I have the driver take my mom and me out to dinner. I can tell after the meeting with the lawyers my mother's mood has improved, so I'm hoping her appetite has too.

"This isn't necessary, Alex. I'm fine with eating at home," my mother tells me.

"Mom, I had to scrounge for the fixings for a salad. We need to eat. Let me treat you. Besides, we are both dressed for the part." She nods her head and I'm so thankful she agrees.

"Good." I give the name of the Italian Bistro my father would take me out to for lunch whenever I came into the office with him.

"Rossi's?" my mother looks at me with surprise.

"Not in the mood for Italian?"

"No, it's not that. It's just..." she stops talking and looks out the window.

"What?"

She shakes her head. "No, you said you didn't wish to talk about him."

I now understood her hesitation. "Mom, I was angry. I spoke out of anger. Besides, there is too much to discuss that will involve Dad. Not talking about him is an impossibility."

My mom looks back at me. "It was your father's favorite place to eat. Even before he became successful. In fact, it's where he asked me to marry him once upon a time."

I didn't know and instantly regret the decision to go there. "Let's go somewhere else."

"Why?" she asks, her face showing she is perplexed by my change of mind.

"If being there hurts you...?"

"Alex. I know you find this hard to understand, but I loved your father. I never stopped. These memories are fond memories for me. There is no pain."

I wasn't sure what to say to that other than, "Okay, Rossi's it is then."

Within minutes they seat us at a table. The owner came out to greet us. "Ah, Signora, we had heard on the news. We are so sorry for your loss. Your husband was a good man."

"Thank you, Signor Rossi. He loved this restaurant. It is our most favorite place to eat in the whole city."

"You make me blush, Signora surely your husband had much fancier places to eat than this." His arms rose to the roof of the small bistro.

"Bigger is not always better, Signor Rossi. This place was his haven. He loved to come here to escape the pressures of life and you never failed to deliver."

"Bless your heart, Signora. Whatever you wish, your dinner is on me tonight."

"Signor! That is too much to ask."

"Nonsense, it is my pleasure. If it were not for your husband, I would have had to close my doors years ago. It is a debt I have yet to repay."

"He did not expect you to repay it, only to make a success of yourself, which you have."

Signor Rossi picked up my mother's hand and kissed it. "You both had faith in me when no other's would give me the time of day. I have worked three times as hard to earn that faith."

"And this," my mother says, raising her hands to the roof like the owner had a moment ago, "is the magnificent testament that my husband's faith was not misplaced."

Signor Rossi beamed. "What may I get you both?"

"Alex?" My mom broke me out of my daze. My father invested in Signor Rossi? Gave him a no payback loan to save his restaurant? It didn't sound like him.

"Alex!" Signor Rossi looks at me with surprise. "How could I miss the resemblance? Little Alex. You have grown since I'd last seen you."

"Yes," I say, smiling politely, "I'm all grown up."

"He's about to graduate college," my mother interjects.

"It's been that long? I'm getting old." Mr. Rossi smiled back at me.

"Unfortunately, none of us are getting any younger," I tell him.

"Sì, this is true. So, what will it be?"

"Chicken Primavera?" I request.

"Excellent choice and for you, Signora?"

"Your Mushroom Risotto, please."

"Wonderful, wonderful. I shall have the server bring out your bread as soon as they warm it."

I can tell my mother is enjoying herself. She is smiling as she glances around the restaurant. It is full of people but somehow still feels homey. "So, Dad saved this place?"

My mother meets my eye and nods. "He didn't wish us to lose this place, and we had become close to Mr. Rossi and his family. When the bank pulled his loan and his investors pulled out, your father stepped in to finance him. He knew that Mr. Rossi could never pay him back, but he told him that if he really wanted to pay him back, he would make a success of himself and make his other investors eat their words that this place was worthless."

"Huh." That really didn't sound like my Dad but it happened years ago. Before my brother and I had come along. Maybe he was a different man then.

The server arrives with breadsticks and salads. It is a welcome sight. I have gotten used to the meals Cat would make, and so I have been eating rather well for months. Now a salad for lunch isn't really enough to sustain me, and I am starving.

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"I have some questions about Dad, but I honestly don't know when would be the right time to ask them?"

"You can ask me anything?"

