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Sarah looks up as we step outside, and her face lights up.
“Andrew.” She wipes her hands on a dish towel before walking over to give me a hug. She pulls back, holding my arms, and looks me over with a smile. “It’s been too long. You look good.”
I smile back, giving her a quick squeeze. “You too, Sarah.” I glance at Emily, who’s standing just behind me. “This is Emily,” I say, putting a hand on her back, gently guiding her forward. “My wife.”
Sarah smiles at Emily. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.”
Emily smiles warmly, extending her hand. “It’s great to meet you too, Sarah. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Oh, I hope all good things.” Sarah laughs, shaking Emily’s hand before pulling her into a quick, friendly hug. “Come on, sit down, make yourselves comfortable.”
As we settle into the backyard, Jack heads over to the grill, checking on the steaks. I turn to Sarah. “Jack told me the news,” I say. “Congratulations.”
Sarah’s cheeks flush slightly, but she’s grinning. “Thank you,” she says, glancing over at Jack, who catches her eye and grins back. “We weren’t exactly planning on it, but we’re so excited.”
“That’s amazing,” Emily says, her face lighting up. “Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”
“Not yet,” Sarah replies, her hand going to her stomach. “We’ll find out at the next appointment, but honestly, we’re just excited either way. It’s still early, but we couldn’t keep it to ourselves any longer.”
Jack chimes in from the grill, his tone light. “We’re already debating names, which has been an interesting exercise.” He winks at Sarah, who laughs and shakes her head.
“We are not naming the baby after your favorite hockey player,” she says, rolling her eyes.
We all laugh. I can’t help but envy what Jack and Sarah have. The kind of effortless, easy love that comes from truly knowing someone, from being completely comfortable together.
I glance over at Emily, who’s laughing at something Sarah just said. The sound of it, the way her eyes crinkle at the corners, does something to me.
I wonder if she could be that special person for me, the way Sarah is for Jack. It’s a thought I’ve been pushing away, but it keeps coming back, stronger each time.
Before I can delve any deeper into my own thoughts, Jack calls out, “Alright, everyone, food’s ready. Let’s eat.”
It’s a nice afternoon and evening, and by the time it’s over, Emily looks relaxed and so do I.
The evening ends with hugs and warm goodbyes, Emily and Sarah exchanging numbers and promising to stay in touch.
I watch them, a bit amazed at how easily they’ve connected, like they’ve known each other for years instead of just a few hours.
Emily settles into the passenger seat, her face still glowing from the laughter and conversation of the evening.
As I drive, she turns to me, a smile tugging at her lips. “That was such a great evening, don’t you think?”
I nod, glancing over at her briefly. “Yeah, it was,” I say, my voice quieter than usual. “Sarah and Jack are good people.”
She nods, gazing out the window, her fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on her lap.
We lapse into a comfortable silence for the rest of the drive, but as we pull into the driveway and I turn off the engine, I don’t get out.
Instead, I sit there, gripping the steering wheel, trying to figure out how to say what’s on my mind.
Emily turns to me, her expression curious. “Andrew?”
I take a breath, my heart pounding a little harder than it should. “Seeing Jack and Sarah tonight, how they are together, it made me think about us. About our marriage.”
Her eyes widen slightly, and I can see her brace herself, as if she’s not sure where this conversation is going. “What do you mean?” she asks.
“They’re so comfortable with each other. So natural,” I say, feeling like I’m fumbling for the right words. “And it made me realize that with time, I want the same thing for us.”
I can’t look at her as I say it because it feels too raw, too vulnerable, like I’m setting myself up to be hurt. But I force myself to continue. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, I want us to get to know each other. Really know each other.”