Jessica laughed. It was a sound Erin could get use to hearing, "you'd think but people always have their preferences."
"So tell me about yourself Jessica."
"Okay well my full name is Jessica Madden, as you know I own this restaurant. I also own another with the same name in NYC. I grew up in New York on Long Island and went to culinary school in the city. I had a mom and a dad who were very supportive of me. I was an only child and came out to my parents while I was in culinary school. Was a chef for a while to gain enough money to open my first restaurant in the city. After 10 successful years I decided to expand and open up a restaurant here in National City."
"Wow that's amazing but I can't help but notice you said had. Did something happen to your parents?"
Jessica looked down, "yea my mom passed away from ovarian cancer than my dad had a stroke five years later. That was actually when I left for National City. I felt like I had nothing left and I wanted a fresh start."
"I'm so sorry to hear that."
"It was hard for a while but you manage."
"Yea, um, my parents passed away in a car crash from a drunk driver. I have a sister who I currently live with that was the favorite. Woman didn't typically own businesses or work as mechanics or any labor jobs in Nebraska so there was a lot of backlash. Now I'm here and I couldn't be happier. This city is amazing and it's great for business too. As for the gay part of me that's something I wanted to talk to you about."
Jessica gave her a supportive smile and Erin continued, "I haven't really known for long. Uh well after our conversation I kind of figured it out. I mean it made sense you know being gay after looking back at everything. I talked you my niece and her wife about it and they helped me see things clear and help me understand."
"Wow, wait you figured out you were gay then talked to your niece the same day?"
Erin nodded and Jessica's jaw dropped, "holy shit that's ballzy. I mean it took me about two years to come out to my parents then another six months to my friends. You really are something."
"Well I have you to thank for that. Umm the way you made me, like I had butterflies in my stomach… and uh… you shaking my hand… it was, well it was different. A good different."
Jessica smiled and took Erin's hand, "first let me say that you are absolutely amazing. I have never met anybody in my life who would do something like that and come out of in perfectly fine, better even. Second is that I like you and I would really like to go out with you and take you on dates but I don't want to move too fast considering how recent everything has happened. If your okay with it I think we should stick to being friends for a while until you feel comfortable with who you are. That's not a dig or an insult because I know how hard it can be to accept yourself and I can only imagine if you had a homophobic up bringing. I honestly don't care that you just figured yourself out but I also don't want to rush into a relationship and one of us ends up being hurt. I've had that in the past with baby gays and it leaves a lasting impression. This would be like a yellow light not a red one. Do you understand?"
Erin nodded, "I was actually thinking the same thing but you said it much more eloquently than I would have. I really would love to go out with you but like you said I think I need some time to be 100% okay with everything. Thank you for understanding, I was really nervous having this conversation."
"Hey that's perfectly okay. I can introduce you to some of my friends. It could help to know more people on the spectrum, it helped me when I came out."
"That would be great. Thanks Jessica."
"Please it's Jess and no need to thank me."
They finished eating and headed out to finish the rest of the tour before Jessica dropped Erin back at her house.
"Thanks again for the tour and the food and everything I had a really good time."
"It was my pleasure. My friends and I go out for drinks on Saturday nights, I was wondering if you wanted to join us next weekend?"
"I would love too. See you next then." Erin said before giving Jessica a kiss on her cheek and getting out the car. After Jessica left, Erin immediately hopped in her car and sped off to Maggie and Alex's house. She promised them that she would go over and talk about her night.
When she go there, Maggie and Alex were watching a movie in the living room. They immediately turned it off and looked at Erin eagerly, "spill every detail aunt Erin."
Erin sat on the love seat, "it went much better than I expected. She drove me around in her Fort GT, which is an amazing car, and told me about all different parts of the city. Some where her own experiences and suggestions. We went to her restaurant and ate there, no alcohol of course because she drove and she insisted on that. We talked a lot and got to know each other. I was nervous to tell her but she took it so well. She was the one to suggest we stay friends before I'm ready for a relationship. After that she showed me around again before dropping me off. Oh and she invited me to join her and her friends next Saturday night for drinks."
"Well shit she took that much better than we did. I would have been downing a bottle of whiskey and crying my eyes out on Kara's shoulder by now." Alex said.
"Yea Jess was really nice about it. She talked about her experiences with other recently out woman and she says she doesn't want that with me. She says she wants a real relationship and she said that we couldn't have that until I fully accepted who I am."
"That's amazing aunt Erin, I'm really happy for you."
Erin smiled so brightly, "I can't say I remember a time I have been this happy. I know I still have some things to go through and stuff but I'm really happy where I am and I have you two to thank for that so thank you so much. Moving here has really changed my life for the better."
Alex started crying, "well fuck here come the emotional part." Alex said wiping her eyes.
"Awe babe." Maggie said running a hand through Alex's hair. Alex immediately crumbled at her touch and leaded into her.
"I'm really happy for you Erin."
"Thank you Alex. Our talk really helped, I don't think it would have gone as well without it. You gave me the confidence to express everything."
"No need to thank me, you're the one who did it so you should be very proud of yourself. I'd say we should celebrate but we may have to wait a while," Alex rubbed her small bump.
"Well I just came by to tell you that and now I'm going to go home and go to bed because I'm exhausted. Are we still on for the aquarium next week?"
"Oh yea, Zack won't stop talking about all the animals we are going to see."