Her Possessive Professor by Gena Snow

Chapter 7

 

Jared

 

 

 

 

“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!” I sing along with my family and friends after dinner at my dad Mike’s house.

We’re having a small gathering in celebration of my stepmom’s birthday.

Gloria turns fifty-five today. As much as I’m reluctant to admit it, she looks good for her age. In fact, she doesn’t look like she has aged much since she married my dad eighteen years ago. But then, she tries hard to keep it up with all that workouts and diet

Eighteen years. Time flies. My mom has left us for twenty years already. I can’t help but recall the fact, and as soon as I do that, anger and sadness fill me. I close my eyes briefly to recall her face and her voice. Everything is blurry and faint, but I still remember her. Jillian is tall and elegant, fine blonde hair and fair skin, and she loved poetry. I recall the mornings and afternoon when she would sit on a lawn chair to read while I, still a toddler, played on the grass. She would read to me from time to time, although I didn’t have the faintest idea of the meanings. But I inherited her keen interest in poetry.

Mike was seldom home back then, and it was always the two of us plus the housekeepers until I started school. Mom was mostly alone in the house because she disliked socializing and would rather spend her time with books. The first thing I did when I came home from school was to run to the yard and spend the rest of the afternoon with her. She would read children’s books to me.

And then, one day after school, I came home, finding the lawn chair empty. The housekeeper told us Mom went on a trip, but Dad’s behavior said otherwise. He came home late, as usual, that day and didn’t come out for dinner. When I went to look for him in his study, I found him sitting by his desk, clutching a piece of paper in his hands, sighing heavily.

When he saw me, he held me in his arms like he seldom did and said, “I’m sorry, kid.”

Jillian left me a letter without much explanation: I want to wait until you go to college, but I can’t wait any longer. I’ve given you fifteen years of my life. I think that’s enough. Your dad will take the responsibility from now on. I’m sorry, Jared. I’ll always love you.

Despite the hurt it delivers, I keep the note in my treasure box and read it from time to time. For years I had waited for my mom to come back, but she never did. She went to France shortly after she and Dad divorced. We sometimes met on Skype, and when I traveled to Europe in recent years.

I found out much later I was the reason for my parents’ loveless marriage. The two of them got drunk at a frat party and had unprotected sex.

It didn’t take my dad long to remarry. He had been seeing Gloria for more than ten years by then and had two sons, Nick and Tristan, with her.

I doubt my dad still remembers my mom. Just look at the way he smiles at Gloria. I look at their smiling faces much like an outsider. I always feel awkward in family gatherings like this, even though Gloria does her best to make me feel comfortable. As much as I resent her happiness, I can’t deny she’s a good woman. My dad waited until I left home for college before welcoming his new family to his house, but I couldn’t avoid them during school breaks. My two half-brothers are amicable enough, but needless to say, I had a hard time getting along with them, at least in the beginning.

I clench my fists and stand aside while the rest of the family offers Gloria's advice and tells her how to cut the cake.

Stop it. Don’t act like a jealous fool. You should’ve grown out of it by now. I remind myself. You’re a grown-up and a successful college professor. You have shown the old man you don’t need him.

 

“So how’s school?” my stepbrother, Nick, asks me as we’re having the cake.

I shrug. “Not bad.”

“That’s it?” he chuckles. “Come on, Dr. Price. Have some enthusiasm! You’re about to change your students’ lives!”

I know he’s just kidding, but it stings a bit. I used to believe I would do just that. But a decade’s disappointment has taught me that I overrated the profession. “Mind your own business. How’s the mall doing?” I change the topic.

My dad has transferred his power as the CEO of Alton Group to Nick lately. I’m only thankful for that since I have no interest in the family business and deliberately avoided it by majoring in literature instead of business.

Nick grins. “It’s doing great. Customers keep coming, sales are growing, and tenants are staying.”

Our grandpa started Alton Group half a century ago. It was an investment company initially, but it has evolved and expanded over the years. The company now undertakes real estate development, property management, leasing, and marketing activities as well. Nick has proved to be a capable and talented businessman in the past few years with his successful shopping center development.

“Any new project in mind?”

“Oh yeah, always.”

“Hey, Nick,” Janet, Nick’s cousin chimes in. “Aren’t you hiring a PA? Emily is looking for a job.”

