Let's play House

17. In which he met her father

You are what you believe yourself to be.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Witch of Portobello

Leo's pov

I was seated outside Mr.Khimani's office, Prudence's father. She had told me that I was the reason for her being taken off the university's hostels.

I immediately recognized him, when he walked in. He was wearing a white shirt with blue stripes and green khaki pants. He had a laptop bag on his shoulder. His steps were powerful, his focus on where he was headed. As he got closer and closer, I was becoming tongue-tied. I had rehearsed this morning on the key points to sell myself. First as a suitable mate for his daughter. If that failed, as someone he could invest in. I had outlined the words to charm him. Jokes to break through him.

"You must be Leo Perez." He said and I couldn't tell what he was thinking as he stared at me. I had met men of the suit like him. Men who used power and age as intimidation. "Follow me." He commanded.

He led me to his office. It was disappointing. It was small and simple. It didn't deserve much thought and a better description.

I stood and waited until he sat and he would ask me to sit. Rule one of men with power; they loved to exercise it.

"You may sit." He finally said.

"My daughter speaks highly of you." He spoke.

Prudence made me feel special with her child like obsession. She looked at me highly and nobody did that. They feared and envied me. She on the other hand, she  looked at me the way I saw myself.

"I think of her with the utmost respect," I said. "I am sorry if I may have been the cause of her troubles."

"You took my daughter out until midnight." He cast me a steel look.

He must have been oblivious to what girls were up to at campus.

"I loved her company so much that I forgot about time; I was a gentleman with her and respected her boundaries; and in the future, if you allow me, it will not repeat again." I lied for the most part.

"She has a bright future and I will do anything for it to remain that way."

"And I want that too, sir." I lied cause I didn't care for her future. I was here because of mine and Kourtney's. After all, based on her father's net worth. Her future was already secured and that was what made her a bit attractive.

Mr.Khimani evaluated me, and I was inclined to casually inquire if he liked what he observed.

"Perez, it is not a local name." He stated.

I had heard this question severally. Mostly, I would tell them to mind their business. That name was a part of me that I wanted to change. It represented every failure in my life. A fatherless life, a race-less life, a nationality-less life, a child born from prostitution.

I shook my head momentarily losing face. "It is Spanish." I choose to be partly honest.

"Mother or father?" The old man, would not stop.

"Father." I breathed.

"I would love to meet him, you seem to be an honest young man." He complimented.

I dropped my head and told the most phoney tragic narrative I could think of for such an occasion: "He died, and his family took everything, and my mother had no alternative but to return to the country and start again." I hoped that would raise his praise of me as an honest young guy by a few points.

His eyes grew sad like the tragic hit a nerve with him, "I am sorry." He was genuine with concern. I could see where Prudence got it from. Their emotions were so transparent.

"I really miss having a father figure." I lied, the sperm donor had no idea i existed. I hoped he would be quick to pick it up. He didn't have a son and if i would fill that space, i would have him where i needed him to be.

He cast me a skeptical look, maybe i got carried away and went overboard with my façade life.

"What course are you pursuing?" He asked.

"Aeronautical engineering with an aerospace minor." I declared triumphantly.

He, too, seemed impressed but didn't speak about it.

"I also understand you have ambitions to become the university president?"  

As a flood of enthusiasm rushed through me, I straightened my back; I loved talking about my aims, dreams, abilities, and talents... "I am currently in Congress as an elected Academic Secretary; I wanted to spend my final year away from politics, but the majority of the students pleaded with me to run for president because they trusted my leadership." I made an announcement.

Like my prior comment about father figure, he gave me another skeptical look and had to wonder what exactly did i screw up with now.

He checked his phone. "I am glad you came to apologize. It was very honorable of you." 

At the very least, I did something right. I was eventually going to win him over.

I had brought an extensive resume with me, expecting him to be astounded when I presented it. Based on his ambivalent attitude toward me. I believed it would be prudent to gradually pitch myself in hopes that he would become impressed with me, request my résumé, and utilize his contacts to help me land a job.

"I like your daughter and she loves staying at the school hostels and being around her friends." I said. Prudence had asked me to talk to her father about her moving back to school. 

"What is your intention with my daughter, Perez?" He eyed me curiously.

It was her intention with me that he should have been worried about, i thought.

I knew eventually that question was inevitable, It would be the first i would ask any man my daughter would bring home. After much thought i decided to go with the simple one, "I want to know her better." I said.

"If you disrespect her decisions, I'll pursue you with all the forces of hell behind me". My spine tingled as a result of his warning. He spoke with dark tone. I knew he meant every word, and I was on the verge of changing my mind and finding alternative sources of funding for my campaign and a place to launch my career. However, I was not a power that would easily yield.