If It's With You

015- Daddy issues

I excused myself and on the first floor of the building, I sauntered to my dad’s study and after the first knock, he asked that I come in.

“Hi, Dad,” I said, walking into his massive study stocked with massive book sleeves.

“Nick,” He said, with his eyes on the papers placed on his large expensive-looking mahogany desk. I halted across from him and he glanced up at me. “Have a seat.” He pointed at the seat behind me and I lowered into it while his gaze dropped back to the papers.

“Still working, huh?”

My father’s physical features were nothing like mine since I took after my mother. His blonde hair, which had almost turned silver, was short and well-kept. His silver eyes almost matched the colour of the scant beards on his face, and even though he was almost sixty, he was still a good-looking man.

“Yes,” He glanced at me. “We always have to satisfy these clients, if we want to continue to make money.” I was tired of those fucking lectures.

I didn’t have much time to sit and watch him work, nor did I want for formality’s sake ask about my stepmom, Reese. It would be best if we talked about why I was here as soon as possible.

“What do you want to talk about, Dad?” I asked, drawing his attention back to me.

He gazed up at me, “When was the last time you came home for a meal?” He asked, and I was surprised.

“You know how work is dad, after work, I just wanna go home and have some rest.”

“Working hard is perfect, you have to become the best, nothing but the best, son.” He rested his back on the seat and pulled his reading glasses off his eyes, “But we also need to talk about your future.” He said with a straight face and I furrowed my brows, confused.

“My future?” I asked. “What does that even mean?” I glanced around the place probably looking for answers.

He leaned towards the desk and placed his elbow to hand length on it. “You already know that the firm will be down in your hands in some years to come.” He said, and I nodded slowly, but couldn’t help but wonder if that was what I wanted.

All my life, I had been told I would be a lawyer and I never argued that. I enjoyed the whole process of college and law school. I wanted to work hard like my parents. But the fact that one day, I wouldn’t be just an attorney but would also have to run the firm where employees would depend on me, had me almost going into deep thought, but my father’s voice was sharp enough to cut that off.

“Are you listening, Nicklaus?” His tone had turned stiff, and cold like it always was each time he was about to piss me off.

I nodded, “Well, I am just a year into this and being just an associate, I still have a long way to go.”

“And that is why you should prepare now.” He cut in and paused as if he was thinking his words carefully, when in a real sense he always said whatever he wanted to me. “I was speaking to Ashley’s father and we–”

Fuck me!

“Is this about Ashley?” cutting him off, I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. “Is that why I am here?”

“Don’t interrupt me when I’m talking.” He bellowed, and even though I had seen him this way lots of times, I still felt a chill run down my spine.

Before I could control it, a laugh escaped me but it wasn’t a happy one, it was more like a nervous and ‘are you serious right now’ type of laugh. I couldn’t believe I was here for this. I thought I made it clear to him that Ashley and I didn’t work out, and wouldn’t in the future.