Chapter Nine

                                    

                                          






We pull up outside my apartment and sit in the car  continuing to hold hands while talking.
                          
            "Would you like to come up?" I ask because it was starting to get cold with the car engine being shut off.
                          
            "I would love to however it is getting late, I probably should get home. But I will walk you to your door. "Erik lets go of my hand and gets out and comes around to open my door for me. Once we are at my door he grabs both of my hands and faces me.
                          
            "Emma I had a really great time tonight."
                          
            "I did too. Thank you very much for dinner, it was great." We stand there staring into each other's eye for a moment before he leans towards me. I am surprised when his lips meet mine, a tingling sensation runs through my whole body. He leans down and kisses me on the lips one more time. His lips may be my new favorite feature of his.
                          
            "Good night Emma, sleep tight."
                          
            "You too." I say a little breathless, still amazed by his kiss. Erik lets out a small laugh. I have never wanted something to happen again as much as I wish Erik would kiss me again.

                          
            " I'll let you know when I get home." And before I can object to him leaving he is already heading down the stairs. I turn around and it takes me a second to steady myself enough to be able to put my key in the lock and get my door open.
                          
            I pull out my phone figuring I would have a million messages from Sophia asking how the night went. Surprisingly there isn't anything from her. I debate sending her a message but decide I am too tired to stay up and talk. I'll text her tomorrow and I'm sure it'll be a several hour long conversation. I changed into some pajamas and head to the bathroom to put my hair up and clean the makeup off my face. I can't control the stupid grin that seems to have been permanently plastered on my face.

                          
            It's already eleven forty-five by the time I am shutting off the lights and climbing into bed. I turn my phone off silent and check to see if there are any new messages. My heart sinks a little bit when there isn't anything from Erik, he should be home by now. I wait a few minutes until my eyes are so heavy I can barely keep them open. I decide he must have either forgot to text or fell right asleep, oh well. I think about how glad I am about being clumsy and that one day brought this man into my life. Within a few minutes I am deep asleep, dreaming about our date.  Yes, I said date.
                          
            I'm awakened by the sound of my phone going off, god I feel like I've only slept for two minutes. I look at the clock on the bedside table and it reads just after three in the morning. Who the hell is calling me this early in the morning? I grab my phone and see Sophia's name lighting up the screen.
                          
            "Hello." I wait for an answer but no one answers. "Hello, Sophia are you there?" All I can hear is what sounds like someone crying. "Sophia are you there? Is everything okay? Sophia talk to me. I need you to answer me."  I hear a rustling on the other end of the phone and then finally a voice. In the background I can still hear what I assume to be Sophia crying.

                          
            "Emma is that you?"  I don't recognize the male voice right away.
                          
            "Ya it's Emma. Is this Mitch?"
                          
            "Yes it's Mitch, listen..." I cut him off before he is able to finish his sentence.
                          
            "Mitch what is going on? Is Sophia okay? Do you need me to come over there?" I can feel my heart pounding in my ears.

                          
            "Emma I need you to listen and I need you to try to stay calm because Sophia needs you right now." Mitch is using that doctor voice you always see on TV when they come out to the waiting room to tell the family bad news.

                          
            "Mitch you are scaring me, what is going on?"
                          
            "I need you to come to the hospital, we are already there."
                          
            "What happened to Sophia, is she okay?" 
                          
            "It's not Sophia.....It's Erik. He's asking for you."  Why would Erik be asking for me and why would he be in the hospital, he's at home sleeping. "Emma are you still there?"
                          
            "Ya sorry Mitch I'm still here, I just don't understand."
                          
            "Emma please just get to the hospital and I will explain when you get here. I have to go the doctor is coming." Before I can get another word out I hear a click and then the line goes dead.