Page 30 of Something New

"Uh, I, uh, I'm speechless, Sadie. These are honestly the best photos we have of Ethan. All four of them. They're all works of art."

"Oh, I'm so glad you like them, and I'm sorry you were sick."

"I was so sick. It's a relief to be better. I'll play catch-up around here tomorrow, and then Monday it's back to school."

"Man, I'm really glad you're feeling better. I had no idea. That's crazy."

"Pneumonia."

"Yikes."

"Yeah, but I'm all better. I've been on antibiotics for a week."

"I bet it was nice at your parents' house."

"Yeah, if I have to be that sick, at least I was in a beautiful place."

"I know. How's Ethan?"

"He's great. He got better before me. He loved these photos. He was in here staring at them when we opened them. He was talking about you to his aunt when they left just now."

"Oh, he's with your sister?"

"Yeah, Molly stayed here while we were out of town. She has E now. They went to the grocery store while I was getting unpacked. I’m not doing much of that yet. I'm just standing here staring at these photographs. What do I owe you for these?"

"Nothing. That's a gift. I really enjoyed hanging out."

"You need to keep taking photographs of children, Sadie. People would pay dearly for stuff like this. I would pay dearly for it. Let me. I have money. Let me give you something."

"If you give me something for it, it's no longer a gift."

"I know, but you put a lot of time into this. I can tell. These are special to me. I'm going to frame them."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. That makes my heart feel happy."

It was a simple statement, but when she said it his chest tightened. It made him feel good to make her happy.

"If you won't let me pay you, let me at least take you to dinner," he said before he could even think about it. "I mean, just as a gesture of thanks, you know, and Ethan could come with us. Or I could—"

"Dinner sounds great," she said, cutting him off. "I'd be fine with that. I'd have dinner with you and still be able to consider the prints as gifts."

"They're such a gift, Sadie. I don't even know what to say."

"I'm so happy you like them."

She was smiling, he could hear it in her voice.

"I have to get back into the swing of things this week. I'll have a lot of catching up to do at work."

"Yeah, we don't need to do anything soon. You can figure things out with work and school."

"No, I meant I want to do it sooner. What about tomorrow?"

"Sunday?"

"Or not," he said.

"No, I was just double-checking the day. I’m good with Sunday. I usually eat on Sundays."

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