"Is everything okay dad?"
"Sit down." Her father said patting the ground.
Her dad had a very serious look on his face. He rested his hand under his chin. "Do you remember the very first time you brought Darien home?"
"Yeah, the day Rini went missing."
"Yeah that day. I remember I hated him. I wanted him to leave right away."
Serena giggled."I remember. You would not stop glaring at him."
"Yeah, but you know what else I remember? How much he loved you. It was all over his have. He loved you, and Rini, but mainly you. When he looked down at you, and your eyes caught his. I saw it."
Serena sighed. "That day feels like so long ago. I just don't understand how it was great one day and the next he just left. Like I didn't mean anything."
"You know many years ago before your mom and I had you and your brother, maybe a year and a half after we started dating, I called a quits."
"You never told us that." Serena was so confused.
"I did, and it broke your mom's heart. She asked why. And I told her I just needed my time, but really I knew she needed her time. As you know your mom is younger than me, kinda like you and Darien. I did not want her just be with me because you know how sometimes after a long relationship, some people stay because they do not want to feel like time is wasted. I wanted her to be with me because she wanted to be with me. I wanted to be sure that her love for me was going to be unbreakable."
"Dad that was your reason, that's not his."
"Maybe not exactly, but watching that young man today, seeing the look in his eyes when you asked him to leave, he did not end things with you because he wanted to."
"You're right dad, he did it because of some stupid dream."
"Dreams are usually based on things that worry us the most. They are figments of things we carry in our heart."
Serena rested her head on her dad's shoulder.
"Just think for what it is worth, I like him way more than that Diamond guy. Ugh if I never see that kid again, my life will be complete." Serena smiled. Her dad tapped her knee and got up. Serena remained on the stairs. "But maybe don't take so long because somebody is still sitting out in their car beating himself up."
"What?"Serena got up and looked out the window. There he was sitting in his car. Head leaned against the head rest. He had his hand over his face.
"That dude has it so bad for you meatball head!" Her little brother said out of nowhere.
"SAMMY!"
"Serena, be nice to your brother!" Her mom yelled from the other room.
"Honey, I am not telling you what to do. Not saying you forgive him today, but talk to him. You're going to have too. For Rini at least."
She looked out the window. Sighed. Grabbed her jacket. Put on her slippers and walked out. It was still raining a bit but not too bad. She slowly approached his car and stood there. She wasn't sure if she should knock or if he would eventually notice her. She waited a few seconds and suddenly his head popped up. He looked at her.
He wasn't sure if he was supposed to get out of the car or if she was going to come in. He unlocked the door. She didn't move so he took it as as a signal to get out.
"Serena, you're already not feeling well, what are you doing out here? It is freezing" He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her wet raincoat.
"If you really want to talk, we can talk. But we can't do this here. Not in front of my parents and not where Rini can hear. Where ever this conversation takes us, I don't want her either having false hope or thinking she has to choose. It wouldn't be fair."
"Whatever you want." He said. He couldn't help but smile. She was finally willing to talk.
"I promised Rini a sleepover tonight. We can talk to tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, I will pick you up." He said abruptly.
"Maybe we should just meet somewhere."
"No I know the perfect place we can talk." He said.
"Fine." She said turning around to walk back in."Oh your jacket."
"No keep it." Darien said watching her walk back in.
***The Next Day***
The sleepover with Rini went by in a blur. Serena did everything she could to make sure Rini had no idea how confused and hurt she was feeling, but that little girl smart.
***Flashback***
"You two are going to get back together." The little girl said."And you're going to get married. When you have kids will you forget me?"
"What? Rini what did I say about that type of talk?" Serena scolded her while handing her cookies.
"I am serious. You love him and he loves you. Love always finds its way back."
"You read too many fairytales missy." Serena patted her head.
"No, don't make fun! I am serious. Can you promise?"
***End Flashback***
Serena smiled. As if she would ever forget that ittle girl who changed her whole life.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in!" Serena yelled.
"Sweetheart are you almost ready. He is downstairs." Irene asked Serena.
"Just about."Serena said.
Her mom was about to walk out her room.
"Mommy?"
"Uh oh. When mommy comes out, something is wrong."
"How did you know that taking Daddy back was going to be the right thing? How did you even know that was what he wanted?"
"What do you mean?"
"I know you and daddy split for some time. How did the conversation come up to either be together or not."
"I am not sure exactly how the conversation came up. I think we had a project together, and I remember being so weirded out that we were partnered and while I was trying to be professional, I came off cold, and your dad did not take a liking to that. Then he did some chasing and the rest is history." Irene laughed.
"Hmmm."
"Honey." She cupped her face."I know you love him. And I know a million percent he loves you. Who cares how the conversation comes about. Just say what you feel. You do not want to look back and wish you said this or said that. If it works then it will, but if it doesn't then you will heal." She smiled at her daughter."But hurry, your dad is about to kill him."
Serena laughed.
