Choices

There wasn’t a sound at the table, besides the click of cutlery on china. This… was not a good sign. Earlier this morning, Kiernan had found a letter from the University of Hawai’i on the kitchen table. It had already been opened. The only person who would do that was his father.

Howard Auld sat at the head of the table, cutting his turkey into even squares. His eyes, like those of Kiernan’s mother and sisters, looked nowhere but his plate. He was a simple looking man, one who wouldn’t turn heads on the street or be remembered by a cashier. The most note-worthy part of his appearance was his strong jaw, always clenched to show off a vein in his cheek. 

He was a business man.  Almost 40 years ago, he had started his own company selling carpet for well-to-do families. It went well, for a while. But the new trend of hardwood or tile floors had caused sales to tank the past several years. The stress had leached the last of the brown from his hair and taken the few kind words he knew from his mouth.

Kiernan stabbed at the green beans on his plate. If his father knew about the acceptance letter, he was dead. The only son of the family, his dad had it in his head that he was going to take on the family business. Even though Kiernan had tried to tell him countless times how little he wanted to do that.

As if he could read Kiernan’s mind, Howard broke the silence. “What was that nonsense from Hawai’i I found in this morning's mail?”

“My acceptance letter,” Kiernan nearly whispered.

“You get in college?” His mother cried. “This is exciting! Why you not tell me earlier?”

“Because he knows he’s not going.”

All four of his sisters looked at him with pity in their eyes. He was the fourth child, the one their father had strived for. They all knew exactly what that meant.

“What you mean?” their mom snapped. “He get in college! This good thing, this why I wanted to have my babies in America.”

“And you get to see them all go to college, if you so wish,” Howard said curtly.

“Then why you say nonsense! We are excited for this!”

“Mom, it’s ok,” Kiernan whispered. She never knew when to stop fighting their dad.

“No, is not ok! How you say it nonsense he get into college?”

“Because, Aisha.” The fork and knife were placed meticulously on either side of the plate. Lacey, the youngest, slid silently under the table. The rest of them braced themselves for the worst. “He isn’t going to go to some college on a tropical island so that he can waste all our money on the beach. He’s going to start training with me, once he graduates. The only college he will see is the business school two towns over.”

“I got a scholarship.” Kiernan could have punched himself. Why did he have to open his big mouth?

His father’s empty eyes turned slowly onto him. “Is that so? And why would they give you any money?”

“Because I’m in the top ten of my grade…” he trailed off. This was so pointless. When had arguing ever gotten him anywhere?

“Please. Your grades are pitiful. If you weren't my only son,” he shot a glance at his seething wife, “I wouldn’t even allow you to take over my company.”

“He is smart! He work hard everyday for good grade!” Aisha shouted, banging a fist to the table.

“Yeah, and besides,” his oldest sister, Alleyah, cut in, “that school sucks. I had to transfer out, remember? Their entire curriculum is based off of a business model from the Great Depression. There’s not even a point in going there.”

Without looking at her, Howard responded, “If I had wanted your opinion, I would have asked.”

“Well, if I waited until you asked, I would never speak.”

A rare ghost of a smile. “Now wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

“Enough!” Aisha howled, slamming the table as she stood. “Our children make their choices! Not any man! Certainly not you!”

“Oh, come off it, woman. If it weren’t for me, you would still be eating bugs in a third world country.”

Alleyah and the twins both roared their outrage, but Kiernan was the one who spoke. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”

“I. am. your. father.” Howard hissed, punctuating each word with venom. “And you will not speak to me that way. You should be more grateful. I am going to give you my company. You have never had to work for a damn thing in your life and I am still going to give it to you.”

“I DON’T WANT IT!”

Silence followed Kiernan’s shout. By the look of everyone’s faces, no one could believe he’d had the guts to do that. Seizing the opportunity, he quickly said, “I want to study marine biology. I want to try and figure out a way to stop all the reefs from going extinct! I have never, ever wanted to have anything to do with your stupid company!”

“There’s no point anyway,” Alleyah added. “He hasn’t changed anything in his company in years. He doesn’t even have an updated website! Honestly, I’m glad he’s such a sexist pig that he doesn’t want to give it to me. There’s too much that needs to be fixed.”

“You…” Howard’s pupils had nearly consumed his irises entirely. “You…”

“That’s why I’ll be launching my own company in the next coming year,” she continued, staring down her nose at him. “Our mission is to help new homeowners design a customized floor at an affordable price, so that even the less fortunate have the chance to have cool home modifications. We already have a large following, and are booked solid for the first three months we’ll be open.” She turned to look at their mom. “Surprise, Mom. I named my company Aisha’s Flooring.”

With tears in her eyes, their mother wrapped her arms around her. “I am proud of you,” she murmured into her daughter’s hair. “You will be great.”

“Oh, please,” Howard tried to sneer. “As if a girl–”

“You not speak to my children this way! No more!” Fury suppressed for years began to bubble out of Aisha before her children’s eyes.

“Remember your place–”

“No,” she spit, cutting him off. “I come to this country so my family could have a better life and have ability to take opportunities! So my daughters could live a life better than I have! I did not come to watch you hold my children back like I was. He go to be scientist, save world! She go be business woman, start her own company since you so stupid, let yours fail! Fuck you!” With that, she threw the remains of dinner into his lap and ushered them all out the door, chased by Howard’s screams.

“Mom?” Lacey asked tentatively as she buckled her seatbelt. “Where are we going?”

“Don’t worry,” she murmured, eyes on the road. “Planned for this. I have saved money. We go new place. We go, and you all become who you wish. I will support you.”