“Thank you,” he said, though I could see his lips twitching from the heat. “Guess I underestimated thekick.”
Julian chuckled, clearly enjoying the show. “Pikliz has that effect on people. A true Haitian initiation. Alright man, I see you. I guess you can handle some flavor after all.”
I couldn’t stop the smile spreading across my face. Despite his clear discomfort, Nathan was handling it with grace. Maybe this dinner wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“So Elise, how’s work?” My father’s question pulled me out of my thoughts.
I still hadn’t told my family about me quitting Edge Records.
It's now or never, Elise.
“I quit,” I answered, reaching for my drink so that I would have something to do to distract me.
“You want to repeat that?” My father demanded. The kompa music kept playing, but our table went quiet. Even Julian stopped sipping his Jupina soda to give me his full attention.
“I quit.” I repeated. Louder. More firm.
“You quit your job?!” My father was the first one to yell.
“Yes,” I said, forcing my voice to stay even, even though my heart was pounding. “But I had a good reason.” I quickly added.
“It better be a good one.” My father leveled me with a hard stare that made me shrink into my seat.
“I quit because I want to pursue dancing full-time. You know it’s my dream.” I hated how small my voice sounded at that moment. I made my decision and I would stick by it, but for a split second I wavered under my father’s anger.
“You hear that guys? She quit her full-time job with a steady income so she can shake her ass against some gangster wearing a gold chain,” My father said in creole, which he always reverted to when he was angry or amongst friends and family.
My father’s tone was calm but there was no hiding the hurricane belaying his words. “I’m glad you had a good reason and it wasn’t something silly like that.” He slammed his fist against the table and I flinched, momentarily taken back to the times Jax would get upset with me at dinner. Automatically, Nathan reached out a hand for me to squeeze and I did, the warmth and familiarity of his touch like a balm to my frayed nerves.
I knew my dad would never hit me, but in the moment he looked like he really wanted to.
“You at least have another job lined up, right?” My brother looked at me expectantly.
“We thought you gave up on that silly dream of being a dancer and finally grew up.” My mother chimed in before I could answer.
“I didn’t realize settling for a mediocre 9-5 life made you a grownup.” I said. “That may have worked for you guys, but I want something different. I want to actually love what I do instead of just living for a paycheck.”
“You think you can eat passion? Pay rent with passion?” My father questioned.
“I know what I’m doing.” I argued.
“You’re going to get a real job, you understand me, Elise?” My father stood from the table. “It doesn’t have to be your old job, but you’re going to get a job. A grown-up job. One that actually pays your bills, because if you think I’m gonna let you come back home when you’re out on your ass when this dancing thing doesn’t work out, you’re wrong.”
Nathan had been calm up until now, his grip on my hand firm but reassuring. But something in him shifted at my father’s words. His usual easygoing nature, the quiet confidence he carried, began to harden like cooling steel. His jaw tensed, the muscle ticking as he exhaled slowly through his nose. I felt it before I saw it, the way his body stiffened beside me, his fingers tightening just slightly around mine.
I turned to him, sensing the change, the storm brewing behind his eyes.
“Enough.” The lone word to come out of Nathan’s mouth sliced through the room and all eyes turned on him. I knew I shouldn’t have let him talk me into letting him meet my parents. This is exactly what I knew was going to happen. If my scary ex didn’t scare Nathan away, my family would definitely finish the job.
“Excuse me?” My dad turned his glare to Nathan.
“I said enough,” Nathan repeated. “I’m not going to continue to sit here and listen to you speak to Elise in that tone. Now apologize.”
“I can speak to my daughter anyway I want to.” My dad argued.
“Nathan, it’s okay.” I placed a hand on his. I didn’t need him to make the situation worse. I was used to my father’s behavior and attitude towards me.
“It’s not okay.” Nathan told me before he faced my family. “Elise is smart and damn good at her job. It wasn't easy to let her go. But I’ve seen Elise dance and the amount of passion and talent she has shouldn’t be wasted behind some desk. She’s going to be a household name one day and the fact that she’s going to get there without the support of any of you makes me all the more proud of her. And lastly, I don’t give a fuck if you’re her father or not, if you ever make Elise flinch, scared or use a tone an octave higher than conversational level, you’re gonna deal with me.”
