31. Kennedy
31
KENNEDY
W hen Saturday afternoon rolls around, it’s time to put on my poker face and pretend everything is fine. My parents invited me for lunch, and I can’t make them reschedule again. I haven’t seen them since I started the new job, and they’re dying to hear all about it.
After a five-hour train ride, I finally reach my destination.
Hansi, my favorite little mischief maker, welcomes me with a wagging tail. I give his sturdy little body and graying fur all the petting he could ever want, but soon enough, he waggles off to lie down and bask in the warmth of the sun filtering through the window. Soft yellow curtains flutter gently in the breeze. It’s a beautiful, warm day. I hope it stays that way.
Having eased some of my tension by petting that ball of cuteness, I take a seat at the table. Fresh daisies sit on the table. Dad must have picked them from his garden this morning. At the sound of a chirp,my gaze lands on the wall clock. The same silly, colorful thing I loved as a kid. It’s a goofy little bird with bright red feathers, and every hour, its beak snaps open and shut, letting out a fun little chirp-chirp . Lunch is served exactly at noon in the Hayes household.
Everything is so comfortable, so familiar. After all, it’s home.
Mom has brought out the best china. She even took the time to bake the bread for our meal, and promised my favorite pistachio and cardamomcookies for dessert if I save room. Mom was my baking coach, no question about it, and we’ve had our share of epic baking battles with Aunt Bertha. Let’s just say Mom usually walked away with the big prize, while Bertha had to be content with second place.
When Mom was pregnant, she considered continuing her career as a social worker, but Dad “strongly encouraged” her to stay home, and she ultimately chose to prioritize our family, refining her culinary skills along the way, at least until I started kindergarten. That’s when she re-entered the workforce, a choice that earned a resigned sigh from Dad. His desire wasn’t just about having her home cooking and freshly baked cookies available 24/7. It was more that he had always aimed to be the breadwinner for his family, and he wanted to provide my mom a home where she wouldn’t need to work. I loved him all the more for it, though I was definitely on Mom’s side later, when I became old enough to understand all sides of the issue.
Mom just wouldn’t be the incredible Leah Hayes that she is, without being all-in, at full capacity. At sixty-four, she’s still a bundle of vitality, while Dad, at seventy-one, has put on some pounds and, surprisingly, seems to be a bit more laid back than usual.
With a tight smile, I watch Mom serve green salad with her special raspberry vinaigrette dressing onto each of our plates.
“So, sweetheart,” Dad begins, “how’s your new boss?”
Leave it to Dad to go straight for the jugular. He’s always been direct, decisive, and also full of wisdom. Even without the judicial robes, he hasn’t lost an ounce of that commanding presence. And of course, he would zero in on the one thing that’s been giving me sleepless nights.
“It’s… a little complicated,” I mutter. I cringe under their concerned glances.
Ding-dong.
“Oh, John dear, that must be our neighbor. He’s picking up a package that was delivered here while he was out.” Dad excuses himself to answer the door just as we’re about to dig in, which Mom doesn’t look too happy about.
“They’re heading out on another fishing trip tomorrow morning, and I’m glad your dad is taking some time for himself. He isn’t as young as he used to be. You know, that community work he’s been doing for years now—organizing the neighborhood watch meetings and making sure everyone feels safe around here—it’s been taking up all his time. He’s been looking awfully tired lately,” Mom explains. But the interruption doesn’t stop her from jumping right in to interrogate me. “So, honey, catch me up on everything.” She smiles excitedly. “You look beautiful. And positively glowing with love.”
Oh, good grief. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Tell me about this new job and what’s going on in your life! Is there a new man? There must be! Who’s the lucky devil? It’s been too long since we’ve seen you. I want to know everything .”
Everything. I clear my throat and start to explain, reminding myself to play it cool. It’s no big deal.
“The new job is great. Really great. I’ve been entrusted with more assignments than any other paralegal at the firm, so I guess they’re happy with the work I’ve been doing.”
“Honey, I’m so proud of you!”
Her eyes beam with the kind of pride usually reserved for when your child invents sliced bread.
Ah, crap. I sigh. I can’t do this. I can’t hide who my boss is. Just can’t. I just have to get it over with quickly. Get it out fast, before I lose my nerve.
“Oh, and did I mention this? You might remember the guy who’s my boss. Cade Gladwell? Ring a bell? Ha. That rhymes, doesn’t it? Well, aside from work being great and my ex being my new boss… I’m also madly in love with him. And, um, let’s just say we’ve been sharing more than ice cream cones lately. So, like I said. Everything’s a little complicated. But it’s all great.”
My hand is shaking as I stop to choke down a sip of my herbal iced tea. I swivel my eyes around to meet hers.
For a few seconds, we just look at each other.
“Honey, I… I don’t know what to say,” my mom whispers. She’s in shock, staring at me with eyes as wide as saucers.
Her reaction comes as no surprise. Cade is a man my parents have harbored disdain for since we first started dating. It’s not just because he ended our relationship so abruptly. They had their “reservations” about him from the get-go, especially after learning about the neighborhood he lived in and the type of people he might associate with. So after the breakup… well, they weren’t exactly shedding tears for him.
“And he… is he in love with you, honey?” she asks.
I’m caught off guard, feeling a sudden chill. Does Cade love me? Honestly, I have no idea. It’s hard to read his mind.