"Okay." This was hard to ask, but I really wanted to know. "How exactly did Dad die?"

"Oh." It is evident by her expression she was not expecting me to ask her that.

"Never mind. We can talk about it later."

My mom reaches out and takes my hand. "No, it's alright Alex. It's just I honestly don't know."

That took me by surprise. "You don't know? How can you not know?"

"He died in his office. They took the body to the coroner's office. I had to sign a waiver for them to do an autopsy, but I haven't gotten the results."

"In his office?" It almost seemed fitting that he would die there, as it was where he spent most of his time.

"Yes, Tina found him. Poor girl. She was so upset. Called 911. Tried her best to resuscitate him but nothing could be done, he was gone before rescue arrived."

Someone dying in your arms... I knew a little something about that. It must have been hard on her. "Has Tina worked for the company long?"

My mother shrugs. "For about 3 years. Your father found her invaluable and I have to admit I did too, after his passing. She was like his right arm. I don't think he could have kept a single thing straight without her."

I knew I would need some help to get things in order in the next few days. Maybe Tina would be the best resource for the information I need.

"On the phone, you said," my voice drops to a whisper, "suicide."

My mother's demeanor changes in an instant. Her smile vanishes, her eyes glisten. Again, I have to wonder what I am thinking of asking her these questions here. "I'm sorry."

Her brows furrow. Her look became intense. "Alex, your father... he was... well since you went away, he fell into a depression. He had become agitated and moody. I begged him to get help, it wasn't like him to act how he was and he did. They put him on a new medication and things seemed to have improved."

"A new medication?"

"A different antidepressant."

It was hard for me to wrap my head around this latest information. My Dad wouldn't take an aspirin when he had a headache and now I discover he was medicating himself for depression?

"It was hard on him, losing you both."

Her words broke me out of my thoughts. "Hard on him?" I give a hollow laugh. "He kicked Aiden out of our home, Mom. Out of our lives. I couldn't stand by and let that happen. His only concern about losing me was the loss of his investment. He has been grooming me to take over the business since I was twelve. He didn't care about us. He never cared about us."

My mother looks about to argue with me, but taking in her surrounding she opts instead for a few deep breaths. Obviously, she did not wish to make a scene here at the restaurant.

I take her lead and change the subject, sort of. "I won't be able to make the funeral arrangements until the coroner's office releases his body," I remembered that much from my dealing with Aiden. "Do you know where Dad's insurance policies are? Where he may have kept his vital papers about what should happen in the event of his death?"

"He had a safe deposit box at the bank?"

It amazes me how little my dad involved my mom in his life. Did he expect to live forever? It made little sense. How could he be so careless?

"I'll look into it," I told her. Our meals arrive and neither of us talk much after that or on the ride home. Once we enter the house, my mother excuses herself and went to her room.

I practically race up the stairs to strip out of this suit. I hate wearing it. I hate looking like him. I loosen my tie and kick off my shoes and check my phone. Still no messages from Cat. I undo my cufflinks, toss them on the bedside table and call William.

"I'm not here, but you know what to do." I hear on the other end of the phone. He must be out, so I leave a message.

"Hey, William, Alex here. Can you do me a favor and check on Cat for me? I've called and left a text, but she hasn't responded. I just want to know she's all right. She doesn't have to call me back. I'll wait until she's ready. Thanks!"

I hang up the phone, strip off my tie, and hang up my jacket. I unbutton a few buttons from my shirt when the front doorbell rang. I know my mother used to keep help to answer the door, but I have seen no one around since I came. I walk down the steps and I hear the bell ring again. I pick up my pace and nearly slip on the tile floor in my socks. I didn't want whoever it was to wake up my mother. I get to the door and open it to find Tina standing there.

"Tina?"

"Mr. Bragin?!" Her bright green eyes drift over me and she blushes, and I wondered why.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you."

"No, it's fine. Come on in," I open the door further for her to enter.

Tina enters but stands in the foyer awkwardly. My mother said she had worked for the company for the last three years. She didn't however, look much older than me.

"Can I help you?" I ask, wondering what she is doing here at the house at this hour. Not that was late. It wasn't, only about 9:30 at night, but I still couldn't fathom what would bring her to our doorstep.

