In Another Life

His Father Knows

I remembered that day when I visited Johnny's parents's house. It was small but luxurious looking. I went in and made it straight to the kitchen where his mom was, cooking lunch. She gave me a sweet kiss on the cheek and let me tasted her delicious paella. 

Johnny called me from the living room, giving me a sign that his father's on the way. I stood beside him waiting for his father from the stairs. As his father was right in front of us, we greeted him a good afternoon and he just passed us like we weren't there. I know his father doesn't like me a bit, but I want to be with his son so I shrugged the feeling off and continue to act nice when I'm near him. 

The table was done and his mother placed the food in the middle. Oh how I remember those food with great aroma. I was lucky to have found a mom that knows how to cook, I was lucky to have found Johnny. 

The lunch went well. As Johnny was busy helping his mother doing the dishes, I wanted to grab the opportunity of actually talking to his father and fix whatever's wrong with us. 

I told him about Johnny's past illnesses and how frequent he had fevers, almost every month since the surgery. 

"I know he's weak.", he said. 

"But he's planning to go to the military, aren't you afraid something bad might happen to him?"

He just looked at me and grabbed a cigarette. 

"It's his dream. Let him be."

That was absolutely absurd. He wasn't showing any signs that he cares for him.

"I will talk to him--"

"--NO!", he shouted at me.

That froze my steps and faced him angrily confused.

"I support my son. I want him to be happy and if something wrong happens to him, while doing what he loves, then that's okay. You don't make decisions here. You are JUST his girlfriend, nothing more."

He just insulted the hell out of me. How can a father want that to his son. Does he even know how military works? I wanted to tell him that part of the military training is having the cadet to overwork himself and be punished if the majors wanted to. Johnny's liver is weak and that might fail if ever he gets unhealthy and overworked in the military. I just wanted to cry at that moment, but I don't want to in front of him.

Just as I was about to leave him, he said something that will keep me silent for the rest of my life.

"If you choose to tell him, then already consider your future will never be part of this family."