We had all left the dining room, and we were going to be served dessert in the living room where the grand piano was kept. I felt a shadow come up by my shoulder and I turned my head to the side to see my father standing next to me. He had a drink in hand, and his eyes were fixed on the gaggle of women that surrounded Zoey.
“She was not what I was expecting when your mother told me you were bringing your girlfriend,” dad said.
I reminded myself to be polite and not to allow him to get a rise out of me. I had to follow Zoey’s example and be better than that.
“She’s too good for me,” I nodded. “I’m very aware of that.”
“She’s from humble circumstances,” dad said, and I wondered if that was an accusation or not. His tone was hard to read.
“As am I,” I replied. “Now.”
“She showed me some of your work,” dad said, taking me by surprise.
I hadn’t seen that. It must have been while I had been mingling with dad’s surgeon friends and fielding all their questions about what I’d been doing the last couple of years.
“And… what did you think?” I forced myself to ask the question.
“It was… not what I had expected,” dad replied, and I wondered if that was the closest I was going to get to a compliment from my father.
“I guess I’ve taken you by surprise tonight then, dad,” I said. “With my work and my girlfriend.”
“You have,” dad replied. “When is this exhibition going to be?”
I frowned. “What exhibition?”
“Everyone seems to be under the impression that your work is going to be exhibited in White Lines Gallery.”
“Oh,” I said. “Right, yes… um… there’s no set date for the exhibition yet.”
“Well, when there is… you should let your mother know,” dad said stiffly.
He omitted himself purposely, but the implication was clear. He wanted me to let them know when the exhibition was going to be. I wondered if he felt compelled to ask because most of his friends wanted an invitation, but it didn’t matter because this was a bigger step than I had ever expected from him.
“I will,” I said softly.
“Zoey told me you have a new job?”
“I do,” I nodded. “Working in a local art magazine publication.”
Dad nodded, and I knew that was as close as I would come to his seal of approval. I felt my phone vibrate in the breast pocket of my blazer and I reached in and checked to see who was calling. When I saw Larry’s name, I knew I had to answer it.
“Would you excuse me for a second?”
Dad nodded, and I headed out of the drawing room and towards the nearest empty room I could find before I picked up.
“Larry?”
“Hey, dude… I need the goods.”
“What?” I asked. “Now?”
“Yeah… what’s the problem?” he asked. “You’re the one who said the sooner, the better.”
“Fuck,” I swore. “I’m at a dinner at my parents’ house.”
“So sneak out through the back door,” Larry said impatiently. “I thought you wanted to get rid of your last package fast.”
“I do,” I said, thinking about how great it would be to get this over with tonight. “Fine… I’ll make an excuse and get out of here for a bit. Meet me outside the park near my apartment and hurry.”