"I know enough. I know that my father, who I respected my entire life, is now a cliché. The rich old man with the young girlfriend. Mom would be disgusted."
That hit me harder than anything.
"Your mother would want me to be happy."
"Happy? Or delusional?"
She left that day. Hasn't returned my calls in four months.
I wish I could say Elena was the only one.
My son David called after she told him. "Dad, I'm not judging, but... are you sure about this? Have you considered what this looks like?"
My friends at the club stopped inviting me to dinners. I'd see them whispering, laughing. The old man who lost his mind over a young girl.