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“I have something to tell you,” he continued.
“What’s that?”
“I asked Post-Praft about lowering the price point on the line of spices and prepared foods I’m going to lend my name to, to make them more affordable for the average consumer. They balked initially, but my business manager called earlier and said they’re sending signals that they’re willing to do as we asked instead of walking away from the deal.”
“That’s wonderful!”
He smiled across the table at her. “The idea came from you, and I’ll be glad if they agree. Thank you for helping me to see another perspective.”
“My pleasure.” Marissa placed a piece of meatloaf in her mouth and sighed. “Best meatloaf I’ve ever had. I wish I’d had the opportunity to experience more home-cooked meals when I was growing up.”
Bruno shot a look in her direction. “You rarely talk about your past.”
“I didn’t have the best upbringing.” A dull ache filled her chest.
“I’d like to know more.”
Marissa was never really good about opening up, but keeping that part of her life from him was silly, especially since she knew so much about his life.
She took a deep breath to work up the courage she needed to open up. Using her fork, she pushed a piece of lettuce around on her plate.
“My mother was an alcoholic. Not the raging kind. The I-don’t-give-a-crap-about-anything—including my kids—kind. She was an unhappy drunk who often let my brother and I know how much she hated being a mother.”
“That’s why you never drink,” Bruno guessed.
Marissa nodded. “I’ve tried alcoholic beverages before, but the taste and the way they make people behave turn me off. I’d rather not indulge. As for my father, he worked hard at his job. He did not work hard at being a good parent.”
Bruno dabbed his mouth with a napkin. “What did he do?”
“He worked in sales—commission-based for a home improvement company. Supposedly he often stayed late at the office and traveled out of town on business a lot. He’d be gone the entire weekend. Later, we found out that he was actually going to a diner or his favorite sports bar instead to avoid the chaos at home. And those business trips? He had simply checked into a hotel for the weekend and left me and my brother alone with my mother.”
Bruno had stopped eating. “That must have been hard on you kids.”
Marissa nodded. “John and I learned to survive on our own. We had to, with an irresponsible drunk of a mother and a father who ignored us and left us alone to fend for ourselves.” She hated how the bitterness had crept into her voice.
Bruno placed a comforting hand over hers.
“I’m okay—now—but our life wasn’t easy. I’m a few years older than my brother and have always looked out for him. I learned how to do as much as possible because I had to help take care of him. We ate a lot of canned food, especially beans because they were filling. We ate beans a lot. There was a time I couldn’t look at them without feeling nauseous cause I’d eaten them so much as a kid, but I’ve gotten over my aversion,” she said with a laugh.
“I didn’t learn to cook until I was an adult, with YouTube as my teacher.” She fell silent. “Sometimes I think about how chaotic our lives were. The neighbors used to take pity on us and give us food because my mother often forgot to feed us or she’d be passed out on a chair in the living room. Other times, a family member would take us in for a few days. Those were the best times, but they never lasted. We always had to return home and deal with the mess there. But something good came out of my upbringing, I guess. By figuring out life on our own, my brother and I learned to be independent.” Marissa shrugged.
“Where are your parents now?” Bruno asked.
“They divorced years ago, not long after John graduated from high school. My father remarried, and my mother moved back to Texas to live with her parents. She’s been sober for seven years.”
“That’s good at least. How is your relationship with your parents nowadays?”
“Our relationship isn’t great, but they’re my parents. Be thankful for the parents you have. The situation could always be worse.” Marissa placed a piece of potato in her mouth.
“I am appreciative of my parents. We had all our needs met growing up. My father has been amazing, and we hit the jackpot with my second mother,” Bruno said.
A twinge of jealousy pricked her chest. His home life had changed for the better, but hers and her brother’s had remained unstable throughout their childhood. As adults, they both did what they could to create a better life for their children.
After dinner, while Bruno lingered at the table sipping wine, Marissa went to the telescope and looked through the eyepiece.
“I can’t see well,” she murmured.
“I probably need to adjust the focus.”
