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“You look bothered,” I said. “Is this about Leo’s wedding or is there something else?”
He shook his head. “No, not really. “How are you?”
“Fine.” I shrugged.
“Have you talked with your father?”
I sighed. “My mom called and asked if I was going to family dinner. She thinks I’m just going to forget about everything that happened.”
“You never did tell me what happened,” he said. “Why is that? You tell me everything.”
“Because it’s just so obnoxious,” I muttered.
“You’re obnoxious or your dad is?” he smirked.
I laughed. “I guess we both are. But I think he’s more obnoxious than I am.”
“Was it about the family business?” he asked.
“Yes.” I nodded.
He shook his head. “You have to distance yourself from that. You’re too smart to be mixed up with the family business.”
“I know. I remember all the lectures you’ve given me over the years. You always told me to get away. I thought you were a little crazy and maybe being just a little overprotective, but I get it now. I hate that it took me so long to figure it out for myself.”
“But you did,” he said. “I always knew you would find your way out.”
“But you never pushed.” I smiled.
“Because I know if I pushed, you would push right back.” He chuckled. “You’ve never just accepted anything I’ve said. You have always wanted to argue and put up a fight about everything. I know if I’m going to go up against you, I have to be ready. I knew you would figure it out on your own eventually. You’re not cut out for the family business.”
I sighed. “No, I’m not. You guys all did a very good job keeping the secret of his business away from me for a long time. I felt so foolish when I figured things out. I couldn’t believe I had been so naïve. All that time I thought he was just rich. I never imagined he was involved in sketchy behavior. I should have figured it out when he had all of you move into the house and put up that massive fence.”
“To be fair, I didn’t know until I was probably twelve or thirteen,” he admitted. “My dad never let on that anything was off. He just made sure I stayed in the room and didn’t tell anyone where we lived. He didn’t want me talking to anyone about anything.”
I nodded, remembering the many lectures I got about the same thing. “When your dad was hired to drive me around, I thought it was strange.”
“You didn’t have a driver before my dad?”
“No.” I shook my head. “He was just kind of there one day. My mom told me I was only to go with your dad. I wasn’t allowed to take rides with friends. I started to figure out he was there to protect me. I thought it was just because my dad was really rich.”
“Me too. But one morning, I saw my dad getting ready for work. He was checking his gun. I asked him what he was doing, and he said it was just part of the job.”
I shook my head as all the weird little things I had noticed throughout my childhood just added up one day. “I can’t be a part of that life.”
“I don’t want you to be,” he said softly. “But he’s your dad. He’s not bad. I know you love him. He’s your daddy.”
“I do, but he makes me crazy.” I sighed. “I want him to support me in what I want to do. I don’t tell him how to run his life or his business. He should support my wishes.”
“I agree.” He nodded. “You’re not an idiot. You should be able to make your own decisions. If you were trying to become a professional fire eater, maybe he should step in.”
I laughed. “I don’t plan on eating fire.”
“Remember when you ran away?” he asked with a goofy smile.
“Which time?” I laughed.
“I think it might be the last time,” he said. “You packed up your little backpack. I think it hadBlue’s Cluesor something like that on it. You were mad your dad wouldn’t let you go to the skating rink for a birthday party. You asked me to help make sandwiches for you to pack.”
