I Want You Close, I Want You Closer

Chapter Seven

The restaurant is empty save for Manuel, Angelo, and their respective bodyguards. The bosses each take a seat facing one another at a table in the center of the dining area, and Angelo frowns at Manuel.

"I take it you've met my daughter." Angelo says.

"She's a lovely girl." Manuel says, knowing there's no use in denying it. "Kind, intelligent, brave, clearly takes after her mother. Works for GQ, Vice, Complex, models, even co-owns a boutique with the daughter of the Steinfeld family. Your daughter's brilliant, rightly so."

Angelo snarls. "I take it you approve then, of their little rendezvous."

Manuel rolls his eyes. "My son is clearly in love with your daughter. And from what I gathered from them at dinner, your daughter didn't want to be with my son at first because she was worried about what you and I would think, and then they both realized they didn't care what we thought. Because their relationship hasn't hurt anyone."

"Oh it hasn't? Your son beat up one of my employee's son."

"Because your employee's son swung first. You know the rules Angelo, the game hasn't changed. Your daughter chose to defend him because she loves him. And my son protected her because he loves her. They made that extremely clear to me, and your daughter told me about the same thing she apparently told you - I can't hate her or punish her for loving someone, even if that someone is my son. And honestly? I can't say I don't approve."

"Then why are we here, Manuel?"

"I'm here to tell you that I support my son and your daughter in a relationship together, and that their relationship doesn't change the fact that I still think you're a low life rat who belongs in the gutter." Manuel says, smiling at the end of his sentence. "But, I'm also here to tell you to get your head out of your ass and open your eyes. You only think of yourself, Angelo. In your marriage, your needs came first and that was how you lost your wife. And now, you're going to lose your children. Your sons and daughter think you're selfish and obnoxious and they choose with a sound mind not to be associated with you in anyway. Don't you think that's a problem?"

"If you're trying to rub it in my face that my daughter is on your side then-"

"Oh for fucks sake, Angelo. There are no sides. Don't you get it? Our children are in love because they chose to be, not to further anger you and I. They know the consequences they could have faced when they got together - and guess what? They didn't care. And neither should we. You've seen how Romeo and Juliet ends, Angelo. Frankly, if you don't open your eyes and put your heartlessness aside, it might end that way."

"Not if we keep them apart."

"There is no keeping them apart. Don't you know how they met? They're neighbors. My son unknowingly bought the house right next to hers."

"So when she told me I could take her house-"

"It didn't matter, because he has his. And she could live with him. But she didn't. Instead she got a hotel room while she waited for all of her bills to transfer into her name so you could back off. And I agree. You should back off."

Angelo stands in anger. "So you're asking me to what, pardon you?"

"First of all, you're going to lower your tone and sit down so we can finish this conversation like adults. And second of all, I am only asking that when it comes to their relationship, you will grant me the same courtesy I will grant you. When your daughter is around, I will think of her as her own person, and my feelings towards you will not extend to her. Because she is not you. And I expect you to do the same for my son. My son, who loves her and protects her and cares for her. You will not treat him the way you treat me, because he's not me."