Last Year of Seventeen

Chapter 15 - Spare Heir

I have successfully avoided my father for the past three days. I leave the house before he is up and return only once he's gone to bed. With him at home, I felt more of a stranger in my house than I ever did before.

After schools' are often spent in Theo's place and sometimes in the Library where August is. Yesterday, I even went with her to her other job as a barista in a quaint, homey bookstore/coffee shop called The Old Scroll. I only insisted on driving her there initially. Which was of course met with defiance but I have learned how to properly negotiate with August. I told her I'd be buying coffee and I'd be leaving a very generous tip.

I did buy coffee and then I decided to stay for a little while. And then the little while turned to an hour. And then another. And another. And I told myself I was just killing time but I knew I stayed because I liked being close to August.

To keep myself helpful, I did some waiting tables and even entertained buyers by suggesting books they can read next. It was to the delight of the store's Manager, Madam Leila because according to her, they had a sudden burst of customers. She thinks I'm her lucky charm.

I took August home after her shift and I realized my car has started to smell more and more like her. And when she left, I felt something close to missing her.

And my luck continued giving. Today, Dove asked me to pick her up. I guess she decided she is no longer angry with me. Regardless of what happened, she is still and will always be my friend and I don't really like it when we fight. I was relieved when she was back to "not-ignoring" me again. When she got in my car, the first thing she noticed was how it didn't smell like her anymore. 

"Ugh, darling. Your car smells like cheap cologne." She then proceeded to spray her perfume– the scent that used to be my favorite. And as it masks the scent of vanilla, I got to miss August more.

But tonight is when my luck has ended. When I got home, my father was waiting for me.

The door of his downstairs office was ajar and I knew then, that he was awaiting my return. I tried to be as quiet as I could but he was listening. So when I passed by his door, not a second later did I hear him call.

"Come here," he said. His voice was coated by liquor and weariness. As I entered his office, I was immediately greeted by the awful smell of his tobacco and scotch.

I've always despised this room. It reminds me of burdens and service and chores. Every inch of this place smelled of despair and unhappiness.

"The merger between our company and Grand Freedman is finally coming to a close." He started before I even got to sit down. "We are just finalizing a few more details and the deal will be completed."

He said all this without looking up from all the papers he was signing. His phone kept on buzzing from notifications after notifications but he ignored it. His business was with me. Nothing else is more important.

Finally after a while, he put his pen down and looked. "I will be needing you in this last stretch."

When I didn't respond he continued, "It's time you take this seriously and do your duty for this family. You are no longer a child and no longer just the spare heir. You are my heir and I need you to start acting like one."

"You're the only one who still looks at me like a spare," I said. I can feel my heartbeat rising by the second. This man can really strike my every nerve just by breathing my way.

He scoffed and the condescension in his eyes is enough to break anyone. But it is nothing I haven't been through before.

"Show me your worth. And maybe then I'll stop looking at you as such."