They Both Wanted Me Every Day — Now They Both Want Sunday to Last Longer Without Me Chapter 01

They Both Wanted Me Every Day — Now They Both Want Sunday to Last Longer Without Me Chapter 01

I was well taken care of. By my fiancé and my best friend.

They were both reserved people, but when it came to controlling me, they had no chill. Each of them wanted me close.

These two, who never lost composure in public, once argued so loudly in a hospital corridor over who would accompany me to a follow-up appointment that nurses had to step in.

I was exhausted being stuck in the middle. So I made a rule.

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays belonged to Ethan.

Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays belonged to Nora.

Sundays were mine.

But somewhere along the way, they stopped looking me in the eye when they picked me up.

Until that Sunday. I saw them sitting at the same table in a coffee shop.

Nora Hale casually reached for Ethan Sterling’s iced coffee and took a sip through his straw.

“Hey, it’s your turn to pick up Lena tomorrow.”

Ethan kept his head down. “…Yeah.”

Nora smiled. “I really wish Sundays were longer.”

Ethan took the cup back, drank from the same straw, and said after a long pause, “Me too.”

So. The two people who once couldn’t bear to lose me had long since started wishing for days without me.

***

It wasn’t hard to spot them in the coffee shop. Ethan in a black button-down, Nora in a white dress, sitting by the window. They looked like the most perfect couple from an old movie.

An older waitress passing by with coffee murmured, “What a lovely pair.”

I stood outside the door, still holding the lemon bars I’d just bought. Nora had mentioned yesterday that she was craving them.

Before I could decide whether to go in, the wind chime above the door clattered. A server rushing to avoid someone bumped into me. Hot coffee splashed across my skirt.

The sound of the cup hitting the floor drew Ethan’s attention. He looked up, spotted me, and tapped his fingers on the table.

“Lena. Come here.”

I walked over with my skirt half-soaked, standing beside them, and suddenly felt like I’d wandered to the wrong table.

Ethan pulled some napkins and dabbed at my hem. “What are you doing here?”

Nora took my hand and pulled me down into the seat beside her. “You okay? Did that burn you? Let me get you some chamomile—your favorite.”

She flagged down the server without missing a beat. “One chamomile tea, no sugar, and a side of honeyed dates.”

She remembered what I liked.

Ethan remembered I hate hot drinks. He pushed the cup away first, waiting for it to cool before sliding it back to me.

They still took care of me. Thoroughly. Like every day before.

I put the lemon bars on the table and looked at Ethan. “What are you two doing together?”

Ethan unwrapped the package, picked out a piece that wasn’t crumbled, and handed it to Nora. “Tomorrow’s your birthday. Nora and I were figuring out how to celebrate with you.”

Nora nodded. “We realized it’s stupid to keep fighting over you.”

Birthday. Together.

Over the years, they’d done all kinds of things to spend my birthday with me. Ethan once booked out an entire street of lanterns to keep Nora away.

Nora once drove me up to the mountains at midnight to watch the snow, leaving Ethan just a single text.

Now they sat together, speaking in the most natural tone, saying they wanted to celebrate with me.

I heard myself ask, “Really?”

Ethan looked at me, steady. “Really.”

Nora wiped a coffee stain off my hand with a napkin. “Lena, aren’t you happy?”

I shook my head. “I’m happy.”

They’d taught me—when emotions run high, don’t push. Don’t make decisions. I’d learned that lesson over the years. Today, I learned it best.

“I’m heading home,” I said, standing up. “You two keep planning.”

Nora stood immediately. “I’ll walk you.”

Ethan reached out to stop me. “I’ll take you. I need to bring you to my place to try on the dress anyway.”

Nora shot him a look. “Ethan. We said no fighting.”

Ethan actually smiled. “Fine. I won’t.”

They looked like they were fighting over me again.

But in that moment, all I saw was the coffee stain on Nora’s fingers and the napkin Ethan handed her. He used to take care of me that way. Now he took care of her.

I picked up my lemon bars and left without letting anyone walk me out.