Third

The answer was yes. To both emails. Linna deep down wanted it to be no and so she wasn't going to well on the matter and would tell her parents that she did what she could in passivity however it didn't seem enough. But there was no going back. Not anymore. Now she was sitting at a table for four, in a corner of the most famous Italian restaurant in town, with classical music playing in the background and people whispering and sipping wine. She wished she could be there if she were in good company.

Robert was the first to arrive and didn't know that his parents had been summoned for that conversation. Linna stayed on her cell phone even though it seemed rude, she would do anything not to have to face the man in front of her. He was drumming his fingers on the table, staring at his watch and pretending to be in a hurry, because in truth his evening was completely over.

His night had been free for six years.

He was surprised by the girl's change. He remembers all his past very well, just as his regret reminds him every second about it, even though he knows the chances of being forgiven are slim. And for some reason he seemed to need it. He couldn't explain it, but since he knew that that company was now hers, maybe because she needed his help, she would also need his forgiveness.

But that was not all.

As all these years had gone by, Robert had evolved considerably in all aspects. Especially in his maturity. When his parents told him that he was going to marry a woman he had never met, his anger was out of the ordinary. He was a complete inconsequent, he lived in parties, illegal races, kissed so many mouths that today he can't even explain why. The same for all the women he passed through his bed. Before he was the kind of man who focused only on his own pleasure. But now? It was so hard to find someone who had good sex.

This woman in front of him was totally different from the one he had known, and he kind of liked it. Of course, remembering the conversations he had with her, or the dinners he was obliged to go to, Linna was always very intelligent.

Full of plans for the future. Of course Robert remembered the simple and convicting way she always talked, as if even in an arranged marriage they were going to become great friends. Now, ten years later, Robert knows how hard it is to find someone who wants a future or who will work for it. Unfortunately he was too immature to understand even that. Her scent seemed quite ordinary to him, I mean, it was one of those feminine perfumes so delicious that you want to let your nose notice it more closely. But that style.

That style went much better with her short, slightly chubby body and those short hairs that went much better with her big, round eyes.

- Mr. and Mrs. Scully. - Suddenly she stood up, and greeted her parents. They didn't make a point to know how their son was doing after all these years, in fact they didn't look at him at all. They totally ignored her presence. It had become very difficult for Robert to talk about family. That's because he didn't have one anymore, so what would he talk about?

- You look beautiful, Linna. You look very well. - Barbara complimented. Robert's parents looked older, their hair was already white, it was beautiful at least in Linna's eyes.

- Thank you very much for your kindness, Barbara. - She smiled lightly. Linna noticed how cold the atmosphere was between her parents and that inconsequential son. She looked at the three of them for a few quick seconds, Robert was too quiet, which was totally strange. Even if she didn't know him, she was surprised that she didn't get a lot of questions about his life.

And an insistence on his decision of days ago.

- I was curious, I said in the e-mail that the matter was serious and urgent. - It was Roney's turn to pick up one of the empty glasses and pour himself a drink.

- Yes. Briefly, I want to say that this little boy... - He held out a picture of Matthew so they could see it. - That's my son. Your grandson. And your son. - She stared at Robert last and noticed that he didn't have any expression, until he frowned and dodged over the table.

- How? - The elderly seemed too confused.

- Well, Robert and I had a one-night stand only once, a few weeks before the wedding. We drank that day and even though we were sober enough to remember, it wasn't enough for anyone to remember the condom. The next day I took the morning-after pill and for months I thought everything was fine until I discovered the pregnancy.

- This is unbelievable. - Robert commented, staring from a distance at the picture of the same boy he saw when he went to the company.

- "Yeah, it is. Believe me, I didn't want to have any ties to you, but Matthew is the one who saved me, so this is the only thing I have that came from you and is good for me! - he babbled, his fingers crossed on the table. - Before anything else you can order a DNA test if you want, it seems like a lot of information.

- But how did you hide it for so long? Why? - Barbara asked, holding back tears with a possible lump in her throat.

- Because I was the one who suffered. I was the one who was left at an altar going through the worst humiliation of my life, Robert left town and months later I heard nothing more about your company. Not that it was of any interest to me. I just thought it was better to stay that way.

- You had no right to do that, Linna. - To the woman's surprise, it was Robert who raised his voice.

- Who are you to talk about this? Would you believe me if I told you? Ham? Shut up, Robert. You would be the first to deny this child. - Linna felt a tear run down her cheek, she knew that this was not a good idea and that she was not yet ready enough. Barbara stretched out her arm noticing how much this woman was still hurting, how much she had been disappointed in her son could not be put into words.

- Robert could do it, but we would never have the courage to do it. - Roney looked speechless, alternating his gaze between Linna and his son. And the photo in his hands.

- Exactly. We would have helped you, your family! - Roney spoke for the first time, his voice clearly shaken, while Robert remained silent after the statement. Because he knew that he really would have denied his own son. - I would never deny a grandchild! You can't talk about our character when Robert who was the irresponsible one.

