Wren and I spent the weekend at her parents’ house hanging out with Cody. Charlotte and Paul are so warm compared to my parents, and I feel really fortunate they’ve accepted me so easily.
I’m officially no longer an employee at Austere, but my dad asked that I stop by today to meet with him, and since I still needed to clean out my desk, I agreed.
At ten, I make my way to his office. I’m not really sure what there is left to say, but Wren encouraged me to tell him how I’ve been feeling, so I’m going to try.
“You can go in,” his assistant says when I greet her. “He’s waiting on you.”
Knocking on the door, I push it open and find him behind his desk.
“Tanner, thanks for coming by,” he says.
“Yeah, I had to grab the rest of my things, so it was no problem.” I take a seat in one of the chairs across from him, and he looks me up and down, but to my surprise, he doesn’t comment on my casual outfit.
“How’s your friend’s brother?” he asks.
“Girlfriend. Wren is my girlfriend.”
“Right, how is her brother doing?”
“Good. He’s home, back to his normal self. Sorry again about the party.”
He shakes his head. “I understand. I would’ve done the same for your mother.”
An awkward silence hangs between us, and I rub my hands against my thighs.
“I’m sorry Wren and I didn’t officially meet,” he says.
“Officially?”
“Funny enough, she spoke to your brother and I at the bar that night during the party, but we didn’t know who the other person was at the time. I don’t think we made the best impression, but she seems like a great girl.”
“How do you know that was Wren?”
“I guess I don’t, but she seemed pretty quick to defend you, and then I saw you dancing with her before y’all left. Red hair and a green dress, right?”
My mind runs wild with the possibilities of what she could’ve heard them say about me and I do my best to silence my insecurities.
“Is there anything else you need from me before I go?” I ask, ready to leave.
“No, I think we’re all set from the business side of things, but your mother and I talked and I wanted to say that I know I’ve been hard on you, but?—”
I scoff. “You think you’ve been hard on me? Dad, that doesn’t even begin to describe the way you treat me. I know I’m not Mitch or Bella, but I am your son, and all I’ve ever wanted to do is make you proud, but nothing I do is ever good enough.”
“Tanner, if you would listen. I’m trying to apologize.”
“Apologize?”
“Yes, I might not agree with all of the decisions you make. Or understand why you want to waste your time with this bar project, but I do love you, and I want you to be happy.”
I shake my head.
“Well you have a funny way of showing it.”
He opens his mouth to speak but stops himself.
“Look, the thing is, I’m trying really hard not to care if you’re proud of me or not and just focus on making myself proud instead. I know you don’t think very highly of me owning the bar, but it’s something that will make me happy. I’ve got a lot going on right now, so if I’m distant, it’s because I just need some space from this place and from you. I really appreciate everything Austere has done for me, but I ask that you save your apologies or whatever you were just trying to do until you understand what you're apologizing for.”
He stares across the desk but doesn’t speak.
