CHAPTER 5
DRAKE
The booze was already in full blast when I got to my house. I was greeted by a bunch of my teammates who were all holding bottles of imported, expensive beer.
I couldn’t believe my dad had actually organized this and was tolerating such in his own house.
Before I could even locate him, I was sidetracked by a couple of bulky Warriors who were proudly wearing their jackets. They had some skanky women with them, none of whom I recognized.
“Hey, Drake!” one of them called out. “Where’ve you been? We’ve been having so much fun, thanks to your cool, super rich dad.”
I didn’t comment on that, of course. Weren’t they surprised that it was only now that they’d encountered my father? Perhaps it’s just not a concern for them, as long as they were having plenty of fun—for free.
“Did you see him?” I simply asked.
“Who? Mr. Walton?” the other one said. Then he pointed to my father’s private office. “He’s waiting for you, I think.”
Without another word, I stormed through the crowd as fast as I could, given my condition, my mood rapidly changing. Along the way, I saw a few good friends chatting and enjoying the lavish buffet that had probably been prepared by our own in-house chef.
When I finally reached the white luxurious door of my father’s office, I turned the knob without knocking. He immediately looked up from the screen of his desktop computer.
A wide smile spread across his face. “Drake, son!” he greeted, standing up and heading over to where I had halted. “Did you see Dr. Anderson?”
“He’s not there. Someone else took his place.”
“Really?” He seemed surprised at first, and then something dawned on him. “Oh, perhaps he has finally traveled to Asia to take care of his family business matters. So who’s the new doctor? I hope he’s just as excellent.”
“She seems to be,” I answered curtly.
“Hhhmmm… a woman… interesting…”
I wanted to get straight to the point. “What’s this all about, Dad? Why are you doing this? Why did you even come to the football game today?”
He raised a hand to silence me. He was still the business tycoon I knew. “Hold on, son. Can’t it just be about a father who wants to see his son play football?”
I actually gave out a snort. Yeah, right, I wanted to say. He’s lucky I still had some manners. “Tell me the truth. What do you need from me?”
He paused for a few seconds and then sighed. “Okay, you got me,” he finally said. “It’s a business move, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t want to see how my son’s doing. I hardly know you anymore.”
“That’s not my fault, is it?” I said sarcastically, not being able to hold back any longer.
He frowned. “It’s not fair, Drake. You know how it is running a business empire. And that’s why I wanted to see how you’re doing. If football is really what you want to do for the rest of your life, then so be it. I want to see for myself that you’re happy and fulfilled.”
I was listening, but not responding. I waited for him to go on.
He leaned back on his desk and folded his arms across his chest. Looking at me intently, he went on. “From what I’ve seen, you have the talent. But football doesn’t make you happy.”
“How would you know that from watching me play one game?!” I demanded.
“I’ve watched several others in the past,” he countered. “And I’ve caught a couple of TV coverages.”
“So what are you implying?” I asked. I was admittedly curious. He’d long given up on trying to push me into business. It seemed to me the winds were changing.
“Get involved in our business, Drake,” he said. “You have it in your blood. I know you’ll make a fine businessman.”
I was silent. He watched me for a while before walking toward a nearby closet, opening it, and bringing out a bottle of red wine. He took out two wine glasses and poured some for both of us.
“Think about it, at least,” he urged, extending a glass of wine for me.
I took it and downed the content with one big gulp. I shrugged. “Whatever,” I muttered. “Why are you even asking?”
“I figured I’m not getting any younger. Your mother, too, has been complaining of health concerns, due to the daily grind of our business. And your older sister has gone on to become a full-time housewife in another country…”
“So?”
He stepped forward and looked at me earnestly. “Son, I don’t want to lose this business. I built it from the bottom up—for my children and future grandchildren. If you don’t want to help me or yourself, at least think of what this business can do for your future family. Think of the thousands of employees that rely on us.”
I was somehow taken aback, as I pictured the many employees I’ve seen during the parties and gatherings I’ve attended in the past. I’ve seen some of them with their kids. I’ve watched some of them get older and get promoted in our company. And I’m even friends with a few of their children.
“Just think about it, Drake.”
A vision of me getting married and having a baby suddenly popped in my head. To my bewilderment, it was Dr. Hill’s face that came to mind as my future wife. I quickly erased the image, literally shaking my head.
“You owe it to yourself, too,” Dad told me. He was hitting it home, actually. It was just my pride that was getting in the way, my sense of rebellion preventing me from moving forward. Maybe it was about time I gave it a shot. Who knows? I might actually have a knack for it. I might even enjoy it.
“Okay, I’ll think about it,” I said.
“Good,” he answered, breaking into a grin. “That’s my son. I knew you’d come around.” He gave me a pat on the shoulder. “I know you believe I’ve always been a bad father to you. I have to admit I had not been around as much as I would have wanted. But Drake… this is all for you. So I’m hoping we can start over...”
“Sure,” I interrupted. “But did you have to do all this?”
He chuckled. “Just my way of saying I want to start over with you, son.”
Even though he was probably doing it more for the business than for me or for this family, I somehow felt glad. Hope seemed to be seeping through my veins, traveling to my heart. This day may not end on a sad note, after all.
The rest of the evening was easier on me, though not yet relaxing. I had a lot on my mind, despite a huge burden that felt like it had just been lifted off my shoulders. There was an impending concern on my part--- starting a new chapter in my life. Tons of questions were swimming in my mind, though I hadn’t given a final answer yet.
After dinner, I hung out at the poolside with some of my buddies. That was when I saw a few guys on the team fooling around with the women. They were pushing each other in and out of the pool, though they weren’t in swimming attire. They were acting rowdy and foolish, obviously drunk already.
I shook my head in disbelief, not understanding why some men acted in such ways, as if they were still in their teens. It was a major turn-off for me. Did I really want to keep hanging out with these players? Although there were several great guys on the team, I found myself wondering what it would be like to broaden my world and meet new people again.
Perhaps it was time.