I could hear raised voices and slowed my pace. I turned my head, straining my ears to hear better. I cringed when I recognized my father’s raised voice. I walked toward his office and confirmed it was definitely him. I leaned against the wall and listened to the heated exchange.
My father was on a tirade. I could hear the soft sobs of a female. It was clear it was a student.
“You should have majored in fashion or makeup or whatever it is that you actually do well!” my father said. “Why are you in my class? This is not what you care about. You are wasting my time and yours.”
“Sir, I promise, I do want to be an engineer,” the female insisted. “I’m trying.”
“I’ve seen better effort from a wall. Get out. Figure out what you want to do with your life and don’t come back to my class until you know.”
The door opened and a young woman rushed out. She barely looked at me as she ran past me with tears streaming down her cheeks.
My dad stepped out and spotted me. “Evie,” he said with surprise.
“Dad.”
“Sorry you had to see that,” he muttered.
“Me too.”
“Come in.”
I followed him into his office. I felt bad for the girl. I felt bad for Xander. I had been wearing blinders for a long time when it came to my dad. I was always apologizing for him. Usually, I didn’t mind. It was second nature to me. I always chalked up his shitty behavior to his personality. I was beginning to see he really wasn’t very nice.
“What was that about?” I asked.
He waved a hand. “Another spoiled brat thinking she has the chops to make it as an engineer. I swear, every year it gets worse and worse.”
“I think you need to give some of these young adults a chance. You are judging them based on their looks.”
“Is that what he told you?” he sneered.
I sighed. “Can we sit down and talk for a minute?”
He gestured to the hard wooden chair. I sat down and waited while he took his seat behind his desk. “What brings you by?”
“I was waiting for you to call me. You didn’t. I figured an apology is best delivered in person.”
“You don’t need to apologize,” he started.
I leaned forward, putting my hand on his desk. “I’m not apologizing for anything. You owe me an apology.”
His eyes grew round. “You want me to apologize?”
“Yes.”
He offered a small smile. “All right, I’m sorry you are upset that I tried to help you. As your father, I need to do things that you don’t always like. It isn’t always pleasant, but it is necessary. I think they call it tough love.”
I should have known he would find a way around it. “You know that’s not what I’m asking for.”
“It’s all you are going to get.”
“Why do you hate him so bad? You can’t give me a good reason for disliking him. You have all these assumptions about him, but you don’t actually know him. Just like that girl that went running out of here. You assume the worst in people. You assume the younger generation isn’t worthy of your teaching. Why? That is your job. You are supposed to be imparting wisdom on the next generation.”
He studied me for several seconds. “I don’t have to explain anything to you. It is what it is, and I would appreciate it if you accept it and let me get back to work.”
“Dad! Why are you being so hateful?”
“I’m not being hateful,” he answered without any real inflection. “I know him. I know his type.”
“You are wrong.”
“Listen, Evie. You are a good girl. You have this natural inclination to like everyone. You see the good in people. I see the bad in people. I have lived on this earth a lot longer than you. I know people.”
“I’m not naïve. I know people. It’s what I do for a living. I read people. I anticipate their needs. Xander is not a bad guy.”
He scoffed. “Yeah, right. He is using you to get to me.”
“He didn’t even know you were my father!”
“Bullshit. It isn’t hard to figure out. Your last name. The college bio page.”
It was my turn to roll my eyes. “That would be assuming he stalked you. Do you really think he has followed you all these years? I think you are giving yourself too much credit. He is a successful man. The last thing he cares about is what you are doing.”
“So he says.”
“He has said nothing. He hasn’t said one word about you because he doesn’t think about you.”
“I don’t think of him either.”
“You sure do harbor a lot of hate for a man you don’t think about.”
“He is a pissant. A blip in my memory. Trust me. Stay away from him. He isn’t a good guy. That is something you can believe me about. I’m with guys like him all day. I see and hear how they treat the young women in this school. I will not have you be the subject of disgusting locker-room talk.”
“He isn’t in school. He isn’t the same as all the other guys you know.”
His expression changed. I knew the look. He was done. The conversation was over. “Just listen to me on this. Walk away from the guy. There are hundreds of other men out there. You don’t need this one.”
I got to my feet and moved to the door. I paused and turned back to look at him. “You know, I think I’m a responsible woman. I have never done anything to make you think otherwise. I’ve never done anything that puts my life in danger. I’ve always been a good girl. I’ve always taken care of you. I’ve always toed the line. Don’t you think you can trust me on this?”
“No.” He didn’t even try to soften his response. It was his usual no-nonsense approach. His way or the highway. It was no wonder him and Xander clashed. Xander was a strong personality. He was a little more subtle, but he was strong and stubborn and so much like my father.
“That’s too bad,” I said.
“Don’t make this a big deal,” he said nonchalantly. It was the same tone and demeanor he used when I was little and wanted an extra brownie. Or when I asked for a new car.
“It is a big deal. I’m going to date whomever I want. I trust my judgement. You raised me to be responsible and I am. You raised me to make decisions that I could trust. I trust myself on this.”
He slapped a hand on his desk. “I am your father! You will respect me.”
“I do respect you, but I respect me more.”
“This is not how you talk to your father.”
“I would expect my father to be supportive of my decisions.” I walked out of the office and headed down the hall. I didn’t stop walking.
I was so angry and hurt. I didn’t think it was too much to ask for a little support from him. He was jaded and set in his ways. He could have chosen to set aside those ways and heard me out. He didn’t. He had made me choose and I was not going to soon forget what he had done.
I got in my car and drove away. I wasn’t sure if I wanted him to come after me or not. Part of me did. I wanted him to apologize and tell me he was okay with me deciding who I would date. I wanted him to say he’d like to try dinner with Xander again.