CLEARING SKIES
(STORMS DON'T LAST FOREVER, PART II)
The hotel room was quiet except for the rhythmic zipping of suitcases and the occasional rustle of clothing being folded into place. The air felt heavier than it should have, thick with the unspoken weight of the night before. Mike moved around the room looking focused in the packing, but his mind was elsewhere. No matter how hard he tried to push it aside, he could still hear the sharp, raw and accusing voices from the day before—His mother's anger and Lea's heartbreak.
"You're too quiet." Pam's voice cut through his thoughts. She barely looked up as she carefully folded a blouse into her carry-on.
Mike slowly sat on the edge of the bed with a shirt in his hands. "I can't stop thinking about yesterday… And my mom… she's not in her room, and she's not answering my messages."
Pam let out an exaggerated sigh, rolling her eyes as she zipped up her bag. "Given the way she reacted last night, she probably went to see Lea first thing in the morning and is still with her." She shook her head, muttering, "Unbelievable." Then, more pointedly, she added, "And I've been thinking about yesterday too… I still can't believe Lea said those things."
"Maybe we should postpone the trip?" The words left his mouth before he even had time to second-guess them as he looked up at his wife.
Pam immediately scoffed. "What? Of course not! Lea will be fine, Mike, she always is. We're not going to cancel our trip just because she decided to have a tantrum." She snapped her suitcase shut and smoothed the fabric with her hand, as if she had made her point clear. "You should call your mother, though. She must have packing to do, too."
Mike looked back at the shirt in his hands for a moment before sighing and setting it down on the bed. He reached for his phone on the nightstand, and without another word, he stood up and walked out of the room.
His thumb hovered over the call button hesitantly while his mind drifted back to the night before. To the look on his mother's face, the sharp edge in her voice, and the way she had walked away.
Pam and Mike sat at a table in the hotel restaurant, waiting for his mom to join them for dinner. The low hum of conversation and clicking silverware filled the space around them. Their drinks sat mostly untouched.
"I just can't believe it…" Pam muttered, stirring her drink absentmindedly.
Mike exhaled slowly. "Pam, let's not…"
"No, Mike, your daughter is accusing your son's best friend of abuse. Can you believe it? It's absurd!"
"Excuse me?" Nonna Dilallo said, having heard her daughter-in-law as she approached their table.
Pam's hand froze on her glass while Mike's head jerked up, and both their eyes widened.
"Mamma…" Mike swallowed hard, feeling his stomach twist.
"What happened?" Sue asked as she stepped closer. Her gaze flicking between them.
"What? I don't know what you heard. We were just…"
"I'm not deaf, Michael." Sue cut her son off with sharpness in her voice, leaving no room for evasion. "What were you talking about?"
Mike opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Pam however, didn't hesitate. "Lea's accusing Ben of abusing her. " She scoffed, shaking her head as is the mer thought was ridiculous. "All because we told her we think she should be with someone other than Shaun."
Sue's eyes darkened. "You what?" She slowly turned to Mike. "When did all of this happen?"
"We went to see her this afternoon…" Pam replied dismissively, picking up her glass to drink some, as if this was a conversation she had already grown tired of.
Mike looked down ashamed.
"You told me you were going shopping." Sue asked eerily calm, but the betrayal in her eyes was unmistakable. "Che diavolo ai fatto, Chele? (What the hell did you do, Michael?)"
"This is exactly why we didn't tell you we were going to talk to her." Pam said, exasperated.
Sue's head snapped toward her, and the glare she shot at her could have burned through steel.
"How the hell else am I supposed to react, Pamela?" Sue's voice rose, raw with emotion, drawing the attention of a few nearby diners.
"Mom, lower your voice…" Mike muttered, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, but his mother ignored him.
Sue looked between them, her expression shifting between confusion, anger and something dangerously close to heartbreak.
"What's this thing about Ben abusing your daughter? What did you do about that? 'Cause from what I'm hearing, you don't even believe her."
"Because she's lying! If something like that had really happened, she would've told us years ago, not now." Pam said, barely hiding her disdain.
Sue inhaled sharply. The words were like a slap, leaving her momentarily stunned, then her expression twisted between disbelief and disgust.
"I can't believe you right now." She said, taking a step back as if she couldn't stand to be near them, then she shook her head and muttered. "Questo è incredibile. (This is unbelievable)"
And with that, Sue turned around and stormed out of the restaurant
"Mom!" Mike half-rose from his chair, about to follow her, but before he could move further, Pam grabbed his wrist.
"Let her go, Mike. We knew something like this was going to happen sooner or later. Let her process it. You can talk to her in the morning."
Mike exhaled sharply and reluctantly sat back down, running a hand over his face.
Meanwhile, Sue marched straight to the elevator. Her jaw clenched so tightly it ached, and her hands trembled from the anger she felt.
Back in her room, she grabbed her suitcase and stuffed her belongings inside without a care for neatness. No second thoughts, just an overwhelming need to leave.
Minutes later, she was back in the lobby, and without talking to anyone else but the receptionist, she checked out of the hotel. Then she was in the back of a taxi, gripping her purse tightly as the car pulled away.
Only one thing was in her mind. Lea.
Nonna Dilallo was at a supermarket buying a few things she needed to cook one of Lea's favorite dishes for dinner when she heard her phone ringing in her purse. She pulled it out and rolled her eyes, sighing when she saw who the caller was.
"Michael." Her voice was sharp and controlled, but tinted with restrained anger.
"Mamma, I…" He sighed before continuing. "Where are you?"
"At a supermarket buying some things for later…"
Mike frowned slightly. "What? I thought you'd be with Lea."
"I was, in fact, I stayed with her and Shaun last night."
Mike's eyes widened. "What? So this morning you weren't just ignoring my texts and me knocking on your door? How did you even get to Lea's last night? Is she with you?"
"I asked the reception to get me a taxi and I have Lea's address on my phone, so I just showed it to the driver. And no, Lea and Shaun are at work. What do you want, Michael?"
"That's so irresponsible of her, you shouldn't be on your own! How did you get to the supermarket?"
Sue rolled her eyes again. "I'm old, not stupid. Chele. I know how to get a taxi, but Lea's been sending Ubers for me and tracking them to wherever I go."
"But you don't know this city, mom! What if something happens to you?"
"I'm fine, Michael. Vuoi parlare di responsabilità? (You want to talk about responsibility?) If you assumed I was with Lea, I'd like to think you called because you want to apologize to her. But you should have called her directly, or better yet, gone to see her and apologized to her face."
Mike exhaled closing his eyes. His mom's words feeling like needles on his skin. "No, I called because you need to get back to the hotel and pack for the trip."
Sue let out a sarcastic laugh. "Michael, I checked out of the hotel last night. Grabbed all my things and left. I'm no longer going to Los Cabos, and I honestly can't believe you two are still going after what happened yesterday."
"Mamma, it's complicated…"
"Com'è complicato, Chele? (How is it complicated?) Tell me, what's so complicated about it? Your daughter—Your own flesh and blood poured her heart out to you yesterday, and what did you do? You and your wife dismissed all her words and feelings and you're packing for a trip to Los Cabos. Bravo! Father of the year…"
Some people at the supermarket looked at Sue as she raised her voice but she ignored them.
"But how can we know for sure that she's not lying? It apparently happened years ago! There's no proof! It's…"
"Mio Dio—Are you hearing yourself right now, Michael?" Sue cut him off. "You sound like your wife!—I …I haven't even fully processed the things I heard last night, and what Lea told me this morning. And you…" She took a deep breath and shook her head, stopping at an empty isle with her cart, then she rubbed one of her temples with the fingers of her free hand. "Why would Lea lie about something like that? Tell me, Michael. What would she gain from that, mmh?"
Mike sighed, shaking his head slightly. "Ma, you should come back, we can talk—"
"And then you two also judged her relationship with Shaun and put Ben as an example of the man you expect her to be with? What is wrong with you?!" Sue added.
