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It isn’t a problem anyone should have to deal with,I want to argue. Besides, I am 25, hardly a child. But I know what he means, so I just give him one more comforting squeeze in response.
Then we break apart, and I walk away to begin work. At the door of the office, I turn back, studying his forlorn expression as he gazes down at the letter again. He must sense it, because he raises his head and tries to give me a reassuring smile. It comes out more like a grimace.
I smile back, and it is just as weak as his. “Hey, Dad…” I begin, not sure what I am going to say next but feeling the need to saysomething.
I end up settling for the only thing I can think of. “I love you.”
For the first time, some degree of genuine peace flickers across his face. “I know,” he replies. “It’s the only thing that keeps me going, anymore.”
I just nod, understandingexactlywhat he means.
2
AIDEN
Istudy myself in the mirror, making sure my tie is knotted in a perfect square and everything looks impeccable. I’m not usually a sloppy man, but my father has such high, borderline impossible, standards for etiquette. Even the tiniest slip up, something no one else would even notice, will give him an excuse to jump all over me.
I’m determined to make sure he has no ammunition. I scrutinize myself one last time, fiddling a bit with my hair. Then I finally turn away, satisfied with my appearance.Let’s see you find something to complain about now, Dad.
The thought feels a bit hollow, like a thread I don’t really want to pull. I’m sure he’ll find something to start in on me for, even if I can’t imagine what right now. He always does. I wish I felt as confident as my snarky inner voice sounds.
It’s not just him I’m worried about impressing, though. I’ll be meeting my family for lunch while we prepare for another business meeting later today. That’s why I have to be dressed to kill, and God help me if I spill anything on my clothes. What’s the neatest thing a person can order for lunch, anyway?
Our business meeting is with a big shot investor my dad wants to impress. But it’s not just any investor – it’s the father of my ex-girlfriend. Whenever I think too hard about it, it’s enough to make me break out in a clammy sweat. So I try to ignore it, finding it preferable to agonize over my reflection instead.
I’m not going to miss this chance to show off the mistake she made, though. I hope her dad sees me and is so impressed, he goes home to tell her all about it. I hope he points out that she made the worst decision of her life, cheating on me.
She threw out a perfectly good man. No, an excellent man. This is my one chance to really rub it in. I want her drowning in regret.
To be honest, I’m kind of glad she blew up everything we had. It had been messy at the time, but it was for the best. We weren’t going anywhere. Now that I’m free of her, it’s obvious I’m better off without her.
Still, I’d like to see her squirm a little. Just a little lesson she can keep in mind for the future. Before she does the same thing to some other poor, unsuspecting guy.
When I arrive at the restaurant, my parents and sister are already seated and waiting for me. I greet them respectfully, already feeling my dad’s eyes burning into me as he checks me over. I settle in my chair as he begins to talk.
He starts right away in business matters. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, relieved that he didn’t find anything to criticize about my appearance. My sister twirls the straw in her iced tea, looking bored.
My mother, on the other hand, fidgets in her chair and keeps fussing with the tablecloth. For a moment, I stop listening to my father, watching her smooth out roughly the hundredth wrinkle in the material that no one but her can see, anyway.
She’s nervous,I realize. A red flag goes up in the back of my mind. The conversation, or perhaps the correct word is monologue, of my father pauses abruptly when the waiter comes to take our orders. My sister’s face lights up, thankful for the temporary respite of literally any other topic.
As soon as the waiter leaves, my father starts again. I listen warily, still wondering why my mother seems so anxious. And that’s when the bomb drops.
“He’s a vital investor for our company. You know as well as I do how much we could do if we put our funds together.” My father is looking at me expectantly, waiting for a response.
“Yes…” I agree slowly, hesitantly. I can sense a trap snapping shut, but I don’t know how to avoid it.
“Now, we can strike up a partnership. That’s all well and good, but that only gets us so far. He funds one project, and then we have to hope he funds another, and another. Right? There’s only one partnership that’s permanent.”
My mother won’t look at me. My father’s jaw is set, prepared for an argument that hasn’t even begun. My sister is squirming down in her seat, and I half think she might crawl under the table.
“What?” I finally ask in confusion. This strange code he’s talking in makes no sense to me. What is he getting at?
“You and Ada,” my dad answers simply. I feel my cheeks heat up, frustrated just by the mention of her name. “It’s not like you don’t know each other. Heck, you already dated. If the two of you get married, it creates a permanent bond between both of our companies.”
He leans across the table. “We’ll be on equal footing, merged and both with a child benefiting from it. It’s the greatest motivation there is for him to be fully on board. And you, more than anyone, stand to gain a lot by the success,” he concludes. His voice stresses the last part, trying to persuade me.
I can hardly hear him, though. I’m too distracted by the ridiculous idea that he thinks I’m going to marry Ada. The woman who cheated on me with mybest friend. Just an hour ago, I was thinking how fortunate I was to escape that trap once. I’m not going back willingly, for any amount of money.
