The Good Life

"My beautiful daughter has grown up," my father announced "now I must talk to you about your future today my sweet princess." For some context m name is Audrey and today is my 22 birthday we are home and having a lite breakfast before we celebrate. I have spent my whole life in this beautiful home with my loving parents and now I am to be my own woman away from my home and family. I graduated college and am looking forward to following in my father's foot steps. He is a fantastic lawyer and he has taught me well, I want him to be proud when I start at his firm so I have been working hard and learning everything from a young age. Back to the present "Yes father I'm ready." "Dearest daughter let me spoil you a bit longer, tonight at dinner we will discuss everything." I notice a small frown but keep smiling. "Thank you father, I will always be here for you." After breakfast we spend the day shopping and driving around the city. Around dinner we go toa private restaurant and get taken to a private room. Before we enter my father stops me and says "These are some of my clients, I want you to get to know them so they trust you with their cases, understand?" I nod and reassure my father and wonder why he chose to meet with his clients while he wanted to discuss my future. In the room there are is a family of six, I know they are family because they are often in the news, they also own a lot of different companies in different markets. If I can get even one of these people as my client I will be able to support my luxurious life style. "Everyone thank you for coming to my daughter's birthday, please enjoy this night and may we all be happy with life." my father announced to the small room. Had I been a bit younger I would have been embarrassed but I have had my father for 22 years now and am used to him. As my father moves to his seat I smile and welcome my guests, making eye contact with everyone. All of the men check me out after I look at them but I catch the mother scolding them shortly after. As t food comes to the table there is good conversation going around I listen thoughtfully until I find a good place to jump in. By the time the food is gone there is only one man I haven't been able to gain his interest yet. He seems content to just listen to his family until he excuses himself. I take the opportunity to do the same and follow him to the hallway, I go the opposite direction he goes knowing the hallways run into each other. I see him get into the elevator, since he isn't paying attention I slip in with him. He is on the phone o I just click the top floor and wait until he finishes his conversation. "How long have you been in here?" he growls "I got on the same floor you did, you didn't pck a floor so I did." I smile sweetly to throw off his bad mood. "Were you listening to my phone call?" he gets closer o me "No that would be unethical and rude, is that what you're worried about?" He grines and backs up the the wall "Then why did you fallow me in here?" "I was curious about you, you don't talk as much as your family does. I want you to trust me like you do my father." "Who says I trust your father? He is a useful allie but I prefer to keep my distance." "I noticed, you seem to support your family trusting him though so you must trust him a little?" "He is a good lawyer but not for what I need, what about you are you a good lawyer like him?" "You keep asking me questions and dodging mine so maybe not as good as I thought." the elevator opens and the cold air sends a chill through me I move to the back of the elevator and rub my arms as he moves forward and closes the doors without picking a new floor. "You're very observant and a good manipulator maybe you can be of use to me." "I'm sure I can be but not the way you think, I am talented woman but a manipulator I am not." "If you say so, princess. What floor were we on?" "Did you not pay attention when you got on the elevator?" I questioned "I wasn't planning on going anywhere." he smirks "I'll call my father." I pull out my phone "You ought to pay more attention when getting on an elevator with a strange man, woman." "My name is Audrey. Yes father hello what floor was the dinner on? Yes I'm with...." "Derek." "Derek we were having a good chat." "Sweetheart next time don't go off on your own please we are on floor 15" "Yes father, I won't. We will be down shortly." "Your father seems concerned, are you married?" "No, I'm not I am fairly young and not really into the dating scene. Why do you ask?" "Most father's only have one reason to be afraid of their daughter going alone to chat with a man." he winks and I put my hands up "He is only worried becuse I'm his only daughter and heir to his company, he knows I would never do something to tarnish my reputation." Once we get on the fifteenth floof we are casually discussing our education but I feel he is holding back. We get to the room and everyone watches us enter in stunned silence, I take my seat next to my father and he whispers "Did you get in good?" "He is holding back but I think he likes me." "Good work." after awhile the bill comes and Derek takes it "My treat to the newest member of our team, thank you for introducing us to your daughter Mr. Sloane." My dad smiles and starts a cheers "Thank you Derek