Abby Age Twenty-Two

In the blink of an eye, I turned twenty-eight. Ten years ago, I promised myself that even though I was following my father’s advice, I’d be my own person. Two years ago, I wrote a business plan. A couple of months ago I was in San Jose searching for an office where I could start my own company. Today, I’m sitting in on a meeting where my father talks about his decision to take Ahern Inc. public.

He plans on keeping 51% of the company, giving Sterling and me 25%, and hiring a board that will hold five percent. The rest will be sold to the public through the New York Stock Exchange. This is his new dream and the next step in solidifying his career as a businessman.

“I want you to be the CFO,” he says with pride.

“Dad,” I clear my throat. “Are you sure about this?”

My heart beats slowly as I continue reading the documents he handed me when I walked into his office. He said he was going to retire, that he wanted to travel around the world with Mom. This isn’t a retirement plan. I was about to suggest to him that we should sell the company. Cash out while we’re on top of the game. Sterling and I don’t need the money, we’re set.

In a few months, I’m moving to the Bay area. He’s going to need me, and I just can’t keep going.

“Son, this is my dream.”

He said that only six months ago when we bought a small telecommunications company down in Dallas. He absorbed all the technology, offered positions to a few of the employees and a severance package to the rest. I wasn’t happy with his strategy, but he said it made sense. We’ve never done something as drastic as that. His business practices are beginning to shift to a place where I don’t want to continue. And now he wants to go public.

Does he understand what it means?

“Of course,” he continues. “I’ve never been so sure about something in my entire life.”

I exhale, looking at the numbers and reading the list of potential board members. Some of them are unknown to me, and the rest are old neighbors who’ve already retired.

See Dad, this is what you should be doing, retiring.

“What does Mom think about it?”

“Well, I haven’t talked to her yet,” he says. “I need to discuss this with Sterling too. If he would stop playing with clay and start taking life seriously. This company will be yours.”

“What does that mean?”

“While he goes to college and starts to understand our world, I’ll continue as the CEO. Once he’s ready, you take over the company, and he’ll be the CFO.”

I frown as I process what he just said.

“Dad, Sterling lives in Italy,” I remind him. “His career is taking off. He isn’t coming back.”

He chuckles. “That’s nonsense.” He waves his hand, disregarding what I just said. “Next week I’m assembling the board. You can’t say anything to your mother. At least, not until I’ve spoken with Sterling.”

“What if I decide not to continue with the company?”

“Weston.” He slams his hand on the desk. “Your life is this company. I’ve been working my entire life to leave this to you. Ahern Inc. is your legacy, and you will continue with it. Understood?”

A knot the size of an orange is stuck in my throat. The air around me is so thick, I can’t breathe. This isn’t the place where I want to be, nor the future I want for myself. But how do I tell him that? This man has given me everything from the moment I arrived at his house. There’s no way I can turn my back on him.

“Sir,” his secretary knocks a couple of times before opening. “You have a call on line three. Mr. Davalos says it’s urgent.”

“I bet it’s about that company I want to buy down in Argentina,” Dad says with satisfaction.

He’s about to close another deal. Leave a few thousand more workers without employment while he increases his net worth.

“I have a plane to catch, Dad,” I check my watch.

The jet is scheduled to leave in about an hour.

“Where are you going?”

“Away for the weekend. We’ll discuss this when I’m back.” I tap the papers but don’t take them with me.

As soon as I’m in the car, I call Sterling giving him the news.

“You have to quit,” he says.

“It’s not that easy.”

“Repeat after me: ‘Dad, I quit,’” he enunciates the last three words. “See how easy it is?”

I grasp the wheel tightly, changing gears and lanes. Sterling does whatever he wants with his life, without thinking about others. Just like our father. If I don’t take on more responsibilities, Dad’s never going to retire. What’s going to happen with Mom? She wants to enjoy their life, their marriage. Every night when I visit them, she’s showing him new pictures of the places she wants to travel to with him.

“Mom is coming over in a couple of weeks,” my brother announces. “I might tell her to leave his ass. I bet he’ll sell that hellhole once she stops taking shit from him.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Do you think Abby is going to take that kind of shit from you?”

“Abby and I aren’t together?”

“Where are you going?” His annoying voice booms inside the car.

“It’s none of your fucking business.”

“Little Abby and I were just on the phone, talking about Mom’s trip. She’s in Tahoe,” he pauses, and I swear, I know the asshole is smirking. “She’s waiting for you—because it’s her birthday weekend.”

“We’re not together. I’m just visiting her because I couldn’t last Monday.”

“Yeah, what’s up with that?” His tone is serious. “You didn’t go to visit her on her birthday—because of work. That’s not a way to treat your girl.”

“She’s not my girl,” I groan.

I don’t explain to him why I skipped her birthday. I wanted to celebrate that day just with her. When Mom announced that they were visiting her I changed my plans. I don’t tell him any of that—it’ll solidify his theory. I’m not ready to discuss my relationship with Abby with him.

“Not yet,” he corrects. “You’re in love with her, and one day you’ll make a move. The question is, what kind of relationship are you planning on having? The one where you can’t live without her or the one where you live for Dad and his fucking money?”

I hit the wheel. The traffic isn’t moving. The Denver Tech Center is a fucking nightmare at noon, even worse than downtown. A fifteen-minute drive is taking an eternity. Longer than this call.

“Live your life; believe in your future. I know you think I’m a selfish bastard for doing what I love, but I’m not,” he pauses. “You only have this life. It’s not a rehearsal, it’s happening as we speak. Mom always tells you that. You should listen to her, not to the man who doesn’t know how to live—or love.”

I know that he’s right about living my own fucking life. As a matter of fact, I don’t want to be like Dad. Or have a relationship like the one my parents have. Mom says she’s happy, but my heart breaks every time her face falls because Dad puts work before her. I hate to admit it, but my little brother is right. If I continue on this path, no one is going to be happy—not even our father. At this point, I have no fucking idea how to please him. Nothing I do is enough, he always needs just a little more.

“What are you going to tell Dad when he calls?” I retake the conversation. This is why I called him, not to talk about my life.

“To go to hell,” he says with pride. “I don’t need his money, and I’ve never had his love.”

“He loves you.”

“Stop defending him, Wes. The guy only loves money.” He huffs. “Hey, I have to go but call me tomorrow. Abby and I have to shake some sense into you.”

Sterling hangs up before I can tell him more. The call leaves me with a bitter taste. If I can’t change Dad’s mind, I’m going to be stuck doing something I hate. Leaving him isn’t an option. Mom deserves better. Maybe this is the last thing on his to-do list before retiring. If not, I can just take over the company for him. But the question is: will he trust me with it?

Actually, I don’t care if he trusts me with it. I’d rather have his approval when I tell him that I want to start my own company than bother with his. What I really want is to be my own person.