Kaori & Ellie prt. 19

Ellie looked at Nico as if he needed to be here, during this dinner. No way, was she going to be alone with Milo.

She wished it was warmer. It would have been nice if they went to the aquarium or maybe some place to really look at the stars, but work was hectic and she didn't feel like entertaining. Lately, she was dragging. Maybe she wasn't getting enough sleep, but she always went to bed on time.

She wanted to tell Milo this was the worst time to come, but then there might not ever be a good time.

"So, are you doing OK at Micky's?" She knew the place was small. If only she'd thought of a real welcome, if she still lived at the rooftop apartment. Of course, Milo would have stayed at Nico's, which wasn't all that big, either.

Milo said it was do-able. He was used to small dwellings. He lived in a tiny studio, in an old building in New York City. She knew this, but she nodded as if this were new information.

"I really shoudn't have waited so long." Milo said over hot tea and a fish stew. "I was really hoping I would get this better job, and then I didn't."

She knew he wanted to work in the movie industry. Milo went to film school, only later, he ended up with a computer job on the hunt for dead-beat dads in the state of New York. It wasn't a bad job. Perhaps, lonely work.

"Did you lose your job?" Ellie looked at him a bit frantic, thinking how in the world did he ever get here. The passport had taken a while to get. That was the real reason he didn't get here any sooner. And the job in California fell through.

She really hated to see Milo so down. When would anything work out, right?

"But there was always you." He smiled, as if it was her all along, that got him through.

There was a tickle in her throat, or was it a laugh? It couldn't be true.

"I think this is the right thing to do." He told her. After all, he didn't have much of anything now. Even his credit card was maxed out, but he'd made it here. "I want to be the husband I'm suppose to be." His dark eyes, so tender with emotion. Ellie stared at him, thinking she might be dizzy.

Ellie almost choked on a laugh. He squeezed her hand. She could barely breathe.

"What's he talking about?" Nico wanted to know.

"Oh.." It's nothing..she started to say. It was all a silly dream, she now imagined.

"I'm ordained, on the Internet, you know." Milo smiled proudly with a deep sigh. "I... even married us, myself." He had a certificate to prove it.

Ellie kept her lips closed tight, trying to pull away, but Milo's grip was tight. No way could she get away.