Page 30 of Niccolo

Plus, Papa and I traveled to tournaments in other countries. The only language all the players had in common was English, so it made sense for me to become a fluent speaker.

In every other subject, my grades were mediocre.

However, one of the perks for employees of the University of Turin was that their children were basically guaranteed enrollment. Since my father was an adjunct professor, I was admitted despite my grades.

Once I started university, I lived at home and rode the bus to and from school with my father.

We didn’t have enough money for me to live in the dorms or get an apartment – but it never even occurred to me. I didn’t know anyone my own age I would have wanted to room with.

One day, my Intro to Italian Literature class was unexpectedly canceled because the teacher got sick, so I went to find Papa and see if he could leave early with me.

On my way to his office, I passed through the courtyard to the Language Department.

Imagine my surprise when I saw my 52-year-old father standing under a stone archway, partly hidden behind a row of shady trees –

Kissing a woman.

A very prettywoman…

Who looked to be not much older thanme.

I stopped, shocked.

In an instant, the entire world buckled beneath my feet.

I felt shock.

Revulsion.

Outrage.

And – if I’m going to be honest –

Jealousy.

No, I didn’t have some creepy Oedipal or Electra Complex about my father.

But I felt incredibly envious that another girl my age had all his attention…

And he looked happy when he stopped kissing her.

In fact, he looked happier than I’d seen him in many, many years.

I wish I could say that I walked over and confronted him right then and there. That I screamed at him for what he was doing.

Not only cheating on my mother –

But with a woman not much older than his own daughter!

And a student at the university where he worked, no less!

Instead, I turned around and stumbled away in shock and horror…

And spent the next hour trying to collect my courage to confront him.

I arrived at his office at the time I would have normally shown up if my class wasn’t canceled.

He was sitting behind his desk, which was stacked with a thousand books and papers.

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