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“Is there something you want to say,” Lara asks, reading my confusion, “anything you wanted to ask?”

“I don’t want to offend you or anything,” I said, “sometimes I say idiotic things. And they don’t come out right.”

“It’s ok. Just ask it or say it.”

“You were straight at one point,” I blurted out, and then I immediately felt like an ass, “Oh my God, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-,”

“It’s ok Dana, really. And yes, I was straight.”

“Well, may I ask, um, what happened or whatever brought you to this point,” I said and she sighed, and took a big gulp of wine.

“His name was Thomas, and he was the love of my life,” she said and started to tear a little bit at her memory.

“Hey, you don’t have to tell me,” I said and reached across the table and held her hand.

“No it’s ok. You shared a little of your complicated life. I can share mine,” she said and sighed, “Thomas and I met at culinary school. He was a graduate teaching at the school and I was just beginning my culinary career. We dated for a couple years and then married. Two months into our marriage I got pregnant with Bex, we were so happy. About a month after she was born, Thomas was in a horrible car accident and died.”

“Oh Lara, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ok, I’ve come to terms with his death. When he died, I told myself I’d never love a man again. And I didn’t, I couldn’t picture myself with any other man than Thomas. Just the thought of it makes my stomach turn. After that I was only with women.”

“Wow, I’m so sorry. Really. I can’t believe it.”

“Hey, it’s ok, really. I’m fine now. I still have a part of him and I’m moving on,” she said clutching my hand.

“Where is your daughter now?”

“At home. My room mate has a daughter too, so we trade back and forth on baby sitting days,” she said and smiled at me, “I hope I didn’t throw too much information at you at once. It’s a lot to take in.”