Well fuck it, can only ignore this for so long, I suppose. So I answer, but don’t greet him.
“Jace?” His familiar voice comes through the line, and I close my eyes. Shit. The last time I heard that voice was when he was telling me to not forget to leave the key behind when I left, not bothering to look up from his laptop. He never hit me or anything, but he might as well have.
It might be better than the indifference he’s shown me my whole damn life.
“Jace? Hallo?” He sounds a bit annoyed now, whichismore familiar.
Swallowing my nerves away, I lean against the brick wall of the building and find my voice. “Hi, Dad.”
“Son. Glad to hear that you finally decided to pick up the phone.” And he does actually sound glad.
What the hell? I check my phone if it is indeed my dad who is calling me, totally at a loss here, because my dad wouldneversound almost happy when he would speak to me.
So of course I forget to answer. Again. Making him sigh, which he can do some more for all I care, because that at least makes sense. My dad sighing? Perfectly fine.
“Look. I want to keep the heart-to-heart short, but it has come to my understanding that I might not have been the best father to you, and I’d like to make amends for that,” he says, sounding all business.
What the…
“And if you are open to it, I would like to visit in the near future to apologize in person. I have to be in Los Angeles a couple of times in the upcoming months.”
Of course he has business. Why would he visit if it was only for me, right?
“What? Are you dying or something?” is the first stupid thing that comes out of my mouth when I finally get out of my stupor.
“Can a father not apologize to his son for making a mistake?” He sighs again, like it was a simplemistakefor barely recognizing me all these years. “Like I said, I’m aware I have some making up to do… But that’s not on the calendar today. I’m calling you in regard to the lawsuit. I don’t have much time till my next meeting so I’m hoping we can wrap this up quickly.”
I stop walking, ignoring the part about his midlife crisis or what the fuck ever this is. “Wait, what? Which lawsuit?”
Cue another sigh. “Yes. I’m under the impression the Dutch court has failed to contact you all the way over there across the ocean. Like it is so damn hard to fill out an address properly,” he mutters, sounding more and more like my father.
“Dad? Please explain.” My heart is going haywire now, a lawsuit? I didn’t have anything going on that would result in a…
Oh shit. I take a gasp.
“Yes. I think you’re aware of what I’m talking about? Your old band sued you. They were quite thorough I might add, wanting a large sum and the copyrights to all the music you made when you were part of their band, claiming that it was a collaboration and they wanted to deny you any right in using it.”
I swear my ears are ringing. All the music I made with Encore is based on my old stuff… If we can’t use it anymore we are totally fucked. Missy is going to kill me.
“So first off,” he continues like I’m not having some sort of a crisis going on over here, “I’m sorry for opening your mail. But when a letter from court comes in, I usually think it’s something work-related for me. I think your old band members were quite unaware of who your father is.”
I snort, arrogant prick, which makes himsighagain. “Can you not? I wanted to tell you that I took control of the situation and took care of it. As you have a father who’s a very renowned attorney, it was quite stupid on their part. You now own all the rights to your original music and everything you made when you were still part of their band. Oh and I made them pay you a couple of thousand which will be in your account any day now.”
Holy shit.
“Are you still there?”
“Jesus fuck.”
“Stop swearing, Jace. I think having a couple more bucks to spend would be a good thing.”
“Since I’m not relying on your funds anymore you mean?” I ask, knowing I sound bitter. Just because he has suddenly decided he needs to start acting like a dad, doesn’t mean he’s forgiven for the years of neglect he put on me.
“Like I said, let’s not get to the heart-to-heart right now. I just wanted to inform you what has been happening in case you decide to check your bank account one of these days and don’tknow what’s going on. Just pick up your phone next time like a grown-up.”
Ah, there is my dad again.
“Is this lawsuit why you tried to call me so many times?” I ask, my fingers tightening on the phone, ignoring the other part of the conversation, for now. He never gave any interest in anything I did before. Why start now? Why suddenly the change of heart?
