“Is it Tina?” I finally recover and I smile inside. It has to be the same woman I saw her with in that paparazzi picture in a magazine.

    “Heavens, no! That woman has too many issues to deal with. I gave up on her a long time ago. But I still see her from time to time. She is still the mother of my daughter after all.”

    “Then, who is it?” I look down for a moment, trying to hide the smile on my lips. It’s just so damn hard to act so clueless in front of Bette.

    “It’s—” She starts. But I cut her off.

“Helena.” I smirk. This time, it is her turn to wonder.

    “Okay, Yoda. That’s just too creepy, even for you. Do you have mind reading powers now?”

    “Nope. Not yet, Chewbacca. But I am getting there.” I laugh. It is full and warm. And it’s just like old times. She swats my arm. And I move to avoid her hand. I laugh even harder at the near miss.

    “Seriously, how did you know?” She asks.

    “I knew, sooner or later, that the two of you would get together once the issue of Tina was resolved. Too much sexual tension. Besides, the Dean of a prestigious college and a Peabody can’t very well hide from the limelight, you know.” I mimic the tone of voice she was using awhile ago while explaining how she found me and earn myself a playful punch on the arm. “But you know, that wedding… that one was a surprise.”

    She opens her mouth to speak but the school bell rings and cuts her off. Kids of all shapes and sizes head over to their classrooms. I look for the familiar head of my child. I spot her just as she starts moving towards the doors.

    “She’s beautiful, Shane. She looks a lot like Carmen. But her eyes…”

    “I know. Emerald pools of wisdom. And yeah, she really is beautiful.” I smile. Sometimes, it is painful to be reminded that my daughter was conceived on the same day that I was supposed to marry the love of my life. Maybe if I didn’t run away then maybe it wouldn’t be painful. Another maybe. I scratch my head. I don’t want to keep thinking about maybes anymore. I look at Bette and I have to ask. “Did..uhm…did Al tell you why I left?”

    “No. But I know everything.”

 

TBC