If It's With You

015- Daddy issues

Nicklaus

My father’s and I’s relationship wasn’t the best, but we’ve learned to tolerate one another. Having worked at the firm this past year, I would say our relationship was better, even though most of the time, all we talked about was just work and clients. He was unavoidably my mentor and was to guide me through the partnership ladder in the firm. But that would have been great if he wasn’t a control freak.

The law firm was my grandfather’s, an English man who moved to New York and after law school, he built one of the most powerful law firms in the country. Just like him, my father was a powerful criminal defence attorney. They were the best and that was what I wanted to be. Nothing but the best in this field.

My mother was the only child of my grandfather and his American surgeon wife. Loving his only child so much, my grandfather set her up to marry my father, who was his most brilliant employee. But it was more like a business arrangement, and at the end of the day, the law firm was down to the hands of my father, and his other partners.

After Grace passed away, I barely came home and that was why, when he asked that I come over after work today, it didn’t sit quite well with me.

As I wheeled my car into the driveway of my parent’s house, all I could think of was my mother. The times I would come home to see her walking around the place with paperwork in her hands. She would smile at me and while I ate, she would complain about her clients and her work to me.

My car came to a halt and grabbing my phone, I pushed the car door open and was welcomed by the summer air in a very familiar environment. A place which held most of my childhood memories.

My childhood home was a two-story brick mansion, with black framed windows and a door front. I had always wondered why we needed such a big house if it was just us, and a few house workers but I never cared to ask.

As I climbed a few steps to the front door, the door opened revealing Ms Betty’s thrilled face with her hands spread out, as if she had been waiting for me there all the while I hadn’t visited.

“Oh, Nicklaus, it has been a long time, sweetheart.” She sang as I went in for a hug, taking in her familiar scent.

Ms Betty was like a second mother to me, being that she started working for my parents shortly after I was born. After Grace passed away, I thought she would quit but she was still here. She was older now, and it was as if there were more lines of wrinkles on her face than I could remember.

“How are you, Ms Betty?” I asked, breaking off from her hug.

Her face held a huge smile, holding firm the lines her facial skin had formed. “I am doing okay, sweetheart. Why did you disappear on us?”

“I didn’t, I only have been busy with work,” I lied, maintaining my smile. I wouldn’t come here to face my father and the younger wife he acquired after my mother passed.“Is father in?” I asked, glancing behind her to the interior of the house, which looked like royalty and class.

She glanced behind, “Yeah, right in his study. I just served him a cup of tea right now.”

“Okay, how is your grandson? The one your daughter had last year?”

“Oh yeah. He is a big boy now, I have pictures but my phone–”

I chuckled, “Don’t worry Ms Betty, Let me speak to Dad first.”

“Will you like me to make you something, I mean dinner will soon be ready but if you need me to prepare something–”

“Don’t worry yourself, whatever you make is perfect,” I said to Ms Betty, who looked flattered as her fingers brushed through her short silver and dark mixture of hair.