Fascinated by Him

Chapter Twenty Six - What a Disaster

** This chapter has been edited.

The night was already off to a bad start. It was awkward as hell. The tension between my parents was a tad bit overwhelming. They were barely talking to each other, only when it was necessary. My mother was drinking back her wine like it was water, and it didn't pass my father's watchful gaze either. I could see the tick in his jaw every time he looked at her.

          "So, Luke, are you still on the football team?" Our father's gruff voice breaks the silence.

          Luke shifts uncomfortably in his seat next to me, not liking the attention being shifted onto him.

          "Yes, sir. I'm still the quarterback for the team."

          "What are your plans for when you're done school?" Dad questions him.

          "I was hoping to go pro, but if that doesn't work out, then I was hoping to go into coaching." Luke ruffles the hair on the back of his neck.

           I didn't know that was something he was looking to do. He never told me, but then again, I didn't exactly ask him either. I figured after everything with his father, that he wouldn't be looking to go down that road. That, just maybe, the pressure would be too much.

          Our father nods his head, not saying anything. But I know that look, it's a disapproving one. He doesn't like the thoughts of sports, believing that a man should be doing something in business, something that is more useful. Those were his words anyway, every time he complained about Ben's choice of wanting to go into football for a career.

          "See, dad, I'm not the only one who wants to go pro." Ben grunts, eating a mouthful of potatoes.

          "Everyone else isn't my son, either." Dad's voice hardens, taking on a steely edge.

          "There's nothing wrong with what I want to do dad." Ben drops his fork onto his plate, staring hard at our father, who returns his stare.

          The silence around the table was deafening. I wanted to speak up and defend Ben, but at the same time, I didn't want to make things worse. This was an old argument between the two of them – one that wouldn't come to a conclusion.

          "You already know my take on this, Ben. I think you should follow in my footsteps, take over the company someday. It's not too much to ask. Plenty of kids would be thrilled to get the chance to take over their dads company." Our father takes a sip of his bourbon. "It's good money and work, something you can make a living off of."

          Ben's hand's fist on top of the table, face turning a shade of red. Shit, this wasn't going to be good at all.

          "Yeah... well, I'm not just any kid. Plus, we all see how well it works out for you." He hisses through clenched teeth.

          Dad's face gets impossibly harder – if that was even possible at this point. "What's that supposed to mean, boy?"

          "It means take a look around you, dad!" Ben thrusts his hand out, "Does this look like living to you? We may stay in a nice house, but we are far from a family. We haven't been that in a long time!"

          Our mother's intake of breath doesn't go unnoticed. "Ben! You apologize to your father, now!"

          "It's alright, Linda, one of these days he will see how ungrateful he's being. Until then, let him live in a dream world, reality will come crashing in sooner or later." He patronizes, talking as if Ben isn't even in the room.