GROWING UP WITH MY LOVE

O

ears. But I could never forget her fr

s a brand of what she does. This time she settled on a body-hugging, knee-length black dress paired with a black st

was stunning, more than enough to be exact. Which made me conscious of how I l

, but you're here now." I checked o

to be late, so I

et her walk ahead of me. A server open

table is on the usual spot

odded and then s

ut the table I usually take eve

e typical Italian restaurant, checkered tablecloths, wooden furniture, and earth sto

so polite when I pu

erver came to give us the menu. I pretended to check on the menu, b

ing an internal argument. Should I talk about the phone? Maybe later, after d

y narrated her dishes as she glanced back and forth at the server and menu. And las

I grabbed the phone from my pocket

I said as I handed

ile. It was the first time I saw her

she extended a hand

ave someone open it. It's the only w

, browsing it. Nelly was like a ch

of your time just to return my phone," Nelly said as s

lower lip. She appeared to have something to say, so I

you with this

have canceled the dinner this afternoon. I wondered why she was open t

t flatters me to hear that. But I cannot let a

pping her hair, and she gave me an open-lip smile again. Her ey

e pay for dinner. I invited yo

t is to return the favor you're doing. I mean, you can't just waste your ti

't she just let me? It's not that I sp

, I in

sigh when the wait

dinner now and ta

ced up at

d while giving

s hard to deal with. I don't regret not havin

dishes. Only Bocca Felize restaurant can. I sneaked a look

sked as I put down my fork and used th

o me when she was abou

he responded. Her ey

ys? "Do you e

mad again, but the spark in her eyes faded when s

and I used

I saw the pain in her eyes. From what I've heard, I was cu

d to eat here together. I missed those days

fell ope

those days with my family," she said, an

lose them too?" I can't

r accident almost two years ago." Her voice was brittle, but she ha

in me now. I don't know if it shows, but I re

When people we dearly love left us, they left

s topic. Let's eat," Nelly said,

know we have something i

almost two hours with Nelly, it felt like I knew a bit of her, and I feel like she's no

I extended a hand to reach for i

id, giving the server a charming smi

we were good. What can I do? S