Alright here's chapter 2, it makes me happy to know that so many people like my story so far, please continue to read and review. This chapter takes place the next night on Jane and Lisbon's first date. As always I own nothing.
I had left Charlie with my friend Sam and was now waiting on a bench by the river, wondering if Teresa would even come. That's when I heard the footsteps behind me, "I didn't think you would come." I smiled.
"I almost didn't." She admitted, as I led her through the restaurant doors.
"You don't trust me?" I asked as we were immediately seated.
"I don't know you." She retorted accepting a menu from the waiter.
"I guess I'm just lucky you're taking the chance to get to know me." I grinned watching her eyes wander over the menu.
"What's your story?" She asked abruptly, looking up from the menu.
"Excuse me." I wondered, not letting the surprise show on my face.
"You're a good looking, charming young man with a beautiful daughter, no wedding ring, and apparently you always seem to know what to say." She started.
"You flatter me." I laughed, I was curious yet afraid to know where she was going with this.
"Tell me about your faults, there has to be something wrong with you." She was begging for some flaws that equaled her own.
"I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours." I proposed.
"I don't know." She hesitated as the waitress came back to take our order.
"I'll have a cup of tea and a diet coke for the lady." I started before Teresa could open her mouth. "And a large Hawaiian pizza." She handed over her menu and stared at me.
"How did you know that's what I wanted?" She questioned a little angrily.
"I'm observant." I shrugged, "You want to know my stories, you'll have to tell me yours."
"Alright fine, but there is nothing cheery about mine. It's no fairy tale." She gave in, "but you're going first."
"Deal." I nodded as the drinks were brought to our table. "My mother died of complications at childbirth, I never knew her." I started with a sip of tea. "My father moved me around a lot as a kid, Angela and I have been best friends since we were in diapers, when we were sixteen we made a big mistake and ended up changing diapers." I continued with another sip of tea. "When Charlie was born I realized how abusive my own father had been with all of the drinking and the gambling so I stepped away from him. I started working on my own, with Angela's help. Now as far as I know my father is in prison." I concluded, she sat in silence taking a sip of her diet coke.
"Why is he in prison?" She questioned after a couple minutes.
"He's a con man." I stated.
"You were sixteen?" She frowned.
"Yes." I nodded, she was clearly appalled by the idea of sixteen year olds having sex. "It's not as bad where I grew up." I tried to reassure her. "But it's your turn to talk."
"We did have a deal." She nodded, "My mom was killed by a drunk driver when I was eight. My dad started drinking and became abusive, then he drank himself to death a month after my eighteenth birthday. Leaving me to raise my three brothers." She finished, this was all information I could have guessed on my own but I felt better knowing she could tell me on her own.
"I'd saw we are two very damaged people." I laughed in an attempt to make her smile. She grinned and played with her golden cross necklace.
"How did you know what pizza I wanted?" She asked after a couple minutes of silence.
"I watched your eyes when you were reading the menu. You paused the longest over Hawaiian pizza." I explained.
"You watched my eyes?" She repeated.
"They are gorgeous eyes." I shrugged, causing her to blush.
"So sixteen." She stated again taking a sip from her soda.
"Yep." I laughed, she was going to obsess over that. "Let me guess you've never…" I didn't finish because she started shaking her head and blushing. "That's nothing to be ashamed of, I admire that." The pizza came before I could finish.
"How old are you?" She asked reaching for a slice of pizza.
"Twenty." I answered, she seemed a little surprised, "Do I not look it?"
"No, it's just you act older, you're drinking tea." She shrugged, "Do you live around here?" She questioned. I just shook my head. "Then how do you know about this place? What are you doing here?"
"I've come here for a week every summer." I stated.
"Who would want to come here for vacation?" She laughed.
"I'm not really on vacation." I admitted taking a sip of my tea.
"What do you mean?" She was going to keep questioning me, but she couldn't know not yet. She would look at me differently everyone did when they find out you work at a Carnival.
"You'll make a great cop?" I smiled changing the subject.
"How did you know I wanted to be a cop?" She frowned.
"I'm observant." I shrugged. "You're only eighteen aren't you?" I questioned.
"Yeah, why?" She continued to frown.
"You said your father died just after you turned eighteen. That's this year." I stated, "You don't seem to upset."
"He died this year, but I lost him a long time ago." She answered, at least she had a parent to have lost, I thought to myself. "So you know I want to be a cop, what job do you want?"
"Me, I don't really know or care as long as I can make enough money to take care of my daughter." I shrugged. "Hopefully I'll make enough money soon to be able to stop moving around."
"Where do you work that you have to keep moving around so much?" She wondered, we were back on the subject of a job, how did that happen?
"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" I asked.
"I work until noon." She sighed frustrated that I hadn't answered her question.
"Would you like to meet me at the Carnival tomorrow?" I proposed.
"The Carnival?" She repeated.
"Yes, the Carnival, it's only in town for four more days." I nodded.
"So that means we have to spend everyday there?" She frowned.
"You don't like the Carnival." I grinned trying to get her to trust me.
"It's a waste of money, they charge to much for everything, they are basically stealing from you." She pointed out.
"That's true, but I promise you won't lose a dime if you come with me tomorrow." I answered pulling my wallet out to pay the bill.
"Tomorrow at one, but I want some answers." She stated, I led her out of the restaurant and we started walking by the river.
"Tomorrow, you will get your answers." I gave in reaching for her hand, and from there we made small talk walking along the river.
