Alejandra woke up early in the morning to have breakfast with her family and to get ready for her lunch date with Matthew.

"What's his name?" Diana asked her sister who was filling in her eyebrows at the moment.

Alejandra smiled could be seen from the mirror "Matthew." Diana nodded puffing her cheeks "And have you told mom?"

Alejandra set down her brow brush on her vanity and turned to look at her sister "Nana I did tell mom..."

Diana arched her eyebrow and tilted her head to the side her face screamed -really-.

Playing music on her phone and lowering her voice Alejandra went to sit with her sister on her bed "Okay so I told mom I met a guy and that I was meeting him for lunch."

Diana raised her voice "I KNEW IT-" Alejandra covered her sister's mouth with her hand shushing her.

Whispering Diana continued "I knew you didn't tell mom everything. Spill."

"Nana you're 14 you shouldn't-" Diana raised her hand stopping her sister from lecturing her "Ale I have had more boyfriends than you and I'm 14. Not almost 21." Alejandra pursed her lips and returned to getting ready.

Looking over her shoulder at Diana Alejandra said "Just keep quiet for now. We'll get to know each other first then I'll bring him home." She pulled out an outfit and she smiled. "Perfect."

Outfit

"Mama al rato regreso voy a mi cita." Alejandra kissed her mom's cheek. "Que te vaya bien luego me platicas." She patted Alejandra's back.

English translation: Alejandra- (Mom I'll be back later I'm going on my date.)

Maria- (Hope it goes well, we'll talk when you come back.)

"Bye Ale have fun! Hope he is the one" said Diana with a knowing smile. "Bye!" She left and got in her truck.

•••••••••••••••••

At his Matthew's parents house Sam and him came over for Sunday breakfast "Mom Can you watch Sam until-" He raised his wrist to check the time on his watch. His mom Alice looked at her son from head to toe. "Until around 5?" Matthew asked his mom.

"Of course I'll watch Sam for you." Matthew hugged his mom and went to Sam. "Matt are you seeing someone?" Alice asked. "Yeah Mom I met her at the party Brayden took me to."

Matthew carried Sam into the living room where his dad was sitting. "You're going to see this woman right now? What's her name?"

Matthew walked away with his mom following him "Here dad. I'll catch you later." He handed Sam to his dad. Alice continued pressing for information.

"Is she married? Does she have any kids? Is she divorced? Widowed? Single? of course she has to be single if she wasn't you wouldn't be seeing her. How old is she? What's she like?"

Matthew grabbed his keys off the key hooks. "Mom I would like to get to know her first. Then I'll bring her home for y'all to meet."

Sam understood they were talking about Alejandra and he yelled from the across the living room into the garage door "She's really pretty grandma!"

Alice raised her eyebrows "Sam already met her?" Matthew gave Sam the -We talked about this look- and Sam nodded meaning he won't talk about her until his dad said he can.

Matthew checked his watch again "Mom I'm running late." He hugged his mom and got in his truck and drove off. 'I should call her.'

-Calling Alejandra-

A: Hello?

M: Hey love I'm on my way I may be 10 minutes late.

A: *She laughed* Honestly I was just about to call you I'm running late too.

They continued talking on the phone until Matthew arrived first and went in to wait for her to arrive.

•••••••••••••••••

Alejandra arrived at Heras Kitchen she parked and got out of her truck. Opening the door she went in and when she saw him her breath hitched.

Matthew hadn't noticed Alejandra walked in so she took the chance to gawk at him biting her lip she thought 'He's so-' She gulped standing frozen in place.

Matthew looked up and saw her a smile immediately formed on his lips he stood up and walked to her. "Hey love." he said closely approaching her.

"Hey." was all she managed to say. He chuckled and placed his hand on her back leading her to their table and he took her chair and waited for her to sit before he went to sit down.

Alejandra was so nervous she didn't know what do, what to say or how to act. Matthew noticed her nervousness and took her hand in his "Calm down love, It's alright to be nervous." She felt herself release the breath she unconsciously held in.

The waiter came and took their orders Matthew ordered a black coffee with chocolate chip pancakes. Alejandra ordered Strawberry pancakes with Chamomile tea and a glass of water.

Matthew spoke up "yesterday you said you haven't dated since you were 15 if I'm not imposing could you tell me why?"

Alejandra thought 'he paid attention to everything I said.' That detail of his annihilated any nervousness left in her system.

A small smile formed on her lips "My first and last boyfriend." She sighed and his eyes nerver left hers letting her know he was listening "uhm we met online he was 20 and I was 15 he asked me out of a date and we went to the movies."

She cringed at the thought and on her face disgust could be seen but she quickly covered it up but he still noticed it.

"At the time I was completely oblivious to what grooming was so I didn't think much of it. We didn't watch the movie at all. He told me I could kiss him whenever and so I did leading to a make out session and he touched me although I said no. He made me think it was okay and so when the movies were over I noticed he had a ...."

