The Art of Starting Over

Chapter 14 - An Unexpected Visit

As I come back down, refreshed and in better spirits, I hear Millie and Sosa singing along to Ben E. King's Stand by Me. I laugh when Sosa messes up the lyrics so badly that the words are replaced with incoherent sounds. We eat heartily and when Millie gives us some of the carrot cake she made yesterday, we devour that too. We have another cup of coffee to seal the meal and then cramp ourselves on the sofa to watch Funny Face.

"Where are you and Shaun going tonight?" Sosa asks, wiping the tears from her eyes as the movie comes to a close. I hand her a tissue. She's always a mess whenever we see something remotely romantic.

"I don't know."

"Oh, come on, you never tell me anything!"

"No, I really don't know! He made reservations at some fancy restaurant and he won't tell me where."

My mind wanders back to yesterday evening as Shaun walked me to the door. 'Wear something pretty tomorrow,' he said. 'I have something special in mind.' My system was heavily saturated with Vodka and I shamelessly swooned and blushed. Over the past three weeks, we met up quite a bit but we've never really gone out for dinner at a proper restaurant... after eight o'clock... by ourselves.

Sosa offers to do my hair and makeup when she sees me checking the time. I appreciate the offer but politely decline. Shaun doesn't know about the ultimatum after all, so I figure there's no need to make a fuss. She wishes me luck and gives me a big kiss on the cheek before she leaves.

Millie walks off to the kitchen and I hear her pacing nervously. "Nann," I say apprehensively following her. "Are you okay?"

"Of course, dear," she answers with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Just excited for you that's all."

I raise an eyebrow suspiciously. "Excited? It's just a date."

"I know," she goes on, wringing her hands. "I just... I love you so much, sweetheart and I want you to be okay, you know? To settle down with someone and be happy."

"I am happy, Nanna." I walk over to her and wrap an arm around her shoulders. "I have you. I don't need anyone else." She doesn't look convinced so I add, "And I have Sosa... and Jeremy?"

Her face lights up at the sound of his name and instantly I regret mentioning him. "Nann!" I say with a warning glance to shoot down any false hopes she may have about us. "He's just a... a friend?"

"Of course, he's a friend!" she says adoringly. "I've known the Cordinas for a long time. Jeremy's father is about my age. Did you know that? We used to go to school together."

"Really?" I ask surprised. But then again, maybe I shouldn't be so shocked. This is Malta. Everyone knows everyone.

"Yes. I guess you can say we were friends too. Then we grew up and went down very different paths. Your grandfather did a lot of work for Mr and Mrs Cordina when Jeremy was just a boy. He didn't have it easy, so don't be too rough on him. He's been through a lot."

I know he's been through a lot, even if he refuses to talk about it. I feel it in the way he avoids conversation about his childhood and the way his whole body goes rigid whenever something reminds him of his parents and everything they expect from him. Once, I made the mistake of asking him what the deal between him and his father was and he completely shut me out and didn't talk to me for the rest of the week. Shocker.

I know it's none of my business but unlike me, he still has a fighting chance of salvaging his relationship with his parents and he's just pissing all over it. I try hard not to judge him, not to deprecate him, but it's not easy. I'd give anything for a chance to spend one minute with my mother again, and there he is, actively avoiding his at all costs.