"Do you want me to send a car?"
I sighed. "No," I said, glancing around my apartment. "I'll find my way over. I could use some air so maybe I'll walk."
"It's a long hike and it's dark."
"I need to think."
"Your bedroom is always waiting for you. We'll hold dinner until you get here."
"Go ahead and eat, Daddy. I've had something."
"See you in a bit."
CHAPTER TWELVE
I made the trek to my dad's apartment from mine, walking south and then east beside Central Park and then south again to his apartment building. This time, I went in the front entrance, carrying my backpack filled with my MacBook and clothes, makeup and a few personal items. I took the small elevator up to his suite and used my key to enter the front door.
The living room was empty. Elaine was nowhere to be seen, so after I took off my coat and placed my backpack in my old bedroom, I went to the study. My father was sitting at his huge desk, on the phone as usual. He saw me and waved me over while he kept talking. I went to him and waited.
"Yes, certainly, I agree," he said, turning his cheek for me to kiss. I bent down to kiss him. "That's the tack we'll take."
He waved at me to sit on the chair across from him. I did, staring at the pictures on the wall from my trip to Africa. He seemed as if he were trying to end the conversation with whoever was on the other line and finally, said goodbye. He put the phone down and made a face at me, rolling his eyes.
"Long-winded sonofabitch. Sorry, dear. I had to finish that call."
"That's all right."
He stood and came around his desk, leaning against it, directly in front of me, his eyes intense and focused on me, his half-eye glasses in his hand.
"So tell me why you needed to get away from it all. Does this involve Drake in some way?"
I nodded and my throat closed up a bit as emotion filled me. I covered my mouth for a moment, unable to speak.
"Now, you see, I thought things were going well for you two," he said, shaking his head. "You seemed really intense at the concert. What happened? Lover's quarrel?"
"Something like that," I said, getting hold of myself, surprised that my father thought we were lovers.
"Tell your old man what happened. I know Drake is a very eligible bachelor, but you're a very lovely young woman, accomplished and intelligent. Did he want to move the relationship forward too fast? Is he getting too serious?"
"No, Daddy, nothing like that. It's just we're not really compatible, I guess."
He frowned. "Here I thought the two of you were so well-matched."
"Why did you think that?"
He shrugged, pursed his lips. "You're both attractive, intelligent, civic-minded. You both love music. You both share Africa."
"He's a Republican," I said, trying to come up with some reason.
He laughed. "I know, and you don't know how surprised I was to find out. His old man was a flaming socialist, but I guess kids have a tendency to go the opposite way from their parents. You know, in rebellion..." He shook his head, smiling. "What an idealistic fool Liam was, but I loved the crazy bastard anyway. He was a heroic sonofabitch. I don't know how many of us he saved." He shrugged, his hands clasped. "So you're not on the same political page. Liam and I were best friends over in 'Nam. Stranger things have happened before between political opposites. In fact, sometimes, they make the best matches. Opposites attract, you know. Yin/yang…"
Yin/Yang? The Drill Sergeant talking Tao? My father had never talked to me like this. I never heard him describe me before.
"Yin/Yang?" I said, wanting to probe him a bit, since he seemed so talkative.
"Yes, you know. Light/dark. Positive/negative. Active/passive. Male/female. It's what makes the world go round," he said, winking at me.
"Daddy, I've never heard you talk like this. Is this Elaine's influence on you?"