Eyes Like Sky ⚣ ✓

53.

"I know-" he replied, "it wouldn't have been the same."

And hell, this might've been the first conversation ever where he met me half way like this. It was so monumental, neither of us knew what to say next. Where to take it from here. We'd never gotten here before.
I was the one who ushered us into his office during the remainder of the performances, and yet words were escaping me.

I stared at the documents on Ed's desk a moment, forcing myself to speak now or forever hold my peace. Ironically, it was Edward who got his two cents in first, beating me to it.

"Based off your own surprised disgust, I'm guessing we aren't meeting to discuss the snot in expensive tie situation." He said simply. I shook my head no. "So what is it?"

My hands ran over my knees, trying to wipe away the sweat that suddenly pooled on my palms from the nerves.

"I need some time," I replied finally. "From all this. I need to take some time."

The reaction from Edward was immediate, but he did his best to bite his tongue. To hold back some of those sharp words bubbling to the surface. And after swallowing those words down like they were spoiled milk, I saw him finally nod. "Yeah," he agreed, "yeah. I know."

His response settled my nerves with such ease, it was terrifying. So terrifying, I found myself standing up suddenly. I couldn't give this guy any out, after agreeing to such a selfish money draining request. "Thank you." I nodded to Ed, and he did the same. Before I could leave his office however, he stopped me.

"Errol?" I hard Ed call from somewhere behind me. Shit. No way he changed his mind that fast.

"Yes?" I replied, turning back to him.

"This place-" Ed sighed, waving his hands casually to signal to the building we were in. The four walls we were currently enclosed in. "This place was once a place that Lia felt comfortable enough to call home. To bring you to. And only god knows what it's turned into since her passing... but I want you to know-" he sighed again, marking this as the most pauses I'd ever heard Edward take in my life. Fuck it, maybe his. "This place should be a home for you too. It can be, and it will be, whenever you're ready to come back to it."

I gave Ed a smile, his words touching me far more than he knew. "I know." I told him quietly, with my hand still on his office door handle. "And I will." I assured him. "Come back, that is."

"What are you going to do now?" He asked me, that question rooted solely in curiosity, but I saw some relief wash over his face from my assurance.

"Right now?" I replied, checking the time on my watch. The show was just about wrapping up as it approached almost nine at night. "Right now I'm going to go settle some things with my manager, then make sweet sweet love to my boyfriend."

I didn't want to see Ed's response to that one, but he stopped me yet again before I could turn that office handle.

"Wait-"

Oh for the love of god.

"I'm not answering any follow up questions to that one," I told him.

"Oh trust me, your sex life doesn't make the list of things that I'd willingly let occupy even 1% of my brain. You could go make sweet sweet love to your car through the exhaust pipe for all I give a shit, I was just stopping you because someone requested a meeting after the show. Danny... something."

My eyebrows furrowed as I turned to Ed. "First off, my post show interviewing days are too far behind me, and second, I don't know a Dan-" I stopped myself short. "Oh wait- Fanny?"