“So,” I say, trying to keep the conversation going. “What’d you order?”
“I ordered the usual: chicken ranch and pepperoni.” He eyes me weirdly as if not getting why I’m even asking when suddenly his eyes widen apologetically, and he starts rambling, “Oh God, what the hell is wrong with me? Evangeline, I’m so sorry. It’s just that when Evelyn was around, we usually ordered both of these pizzas from Papa John’s because they were her favourites, and it didn’t even occur to me that I sho—”
“Adam, stop.” A laugh erupts from me as I assure him. “It’s no big deal. Besides, they’re my favourite too.”
Silence rushes rapidly back into the room, and we’re no longer talking. Our eyes are fixed solely on the movie. Our eyes- not our minds. I don’t know about Adam, but watching this emotional bomb where this mentally-challenged father is wrongly accused of murder, where he is sentenced with a death penalty, and where his daughter- the only light in his life- isn’t allowed to visit him in jail, caused my mind to think of Adam and his parents. Did they have a good relationship? Was he visiting them from afar? Where were they? I don’t know Adam this well, but what I can tell is that there’s no way he wasn’t a good son. He seems like the kind of man any mother or father would be proud to call ‘son’, so where were they really?
I contemplate asking him about it and end up with my curiosity winning over. “Adam?”
His focused eyes flicker from the movie to mine before I blurt out my question, hoping he won’t think I’m prying into his life. “Where are your parents?”
Unexpectedly, his jaw clenches at my question as if I’ve suddenly triggered memories that weren’t appealing to him which sparked a twinge of guilt inside of me. “I’m sorry; you don’t have to tell me.”
I look back at the television, embarrassed by my sudden interest to know more about him, when he decides to give me a short answer. A short answer that I didn’t expect at all. I expected something along the lines of ‘I wanted to move away; live by myself’, or even as much as I was dreading it ‘they’re dead’ but never ,in a million years, would I’ve been ready to hear him say what he said to me.
With a pained expression, as if it’s the most aching thing that’s ever happened to his life, he says, “They disowned me.”
Sorrow and pity washes over me at his answer, and I have no idea what to say. I avoid pushing him any further like ‘why would they do that?’ and keep my mouth shut. What did he do to deserve that kind of hatred and abandonment from his own parents- from the woman who carried him nine months and gave birth to him or from the man who raised him as he grew up? Does he have any siblings? Is it just him? How did my parents even reject him? How did they end up accepting Adrien over this flawless man I was in love with? He’s the epitome of the perfect match. The perfect son. The perfect son-in-law. The perfect gentleman. He doesn’t raise his voice let alone punch a woman; he takes care of people and offers them whatever he can to help.
“It’s their own loss,” I tell him with a genuinely honest smile.
He offers me an appreciative small one in return before our attention returns back to the movie.
Just like that, we’re brought back to silence again, but this time it isn’t the awkward kind; it’s surprisingly pretty much comforting. By the time the movie is finished, my face is wet mess from all the crying my eyes have done. This is one of the most depressing and touching yet definitely ‘worth watching’ movies I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Adam, who looked a second away from breaking into a giggle fit at my appearance, had the decency to hold the tissue box for me as I pull one after the other and sniff in sadness.
“I’m just happy he made it out alive for the sake of his daughter; she had no one else.” My words come out muffled.
“He did, Evangeline; no need to waste anymore tears. It’s just a movie.” Adam gives me a soft smile, humoured by my overdramatic reaction to the movie.
A sudden knock on the front door causes my sobs to come to a halt because they weren’t just knocks; they were hard, fast blows to the door.
“You’re expecting someone?” My questioning gaze averts from the door to Adam’s bewildered ones.
“No. Just the deliveryman.” He stands up from the couch, taking speedy strides to the door before twisting the doorknob and pulling it slightly open.
I couldn’t see who it is, but Adam’s expression totally caused my palms to turn sweaty because he had one of those hesitantly worried expressions on his face as his eyes travelled back and forth from the person at the door to me. Before he even has the time to process, the door is hardly pushed open and in comes the person I’ve least expected to show up here.
Adrien.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Adam’s worried expression morphs into anger.
“I was sure that I’d find her here with you.” Adrien’s eyes were filled with disgust as they settled on me for a few seconds. “But I have to admit: I wasn’t completely sure. Our wedding was three weeks ago after all.”
“What do you want, Adrien? Can’t you just leave me alone?” I slowly take a few cautious steps towards him, but I make sure to keep a distance between us, and it’s only then when I approach him do I get a look at
