Shane hustled in the kitchen, forcing himself to focus on his work and not slicing his fingers as he chopped vegetables. He had frantically cleaned his flat earlier that day and was now expecting Emily at any time.
KNOCK KNOCK
Shane rushed over and opened the door.
"Wow..." He blurted in a whisper.
Emily was wearing a tight black long sleeved top tucked into high waist jeans, with chunky shoes and a minimal necklace. Her recently touched up blonde hair was down and framing her face.
Her look was modern, so completely different than how she looked while filming. He had gotten used to seeing her with pin curled and pulled back hair and utility style wartime dresses.
Shane couldn't help but smile as he studied her.
"Are you going to stand there and gawk at me or can I come in?" Emily quipped and held up a box. "I brought dessert and it's sure to melt if you keep me out here much longer."
Shane backed up with a small chuckle. "Of course, sorry. You look... well, amazing."
Emily blushed and greeted him with a kiss. "Thank you, so do you."
The flat was small, simple, and tidy.
Emily looked around at the books and videos stacked neatly on the shelves with a couple of small lounge chairs nearby.
She pretended to be incredibly interested in a particular book when she felt eyes watching her. She smirked as she turned to look at Shane.
As a call back to the phone conversation that felt almost an eternity ago, Shane was making spaghetti Bolognese. Only this time, he was making the sauce from scratch.
Suede's "Everything Will Flow" played in the background while Emily walked over to him.
"Is there anything I could do?" Emily asked, leaning against the counter, watching Shane saute vegetables.
Shane paused and thought for a moment. "Erm... you could pull out the wine glasses. They're in the cupboard over the sink."
Emily walked over and did just that. Shane pulled out a bottle of burgundy wine. He uncorked it and deglazed the pan before pouring a small amount in each glass.
They raised their glasses to each other.
"To Alice and Eugene, God rest their souls." Shane said as a toast.
Emily nodded. "God rest their souls." She repeated in agreement before they both sipped their wine.
Shane pecked her lightly on the lips before turning his attention back on the food.
Emily watched him for a beat before asking; "Are you good at talking while cooking or are the kind that prefers silence and concentration?"
Shane raised a brow and looked up from her. "Do you not remember all of our phone conversations? I was cooking during at least half of those, so... make of that what you will." He chuckled.
Emily gave a slight chortle before taking another dainty sip of her wine.
"So," She began, stretching out the 'o'. "You mentioned you were in a movie, last year. Anything I had seen?"
Shane grimaced in embarrassment. "I hope to God, no. It was Room to Rent. Came out this year."
Emily smiled. "Never heard of it."
"I was in a few scenes. I played a gay Spanish immigrant." Shane said, his cheeks turning pink.
Emily barked out a laugh. "Sorry, that's just..."
"Not a character you see me as? Yeah, well, it was a step out of the comfort zone project for me. I had fun with it, to be honest." He said with a shrug.
"I get that." Emily said, mirroring his shrug. "I played a lesbian on NYPD Blue."
"NYPD Blue?" Shane asked.
"A TV show. I didn't have a name. Five minute part. Murder victim. All implied and revealed in other people's lines for dramatic effect. 'They were lovers' DUN DUN DUN!" Emily faked a dramatic hand to her chest implying clutched pearls.
Shane chuckled. "Was it fun though? Or were you laying dead on the ground the whole time?"
He dipped a spoon into the sauce, blew on it and held it out to her so she could taste it.
Emily tried it and smiled. "Good."
Shane smiled proudly. "Good."
"Anyway," Emily continued. "About four minutes of the episode was my partner and I living our day to day life, all happy go lucky montage. The last minute was just us laying dead. So, yeah, it was kinda fun. You should have seen Babe and Bill's faces though. And my mom. I don't know which they hated more, the gay part or the me dead part." Emily grimaced.
"I'll go with the laying dead part." Shane said, draining the boiled spaghetti.
The table was set and the two ate their dinner with more soft, casual dining music playing in the background.
"I have to say," Emily said after a few minutes. "I'm quite impressed."
"Not many blokes willing to cook for you?" Shane asked.
"Nope. The majority of them didn't even know how to pop popcorn in the microwave." Emily giggled. "Of course, the most dating experience I had was in high school and the relationships, if you could call them that, lasted maybe a week."
Shane chucked. "Mutual endings or dramatic?"
