You know those moments when you say something horrible but trying to fix it only makes it worse? This is one of those.
Callous
March 19, 2013
"And say 'hi' to your parents for me!" he finishes, not thinking.
Her expression freezes and he knows immediately what he's done wrong.
(Idiot! Careless! Not parents, not parents. Father yes, mother no. Of course not. Not for years now. Of all the cruel-hearted things to say…!)
She doesn't respond and he turns away before she can. Let her think he's a terrible boyfriend before their very first date. Better, far better to think he doesn't know, than to clumsily apologize and make it a thousand times worse.
The correction dies on his lips as he leaves her standing alone.
/fail.