Dangerous Entanglement

episode 12

/HANNAH’S POV/

Just as we settled on the six sitter dining table, mom sat on the right hand side of dad facing hazel and Jane on the other side of the well finished wooden table, having mom and Hazel sitting directly opposite to each other while dad and Jane sat closer to the entrance opposite one another. I was the only single person on the table, therefore I was left to sit just at the adjacent to each of the couple opposite the entrance.

“So THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, how’s the stock market treating you?” Dad asked gentle, but he look on everyone’s face showed that they understand what he was implying, we all know he was only trying to tease hazel and his career choice.

Immediately after he uttered out the question, it can’t be noticed that Hazel was no longer enjoying the meal and the night was no longer going well for him and Dad has added the bacteria that made the night sour. My mother’s face said it all, it was all written on her face that she had warn him on how to behave and talk, but he is now deviating from what they agreed on.

“Actually Hazel’s numbers are beginning to rise in the past two months…” Jane started to explain in her fiancée’s defense.

“Wow, I see why how he was able to afford that rock on your finger” Dad cut Jane short with another sarcastic attack on Hazel’s ego.

“Charles!!!” mother had thundered out of anger.

“Will you just respect yourself and stop this childishness of yours” Mother had fired at Dad who was comfortably stabbing his pasta with a fork.

“What?” Dad asked with a raised shoulder.

“Can’t a father try to question his son and about how his business his fairing?” He had questioned again with his fork held just on the pasta.

 “I mean, what kind of a father will I be if I don’t care to know about my children’s financial status?” he added taking a fork of pasta to his mouth.

 “Well that’s obviously not how fathers who really care about their children go about this topic” mother replied him.

“Really, so you going to teach me how to be a father now right? Then go ahead, I’m all ears” Father looked into mother’s eyes straight up as he waved both hands up in the air urging her to teach him how to be a father.

All this while, I was just sitting quietly, watching the drama playing right in front of me, Jane who tried to keep defending her man at any instances was always being kept mute by Hazel who will squeeze her left hand. I wonder why he is not trying to defend himself and his choice of career line as he normally does.

“Sometimes I just can’t believe your way of reasoning” Mother pointed out, out of disgust, dropping the white napkin on her right hand on the table. 

“So you mean to say sometimes, I reason in a stupid way right?” Dad questioned not minding if he is hurting anyone in the room.

“Oh for goodness sake, just stop it already” mother concluded as she resumed back to her food.

I began to wish that will be the end, because all I wanted was a good family time, with no feuds or malice, where we all can enjoy the night sharing happy memories, even though, we actually hardly have one. Right from my childhood, father has always been away chasing and building his career and obviously it paid off. When we started having him at home more often, was when the feud between he and my brother started, Hazel has always had a contrary opinion to what my dad had in mind. Mother used to say…

“At first, I thought it was just the heat of puberty that was having its effect on Hazel and for the fact that your father have very little understanding on how to relate with him due to the fact that he was always away during Hazel’s childhood I what makes them always have contrary opinions… But overtime I came to a conclusion that those two are just different species and the can never be on the same page except on very rare occasions”

With no ounce of doubt, that’s totally true, Dad has always being a democrat while hazel was more of the republican person, while in sports, Dad is a huge fan of the Yankees and also Miami dolphins in cricket and football, but hazel on the other hand prefers soccer to both games, they always argue on which sports is more interesting, that was the only fun part of their arguments.

“Hannah dear” my dad called out softly

“Yes dad” I answered looking up at him as I feed myself a spoon of pasta.

“I have had words with Douglas on different occasions about your progress in the agency, and even though your record is nothing to write home about, your boss still vouches for you strongly with regards your spirited dedication…” dad started my own topic with so pride in his eyes and voice, but we all know the case would have been different if hazel was the one in my position.

Deep down my mind, I was wondering how I was gonna make my dad understand that I don’t want to talk anything work. I just want a peaceful family time out.

“And oh yeah, I heard you’ve been placed on another assignment…”

“No Dad, I haven’t gotten any new assignment, I have just blown a case up some days back and…” I was trying to say not any one in his right sense will place me on another assignment, at least not that fast.

“Come off that thought young lady!!!” my father cut me short not waiting the rest of the point I was trying to make.

“Douglas will address you on your new assignment on Monday, make sure to prepare yourself and don’t let the disappointment of the last job get to affect your efforts on this new assignment.” He didn’t even raised his head from the food he was eating.

“Thank you dad, I will try to put more effort and make sure to make you proud” I said to my dad in appreciation and also assure him. But deep in me, I was already tired of being a drug enforcer, I wasn’t getting any form of fulfilment one is expected to get from a job.

“You agreeing to be in the agency alone is something I always wake up being proud about” he throw me a gentle and soft smile before glancing towards my brother who was obviously no longer enjoying his meal, but was just trying to compose himself through the rest of the food.

With the sight of what my dad was trying to do there again, my mom gave him a gentle nudge on the shoulder implying him to stop.

“What? Can’t I have a gentle professional talk with my daughter again?” my dad questioned with his brows furrowed.

“Could you please pass me the salad?” My brother asked as he gestured towards the bowl of salad that was sitting closest to father. My dad gave him an irritating look at him before passing the bowl to hi.

“If you had known how much I wished for this setting to be different, maybe in a conference meeting or a briefing and you requesting for a file or something, can you imagine how proud I will …”

“Charles...!” my mom cut him short of his words with a bit of sorrow in her voice.

“No mom, let him speak, I have heard it all, times without number and it now have no effects on me, I know what I want and no one is going to make me bend to his own will and wants” for the first time since we got to the table, Hazel uttered a word and it was bold and straight. He just went on with dishing the salad into his plate and began to eat, he didn’t even fling. I could see the love and pride in Jane’s eyes as she watched her man stood up for what he wants with full confidence.

“Really…” my dad exclaimed as he tried to feed himself a spoon on pasta and then later decided not to by dropping the spoon back to the plate.

“And there goes my appetite” Dad had declared as he stood up and began to move out of the dining area.

“I’ll rather go watch the Yankees than sit here and let someone the opportunity to ruin this blissful Friday evening for me”

“you should try soccer, I bet you its more interesting than that s**t sport you love so much” my brother fired at him with a bit of laughter in his voice causing my dad to turn and back with a smile and say..

“If you hadn’t have a striking look like me, I will accuse your mother of paternity fraud, because you don’t behave or think like a HILL in any way possible, aside from the fact that you’ve got an extra dose of our rebellion trait in you”

And there in that sentence I saw the father-son love, no matter what, my dad still adores Hazel, even though they will always be at loggerheads due to his rebellious nature.  Just as dad left the table, every other person began to have enough of what they’ve had.

Hazel also stood up to leave after devouring just a little above half of the salad he had dished out for himself. Jane immediately began to clear up the table, and as I also stood up clearing from my own side.

“Come on Jane, you are a guest here, don’t insult us by taking up any chores” my mom stood up and try to collect the plates from Jane.

“I thought you said welcome to the family earlier, so please don’t insult me by calling me a guest” Jane had dramatically stated in her defense as he moved the dishes with her into the kitchen which was behind mom and dad’s sitting position.

Though the night didn’t go as excited as I would have wished for it to go, but I was happy there was less outburst between dad and Hazel and also, no comparison of our family to others by mom

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