Page 22 of Louisiana Protector

“They are always adding new things to the menu,” she replied. For the next few minutes they talked about food and likes and dislikes.

He told her about some of the Mexican dishes he had discovered while in Texas and she shared some of Gramps’s cuisine with him.

“When we’d come here you always ordered a grilled cheese sandwich with chocolate milk.”

For a moment her gaze was soft. “Funny, the kinds of things you remember,” she said.

“Mimi, I remember all my moments with you,” he replied fervently. “I was so in love with you then, and I’m still in love with you now.” He leaned forward. “Mimi, I want us to get back together. I want to be your husband and Danny’s father, and I want more babies with you.”

Her gaze dropped to the table top and when she looked up again, there was no hint of the previous softness in her gaze, rather there was a hardness there. “You forfeited that right when you left me five years ago without a single word. The night before you left, you held me in your arms and told me how much you loved me and then the next day you completely ghosted me.”

“I know, it was the worst mistake I ever made in my life,” he replied. “And I want to explain to you what happened.”

He fell quiet as Megan returned with their meals. The chicken-fried steak covered half his plate with the other half filled with a mound of mashed potatoes and gravy and a healthy serving of corn. Mimi’s Philly cheesesteak looked just as appetizing with oozing cheese and green peppers and meat peeking out of the hoagie bun.

“I hope you both enjoy your meals,” Megan said with a friendly smile.

“Oh, trust me, we will,” Johnny replied.

“Just let me know if you need anything else,” Megan said and then with another smile, she left their booth.

However, Johnny wasn’t concerned with the food. He was anxious to continue the discussion they’d been having before the food had arrived. Somehow, someway, he needed to get her forgiveness.

He needed to make her understand what had happened five years ago. If he couldn’t gain her forgiveness, then there would be no opportunity for a relationship with her, no chance for a future with her and Danny. Surely, she couldn’t believe he was beyond redemption.

She picked up her fork and knife and began to cut the large sandwich into fourths.

“Mimi,” he began, but she raised her fork to stop him.

“Johnny, let’s just enjoy our meals right now with no heavy conversation,” she said. “Please,” she added, her eyes holding a definite plea.

He released a deep sigh and picked up his own fork. For the next few minutes, they ate in silence. It wasn’t a comfortable silence; rather it was fraught with tension and unspoken emotions.

Johnny cleared his voice. “Uh, I see that you and Renée are still good friends,” he said in an effort to make pleasant conversation. “You two were really close when I left Black Bog.”

“She and I have been best friends since the third grade, and we still are,” she replied. “We’ll probably still be friends when we’re both old and gray.” She took a bite of her sandwich, chased it down with a drink of soda and then continued. “She’s had a hard time. I don’t know if you heard, but two years ago her parents were killed in a car accident.”

“Oh, I hadn’t heard that. As I remember, her parents were very nice.”

“They were great. Renée is only just now leaving her grieving behind.”

“She has a brother, right?”

“Yes, they’re living together in her parents’ shanty. What about you and Frank? Aren’t the two of you still close?”

“Yeah, we’re still fairly tight,” he replied. “Although you learn a lot about a person when you live with them for any amount of time.”

“Like what?” she asked. She appeared to be far more relaxed now.

“Like generally speaking, Frank is a lazy slob.”

A small burst of laughter left her, and how he loved the musical sound of it. “Well, that’s telling it like it is.”

He grinned at her, loving the way the mirth sparkled in her beautiful green eyes. “When he gets married again, his new wife better like delivery pizza and slouching around on the sofa.”

Mimi laughed again. “But you love him anyway.”

He grinned. “I do. He’s loyal and fun to be around. He’s always had my back, and I couldn’t ask for a better friend. You obviously have plenty of friends.”