didn’t tell them you’re my girlfriend because my parents are snooty assholes. They’ve wanted me to settle down for a while, and if I tell them what you are to me, they’ll rip you apart. I don’t want you to deal with that—at least right now.” He stared at my face, waiting for me to say something. “If it really offends you, I’ll tell them exactly what you mean to me without any regret. I’m just looking out for you. Our relationship is only beginning and I don’t want you to have any more pressure.”
Now I felt slightly guilty for being upset.
“It’s your choice. What do you want?” He glanced at them, seeing them return.
“No, it’s okay. I understand.”
“Are you sure? Because I don’t give a shit what they think. I’m just protecting you.”
“No, it’s fine.”
They came back to the table, ending our conversation.
His mother placed her glass on the table then sat down. “So, how’s school?”
Ash seemed irritated. “It’s fine. Nothing new to report.”
“How’s emergency medicine?” his father asked.
“Exciting, but I missed primary care.” Ash drank half his water then put it down.
I felt like they weren’t having a real conversation, more of an interrogation.
“Really?” His father seemed surprised.
His mother patted his arm and looked at me. “My husband went to medical school at Stanford. He’s a surgeon.”
Oh. Why did that matter? “That’s impressive.” What else was I supposed to say?
She seemed to approve of my response.
Ash looked embarrassed. “I like having a relationship with the patient. It makes the job more meaningful.”
“But you don’t make as much money,” his father countered. “Emergency medicine and surgery are where the big bucks are.”
Was that all they cared about?
Ash leaned back in his chair. “It’s too soon to make any concrete decisions.” He was a completely different person around them. It seemed like he didn’t even like them.
“So…how’s your sister?” his mother asked. She looked down as she said it, almost like she was ashamed. Why did she refer to her like that? Not by her name?
“She’s doing well.” Ash drummed his fingers on the table. “Her artwork is only attracting more people. And she’s having a great time living with Scotty.”
His mother rolled her eyes. “The shame…”
Huh?
Ash glared at his mother then averted his gaze. He was holding his tongue, trying not to explode.
His parents didn’t acknowledge me once. Never once was I included in the conversation. Now I understood why he didn’t want to admit his relationship to me. They would interrogate me in the same way.
His mother turned his gaze on me.
Oh no.
“Do you go to school with Ash?” She kept her back perfectly straight and her body poised.
Uh… I looked at him, asking for direction.
“No, she doesn’t.” Ash answered for me. “She’s actually my next door neighbor.”
“Oh.” His father nodded. “That’s nice…”
“Do you go to the university?” his mom questioned.
Uh…
Ash answered for me again. “She’s a successful photographer. She works with Livia sometimes. Actually, you met Alaska at the showcase a few months ago.”
They did? I didn’t even remember that.
“Oh.” The disapproval came into her eyes. “Well, that’s lovely.”
Was she like this with Livia too?
Ash was fuming from his side of the table. “I just realized I needed to be somewhere. Alaska and I are leaving.”
“What?” His mother looked at him like she was just slapped in the face.
“I’m sick of you judging everyone for not being doctors or lawyers. If you keep ridiculing people like this, your circle is only going to get smaller and smaller.” Ash pulled out my chair for me then helped me stand up. “Goodnight.”
Without looking back, he guided me out of the restaurant. The tension was in his shoulders and his hands were clenched. He opened the door for me, still fuming, and then practically slammed
Now I felt slightly guilty for being upset.
“It’s your choice. What do you want?” He glanced at them, seeing them return.
“No, it’s okay. I understand.”
“Are you sure? Because I don’t give a shit what they think. I’m just protecting you.”
“No, it’s fine.”
They came back to the table, ending our conversation.
His mother placed her glass on the table then sat down. “So, how’s school?”
Ash seemed irritated. “It’s fine. Nothing new to report.”
“How’s emergency medicine?” his father asked.
“Exciting, but I missed primary care.” Ash drank half his water then put it down.
I felt like they weren’t having a real conversation, more of an interrogation.
“Really?” His father seemed surprised.
His mother patted his arm and looked at me. “My husband went to medical school at Stanford. He’s a surgeon.”
Oh. Why did that matter? “That’s impressive.” What else was I supposed to say?
She seemed to approve of my response.
Ash looked embarrassed. “I like having a relationship with the patient. It makes the job more meaningful.”
“But you don’t make as much money,” his father countered. “Emergency medicine and surgery are where the big bucks are.”
Was that all they cared about?
Ash leaned back in his chair. “It’s too soon to make any concrete decisions.” He was a completely different person around them. It seemed like he didn’t even like them.
“So…how’s your sister?” his mother asked. She looked down as she said it, almost like she was ashamed. Why did she refer to her like that? Not by her name?
“She’s doing well.” Ash drummed his fingers on the table. “Her artwork is only attracting more people. And she’s having a great time living with Scotty.”
His mother rolled her eyes. “The shame…”
Huh?
Ash glared at his mother then averted his gaze. He was holding his tongue, trying not to explode.
His parents didn’t acknowledge me once. Never once was I included in the conversation. Now I understood why he didn’t want to admit his relationship to me. They would interrogate me in the same way.
His mother turned his gaze on me.
Oh no.
“Do you go to school with Ash?” She kept her back perfectly straight and her body poised.
Uh… I looked at him, asking for direction.
“No, she doesn’t.” Ash answered for me. “She’s actually my next door neighbor.”
“Oh.” His father nodded. “That’s nice…”
“Do you go to the university?” his mom questioned.
Uh…
Ash answered for me again. “She’s a successful photographer. She works with Livia sometimes. Actually, you met Alaska at the showcase a few months ago.”
They did? I didn’t even remember that.
“Oh.” The disapproval came into her eyes. “Well, that’s lovely.”
Was she like this with Livia too?
Ash was fuming from his side of the table. “I just realized I needed to be somewhere. Alaska and I are leaving.”
“What?” His mother looked at him like she was just slapped in the face.
“I’m sick of you judging everyone for not being doctors or lawyers. If you keep ridiculing people like this, your circle is only going to get smaller and smaller.” Ash pulled out my chair for me then helped me stand up. “Goodnight.”
Without looking back, he guided me out of the restaurant. The tension was in his shoulders and his hands were clenched. He opened the door for me, still fuming, and then practically slammed
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