Chain Reaction 3.52: Questionable Ethics

Drake

     Emily is coming over today. The protests are working in that they're stirring up the national media, but I still feel we need to give an extra push to force the government to let Graham go. Emily and I are going to talk about what more we could do.

     That almost sounds like I care what happens to Graham for his sake. Not a bit.

     I can't wait for her to get here! At last, I'll have Emily over at my house. I'll behave myself, but just the fact that she's coming over makes me buoyant.

     However, when I answer the door, I see that Pops also came. He stares me down as I throw my fake smile in place. What the plum, Pops? This has nothing to do with you. 

     He probably came to babysit us.

     I go instruct Morgan not to disturb us as we sit out on the patio.

     "So, Pops, you're here... too." I force my smile again. I don't want to be openly hostile in front of Emily.

      Damn him for knowing exactly the right thing to say to piss me off: "Yes, Emily invited me."

      I plumbing hate him.

      Again, I wasn't planning anything "inappropriate" with Emily, but I was really looking forward to more time with just the two of us. Curse my father for intruding.

      I'm still going to do whatever I can to exclude him. "So, Emily, as we were saying, I think we need to do more. Sure, we have national network television now championing our cause, but when it comes down to it, all they're doing is a bunch of talk." Our feet touch under the table. It may look accidental, but it's not.

     "Isn't that what we want, though?"

     Dad speaks up. "I think what he's saying is that words can dissipate but documents cannot." He looks at me. "Good thinking, son, what did you have in mind?"

     What do I have in mind? How about bashing your smug face into the glass hard enough to shatter it? Since when do you call me 'son'?

     I think Emily realizes what I mean. "You're talking about the petition we have going? But we're doing that."

     Again, I only talk to Emily. "Exactly! But I think we need to make it bigger. We need to get people going online. This has been going for a few days, and we'll lose steam if we don't branch out into other areas of the media."

     Dad refuses to shut up. "You mean you don't have the petition online yet? I would've thought that could be something you could've easily done on the first day. Get on social media. Hashtag free Graham Taylor."

     Plum you. "I've been meaning to say, Emily, that's a pretty necklace. Is it new?" I need to recover from Dad's barb right at me. Sure, I could've put it online the first day, but I didn't care enough. I don't want the protests to end too quickly. I prefer a slow burn instead of a huge flash in the pan. I have a strategy, and holding back on things like this is a big part of it. I don't need my strategy exposed like that, so I had to distract Emily with a compliment.

      Pops knows exactly what I'm doing, and he answers for her in a subtle 'plum you' voice. "It was an anniversary present." He smiles as Emily looks over at him, but when she turns back to me, his expression clearly reads 'You are out of your league and don't stand a chance.'

     I hate him! I could kill him.

     "Thanks," Emily says, also reminding me that I need to smile.

     "You're welcome. It becomes you." I want to yank it off her neck and throw it into the pool.

     "Back to the matter at hand," Pops interjects, again exposing me. I guess my compliment's timing was rather weak. "I have some ideas." He reaches over and lightly rests his hand on Emily's shoulder.

      "Sure, Pops. We're not opposed to any new ideas." I may be talking to him, but I'm only looking at Emily. She's much nicer to look at and doesn't piss me off.

     "Well," he chuckles, "Emily and I already talked about it, but at the time, it was almost a joke."
     She turns to look at him, and I hate the little 'inside joke' expression they share. Their love for each other hurts me.
     Dad continues, but I don't care. All I care about is that Emily turned back to face me. Why are you with him when you belong with me?
     "Wait. What?" I think I finally heard what Pops said. "Are you saying you want to hire protestors? Emily, how does this make you feel? To me, that just sounds like cheating." Yes. I sound like the good guy here.

     I wonder if Emily can also feel how Pops wants to punch me in the face.
     "It's a little unorthodox, yes, but it's not unheard of."
     "And we could use all the help we can get," Pops adds.
     Meaning you want to pump money into this, turning my scheme into yours. "I don't like it." Actually, I wish I'd thought of it.
     "Well, it's not entirely up to you, is it? And besides, Emily agrees with me that it's worth a shot." He takes her hand under the table. "We should do whatever it takes to free Graham, don't you think?"
      "You want to know what I think?" I think you're an ass. "I think that screams 'big money gets what it wants once again!'" I perform a slow, dramatic, pathetic clap.

      "Good job, Pops."
      "What are you talking about?" That made him mad.
      "Aw, c'mon! Paying people to protest? All that proves is that if you have enough money, you can get whatever you want." Pow! Take that! Of course, I know for a fact what I said is true, but I'm going to stick to the moral high ground here.
      "Drake, we need to act now before this loses steam. If that means doing something with questionable ethics, I say we should go for it."

     I go right for the jugular with this one: "Yeah, because you've never had a problem with 'questionable ethics,' have you, Pops?" I stare him down. Then I smile. That struck a painful nerve.
     Emily coughs. "I... need to use the restroom. Please excuse me."

     I hear the pads of Emily's shoes as they walk across the marble floors of my kitchen. Dad is seething, and I love it. Bring it on, old man. I'm loving this.
     "That was a real dick move, Drake."
     I shrug, still smiling. "It comes naturally."

      "But what you don't realize is that in trying to take a stab at me, you also hurt Emily just now." He glares at me as I look at him like he's nuts. "'Questionable ethics,' Drake? It's obvious you're talking about our age difference, and that is a very sore subject with her."

      I don't hide my true feelings at all now, and my voice displays all the hatred I feel. "It's a sore subject with me, too. You're sick, preying on a young girl, fresh from being a teen and having a few Daddy issues since a new baby came into the house." Of course, I'm talking about the past, but I'm also telling it like it is. Sure, Bella was a child by the time Dad made his move, but the issue was still there. I know. I was the one to help her overcome it initially. Emily had never realized how she'd liked being the baby of the family, so I said she could be my 'baby.' Pops decided he could do a better job, which is sick considering he's the same age as her mom.

     I'm cutting him deeply, but he deserves it. "You're a dirty old man, taking what isn't his."
     He's gaining ground again, slowly recovering. "If you're implying she belongs to you, you're delusional and mistaken."
     "You're the deluded one, convincing yourself that Emily makes the perfect replacement Brielle."
     "And there you're wrong again, as usual. Thank the Maker Emily got plenty of Graham's better personality traits." He's saying that it was Brielle's personality flaws that finally put him off her thereby causing the opening in his life to become attached to her daughter.
     "It doesn't matter what you say, Alex, because you will still always be the cradle-robbing, dirty old man."

     "If you insist upon having that opinion, then know this: I see myself when I look at you. So, as your caring father, it is my wish that you may find just as much happiness as I have found when you become a 'dirty old man.' Because let me tell you, Emily was always meant to be a Goth, and she chose the better, more distinguished, more mature, and more experienced model. And I am all too happy to oblige her decision."
     I will never admit to this, but right now, my father intimidates the hell out of me. He's just as scary as I can be, maybe even more, when threatened. In some small way, it makes me proud to be his son, to carry on the name, but at the same time, he is my biggest enemy. As long as he lives, I will never be on top.
     But, I keep this inside.
     "F---. You." I get up from the table, utterly furious that I lost yet again, even more furious that I can't hide my fury--that I'm that livid.
     I storm into the kitchen to get a glass of water. I can't let Emily see me like this. I remain quiet as she walks by, not even trusting my voice.

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The next couple of chapters let us know what the other 2 Goths were thinking during this scene before moving ahead in their own measure of time.