"Mom, it's not that simple. Listen…"
"No, you listen to me, Michael!" She snapped. "You used to be someone your father and I were so proud of. You were never afraid to stand up for what was right, and then you got married…" She sighed. "We accepted your relationship with her and tolerated her for many years because you said she was the love of your life, but this, Chele…" She shook her head, exhaling sharply. "And now you're just running to paradise while your daughter is left picking up the pieces of the mess you made? Do you seriously think she'll just forget about all of this while you're sunbathing, and that everything will be fine when you come back?" She scoffed, and shook her head again. "I thought we raised you better. I thought you'd be a better father. But you know what? I hope your cocktails taste good, Michael."
The line went dead before he could even reply.
Mike swallowed hard removing the phone from his ear and stared at it for a moment while his stomach twisted into knots. Eventually, he sighed with a shake of his head, and walked back into the room to continue packing, but he was clearly shaken by his mom's words.
Pam watched him as he silently picked the shirt he had left on the bed and put it in his suitcase, lost in thought.
"Let me guess. She called you a terrible father?" She raised a brow.
Mike didn't answer, he just grabbed a pair of shorts and folded them.
Pam scoffed. "She's always been dramatic. That's where Lea gets it from. But it's no surprise that she's taken Lea's side. She always does… That woman has never said no to any of her grandkids whims. Did you at least tell her she should come back to pack?"
"She's already packed al her stuff, but she's not coming with us anymore." Mike said softly as he slowly zipped his carry-on.
Pam scoffed again and shook her head. "Great… Don't let them ruin our trip, though. Speaking of which, I want to go out and find another swimsuit and some swim shorts for you. They didn't have many good options in Hershey, remember? But this is California, they should have better ones. There's a mall nearby."
The mall was busy with weekend shoppers. The low hum of conversations and distant pop music filled the air. Pam was going through racks of swimsuits, holding one up to inspect before shaking her head and moving on.
Mike wandered a few feet away, still thoughtful about the day before and the conversation with his mother. Her words still rang in his ears, with her sharp anger and deep disappointment. But it wasn't just that, Lea was in his mind, too. The frustration and heartbreak in her voice, and the way she had looked at him before they left. And then there was Pam and the way she was just brushing everything off like none of it mattered.
His stomach twisted, then a sudden voice cut through his thoughts.
"Who have you been texting then? If you've got nothing to hide, why don't you wanna show me your phone?"
Mike turned his head. Near the store entrance, a couple stood close. The girl, petite, with long brown hair tied in a ponytail… The guy, tall and with a quiet cocky way of walking—too familiar for Mike.
"I already told you it's my dad. I'm going to see him tomorrow."
"Yeah, right. Let me see your phone then."
"No! I don't have to let you see anything. If you want to believe me or not, it's fine. I don't care anymore!"
"It's that guy from the other day, isn't it?" The guy grabbed her by the wrist, trying to get her phone. "Let me see!"
Mike's skin prickled at the sight as a weird sensation flooded his body, as if he'd seen that or been in a similar situation before.
"Don't touch me!" The girl quickly grabbed her phone with her other hand and held it away from her boyfriend as he kept trying to get it. "Stop!"
"You stop." The guy said, letting go of her wrist, then faked a chuckle, trying to act playful as they started to draw the attention of a few at the mall.
People just kept walking, but Mike kept watching, unconsciously stepping closer to the entrance of the store as his mind replayed his daughter's words about Ben, over and over.
The guy got closer to the girl, apparently whispering something in her ear that caused her to push him away.
"Go fuck yourself!" She shouted, then turned around to walk away, but he grabbed her by the wrist again. "Let me go!"
Mike couldn't contain himself anymore.
"Hey!" He cut through the noise with a firm voice as he walked up to the couple. "She asked you to stop."
The girl yanked her wrist back and the guy glared at Mike, straightening up, and squaring his shoulders as he stepped closer to Mike. The sharp scent of cheap cologne and sweat hit Mike's nose, but he didn't budge or flinch, he just stared him down, jaw clenched, waiting. The kid wasn't used to that.
"Mind your own business, old man." The guy said with a mocking tone, but hiding, there was a flicker of irritation, unused to being called out.
Mike didn't back down. He just stood there, eyes locked on the guy.
"Go home, boy." Mike warned him with a steady tone.
The girl, frozen, looked at them wide-eyed.
"Mike!" Pam's voice cut in as she hurried toward her husband.
The guy scoffed, staring Mike down for a second before muttering something under his breath, and flipping Mike off with both hands. Then, without a word, he turned around and walked away, giving the girl one last glance over his shoulder.
Mike exhaled slowly. His pulse still hammering.
"What the hell are you doing?" Pam mumbled, staring at him like he'd lost his mind.
Mike ignored her and looked at the girl, who was still standing near. "Are you okay?"
The girl nodded, hugging her phone close. "Yeah, thanks…"
"You should go home, and never see that asshole again." Mike said to her.
The girl swallowed, glancing in the direction her boyfriend had gone, then nodded again. "I'll just—I'll call my sister. But, thanks again."
Mike offered to wait with the girl until her sister got there. Pam stood by reluctantly while her husband chatted with the girl, until her sister arrived.
"What the hell was that, Michael? Have you lost your mind?" Pam snapped as soon as the two girls left.
Mike frowned. "You didn't see everything. People were just walking past and she needed help. Was I supposed to just stand there doing nothing?
"It was none of your business. He could've hit you or something!"
Mike scoffed. "He's hardly a man, Pam."
"And you're a fifty-something year old man. You could've gotten hurt!"
Mike sighed, then shrugged slightly. "She just—She reminded me of Lea…"
"Oh, for God's sake—You're being ridiculous… " Pam said dismissively, rolling her eyes, not wanting to talk about that topic anymore. "I've got what I came for, so let's go back to the hotel before you go playing savior or something again." She said, grabbing her bags and turning to walk away.
Mike didn't respond, he just sighed again and followed his wife.
The ride back to the hotel was silent. Pam tried making small talk, but Mike barely responded. Every so often, she glanced at him.
"Whatever guilt trip you're on, you should snap out of it. You're overthinking everything." Pam said when they were almost back at the hotel.
"How can you still be acting like what happened yesterday doesn't matter?" Mike said, turning to look at her.
The taxi driver quickly glanced at them through the rear-view mirror.
Pam rolled her eyes. "Because we know how Lea can be. She'll be fine, I told you."
Mike sighed, and shook his head slightly. "She didn't look fine when we left, Pamela."
Pam turned to look at him, frowning and caught off guard as he had never really disagreed with her like that before.
He looked clearly tired and the guilt on his face was unmistakable, but she just huffed and looked away again.
"Look, if you want ruin our plans by obsessing over something that probably didn't even happen years ago, be my guest. I'm not going to argue with you anymore." Pam stated with a firm nod.
Frowning slightly, Mike gazed at her over the corner of his eye, and for the first time, he wasn't sure he recognized the woman sitting next to him. But he knew one thing for sure, he couldn't just let things go. Not this. Not this time.
After getting out of his patient's surgery, Shaun was in the locker room, buttoning his shirt before tucking it neatly into his pants while also sorting through words and sentences like puzzle pieces in his mind, trying to come up with something that would make sense to Lea's parents.
He pulled his small sketchbook and skimmed through the notes he had taken throughout the day from the conversations he had with Claire, Morgan, and a few others.
Morgan had been blunt, as usual. Claire had emphasized empathy, something he still found challenging sometimes. The others had contributed valuable points as well, so he thought he had enough to work with. But knowing what to say was one thing—getting Pam and Mike to actually listen was another. Still, there were things he needed to say. Things he thought they needed to hear.
However, there was one more matter that Shaun hadn't resolved—whether or not he should tell Lea what he was about to do.
He knew she valued his honesty, and they barely ever kept things from each other—especially him. But he didn't know whether telling her was a good idea or not. If he told her, she might try to talk him out of it, probably because she'd worry about him, about her parents, and about how any of them would handle the conversation.
