“Sorry to interrupt. Flashbacks. I’m okay now” Robert said loosening his tie and taking an olive in his mouth. “Continue.”

Tina straightened in her chair. “Well, yeah, so I left Eric’s and just started driving. The next thing I know I’m in my parent’s driveway just staring at the house. I don’t know how long I was like that but it must have been a while. My Dad came up and knocked on the glass and asked me what was wrong. I just looked at him and started crying and crying.”

 ”Fun” Robert added biting into his second olive

“Yeah, well you’ve got to understand, my parents and I never had the greatest of relationships. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say I was wild. WASPs don’t do wild” “I beg to differ. And by the way, those are details I wouldn’t mind hearing” Robert devilishly smiled. “Maybe later.” Tina continued. “as I was saying, we never got along too well, not until I met Eric that is. They LOVED him. He was like their gift from God brought down to subdue me. So you can imagine their reaction to my news.” “Yeah, I can. Don’t have to really imagine much” Robert said with raised eyebrows. “Right, right. Well, so I told them everything. Spilled it all out there on the kitchen table in front of them. What’d they do? Nothing.” Tina said answering her own question. “They just sat there. It was horrible. Finally my Dad moved. He picked up my bag and walked out the door, put it in my car and just kept walking. Mom? She watched him from the window and turned and walked up the stairs. Never said a word to me. I screamed after her. Begged her to talk to me. Nothing.”

“Jesus. That’s awful. They just walked away?”

“Yeah. Literally” Tina blinked and looked away from Robert’s gaze.

The waiter was standing above them now. “Vegetarian Spring Rolls?”

“Oh, that’s me” Tina waived

“Moo-Shoo..”

“Mine” Tina nodded

“Spicy Beef with..”

Tina looked sheepishly up at the young man.

 ”Good God man can’t you see she’s pregnant? Just put it down.” Robert interjected. “Another martini and a Pellegrino for the lady.” Robert cleared his throat, “Please.” Tina’s lips already slick from the Moo-Shoo laughed and thanked Robert for saving her. Nope, it wouldn’t be long before her stomach would be meeting the table.

“Sooo, that was pretty much it. I tried talking to them, seeing them, writing them. Nothing worked. The last time I saw either of them was my Dad’s funeral about three years ago.” “Awful” Robert said looking down at this untouched food. Tina who had found herself very far away at the moment, shrugged herself free from that memory and rejoined Robert who was finding the bottom of his martini glass.

“Where’s that damn waiter?”

 ”Here I am sir” the young man smirked before exchanging Robert’s empty glass for the full one on his tray.

“Smartass” Robert scowled as the waiter walked away. A scowl that turned into a bemused smile. Robert liked smartasses. “Alright, so you’ve left your fiance and your parents hate you. Now get to the good stuff. You. Bette. The kiss. Now what?” Tina a bit taken aback by the quick synopsis sat back in her chair staring at Robert. “Do you really want to hear about all this?” “I’ve come this far haven’t I?”