She pushes her glasses into place on the bridge of her nose and tucks a piece of her copper-colored hair behind her ear. "Um... I'm really sorry. I'm used to there being a doorman. When I drop things off, he usually just takes them and I go home." She looks so uncomfortable.

Speaking of uncomfortable. "Could you give me a moment? I was just about to get undressed..." I say pointing up the stairs.

Her eyes drift from where I point to where my shirt is unbuttoned before they snap back to attention.

"I uh... here." She thrusts a file folder at me, so I take it.

"What's this?" I ask opening it, still wishing I could get back upstairs to get into something more comfortable.

"It's the meeting minutes..."

"You could have faxed them."

"Well, there are also the financial reports you requested and your father's insurance policies. I figured your Mom wouldn't get very far with the funeral arrangements without them."

I'm impressed. "Wow, thanks!" I say walking now with the folder in hand towards the sofa in the living room. It takes me a second to realize that Tina didn't follow me and seems to be waiting for something.

"Would you like a drink?" I ask, feeling like I'm seriously lacking in my hosting skills.

Tina shakes her head, causing that loose piece of hair to fall in her face again. "No," is all I get out of her.

I sit down and start pouring over the information in the file. She slowly walks towards the living room and stands in the archway.

"Tina?"

"Hmm?"

"You're making me nervous standing there, staring me like that."

"Oh..." She looks around like she really didn't know what to do with herself. So I motion for her to take the seat across from me and she practically races to it.

"I'll be honest with you. I'm not sure how all this is supposed to work," I say, motioning between the two of us. "I never had an assistant before."

She immediately smiles with understanding. "Normally, as I mentioned before, I would just hand the file over and the doorman would give it to your father. So, I'm not sure how this," she copies my hand motion, "is supposed to work either."

"Well then, it looks like we're both exploring unfamiliar territory today." I smile at her, hoping to put her at ease. "Thank you for this," I say, holding up the folder as the information contained within was going to make my life a lot easier.

"You're welcome." Tina smiles back at me. "And I just want you to know if there is anything else you need..." She leans forward, putting emphasis on her words, "anything at all. I'm your girl."

My mouth opens, but I'm not sure what I'm to say to that. I watch as Tina turns as red as her hair.

"I... uh... shoot... I didn't mean that the way it came out. Of course, I don't mean, anything, anything. I just meant to say..." She takes a deep breath, then blurts out, "I was your Dad's personal assistant. I took care of just about everything for him, from the vitamins he took in the morning to calling the car to take him home at night. If there is anything you require regarding your Dad, I probably know where it is or at least where to look for it."

While the words came flying out of her mouth, my one arm crosses over my chest as the other hand swipes over my lips because I really don't wish it to appear that I'm laughing at her, but it's hard not to find this entire situation ridiculous. I try to strike a pose that I hope appears that I am taking what she is saying seriously. I don't pull my hand away until I know I have full composure and won't smile.

"Tina?"

"Hmm?"

"I know you're not hitting on me. And even if you were... I'm not..." I was about to say available, but I wasn't exactly sure that was still true. Well, I guess it was true. At least on my end, anyway.

"Oh!" She looks immediately relieved. "Of course, you're not. And I'm definitely... not that you're not worth... but I wouldn't..." She presses her lips together to stop rambling before she adds, "I really need this job, Mr. Bragin."

"No, worries, Tina, and it's Alex."

"I should probably go." Tina stands and points to the door.

I stand up too and walk with her. "Thanks again," I say, opening the door for her. She pauses a moment and turns back to look at me. "I really am sorry about your Dad, Alex."

I never understood why people say they are sorry when someone they know dies. I sigh. "My mother told me you were with him in the end. I'm grateful for what you tried to do."

Tears sprung to her eyes, and suddenly she seems fascinated with her shoes. "I wish I could have done more."

I put my hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at me. "Thanks to you, he wasn't alone. I couldn't possibly ask for more than that."

Tina bit her bottom lip and nods her head. "Goodnight, Mr. Bragin."

My hand drops, and she walks down the path to the front gate.

"Alex!" I yell after her when I realize she's called me Mr. Bragin again. I hear a soft giggle and I shake my head. We are going to have to work on that. "Have a good evening, Ms. Worthington!" I holler.

She waves her hand in the air in response, not bothering to turn back around, and I close the door.