Mayneither and a toast to all our success." The car ride home feels somber my father tries to keep the conversation light but I can tell something is bringing him down "Did something happen while I was in the elevator Dad?" "Oh no sweetheart I'm just drained after keeping up with that family, you know I was good friends wiyh their dad." "What was he like?" "He was a complicated man but he loved his family, he was shot about 12 years ago and it was terribly hard on his wife but she did good with those boys and it's good to see her in such high spirits." "I sorry Dad, where was I when this happened?" "You and you're mother were learning about fashion in Asia while you were on spring break. What do you think of them? The boys I mean." "They all have various interests but its probably good because if they spent all their time together I don't think they would be so friendly like tonight, but the way I thought you wanted to talk about my future tonight but the dinner was so chaotic we never got to discuss." "Right, can I have one more night with you as my little girl? Tomorrow I promise we can talk about it in my office." "Of course Daddy, I love you and thank you for today." "I love you too my precious girl, thank you for being mine." At home my mother received us, she was always beautiful and in style. She was the owner owner of a design company but she always made time for us and encouraged me to take my own path. "My sweet child how was your birthday? I expect it went well?" she stared at my father. "Ahhhem yes dear everything was up to standard. Audrey tell your mother." I smiled and wisked my mom to my room to chat. "It was fun Mom, we spent a day in the city and had dinner at Stylo with some of fathers clients, I think they liked me and are willing to share some their cases with me but I'm going to take it as it comes and make the best out of it." "Did anyone show any i interest in you dear?" my mother swooned. "Well once I got Derek to open up to me he did ask about my education and experience. I don't think he likes talking about himself so it may not have been interest but a deflection." "Oh my baby is all grown up, of course men will take an interest in you, what do you think about him?" "Him? I don't know he still feels like a stranger, he is handsome is a dark and mysterious kind of way. I will need to get to know him more before I can say I like him." "Do you feel attracted to him?" "Mom, I barely know him." "That's not what I asked dear." "I guess he does interest me but I don't think it will go anywhere." my mother sighs "If thats the best answer I'm going to get I'll let you be tonight, happy birthday Audrey and good night." "Good night Mom, sweet dreams." As I get ready for bed I decide to question my feelings for Derek. He seems obscure but intelligent, if he were more open I feel we could get along well. He can see right through my act, which is weird because no one else has ever suspected I had one. My mother taught me from a young age when to cater to my feminine side and when I needed to be more direct, it has done me well since my career is mostly male dominated. With my father handing me his company I have had to show that it is well earned, in college I took on a few case studies and a few firms would use the argument I formatted to win the case. Not that credit was given since I was still a student but it did give me credibility among my peers. Derek was the first to recognize it but I couldn't toss it aside it was my cover to the out side world and it's not like he was being completely honest with me either. He kept deflecting my questions and giving me partial answers, all I could do was tell him about my self. He asked about my childhood, my family and even what I do outside of work. All he got out of me was where I went on trips as a kid, how loved I have always been and told how I spent all my time with my family or working on passing the BAR two days ago, I'm the youngest female to graduate law school, it help I started college when I was 16. What did he tell me to keep me satisfied without digging, I didn't even know about his father he told me he likes to take care of his family, especially his Mom and he supports his brothers career paths as craazy as some of them are. Now that I'm thinking about it he told me more about his brothers than he did about anything else. Does he think I'm only interested in their business deals? Wait am I? Its what I was there to do but it's now what I'm thinking about before bed, he is. Is he thinking about me? I quickly brush those thoughts away. Jeez Audrey get it together you barely know he man. Well now I have more to tell my mother in the morning. In my dreams..... Its so cold I reach for my blankets, my hand feels something warm, why is my bed warm? I look over now standing on a roof top touching Derek's arm. Oh sorry, why are we back up here? He smiles you tell me sweetheart. Well you seem so interested in me I want to know about you. I start to shiver, here he hands me a ruana shawl, where did you get this? Your mom designed it. Have you been talking to my mom? She searched me out when you told her how you felt. Of course she would go out of her way to meet you. Well thanks for the wrap. You looked cold. You always talk about me, why not tell me about