And if he didn't tell her… well, there was a chance she'd get mad later. But not telling her wasn't an option, it was more a matter of when to tell her. Before or after?
After going through his notes a few times and finishing getting dressed, he stood by the sinks and stared at himself in the mirror, thinking that if his brother were alive, he would tell him to breathe and not be afraid. So that's what he did.
He took a deep breath, blowing out the candles, like his brother had taught him when they were kids, but he wasn't too sure about the not being afraid part. Lea's parents were quiet unpredictable for his liking, and unpredictability made him uncomfortable. One thing was certain, though, Lea was hurting, that was unacceptable, and he wanted to help somehow.
He adjusted the neck of his shirt, then grabbed his jacket and pulled it on before leaving the locker room.
In the elevator, he pressed the button for Lea's floor, not entirely certain why. He still wasn't sure about when and how to tell her what he was about to do. But there he was, on his way to the floor where his girlfriend works.
When the elevator doors opened again, he stepped out but didn't walk all the way to her office. Instead, he stopped at a distance where he could see inside.
Lea sat at her desk, her eyes were glued to her screen and her fingers pinched her lips in a soft, absent tug as she focused, then she leaned back in her chair and exhaled deeply. She looked stressed.
Shaun's thumbs softly yet anxiously wrestled each other. If he really wanted to tell her then and there about going out, this would be a good time, but he would have to explain where he was going and why, and he wasn't ready to answer those questions. Plus, he didn't want to add unnecessary stress to her day, so he would tell her eventually, when the time was right.
Once he was out of the hospital, he pulled out his phone to check the bus schedule and the location of the hotel where Lea's parents were staying. While he was used to most aspects of riding the bus—the smells, the lights, the speed, the driver, etc; he knew a taxi would be faster and would give him enough time to get back to the hospital, grab his backpack and go home with Lea.
So, no bus this time. He ordered an Uber.
When the car pulled up, Shaun got in, and immediately stiffened. The strong scent of the driver's cologne mixed with the artificial sweetness of a bubblegum air freshener created an overwhelming combination that made his nose wrinkle. Neither scent was pleasant on its own, and together, they were too much. The thick aroma clung to the air, dense and inescapable.
Shaun exhaled sharply pressing his lips together, and fastened his seatbelt.
Halfway through the ride, he reached for the window switch and rolled it down, letting in fresh air, but the rush of wind whipped against his face, sending strands of his hair in different directions. He considered rolling the window back up, but decided against it. The wind was uncomfortable, but it was preferable to the suffocating cloud of cologne and air freshener. So he just kept his eyes on the road ahead and mentally reviewed what he wanted to say to Lea's parents, while the hum of the car's engine and the distant city sounds filled the space between deep breaths of fresh air.
When the car pulled up to the hotel, Shaun quickly stepped out, relieved to be free of the overpowering scents. He straightened up and took a deep breath of clean air before fixing his hair, then tugged at the hem of his jacket and smoothed some wrinkles in his shirt.
Inside the hotel, Shaun's eyes immediately went up to the grand chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, with its cascading crystals reflecting the warm, golden glow of the lights.
The lobby was spacious and well-lit, a blend of classic sophistication and modern elegance, and the air inside was noticeably different from the car—clean, subtly scented with something floral yet not overwhelming.
Shaun inhaled through his nose and let the scent settle, appreciating its balance. Then his eyes moved across the room, scanning the polished marble floors, the velvet seating arrangements, and the sleek, dark wood reception desk. A soft hum of conversations and distant instrumental music filled the space, blending with the occasional click of heels against the floor.
It was clearly an environment designed for comfort and luxury. But Shaun was there on a mission, so he shifted his focus back to what he went there for.
He walked to the reception and asked to see Pam and Mike Dilallo.
"I'm sorry, sir. It seems they're not in their room at the moment. They're not answering the phone." The receptionist said after a moment with an apologetically look on her face.
"Oh…" Shaun hesitated, then nodded, mostly to himself. "I will wait then."
With a kind smile, the receptionist nodded back and gestured toward the waiting area, and without another word, Shaun turned and walked to a chair near the entrance, settling in as he prepared himself for the conversation ahead.
While he waited, his eyes drifted around the room again, taking in the details. The soft hum of hushed conversations, others more casual, the occasional burst of laughter, the sound of every other suitcase rolling across the floor, and the slight squeak of a cart being pushed by a hotel staff member.
Shaun considered pulling out his sketchbook to review his notes again, but ultimately decided against it, knowing that doing so wouldn't change anything.
And before he knew it, Pam and Mike walked into the hotel, carrying their shopping bags.
"Shaun?" Pam said, when she spotted him, cutting through his thoughts, then she and Mike stepped closer. "What are you doing here?"
Shaun stood from the chair, smoothing the front of his jacket, and met their eyes for a second before he had to look elsewhere, needing a second to gather his words.
Mike raised a brow, studying Shaun for a second.
"I came to talk to you… About me and Lea." Shaun said with firmness and purpose in his voice.
Pam and Mike exchanged a glance, then she looked back at Shaun, scoffing lightly with incredulity as she couldn't believe what was happening.
"No offense, Shaun, but this is between family." She said.
"Yes—No." Shaun shook his head, momentarily confused, then raised a hand slightly for them to stop talking as he was determined to deliver his speech without distractions.
"I came to talk to you and for you to listen. You did enough talking yesterday." He added and nodded firmly with a serious expression. He didn't mean to sound rude or arrogant, he just wanted to be heard and taken seriously.
Pam's brows shot up, clearly taken aback, while Mike frowned slightly, curious, as Shaun got his attention.
And without permission, Shaun continued. "Lea is my girlfriend." He nodded again. "My family… And the things you said to her yesterday were about us… But there are things you need to hear." He paused for second, making sure his words were ordered correctly again before continuing. "The things you said hurt her…"
Pam subtly rolled her eyes, and before Shaun could say more, she cut him off with a forced tone of gentleness in her voice.
"Shaun… You're a very nice young man, and we enjoyed meeting you. But Lea… Well, we've known her a lot longer than you and…" She sighed, softening her expression as if she were offering him some kind of wisdom, but her tone carried an underlying condescension. "I think you should think about yourself too, you know? I mean, Lea has a good heart, but…" She shrugged slightly. "Sometimes she just does things to get under our skin—You wouldn't believe some of the people she's dated. And well…" She hesitated just enough to make it seem like she was reluctant to say what came next. "I hate to say it, but… you deserve better."
Shaun stood there, listening to her, and although he hadn't liked being interrupted again, Pam had mentioned something he thought was important. Something he thought he needed to address before he continued with his original speech.
"I'm different from anyone she's ever dated" He stated simply. "But that's not what's important right now…" He added, shifting the focus back to Lea's feelings as he wasn't there seeking validation for himself, but rather to stand up for his girlfriend. "As I said, all the things you told her yesterday and your attitude, hurt her…"
Mike opened his mouth to say something, but before any of them could interrupt Shaun one more time, Shaun rose his hand again, signaling Mike to stop.
"No, you need to listen to me." Shaun's voice remained firm and determined as he met Mike's eyes for a second before glancing away again.
Pam blinked at his bluntness, and Mike just closed his mouth, pressing his lips together. Both momentarily caught off guard.
"I've dealt with rejection my whole life, even from my own parents…" Shaun added, and exhaled sharply as those words pressed against him heavier than he had anticipated. But he had moved past that and he needed to focus right now, so he continued. "But in time, I learned how to deal with it. Even though it sometimes still hurts, I've learned to let go and to move on, because you can't always change how people perceive you…"
He let those words settle for a moment before shifting the focus back to why he was there. "You hurt Lea, though…"
Pam's lips pressed into a thin line, not really wanting to be there, having such conversation with anyone, especially with her daughter's boyfriend.
Shaun continued with his voice softening slightly. "She cried all afternoon and most of the night yesterday. She's barely eating today and she's…" He paused again as his mind drifted back to his memories of Lea from the day before and that morning, trying to articulate what he had perceived from her body language, her expressions and her words, then he added:
"She's sad and disappointed because she doesn't have a good relationship with you."
