you gonna feel in a couple years when you're still driving that fad car and all your friends are heading off to college in something nice?"
"You mean 'expensive'," she said, intending it to sound blunt.
"So what's wrong with that?" he asked. "I want my Princess to have the best."
"I happen to think the Prius
is
nice, and it costs about the same as the Mustang." Gracie was feeling frustrated. Dad always thought money and status were the only important issues. It hurt that he couldn't understand there might be more important things to her. She knew she should be thrilled at the prospect of the Mustang, but she felt like he wasn't listening to her. He didn't take her seriously!
Somewhat petulantly she said, "So why not buy me something
really
expensive, maybe a Lexus. Then everybody could see how good you are to me!" The minute the words left her mouth she felt bad about saying them, and didn't for a second think he'd go for it.
"Hmmm. You know, I just might do that," he said thoughtfully. "I've already told Justin I decided not to buy him another car after he wrecked the first one, and I've still got the money set aside so that wouldn't be a problem. Just might teach him a lesson, too, to see you tool around in a fancy car while he's afoot." Charles' face brightened a little, he'd made a decision. "You pick one out Baby, and we'll talk."
Gracie was stunned. "Oh wow, Dad! Thanks! You don't really have to do that, but I really appreciate it. I'll start looking, and let you know." As the idea started to sink in she began to think it might not be such a bad thing. Dad would never know if she continued to ride her bike, and Mom could drive the Lexus instead of the Escalade. Justin would be pissed, but that was nothing new.
She came out of her reverie to realize her oldest brother was standing beside her chair. Clarke Greene at twenty-one was a younger carbon-copy of their father, tall and rather thickly-built, though his hair was a little lighter shade of blond.
"Hey, Sis!" he said. "You're looking good, all that bike-riding agrees with you."
Gracie jumped up to hug Clarke. "Good to see you! You're looking good yourself. How's school? Whatcha been up to? Who's your girlfriend this week?"
"Whoa, slow down kiddo! We've got all afternoon to talk. I saw Dad drag you over here when you first came in, thought I'd bring you something to drink." Clarke handed her a glass of ice-water. "Got it out of the tap, no plastic bottles were harmed."
Gracie sat down and took a drink, all this car-talk had made her a little dry. "Thanks Clarke. And thanks for thinking about the plastic." She cut her eyes quickly towards their father, and Clarke grinned. He knew Dad never paid any attention to anyone else's feelings, he was used to it.
"Did I hear Dad say he was getting you a car?" Clarke asked. "That's great. My kid sister's growing up. I mean it Gracie, you're turning into the pretty girl I always knew you would. Do I need to beat some guys off with a stick?"
Gracie blushed a little and mumbled something about not dating very much. It occurred to her that it was typical of Dad to offer her the car at what was supposed to be Clarke's party. She knew Clarke wouldn't mind, he'd only be happy for her. Clarke hated the way his father treated others and because of it had become a very considerate young man.
Clarissa walked up and put her arm around her son's waist. "Charles, Clarke tells me that he's making straight-A's again this semester," she said proudly. "Isn't that wonderful?"
Charles looked up at her and said, "Well, he did it before, no reason he can't do it again."
Clarissa's smile became a little more strained. "The class project he's leading has been entered in a state-wide competition. His professor says it's a brilliant idea, and they've got a good chance of winning."
"I would expect no less," Charles said. He took a long pull at his drink.
"Well,
I'm
proud of him, and I would think you would be too," Clarissa said a little
"You mean 'expensive'," she said, intending it to sound blunt.
"So what's wrong with that?" he asked. "I want my Princess to have the best."
"I happen to think the Prius
is
nice, and it costs about the same as the Mustang." Gracie was feeling frustrated. Dad always thought money and status were the only important issues. It hurt that he couldn't understand there might be more important things to her. She knew she should be thrilled at the prospect of the Mustang, but she felt like he wasn't listening to her. He didn't take her seriously!
Somewhat petulantly she said, "So why not buy me something
really
expensive, maybe a Lexus. Then everybody could see how good you are to me!" The minute the words left her mouth she felt bad about saying them, and didn't for a second think he'd go for it.
"Hmmm. You know, I just might do that," he said thoughtfully. "I've already told Justin I decided not to buy him another car after he wrecked the first one, and I've still got the money set aside so that wouldn't be a problem. Just might teach him a lesson, too, to see you tool around in a fancy car while he's afoot." Charles' face brightened a little, he'd made a decision. "You pick one out Baby, and we'll talk."
Gracie was stunned. "Oh wow, Dad! Thanks! You don't really have to do that, but I really appreciate it. I'll start looking, and let you know." As the idea started to sink in she began to think it might not be such a bad thing. Dad would never know if she continued to ride her bike, and Mom could drive the Lexus instead of the Escalade. Justin would be pissed, but that was nothing new.
She came out of her reverie to realize her oldest brother was standing beside her chair. Clarke Greene at twenty-one was a younger carbon-copy of their father, tall and rather thickly-built, though his hair was a little lighter shade of blond.
"Hey, Sis!" he said. "You're looking good, all that bike-riding agrees with you."
Gracie jumped up to hug Clarke. "Good to see you! You're looking good yourself. How's school? Whatcha been up to? Who's your girlfriend this week?"
"Whoa, slow down kiddo! We've got all afternoon to talk. I saw Dad drag you over here when you first came in, thought I'd bring you something to drink." Clarke handed her a glass of ice-water. "Got it out of the tap, no plastic bottles were harmed."
Gracie sat down and took a drink, all this car-talk had made her a little dry. "Thanks Clarke. And thanks for thinking about the plastic." She cut her eyes quickly towards their father, and Clarke grinned. He knew Dad never paid any attention to anyone else's feelings, he was used to it.
"Did I hear Dad say he was getting you a car?" Clarke asked. "That's great. My kid sister's growing up. I mean it Gracie, you're turning into the pretty girl I always knew you would. Do I need to beat some guys off with a stick?"
Gracie blushed a little and mumbled something about not dating very much. It occurred to her that it was typical of Dad to offer her the car at what was supposed to be Clarke's party. She knew Clarke wouldn't mind, he'd only be happy for her. Clarke hated the way his father treated others and because of it had become a very considerate young man.
Clarissa walked up and put her arm around her son's waist. "Charles, Clarke tells me that he's making straight-A's again this semester," she said proudly. "Isn't that wonderful?"
Charles looked up at her and said, "Well, he did it before, no reason he can't do it again."
Clarissa's smile became a little more strained. "The class project he's leading has been entered in a state-wide competition. His professor says it's a brilliant idea, and they've got a good chance of winning."
"I would expect no less," Charles said. He took a long pull at his drink.
"Well,
I'm
proud of him, and I would think you would be too," Clarissa said a little
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