"More of, my older brother or Easy Veterans scaring every single one of them off." Emily smiled grimly.
"Not your dad?" Shane asked.
"Not possible when he's six feet under ground." Emily explained away so casually, almost like she said he was away on business.
Shane about dropped his fork. "Oh... oh, I'm so sorry. I-"
"Stop, you didn't know, Hon. I should have told you sooner. He died about a week before I was born." Emily said, taking ahold of his hand. "I get a little sad about it sometimes, but, if we're being completely honest here, Bill Gaurnere was more of a dad to Kevin and me than anything. He taught Kevin how to be a man, took me to father/daughter dances, babysat us when mom was working, tucked us into bed, read us stories, heck, he would even punish us when we would act up." Emily laughed.
Shane listened and smiled with her.
"Do you know what's scarier than Sergent Bill Gaurnere when you cross the disciplinary line?" Emily asked.
"Nothing?" Shane answered.
"No, Sergent Joe Toye when you cross HIS disciplinary line." Emily shuddered. "There weren't too many of those occasions, believe me."
Shane chuckled. "So you were raised by Easy company veterans."
Emily nodded. "It's strange seeing all you actors portraying the younger versions of them. I can barely speak to Robin. Babe is like a grandpa to me. He never laid down the law like Bill and Joe."
"What about Eugene, what was he like to you?" Shane asked.
"A great uncle. Just like Alice was like a great aunt. Sure I would spend about a week or two with them in Louisiana or they would visit us for a week or two in Philly. But I never had the same closeness with them as I did with Bill, Babe, or Joe." Emily said, nonchalantly.
Shane mulled this information over with a few bites of food.
"You must have some interesting stories being raised by Easy Veterans." He said at last.
"Not really. Babe taught Kevin and me how to drive. Bill taught us how to work hard and often drove me to auditions. Joe busted me at a house party while I was supposed to be at a homecoming dance." Emily grinned before taking another bite of food. "Normal dad stuff, just with three different yet amazing men."
"When did they learn about you?" Shane asked after a moment. "You know, that you were a relative of Alice's?"
Emily giggled. "1980. I was almost one. There was a reunion and Alice and Eugene were in Pennsylvania. They stayed with my mom, Kevin, and me. I, of course, have no memory of this. But that was how they learned about us."
Shane looked at their now empty plates and began clearing the table. "Sorry for asking so many questions. I hope I didn't press too much or make you uncomfortable."
Emily smiled, standing up from her seat to follow him into the kitchen. "It's fine. I'm used to people either finding it cool or strange that I had three world war two veterans in place of a father."
Shane put the dishes in the sink and was about to wash them when Emily playfully swatted at him.
"Let me. You cooked, I'll wash up." She said, grabbing the sponge.
"Fine, I'll dry." Shane agreed, kissing her cheek.
They made quick work of washing up and putting away dishes. When their work was finished, Emily pulled the box of Vienetta from the freezer.
"You honestly have never seen The Sixth Sense?" Shane asked as he popped the tape in the VCR.
Emily shook her head. "I'm not a horror movie person and the trailer scared me when it first came out."
"Nobody told you the ending, did they?" Shane asked while moving his chair closer to hers.
Emily shook her head.
"Good. That would ruin the whole film." He smirked, handing her a blanket.
Five minutes in, both Shane and Emily jumped. "DONNIE?!"
"My God, the man looks anorexic!" Shane exclaimed.
"He's almost unrecognizable!" Emily shrieked before letting out a yelp when Bruce Willis was shot. "I'm never gonna look at him the same way again." Her Philly accent coming out.
Shane laughed. "I guess it's a good thing you're going home in three weeks."
The mood shifted and the two looked at each other.
Emily's eyes blinked back tears. "Don't remind me." She whispered.
Three weeks felt so close, yet a long time away. Shane set down his nearly melted dessert and gestured for Emily to come join him in his chair.
She obliged, curling onto his lap and resting her head on shoulder. They fit perfectly together.
"I miss you already." Shane whispered in her ear.
Emily pulled away enough to look at him. She kissed him lovingly on the lips, which he returned.
She snuggled closer to him, settling to watch the movie.
Emily jumped at every jump-scare, Shane stifled his laughter and held her.
Their dessert lay forgotten on the floor.
Emily sat stunned when the ending played.
"WHAT?!"
Shane could only laugh.