Chapter 8: Adjustments
"Nick, I'm home," Emma called as she walked back into the apartment. So far she loved her job at the Washington Post. Being a columnist was a great job for her. She could write for a well-known paper, but she got to choose what she wrote about and didn't have to worry about getting a hold of others for a deadline.
Nick's internship was going well also, but Emma wished they saw each other more. Living together was an adjustment, but she definitely enjoyed living with him. They were together every evening, usually for dinner and either a walk or just hanging out in their apartment. They'd been skyping almost every day with Ryan and Ava, Emma's family and Nick's siblings.
Emma went into her bedroom. She noticed that the bed was unmade and groaned. She liked to have a made bed. She wasn't really sure why, but there were things she liked a certain way, and this was one of them.
"Nick!" Emma moaned.
"Yeah?" Nick said, coming out of the bathroom.
"You forgot to make our bed again today," Emma said.
"I'm sorry babe... I'm used to leaving my bed unmade," Nick said. Since Emma had to be at work earlier than Nick did, she was usually gone before he woke up.
"Nick, I like our room to be clean," Emma said. She felt bad for getting mad at her boyfriend, but she'd been raised to want the house to be clean. Ever since she was little, Finn and Rachel had given her lots of chores.
"Why does it bother you so much?" Nick asked.
"I'm just a bit of a control freak," Emma said. "Nick, I love you and I like living with you, but we really need to compromise and make each other comfortable."
"If it bothers you, I'll make our bed tomorrow," Nick said.
"Thanks," Emma said. She heard the computer ringing. "Sounds like someone wants to talk to us via Skype."
"It's probably Ryan and Ava," Nick said.
"You're probably right," Emma said. She went to the computer and turned on the conversation. Sure enough, it was Ryan and Ava.
"Hey!" Emma said.
"Hey!" Ryan said. "How's DC?"
"It's good," Nick said. "How's New York?"
"We've finalized the menu for our wedding," Ryan said. "Well, almost finalized it, we need approval from our best man and maid of honor."
"We're listening," Emma said. She was getting excited for the wedding, it was the first time she and all her friends from high school were going to be together since last Christmas.
"Okay, so we're thinking orderves for the appetizer," Ryan said. "We'll have salad for the second course, and then for the main course, we'll have pasta and filet mignon. And of course, the wedding cake for dessert."
"That sounds amazing!" Emma said. "We're so excited for your wedding!"
"Are you guys thinking about the duet for our first dance?" Ava asked.
Emma didn't know what to say. She and Nick hadn't discussed it lately. Luckily, Nick took over. "We've got a few ideas."
"Great," Ava said. "Tomorrow, we're going to look at centerpieces for the tables for the reception."
"You'll need to help her with that, Emma," Ryan said. "I'm pretty useless for that."
"I'll help," Emma said.
After about half an hour of talking, they turned off the computer and Nick turned to Emma. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it's just hard adjusting to a new place," Emma said. "I got used to Chicago though, and I got used to New York, so I'll get used to DC too."
"You know I'm here for you," Nick said. "I love you."
"I love you too," Emma said.
x
The next day at work, Emma turned in her column when one of her coworkers stopped her in the hall. "Your column yesterday was really good."
"Thanks," Emma said. She wasn't even sure who this guy was or what department he worked in.
"I know your situation," the guy continued. "You're just out of college, but listen. You're here because you're the best of the best. That's why you're here at the Washington Post."
"Well, thanks," Emma said.
"I was you," he continued. "I got hired right out of college. Sometime, we should go to lunch."
Emma didn't know what to say. She thought this guy was flirting with her, and she didn't even know his name. "We'll see about that..."
"Trevor," the guy said.
"Okay, bye," Emma said. Trevor had been giving her a weird vibe, and she wanted to get home to Nick. As she was arriving, she felt her phone ringing. She picked it up. "Hello?"
"Hey," Sarah said.
