Page 93 of Eye of the Hurricane
“You met my parents, do you think I’m serious?” He nods, understanding. He makes a bed on the floor and lays on it.
“Pretend to be asleep when I open that door.” Having hushed conversations about pretending to sleep has me feeling like I’m fifteen.
I step over his body, slip a dress over my head and head out to living room. All eyes are on me. My moms eyes quickly fall from me to the man fake sleeping on my bedroom floor.
“Morning,” I say, walking to the kitchen to brew a cup of coffee.
“We need to talk before we head out this afternoon,” my mom says, following me to the kitchen.
“He slept on my floor.”
“I see that. That’s not what this is about. Although since you mentioned it, I don’t love the idea of you behind closed doors with a man without a ring.”
I sigh. “Let me get some food in my system before we have some big talk, please.”
“Alright,” she agrees, walking back to the living room. I need to mentally prepare myself for whatever is about to come out of her mouth.
When it comes to my mom who knows what it’ll be. It could be about my looks, my career, my house, Ares, or any other number of things.
I crack eggs over the frying pan on the stove while my coffee brews. Ares walks up behind me placing a kiss on the top of my head.
“Let me make the eggs, you do your coffee.”
“I can do both.”
“I know.” He reaches for the spatula. “Let me do it anyway.” I nod, moving out of his way.
We spend a half hour in our own little world. Despite my family being in the next room over. We make our breakfast and coffee. He sits with me while I eat.
“My mom said she needs to talk to me before she leaves,” I whisper to him.
“Do you know what for?” he asks.
“No clue. Could be anything. Nothing good, I’m sure,” I huff a dry laugh.
“Do you want me to hang here today? Then whatever it is, you don’t have to do it alone.”
“You’d do that?” I ask.
“I’d do just about anything you ask,” he replies with a laugh.
“I’d love that.”
“Katherine, come talk with me,”my mom orders. I follow her to the kitchen. Ares gives us space to chat but stays close enough to the kitchen that he’s within earshot.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
“We need you to let go of this childish dream, Katherine. We don’t want to cut you off financially but we’re not happy with where that money is going.” My heart sinks. I wasn’t sure they’d ever actually do it.
“You’re going to cut me off for pursuing a career?”
“It’s not just that, Katherine. We gave you a few years to get out this childish rebellion you’re clearly going through, but it’s been years now. You refuse to give up this so-called career, you refuse to find a husband. You’re so hell-bent on living a life the opposite of what we set out for you and I can’t for the life of me figure out why.” She speaks quietly in an attempt to keep our conversation private. My lip quivers and I pull it between my teeth to stop the movement.
“It’s not some rebellious streak I’m on. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do. Do you know how happy most parents would be to have a daughter who put this much effort into her dreams? To have a daughter who put zero energy into boys and all of it into making a life for herself?” I raise my voice and I can see the heads of everyone in the living room turn to us.
“Do you know how happy most daughters would be to have parents who are willing to financially support them and not ask them to go to college while they find their husband?” she counters, also raising her voice.
“I can’t just give it up because you don’t like it. I’m this close to my dream. I won’t let you take it from me. If that means I need to support myself then so be it,” I yell back. Crossing my arms over my chest.
