3.21 Dis tew much

Every so often, restaurants in the area had an event called Night Out on the Town where you could dine at their restaurants 100% free within a certain window of time. Dad and I showered, dressed up, and went somewhere fancy to take advantage for the first time. Thinking about it, why did he never take part when we were kids? That would have been the perfect outing for a struggling family like ours. Mama had money, so I guess she never thought about it since we ate out all the time with her. She and Alessia did a girls’ night once and went to this El Selvadoradian place in Newcrest. They made it sound really good, so that’s where I suggested Dad and I go, and we took full advantage. I ordered a steak, and Dad got us a bottle of the most expensive wine.

My phone buzzed, and it was Maira on the other end, apologizing for skipping out.

“Is that your friend?” Dad asked.

“Yeah.”

“She okay?”

“I hope so… She, ummm… There was a fire, and… Well, it was really scary…”

“Oh! You were there?”

“Yeah. And like an idiot, I ran.”

“Luca, that was the smartest thing you could have done. Both of you could have gotten hurt or worse. Let the pros handle fires.”

“I know that, but I just keep thinking about what would have happened if her building didn’t have that fancy alarm system. Would she still be here?”

“I know she would.”

“How do you know, Dad?”

“Because I know you. After you got over yourself, you would have gone back inside and helped her. You were no good to her in that panicked state.”

“I guess.”

I knew he was right, but I still felt like a dunce.

Dad cleared his throat.

“Let’s talk about you and your friends.”

“Really, Dad?”

“Yes, really. This is serious.”

“Fine. What do you want to know?”

“I’m not your mother, Luca. I’m not gonna pry into your love life. I just want to make sure you are prepared.”

We already had the talk, so what else was there to discuss?

“Okaaay? Am I in danger or something?”

“Not exactly, but there are some things you need to be wary of… Luca…you’re a really nice guy. Handsome too. I always knew there’d come a day when you had two or more women wanting to have your attention.”

He wasn’t trying to embarrass me, but I was 8000% embarrassed.

“But as I watched you with your friend tonight, I realized there was so much more I needed to teach you about women.”

My embarrassment shifted into unease.

“D-did I do something wrong?”

“No. But I want to give you some things to consider before it happens again.”

Before what happens? What in the world did I do??

“You’re so kind. I love how you care for everyone. It’s one of the best things about you.”

“I feel a but coming on.”

“It’s okay. Just listen. When you touch a woman, you need to understand what’s going on in her head.”

This was about me comforting Jasmine? How was that wrong?

“Women are not like us. They’re very…cerebral. They’re always trying to figure everything out and understand what it means. They feel things deeply and don’t always say what they mean. And they don’t want to be in their feelings alone. So when she likes you, she’s trying to figure out if you like her too. Every hug, pat on the back, every little touch, she’s analyzing, trying to determine what your feelings are.”

“Okay fellas,” the server said.

I was so grateful for the interruption. I know Dad wasn’t lecturing me, but it sure felt like I was in trouble.

“Here we go,” the server said, placing our meals in front of us. “Everything look good?”

“Yes, it looks great, thank you,” Dad said.

“Alright, alright. Just holla if you need me.”

The server left, and I thought I’d get a break to enjoy the meal, but Dad kept on.

“Another thing you need to be aware of is how some women take advantage of guys like you.”

What did I do now??

“I told you earlier not to compromise when it comes to charging for your class. I don’t believe Jasmine was trying to get over on you, but someone else might. Women know a sob story and tears will give them the world. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yeah…”

I didn’t want to hear any more. My thoughts on relationships and dating were already compromised. I didn’t need anything else complicating things for me. It’s all too much. Would it be bad form if I finished that bottle of wine?