Pam glanced at her husband, expecting him to step in, but Mike, emotionally exhausted from everything, remained silent and deep in thought, questioning everything, which frustrated his wife, making her feel like she had to handle everything herself.
"We know this is hard, Shaun." Pam said with a forced sigh. "But as Lea's parents, we have a lifetime of experience, and we know what's best for her, even if she doesn't always sees it. And well… we just don't think this is a good thing."
Shaun inhaled slowly, taking a brief moment to process her words, but as he did, something surfaced in his memory. A conversation from years ago, about a patient whose parents had insisted they knew best, even when they didn't see the full picture. He thought the argument used back then could be applied here too.
"You knew her then…" He nodded slightly, glancing at Pam. "You don't know her now. Not the way I do." He shook his head.
Pam's eyebrow raised slightly, and Shaun gazed away, taking another moment to reorganize his thoughts before continuing.
"You still think of her as the girl who made reckless choices to upset you, but that's not who she is now. In fact, she would never do anything just to get back at you. That's not her…"
Mike and Pam just exchanged a glance, but allowed Shaun to continue without interruption.
"You think she doesn't know what she wants, and you also think you know what's best for her, but if you were right, she wouldn't have left Ben when she did, and you wouldn't ask her nor want her to get back with a man like that." Shaun added, letting his words get to them for a moment.
Mike swallowed, feeling his throat tightening. Pam's jaw clenched while a flicker of unease flashed across her face, which she quickly masked with defiance, still refusing to accept or even give the benefit of the doubt to Lea's accusations.
Shaun took a breath as his mind flashed to his own past, to memories that still pressed against his chest whenever he thought about them too long. But this wasn't about him. Not entirely.
"I wish my mom would have left my dad." He admitted after a moment with a quieter but still firm voice. "I wish she had chosen to go away with me and my brother instead of staying in an abusive relationship... "
Mike looked at Shaun, frowning softly cocking his head to the side slightly as he wondered about his troubled past. Pam simply gazed away, remaining rigid.
"But Lea left." Shaun continued. "Because she knew that was not the life she wanted. She wanted to be happy." His gaze flickered between Lea's parents, taking in their expressions.
"You haven't been the best parents either…" He added, without malice, just as a fact. "But she still loves you. She just wishes you were different... She still wants to be happy and wants you to be part of her life and future, but you keep pushing her away, letting your biased and uninformed judgment get in the way."
Pam swallowed hard, and her posture stiffened as her hand gripped the strap of her purse. Meanwhile, Mike remained silent, absorbing every word.
After a brief glance at them, Shaun continued. "You told Lea that being with someone like me is, and would be…" He paused, searching for a better word, because the one they had actually used gnawed at him, sitting heavy in his mind, too harsh and cutting that it didn't even feel right to say it, then he settled on another word. "A challenge…" He added fiddling with his fingers, but he pushed forward. "Well, you were right…"
Pam blinked, surprised by the unexpected admission.
"Lea and I go through challenges, but we do it together. It's one of the things that makes us stronger." Shaun continued. His tone firm and matter-of-fact again. "We make each other more."
Mike's gaze flickered between Shaun and the floor, taking in everything. Pam's lips parted slightly, but she didn't speak.
"She challenges me to try things." Shaun explained. "Even things I know I won't like. Because it's not always better to stop and think… And I make Lea patient, because I can be very frustrating, but so can the two of you."
Pam softly gasped taken aback by his bluntness again, but next to her, Mike let out a quiet huff of acknowledgment, knowing there was truth in Shaun's last sentence.
"I just… I hope one day you see Lea the way I do" Shaun added. "Strong, smart, fun, kind, patient… and yes, she has a good heart." He nodded slightly, and looked at them again. "Yet, what you think doesn't and won't change the way we feel about each other… But I want Lea to be happy, and having you in her life would make her happy… But like she said, it's up to you whether you want to be part of her current and future happiness or not."
Shaun's words hung in the air between them, heavy and full of truth. Pam shifted uncomfortably, pressing her lips together with stubborn resistance, but she didn't have a response. Mike stared at the floor with his head slightly bowed, at a loss for words, too.
"Maybe this challenge will make your relationship stronger, too…" Shaun said almost as an afterthought, then shrugged softly before turning and walking away, leaving Pam and Mike with their mouths slightly open, watching him as he left the hotel.
Back at the hospital, after quickly checking on his patient, Shaun retuned to the locker room and grabbed his backpack while his mind replayed the conversation with Lea's parents, analyzing each word and reassuring himself that he had said everything he intended to, and had managed it way better than he had anticipated. However, now came the part he hadn't yet planned for—telling Lea.
He slung the backpack over his shoulders, then pulled his phone out of his pocket and texted her.
Meanwhile, in another part of the hospital, Lea exhaled slowly as she turned off her computer and gathered her things. It had been a long day, not because of work, but because her mind kept drifting back to her parents, and their words kept echoing in the back oh her mind, like the annoying system error that kept popping up earlier, except this wasn't one she could simply troubleshoot and fix.
Right before she grabbed her phone, it buzzed, and she leaned over the desk to look at the screen.
"Are you done at work for the day?"
Lea grabbed her phone and replied.
"Was just gathering my stuff. Why?"
Her phone vibrated in her hand before she could put it down again.
"I would like to get back home with you."
Lea instantly smiled softly at his message.
It wasn't often that they got to arrive to work or leave together, which confused some people, given that they lived together and worked in the same place, but they had very different schedules, especially with Shaun's on-call days. But every chance they got to head home together was something she treasured. Sometimes they turned the occasion into spontaneous mini dinner dates where they'd go somewhere to eat instead of getting home to cook, but this time, Nonna Dilallo had made her granddaughter promise she'd be home in time for dinner because she had cooked one of her favorite dishes.
"Perfect. Meet you outside?" She replied.
"Okay"
She shoved her laptop charger into her bag along with the rest of her stuff, then switched off the lights in her office before heading out.
She felt a bit lighter than she had all day. Goin home with Shaun was a simple thing, but it made her happy. And to top that, her grandma was waiting for them with her delicious food that would certainly make everything feel even better.
At the parking lot, Shaun paced along the side of Lea's car for a bit, occasionally glancing toward the hospital exit while he waited for Lea. His mind sorting through everything he had to tell her.
After a moment, he briefly leaned back against the car and absentmindedly looked down, noticing a stain on one of his suede shoes, then thought he'd have to get that cleaned as soon as possible.
And while he was fixated on the spot on his shoe, Lea stepped out of the building, taking a deep breath of fresh air. The crisp evening breeze was a nice change from the sterile air inside the hospital.
As she walked to her parking spot, her gaze instinctively searched for Shaun, and when she spotted him—leaning against the side of the Stripped Tomato, holding onto the straps of his backpack, looking down, deep in though, and effortlessly looking good—her heart did a little flip.
She slowed her pace, letting herself admire the view. Something about the way he stood, relaxed yet focused, with the late afternoon sun catching the sharp angles of his face, made her reach for her phone, and she quickly snapped a few photos of him as she kept walking with a bit of amusement building up in her chest.
Shaun turned his head slightly and caught sight of her just as she reached him, but before he could say anything, she grinned and held her phone up to his face.
"You look like pulled out of a magazine or a movie scene." She teased as her eyes twinkled.
Shaun gently took her phone, and studied the photos.
"My guy." She added, still grinning, and leaned up to kiss his cheek before opening the back door of the car to toss her bag inside.
"You're a good photographer." Shaun said, looking at her, and handed her phone back.
"You're a great model." She smirked and quickly winked at him before moving to the driver's side to get in the car.
Shaun instinctively mirrored her wink, then got in the car as well, watching Lea closely as she kept smiling. It was the first time he had seen a genuine smile on her since yesterday, and it momentarily made everything else fade.
She looked happy, and that's all that mattered.
