Death of a Dream (Requiem #0.5)

Chapter 5

"Junior! How's school going?"

Joseph Burke, Jr. almost spat out his drink at the sound of that abhorrent nickname. The hearty slap on the back didn't help him keep the drink down either. Joe carefully swallowed the brandy mixed with a hint of eggnog before turning to face the unwelcome relative who'd just accosted him at the family Christmas party.

"Uncle Leo, great to see you," Joe lied.

"I think you were studying pre-law out near DC, isn't that right?"

Joe relaxed his shoulders and smiled broadly, doing his best to shrug Uncle Leo off of him. "Nah, I transferred to the University of Florida earlier this year."

Joe had, in fact, not transferred to the University of Florida. The University of Florida was in Gainesville, a city that sat over an hour from both the Gulf and Atlantic shores. That, in Joe's mind, defeated the point of living in Florida entirely. Instead, he had started attending a community college five minutes from the beach. Strictly speaking, he hadn't transferred there either. Transferring universities implies that a student has academic credits from one institution that can be applied to a degree program at another institution. Students who fail all of their classes don't get credits. Not the kind that advanced them toward a degree, anyway.

"University of Florida? Excellent! What a season! Number 2 in the country, only one loss this season. If they beat the Buckeyes next month, I'm gonna win a lot of money," Uncle Leo said with a smile. "You must be proud to be a Gator."

Joe humored his uncle by feigning interest in football, but followed it up with a bit more truth when he expounded upon his appreciation for the Floridian climate, and most importantly, the women to be had there.

Leo laughed and slapped him on the back again. "Well, I can't blame you there. And hey, here's a little piece of advice from your wise old uncle, free of charge. Live a little. These will be the best years of your life, so enjoy yourself while you still can. The day you start working for a living is the day you start dying."

Joe laughed, partly because he was expected to and partly because he pitied his uncle, whose best days had surely passed him by long ago. Unlike high-powered attorney brother-in-law, Leo Chambers did not have the means to own a McMansion in the Pacific Palisades. In fact, the man would probably never have seen the inside of a place like this if his sister hadn't married Joseph Burke Sr.

Joe reflected on his uncle's advice as he walked away, thinking the man might actually have a decent argument. Of course he'd want to put off working as long as possible. This was exactly why he didn't want to be the carbon-copy of his father that everyone seemed to expect him to be. Joe didn't see the point in spending the better part of his life working when there were significantly more enjoyable ways to spend one's time and money. His family had enough money that he didn't need to work. He knew the money they had now wouldn't last forever, but he had a plan for that. One of his friends from high school had started a small investment business. Joe was certain the inheritance money he'd get when his parents finally kicked the bucket would, in the hands of his friend, make enough to support him for the rest of his life. And if his friend engaged in some shady business practices, well sometimes that's just what you have to do to get ahead in life.

Joe wrapped his arm around the waist of a particularly attractive girl at the party.

"Oh there you are," she purred. "I thought I'd lost you somewhere."

"Want to get out of here?" he whispered in her ear. "I know some great spots in this city where the party isn't so," he turned away to scan the room with a disgusted expression. "Old."

His date laughed. "I don't want to leave this house yet. I had no idea you were so rich! And your family is very interesting."

That comment killed his interest in the girl he'd been introducing as his girlfriend. Any girl who wanted to spend time with his family must have something very wrong with her.