Page 60 of Right Place, Right Time (Second Chances)
Kate deflates as they barely spare me a glance. Her father checks his watch, as if he’s got some place better to be, while her mother taps her manicured fingernails against the white table cloth. No words have been spoken by either of them. Not even in greeting to their daughter. How Kate turned into a normal, caring, wonderful human being amazes me given that these are the people she grew up with.
We take our seats, and when the waiter approaches to fill our water glasses, Kate’s father orders our meal. Yes, he ordersourmeal. I have no idea what he says, since he’s speaking French, I only hope Kate will warn me if it’s dog shit.
The waiter leaves, and the table is quiet. I’m waiting for Kate to tell her parents about school and wondering if she’ll do it before or after dinner. Hell, I’m not even sure they’d listen if she started speaking.
“I have something I’d like to talk to you both about,” Kate says after a few tense, quiet minutes.
“Does it have anything to do with why you have not enrolled in the summer semester? I spoke with the Dean at the banquet the night before last. He’s concerned.”
I note how her mother says the dean is concerned but doesn’t mention her own concern. Does she have any?
Kate pales, clearly surprised—and maybe embarrassed—her mother spoke to the dean. “Yes, Mother. It does have to do with that. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”
“Well, that’s your problem right there,” her father interrupts. “The only thinking you should be doing is about your schoolwork. The top medical universities in the country are not going to accept a student with less than a 4.0. You also need to quit that…job…of yours and put in some hours in a medical facility. Get some experience.” He says “job” as though it’s shit on the bottom of his shoe.
I look over to Kate and immediately want to grab her hand and drag her out of this place and away from them. Her shoulders are drooped and her head is bowed. She’s folding in on herself. I place my hand over hers on her lap and squeeze, lending her my support, she looks up and gives me a small smile. When I raise my eyes back to the table, I catch her mother shooting me a glare, clearly not missing my moment with her daughter.
“I don’t want to go to med school anymore,” Kate says quietly, but boldly, meeting her father’s stare. I’m so proud of her in this moment.
“That’s ludicrous. Of course, you’re going to med school,” he says.
“I want to teach. I want to be a teacher.”
“Are you tutoring again? Is that what this is about?” her father seethes. Seriously, how she can share DNA with these two cold as ice people, I’ll never know.
“Yes, I’m still tutoring, but that’s not what this is about. I’m not passionate about medicine. Not like you are. I’m passionate about teaching. About helping others learn. It’s what I want to do.”
“No,” her father says, his tone final.
Kate’s shoulders drop once more, and I can tell she feels defeated. She doesn’t need their damn approval. Fuck them.
I push my chair back, not caring about the noise it makes as it scrapes across the marble floor. Kate looks up at me in surprise, and I reach out my hand. “Come on, Sunshine.”
“What are you doing?” her father asks, rising from his seat.
“I’m taking Kate home.”
“I don’t know who the hell you think you are,” he says before his wife, who has been otherwise silent, speaks.
“You’re the reason for all this, aren’t you?” she says, her tone as icy as her demeanor.
“Mother, it’s not Jay’s fault,” Kate tells her, taking my hand and standing up beside me. “This is what I want. It’s what will make me happy.”
“You can’t be serious about this…this boy,” her mother says, gesturing to me.
“I am serious about thisman, Mother. I love him.” I squeeze her hand as my chest swells with pride for this girl…my girl.
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Katherine. He’s a felon, for crying out loud.”
Suddenly, it feels like the earth has stopped moving.
She knows. Her mother knows.
