- Aiden -
I pushed open the glass doors and smiled at the receptionist. “Hi Amy.”
“Aiden, what a lovely surprise.” Amy walked around her desk and gave me a big hug.
“I hope my Dad feels the same.”
“I’m sure he will. How have you been?”
“Good.”
“I heard you’re doing physical therapy now.”
“Yeah, I’m hoping to open my own place soon.”
“That would be wonderful. Maybe I could send my husband your way. His knee still isn’t right after that spill he took skiing last year.”
“I would be happy to take a look at it.”
“That would be great. He might actually accept some help if it came from you. You’d think he’d been tortured by doctors his whole life the way he acts about going to get a second opinion.”
I reached in my pocket and pulled out my card. “Tell him to call me anytime. I’ll even come to the house to take a look. He shouldn’t still be in pain.”
“Thanks, Aiden,” she said, taking the card. “Sounds good.” She walked back around the desk and lifted the phone. “John, your son is here to see you… Milk and sugar?... No problem.” She hung up the phone and gestured towards my Dad’s office. “Go ahead and let yourself in. Can I get you anything to drink?”
“No, I’m fine, thanks. I’ve got a bottle of water with me.”
I knocked once and pushed my Dad’s office door open. The view behind his desk looked out over the lake which sparkled so brightly in the sunshine it made me wish I hadn’t left my sunglasses in the car.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Aiden,” he said, standing up. “How nice of you to stop by.”
I walked over and gave him a hug. “Chelsea’s at a casting call nearby so I figured I’d come say hi.”
“I’m so glad you did,” he said, gesturing for me to sit down.
As I headed back to the chair in front of his desk, I checked the clock. I didn’t want to overstay my welcome. He’d never cared much for interruptions.
“I’ve been meaning to call you with some big news.”
“Oh really?” I asked. “What’s up?”
He sat down and leaned back in his chair. “I’ve been talking to my best guy, and he thinks he can shift his workload enough to train you.”
I furrowed my brows.
“We can have you trading by September. How great is that? You’ll have your own clients, your own accounts, and a fantastic future to look forward to.”
“Wow. That’s great news-”
“I know.”
“Except for one thing.”
My Dad clasped his hands on the desk in front of him. “What’s that?”
“I don’t want to be a trader.”
He dropped his head for a second and took a deep breath. “Son, it’s time to get serious. You can’t just pal around with college rugby players forever.”
“I’m not paling around. I’m staying with them until the end of their summer training season, and then I’m going to open my own place.”
“How?”
“With my savings and the money from my trust fund.”
“You’re not going to blow your trust fund money on a masseuse parlor for men.”
I laughed. “That’s not what I do, Dad. Not by a long shot.”
“I want you to have the kind of career you can be proud of.”
“Really?” I unscrewed my water bottle and took a sip. “It sort of sounds like you want me to have the kind of career you can be proud of.”
“I’m not an unreasonable man, Aiden. I just don’t see what’s in it for you if you go down this road.”
“You could ask me. I’ve thought about it at length.”
His neck pressed against the collar of his shirt. “Fine. What’s in it for you?”
“The opportunity to help people maintain an active lifestyle and help those who’ve faced setbacks return to their physical peak.”
He raised his eyebrows like he was waiting for more.
“Look, you don’t have to understand what I get out of it. The important thing is that you don’t have to worry about getting me a job. I know it’s disappointing for you, but the thought of lining my pockets with the interest I make off other people’s money isn’t the kind of thing that makes me want to jump out of bed in the morning.”
“But massaging men is?”
I shook my head. “I want to open my own place before the end of the year, and I’ve already narrowed it down to a few locations. I was hoping that since you have a lot of experience buying property, you might come take a look at them and give me your opinion.”
He sighed. “Are you sure this isn’t a phase?”
I cocked my head at him. “What do you mean?”
“I mean we’re all disappointed that you had to stop playing rugby, but don’t you think you’re just postponing the fact that you have to let that dream go.”
“No, I don’t think that’s what I’m doing at all. One of my favorite things about playing rugby is that when I did it well, it made people feel good. And I have the opportunity to do that as a physical therapist, too.”
He shook his head.
“And yeah, I get a buzz out of the fact that it means I can still work with elite athletes even though I’m not one anymore, but I don’t see what’s wrong with that.”
“Do you have any idea how much of your trust fund money a new business is going to eat up? It’ll be gone before you know it.”
“With all due respect, Dad, you’ve totally lost touch with the value of money.” I leaned back in my chair. “I don’t live like you do. I’ve done the math. At my current rate of spending- assuming I get the best equipment and staff I can for my practice- I’ve got ten years before I even have to be profitable.”
He exhaled through his nose.
“And I already know I can count on having a contract from the college on the books.”
“It’s not what your Grandfather would’ve wanted.”
“Then he should’ve left some more detailed instructions than take care of yourself, kid.”
“Is that all he said to you about the money before he died?”
I shrugged. “Pretty much.”
“Fuck me. I can’t believe he got so soft with age. He was such a hard ass when I was young.”
“So you’ve said.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter what he said. He would’ve wanted you to follow in his and my footsteps and dedicate your life to making other people lots of money.”
“And helping people be fit enough to go out and make their own money- or spend it how they want- isn’t good enough?”
“It’s not my first choice.”
I sighed. “Will you at least think about coming to look at the locations I’ve scouted out? I think I already know which one I prefer, but I would appreciate your opinion.”
“Will you at least promise me that you’ll consider my offer of training here and joining the team?”
“Do you want me to lie to you?”
“No.”
“Then no, I’m not going to consider your offer. I know what I want to do, and while I don’t need your permission by any stretch, it would mean a lot to me if you would give me your blessing.”
“What does your Mother think of all this?”
“She just wants me to be happy.”
“Well, that’s why I married her, isn’t it? Because she’s a better person than I am.”
I smiled. “You’re not so bad.”
“And what about this Chelsea? Is she a better person than you are?”
“I don’t know. You’ve met her. Why do you ask?”
“Cause if I’m going to get ambushed with any more wedding expenses, I want to know right now.”
I laughed. “No, you’re good. Unless you’ve got other kids to consult that I don’t know about, Claire’s is the only wedding you’re on the hook for.”
“She’s doing my head in with this shit, Aiden. I swear to God. This guy better be a goddamn prince for how far I’m reaching in my pocket. Your mother called me earlier to let me know they’ve decided on centerpieces from Italy. Italy!”
“At least you only get married once, right?”
He rolled his eyes. “No shit. I’m not kidding though. If they don’t start cutting corners somewhere, her wedding is going to be my funeral! Honestly, next thing I know they’ll be telling me they want real doves to deliver the invitations to people.”
“Maybe you could compromise and get a discount on carrier pigeons if you order in bulk.”
“I must remember that,” he said. “In case they try and pull anything.”
“Why don’t you change your focus?”
“Pardon?”
“Why don’t you stop focusing on how much everything is costing you and start focusing on how good you’re going to feel when you’re walking Claire down the aisle knowing that, because of you, she got to have the wedding of her dreams?”
My Dad smiled gently, his eyes forming little crescents. “You’re a good kid, Aiden, and you know what else?”
“What?”
“You’d make a damn fine trader.”