We arrived at Matt's parent's house. The tension in the car was thick. I knew Wade was struggling by the way he shifted in his seat on the ride there. There was no conversation between us. Just the radio playing. I had called Patricia, Matt's mother to let her know I was on my way with Wade. She was excited to meet the man I had been telling her about since we began dating. When I pulled up, Patricia was standing in the doorway. She had on an apron and I could see the flour on her face. She waved to us as I honked the horn. As soon as I did, a brown skin girl with big eyes and dark brown curly hair with a pink barrette wearing a pink floral shirt and blue jeans underneath a yellow apron standing beside her. She was almost the same height as Patricia. It was Emily.

When I got of the car, Emily came rushing toward me.

"Rosa!" she screamed.

"Emily!" I kissed her multiple times on her cheek.

"Grandma Patty didn't say you were coming." she said returning the kisses.

"Well I told her not to tell you. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"I'm so glad you're here!"

I walked toward the door with Wade following behind. I greeted Patricia at the door.

"Hey Patty, I see Emily's been putting you to work today" I hug and kiss her. She runs back into the house.

"Oh yes she had. She is quite the bossy little lady. I wonder where she got it from."

I laughed, "Well what can I say? She learned from the best."

"That she does," Patty notices Wade who was standing right behind me. "Oh and this must be your friend Wade. Hi, I'm Patricia," she extended her hand to him.

"Pleasure to meet you Patricia."

"Well you two come on in. You're just in time. Chef Emily is making dinner."

"Mmmm it smells good. What's on the menu?" I asked as Wade and I stepped inside the house.

"Chicken alfredo. And for desert, chocolate cake." Patty replied.

"Sounds great. Can't wait to eat." I said.

Patty pulled me to the side "Hey you got yourself a nice catch there missy," she whispered.

"Thank you."
"You have one of those for me?"
"No, sorry. They only have one of his kind."
"I'll trade him for Steve. He's missing a few of his parts except the one that matters. I must say, it's a damn good one."

"Never had an older man before. And Steve is good looking man. You've got yourself Deal," We laugh.

When we walked in, I seen Emily now sitting on her grandfather, Steven, lap. Emily jumps off his lap and runs into my arms. Steven gets up from his chair to greet Wade and me.

"Hey there mamacita! Como estas?" Steven says and he hugs me.

"Estoy bien Steve. Y tu?" Steven and I always
"Estoy cansado but I have my granddaughter here to keep me on my toes. So this is your friend Wade I gather. Nice to meet you I'm Steven."

"Nice to meet you as well. I take it Rosa has said many nice things about me?"

"Yes she has. We have been wondering when she was going to bring you around. We were tired of hearing about this wonderful English man she was dating. We were starting to believe that he was just an imaginary boyfriend or her vibrator." Steve joked. Matt's parents were very delightful people to be around. They always made you feel welcomed with their warmth and kindness. It was one of the reasons why I made sure they stayed in Emily's life. They were such a positive influence.

"Wade, are you ready to meet the star of the show?" Steve asked him.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Wade looked at me and smiled as I returned one to him. I could see that Wade was warming up and nervous at the same time.

"Emily!" I called to her.

I heard her footsteps approaching.

"Yes, Rosa?" she answered.

I placed my hand on her shoulders. "I want you to meet my friend Wade." Emily looked up at what to her was a giant.

She was hesitant at first but I assured her it was fine.

"Hi Emily. I'm Wade." He extended his massive hand to meet with her petite one.

"Hi Wade. It's nice to meet you. Are you staying for dinner?" she wanted to know.

"Yes I am."

"Ok. Are you going to stay for dessert?"

"Yep that too. I heard you were making my favorite, chocolate cake."

"Yep. It's my favorite cake too."
"We have something in common then."

"You talk funny. Why is that?" Everyone giggled.

"Well I was raised in a country called England. I can tell you more about if you would like."

"Cool. It was nice meeting you Wade."

"Same here." They shake hands. Emily goes back into the kitchen with Patty.

I walk over to Wade and hug him.

"That went well. Seems like she likes you already," Steve said. "While we wait for dinner, how about we have a little drink. Cognac sounds good?"

"It sounds great," I said. Wade began helping me take off my coat.

"Good. After you're done here, come meet me at the bar downstairs."

