Just a Little Sugar

Sugar squares with chocolate and strawberry jam filling and a caramel glaze

Mark's father was a gruff man. Average height, dark, clean shaven with a head of hair that was as white as it was black.
Mark didn't understand how Sheila had fallen in love with such a man.
Sheila, beautiful, respectful, young, smart, kind while his dad was just;  his dad.

Mark didn't hate his father, no. Far from it. They just had clashes, as did other parent-child relationships. His father didn't understand him, was to busy to ever understand him, was never around, and the only time he was around he either talked about Mark's condition or work. Mark was used to it, he wasn't a teenager anymore and it didn't bother him as much anymore.

"Your mother tells me you have a girlfriend" His father says.

His dad always did that, called Sheila his mother, normally he would have gone mad with rage, but now, it didn't bother him so much.

Mark nodded. "I do"

"And you spent your money opening up a place for her"

"I did" was Mark's only reply.

"Mark... " his father began. Mark resisted the urge to roll his eyes. His father always did this.  People steal from you; be smart, People will like you because you have money; be careful, people will use you for your money; don't fall for it...

Mark wasn't keen on hearing that about Sugar today. His Sugar.

"If you're going to spend money on people at least be smart about it" His father began ,"I didn't get rich by becoming father christmas"

No. You became rich by being stingy

"I became rich... " his father continued "by making sure that whatever I put my money into, had the ability to generate twice that amount in the coming years. Did you do that?"

"No" Mark replied. To some looking in from the outside. It would seem like Mark was just purposely winding his father up, but that honestly was just how Mark was wired when he spoke with his father.

"Why?"

"When you bought Sheila that Jeep Wrangler while you guys were dating and paid her rent for two years, did you think about whether that would make you twice the money in the coming years?"

"That's different ..."

"I know. Sugar is different too"

"You don't even know this girl. How long have you known her 4 months? Five? "

Mark laughed. Genuinely. he got up to go and help Sheila in the kitchen because he knew his OCD tendencies will be welcomed there. He wasn't quite fond of this discussion that he was having with his father at the moment.

"Sit down Mark" He said and Mark reluctantly took his seat at the table again

"How much did you by the building for? "

"Daddy it's my money"

"That I gave you"

Mark nodded, " Yes but it's mine"

"I can..."

"It's mine. Dad, it's mine. I'm 24,and your ability to dictate what I did with my money ended when I was 21. You wrote it yourself. I am not going to apologize for having enough money to do what I want to do."

"I can take that money away, Mark" His father stated

"You can't. Legally speaking you can't. I'm on the board of directors, for that I get seating allowance. To get rid of a member of the board you have to bring it up at a meeting and put it to a vote, and not only that the vote can be vetoed by the Chairman, Sheila"