Our Broken Pieces

17

"A balcony seat Rosa Fiorita?! Noah this is too much!" Caitlin exclaimed as they took their seats.

"Ah no it's fine," he replied nonchalantly. "I don't get to go out often, and I assume you don't either as a single mother. I thought I'd splurge a little."

"Thank you," Caitlin smiled, she couldn't remember the last time she was treated like this.

"Anyways, let's set our minds away from money or finances," Noah said, "how about we do some icebreakers... What do you do for a living?"

"Well, right now I'm a full time stay at home mom, occasionally I'll take on small jobs like Uber or Postmates..." Caitlin started, feeling a embarrassed only the first few minutes into the date. "But, umm... I did study in the medical field in college, and I worked as a physician for a bit then a bioengineer in Central City."

"You're a doctor," Noah exclaimed, "guess I should be calling you Dr. Snow then."

"Oh, it's okay. Caitlin is fine. How about you, have you always been teaching elementary?"

"Well, when I graduated with my teaching degree I spent a few years in various 3rd world countries teaching English."

"Wow, that's amazing," Caitlin commented.

"It was," he replied, "but I came back when I heard my father had passed away. I took the teaching job in Midway so I could help take care of my mom and little sister."

"I'm so sorry for your loss."

"No, it's fine. It was a while ago, and he lived a long fulfilling life."

"Well, its nice to hear that."

"How about your family? Parents, siblings?"

"Umm, I don't have any siblings. And my dad died when I was a kid. I don't speak to my mom a lot."

"Oh, I'm sorry..."

"No, no... you don't have to apologize, it's just some old dumb drama."

"Alright... how about Melony's father?"

Caitlin cleared her throat, thinking about how to answer.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to answer if you-" Noah added, to which Caitlin responded

"Don't worry. You don't have to be sorry. Melony's dad... died before she was born."

"Oh... I'm so sorry to hear that..." Noah responded, allowing a moment of silence to pass. "Do you... mind if I ask how?"

"We just weren't in a good place or time back then. There was this big fight and... uh, he ended up getting shot."

Noah sat silent for a second, trying to think of how to respond. "I-I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Caitlin replied. "The past is the past, can't change it. I'm just focused on the future. I'm focused on Mel."

"You're a good mom," Noah replied to which Caitlin smiled.

Soon a waiter came to their table and asked them what they wanted to drink.

"We'll have the finest bottle of wine you have," Noah said.

"Noah!"

"Ah ah ah, it's fine. I have the expenses to cover it all."

Reluctantly, Caitlin agreed and the waiter nodded and left.

"Fine. But I'm at least covering the tip," she said.

........

After their meal, Noah took Caitlin for a walk in the park.