I’ve fucked this up royally.
She looks numb as we put our things in her car.
“Would you like me to drive?” I ask.
“Yes, please.” She hands me the keys, and I help her into the car before shutting the door behind her.
We’re quiet on the drive to the airport, and once we check in and get to our gate, I’m beginning to worry that she’s not okay.
“Why don’t we go get a little snack before we get on the plane?” I suggest.
She nods, and we go to the little shop near our gate. I hold up a package with cheese, meat, crackers, and grapes, and a yogurt with granola, and she nods again, so I grab two of each, along with two bottles of that fancy hydrating water. After I pay for it, we walk back to the gate and sit down, and I open everything. When I offer the two options, she picks the meat and cheese and pops a grape in her mouth.
She takes a bite of cheese and a deep breath, and some of her color returns.
“Are you okay?”
“It’s been a morning.”
“What can I do to help?”
“You’ve already been so sweet. I can’t believe you’re turning around and going back to California with me.” She turns and faces me. “Shouldn’t we stop this now…before it goes too far?”
“Are you talking about me and you?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want to stop? I don’t.”
“No. I don’t either. But it’ll only be harder later if we get more attached.”
I make a sad face. “You’re not already attached to this?” Ivogue for her and am happy when she laughs. “How about we see where this is going? We had an incredible night together. I want to see you again. And I don’t want what our grandfathers did to each other to get in the way of something good between us.”
“I don’t either, but…there’s also the other elephant in the room. It feels too big.” She looks down and twists her hands together.
“Ava?”
“Ava,” she repeats. “Who is she? Why have I never heard about her?”
“I’ve only just found out about her myself. It hasn’t been long. I shouldn’t have assumed you knew.”
“Did our parents have an affair?”
“No. They were together in high school. I think your dad should be the one to tell you this.”
She shakes her head. Her eyes fill with tears, and when one drops, she angrily swipes it away. “He hasn’t told me anything. I want you to tell me. I need to know.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you what my dad told us. I trust him, but it doesn’t paint your dad in the greatest light, so you should hear him out too.”
“If he ever decides to tell me.”
“Right. Okay, I’ll try to?—”
An announcement about our flight interrupts me. They’re about to begin boarding.
“Should I wait until we’re on the plane?”
“No, let’s get it over with,” she says.
