21 - Dean
When I walk into the office it somehow feels different than it did last week. I’m wearing the same suit, and everyone is sitting at the same desks, but something has changed. I say good morning to the receptionist and make my way to my desk. It’s all how I left it on Friday, but it feels fresher or newer than it did before. It’s like the whole world is a little bit brighter, or all the colours are a bit more vibrant, or the air tastes that little bit sweeter.
I sit down at my desk and stretch my neck from side to side as my laptop boots up. I hum gently to myself and let a smile play over my lips. I haven’t felt this good in months, even with a broken arm.
The feeling dulls a bit when I hear my father’s voice across the room.
“Dean! My office. Now.”
A few heads turn towards me as I look over at him. He doesn’t even make eye contact with me, he just keeps walking towards the big office in the back corner of the room. I glance down at my screen and take a deep breath. He never asks anything, only commands. I get up slowly and smooth my shirt down and readjust my sling before following him towards the office.
“Close the door,” he barks as I walk in. I do as he says and turn back to him. He motions to a chair across from his desk and then rests his elbows on the arms of his chair and tents his fingers across his chest. I sit down and try to act casual as I wait for him to speak. When he doesn’t, I clear my throat.
“Anything I can do for you?”
My father’s eyes darken as he stares at me across the desk. “You upset your mother on Saturday,” he says slowly. “And that means you upset me.”
“Dad-” I start and he holds up a hand. He’s wearing his wedding band and an expensive watch that glints as he moves. He slowly lowers his hand back down and stares at me again.
“Victoria did you a favour, coming back to the house like that.”
“She fucked another guy in our bed,” I spit. “What the fuck do you want me to do? Pretend it never happened?”
“Grow up, Dean,” my father says with a sigh. “Do you think marriage is about love? Do you think this is a fucking fairy tale? For people like you and I, marriage is big business. And your marriage in particular,” he says with gravity. “Is very important.”
I swallow and shift in my seat. I can still see Victoria’s face when I walked in on her. I look down at my father’s desk and shake my head.
“I can’t do it.”
“Dean, this has been in the works for over twenty years. The Erkharts have been very successful politically. This is our chance to move the family to real power. Do you understand that? We have the money and they have the connections. You could be something.”
“What if I don’t want to ‘be something’, Dad, did you ever think of that?”
“Are you going to be a clown for the rest of your life? I mean that literally and figuratively.”
I bristle and my father sighs.
“Dean, son, I get that you wanted to volunteer some time, I really do. But this is your future we’re talking about. This is our whole family’s future. Do you understand that you could run for office? You could be a congressman or even a governor. You could make real decisions!”
“Make decisions! You mean you could make decisions. You won’t even let me marry who I want! You want me to marry a woman who fucking cheated on me. Do you understand that??”
My dad shakes his head slowly and sighs. “There are arrangements that you can make, Dean. Do you think your mother and I have only had each other? I married her to get my start, and I grew this firm into what it is today. Now it’s your responsibility to take it to the next level.”
My heart starts thumping and I can feel the heat rising in my neck. The lightness I felt this morning is gone, and in its place is the weight of the world on my shoulders. I can’t believe I’ve been so stupid. It’s not just a business deal between our two families. It’s more than that. My parents want power, and Victoria is their ticket into politics. I’m supposed to go along for the ride.
I shake my head. “Find another way, dad. I’m not giving my life up for your dreams. If you want to go into politics then you fucking do it. I won’t surround myself with snakes and backstabbers at work and in my own house for the sake of your power hungry dreams.”
My father stiffens and his brow knits together. He stares at me with those dark eyes that I used to be so afraid of when I was a kid. He takes a deep breath.
“Think very carefully about what you’re saying, Dean.”
“I’ve thought about it. I’m going to live my life the way that I want to!”
“In that case, pack your desk up. Security will escort you out of the building.”
He straightens some papers on his desk and turns to his computer. My jaw is hanging open as I try to process what he’s just said. Did he just fire me?! I make a choking, gurgling sound and my father swings his dark eyes back to me.
“What’s wrong, Dean? Not happy making your own decisions? I thought this is what you wanted. Have you forgotten that decisions have consequences?”
“Fine. Fuck you,” I say. I know I sound like a petulant teenager but I don’t care. I push myself up and stomp to my desk. I fling open the drawers and grab the few personal effects I have at work. I slide my phone into my pocket as the security guard walks up to my desk. I nod to him as he stands beside me.
“Lead the way, Rick.” He grunts in response.
I can see heads turning as I’m escorted towards the elevators. There will be whispers about this for weeks to come. The boss’s son got fired. They’ll say all kinds of things about me, but they won’t know the truth.
My father just fired me because I refused to marry the woman who cheated on me.
My head is spinning as the elevator door dings open. The security guard walks me to the front door and I nod as I open the door.
“Thanks, Rick,” I say. “It’s been nice knowing you.”
“Sorry about all this,” he says. I shrug and walk outside. I take a deep breath and look both ways, trying to figure out what to do with myself. I pull out my phone and dial Jacob.
“Dean! What’s up?”
“My dad just fired me. You want to go for a drink?”
“What? Yeah! Fuck man, are you ok?”
“I’m fine. I’ll see you in 20.”