Falling In Again

Episode 2: Dated

Angelica smiled at her date, Tom as he spoke about his work and how he was planning on expanding his work to a different location somewhere overseas. She thought that he was cute enough but he reminded her of someone she knew who was also passionate about their work, and at the end of the day, they were so engrossed with their job that they forgot about their family life.

It wasn’t until she stopped listening and her thoughts trailed off when she realized that she was thinking about Roman. He wasn’t a bad guy, but their love story had ended when they drifted apart and she had stayed up waiting for him to come home. It was when she was in her early twenties that their love had almost gone into pause and she knew she could no longer wait for him.

“Did I lose you?” Tom asked and Angelica realized that she obviously was no longer paying attention to him. “I’m sorry, I had a long shift today and I just wanted to make sure my daughter was in good hands.” She explained but knew half of it was half true.

She opened her phone to find a text from Mia and opened it briefly to find a selfie of her making a face as Roman was obviously asleep on the couch. He looked tired from what she could see but he was still handsome, his dark hair short on his temples and the obvious lines under his eyes didn’t take away from his tanned skin. She smiled and texted back, Wake him up. He’s supposed to be watching you, not the other way around. What did he make you to eat?

She closed her phone right after and knew it would be rude if she continued to text while on her date so she smiled at Tom as she answered a few questions. He was cute, his blue eyes and short cropped blonde hair was nicely styled. But maybe it was the fact that he reminded her of her ex-husband that she just did not click with him. She wondered if he took the hint because he asked her, “Would you like to go on a walk?”

She agreed and told herself even though she was not attracted to him, she could still have a nice time. They walked and grabbed dessert talking again but she wouldn’t lie to herself and say that she could withhold information. Everything was going in one ear and coming out the other. It was until they both stopped walking that she knew it was done and she was ready to go back home.

“I’m not sure if you think so but I had a really nice time.” Tom said as they both stopped and he was looking at her intently. She smiled and agreed quietly not saying so much as a reply and he watched her with his blue eyes. He moved closer and lowered his head down to meet her five foot four frame and she let him give her a kiss on the lips but she had already knew that she felt nothing more. No excitement nor pleasure.

Angela wasn’t sure if it was her or him but she felt nothing for the man and even though she knew she wasn’t looking for anything serious, she still wanted company. His lips were soft but she could say it was almost like she was kissing a wall. Or rather, she would have known that she was kissing a wall. With him, she didn’t realize he left her lips until she opened her eyes and his lips were still on hers.

She pulled back and moved away from him, knowing she would not be feeling anything more as her mind was no longer on her date. “Can we meet again some time?” He asked her, a softness in his eyes and Angelica knew she had to be real not only to herself but to him. “You’re nice and sweet, actually a real catch, but I don’t think I can give you what you’re looking for.” She told him and she could see his face drop but she continued. “I have a daughter that I want to focus on and my work. My schedule is as busy already and I’m not sure if I have anything to offer you than my company.”

“Are you looking for a friend’s with benefits type of relationship?” He asked and she shook her head not sure if she was looking for someone to ease her loneliness or real company. She knew it would be worse if she continued to lead him on when she didn’t know what it was that she wanted and waste not only her time but definitely his. This was her third date with him and she already knew nothing was going to come out of it.

There was a look in his eyes that she couldn’t tell what it was before it flashed just as quickly and he smiled at her. “I get it. Is it someone else?” He asked her silently and she shook her head. “It’s really not.”

***

Roman was looking through the fridge when he heard the front door open and glanced unconsciously at the clock on the oven reading ten-thirty. He listened for her heels as the sound resonated closer to the kitchen and he glanced at her as she put her keys on the counter.

“Rough night? Or really great night?” He asked her and she shook her head, rolling her chocolate brown eyes. “Shut up.” She said grabbing a wine glass from her cabinet. “Really bad it must seem.” He commented watching her open a wine bottle. Her makeup looked untouched and her hair was just as curled as when she left earlier that night, unless they snuck a quickie, he highly doubted that she got lucky tonight and he had to admit that he was glad.

“Is Mia asleep?” She asked taking a sip from her glass, offering him the bottle. He shook his head knowing he had to do some work before cutting in for the night. And he had to drive back home thirty minutes away. “Yeah, she was out by ten.” He said knowing that she might have been in bed staring at her phone if he didn’t take the device away.

There was an slight awkward silence as they both didn’t know what to say and Angelica didn’t know what to say to him other than updates on his daughter but because they were no longer together and she didn’t want anything other to do with him than the obvious bond they shared of being parents to the same child, she said nothing.

“Well maybe I should go.” He said pushing himself from the counter and Angelica nodded her head as she moved from the counter as well. “If you need me to babysit again, I would be more than happy to.” Roman said half heartedly as he grabbed his jacket. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see his daughter, he just didn’t want to watch Angelica go on more dates and see her one day bring a man home so Mia can call him step daddy. He couldn’t explain the pang of hurt he felt when he thought about it and if it will happen soon.