Page 4 of Little Empty Promises

I was impressed.

“Giovanni’s sister, Daniela, has offered to host the wedding and the reception at their family estate,” I said.“And before you say anything, I want you to know how important it is to me for you to be involved with as much of the wedding reception planning as you’d like.”

“I think I’d like to sit down,” she said.

She crossed the room, taking a seat on a chair near the window.

I sat down next to her.

“We’re still discussing all the details,” I said.

“Is this why you stopped by tonight, to break the news?”

“I spoke to Daniela earlier today, and we discussed a few things, but I wanted to talk to you before any final decisions were made.”

“I appreciate the consideration.”

And I appreciated how well she was taking it.I’d spent much of the afternoon fretting over the conversation.It was possible I’d worried for nothing, but considering how much more agreeable she was than I’d expected, it gave me pause.

My mother crossed one leg over the other, setting her empty teacup on a side table.“There’s something you should know.I met your father in New York City.”

“I thought the two of you met here, in Cambria.”

“We did, the second time.”

“I don’t understand.”

“After I graduated from high school, I took a trip to New York City with my friend, Cassandra.Her aunt had a home there, and she invited us for a visit.On our third night, we went out to a nightclub, and I met your father.”

“If you met in New York City, why did you tell us kids you met in Cambria?”

My mother swished a hand through the air and frowned.“Do you want to hear about it or not?”

“I do.”

“Good, then let me talk.I’ll explain everything.”

I leaned toward her, anxious to hear the rest of the story.

“As I was saying, I first met your father in that New York nightclub.I still remember what he was wearing—a white T-shirt under a black leather jacket.Jeans rolled up at the bottom.The moment our eyes met, he smiled, and walked right over to me.”

“What did he say?”

“He told me his name was Abe and that I was the prettiest gal he’d ever laid eyes on.While Cassandra tore it up on the dance floor with a gentleman she’d just met, I sat at a booth with your father.We talked for over three hours.”

“What about?”

“Lots of things, and at the end of the conversation, he told me he was only in the city for the night.The next morning, he was flying to Spain to study abroad for a while.Before we said our goodbyes, he asked for my address and said he would write to me.”

“And did he?”I asked.

“Every week for a year.And then … I … we …” She bit down on her lip, crossing her arms in front of her.“I’m ashamed about what happened next, you see.”

“Why?What happened?”

“For the first six months, I wrote back to every letter he sent.And then … well, I met someone else.Your father continued to send letters each week, but I stopped replying to them.A few months later, things fizzled out with the other guy.I thought about writing your father to explain why I’d stopped corresponding, but I was embarrassed.I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

It was hard for me to believe my mother had ever been embarrassed about anything.

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