"Ok"

We spend the rest of the evening at Patty and Steve's house. Wade and Emily got to know each other a little better. It seems like Emily took a liking to him faster than I expected. I called Marco to tell him the change of plans. He said he was fine since a couple of friends called to ask him out to dinner and a movie. He said he would be home a bit late. It was about eleven when I arrived home with Wade.

I went to my bedroom to change my clothes. I came out to see Wade in the kitchen.

"That was an eventful day," he said pouring two glasses of wine.

"Very," I sighed, "I'm so tired. Can't wait to get into my bed."

"Same here. Well mine not yours. But I wouldn't mind being yours. That's if you'll have me."

I chuckled, "Sure. There is always room for one more. You're welcomed any time" He handed me the other glass.

"I'm going to hold you to it," Wade took a seat.

We sat at the table drinking quietly. I could see thoughts running through Wade's head.

"Tell me. How did you and Matt meet?" Wade asked.

"Santino introduced us at his birthday party. He was with his ex Kristal at the time. She had just given birth to Emily."

"So did he leave her for you?"

"No, she left him. It took Matt a while to get back into the dating scene. We met again by chance at the laundry mat. I helped him wash Emily's clothes."
"Do you know why she left him?"

"Well Kristal wasn't the kind of girl to be held down and Matt knew that before they got together. She wanted to do her own thing so he let her go." I take the last sip of my wine before I motioned Wade to pass the bottle to me so I could pour another glass.

"Where is she now?" Wade was curious.

"After Matt died, she moved to Seneca to be with her boyfriend Bobby. She had a son by him but the relationship didn't work out so she moved back to her hometown Greenlawn. Patty and Steve see Emily on holiday breaks and weekends."

"Oh. Does Kristal know you still see Emily?"

"She was the one who suggested that I stay apart of her life. Besides, I didn't want to disappear without any explanation. I couldn't do that to her," I said. I remembered the day of Matt's funeral when Emily made me promise that I wouldn't leave her. Kristal overheard our conversation. That's when she asked me to stay in Emily's life.

After telling Wade the history of Matt and Kristal, the inevitable followed; my feelings about Matt.
"He was the only man who ever made me feel comfortable in my own skin. The other guys I dated were complete douchebags. They would find every flaw and use it against me only because they were insecure little boys. But not Matt. He would always tell me I was perfect even when I didn't believe it myself. He was the most sincere person I ever met. He loved me for me. Just like you."

"Well after hearing that, I do think that Matt is a tough act to follow," Wade scooted her chair closer to me. "Listen, I know I'll never replace Matt and I'm not going to even try. But what I can do is love you and cherish you the best way that I can. That's if you promise to do the same."

"Of course Wade. Of course."

We talked until two o'clock in the morning. Wade left and I went to bed. I was relieved that I finally opened up. I felt I was closing a chapter and starting a new one. I went to sleep smiling at the possibility of spending the rest of my life with Wade, the love of my life.

"Emily? Emily are you in here?" I see a pair of small feet step down from inside the stall. I heard her sniffling while unlocking the door.

"Hey sweetheart. Are you ok?" I asked her. She didn't answer only she held out her arms for me to hold her. That's when she started to sob uncontrollably.

"Oh baby, it's ok. I know it hurts. Let it out," I rubbed her back.

"I miss my daddy," her voice was muffled by my shoulder. "Why did he leave me?"

"He didn't mean to sweetie. He would never leave you. God needed him and he had no choice but to go to heaven."
"But why didn't God ask for somebody else?" she raised her head from my shoulder. Daddy was suppose to come to my play. He promised" I went into the stall and grabbed some tissue. I took her to the lounge outside of the restroom and sat her on the couch.

"Listen, Emily. God does things that we sometimes never understand. Though we don't, we have to trust that he knows what he's doing. I'm sure that God is going to make sure that your father will be there to see you."
"But how? He's not here anymore." She sniffed.

"He will be there, trust me. You will be the only that sees him,"

"Are you going to be there?"

"Yes. You know I never miss a performance of yours."

"Promise?"

"I promise." I hold her.

"Rosa?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"You promise not to leave me?"

"Of course. I'm going to be by your side no matter what."

"I love you. Don't ever leave me. Please."

"I love you too. I'll always be by your side. Always."