Still Choosing You
Book 1 Chapter 5 — Scene 4: MOVIE NIGHT
Friday arrived faster than expected.
The week had been busy.
For both of them.
But especially for Daniel.
By evening, Emma was looking forward to something simple.
A movie.
Nothing more.
No special occasion.
No celebration.
Just two hours together.
The plan had been made three days earlier.
A small thing.
But plans had become rare enough to matter.
At seven o'clock, Emma finished preparing dinner.
The living room was ready.
The curtains drawn.
The lights dimmed slightly.
A blanket folded neatly on the sofa.
The movie already selected.
All they needed to do was sit down.
Daniel arrived home shortly before seven thirty.
Tired.
But smiling.
When he saw the television screen, he paused.
"Oh right."
Emma laughed softly.
"You forgot."
"No, I didn't."
"You definitely forgot."
Daniel smiled.
"Maybe a little."
For a moment, everything felt normal.
The kind of normal Emma missed.
Daniel washed his hands.
Changed into comfortable clothes.
Then joined her at the dining table.
Dinner was simple.
The conversation was simple too.
How was work?
Busy.
How was your day?
Good.
Did the delivery arrive?
Yes.
Small questions.
Small answers.
Nothing important.
Yet somehow better than silence.
After dinner, Emma carried the dishes into the kitchen.
Daniel stood and stretched.
"I'll make coffee."
Emma smiled.
"Movie first."
"Movie first."
The answer came immediately.
She felt unexpectedly happy hearing it.
Not because it was romantic.
Because it was ordinary.
A few minutes later, both of them settled onto the sofa.
The opening screen appeared.
The movie began.
For nearly fifteen minutes, everything went according to plan.
Then Daniel's phone vibrated.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Emma kept her eyes on the screen.
Daniel glanced down.
Then looked away.
The phone vibrated again.
This time the screen lit up.
Work group chat.
Daniel frowned.
The vibration stopped.
Then started again.
Emma didn't say anything.
Neither did Daniel.
The movie continued playing.
A character on screen was speaking.
Neither of them paid much attention.
Daniel picked up the phone.
Just to check.
That was all.
Emma already knew the sequence.
Check the message.
Read the update.
Reply to one question.
Then another.
Then another.
Five minutes later, the phone was still in his hand.
Daniel sighed.
The sound alone told Emma enough.
"What happened?"
Daniel stared at the screen.
"There was a problem with the reporting numbers."
Emma nodded.
The answer felt familiar.
Not because she understood the issue.
Because every problem sounded similar now.
Daniel typed another message.
Waited.
Read a reply.
Typed again.
The movie continued without them.
Emma watched the screen.
Daniel watched his phone.
The distance between them wasn't large.
Only a few inches.
The sofa hadn't changed.
Something else had.
A few moments later, Daniel lowered the phone.
"I'm sorry."
Emma looked at him.
"It's okay."
Daniel didn't seem convinced.
"I just need a few minutes."
Emma nodded.
"Okay."
The few minutes became twenty.
Then thirty.
Eventually Daniel stood.
"I need my laptop."
Emma watched him disappear into the study.
The movie continued playing in the background.
The sounds filled the apartment.
Explosions.
Music.
Dialogue.
Stories.
None of it felt important anymore.
Emma reached for the remote.
Paused the movie.
The apartment immediately became quieter.
She sat there for a moment.
Listening.
The distant sound of keyboard typing drifted from the study.
A familiar sound.
One she heard almost every day.
The blanket remained folded across her lap.
The coffee Daniel never made remained unmade.
The movie waited on the paused screen.
At eight forty-five, Daniel emerged from the study.
His expression looked apologetic.
"Sorry."
Emma looked toward him.
"It's fine."
Daniel glanced at the television.
"We can continue."
Emma checked the clock.
"It's getting late."
The sentence wasn't a complaint.
Only a fact.
Daniel understood anyway.
Neither suggested restarting the movie.
The moment had already passed.
Daniel sat beside her.
Emma leaned back against the sofa.
The television remained paused.
The apartment remained quiet.
Another plan had disappeared.
Not dramatically.
Not because anyone wanted it to.
Simply because work arrived first.
Again.
Scene-by-scene release. Continue only when the next scene is ready.