The Other Side of Dare
Page 30
“He’s laughing because I rarely ever cook. We generally go out for dinner or we call in for something to be picked up or delivered,” Paris said. “I wasn’t planning on cooking anything today.”
“So exactly what do you do at home all day?” Lawrence asked.
Paris stood up. “I have my own things to do. I have various interests that require my attention, just like you two.”
“She watches television pretty much all day,” Andrew said, then grinned.
“I do not.” Paris gave him a disapproving look to emphasize her words. “You’re not here so you don’t know what I do all day. And I assure you, I do a lot more than watch television.”
“Yeah, that’s right. She divides her time between the computer and her precious little CrackBerry, oh I’m sorry; I meant to say BlackBerry. No, no, wrong again. She has an iPhone now, her new play-toy. And what’s that hot new thing on the Internet this cycle? Facebook! Yeah, that’s right . . . Facebook. Her big thing used to be MySpace, but it’s been replaced by another lover. And let’s not forget about her have-to-have, much-needed therapy,” Andrew said.
“Therapy?” There was clear alarm in Lawrence’s voice. “What therapy? What’s wrong? Now, Paris, you know if the media gets wind of this—”
“Retail therapy,” Andrew said. “I’m talking about her retail therapy. Isn’t that what you call it?” Andrew looked at Paris, who didn’t respond, before turning back to his father-in-law. “She has to go shopping to take her mind off all the depressing things she sees and hears on television and that comes across on the Internet. You know, all of those ‘devastating, distressing things that are happening all around the world,’ like poverty, all of those poor and starving folks in the world, the daily reported civil unrest around the globe, and let’s not forget those poor animals they show on TV in need of a good home. According to my dear wife, the only way she can feel better about all of these things after witnessing them is to go shopping.”
“I’m sure this can’t be true,” Lawrence said. “I certainly hope it’s not. Paris’s mother and I raised her to be a productive member of society . . . to serve others. Paris, you could be spending time at a church or shelter, helping to feed the hungry, showing just how much our family truly cares about others.”
“Daddy, I’m twenty-seven years old, twenty-eight in another eight months. I’m not a child anymore that you can mold into what you want me to be. I have a husband; we have our own home. I get to decide what’s best and right for me.”
“In other words: I can’t tell you what to do anymore?” Lawrence said with a slight frown.
“Now, Daddy, I respect you. You just need to learn to respect me. I’m all grown up now. I’m not your little girl anymore.” Paris bit down on her bottom lip.
“Oh, now, you’ll always be my little girl.” Lawrence grinned. “And I’ll always be your daddy. And speaking of family and little girls, exactly when do the two of you plan on having children? Your mother is ready to be a grandmother. And being a grandfather would certainly look good on my political brochures. There’s nothing that says to the voters how much you care than letting them know you’re not only a parent but a grandparent. And a child or two would definitely give you more than enough to do to keep you busy around the house, Paris.”
“Daddy, is that all you ever care about? How something might benefit your political aspirations?” Paris asked.
“For now it is. That’s why it’s important for your mother to put on the right face for the public.” Lawrence leaned forward. “That’s why you, your brother, Malachi, and little sister, Imani, must be on your p’s and q’s at all times, representing our family with the highest level of degree. Proverbs 22:1 tells us that ‘a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.’ Our name is a brand now. And we have to protect it. So I don’t need any of you doing anything that could embarrass or derail me, and especially not during this campaign cycle. I plan on winning my upcoming reelection. And I don’t need any problems popping up. That’s why I made sure I got that large ballroom last week for that campaign rally I had.”
“We know, Daddy. Stay on our p’s and q’s. You’ve drilled that point home to each of us enough. Oh, yeah, and I heard all about that underhanded ballroom acquisition,” Paris said. “That was so wrong of you on so many levels.”
“Says who?” Lawrence pulled his body back as though he was shocked by her words.
“Mom, for one.”
Lawrence waved her words off. “Your mother is such a softie. She’d give away everything if I’d let her.”
“Well, to be fair,” Andrew said, chiming in. “From what I heard, you did manage to somehow finagle that ballroom away from an elderly man’s one hundredth birthday celebration after his family clearly had it reserved months before you ever thought about having anything there. That’s the way I heard it, anyway.”
Lawrence stared hard at Andrew, then released a quick smile. “All’s fair in love and politics. If you can do it and get away with it, and it doesn’t physically hurt anybody, what’s the harm in the end? I happen to know folks who can make things happen. What is it the young ballers say? Don’t hate the player; hate the game.”
Lawrence then looked at Paris. “And your mother talks too much, as do you. Some things aren’t meant to be repeated. With that being said, now get on in the kitchen and fix me and your husband something to eat. As I said, we have some business we need to attend to, and I am starving.”
Paris smiled slightly, the way she did when she was completely under his rule and didn’t care for what he was saying but knew it was best to just go along with him to get along, until the right opportunity presented itself. “Sure, Daddy. Whatever you say.”
She went into the kitchen, opened the drawer where she kept a stack of various restaurant menus, pulled out the menu to the Italian place she used whenever she wanted Italian food, and called in an order.
She hung up the phone and grinned. “Sure, Daddy. Whatever you say.”
DAFINA BOOKS are published by
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Copyright © 2013 by Vanessa Davis Griggs
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ISBN: 978-0-7582-8619-2