Connie's Cafe/Book Shop

Chapter 16 - Questions

The alarm went off.

Sunday morning.

Connie reached over and thumped the button on her alarm clock. If the truth be known, she hated Sundays. But with a reluctance, she turned over and slowly got out of bed.

Dean woke up.

"What, is it time to get up?" he asked.

"Don't worry" answered Connie, "You stay in bed, I'll visit my family and then be back."

"No" answered Dean, "I'll go with you"

"No, don't worry, you're tired, sleep, I won't be long" answered Connie.

Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing. She was brushing him off again!

They had had such a good weekend with his parents, stories of his past had come up, she knew so much about him. They were together, this was a relationship, a full relationship, not a one night stand.

He had so believed that she would invite him to her next visit with her family that he could hardly believe what was happening. Again.

"Look Connie, seriously, let me come with you. What are you trying to hide, it can't be that bad" he half joked with her, almost begging her to talk to him, explain, tell him what the secret was.

He had come to the conclusion that she definitely had a secret, it wasn't rocket science! but what.

It had to do with her family and that scar she had on her arm. Maybe her father had abused her, or even her mother, god forbid that was the case, but whatever, he had already thought about it long and hard and he was going to be there for her no matter what.

"Look Dean," Connie answered, she sat down on the bed next to him, stroking his face, "I really love you and yes we had a wonderful weekend, I truly like your parents and I really love you. I do have a problem with my family, that I will admit to you, and I will tell you all about it. I promise. Let me go now and when I get back I will explain everything."

He sighed and let go of her hand that he had been holding onto and she slowly got off the bed and walked into the bathroom. Within half an hour she had showered and dressed and left the apartment.

He slowly got out of bed and showered.

He found it hard to understand what was going on in her life. One minute she seemed like a normal girl, succesful in life and the next she seemed to have this dark secret looming above her head.

As the Cold water from the shower beat on his face he came to a decision, he had a secret, one he was definitely not proud of and one he had never told anyone. Only Andy , Andy's girlfriend and he shared.

Connie obviously had a deep secret. A secret which involved her scar and her family, his secret was embarrassing, one he had never told anyone for fear of losing his job.

He decided that if he wanted Connie to come out and tell him about her secrets then he had to be open, completely open about his past. This was the only way they would have a happy and long relationship and that was what he wanted more than anything. He loved Connie so much, he wanted to marry her, for her to have his children, for them to grow old together. This was the one, the only relationship he had ever wanted.

He made up his mind, as soon as she returned he was going to tell her his deepest secret.

He hoped she would understand and be able to forgive him and share in turn her secret and fears. This would be the start of a marvellous relationship. No lies, no secrets.