Meanwhile, back at the hotel where Lea's parents were staying…
Pam barely spoke a word on the way back to their room, but as soon as they stepped inside, her simmering irritation finally boiled over.
Se tossed her purse onto the bed with a sharp exhale, then turned to face her husband. "I can't believe you just stood there and let him talk to us like that."
Mike sighed as he placed the shopping bags down, and his jaw tensed. He wasn't sure where he stood anymore, but one thing was clear—Shaun's words were stuck in his mind, gnawing at parts of himself he hadn't examined in a long time.
After he didn't say anything, Pam just scoffed and shook her head. "And of course, Lea told him everything… She has him wrapped around her finger, and he'll say anything to defend her… He had no right to come find us, and…"
"For God's sake, Pamela, do you hear yourself?" Mike snapped. His voice sharp and cutting through the air like a whip.
Pam blinked, visibly startled, and she stared at him for a moment, as if trying to process what had just happened.
It had been years since he had raised his voice at her in frustration. He never challenged her. And yet, there he was, with an expression she found hard to decipher.
"Excuse me?" She finally said.
Mike scoffed under his breath and shook his head, but instead of arguing, he turned and walked toward the door.
"I'm going for a drink." He muttered before stepping out, letting the door shut behind him.
Pam stood frozen for a moment with her mouth slightly open, still thrown off by the way he had snapped at her, and still disturbed by the conversation with Shaun.
Down at the hotel bar, Mike sat with a whiskey on the rocks, staring at the amber liquid as the ice clinked against the glass while he stirred it.
He wasn't a heavy drinker, but he needed something to calm his nerves and his mind since both were a tangled mess.
His mother's words, Shaun's words, and Lea's voice from the day before—all echoed in his head. He wasn't sure what to think anymore. He tried to go back in time in his mind, to the times when Ben and Lea were together, searching for any signs he might have missed. Had there been moments when Lea seemed withdrawn? Had there been times when everyone laughed about something Ben said but she was actually uncomfortable? Had Ben ever mistreated her in front of them, but everyone brushed it off, thinking nothing of it? Had he ever truly seen his daughter and paid attention to what she wanted and made her happy, or had he just gone along with his wife's expectations, afraid to rock the boat if he disagreed with her?
He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face before finishing his drink and ordering another.
He didn't know what was true, but his gut was telling him he needed to find out, because he wasn't willing to lose his daughter over his own blind spots or his wife's stubbornness.
By the time he returned to the room, Pam was sitting on the edge of the bed with her arms crossed. She glanced at him quickly as he shut the door behind him but quickly looked away.
Mike walked to the only chair in the room and sat there for a moment, looking at her before speaking. "We need to talk."
Pam stiffened slightly but didn't say anything, she just met his gaze and waited for him to explain himself.
Mike sighed. His expression shifting between guilt, exhaustion and worry. "This isn't right, Pamela. I know it, and deep down, even if you're reluctant to admit it, you know it too."
"What isn't right? The fact that your daughter is making heavy false accusations about someone we've known for years and has never given signs of being anything but a good friend to our family and a good man to her, or the fact that everyone seems to be taking Lea's side without question?" She scoffed. "I can't believe you all have just decided to believe all this nonsense! It's insane! She's even brainwashed that boy!"
"Pam. Stop it…" Mike shook his head softly, and she rolled her eyes, but he continued. "I don't have proof of anything, but I can't shake the feeling that there's more to this than we ever saw." He hesitated before adding, "I've been trying to piece it together in my head, going back to the times we saw them together. What if we mistook things for love when they were really something else? What if we missed signs? What if we're just letting our pride get in the way, blinding us from what truly matters, which should be our daughter's happiness?"
Pam scoffed again. "Do you even hear how ridiculous you sound?"
Mike exhaled, and his expression hardened. "Look, you can believe whatever you want. All I know is I don't want to lose my daughter, and I'm not going to lose her over your damn stubbornness and pride. I won't just back you up and take your side anymore."
Pam's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. His words stung because she couldn't believe what was happening.
Mike rubbed a hand over his face, trying to calm himself, then spoke again with a softer tone.
"Lea's happy, Pam… She's with someone who loves her and respects her, and all we've done is make her feel like it's not good enough. Like she's not good enough." He looked down at the floor and sighed again. "I didn't say anything to Shaun because, everything he told us… He was right… About how we've treated her. How we've made her feel… I hate this, Pam" He looked at her again. "I don't want our relationship with our daughter to be like this—I never wanted this!"
Pam exhaled sharply, crossing her arms defensively. She wanted to argue. She wanted to confront him for the way he had been with her lately, and to insist that they'd only ever wanted the best for their daughter. But the words felt hollow even before she could say them. She thought about the look on Lea's face the day before, painted with the disappointment and hurt Shaun had mentioned, and her last words to them before they left the apartment… And then there was the regret and guilt in her husband's voice and actions.
Her jaw tensed, but after a long moment, she finally gave a small reluctant nod. Because deep down, she didn't want to lose their daughter either.
"…What do we do then?"
Mike was quiet for a moment, thinking.
"I think we should give them space for now, so we don't make things worse… And tomorrow, we could reach out and—I don't know, maybe invite them for lunch or something. Try to talk."
Pam hesitated for a bit, but in the end, she agreed.
Shaun and Lea arrived home, and as soon as they stepped into the apartment, the scent of authentic home-cooked Italian food wrapped around them, warm and inviting.
"Nonna, it smells SO good!" Lea exclaimed, and Shaun agreed with a nod as both left their bags and jackets near the door.
From the kitchen, Sue smiled while tapping a spoon against the edge of a pan before setting it aside.
"Did you manage to find everything you needed at the supermarket?" Lea asked as she walked into the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Shaun scanned the apartment for a minute before also walking into the kitchen to see what was being cooked.
"Oh, yes." Sue nodded, and her eyes lit up. "They had things from everywhere in the world! It was really nice."
Lea grinned. "That's where we always go when we need special ingredients, right, Shaun?" She turned toward him.
Shaun, still peeking into the pans and pots, nodded slightly and replied with a soft voice. "Yes."
Nonna turned around and opened one of the drawers, pulling three placemats out. Shaun's attention shifted to her.
"You already know where everything is." He said with a mild but evident surprise
Sue simply grinned with mischief, then winked at him before walking to the dining table.
Lea, also watching her grandma, chuckled softly and turned back to the stove, reaching into one of the drawers for a spoon to try the sauce her grandma had made.
Sue leaned over the table to set the placemats, but as soon as she straightened back up, her posture wavered and she quickly reached out to grip the nearest chair for balance.
"Nonna?" Lea set the spoon down with a soft clink against the counter, her smile faded and turned into concern, then she crossed the room in an instant, reaching for her grandmother. "Are you okay?"
Shaun, watching the scene, shifted into doctor mode and began scanning Sue the way he would a patient. Without a word, he stepped out of the kitchen and walked to the shelves in the living, getting his first aid kit with quick, precise movements.
"I'm fine, tesoro. It's just a little headache." Nonna replied with a tired smile and waved a hand slightly, as if that could brush away Lea's concern.
"You lost your balance for a moment. You are not fine." Shaun stated as he approached with the bag.
"Exactly. Shaun's going to examine you, right?" Lea glanced at him with urgency.
Shaun nodded with his focus already locked on Sue, then he pointed at the chair Sue was still leaning on. "Sit down."
Nonna sighed, subtly rolling her eyes, and quietly muttering something in Italian as she reluctantly sat down.
"It's just been a log day, caro, and the kitchen got a bit too hot, that's all. I already took my blood pressure medication earlier. I'm fine."
"Are you hypertensive?" Shaun asked, crouching slightly while pulling out a blood pressure monitor and an extra stethoscope he kept in his kit.
"Yes, but it's under control…" Sue replied, watching her granddaughter's boyfriend as he focused on what he was doing.
"Checking won't hurt, and it's important…" Shaun simply said as he looked at his watch, then moved the chair next to her and sat there.
Without hesitation, he gently reached for her arm and carefully rolled up her sleeve, then wrapped the cuff around her arm.