“What did I miss?” Dad asks as he returns. My oblivious father is smiling because in his world, everything is fine.
“Kennedy was just telling me about her new job, dear,” Mom replies, stabbing a fork into her salad.
He smiles at me. “That’s wonderful. I’m proud of you! I suppose I can let Mr. Sanford at Sanford & Partners know that he can stop holding out for you.”
“As it turns out, she’s working for Cade Gladwell,” Mom says, quick and to the point, rushing through the words like she just wants to get it over with.
Can I please crawl under the table? Would that be too immature? I feel like a teenager who’s going to be grounded for getting caught with a boy in her room. And not just any boy. A certified troublemaker.
There’s dead silence.
“Cade Gladwell?” Dad sits in his chair, disbelief written all over his face, swiveling his gaze between me and my mom. “ That Cade Gladwell?”
Mom mouths a silent “yes.”
“Cade Gladwell,” he mumbles tightly, looking like he ate strawberry pizza. “Why on earth would you want to work for him ?”
Here we go.
A few months ago, even just a few weeks ago, I was the proud captain of the “Cade-haters” bandwagon. But at some point, while sleeping with him, I appear to have hopped off entirely. Because the moment my dad stares at me with that judgmental, incredulous expression, I want to defend Cade with everything I’ve got.
In my mind, I’m already piecing together my arguments before I have to present them.
First and foremost, he’s got a good heart.
Second, his bonds with the people he surrounds himself with feel genuine and deep, especially when it comes to his brother, someone he always makes time for. I love that. Our shared belief in the importance of family is something we’ve always seen eye to eye on.
Third, he’s incredibly deep and loving, and witty, and even hilarious at times.
But I’m not sure my parents will be persuaded.
“Why would I want to work for him? That’s an easy question,” I say, setting my fork on the table so I don’t accidentally stab myself with it. “Because he’s become a nationally renowned attorney, tackling bigger and bolder cases with each passing year. His firm is the best in New York, and you know it. Working for him is like strapping a rocket to my career.”
Mom stays quiet, taking slow mouthfuls of her pasta. Thankfully, she doesn’t mention the part where I spilled my guts about being head over heels for Cade. And, uh, in a sort of, kind of, relationship with him.
“That’s not what I’m asking,” Dad says sternly, almost in his very familiar judge-mode. “It just seems like it would be hard on you to work for him.”
Oh, if he only knew.
I take another sip of my iced tea, steadying myself. “I agree with you. It did take some adjusting to. But the past is the past, Dad. What happened between us is ancient history. And really, he seems like a completely different man now,” I argue, ignoring the shocked glares that both of my parents are giving me. They’re not buying any of this. Still, I go on undeterred. “I think it’s time for all of us to let go of our grudges against him. With him being my boss and that fact that we’re… working so closely together, it would be beneficial to me if we could all get along.”
“Get along?” Dad scoffs, letting out a mirthless laugh.
Mom gives me eyes that say, as your father, it’s his job to hate any man that ever hurt his baby girl. That will never change.
Dad shakes his head. “Over my dead body, sweetheart.”
I set down my glass a little too forcefully, revealing my growing frustration. “Dad, getting along with him doesn’t have to be so hard for you, does it?”
“Sorry, that’s not going to happen. I remember what he put you through and how torn up you were after. I’m not so sure I can just forgive and forget.”
Calmly, I put my napkin down, resisting the urge to let my frustration ignite a storm of emotions. Despite the overwhelming stress of this impossible situation, I push myself to stay composed. “I get that my choices might not match up with what you had in mind for me,” I declare as I rise from my seat, aiming to show my resolve (even if we’re not exactly in a courtroom but rather in a setting where it may seem out of place), “but I hope you can see I’m doing what feels right for me. Even if you don’t totally get where I’m coming from, your support would mean the world to me.”
“We’ve always supported you, and we always will,” Dad says. “It’s just that people don’t change and I don’t think you are taking that into account.”
“Honey, calm down,” my mother pleads with me. “Please, sit back down. We love you. Your father and I are only looking out for you. We want what’s best for you, like any parents do for their child.”
“Trust me, you don’t know him the way I do,” I insist, determined to make them understand my point of view. “He’s a changed man. He is.”
With that, I sit back down.
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Dad shakes his head and folds his hand over his ample belly, not backing down from his position.
There’s one thing about my father that will always stay with me: his unwaveringness. Once he’s set on something, there’s not a storm that can shake him. He’s been a rock, steadfast and protective since I was a baby. And he’s certainly proving his point: People never change. Not even my dad. In a way, I’ve always loved that about him. No one ever dared to mess with me under his watchful eye.
It takes everything in me to swallow my emotions enough to get through lunch. I leave right after dessert. As I hug them goodbye, Mom doesn’t seem to want to let go. I’m not sure if she’ll tell Dad the whole story once I’m gone or not… probably not. He wouldn’t like it.
For better or worse, I put all my cards on the table for her. I’ll tell Dad once I figure out better where Cade stands. Once I know where we stand.
Seeing the concern on their faces makes me realize just how concerned I need to be.
Maybe Dad has a point. Until recently, I agreed with him wholeheartedly. Part of me still does. But I can no longer accept the fact that Cade might be a heartless jerk. Not if I’m going to lose my heart to him all over again.
Leaving my parents behind, I realize I have to confront him.
Yep, once I’m back in the city, I need to do just that.