Someone Like You
“You bet it does and it’s amusing to watch.”
For the next two hours, over a variety of tasty appetizers, Teddy and Adam enjoyed their first date. They exchanged stories about siblings, colleges attended, pros and cons of their jobs, past jobs, foods they liked and disliked, favorite colors, pet peeves. Teddy found him extremely easy to talk to and his humor wasn’t as dry as she’d originally thought it was.
As the waitress replaced Teddy’s third glass of wine with a cup of coffee, Teddy brought up the subject every serious relationship couple should know about—past relationships.
“Why did you and your last girlfriend break up?”
Adam coughed and shifted in his seat. Teddy had asked her question after he finished a sip of coffee. She expected his reaction and was not disappointed. She had to stop herself from laughing at his surprise.
“Why is that relevant?”
“For several reasons,” she said, leaning toward him. “It’ll give me insight to your character if you’re totally honest. And it’ll tell me some of the pitfalls I should avoid. It can also tell me some qualities your parents will compare in me. But we’ll get to parents later. Let’s stick with the girlfriend for now.”
Adam leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. He wore an ecru Irish knit sweater that contrasted with the darkness of his skin. “Her name was Veronica and we weren’t compatible.”
“I’m sure there’s more to it than those few words. And your reluctance to discuss her tells me the end of the story is still unfolding.”
“It’s over,” he said. “We didn’t really like each other. She didn’t make an effort to get to know me.” He paused. “She never delved into my likes or dreams the way you have in the past few hours. And you’re doing it on a pretense basis. With her it was supposed to be real.”
“So how did you become a couple?”
“With my hours it’s hard to meet and maintain relationships. Hence, my mother.” He stopped a moment to flash her a grin.
“Your mother introduced you to Veronica?”
“I met Veronica at a party given by a business colleague. She was fun, lots of laughs, beautiful. I ran into her several times randomly. One day we agreed to meet. From then on, we were a couple.”
“And then you found her with another man.”
Adam gasped. “How did you know?”
“I had a few clues. Your hours. The fact that you never said anything about being in love. It was either another man or you didn’t meet the approval of the king. The king being her father. And since you also omitted a king, it had to be a man.” Teddy gazed at him, but he said nothing. “And now you’ve sworn off my entire sex?”
“Something like that,” he admitted.
“Veronica couldn’t have been the first. But you must have felt something for her that she didn’t feel for you. Something deep and fearful.”
Adam cleared his throat. “Can we change the subject? I believe it’s your turn now. Who’s the one who got away in your past?”
“I haven’t met him yet.”
“And how old are you?” he asked with a humorous, skeptical eye.
“Thirty, why?”
“I know there’s been someone special in your life, other than the they’re-all-special types. Which one stood out?”
Teddy hesitated for a long moment. She knew she had to answer. Adam had answered her questions. And she was the one who opened this dialogue. It was only fair that she tell him the truth.
“We called him Chad, but his name was Charles Davis. We were high school sweethearts.” She stopped, gazing at Adam, remaining quiet for a few moments. “We’d known each other since the cradle. In grammar school, when boys and girls discover we aren’t the sorrowful creatures we each thought the other was, Chad and I were a couple.”
Teddy smiled, remembering the good times they had.
“What happened?” Adam asked quietly.
“We stayed together all through high school. He was my date to the junior and senior proms.”
“Then college came,” Adam added.
Teddy nodded. Her smile was gone and the heartache she’d felt all those years ago rushed back. Not as sharp. Not as raw. But still present. Teddy guessed that until someone replaced those feelings in her, she would have this spot that wasn’t filled.