"Have you had any other symptoms today, apart from the dizziness and the headache? Blurred vision, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain?" He asked, like reading the symptoms out of a book.
Sue shook her head softly, watching him with interest. "I have one of these at home, but mine is digital—Oh! I actually brought it to check my pressure during the trip to Los Cabos, but I think it's in your dad's suitcase." She looked up at Lea, then back at Shaun before continuing. "I would have thought that, with how young you are and all the fancy technology available nowadays, a doctor like you would have a very modern blood pressure monitor." She teased him.
"Please don't talk." Shaun simply said as he placed the earpieces of the stethoscope in his ears before he began pumping air into the cuff.
Sue blinked, momentarily taken aback, while Lea raised a brow, but both quietly watched him as he did his thing.
After Shaun released the pressure and listened intently, he spoke again. "Digital monitors aren't bad, although some are better than others. Manual monitors are more accurate, but most people don't know how to use them, and it can be tricky to self-measure blood pressure with them. Another pro of manual monitors is that they don't require batteries."
Lea smiled softly as the last word sparked a memory.
"Shaun and I met over batteries, Nonna." She commented while Shaun removed the cuff from Sue's arm.
Sue's eyes lit up with curiosity. "I would like to hear that story someday."
Shaun, unfazed, packed the monitor and the stethoscope back in the kit before looking at Sue again. "Your blood pressure is a little high. Did you eat properly today? Have you been drinking enough water? Has anything stressed you?" He asked, tilting his hear slightly.
"I did, I have, and no…" Sue answered, but her gaze shifted elsewhere.
Just by looking at her body language, Lea instantly knew her grandma was lying, so she called her off "Nonna…"
Sue rolled her eyes again. "Fine. I had a coffee and a cornetto from that place where I bought the groceries."
"All day?" Lea groaned exasperatedly. "I get that that's your classic Italian breakfast, but, come on, Nonna…"
"Those are two things you shouldn't be consuming if you are hypertensive." Shaun stated, shaking his head slightly. "Did your doctor not tell you that?"
Sue huffed. "I'm Italian, Shaun. I can't get away from a classic Italian breakfast—That coffee I got wasn't good at all, though. I ended up throwing it away." She finished wrinkling her nose in disgust.
Lea rolled her eyes, then sighed. "That's no excuse, Nonna!"
Sue shrugged softly. "I can't help it!"
While Lea and her grandma argued some more, Shaun calmly zipped the bag, then walked back to the living to return it to its proper place, and before Lea and her grandma knew it, he was back with them, holding a glass of water.
"You should drink this and lie down for a bit. Lea and I can set the table." He said handing Sue the glass of water.
"What he said." Lea nodded firmly, crossing her arms.
Nonna took the glass from Shaun, chuckling softly as she found Lea's stance amusing. "I'm fine! You two worry too much."
"And you don't worry enough!" Lea shot back, sighing again before she rubbed her fingers against one of her temples.
Sue sighed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, raising her hands slightly in defeat. "Va bene, va bene. I'll lie down. But only because I don't want you two nagging at me all night."
"Good." Lea nodded once as her grandma stood from the chair, and she instinctively reached out to help her, then walked her to the guest bedroom, helping her lie down "We'll let you know when everything's ready. You get some rest."
Leaving her grandma in bed, Lea returned to the kitchen with Shaun, and they set the table. Then, after a quick change into more comfortable clothes, they called Sue back out once everything was ready.
Dinner was warm and lively, the kind of easygoing night everyone needed after the events of the previous day. Conversation flowed effortlessly between bites of food, with Nonna and her expressive gestures making every story feel larger than life. She was in the middle of telling Shaun all about the small town in Italy where she'd grown up.
Shaun listened intently, occasionally asking precise questions about the town's population or the quality of life there, comparing the data she offered with the one he once read or heard about somewhere, while Lea just watched them with a smile as a warm feeling settled in her chest.
It all felt good and safe, until her phone vibrated against the table.
The sharp buzz cut through the moment, startling her. She picked her phone, and as soon as she realized the text was from her dad, her stomach twisted and her smile faded away.
She took a deep breath, then swiped her thumb over the screen and read the message.
"Would you and Shaun be open to having lunch with us tomorrow?"
"Everything okay?" Sue asked, catching her granddaughter's expression.
Lea stared at her phone, reading the message twice, as if making sure she had read it right, then slowly set her phone back on the table.
"My—My dad just texted me… They want to have lunch with us tomorrow." She replied, unsure about how she felt about it.
Nonna Dilallo arched a brow, reaching for her glass of wine to take a sip, momentarily thinking about the conversation she had earlier with her son.
"Oh…" Shaun simply said, setting down his fork on his plate, then dropped the bomb. "Maybe what I told them did make a difference and they changed their minds after all."
Lea frowned in confusion and her head immediately turned to look at him. "What?"
Shaun, seemingly unconcerned, momentarily focused on cutting a ravioli in half before popping it into his mouth.
Lea stared at him, puzzled and waiting for an answer. "Shaun… What do you mean, what I told them? When? What? How?"
Shaun swallowed and took a sip of his wine before answering with a small nod. "I went to see them earlier, before coming home with you."
Lea set her fork down on her plate while a strange mix of emotions swirled inside her—concern, disbelief, something close to admiration, but also… worry.
"What? Why?—No, hold on. You went to see them alone?" She asked, looking at him again with concern.
"Yes." Shaun simply said with a nod.
For a moment, Lea just looked at him, her thoughts racing with all the ways this could've gone wrong. Meanwhile, Sue leaned back in her chair, wearing a look that was equal parts shock, amusement, and…pride?
"Okay…" Lea glanced at her plate for a second and took a deep breath, like bracing herself for what was coming, before looking back at Shaun. "Tell me exactly what you told them."
Shaun nodded slightly and launched into a detailed recount. He told her everything—down to the smell of the Uber he took to get to the hotel. He recited each sentence, every reaction and response from him and her parents. He recounted everything like presenting the procedure of one of his surgical cases, in a very detailed and methodical way.
Lea barely blinked as she absorbed it all. Across from her, Sue occasionally shook her head or scoffed softly under her breath at some of the things Pam had said.
By the time he finished, Lea looked everywhere but at him, still trying to figure out how she felt.
Shocked? Definitely.
Conflicted? Yes.
A little impressed? …Maybe?
She wasn't sure if she should be mad at him, love him even more, or worry about whatever repercussions this would have. It only vaguely gave her an idea of what her parents would say if she and Shaun agreed to have lunch with them.
She inhaled deeply before glancing at him again, and with a soft voice, she asked. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"I was going to, but you were already stressed and sad. I was going to tell you before we left the hospital, but you looked happy, and I didn't want to ruin that. And then, when we got home, Nonna wasn't feeling well, so…" He shrugged slightly. "I couldn't find the right moment to mention it until just now."
Sue huffed softly and amusedly, slightly arching a brow as she coked her head a little to the side, then muttered. "Ha le palle… (He's got balls)"
Lea's head whipped toward her called her, giving her a stern look. "Nonna."
Sue raised her hands in mock surrender, chuckling softly.
"What?" Shaun asked, his gaze bouncing between them.
"Never mind, caro." Sue smiled at him before taking another sip of her wine.
Shaun looked back at Lea. "Are you mad at me?"
"I…" She hesitated as her gazed dropped to her lap, thinking, then she shook her head slightly, and sighed. "I don't know what to say right now."
"And that's fine." Nonna said gently, then looked at Shaun. "You did nothing wrong, Shaun. It all was just… unexpected…"
Shaun nodded softly and resumed eating, though his movements were more careful now, as if giving Lea space. Meanwhile, her eyes drifted back to her phone, where her dad's message still sat unanswered, and the screen dimmed off.
"I myself had a rather heated conversation with my son earlier, too…" Sue confessed after a moment, before drinking some more of her wine.
"So, something did stress you today." Shaun noted, looking at her.
