Page 52 of Triple Protection
"Yes, Dad. It's going great, thank you. And no, my side-gig keeps me busy enough I don't need another job, but thank you for thinking of me." I say. I do this. I answer politely, quietly, and just enough to not be rude, but then try to move the spotlight to someone else. I'm about to speak up again, Alex's words about asking for what you want, and Courtney's words about boundaries overlapping themselves in my mind, but Liam beats me to it.
"Angela's an incredibly successful influencer, sir. She loves her job, and she's damn good at it too."
The Admiral's eyes widen slightly in surprise, but his confident smile doesn't waver.
"Surely, it's easy enough to dress up and take selfies, but it's not a real job. And what happens when she grows old? No one wants to look at pictures of an old woman." By that he means forty. Mike smiles behind his napkin while Claire hides a giggle. My face flushes with embarrassment and my palms start to sweat with how uncomfortable I am with this confrontation.
"Mike, how many agents do you have in your roster at any given time?" Liam asks.
"Maybe thirty?"
"And you, Claire, how many cases do you represent a year?"
She shrugs, a little nervously, as if she's been caught. "Depends on the year, but maybe ten?"
"And you Admiral? How many men did you have under your command at the height of your career?" I don't know where he's going with this, but I stare at him in awe.
"Two-hundred and fifty sailors."
"Angela posts a picture and getsthousandsof likes and comments a day. She may not be negotiating their pay or defending them legally, but she brings smiles and joy to thousands of peopleevery single day. She has over a million followers who trust her opinion and tastes. That's more impact than all three of you will have professionally in your lifetimes. I'm surprised you're not more proud of her, Admiral. Because I am," he says, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear before resting it on the back of my chair. He looks down at me with such love and admiration it's hard to swallow. I haven't processed just yet how he stood up to my family for me before my Dad interrupts.
"What exactly is your intention with my daughter?" Ah yes, deflection.
Liam's hand wraps around mine on top of the table. The Admiral's eyes dart to the movement and Claire and Mike both still, watching the train wreck.
"I've been seeing your daughter for a few months now. And I'd like to continue seeing her for as long as she'll have me."As long as she'll have me.That's what Alex said, too. I wonder if it's really my choice.
I choke back my emotions. There's nothing my father hates more than seeing displays of emotion. He considers them weak.
I squeeze Liam's hand back. A silentI love you.
"You were a Marine, right?"
"Still am. Once a Marine, always a Marine."
"Alright, former Marine. What was your MOS?"
"Reconnaissance." Liam answers, his eyes never leaving mine.
"And you think you're good enough for my daughter?" I'm amazed at how he can flip-flop from me not being good enough in general, to Liam not being good enough for me.What is it, pops? Pick one.
With his unwavering confidence and ease, Liam replies, "No. I definitely don't deserve her, but I plan on spending the rest of my life trying to be worthy of her. At the very least, I admire and respect her, which is more than I can say for you, sir."
Not getting the battle he wants from Liam, the Admiral turns to me. "You can't be serious, Angela. I know men like this - grunts - they act first and think later. They jump from woman to woman, never settling down..."
"Dad." I interrupt. "I didn't ask for your dating advice. And quite frankly, you haven't earned the right to have an opinion on who I date. Be rude to me all you want, but I won't have you say another bad word against one of the best men I've ever met."
Liam shoots me a dazzling smile and squeezes my hand.
My Father begins to open his mouth again, but stops himself as the servers remove our soup bowls and serve our dinners.
"Prime Rib with a jus, creamed spinach and pop overs with cranberry honey butter." A waiter says quickly, noticing the vibrating tension in the room. We're all sitting painfully still. My father's face has turned red with indignation, my brother and sister are staring at their plates, trying not to ping-pong between my father and I. Liam's still looking lovingly at me, but my eyes are narrowed in warning to my father.
As the servers leave the room, the Admiral says in a low, measured tone, "I know men like you. Did ten years and then got out when things started getting tough. Couldn't stick it out to twenty. Tell me, how many baby mamas did you leave behind after every PCS? How many strippers did you knock up?"
"Not. Another. Word." I'm vibrating with anger now. My hands are shaking with adrenaline and my lips press together.
"My daughter will not be some goddamn barrack bunny..."