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It’s been over a month since Kaitlin and I started dating, and I can’t remember a time when I was this happy. Her presence has become a constant in my life, peace in the chaos that once filled my life.
“How are things at work?” I ask as she snuggles next to me. We’re watching a movie, but I prefer to watch her instead. Last week, I had one of my contacts get her an internship at a publishing house after she told me she’d like to pursue a career as an editor.
“Very well,” she responds, her eyes lighting up. “I’m beginning to enjoy it there. Alex, my boss is really nice…”
I grunt in response.
She laughs, swatting my chest. “Is someone jealous?”
“No, I’m not,” I lie, but the possessiveness in my tone betrays me.
She pulls my head down to hers, kissing me. “You’re so cute when you get jealous,” she murmurs against my lips.
I deepen the kiss, savoring the taste of her, the warmth of her body pressed against mine. When we finally pull apart, we’re both breathless, our foreheads resting together.
“Alex isn’t my type, and besides, I have eyes for only one man,” she says, her eyes sparkling with affection. I don’t doubt that she means what she’s saying.
“I have eyes for only you, Cleopatra,” I say, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.
We settle back into the movie. “Mama invited you for dinner on Sunday,” she says suddenly, breaking the silence.
I raise an eyebrow. “Is that so?”
“Yes,” she replies, her smile widening. “She thinks you’re wonderful, and Andrew won’t stop talking about how cool you are. They’ve both gotten quite fond of you.”
Her words warm my heart. Meeting her family had been a step I initially hesitated to take, but now, I can’t imagine not knowing them. Andrew, her brother, is a good kid with a bright future ahead of him, and her mama is a kind, strong woman who clearly loves her children fiercely.
“I’d be honored to join you all for dinner,” I say sincerely.
She beams at me, then returns her focus to the movie. “Great. I told Mama you would.”
We fall back into the film, but Kaitlin soon asks a question that immediately causes me to tense. “What about your family, Leonardo? You’ve met mine, but I know nothing about yours.”
I stiffen, my hand pausing where it rests on her shoulder. “There’s not much to tell,” I say, trying to keep my tone light and dismissive.
She looks at me, her expression softening with concern. “You never talk about them. Are things okay between you and your family?”
I force a smile, hoping to deflect. “Yeah, of course it is.”
“Then why don’t you talk about them? I’ve never heard you talk to them on the phone. Where do they live?”
My forced smile falters. “It’s complicated, Kaitlin.”
She pulls back slightly, searching my eyes. “You never tell me about your family anytime I ask. Now I’m beginning to suspect you’re hiding something. I can’t be with someone who can’t be truthful with me.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. “Kaitlin, it’s not that simple...”
“It doesn’t have to be complicated, Leonardo. I just want honesty,” she says, her voice trembling with frustration and hurt.
I try to reach for her hand, but she pulls away. “When you’re ready to talk, you know where to find me.” Before I can respond, she stands up, grabs her things, and walks out the door.
The sound of the door closing echoes through the now silent room, and I’m left alone, staring at the space where she stood just moments ago. I sink back onto the couch, running a hand through my hair. The truth is, my relationship with my family is a minefield I’ve been avoiding.
***
Two days pass, and each one is harder than the last. The ache of Kaitlin’s absence gnaws at me. Keeping my family a secret has always been second nature, but the thought of losing her is unbearable. I have to tell her everything.
My nerves fray with each minute as I lean against my car in the parking lot of the publishing house where she works, waiting for her to come out. It’s already closing time.