"Today, yesterday…" Nonna Shrugged. "It's a constant battle. I might have my pressure under control, but I certainly cannot control my son and his wife." She turned to look at Lea with a soft expression. "I'm sorry, tesoro…"
Lea sighed, closing her eyes briefly before shaking her head. She wanted to tell her grandma that it wasn't her fault, that she wasn't the one who needed to apologize. But the words caught in her throat.
She wasn't even sure how she felt anymore. Drained. Frustrated. Maybe a little relieved that her dad was at least reaching out. But, did it really mean anything? Or was it just another cycle of them attempting to smooth things over without really addressing anything? All she was sure about was that this couldn't continue the way it was.
The next day, Lea sat in her office, half-focused on an email she was drafting, when she glanced at the clock in one corner of her screen. 11:42. Almost time to face her parents again… Her stomach twisted at the thought.
The decision to meet her parents again hadn't come lightly. She barely said anything else the night before, but Shaun's account of the confrontation with her parents kept replaying in her mind. Every word he'd repeated stuck with her, carving deeper into her thoughts. And when the morning came, she couldn't hold back the question that had been pressing at her all night.
Why?
She asked Shaun why he had felt the need to confront her parents and what had driven him to do it.
He answered with his usual honesty, laying out his reasons one by one. His words were not only logical but also personal.
"I wanted to stand up for you."
"I know what it's like when people assume things about you—things that aren't true. I know what it feels like to be judged unfairly. And I can see how much this is hurting you. I wanted to help."
Lea's always known he's a good listener. He always notices things most people overlook, even if he sometimes misses certain social cues. But somehow, hearing how deeply he had listened to her—really listened—caught her off guard. He had taken the things she had told him about her parents, about Ben, about they way their judgement had weighed on her for years, and he had connected them to his own experiences, drawing parallels between her past and his own, having in mind how people had dismissed or underestimated them, and the hurt of being told they weren't enough as they were. And in doing so, he made her realize that he had gone to see her parents because he wanted them to not just hear these things but to understand them. Not just things about him, but about her and who she was, what she had been through, and why he she didn't deserve they way they had treated her.
In the end, after much thought—and with both Shaun and Nonna helping her work through how the meeting could go—she made her decision. She would give her parents yet another chance. Not for them, but for herself; for her own peace of mind, for her Nonna's sanity, and for Shaun. Because even if he didn't fully see it, this affected him too, and she wanted it to end.
The more Lea thought about what her parents would have to say this time—not only to her but to Shaun—the more afraid she was of things going south again. Because the last time she had talked to them, things spiraled out of control fast. So this time she needed someone to keep everyone in check, for the sake of everyone's sanity, and who better than her Nonna?
At first, Sue was hesitant. She wanted Lea and Shaun to have a moment of honesty and reflection with her parents, uninterrupted by outside influence, but when Lea explained why she wanted her there, Nonna finally agreed.
So now, the only thing left was for her to get mentally ready for whatever was about to happen…
Lea exhaled sharply, shaking off the thoughts swirling in her head as her eyes drifted back to her screen, where the half-written email still waited, and she forced herself to finish typing, reading the message twice before hitting send. Then she closed her laptop and leaned back in her chair, shutting her eyes for a moment as she took a deep breath, trying to sooth the headache that had been slowly building up all morning, likely from a mix of stress and overthinking.
—It's just one lunch. One more conversation. You've already faced worse. What can they say that's worse than what they've already said?— She thought, then pushed herself away from her desk as she stood up, and smoothed her blouse, as if that could somehow make her feel more put together than she actually was.
She grabbed her purse, slung it over her shoulder, and walked out of her office, heading to the parking lot to meet Shaun.
He was waiting for her exactly where they met the day before, and when she saw him, she smiled softly to herself. There was always something in his steady composure. A contagious certainty that grounded her and made her feel safe.
As she approached him, he caught sight of her, and immediately scanned her for any signs of distress, but given the soft smile on her face, he deduced she was fine, so he re-focused on the present facts.
"You're late." He let out.
Lea chuckled softly. "By like two minutes."
"That is late."
She shook her head, still smiling as she walked around the car, then got in and he did the same.
"Are you ready?" He asked, looking at her after fastening his seatbelt.
Lea started the car and inhaled deeply, holding onto the steering wheel as she looked straight ahead. "As ready as I can be."
Shaun nodded, accepting her answer as fact, then turned to look ahead, too. "We should go now or we'll be late if there's traffic."
"Yes, sir." She playfully rolled her eyes, then began driving off the parking lot, heading to their apartment to pick up her grandma.
The drive to the restaurant was quiet after they picked up Sue. Not the kind of silence that came from simply enjoying each other's company, but the heavy serious kind, filled with thoughts that neither of them dared to voice.
Lea kept her hands firm on the wheel and her focus on the road ahead, but her mind was already at the restaurant, running through possible responses to whatever her parents might say. The uncertainty of what awaited gnawed at her.
Minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot and shut off the engine, but after that, she didn't move. She stayed in her seat, hands still gripping the wheel, and eyes fixed on the entrance of the restaurant as the nerves crept in.
Shaun unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to look at her, then he glanced at Sue in the backseat, silently wondering what to do.
Sue exchanged a look with him before sliding closer to the back of Lea's seat, resting a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder.
"Everything will be okay, tesoro… You're not alone in this. Sono con te (I'm with you). And whatever happens, we face it together."
Lea let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, and nodded slightly, but the tightness she felt in her chest didn't ease.
"You too, Shaun." Nonna turned to him, offering a warm smile. "I'm here for you too, okay?"
Shaun blinked, processing her words, then looked into her eyes. She had always been kind to him, but something about this moment felt…different.
He never had a grandmother, so he never knew what it was like to have one—to be given that kind of unwavering support. Both sets of his grandparents were either gone before he could even remember, or simply never present in his life. But Sue… she wasn't his grandmother, yet she treated him like family.
He wasn't sure how to describe the feeling, but he thought that maybe…maybe this was what having a grandmother felt like.
"We face it together…" Shaun repeated with a soft but firm nod.
Nonna nodded back, keeping her soft smile, then reached for the door handle, and opened it.
"Andiamo allora (Let's go then)" She said as she got out of the car with an ease that defied her age.
Lea took a deep breath as she unbuckled her seatbelt, then turned to look at Shaun, who was just waiting for her to move first, like waiting for her lead.
Their eyes met for a moment, exchanging a silent message between them, and before getting out of the car, she leaned over to peck his lips.
It took Shaun a second longer to process everything, then he got out of the car too, and together, the three of them walked toward the restaurant as a united front.
The moment they stepped inside, Shaun was briefly caught up by the details around him. The restaurant had a modern yet cozy feel. Warm amber lighting softened the dark wood furnishing casting a welcoming glow over the space. The scent of sizzling grilled meats with hints of rich sauces and charred vegetables filled the air. A low hum of conversation and the occasional clatter of plates filled the space, creating a lively yet relaxed atmosphere.
Lea, on the other hand, barely took any of it in. Her stomach was already knotted, and her thoughts were tangled with anticipation of what was to come. She walked straight up to the hostess, and asked for the Dilallos. Then, within moments, they were led through the restaurant toward the terrace, and the moment she spotted her parents at their table, that knot in her stomach twisted painfully tighter.
Mike noticed them first, and he hesitated before pushing himself up from his chair with an awkward but hopeful smile. Pam remained seated, stiff and unreadable, though the tension in the way she held herself spoke volumes.
"Hi…" Mike greeted everyone and vacillated before he awkwardly reached out to lightly hug his daughter.
Lea stiffened at the gesture, unsure of what to do, until she finally gave him a couple light pats on the shoulder before pulling back. The interaction was as awkward as it was brief.
"Mamma…" Mike said, looking at his mother, but at the sharp weight of her gaze, he quickly dropped his eyes like a scolded boy.
"Michael… Pamela…" Sue muttered, gazing from her son to her daughter-in-law.
Pam straightened slightly in her chair but remained silent.