"Hey," Emma said. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, I was hanging out with Adam earlier," Sarah said. "Guess what."
"What?" Emma asked.
"Ally called," Sarah said. "She and Jeff are having a baby!"
"Oh my gosh," Emma said as she went into the apartment. "When?"
"She's about two months along now," Sarah said. "But Mom and Dad are super excited. Mom wants to do some baby shopping."
"That sounds like Mom," Emma said as she went into her apartment where Nick was watching TV. She waved at Nick and continued talking to Sarah. "So, it's obviously too early to know the gender."
"Ally did tell Dad if it's a boy, she wants to name him Jack, after our brother," Sarah said.
"Then I hope it's a boy," Emma said.
"How was work?" Sarah asked.
"It was fine," Emma said. "One of the guys at work seemed to be hitting on me today." She noticed Nick looking over at her, and then regretted what she said.
"I hope you told him you're taken," Sarah said.
"Of course I told him I'm taken!" Emma said. Really, she hadn't, but she was going to make it clear tomorrow. "I'm home, I've got to go now, I'll call you later." She went to join Nick on the couch. "So, you heard me talking to Sarah?"
"Yeah," Nick said. "Who is this guy?"
Emma sighed. "I'm not sure if he was flirting with me or just being friendly. What I do know is that you're the only guy for me?"
"Are you sure?" Nick asked. "Because you got pretty annoyed with me yesterday about our bed."
"Nick, living together is an adjustment," Emma said. "We didn't live together before. I'm used to having my bed made and you're used to having yours unmade."
"What did the guy say to you?" Nick asked.
"He said that he liked my column yesterday and that I'm at the Washington Post because I'm the best of the best," Emma said.
"Well, he's right about both those things," Nick said.
"Nick, our whole lives we'll be working with people of the opposite gender," Emma said. "I'm sure you work with some really smart, politically minded girls, but you still love me, right?"
"Right," Nick said.
"And it's the same for me," Emma said. "You know, Ryan and Ava told us they want us to do a duet at their wedding. What do you say we go to that karaoke bar tonight and try out a few?"
"I'd like that," Nick said.
That evening, they headed to the karaoke bar after dinner, and the DJ picked out a song for them to sing. It was the first romantic duet they'd done in a while, and it felt good to be doing this again.
Nick: a thousand times i've seen you standing
gravity like a lunar landing
make me want to run till i find you
shut the world away from here, drift to you, you're all i hear
everything we know fades to black
half the time the world is ending, truth is i am done pretending
Emma: i never thought that i had any more to give
pushing me so far here i am without you
drink to all that we have lost, mistakes that we have made
everything will change, love remains the same
find a place where we escape
take you with me for a space
Nick: a city bus that sounds just like a fridge
walk the streets through seven bars
Emma: i had to find just out where you are
the faces seen to blur they're all the same
Both: half the time the world is ending, truth is i am done pretending
i never thought that i had any more to give
you're pushing me so far here i am without you
drink to all that we have lost, mistakes that we have made
everything will change, love remains the same
Nick: so much more to say, so much to be done
don't you trick me out, we shall overcome
cause our love stays ablaze
Emma: we should have had the sun
could have been inside
instead we're over here
Nick: half the time the world is ending, truth is i am done pretending
Emma: too much time to love defending, you and i are done pretending
Both: i never thought that i had any more to give
you're pushing me so far here i am without you
drink to all that we have lost, mistakes that we have made
everything will change, everything will change
oh, i...
this could last forever
oh, i...
we could last forever
love remains the same
love remains the same
The crowd at the karaoke bar applauded them, and Nick gave Emma a look that told her that he loved her. She knew this song would be perfect for Ryan and Ava's wedding.
Chapter 9 preview: Nick and Emma return to Cleveland for Ryan and Ava's wedding shower and bachelor and bachelorette parties. Moments for Finchel, Nicma, Ryva and Sardam. Some familiar faces return. Lots of moments for the Hudson family too!