The Flame Ends With Me

23. Not A Date

The twins had immediately deserted their fishing poles as soon as they saw the water. 

"I thought we were fishing?" I called out to them.

Moriah giggled. "Mommy, we're... we're catching the fish with our hands!" 

I shook my head at her. "Sure.. yeah." I turned to Popp. "I should've known better than to buy them their own fishing poles." 

"Better to have them, you never know the day they might actually use them," Popp told me, lightly swinging his fishing pole into the water. 

"Right. Once the poles are too small for them to use," I grumbled. 

I heard Popp snicker beside me. 

I watched Micah and Moriah splash each other with water, giggling with delight. The disappointment from the image that I had in my head- the three of us fishing (pre-Popp invite), Micah or Moriah or both needing help putting fake bait on the hook, their excitement when or if they caught a real fish... vanished. But Micah and Moriah were still having the time of their lives. Still in the moment laughing and smiling and playing. That was the point of everything. Their joy. Their childhood memories. 

"At least their having fun," I added after a moment. 

Popp threw in his fishing line, away from the playing children. "Would this count as a date?" 

I jerked my head over at him. Surprised by the outright question in hand. "What?" 

He wasn't looking at me- he was looking at where his fishing line was bobbing about. I was relieved that I wasn't meeting with eyes. I felt more brave knowing that he wasn't looking directly at me. 

"Would this count as a date?" he repeated, still not looking at me. 

Did he see this as a date? Did something I said before indicate that this was a date? 

"I, uh.. no. No this is definitely is not a date," I stammered. 

Popp didn't look disappointed.. at least, I didn't think he was. 

"Not a date," he repeated. 

His voice was neutral. Nothing that indicated how he was feeling and that unsettled me. 

"No," I agreed quietly. 

I looked back over to Micah and Moriah. They would need a bath after this- I could already hear their complaints that they already had one in "the big bathtub". I smiled a little to myself, thinking of how I'd be able to put an end to their arguments. 

"How about next Friday?" Popp suddenly asked. 

I exhaled slowly. I was slower when I looked over at him.

A mistake. I was met with his eyes looking at me. Amusement lighting inside of them. Or maybe another feeling? I wasn't sure. 

"Wh-? Next Friday for what?" 

"For our first date. I suppose fishing isn't a practical first date," he shrugged slightly. Still looking half- amused half- something else. 

I shook my head. A sort of grimace smile forming on my mouth. I probably looked weird. It was something CJ hated, he'd constantly tell me (even for days after) how ugly it made me, how it was a weird face that no woman should ever make, how I made him feel stupid or awful or whatever else when I did it. 

It was like an awkward laugh after a bad joke or awkward situation. Something that just happened. Something that I just did sometimes. 

"Is next Friday not a good day?" Popp interrupted my thoughts.