A CONTRACT ENGAGEMENT

You are cutting me off? Fine, Dad” Nina said. “I think it’s better that way. Maybe I don’t need your money and now I have one more thing motivating me to do better for myself”

She hung up immediately, a little scared that if she stayed on the phone, he would talk her out of this and make her go back home.

“Family issues?” Julian asked as she dropped the phone on her lap and buried her face in her hands. She looked up and nodded slowly. There was concern written all over his face.

“Yeah” Nina replied. “I just had to leave, you know. It wasn’t my intention to piss him off, but this is something I feel like I have to do. All my life I have always done things the way he wanted me to… Every single thing. And now he wants me to marry some doctor guy I barely know. He said something about securing my future… Whatever that means. I thought about it a lot and I just can’t do it. I can’t keep living like that… I want more. I want to make decisions on my own… Good or bad, I don’t care. I want adventure. I don’t want every little detail of my life planned out for me… And if I’m going to get married to anyone, I want it to be because I fell in love… You know, movie kind of love. The kind that consumes you, steals your breath away and zaps away your common sens…. ”

She stopped when she saw the way Julian was staring at her. He was smiling.

“What?” she asked. “Is my pain amusing to you?”

He shook his head. “Nothing… Of course it’s not amusing”

She frowned, then laughed nervously. “I’m sorry, I’m a bit cranky. But you understand what I mean right?” she asked. “Do you think I’m crazy for leaving? Now that he has cut me off, I’m not going to be getting any help or money from him… And I gotta admit I enjoyed spending his money.”

Julian laughed and shook his head. “No, I don’t think you are crazy” he replied

“There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to have your own life. Everyone deserves to do what makes them happy. And if you were not truly happy living like that, you did the right thing by leaving. Your father will see it soon too, just give it time. Perhaps he’s just upset about his little girl leaving… This might not be easy for him too, you know. He’s gonna miss you… I’m sure of that,”

Nina inhaled deeply and smiled at him, feeling a bit better and hoping that he was right.”Thank you, Julian,” she said. “You haven’t changed in some ways… You kind of always know the right thing to say”

When Abby returned and informed Nina that her room was ready, she stood.

“I just need to take a shower and then I’m gonna jump right into bed” she said.

“No dinner?” Abby asked.

Nina shook her head. “No, I’m fine… I’m not really hungry… don’t really have an appetite either…”

“Well, maybe that’s good. I’m not sure there’s anything left anyways because Julian ate everything” Abby said, glaring at her brother.

Julian stood and slipped his phone in his pocket. “You should have thought about that before you forced me to come keep you company. Consider it payment for my time spent.” he said. “And now that Nina is here, I hope you get enough of that company and leave me alone… then maybe I’ll consider leaving your food alone. I guess I should leave now,”

Abby rolled her eyes at him. “You are right about that. I have Nina to keep me company now, so maybe you should start eating at your place for a change”

Julian paused and pretended to give her suggestion some thought, then he shook his head. “You know, I don’t see that happening”

“Get out,” Abby said.

Nina laughed. “Good night guys” she said. And as she walked into the room Abby had prepared for her, and shut the door, she had a feeling that everything was going to be okay. Everything was going to work out fine, because she would make it work.

She had to. She didn’t really have an option now.