Five: Don't Choke

Eddie showed Liam and I a good time. He took us to a fancy sit down restaurant on the edge of town. I ordered a double cheeseburger and while we waited I mixed up a bottle for a hungry Liam.

 

"You're a good mother," Eddie complimented.

 

"Thank you, no ones ever said that before," I told him, laughing.

 

"One day I want my own kids, but not now," Eddie went on, "I need a house first."

 

"Doesn't the military provide housing?" I asked, sipping some of my sprite out of my glass.

 

"Yes, but it's not the same as a house of your own," Eddie told me.

 

"I bet," I said to him.

 

"You seem nervous, you don't have to be. I won't bite," Eddie said moving closer to me.

 

I moved in the opposite direction and he laughed.

 

"It's not you, I'm just-," I started to say, but stopped mid sentence.

 

Standing at the restaurant's entrance beaming with his bride, Cadence, at his side was Gregory Finster in the flesh. Next to them was the rest of the Finster clan, smiling from ear to ear.

 

"What?" Eddie asked me turning around.

 

"Nothing, what was I saying?" I asked, growing hotter by the minute.

 

The Finster family moved to the party room that separated them from the rest of the patrons. I breathed a sigh of relief, but Eddie's face crumpled up.

 

"Do you know them?" he asked me, still staring their way.

 

"No, I mean yes, I mean they're my neighbors," I said.

 

"Really? Well call them over and say hi," Eddie said and I felt frozen in place as he spoke because Mrs. Finster turned our way and waved.

 

"Oh, Lord," I said as I placed my lips over the straw.

 

In the heat of the moment I removed the straw and began chugging my drink. To my dismay I sucked a huge piece of ice down and subsequently began choking.

 

I couldn't breath and I saw Mrs. Finster's face turn to horror.

 

Eddie turned away and saw what was happening.

 

"You're choking!" he screamed.

 

This is when everyone in the restaurant turned our way to look at the my now, bright red face, gasping for air.

 

I never thought I would die this way, humiliated with something stuck in my throat. Eddie jumped up from his chair and stood me up. Once on my feet he preformed the Heimlich Maneuver and in three pump the ice went flying out of my mouth.

 

The whole room started cheering and clapping. Even little Liam joined in on it. I was absolutely mortified.

 

"S**t," I said trying to get my voice to clear.

 

"That was close," Eddie commented and I could've just slapped him right there, but Mrs. Finster was crossing the table near us.

 

"Are you ok, dear?" Mrs. Finster asked with concern all over her face.

 

"I'm fine," I managed to belt out.

 

"Sit down," Eddie prompted.

 

I didn't protest. I tried to keep my face staring straight down at the table, but that wasn't going to happen.

 

"Is this your baby?" Mrs. Finster exclaimed.

 

I looked up to see her staring directly at Liam. I knew she was seeing who I saw almost everyday. If my baby would've have darker hair he'd be a dead ringer for Greg.

 

"Yes," I said, "that's him."

 

"He's absolutely breath taking, he reminds me of my boys when they were that little," Mrs. Finster went on.

 

"You know what they say," I croaked, "all babies look alike until they get to a certain age."

 

"What's going on?" Mr. Finster asked drawing near us, "Myra, are you ok?"

 

"She's fine," Mrs. Finster answered for me, "Bill come here, look at Myra's little boy."

 

Mr. Finster did as his wife said and gasped.

 

"He looks exactly like," Mr. Finster said, but I wouldn't let him finish.

 

"Like his dad!" I blurted over him.

 

"What?" the Finster's turned to me in shock.

 

"Yes, that's right," I said taking Eddie's hand, "he looks like his dad's dad."

 

I was stammering and tripping over my words. Eddie looked bewildered and Liam continued staring at everyone like this was some sort of funny movie. If it wasn't real it probably would've been.

 

"He sure does," Eddie chimed in, "he's got my dad's hair and...his mom's cheek bones."

 

"Mr. and Mrs. Finster I'd like you to meet Edward, we're here celebrating our three month anniversary," I said, even though I had no idea what I was talking about.

 

"You must be a proud papa then," Mrs. Finster said, staring harshly at me.

 

"Congratulations to you both," Mr. Finster added, "we're only here because Gregory and Cadence are visiting for a few weeks before they go back to New York for school. Myra, you should come say hi before you leave."

 

"I don't want to interrupt your dinner," I said, gulping down my spit.

 

"Nonsense, you're practically family," Mr. Finster said before he took Mrs. Finster's arm and led her away from the table.

 

I couldn't even move until they went into the party room and closed the glass door. I took little consolation in the fact that something was separating me from the man of my dreams.

 

"Thanks for saving me," I said to Eddie just as my burger arrived.

 

"You're welcome, but you owe me now," Eddie told me as he knocked my elbow with his.

 

The restaurant was so impressed with Eddie's act of heroism that they gave us dessert and a toy for Liam on the house. We were so caught up in the temporary celebrity that the Finster party left before I could go over and say hello.

 

Once inside the car the easy beat of drums, trumpets, and maracas eased my mind.

 

"What kind of music is this?" I asked.

 

"Reggae," Eddie said.

 

"I've never heard this before," I revealed to him and he turned to me.

 

"You're kidding," Eddie said with his eyes wide open and mouth going slack.

 

"Ugh, stop that, and no I'm not kidding," I said, "my mom isn't that into music so I never grew up on anything besides what I saw on the video channels."

 

"You're coming with me to the big Reggae fest this weekend," Eddie said, "don't try to get out it either because you owe me remember."

 

"I'll have to bring Liam," I told him with my finger wagging.

 

"Cool, I like the little guy. He's not fussy at all and he packs a good punch," Eddie said and we laughed together.

Reviews

[trish420]

Very good! So exciting, I was turning red when Myra was choking too LOL! can;t wait to see if this one actually turns out to be a good guy and what 's going to happen when Greg hears he's claim Liam as his to his family..... and how Myra will react when she finally does see Grag and/or Cadence!!

[Tina Kline]

Quite dramatic. Now Eddie has been pulled into Myra's life. This is really good.
Look forward to reading more.