Page 11 of Just Once
Dante nods. “No, you’re right. And to be honest, it’s been pretty tough working with your dad and knowing that I’m hiding this from him. I feel like I’m betraying him.”
“How mad do you think he’ll be when we tell him?”
Dante lets out a huge sigh. “Fuck. I don’t even know.”
“So…when should we talk to them? Maybe next weekend?”
“You would drive up, I’m assuming? We’d tell them in person?”
“Yeah. I think that would be best.”
“Okay,” says Dante. He gives me a kiss. “Here’s hoping it doesn’t end in disaster.”
* * *
One week later,Dante and I are standing on my parents’ doormat together, and my hands are shaking so much that I make Dante ring the doorbell. I’m so scared to go through with this, but I know we need to.
Especially since I think I’m starting to fall in love.
My parents’ front door opens and my mom’s eyes go wide when she sees me standing there.
“Angel!” she says. “I didn’t know you were coming up this weekend.”
Then, confused, she looks up at Dante. “Dante? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?”
“Can we come in, Mom?” I ask.
“Of course, honey.” She steps back and lets the two of us into the house.
“Is Dad around?” I ask.
My mom still looks extremely confused, and I don’t blame her. She nods, then turns her head and calls up to my dad. “Ron? Can you come down here, please?”
My dad looks just as confused when he comes down the stairs and finds Dante and I standing there together.
“Angel? Dante? What are you two doing here?”
“We need to talk to you. Can we all sit down?”
My parents look at each other, then head into the living room. Dante reaches over and gives my hand a quick squeeze as we follow them in. In the living room, we all take seats, and then awkward silence pools out between us.
“Angel?” says my mom. “Honey, what’s going on?”
“I…” I look at my mom, then my dad, and then at Dante. I shake my head. I can’t get the words out. I’m too scared.
“Angel and I are together,” Dante says. “We have been for a few weeks now.”
My mom’s eyes go even wider. My dad shifts in his chair.
“What do you mean, you’re together?” he asks, frowning.
“We’re dating,” I manage to say.
“I don’t understand,” says my mom. “Angel? Is this some kind of joke?”
I shake my head. “I know you two are probably in shock right now. I know it probably seems strange. But Dante and I…” I look over at him. “We just have a connection. I can’t explain it. It’s like we’re meant to be.”
Dante gives me a warm smile. But then he looks cautiously over at my parents. “How do you two feel about this?”