The Fantasies of Rose

My name is Kathleen Russell but due to the color of my hair everyone calls me Rose. My red hair mixed with my bright blue eyes catches the attention of many but never the ones I am willing to return that same affection to. I am tall for a girl at 5'10 and have some junk in the trunk thanks to my mama. My healthy and chubby frame makes me feel empowered and I love my body. I never wanted to be one of those size 00 with no meat on their bones that I see in school who constantly count calories for fear of gaining half a pound. I prefer to have some meat on my bones and food is life. I am in my senior year of college and have put off doing my internship till the very last semester as I have been dreading having to work for someone else and follow the demanding and in many cases pretentious orders of big wigs who have either been put into their position because of who their family is tied to or by dirty deeds whether sexually or just illegal. I dream of the day to walk across that stage with my degree in hand to satisfy my parents and then start my very own company the right way. Greenwell Corporate is the top teir, ran by Carter Greenwell, and most well known in Denver, Colorado thus my hopes are not high for being chosen for one of the three intenship positions they offer. I had even put in a internship application at my father's law firm just incase as a back-up plan. I am hoping this semester goes by fast and I can move onto bigger and better things in life. When I get home this afternoon I am surprised to see both my mom and dad's cars at home instead of at work and rush inside thinking something must be wrong. "Mom?" "Dad?" I yell as I step into the kitchen through the garage door. Dad yells, "Get your ass in the living room now!" Oh no, what have I done to make him mad. My dad is sitting in his favorite blue lounge chair but instead of looking happy to see me he is red-faced and if looks could kill I would already be six feet under. My mom is beside him on the vintage taupe couch staring at an envelope in her hand and refusing to even acknowledge me. I sit on the arm of the other side of the couch and look at them waiting for someone to tell me what is going on. "Why do you have a hiring packet here from Greenwell? I thought you were going to intern at my firm beside me and learn about the family business with the intentions of taking it over?", he bellows at me while I now stare at the envelope in my mother's hand with the look of shock all over my face. I try to explain, "My school counselor told me to apply to any internships I could find to make sure I would be able to find one for my last semester so I wouldn't risk having to push my graduation date back if I did not get accepted to anything else. I never thought Greenwell..." "Enough!", my father bellows, " You knew the internship at my office was yours and there was no reason to even apply to other places. I already have your office set up and everything! Send this envelope back at once and deny the internship for Greenwell or you can get out of my house. Be at my office first thing Monday morning ready to work or have your stuff packed and out before then. You have 72 hours to make up your mind. I suggest you choose wisely." He then gets up and walks up the hallways and into his room slamming the door. Before today I have only seen my father that mad twice and both times it was never directed at me. My mother looks up at me for the first time since I get home and after at least a minute of just looking like shes trying to find the right words to say she asks me, "Please do as your father asks Rose and go to work for him Monday. I don't ask things of you often but I know how proud your father was to have you working by his side for this internship. Don't embarrass him and make things difficult." I know my mother is counting on me but at the same time I think about how many more doors would open up for me and how many connections I could make within the business world if I was to intern for Greenwell. I love my parents but I do not want to be a lawyer and thus working for my dad would be a waste of both of our time. I have to figure out the pros and cons of which internship I should take. Is Greenwell worth being kicked out of my home for potential business connections or should I risk missing out on those connections just to keep my dad happy for a little while longer? I know he will be mad again when he finds out I still have no intention of taking over his business. Either way he will be mad whether now or later. I have a lot of thinking to do and possibly even a lot of packing to get done this weekend. I just hope if I choose Greenwell that he will understand one day. I am the only child and thus being financially able to take care of them in the future is all my responsibility.