Page 78 of Broken Secrets
“That too.”
Saturday evening arrives with the kind of gentle warmth that makes California winters feel like a gift from the weather gods. Derek shows up at our door exactly on time, wearing khakis and a button-down shirt that suggests he’s taking this dinner seriously.
“Good evening,” he says, shaking Robert’s hand and hugging Mom like he’s been practicing the greeting all week.
“Hi Derek,” he greets.
Mom appears from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. “Derek, thank you for coming. I hope you’re hungry because I may have made enough food for eight people instead of four.”
“I’m always hungry, especially when someone else is cooking.”
Everyone laughs and heads inside. The smell of roasted chicken fills the house, along with what appears to be three different vegetable dishes and homemade rolls. Mom has clearly gone all-out for this dinner, and I can see Derek taking in the effort she’s put into making the evening special.
“Can I help with anything?” he offers.
“You can help me carry things to the table,” Mom says, already loading his arms with serving dishes. “Olivia, grab the salad and rolls.”
“Olivia tells us you’re interested in marine biology,” Robert says, passing the mashed potatoes. “What got you interested in that field?”
“Honestly, the Catalina trip,” he says. “I’d never really paid attention to ocean ecosystems before, until then.”
“And you’re thinking about studying it in college?” Robert asks.
“Maybe. I’m looking at schools with strong marine science programs. UC San Diego has an incredible program, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography is right there.”
“That’s not too far from here,” Mom observes. “You’d be able to come home on weekends.”
“That’s part of the appeal. I like the idea of being close to family. And close to Olivia, if she ends up at a UC school too.”
The casual way he includes me in his future planning makes my chest flutter. We haven’t talked explicitly about trying to stay near each other for college but hearing him say it out loud makes the possibility feel real and exciting.
“What do your parents think about your college plans?” Mom asks.
“They’re supportive. My dad’s an engineer, so he appreciates the science aspect. My mom just wants me to be happy and financially stable, which marine biology might not guarantee, but she’s willing to let me figure it out.”
“Smart parents,” Robert says approvingly. “Sometimes the best thing you can do is give your kids room to explore their interests.”
As dinner progresses, I watch Derek navigate questions about his family, his goals, his values. He’s respectful but not stiff, thoughtful but not overly serious. When Robert tells the story about me getting lost at the pier when I was seven and being found two hours later building sandcastles with a family of strangers, Derek laughs at exactly the right moments and asks follow-up questions that show he’s genuinely interested in understanding who I was as a kid.
“She’s always been independent,” Mom says fondly. “Sometimes to a fault.”
“I prefer to think of it as self-reliant,” I protest.
“Remember when you were twelve and decided you were old enough to take the bus downtown by yourself?” Robert asks Derek. “She had the whole route planned, knew exactly where she wanted to go, had emergency money and a cell phone. Very responsible and completely unauthorized.”
“Did you let her go?” Derek asks.
“We followed her on the bus,” Mom admits. “Sat three rows behind her and watched her navigate the whole trip like she’d been doing it for years. She never saw us.”
“That sounds exactly like something you would do,” Derek tells me. “Thorough planning followed by confident execution.”
“It’s one of her best qualities,” Robert says. “And occasionally one of her most terrifying.”
After dinner, Derek insists on helping with dishes despite Mom’s protests. I watch him dry plates while chatting easily with Robert about basketball playoffs and college football rankings, fitting seamlessly into the rhythm of our family’s evening routine.
“He’s lovely,” Mom whispers to me while Derek and Robert debate the merits of different coaching strategies. “Polite, thoughtful, clearly adores you.”
“You like him?”
