Chapter Twenty-Two

Ben I sat at a restaurant across from Winston Kane. It was just the two of us since I’d insisted on Mom not being present for this. I would tell her later or let Winston tell her, but I didn’t want to waste time getting Mom to understand. It would be enough to get her father to listen to me and take me seriously.

“Your mother told me you wanted to talk to me about something important, Ben,” he said with a slight frown. “Are you against the wedding?”

“No, of course not,” I said quickly after a surprised pause.

It made sense, though, that he would think that way. He didn’t know that I knew about Angela yet, or the history between us, and since I didn’t invite Mom along, he wouldn’t assume I was trying to bond with him. While there would be kids that had something against their parents moving on, I was too independent not to allow Mom the same right, so I honestly didn’t need to know anything more about him besides the fact that he made my mom happy. After all, I wasn’t going to be living the rest of their lives with them. As soon as I graduated, I planned to get my own place where I didn’t have to depend on anyone else or live by their rules.

“Then is there anything else I can do for you?” He asked, clearly confused about why I’d wanted to meet with him.

I took a deep breath. “Actually, Winston, I wanted to talk about your daughter.”

He looked surprised, and rightly so.

“I know I was going to introduce her to you and your mother, but she’s away from the city at the moment, and I can't say when she’ll be back.”

I nodded impatiently. “She’s Professor Kane, right? Angela Kane, from my university.”

“Yes, it is,” he said slowly. “How did you know? I told your mother I had a daughter that worked at your school, but I didn’t give her any details.”

“I know Angela because she teaches my class. She’s also the only professor at the school with the surname Kane. Also…” I took a deep breath for this part. I was feeling nervous, folding my hands together as I faced him. “Angela and I… had a relationship. But I think she might have found out about you and Mom getting married and panicked about it.”

That might not totally be the case, though. Initially, after I made the realization, I thought it was why she ran away, because besides being a professor and student, we were also going to be step-siblings. I thought that way before Sandra told me what she did, and I wondered if it wasn’t a mix of both.

Winston was surprised, but it quickly wore off. I wasn’t sure exactly what I expected from him. I just told him I was in a relationship with his daughter, but I was also younger by more than a decade. Would he be angry? In disbelief? This time, I was the one that got a surprise, because, underneath his shock, I almost thought he looked amused. I didn’t know what was amusing in this situation, though.

“Could it be why she ran away, then? It surprised me when she told me out of nowhere that she was taking a vacation from school and taking a short vacation. Angela has always been very responsible, so it was unlike her. I thought it had something to do with the wedding…”

“Sir…” I started, then hesitated. I cleared my throat and firmed my expression. “I really care a lot for your daughter. I’ve been trying to get her to talk to me, but recently, she won't take my calls, and she won't tell me where she is. I was wondering if you knew because I want to talk to her.”

He didn’t reply to me immediately. Because I didn’t feel like eating, I’d only purchased a drink, but it sat untouched on the table. Winston grabbed his glass of water and drank some, before facing me.

“She hasn’t told me where she went, either,” he admitted. “But I might have an idea of where she is.”

I perked up. “Really?”

He nodded. “I’ll let you know where she is. Because I understand, I won't interfere. The truth is… I had an affair with your mom when she was a student. She was young then, so she probably doesn’t even remember… but I’m the kind of person that believes love is love, as long as it’s not illegal or hurting anybody, but I do need one thing from you.”

“Anything,” I said quickly. “I do care about Angela and want to fix things between us.”

“I believe you. First, you can start by not calling me sir again; just Winston is fine. Second, I want you to please try and have her back for the wedding this weekend. I’ve been asking if she’ll be coming back in time, and all I get is vague answers in return, but I would love it if she was present.”

“I promise to do my best, Winston.”

He took a deep breath, and the expression he levelled at me then was serious. “Also, you have to promise to make my daughter happy. I don’t know if you know about her ex-husband?”

I frowned. “She’s told me some of it,” I admitted darkly.

He sighed. “I haven’t been a good dad to Angela, and it started a long time ago. I didn’t pay her enough attention when she was young, especially after her mother passed away. I do know my daughter, though, and I know she suffered mental abuse at the hands of her husband, but I ignored it for too long. When I found out she was getting a divorce, I encouraged her to do what she wanted to do. I was also happy when she decided to move back here, thinking we could grow closer, but it’s been so long I forgot to talk to my daughter.”

There was a tell-tale shine in his eyes as he looked down with a frown. He drank some more, before looking at me again.

“I was inadequate, and I know it, but I want the chance to make things up to her. If being with you makes her happy, then I’m willing to give you both my blessing, and I can talk to your mother about it as well.”

I was relieved at his words. A part of me was worried that Mom would be against this, even though the situation between her and Winston wasn’t all that different, now that I knew all the details. I was willing to bet, though, that my feelings for Angela be far off from Mom’s feelings for Winston. I also knew that people would talk, but I didn’t care.

As long as I had Angela with me, I could tell myself that everything would be okay. It had surprised me, the depth of my feelings for her, but having her not around, having her avoid me, made me anxious, and I knew my feelings were deeper than temporary lust.

“I can promise you, sir,” I said slowly. “That I will do everything in my power to make Angela happy. I won't let her cry if I can help it, and I definitely won't be like her ex-husband.”

He smiled, the wrinkles beside his mouth and at the corners of his eyes becoming more prominent.

“That’s all a father can ask for.”

He told me where he thought she would be and promised to ask her just to be sure before the day was over. Tomorrow, I would go looking for her.