My Broken Bowl

Forgiveness

Dean's POV:

I called on a late night at work. I had an hour for lunch and Cayden was off. I was surprised that she answered. "Hi, It's Dean."

"Dean? Hi. About the other day..." Cayden started.

I sighed. "Don't worry about it. I'm an ass. You should know that! I have to finesse you? Is that the word? I am kind of a brute. You okay?"

"I am. I was worried that you wouldn't call. I was rude to you." Cayden sounded worried.

"Oh, you weren't rude. I've been with rude women and you weren't rude!" I smiled.

"I don't like talking about it." Cayden sounded timid again. I wondered what that was about. Sometimes she was strong and confident, sometimes she was shy and blushed and sometimes she was hard and unfeeling. I was so curious. What did I ask? Now wasn't the time.

"Okay. I won't ask, Okay. I didn't know about it and Angel mentioned it and I was curious. Sorry. It's been a couple of weeks since she said anything and it wasn't bad. Okay? She just said that you were confused" I sighed. I wanted to fix my mistake.

"You're still talking about it!" Cayden stated.

I stared to laugh. "Shit!" I heard Cayden chuckled too and it was sweet. We talked for a while until she fell asleep on the phone and I listened to her snore. It was cute but there was snoring. So cute. This time I learned things about her. I'm not always a fool.

Cayden was adopted and I didn't understand her family at all. Her adopted parents were great and were religious, I knew that. She said her biological mom died when she was young and her dad couldn't handle taking care of her and her sister so they were adopted out. But she still saw her dad.

Okay? Right. I knew she had a half brother somewhere but she barely talked about him. She never said his name either.

So, she had two dads and a mom in her life. I knew that. I knew she went to college at a Christian college. I never heard of any. She didn't finish. She left after her Junior year. Her mom asked her to come home and get a real degree so she did. And I know she met some guy who died. Sad, right?

She didn't talk much about him. They were together for a couple of years and I knew she loved him. She met somebody to have a baby but I didn't know that story. Yet.

I called her the next day. It was lunch time almost and I was hungry. She answered. "Hey, Cayden, How about lunch?"

Cayden paused. "Uh, I can't. I have Ariel with me."

"Bring her? Can she come?" I didn't care.

Cayden was silent.

"Sweetheart? Are you there? Cady?" I was waiting to get my ass kicked.

"Uh, are you sure?"

"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't sure. Yes, I'm sure. I'll meet you. Do you like Chinese?" I loved Chinese. Like it should be its own food group!

"Sure." Cayden answered. "Ariel will eat that."

"Perfect. Meet me at the Chinese place right in town." There was only one. "In like an hour?"

"Oh! Okay? Are you sure? Really?" Cayden sounded unsure.

"I'm sure. Get your ass to the Chinese restaurant. See you there or I will call you every minute for the next thirty days!" I threatened her and she giggled so it was worth it.

I still worried that she wouldn't show and I got there way too early. Of course this wasn't authentic Chinese food. It was American Chinese but still...Delicious.