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“Unfortunately, they’re both deceased.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks.” Damien reaches across the table to take my hand while I’m busy beating myself up for asking such an idiotic question. “And hey, it’s all right. I’ve had a few years to work through it.”
“I shouldn’t have asked something so personal.”
“It wasn’t too personal. My mother died of cancer when I was in high school and my father died when I was halfway through my sophomore year of college. He was pretty much a mess after losing my mother, so I stayed close to home, commuted to Fordham instead of living in the dorms. The doctors said he died of complications related to high blood pressure, but I swear my old man died of a broken heart.”
“They had a good marriage?”
“Solid.” He nods. “They were best friends.”
“That’s kind of amazing.”
“What are your parents like? I mean, I know they must be intelligent and driven if they’re both doctors.”
“Intelligent and driven, that’s a good way to describe them. They’re impressive, I’ll give them that.”
“But they’re tough on you.”
“They were tough on each other, really. And distant. But maybe that’s not entirely fair. They both have demanding careers. Maybe it’s hard to nurture a marriage when you’re being pulled in so many different directions.” I answer his unspoken question. “They got divorced when I was fourteen.”
“Ouch.”
I nod as I take another sip. “But like you said, I’ve had a few years to work through it.”
“How do they get along now?”
“Pretty well actually, as far as the co-parenting thing goes. Hence the wholetheywill cut me off once they find out I’m squandering their money on a bogus degree.”
I sit back for a moment as the server sets our plates down. It smells incredible, and I’m grateful when I see him drop a few hand wipes along with the extra napkins. Picking up a sticky rib, I tell Damien, “I’m probably going to have to bathe in those wet wipes after eating this.”
“Bold choice for a first date. I like it.”
“Yeah, maybe I should have gone with something a little easier to handle.”
He closes his eyes and hums after taking a forkful of the mac and cheese. “So glad you ordered this. Nothing goes better with fried chicken than mac and cheese.”
“Mac and cheese is pretty much the greatest side dish of all time. I don’t care what the entrée is.” I gesture to his plate. “So, does it live up to its world famous claim?”
He reaches over and puts the piece he just bit into up to my lips. And then holy mother, yes, he’s feeding me. “I’m not exactly a connoisseur,” he says as I chew the mouthful, “but I’d say it’s up there with the best I’ve ever had.”
It’s crispy, it’s smoky, and has the perfect hint of spice. My eyes fall closed as I swallow, and maybe I even moan a little. “That’s soooo good. It’s like fried chicken nirvana.”
He nods, his eyes fixed on my mouth as he lets out a breath. “If it getsthatkind of reaction out of you, then we’re coming here for dinner tomorrow night, the night after that and then the night after that...”
I’m teasing when I ask, “You’re looking into the future?”
He shrugs. “I’m justnotlooking to fix an end date on something that’s just starting.”
“Fair enough.”
We eat in peaceful silence for a few minutes before he asks, “Do you really think your parents won’t approve of you becoming a teacher?”
I nod. “One hundred percent. And if I tell them now they’ll just try and force my hand… Maybe steer me towards research or biomedical engineering or something like that. I told you I was going to come clean over Christmas break but I’ll probably chicken out.”
“So what do you want to teach?”
