Chapter Twenty-Eight
Taylor
I rehearsed my argument one more time. Well, not an argument, but a presentation to my parents. I had the benefits and drawbacks of being a nurse. I had my list of colleges ready.
Dylan had offered to be there when I did it for moral support, but I declined. I had to do this on my own. I had to stand on my own two feet or my parents would never take what I had to say seriously.
I told them at dinner that I needed to talk to them. They told me that they’d be available for whatever I needed. Butterflies danced in my stomach as I knew they were waiting for me in the dining room. My father had probably opened a bottle of wine for them.
I could probably use a drink right now, but that would be bad.
I opened my door to Dylan, who was about to knock. I smiled.
“You ready?” he asked.
“As I’m ever going to be. I might throw up first.”
He hugged me. “You can do this, Taylor. It’s the right thing and they’ll see that.”
“Thanks, Dylan.”
“You can change your mind. I can be in the room.”
“No. I need to do this on my own. It will make them think more about what I’m saying,” I said.
He nodded and let me go. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
I took a deep breath and walked downstairs, my brain full of answers to any argument they might have.
They sat at the table, both on one side of it. They had glasses of wine in front of them and they held hands. It was nice to see them when they were like this. I watched them for a moment as they talked quietly.
My mother looked up and saw me. She smiled. “Taylor?”
I strode into the room.
“You look nervous, kitten. Is everything okay?” my father said.
“I hope so.” I took a deep breath then let it out. “I’ve been thinking. About college.”
“That can’t be bad, Taylor,” my father said.
“First, I don’t want to be an engineer. I don’t like math and I’m not good at it,” I said. I paused to let that sink in.
“Your grade this quarter was much better,” my mother said.
“That was only because Dylan helped me so much,” I said.
The two exchanged a look, but I couldn’t read it.
“Go on, kitten.”
I took another deep breath before I went on. “But I have decided I want to go to a four year college and what I want to major in.”
“Well, don’t keep us in suspense, Taylor,” my mother prompted. “Enough of the drama.”
I frowned. “I want to be a nurse. I want to get my Bachelor’s Degree in nursing.”
I waited. My mother blinked. My father smiled, but he always did that before he made a decision. The two looked at each other.
“Nursing?” my mother said.
“Yes, nursing,” I said. I wasn’t backing down. I wanted this. I could do this.
“Well,” my father began.
“Listen a minute,” I said. “I can get a job in nursing.”
“Awful hours.”
I shrugged. “Not a concern at this point. I’ll deal with that. With a BSN, I can do more than hospital nursing. I can be in a doctor’s office. I can be a supervisor eventually,” I said.
I was doing to sell them on this if it killed me. “If I marry someone who has to move, I can move with him since there are nurses everywhere. You always said I need to do something that puts food on the table and roof over my head. Nursing does that.”
“Okay, Taylor. I get that you’re passionate about this,” my mother said. “What made you think of nursing?”
“Because when I do community service with the cheerleaders, I really enjoyed it. I like helping people.”
“Nursing and a few hours of helping people are different,” my mother said.
“I know that, mom. If you want, I can shadow a nurse. My guidance counselor will set it up. I’ll see if I can handle it all.”
“You’ve clearly thought about this, kitten. I’m proud of that.”
“Proud of her being a nurse? When she could be so much more?” my mother objected.
“But what if I’m happy? What if I can make a living and it makes me happy?” I said.
My father might listen to that, but my mother might not. She was only just now pursuing what she wanted as a career. She had no sympathy for having to give up your dreams.
“That’s a good point. Mallory, we need to think about this, for Taylor’s sake. If she really wants this, let’s listen and try to support.”
My mother crossed her arms. She was done. She didn’t want to listen.
“I’ve picked a few schools that I’d like to go see,” I said, ignoring my mother.
“Have you set up dates to visit?” my father said.
“No because I wanted to coordinate with you before I did.”
“Okay, yeah. I have some trips coming up, so let’s sit down and do that. Let’s look at weekends we can go.”
At least my father was supporting me. My mother clearly didn’t want to. Couldn’t she just let me be happy? She was going to make a bigger stink about Dylan than my father would.
“I don’t like this, Taylor.”
“Mom, it’s what I want.”
She frowned. “It’s a hard job. You’ve never worked in your life.”
“Then, I guess I’ll figure that out, won’t I?” I wasn’t afraid of hard work.
“Okay, fine.” She left the room in a huff.
“She’ll come around, kitten,” my father said. “It seems like you did your homework.”
“I did, Daddy. I really want this.”
“I’m proud of you. Just give your mother time. She will see the light. Now. We have to schedule those visits. Your computer or mine?”