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The question hit her like a slap to the face, stealing her breath. Pushing aside the fact that she had let go of her social life and her creative outlets to save his ass, she focused on the detail he’d most likely value.
“Do you know how many job offers I had coming out of school? And I said no, I’m going to work for my own business. Except it’s not ever going to be mine, is it? Have you talked to Frankie about this?”
“Not one-on-one.”
“Coward. You know it’s been Frankie’s plan for years to take over as head contractor. What now? Is Adrian going to be that guy?”
“Frankie is too young and inexperienced to take over as head contractor right now.”
“Ah, but not forever. Have you thought about that, Dad? Do you have a plan?”
His silence answered her more clearly than words.
“And you wonder why I left the other day. Do you think I’m doing this,” she gestured at the papers on her desk, “because I like earning an hourly wage? No, Dad. I care about this company, and I want it to be solvent when I inherit my part. I also want to get the hell out of here before midnight. Come back and talk to me when you have an actual plan.” She couldn’t quite believe that she’d just spoken to her father that way, and apparently he couldn’t either.
“I don’t know why you’re so angry about this. If the job is too much with the designing and the show—”
“Don’t even say it.” Sofia couldn’t let him suggest she give up her dreams a second time. For as much as she’d just stood up to him verbally, actually going against something her dad told her to do felt nigh on impossible. “I didn’t say I couldn’t handle it. I said I want to be working my ass off for something that’s mine, not someone else’s. I don’t want to take orders from a boss, and if you’re going to sell the company out from under me, I’d like to know so I can make other plans.”
“What other plans?” He seemed genuinely baffled by this idea.
“Dad, I’m a designer. I am not going to enter time cards forever. Don’t take me for granted.”
“I don’t, Sofia.”
Oh, but you do. And you don’t even realize it.Her face must’ve telegraphed her disagreement, because he got defensive.
“I appreciate the work you do.”
“As long as it’s the work you want me to do. Listen, Dad, it’s been a long day, and I can tell I’m not saying what you expected me to say. Why don’t you go home and talk things over with Mom? We can talk more tomorrow.”
“I can’t.”
“Okay, then the day after.”
“No, I can’t talk to your mother. She won’t speak to me.”
Sofia sat back in her chair, stunned. She couldn’t remember a time in her life when that had been the case. Her parents’ marriage had always seemed rock-solid. Sure they argued, but they did so briefly and at top volume, and then it was done and life went on. Her mother had never shied away from an argument, never kept her opinions to herself. Sofia wanted to be just like her.
“I thought she just didn’t want to talk about the show. How long has this been going on?”
“Not a word since the family meeting.”
A whole month? This is serious.
“Well then, go home and think about what your plan is. Talk to Enzo and Frankie, and see what they say. And then we’ll talk again. Like I said before, I’m not against it in principle, but I can’t agree until I know the specifics of what you want to do.”
Her email chimed from her computer. Another message from Farha Shah.
“Sorry, Dad. I need to read this. We’ll talk soon.”
“Don’t stay up too late.” She rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of that command just as she had at age nine when he caught her reading after bedtime. It earned her a short laugh. “I love you, princess.”
“I love you, too, Dad.”
At least that part of their relationship hadn’t just changed. But now that she’d spoken her concerns and frustrations aloud, Sofia didn’t think she could go back to being biddable. As he left and locked the front door behind him, Sofia turned her attention to the email.
From:Farha Shah
