"This is a cool little coffee shop," Dominick said handing me a cup of tea. He sat down in front of me. "Do you come here often?"
"Not as often as I would like, but when I do it's always a treat." I crossed my legs and took a sip of my green tea. "If I ask you a question you promise to tell me the truth?"
"Of course. Shoot," he said sitting back in his chair.
"How long have you and my mom been seeing each other?"
"A year."
"Wow. That long huh," I said as I sat back and folded my arms.
Dominick leaned forward. "Alyssa look," he paused, "I'm sorry about your parents divorcing."
I raised my eyebrow. "Are you really or are you just saying that to make me feel better?"
He looked away. "Okay. I probably deserve that given the situation."
I raised my hands in defense. "Hey. I'm not throwing stones or anything. I swear. I just---I have to ask."
Dominick looked at me and took a deep breath. "Because I know how deeply troubling this must be for you, I'm sorry, but please don't misunderstand me. I am glad to have Lyn back in my life." He leaned back into his chair. "Though I'll admit," he shrugged, "I wish it was under better circumstances."
"So you came back for her," I stated for clarity.
"No. I have always loved your mother. She's my weakness, but I knew, for reasons that I can't even begin to express, that I could never come back for her. My reason for coming here was you."
I tilted my head downwards. "Me," I questioned. Are you serious?"
He nodded his head. "Yeah."
"So why am I just hearing about you now?"
Dominick adjusted his seating. "Well. Your mother wanted to wait until the right time."
"Geesh. She hit you with that one too, huh! Unbelievable," I said shaking my head.
"She was scared."
I leaned forward. "Dominick that may have been true at the time, but I don't think she was ever going to let you meet me. When my dad got admitted into the hospital I think she started to feel guilty that she held on to this secret for so long. I need you to understand that if he didn't have that heart attack and if they weren't getting the divorce, I would have never known about you and we would have gone our whole lives never meeting each other."
He sat back in his chair in thought. "You really think so, huh?"
I nodded my head. "Yeah."
Dominick gave me a half smile. "Well. For what it's worth I'm glad you told her that you wanted to meet me, because I've been dying to meet you. I hope that some time in the near future you will feel the same way."
"Thanks," I smiled. "But I think I already do."
"Good. I'm glad we're on the same page. So, Alyssa. What should I know about you?"
I leaned my face into my hand. "I don't know," I grinned.
"Surely you have something exciting to share," he smiled. "What are you majoring in?"
"Okay," I said perking up. "I major in history with a concentration in postcolonial art."
"Wow. That's amazing. Do you dabble in painting by chance?"
"On occasions, but that's really my dad's thing and my fiancé's too. He's incredible," I gushed."
"Well it just so happens that I'm an art buyer for some of the world's most major galleries."
