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"Sit down, Kim," he said sternly. "I want to tal
k to you."
She put the bagels on his tray. She may not have had any contact with her father in fifteen years, but she still recognized that tone of voice. Not to mention the old hairy eyebrow. "What's the matter?" she asked.
"Why don't you tell me what's going on around here?"
"What?" she asked, confused.
He sighed. "Look, I know that you have not been here all that long, and… well, sometimes it's difficult to ascertain a person's truthful intentions when inundated with—"
"Dad," Kim interrupted him. "Cut to the chase. What's wrong?"
"Tony… Hoffman," he added quickly.
Kim hesitated. "You've heard that Tony and I are friends."
"Friends?"
Kim nodded as she smiled slightly. She was glad that her father knew. "I like him. He's very sweet___and interesting…"
"Oh, for Pete's sake, Kim," her father said angrily. "You don't know him. Tony Hoffman has been a troublemaker around here since he began his internship."
"I don't know about that. But I do know that he's a good surgeon. He did your surgery," she said defensively.
"Any decent doctor could've done it." He shook his head. "Look," he said, softening his tone. "Tony Hoffman dates a lot of women around here. He's immature and… well, I don't want to see you get hurt."
"I know he seems a little wild," she said. "I thought so too. But he's really not…"
"Listen to yourself!" He shook his head. "I don't like my daughter falling into the same traps that I've seen so many other women fall into."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kim said stiffly. "We're friends."
"I know about motorcycle rides and cars parked outside each other's homes…"
"Dad…"
"He's using you, Kim. He thinks if he's got you on his side, I'll name him division chief…"
"Oh, for God's sake, Dad. He's not using me."
"I'm not blaming you, Kim. I just don't want you dating him…"
"Blaming me? For what? For living my life?" she said incredulously. "You seem to be forgetting that I'm not a little girl anymore. If you wanted to be a parent, you should've been one," she said angrily, her eyes filling with tears. "But it's too late now. Your little girl has grown up—without you. And I'm more than capable of making my own, decisions." She shook her head as she stood to leave.
"Kim," her father began.
"It's too late, Dad," she said, wiping away a tear. "I'm an adult. And I have been for a long time. You missed your chance to be a parent."
The phone rang several times at the house during the day, but Kim ignored it. She didn't care who it was, she didn't feel like talking to anyone. Her argument with her father had upset her so much she hadn't been able to eat anything all day. Her first thought had been to hop back on a plane and leave him there, to run away from the whole mess. She was embarrassed and angry. Her father had treated her like a child who had gone astray, a child that needed strict parental guidance to get back on track.
She thought back to his accusations about Tony. Perhaps she had been too harsh with her father. She really didn't think Tony was using her, but on the other hand, she hadn't known Tony all that long. She pushed aside the momentary feeling of doubt as she reminded herself to trust her feelings.
If Tony was not the person he appeared to be, then she intended to find out for herself.
Besides, the issue was not whether Tony was right for her. She wasn't sure about that herself. The issue was whether her father had any right to "forbid" her to see anyone.
She sighed as a pang of guilt stabbed at her conscience. She was acting like an indignant, self-righteous child. Her father was ill—and not only that, he was in a time warp. She was sure that part of him believed that she was still a little girl. He was trying to protect her in the same way he had protected her from dating a boy three years her senior. She should be happy that he was finally demonstrating paternal feelings. Expressing his dismay must have been a big step for him. At least he was communicating—even if he was telling her something that she didn't want to hear.
