Joey sat across her dad at the dining table while Adrian waited at the reception area. She stared at him dispassionately, noting the added gray hairs on his head. The last time she saw him was almost a year ago at Jupiter's birthday party where they exchanged a few perfunctory greetings.
"What brings you here?" Her voice was low and quiet.
"I want to see you."
"What for?"
Ricardo Vazquez regarded his daughter's icy stare. He wondered what else he could do to bridge the growing chasm between them. What would it take for her to see it his way? All he ever wanted was for her to have a good life just like his sons.
"I want to see how you are..... if you're doing fine."
"Pa, obviously I'm doing great."
"How long do you intend to do this?"
"Do what?"
"You know what I mean, Joey. This! What kind of future will painting give you?"
She sighed. "Here we go again." Their conversations were always like this, with him trying to discourage her from pursuing the artist's life.
"You know you'll always have a place in our firm."
"Pa, we've been through this a thousand times. I am not an engineer and I'm not interested in construction."
"We can always use your Math degree."
She shook her head. "You're wasting your time, Pa."
"So you'd prefer to be just like your grandpa? There's no guarantee that you'll hit it big."
"And there's no guarantee that I won't." She glared at him in defiance.
Mr. Vazquez ran his fingers through his thinning hair in exasperation. "You know I only want you to have the best in life . I want you to have bigger dreams... aim higher. Why can't you see that?"
Joey let out a bitter smile. "I had big dreams, Pa.....but you tried to kill them."
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Adrian patiently waited by the reception desk, wondering how things were going in the dining room. He clearly remembered how Joey looked when she came face to face with her dad. She looked angry but frighteningly calm. It was a side of her that he had never seen before.
Mr. Vazquez quietly strode to his side and gave him a faint smile. "I should be leaving now. Thank you for letting me in."
"No problem, sir. I'll see you to the door."
Mr. Vazquez paused as Adrian held the door open for him. "Uhm, I didn't get your name."
"Adrian, sir."
"Adrian.....are you Joey's boyfriend?"
"S-sir?" Adrian stammered. He suddenly realized that his being here alone with Joey would be cause for concern for her dad. "Actually, I'm—"
"It's okay." Mr. Vazquez interrupted him. "You don't have to explain.......Anyway, I have to get going."
"Alright, sir."
Mr. Vazquez took a few steps to his car while his chauffeur quickly opened the back door for him. Suddenly, he stopped and walked back to where Adrian was still standing.
