Now usually you don’t where I come from, talking with the parents of the person you’re involved with its alien, almost non-existent. They don’t ask and you don’t offer. But here it’s different. With Angelica’s family, everyone is open, there are no secrets. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a ad thing. Anyway, Bette is willing to listen, how much she wants to hear, will be left to be seen. “I’ll miss her when I go back to New York. I hate feeling like this.”

“Like what?”

“So empty.” She didn’t understand what I meant. “I mean, feeling like I need her with me all the time to feel whole. I thought going to New York would help, but this morning, we,” I stopped myself before revealing too much information, “Spending this time with her, and you guys, I realise that nothing has changed. Unless to make those feelings stronger and it scares me.”

“It shouldn’t be so scary knowing the other person feels the same way. And I know my daughter loves you.”

“I know she does.”

“I would love to tell you that love is only easy and beautiful and everything in the fairytale books, but because it’s all those things also makes it hard, and painful because there’s that longing even when they’re lying next to you. It’s like an insatiable need to be with them all the time, but unfortunately life doesn’t permit that so we continue to love and long. The good thing is though, you’re together and you have each other. I still long for Tina when she goes off to work and I’m at the gallery, I long for her when we’re you know. But I look at her and I know I’m not alone.”

“At least you got Tina to go home to every night and wake up next to every morning.”

“You have a point there.” We were silent in our own thoughts, then she broke the silence, “What time is your flight tomorrow?”

“Eleven.”

“I’ll drop you off at the airport. I can go in late. That way Annie can come along for the drive.”

“Thank you. I really appreciate that.”

She left me and went to bed. I stayed another half an hour before going to bed myself. Tuesday came too quickly for my liking. We had breakfast together. Tina insisted that we did. I packed and got ready to go to the airport. Angelica and I rode in the back seat. She’s been my shadow all morning. I could understand why, because had I been in her shoes I would have been acting the same way. The drive to the airport was mostly quiet. I got there on time and checked in early. We held hands as we walked to the departure gate. “I had a great time with you this weekend.”

“Yeah, me too. I wish you didn’t have to leave.”

“I’m beginning to regret choosing New York. But it was for the best.”

“I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

I hugged Bette goodbye. “Take care kiddo.”

“Thanks, for everything.”

“Anytime.”

I gave Angelica one last hug before boarding. God I hate goodbyes.