Choices II

~ 19 ~

"You look dashing in that suit" Phana looked at his mother who stood by the door observing him, "I really can't believe Beamie is getting married" she sighed as she extended a box covered in red ribbon "for him, from me"

"You can come you know" Phana said as he took it from her, "it would make him happy"

Anne smiled "Your dad needs me", when Phana raised his eye-brows she sighed "He is meeting  the board members for lunch, they are planning to exclude your 3rd uncle from the board"

"why, doesn't he like own 8% of share... how would it matter?" Phana adjusted his tie as he looked at his mother, "it looks like he has been buying under a proxy and suddenly he is now threatening" she explained, "I don't understand why he is panicking, with all our shares combined we are still the majority"

"You know him" Phana said, "am not sure if he even trusts me... let alone his cousins"

"He loves you" Anne sighed, "anything he does is for your own good"

"Do you honestly believe it ma?" Phana asked but didn't elaborate more when his mother paused for a second before nodding. He then picked up his coat, collected both his and his mother's gift for Beam "well, I don't"

"Phana" his mother called out, but he simply waved her by, he had come home for the holidays.

He spent most of his time in his room working on his internship applications. Conversation with Beam and Forth, seeing how they were planning for their future had been a wakeup call for him. He was being silly, sulking and missing a playboy while his friend was planning his future.

Pete often spent his time with him taking his help for college exams and admission process, they had even gone out for a couple of drinks and amusement park with Ten. All in all, his vacation had been okay, until the previous night when he was unfortunate enough to walk out of his room when his father was in his study.

"Dad" he said having no way out when he called him and was a little surprised when his father asked "how have you been?".

"Good" Phana responded, ever after their last conversation that had ended in an almost fight, they both had avoided each other and now he had no way out.

"I heard from your Dean, that your grades a back-up" his father said, "or should I say not as bad as it was"

"I am working on it" Phana said, and his father nodded

"Beam is getting married" his father said after few minutes, "is he a carrier? It is such a shame... men being able to delivery and breastfeed"

"Not that I know of" he responded unsure of the conversation "it is a genetic condition... and aren't you a doctor before all this? don't tell me your views are as restricted as the society's"

"That doesn't mean it is not disgusting" his father spat back, "whatever... I have to say he is more ambitious than I gave him credit for, this marriage made his mother's company soar up the share market"

"He loves Forth" Phana gritted his teeth, "not everything is a corporate deal"

"Maybe... "his father paused looking at Phana with a weird expression, "I mean... I never thought that way before, I might be able to secure your future"

"What do you mean?" Phana sat up straight, his heart wanted to believe maybe his father cared... it sounded like that, but he knew it might be a catch.

"nothing" his father didn't elaborate further.

"Dad" Phana gathered up all his courage, "can I ask you something?", he waited for a minute and when he didn't get any response he continued "why do you hate me?"