Robert took three breaths; it wasn't even enough for his anger to think of fading. All right, he was the wrong one, he was the one in the way. Deep down he wasn't even supposed to be there, because everyone there blamed him all the time, and that, now, was painful and hard to hear. His heart was aching because of the indifference his parents were treating him, with years of not seeing him. Now as a mature and somewhat sentimental man, he had become a very easy target for these people.

- Enough. - The silverware on the table shook, his tone of voice drew the attention of almost the entire restaurant. Not that he cared. -I know I made a mistake, I recognize my errors, and I have tried to apologize to all of you here. There's no use in putting all the blame on me either, because if you hadn't forced me to marry her none of this would have happened, and if you hadn't shown up at that nightclub it wouldn't have happened either.

- Are you calling your own son that? - returned Linna. Robert scratched his head nervously, because it was his fault too.

- I've had enough of this. If you want to talk like people, I'm listening. Enjoy your dinner, I'm leaving. - The man opened one button of his tuxedo feeling his nose heat up with such anger and discomfort. That was the feeling of being guilty, of feeling regret but not being forgiven. The reality was that he had been wrong for many years, and now it was too hard to understand why people ignored him and his apologies. Even if they were quite sincere, coming from the bottom of his heart. With the people around staring at him he left waving to a friend at a distant table.

The weather outside seemed very pleasant, a nice cool breeze was blowing against his hair and ruffling it briefly. Since he was not using gel as he normally does. At least during the day to take care of business. He rubbed his hands together, looking in which direction he should go, even though his car was parked right in front of him. His first guess was that he would have to get out and walk, walk, walk until he thought enough about what he had just heard. That's why he thought it was so strange for such a young woman to have a child. She wondered how Linna hadn't thought about aborting the baby, at least in the face of everything she had been going through over the years. She stared at her illuminated black social shoes and bit her lips as she walked to the corner.

There was a great coffee shop nearby. And maybe it would be better to dine alone.

That's what nights have been like for the past six years.

Meanwhile Linna kept her hands over her face feeling like crying. To cry with such anger at all of this. It would be so nice if she could keep everything as it was, but those grandparents seemed so worried. In fact Barbara and Roney are very kind people, maybe too strict when it comes to work, but only that. Now a part of you felt guilty for not having introduced your son sooner. Thinking about their side of the story and how much they missed out on.

. First steps, first word, first time she walked. So many things that if she herself were deprived of it, she would go crazy knowing. Yet it was also hard for her to accept all those people back into her life, and especially into that of her son. He is only a child, but he will never, ever go through what his mother went through.

And this is not about humiliation at an altar, not least because she raised him to have enough respect for women, she hates it when prejudice enters her home, this means about possible obligations. Technically the company that is now hers, and previously had been his parents', will become Matthew's when he is studied enough to take over. Linna will only put him as president of the company if he is sure of what he wants. She will not let her son have any doubts, much less put him in a place where he doesn't belong. If Matthew doesn't want it, the easiest option is to sell it to a partner or to another, larger company. And Linna considers this a great option.

- Forgive us for him. This is the first time we have seen him in six years. - Ronay poured more wine and nodded to the waiter ordering him to bring another bottle. Neither woman felt like drinking any more.

- Really? - Okay, that was a bit of information... too heavy, perhaps.

- Yes. After we handed the company over to him, we disappeared from his life, we were disappointed, because Robert, our own son, made all our businesses go under. We went bankrupt because of him. So as soon as he came back to town, we left. We didn't hear from him, and we never sought him out. But he came to us, many times. He sent letters, e-mails. But no one answered. - Linna just frowned.

- Okay, that doesn't interest me. I want to know if you want to get close to my son, that's what I need to resolve. - She bit her lips, feeling that she had spent enough time there with those companies.

- Of course we want to! We want to recover all the time we lost as our grandson, he is so beautiful, so like you. But his hair is just like his father's. - Barbara stared at the photo. - Can I keep it?

- Of course. - Linna was at least glad to know that she could see such sincerity. - If you can talk to Robert, let me know. I can't tell my son that he will meet his father but at the end of the day he will ignore the child. - She grabbed the strap of her red purse and was about to stand up.

- All right, I will. It's going to be hard but let's try to have a little calmer conversation with our son. - Roney stood up right after her, squeezing her hand slowly. - We'll contact you as soon as we have an answer.

- Good Mr. Scully, I don't like incomplete answers, much less ones that take too long. If we're going to solve this, let's do it soon! - He smiled lightly. - It was a pleasure, but if you'll excuse me I have an appointment now. See you later.

Linna had no commitments other than to get to her house, see her son after such a long day and night, and make a great dinner for him. Matthew loves to cook, and his mother is briefly understated, she thinks he will be very interested in the culinary business and cooking itself. The important thing is that he wants to develop that amazing skill.