Nick pauses for a moment and nods. “Sure, tell her to fill out an application.”

“Are you serious?” Janet asks.

“I am,” Nick says, still smiling. “I can’t hire her just because she’s your friend. She has to qualify.”

Janet rolls her eyes. “Sure, but she’s here. Why don’t you interview her first and then tell her to fill out an application if you think she’s ok?”

“That’ll do, too,” Nick says.

Janet grins and goes to bring Emily, who’s speaking to Gloria and my Dad, to Nick right away.

While Emily speaks with Nick, Janet asks me, “What classes are you teaching this semester, Jared?”

She’s Gloria’s niece and attends Alton University because she gets a discount. My Dad is the main sponsor of the university. The fact makes me cringe, and I try to keep it a secret.

“Medieval Literature and Modern poetry.”

“Ooh, sounds … interesting.”

I chuckle. “You don’t have to humor me, Janet. I don’t expect them to sound appealing to a business major.”

She laughs. “I heard that you were a tough professor. Is it true?”

Damn. I’ve got a reputation. “It depends on what kind of a student you are. The ones who work hard think I’m fair.”

“Oh! Well, then, I would think you’re fair,” she says with a giggle.

I don’t comment. I hope she won’t show up in my class one day because I don’t believe in nepotism. It would be awkward if she failed my class.

“By the way, why is your last name on the class schedule Price?”

I pause and say, “It’s my mom’s surname.” I use it because I don’t want students to know about my family background.

“I see,” Janet says, nodding. “How’s your mom?”

I tense a bit. I’m not used to speaking about my mom, not to mention in the middle of a family gathering and Janet being the niece of my dad’s second wife. “I don’t know,” I say coldly.

She’s probably going to offer some sympathy when we hear a piercing guitar note. Knowing it must be Tristan, I turn to look, stifling a groan. Although I like my younger stepbrother, who’s a gifted guitar player, I can’t stand the kind of music he plays. Hell, I can’t stand metal at all. The loud screams and fast tempo drive me nuts.

And I’m not alone. I glance over the room and see my dad’s subtle frown and Gloria’s not-so-subtle eye roll. Nick smiles fondly at his younger brother. Janet and Emily, though, are enthusiastic about it, and they actually start head-banging.

In the middle of the raucous music, I glance at my watch. It’s ten. I’ve spent enough of my Saturday with my family already, and it’s time to go home.

I go to my dad and Gloria to say goodbye, and my dad walks me to my car. “So how’s teaching, son?”

“It’s fine, Dad,” I answer tersely. As I glance at him, I realize his temples are all white now, although he’s only a year older than his wife. All that marital bliss hasn’t kept him from aging.

Shit. I’ve got to stop my sarcasm. It isn’t his fault Jillian left us. I try to convince myself but fail. Deep inside me, I keep blaming him. Maybe their marriage was a mistake, but couldn’t he have tried harder for it to work? If he hadn’t had Gloria, maybe Jillian would’ve been happier?

I don’t speak of my mom with the old man, though. What’s the point of doing it?

Mike, on the other hand, does his best to improve our relationship. He almost never tells me what to do with my life. Knowing I had no interest in tending the family business, he didn’t even push me to major in business like what he did to Nick.

“They’re emphasizing passing rates now,” I say to him. “And compromising the standards.”

“Well, that’s sad,” my dad says. “You do what you think is right.”

“I know,” I respond.

“That said,” he adds. “I wouldn’t go out of my way to not pass people.”

“What do you mean?” I respond too quickly, and my question sounds like an accusation.

My dad says patiently. “I only mean to help, son. I know you hold a high standard, but when you make it difficult for your students, you make it hard for yourself.

I want to tell him that shouldn’t be a concern, but I swallow the words back. After all, he’s only kind to me. Instead, I nod and say, “Thanks, Dad. I’ll see you later.”

I live only a few blocks from my dad’s house, but I don’t want to go home. After a gathering like this, I’ll only feel lonely in an empty house. I need to go somewhere. When I see the sign of Tropic of Cancer, I debate with myself. Today is Saturday. Hailey will be there. I shouldn’t be near her again, now that I know she’s my student. But I’m not a professor at the moment, am I? I know I’m not thinking straight, but I can’t stop myself driving toward it.