you? ... In the morning I wake up and get ready for the meeting with m father. I chose to dress sharp so we can get straight to business with as little baby girl mumbo-jumbo as possible. At 8 am sharp I'm knocking on my father's office door. He welcomes me in and I take a seat. "Good morning Father." "Good morning Audrey. How did you sleep?" "I slept well and you?" "Your mother eventually wore herself out, she is excited about this Derek, what about you how are you feeling about this Derek?" I roll my eyes, "Come on in Mother." "See Darrin your too direct, sorry dear." "It's okay Mom, Dad you said this was a meeting about my future, is Derek hiring me or is this about something else?" "Well sweetheart, he did call me last night and decided he wanted to do some business but not as lawyer..." "Father now is not the time to be indirect, spit it out." my Mom speaks up "Dear you must understand we are try to be delicate you see when Derek called he wasn't talking about business, he was talking about.... marriage." I froze, marriage? I barely know the man and he is asking about marriage! I keep my composure but my thoughts are racing, I was just starting to get interested in him and he is at marriage! I guess he does know me a lot better but still MARRIAGE!!! "Darling talk to me, I know it seems fast but please tell me your feelings." my mom tries to bring me out of my thoughts "I think you should do it." my father states as plainly as if it was taking an art class. I finally come out of my haze and look at my parents, the people who have loved me my whole life and supported my interests since I have had them. "You think I should give up my career?" "No but you don't have to get into it right away princess the firm isn't going anywhere and who knows maybe Derek will be a good husband, he does take care of all his family and supports their businesses." I take a short breath "Dad if you think this is a good idea I'll go through with it." "Audrey, first tell us how you feel please?" my mother begs. "I was planning on telling you this over lunch but I guess now is a good time as any, I had a dream about Derek, we were on the roof top of Stylo and he handed me one of your Rauma Designs and we were talking about me again and before I went to sleep my last thoughts were about him so I guess I'm invested in him." I say in one breath. "Good for you dear, I'm confident you will get along with his as I do your father." "Just remember princess we are always ready to take on anything or anyone if they cross you baby." "I know Dad, thank you Mom. This will work out I'm sure." Later that day "Dad what did he talk to you about on the phone?" "He was interested in where I planned to place you in my firm and what your goals and aspirations where. Then he ask if I was okay with him asking you to marry him and that was a whole argument." "What did he say?" "Well I started with his nerve and he came with his genuine interest in youand told me he would treat you like a queen and how he could support your lifestyle. I then told him you don't need or want that life yu are my girl, uh grown baby? Anyways and he seemed unsure about it but then decided he would let you live the life you wanted no matter what. He then mentioned that a prenuptial agreement should be signed since you are going to inherent the firm and if there was to be a divorce he wanted any information on his family to be kept private." "Sounds like a gentleman, when do you think we will speak next?" "He old me he plans to call tonight and that he rather a third party handle all the contracts for fairness." "A good business man too, okay so you will keep me in the loop?" "What do you mean you will be kept in the room this is your future and I'm not going to sign it away." "Oh right, so I'll sit in on the call." "You will be head negotiator on the call." Late at night, Ringggg Ringggg Ringggg "Hello? Yes she is ready." "Hello?" "Hello Audrey, this is Derek." "I know, how are you?" "Very good, so you are ready to make arrangements then?" "Y-Yes." "Okay our first meeting will be in two days at Vincent's Firm. You know that one right?" "Of course I know Vincent, I'll be there what time?" "I'll be there around 10 am. but you can come by whenever to read the documents." "Ok thank you, see you on Thursday." "See you then." As I hang up the phone my Mother pulls me into her and starts sobbing "Mom what's wrong?" "I'm, Just, So.... Happy for you." "Thanks Mom." I pull her close and pat her on the shoulder. "My baby girl is moving on." my Dad smiles sappily. "Dad I'll always be available for you both I'm just a phone call away." I smile while tearing up. That night in bed all I can think about is what my new life will be. Where will I live? What will this marriage mean in the long run? Who is this man, how did I catch his interest? Why am I so excited? In dreamland... Its sterile, the air, it reminds me of school. I stare at the ceiling until "Audrey, where are you?" I look across the table Hi Derek, what are you doing here? We're going over these documents. *he's always so direct* Right well it reads well but here its says you want marriage, wont you ask me first? (scene change) There are candles and its burgundy all around I look down Derek on one knee Will you marry me? princess, I'll make you my queen.