Both Esther and Zero were feeling nervous about this. Neither knew if this date was going to go well, but they both recognised that if they didn't try, there was no hope of a relationship.
So they found themselves in a café that did breakfast for people who had to get up early. After pouring over the menu for ten minutes, they decided to order cooked breakfasts.
As they waited for their food, Esther avoided making eye contact with Zero through their awkward silence.
"So…should we talk?" Zero asked eventually. "I mean, first dates are usually about getting to know your date a bit more but we've been partners for two years. Well, professional partners. I suppose we could talk about our hobbies and interests and stuff?"
Esther said nothing. She began absently twisting the wedding ring on her left hand, a gesture that Zero did not miss.
"Okay, how about this: I'll ask you questions and we both answer them?"
Esther still said nothing.
"So…uh…what's your favourite colour? Mine's silver because it's such a majestic colour, even though it's the colour most associated with second place."
"Mine's blue," replied Esther, still not looking at Zero. "It's the colour of the sky and the sea."
"That's nice…" Zero trailed off. That conversation was apparently over, so he attempted to start another. "What's your birthstone and zodiac sign? I'm pearl and Gemini."
"Diamond and Aries," Esther replied dully.
Zero watched her twist the wedding ring on her finger, before giving up. He stood up. "This was a mistake."
Esther started in alarm. "No, no! Please don't leave. I'm sorry."
Zero slowly sat back down. "I'm trying to make an effort here."
"I know you are and I'm really sorry." Esther seemed distressed. "I just can't stop thinking about Isaac. I'm trying to listen to you and have a good time with you, but my heart is aching and my brain is telling me I'm betraying Isaac's memory, which I know is stupid because he's g-gone and I'm allowed to move on, but it's just a horrible feeling…"
She paused for breath. Zero couldn't stop a small smile from coming onto his face. "It's okay. You're allowed to think about Isaac. He was your husband, after all. But don't think you're betraying him. It's been two years and, like you said, you're allowed to move on. You're allowed to date other people." He saw her hands resting on the table, and he placed his hands on hers. "You're an amazing woman, Esther. You deserve to be happy. If I can make you even half as happy as you were with Isaac, I'll be happy too."
Esther smiled as she held Zero's hands. "Thank you for helping me investigate. Your support has meant so much to me. I don't know if I'd have even wanted to investigate without you."
"No problem," smiled Zero. "I've enjoyed spending time with you, even if it was while surviving a disaster attack on HQ and investigating your husband's death."
At that moment, their food arrived. Esther, not realising until now how hungry she was, finished her breakfast in half the time Zero took.
But when they were both done, they paid and left quite quickly.
"We don't have to go back to HQ right now, do we?" asked Zero.
Esther shrugged. "Not necessarily. Why, did you want to do something?"
"Well, that was just part one of our date," Zero said, grinning boyishly. "Want to go to the park?"
"Sure," smiled Esther.
So Zero took Esther to the park, where they sat down on a park bench. By now, it was about nine am, and lots of families with children were in the park too, playing. As Zero observed Esther watching the kids wistfully, he decided to take a risk.
"Can I ask you a personal question?"
Esther regarded him amusedly. "Sure. Whether I answer the question or not is a different matter entirely."
Not quite sure how to respond to that, Zero got on with asking his question: "Would you and Isaac ever have had kids?"
Esther looked away, back at two kids who were flying a kite. "Well, we talked about it lots of times," she replied softly. "And…when Isaac died, I…I, um…I was pregnant."
"What?!" gasped Zero.
"Yeah. Scans showed I was going to have a little girl. But my shock and grief at Isaac's death must have triggered something in my body." Esther seemed to be struggling with her words. This was clearly hard for her to talk about. "I-I had a miscarriage."
Zero put his arms around Esther and pulled her gently close to her. She rested her head on his shoulder.
"That's probably what hurt me most," Esther said quietly. "Just after he died, I was able to convince myself it was going to be okay because I was going to have his baby. I wasn't going to be alone. Then when I miscarried…I felt like I was losing the last part of Isaac I had left. I was severely depressed. If it weren't for you coming along when you did, I don't know if I would have survived."
"It's okay," Zero said sympathetically. "You don't have to think about it now."
"I would love children," Esther said wistfully. "But…there was a complication when I had my miscarriage. I'm infertile now."
"Oh, no…!"
Esther nodded sadly. "So even if I were to marry again, I wouldn't be able to give my new husband any children."
Zero paused for a moment. "What if your new husband is fine without children?"
Esther giggled.
"Or if he was fine to adopt kids instead of having them biologically?" Zero pressed. "Or surrogacy?"
"I considered surrogacy," admitted Esther. "But that's only if I find a man who loves me past my inability to have children."
Zero was about to make a comment about how there was a man who loved her before he knew about her infertility, when a familiar person came running up to them. Panting, she stopped in front of their bench. "Oh, th-thank god I found you," she heaved, bending forwards and resting her hands on her legs in an effort to recover. She had clearly run a long way.
"Ruth!" gasped Esther. "What's wrong?"
"You need to come back to HQ right now," Ruth said urgently, trying to regain her breath. "It's R-Robin. Robin's been attacked."
…
DUN DUN DUUUN!
Also: poor Esther :( being infertile as a result of a miscarriage :'( :'(