"Shaun…" Mike said, hesitating before extending a hand.
"Hello." Shaun simply said, glancing down at Mike's hand for a second before reaching to give it a light and quick shake.
"Thank you for coming. Please, sit." Mike gestured to the chairs across from them. "I'll get you a chair, ma."
He quickly pulled a chair from another table and placed it at the head of theirs, ensuring that Sue sat between both sides, like an unspoken mediator. Meanwhile, Shaun and Lea took their seats across from Pam and Mike. The arrangement felt both strategic and inevitable.
"Mom…" Lea greeted her.
Pam cleared her throat, then let out an awkward "Hi" in return.
A moment of silence surrounded their table, until a waiter appeared, handing out menus and cheerfully offering the special drink of the week along with a few appetizer recommendations.
"You can order whatever you want." Mike said after everyone thanked the waiter before he left to give them time to decide.
After quickly skimming the menu, Shaun opened his mouth to let everyone know what he was going to order, but before he could let a word out, Lea spoke first.
"Why don't we just get to the point of this meeting?" She said abruptly, with defensiveness in her tone as she placed her menu down without even glancing at it, then added. "I'm not going to sit here, order food, and pretend everything is fine until you two decide to get to the point."
"Lea…" Nonna said softly, reaching to gently rest her hand on her granddaughter's shoulder, letting her know she had all her support, but as a sign for her to slow down and take a breath before letting the conversation spiral.
Shaun silently set his menu down on the table, glancing at Lea as she inhaled sharply. Then, almost on instinct, or maybe pure anxiety, her hand slipped under the table, reaching for his. And without hesitation, he met her halfway, intwining his fingers with hers, which grounded her, then she exhaled, tightening her grip just slightly.
Across the table, Pam uncomfortably shifted in her seat as she watched them, but said nothing.
Mike cleared his throat. "We uh…" Mike hesitated, and quickly glanced at his wife before looking back at Shaun and Lea. "We just want to talk."
Lea's posture remained rigid. "About what?"
"Well…" Mike sighed as guilt painted his expression. "We've been thinking about what you and Shaun said…"
Shaun and Lea exchanged a glance, before looking back at her parents.
"I won't lie to you and say we're suddenly fine with everything…. But we also don't want to keep pushing you away." Mike added with a measured tone.
Pam nodded slightly, pressing her lips together before she finally spoke. "I can't promise I'll ever agree with all your choices, but…" She looked down briefly, and sighed before meeting Lea's eyes. "We don't want to lose you."
Pam's words resonated in Mike's head, reminding him of what his mother had said to him the day before about his own relationship. Her words had felt like a gut punch, because one thing is to suspect that your parents aren't exactly fans of your girlfriend-turned up-wife, but to hear them say it out loud… And now, his wife was basically admitting the same to their own daughter. She was willing to tolerate Shaun, in order to not lose her daughter.
Mike stared at the table for a moment, then glanced at his mother, whom, after having picked up on the irony behind Pam's words, looked at her son too, and subtly lifted her eyebrows, as if telling him "Sound familiar?"
Mike's gaze dropped back to the table, and exhaled, then he turned to momentarily look at his wife before glancing back at his daughter.
Lea raised a brow, a bit skeptical at her parent's words. "And what does that mean, exactly? That you'll stop judging every decision I make? That you'll actually start showing some respect for my life and my partner? That you'll stop assuming everything I do is just to piss you off instead of, you know, me just trying to build a life of my own and be happy?"
Her words cut through whatever peace had settled between them.
Mike sighed, and swallowed a gulp in his throat as his gaze dropped again. Pam sighed too, shifting in her seat again as the weight of the conversation finally settled onto her shoulders.
"I know we've been… harsh" Pam admitted after a moment.
"To say the least…" Lea muttered, still defensive.
Pam gave a small nod, acknowledging the truth in that. "And I know we've been wrong about some things… We may not be the best parents, but…" She paused, quickly glancing at Shaun before looking at Lea. "You should know that we've always had your happiness in mind."
—Right…— Lea thought as she sighed.
"I mean, we're not perfect…" Mike added with sincerity. "We might not understand—hell, we don't even really know what your relationship is like, but we can see that you care about each other."
"We love each other." Shaun corrected him matter-of-factly with a firm nod.
Lea briefly looked, still holding his hand. The simple conviction in his voice made her heart swell, and she gave him a soft smile before looking back at her parents; her expression turning serious again.
"Yes…" Mike nodded softly, considering Shaun's words. "And that should be all that matters."
Shaun nodded again. "Yes."
"I know we let you down…" Mike added, meeting his daughter's eyes. "And I'm sorry, Lea. For not listening… For… For hurting you."
Lea swallowed hard, as the emotion in her father's voice made her throat tighten.
Mike opened his mouth to say more, but the waiter came back.
"Are you guys ready to order?"
"Not yet, darling. Please give us a little more time." Nonna said gently, looking up at the waiter with her kindest smile.
"Sure…take your time." The waiter said with a nod, sensing the tension at the table, then he turned and walked away.
Mike's eyes were still on Lea, and he continued. "I know things can't be fixed overnight, but we want to try… We want to be part of your life… If you let us."
Lea inhaled sharply as her emotions accumulated and clashed. She wasn't sure she was ready to just move on, as in forgive and forget. She didn't want to be the kind of person who held onto grudges. She could forgive, but forget? That was something else entirely.
For the first time in a long time, she saw her dad take the lead in a conversation. Him, not her mother, which surprised her. But she could also see the guilt in his eyes and hear the sincerity in his words. Her mom on the other hand, she looked reluctant to even be there; typical of her, but at least she was there. Both of them were there trying, in their own way. And for the first time, they were admitting they weren't perfect and offering an apology. That alone was enough to make Lea hesitate before shutting them out completely.
Exhaling slowly, she glanced at Nonna, and she gave her a small, reassuring nod, as well as the softest, warmest smile, as a sign of support. Lea then turned to look into Shaun's eyes.
"What do you think?" Lea asked softly, genuinely wanting to hear his opinion.
Shaun looked at her, briefly thinking before answering. "I thought they were going to yell at us…" He blinked. "But they're being good parents right now." He nodded slightly. "You should forgive them."
Lea huffed a small laugh, while Nonna just grinned, watching them.
Mike couldn't help smiling amusedly, too. "Thanks, Shaun."
"You're welcome." Shaun replied, and this time Pam couldn't hold back an amused huff, shaking her head slightly.
"Okay…" Lea said, looking back at her parents with a small nod, loosening her grip on Shaun's had slightly.
Mike smiled softly and hopeful, then hesitated for a second before awkwardly but gently reaching across the table to give Lea's free hand a soft squeeze.
And Before anyone could say anything else, Shaun spoke again.
"Can we order our food now?" He looked at everyone expectantly. "I am hungry, and I have to get back to the hospital."
The tension cracked, and everyone laughed softly, then Mike nodded. "I think we can order now, Shaun."
"Okay. " Shaun smiled softly with a nod, finally letting go of Lea's hand to pick his menu again.
Lea, however, just stared lovingly at him for a moment, thinking that no matter what happened with her parents, she had everything she needed with him.
The vibe that surrounded had eased, but that didn't mean everything was completely fine all of a sudden. The weight of the earlier discussion lingered but no longer pressed on them. Of course there was still a lot to work through. So much left unspoken. But for now, lunchtime carried on with a somewhat more relaxed ease as the conversation shifted to lighter topics, even though there was still a cloud of awkwardness over them.
"So…what's the story behind batteries that you sort of mentioned yesterday?" Nonna asked, actually curious but also trying to break the awkwardness.
Lea blinked, then laughed softly as the memory hit her. "Oh, you're gonna love this…"
She glanced at Shaun with a smirk, and he met her eyes with a small nod, as if bracing himself for her version of the story.
"So this is how asking your neighbor for batteries can change your life…"
As Lea began telling the story of how she and Shaun met, the lingering awkwardness faded a little more, replaced by quiet chuckles and knowing smiles.