Part 1:

The day goes by rapidly. I finish work, prep myself to go out and at 6pm exactly, Mattie buzzed the doorbell for my flat. A punctual man is a good man. Or the bare minimum. I don’t know. I take a second before buzzing him in. I straighten my red velvet dress, smooth my coils which sit at the top of my head in a bun and breathe deeply. Okay. I can do this. Second date and meeting the friends. I’d be lying if I didn’t consider inviting Heidi to even the playing field so I knew someone for longer than a week. I turn my bedroom light off, grab my purse and leave.

“Are you feeling ready?”

“Not at all”

“Really?”

Mattie is looking ahead at the road, his car noiseless beneath us. His arms are muscular and solid and I watch his face

“Even since the surgery I’ve always felt… I don’t know. Like I’m waiting for my body to make a mistake. It took a while to get used to it. The balance. Especially trusting something not oermnanely apart of my body. But I’m always nervous”

I let my hand gently grasp his arm. My heart is beating so fast I feel it in my throat.

“I know youll do great. I’m really excited to watch. And meet your friends”

He smiles and without taking his eyes off of the road he takes my hand and kisses the back of it gently.

“Thanks Vi”

Part 2:

We hear Ezra and Darcy before we see them.