Simple Complexity

Part 5

'We were just watching a movie,' Holtzmann supplied quickly, 'after Erin's date, we fell asleep.'

Patty's eyes widened in panic, 'Yeah, I mean finally we're all here, early, together..'

Abby supplying the rest of the sentence, 'For breakfast, for finally going out for breakfast.'

'Oh!' Erin said eagerly, 'yes, I'm starving.'

Holtzmann nodded in agreement but also in thanks to the two woman and she crawled off the couch, running to the stairs.

'I'm showering first Erin!'

Erin snorted, wrapping herself up in the blanket again, turning away from the women and relaxing back into the couch, absentmindedly pulling the blanket Holtz had been using and wrapping it around herself. She took in a deep breath, inhaling in the cinnamon scent of the woman and she curled back into its warmth.

The Ghostbusters headed out to breakfast, something they hadn't done in a long time, and they walked to a small diner a couple of blocks away. The venue was relatively empty, and they slid into a booth, Erin first with the blonde sitting next to her, Abby and Patty opposite.

Holtz looked up to Erin and she smiled tightly picking up a menu.

'So, how's Joshhhh,' Abby said with a smile, looking up from her menu and Erin looked at her, then to Holtz before she answered.

'Um, good,' Erin turned back to Abby, 'he's really sweet.'

'You like him?' Patty said, her foot knocking Holtzmann's purposefully under the table. And Holtz pushed her back with her own, a little too hard, making Patty jump, the other two looking at her before Erin answered.

'Yeah,' Erin said softly, 'I do. A lot.'

'I'm going to order,' Holtz interrupted loudly standing up, not meeting any of their eyes, knowing they were all staring at her. Holtz walked over to the counter, and Erin looked after her, the blonde met her gaze and then the others.

'What do you guys wanna eat?' she hollered out, annoyance in her voice, even a little anger.

Abby looked up at Patty, the woman meeting her eyes and they both looked toward Erin, but the woman was focused on the menu.

'Jill, I'll-' Erin began.

'I know your order Erin,' Holtz said sharply and her eyes moved to the other two, both Patty and Abby mumbling their choices as the engineer placed the request, returning to her seat.

'You okay Jill?' Erin said as a waitress brought them over some coffee, her behaviour stark in contrast to their morning on the couch.

Holtz nodded, staring at her, sitting back down, her response suddenly soft.

'Of course, why wouldn't I be?'

Erin nodded, not convinced and she looked over at Patty and then to Abby.

Abby smiled, 'What movie did you two watch last night?'

'The Notebook,' Holtz said flatly.

Erin nodded, noticing the blonde's tone had changed again, and she took a sip of her coffee.

'Well Holtz did, I passed out pretty quick.'

'Did you cry?' Abby asked looking to the engineer, and Patty chuckled.

Erin watched as Holtzmann's mouth opened briefly and then closed, and she snorted her response.

'Nahhh, sappy romance, but it was good. I'll admit that.'

'Erin loves sappy romance,' Abby said, leaning out of her seat, punching her softly on the arm, 'Josh romantic?'

It was the first time Holtzmann had really registered his name. Josh. What a stupid name. What kind of name was that? Josh, short for Joshua. Holtzmann hated it. Josh and Erin, Erin, and Josh. It just didn't work. Josh was too casual for Erin. Not that she could think of a name that suited her better. Well, she could. She knew exactly what name paired well with Erin.

'Kind of,' Erin replied, as their food was brought over, and they thanked the waitress.

'Kind of?' Patty said, picking up a fork and Holtz cleared her throat, her breakfast consisting of just a cup of black coffee. Erin picked up her apple muffin, her usual choice for breakfast, often picking one up on the way to work. Sometimes the blonde buying her one, sending her a text - I got you your breakfast cake.

'Uhh, yeah. I mean he calls me beautiful and, and' Erin couldn't help but look at Holtz, as though only talking to her, 'he holds my hand.'

What's his last name?' Patty asked with a grin.

'Uh, Webster.'

'Erin Webster,' Abby said with a chuckle and Patty began to coo, Abby joining in, repeating the name.

Erin blushed, looking to the woman sitting next to her and Holtz looked back at her. There was no expression on the blonde's face, Erin couldn't read it. At all. There wasn't even a hint of a smile, she was just looking back at her blankly. She vaguely heard the women opposite say something and then Patty saying something back to Abby, the woman answering and a conversation between the two beginning.

Erin continued to look at Holtzmann, her eyes were almost empty looking, as though her mind was elsewhere, and the woman even sensed some sort of sadness in them.

'Jill?'

'Mhmm?'

Erin didn't continue, not really knowing what to say.

The brunette knew every part of the woman's face, every feature, expression. Her dimple, the way her lips parted when she concentrated, the way she bit her lower lip when she was deep in thought. She loved the way her face would light up, a full beaming smile when she completed something, or dragged Erin over to her desk to show her something. Erin knew her favourite lip balm, she preferred it to lipstick, her lips already perfect in colour and the woman always found her eyes locked to the woman's mouth when she applied it. She knew when the woman was stressed, her eyebrows furrowed, forehead creasing and she would scrunch her mouth up, sometimes biting the inside of her cheek.

Erin looked away, returning to her breakfast, picking at the edge of the muffin, pulling out chunks of apple and bringing them to her mouth. She felt her body curve, her shoulders dropped a little and she almost hunched at the table, elbows atop, hand reaching down as she pulled off bits of muffin.

'I'm glad he tells you you're beautiful,' Holtz whispered, it was barely audible, she wasn't even saying it to Erin, but into her coffee, 'because you are.'

The other two didn't take note of what the woman had said, probably because they didn't hear, but Erin did, pausing as she stared at the half-eaten cake, but she didn't look back up to Holtz.