She looked at Matthew ashamed of herself, but he gave her a reassuring smile and she continued "he had an erection... He tried kissing me again outside the restrooms but I pushed him away and he told me to wait for him and went to the restroom. People kept looking at me so I went to the restroom and saw myself in the mirror and I didn't recognize myself I felt disgusted. Eventually I went home and he texted me saying he enjoyed our date and he told me about the things he wanted to do to me-"

Alejandra noticed his hand turned into a fist but his eyes never left hers. "I didn't like that so I told him I didn't want to see him again. And that was a big game changer for me. I didn't tell anyone about what happened to me and got through it by myself. Instead of dating for the fun of it I told myself the next man I date would be for something serious."

Alejandra bit her lip and unclenched his hand with her hand pulling finger by finger she said "It's in the past and thankfully I used that experience for the better." then she pulled her hand away.

Matthew lowered his head and nodded "I'm glad you're well now." He looked up to see her smiling at him with her head tilted to the left.

The waiter came and brought them their food.

Alejandra wasn't a talker when she ate and neither was Matthew so they ate in comfortable silence. After finishing eating they went for a walk.

They walked with their hands to their sides not touching.

Alejandra looked up to Matthew and asked "I'd like to know about your wife, but only if you are comfortable enough with telling me."

She kept walking after she asked that but with her eyes locked on the concrete and when she asked him to tell her about his wife he turned to meet her gaze but she looked away.

"We met when we were in high school and I fell in love at first sight however she didn't. I perused her for years until she became my girlfriend. We were together for ten years. We couldn't get pregnant and she had treatment. When she was pregnant with Sam the doctors told us it was a high risk pregnancy and she choose for Sam to be born. When Sam was born she died."

Alejandra stopped walking "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." He turned to her and held her shoulders and lifted her head up.

He frowned shaking his head "It's okay. We both had things to say. You and your ex. Me and my wife."

Alejandra moved her shoulders and shook her head causing him to let her go. "No. I shouldn't have asked. I didn't think it was that serious. I'm sorry for bringing painful memories to you." her sincerity could be her in her apologies.

Matthew felt just as bad as her when he asked her about her ex he didn't know she had gotten groomed at such a young age that could have traumatized anyone and clearly talking about it made her uncomfortable. However for him he grieved and tried moving on from his wife but no one had gotten his interest until her.

"Alejandra." She flinched at her name coming from him. She knew she shouldn't be feeling anything down there given the topic they were discussing but she was and she felt ashamed and kept her head down.

Matthew tried reaching for her but he felt her stiffen with his touch he frowned "I loved my wife when she was alive. I grieved her death and moved on. I just happened to move on with you. So if you felt like you have burdened me please don't." His voice sounded almost pleading at the end.

She remained with her head down and silent before lifting her eyes to meet his and she whispered "I'm sorry." Matthew took her hand and pulled her to him.

"I should be the one apologizing." he said placing their foreheads together "I'm the one who is sorry." he whispered and Alejandra held his neck and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

He placed one hand on her arm and the other on the back of her head he kissed her back. "Let's move on. Together." She said pulling away from the kiss.

Matthew smiled giving her a quick peck on her lips "I would like that." he said as they continued on their walk.

Alejandra's phone rang she took her phone out checking her screen she said "Sorry I have to take this." Matthew nodded and they kept walking holding hands.

"Bueno? Si mama. Si. Caminando. Bien. Si no tardo ya nos estábamos despidiendo. Si. Nose. Mami hablamos en la casa y te digo todo."

English translation: (Hello? Yes mom. Yes. Walking. Good. Yeah I won't be long we were seeing each other off. Yes. I don't know mom we'll talk at home and I'll tell you everything.)

She hung up and started her truck with the remote truck key. She awkwardly chuckled and he smiled adoringly at her "Was that your mom?"

"Yeah she wanted to know if I was still with you what we were doing and when I was coming home." she rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

"Sound like your close." He said. "We are. It's difficult keeping things from her, I always tell her everything. I haven't told her your older than me. Or that you have a son. Or that you're a widower. She thinks your a guy my age." She said.

"Yeah my mom doesn't know your age either. All she knows is I'm seeing someone." Alejandra laughed "Oh gosh we sound like we're teenagers hiding from their parents." Matthew laughed.

"I'd like to invite you to dinner on Wednesday." He said opening the truck door for her. "I'd like that." she said climbing into her truck.

Matthew closed her door and she rolled the window down. "Dinner at my house with Sam?" He asked with hope in his eyes. Alejandra leaned out of her window and held his head with her hands "It's a date."

Matthew kissed her and she pulled away leaving him wanting more lip action "I'll call you." she said smirking and drove off leaving Matthew alone in the parking lot as he chuckled and shook his head unlocking his truck.