Chapter 14
"No." Em stood up to her father for the first time in her life.
He stared down his nose at her, astonished at the resistance.
"I will not study to be a nurse. I do not want to be a nurse. I want to be an engineer."
The judge gave a quelling look. "Nursing is a good profession. Suitable for ...you. For females. Engineering is for men."
"No." Em repeated.
"Then you will get no help from me. Matter of fact you can just leave if you think yourself independent." The judge was sure that his protected, pampered daughter would not easily make her own way. It just went to show how well he knew her, or didn't know her.
"Why can't I do what I want to do?" Em felt the bottom of her stomach turn somersaults. Her father couldn't be so cruel, could he?
"You owe me your loyalty as a daughter. I have raised you, housed you, and am willing to educate you in a useful career until you marry."
She was silent for a moment, hesitant to burn her bridges. She could take some engineering classes on the side...
Sensing her vacillation and capitulation Em's father added. "You can live at home, go to the community college. I'll buy you a car."
The teenager snapped. Her senior science project never finished, her grades were not what she had wished. Gordon had stopped speaking to her for some reason, her sister was a snobby brat who snooped in her room, and now her father was going to have her be a servant to his wishes.
"No. You take care of Mommy. You care for her when she throws a tantrum and tries to hit you. You clean up the messes she makes. You hold her when she cries. She's your responsibility! Not mine!"
"You ungrateful little girl. Well, you are 18 and of legal age. I am not responsible for you any longer. You are free to leave, or fulfill your duties as I have outlined." Judge Jones left the girl standing in the living room to go to his study. He was sure that she would come to her senses soon.
Em went up to her room to pack. There was a lump in her throat that seemed as big as a grapefruit. Her belongings were really few, just a few momentos from happier moments. She went to say good-bye to her mother, but she was in one of her silent moods, not even acknowledging her daughter's existence.
She then went to tap on her sister's door. From the gushing tones inside, she must be talking to Gordon.
"Yes darling! I am so thrilled! How sweet!" Her face when opening the door to her sister was bland and unfeeling.
"Can I talk to you a minute?" Em asked her. "Please?"
"Gordie dearest. I have to go now. I'll call you back in five! Kiss kiss hug hug!"
"Listen Charlotte. I know you and I haven't been on the best of terms,"
Charlotte gave an inelegant snort.
"I'm leaving. Daddy has plans for me that I just can't accept. It will leave you in a jam, and for that I'm sorry."
"You won't have to worry about me. I have plans too. They don't include being a free nurse."
"I hope to get a job. You could come with me." Em looked hopefully at her sister. "We could learn to get along."
The two sisters stared at each other.
"I don't think it would work out." Charlotte said slowly.
"I didn't think so either, but I thought I should ask." Em said sadly. She pulled the startled Charlotte into a hug that was not returned. "I'm sorry. I should have been a better sister."
"You were okay." Charlotte shrugged and then smiled just like her father. "Thank you for Gordon. He's all mine now."
"Yes. I know. Take good care of him Charlotte."
"Oh. I will. Good-bye Martha." Charlotte turned away and was already on the phone to Gordon.
"My dear Gordie!" were the last words Em heard as she shut the door to her sister's room and a large piece of her life.
Gordon Tracy had broken her heart without even knowing it was his to have.
"No." Em stood up to her father for the first time in her life.
He stared down his nose at her, astonished at the resistance.
"I will not study to be a nurse. I do not want to be a nurse. I want to be an engineer."
The judge gave a quelling look. "Nursing is a good profession. Suitable for ...you. For females. Engineering is for men."
"No." Em repeated.
"Then you will get no help from me. Matter of fact you can just leave if you think yourself independent." The judge was sure that his protected, pampered daughter would not easily make her own way. It just went to show how well he knew her, or didn't know her.
"Why can't I do what I want to do?" Em felt the bottom of her stomach turn somersaults. Her father couldn't be so cruel, could he?
"You owe me your loyalty as a daughter. I have raised you, housed you, and am willing to educate you in a useful career until you marry."
She was silent for a moment, hesitant to burn her bridges. She could take some engineering classes on the side...
Sensing her vacillation and capitulation Em's father added. "You can live at home, go to the community college. I'll buy you a car."
The teenager snapped. Her senior science project never finished, her grades were not what she had wished. Gordon had stopped speaking to her for some reason, her sister was a snobby brat who snooped in her room, and now her father was going to have her be a servant to his wishes.
"No. You take care of Mommy. You care for her when she throws a tantrum and tries to hit you. You clean up the messes she makes. You hold her when she cries. She's your responsibility! Not mine!"
"You ungrateful little girl. Well, you are 18 and of legal age. I am not responsible for you any longer. You are free to leave, or fulfill your duties as I have outlined." Judge Jones left the girl standing in the living room to go to his study. He was sure that she would come to her senses soon.
Em went up to her room to pack. There was a lump in her throat that seemed as big as a grapefruit. Her belongings were really few, just a few momentos from happier moments. She went to say good-bye to her mother, but she was in one of her silent moods, not even acknowledging her daughter's existence.
She then went to tap on her sister's door. From the gushing tones inside, she must be talking to Gordon.
"Yes darling! I am so thrilled! How sweet!" Her face when opening the door to her sister was bland and unfeeling.
"Can I talk to you a minute?" Em asked her. "Please?"
"Gordie dearest. I have to go now. I'll call you back in five! Kiss kiss hug hug!"
"Listen Charlotte. I know you and I haven't been on the best of terms,"
Charlotte gave an inelegant snort.
"I'm leaving. Daddy has plans for me that I just can't accept. It will leave you in a jam, and for that I'm sorry."
"You won't have to worry about me. I have plans too. They don't include being a free nurse."
"I hope to get a job. You could come with me." Em looked hopefully at her sister. "We could learn to get along."
The two sisters stared at each other.
"I don't think it would work out." Charlotte said slowly.
"I didn't think so either, but I thought I should ask." Em said sadly. She pulled the startled Charlotte into a hug that was not returned. "I'm sorry. I should have been a better sister."
"You were okay." Charlotte shrugged and then smiled just like her father. "Thank you for Gordon. He's all mine now."
"Yes. I know. Take good care of him Charlotte."
"Oh. I will. Good-bye Martha." Charlotte turned away and was already on the phone to Gordon.
"My dear Gordie!" were the last words Em heard as she shut the door to her sister's room and a large piece of her life.
Gordon Tracy had broken her heart without even knowing it was his to have.