I went inside and put on my swimsuit before going for a swim in the ocean to try and clear my head. After my swim and a shower I changed into a pair of dark wash jeans and a white lacy top. I left my hair down and curly, and put on some makeup. Then I went downstairs and started preparing dinner, cleaning vegetables, boiling water, mixing ingredients.
Daniel knocked on my door at 7:00 and when I opened the door I saw him standing there, dressed in jeans and a grey v-neck t-shirt, holding a bouquet of red roses in one hand and a stack of dvds in the other. Wow! You look amazing" he said kissing me gently. As he walked inside he added "these are for you" and handed me the bouquet of roses. "Thank You!" I said walking to the kitchen and putting the flowers in a vase.
"Smells great in here what are you making?" he asked sniffing the air. "Garlic butter shrimp scampi over linguine, a garden salad with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing and Italian bread with an olive oil and basil dipping sauce" I answered taking note of his surprised face. "Where'd you learn to cook?" he asked. "Well I spent some time in Paris and picked up a few tricks there but mostly I just like to try new things and see what happens." I answered moving to take the linguine out of the pot it was cooking in and draining the water from it. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked. "If you wouldn't mind taking the salad and bread to the table I'll follow behind with the main course in just a sec." I answered mixing in the shrimp scampi.
After placing dinner on the table and sitting next to Daniel I asked "How are you? Did you tell your parents you went to see Sara?" "I'm ok. I think. And no I didn't not tell my parents, they would just freak out and I don't really want to deal with that. I mean I get enough flak from my dad about my lack of dedication to the internship at Grayson Global and my mom about dating you because she hasn't done a thorough enough background check on you don't be surprised if she asks you for a blood sample and maybe even a CT to check for triple sixes on your skull." He answered. "You're joking?" I said nervously. "yes, well about the blood test and triple sixes but she will probably have her PI do a background check on you." He answered.
I took a deep breath and said "Well I guess in an act of full disclosure I should share some of my past with you so your mother can't use it against me." He took my hand in his and said "You're kind of scaring me." "After my parents died I was placed in foster care. I was bounced around from home to home and when I was 15 I was placed in a home where my foster father abused me. At first it was just emotional and physical abuse but one day I came home from school and he tried to sexually abuse me, but I put a stop to it and was placed in Allenwood, a maximum security juvenile facility." I told him, the story being part mine and part real Emily's.
Daniel's breath caught when I first mentioned the word abuse followed by anger when I said sexual abuse and then utter shock at taking things into my own hands. "I understand if you want to walk out that door and never look back but it's hard for me to open up about my past. But if things are going to progress in this relationship you need to know about my past. Especially the dark side… Please say something." I said nervously.
"I'm sorry" he started and I cut him off before he could continue. "That's fine, I figured once you found out you'd just run off" tears began streaking down my face. "It's probably best if you go now, dragging out awkward conversation over dinner would just hurt too much." "Emily! I'm not sorry because I can't handle what you just told me, I'm sorry that you had to go through all that. I'm sorry that you didn't have the kind of life you deserved. I'm sorry you ever experienced any of that hurt and pain." Daniel said wiping the tears from my cheeks with his thumbs before pulling me into a soft and romantic kiss.