"But, I thought you never cheated on your wife."
"I didn't. Sure, I kissed her a few times, and God knows I wanted to sleep with her, but I knew I couldn't. I had made my wife a promise, and I took that promise very seriously."
"Then, if you never cheated on her, why did she leave you?"
"Because she thought I had cheated. My wife saw the beauty from the factory in the grocery store one day. They became friends. When the beauty found out that the woman she befriended was my wife, she sabotaged my marriage in the hopes that we would be together. I suppose she loved me too. She lied to my wife, which angers me to this day. My wife believed her, and she was gone the next day."
"So, once your wife left, why didn't get with the beauty?"
"I love my wife. I was hoping she would come back. And I was furious with the beauty. I wouldn't have her. But my wife never came back."
There was a pause while Maria took in all of the information that she was just slapped with. After a few moments of silence, Maria spoke. "Do you have children?"
Derick nodded.
"Do you ever see them?"
Derick shook his head. "No. I have two boys. She left me when she was pregnant with my youngest. She called me when he was born to tell me that it was a boy, but I never got to see him."
Derick couldn't let Maria see him so broken. He looked at the table instead of at her. "I suppose you want to go now." He got up from the table and began to move toward the bedroom.
"No." Maria moved into his path. "Wait. I don't want to leave." She kissed him. "I'm sorry."
Derick pushed her away gently. "You don't want me."
"Yes, I do." Maria kissed him again. "You have to tell me, did you want to take care of those children?"
Derick thought about lying to her, but decided against it. He wanted to start fresh with Maria. "I did, but I have to say, I'm happy without them. I'd like to start over." He believed that he would gain points with Maria for honestly.
Maria took a deep breath, and for a second, Derick thought he saw a hint of doubt on her face. Doubts about them; doubts about him. "If I had to, I would take care of them. I love them." He tried to save himself.