Page 154 of The Rules Of Attraction
“I don’t know about that. From what you told me, you did most of those things exactly the way you normally do things. Except that this whole trying to be senior partner has placed you into this suppressed box where your being told how to act. Alex, you’re a leader, not a follower. And you’re a damn good leader too.”
“My father doesn’t think so.”
He pointed at me. “Hold that thought.” He smirked. “Do you remember how you thought you might want to go to Harvard instead of Princeton. Do you remember why you thought that?”
Of course I remembered. “My dad would have gone ape shit at me. All the Sullivan men went to Princeton.”
“Right, then do you remember back in high school, how you wanted to play football but choose basketball because your father thought the sport was more classy. Also how you turned down like ten different scholarships to play because you knew your father wanted you to focus on everything academic.”
I loved basketball, would have loved football more too. I was a natural at sports and enjoyed playing it, but I tossed the idea of playing seriously aside because I knew it would have pissed off my dad to no end.
“I remember, Marc. Is there a point to this walk down memory lane? It’s not helping.”
“Everything I say has a point. I’m reminding you of those things because they were important points in your life that could have had life changing results. You could have been an athlete. You could have gone to Harvard and maybe worked at another firm. But you didn’t entertain the possibility of any of those things because as long as I’ve known you, you’ve always tried to please your father. I think that this, all that happened today is down to that.”
I closed my eyes and took in what he’d said.
This wasn’t anything new to me. It wasn’t new news. I actively knew that I’d made certain decisions in my life that were geared at pleasing my father. The significance about my recent actions was that this was the worst thing that had happened so far, and he was holding something over my head that I’d wanted badly.
I couldn’t remember a time when I didn’t live to try and please my father in some form of way. I was still me, and still acted out in ways I wanted but within reason. Always within reason. Not like this, blinded by my need to be part of the senior partnership.
I couldn’t represent Devon, and today what I should have been doing was trying to find all ways to expose the man for what he was.
However there was more to consider. Summer was disappointed in me and I knew my father would be hurt by this.
“You’re right Marc.”
“You know what Alex. I don’t think I’ve ever told you about my serious attachment issues.” Marc chuckled.
“What attachment issues?”
“The attachment issues that makes me go where you go, get in trouble for you, make an idiot of myself because you told me to.”
Ugh he was still talking about that freshman year stunt I pulled when I got him to ask out Catarina St. John. The woman was a dead ringer for Claudia Schiffer. Marc would turn into a babbling fool when he saw her so I dared him to ask her out. The poor guy couldn’t even get the words out of his mouth so I had to ask her for him.
I laughed at the memory.
“If you’re referring to Catarina, it worked out well didn’t it? You guys dated for a year until she moved to England.”
Marc grimaced. “I still looked like a fool, Alex.”
“But a good fool, no?”
“No.” He frowned.
“But yet you still see her.” I teased him. He didn’t know that I knew all about his quarterly visits to England for God knew how long.
“How in the hell did you find out about that?” He looked shocked.
“I’m your best friend Marc, my job is to snoop around where my nose doesn’t belong, and never mind my business when it comes to you.”
Marc shook his head at me. ”Whatever man, that’s a story for another time. Anyway and back to the point. I’m trying to say we’re friends, and I’ve tended to follow you wherever you go. Have you ever thought of not trying to please your dad, and maybe just doing what you want. It’ll take guts but I think you’d be happier for it. Like maybe Sullivan’s isn’t exactly the place for you. Maybe you could flourish better somewhere else. And I’d go with you.”
“You’d go with me if I left Sullivan’s? Marc, I couldn’t do that to you. You have a good thing going there.”
“It is good, but you’re my best friend. What’s the point of having things good when they could be better. And when I say better I’m including a lot. I may make a million dollars a year but would happily take a massive pay cut to spend more time with the woman of my dreams. Sullivan’s pays well but I’m good. We’re a duo.”
I was touched to hear that.
