work, the priceless rugs, it all came together to create a luxurious and enticing sense of home.
I would warm it up, I thought. Add a bit of whimsy and fun, after all, Liam and I were young and our home should reflect our exuberance and love of life.
“Dad?” Liam said as he rapped lightly on the open door.
“Liam.” Pim’s eyes widened with surprise as he looked up to see us. Sitting at the large and impressive oak desk, he straightened up and set his book on the desktop.
Had he hoped I’d leave right after my study session with his son?
“Kama, were you able to get my son out of his mathematical predicament?” He seemed jovial and pleasant enough, but the repeated flicking of the corner of the page of his book told me he was edgy about my presence.
“I did the best I could, but I think I need a little more time with him.”
“Well, I sure do appreciate the effort. If there’s anyone who knows how important math can be in this house it’s me. Can’t always rely on accountants to do everything right. The Governor needs to have a clear view of everything.”
“I’m well aware of that, Dad,” Liam said with a playful smile. “That’s why I recruited the best. Kama is a wiz at math.”
“I’m sure she is.” Pim closed his book and looked directly at me.
I wanted to sink into the floor. He knew.
“I’m sure she’s good at many things.” His gaze remained steady.
“I am,” I said. I’d wanted so much for the affirmation to sound confident, but it was weak and unsure.
“Dad, Kama and I…”
Pim put up his hand as he rose and came around to lean on his desk. “I know you want to be together. I’m not that naïve. While I have no doubt she’s great at math and could be of great help to you, Liam, I strongly doubt that’s the true reason behind her presence here today.”
“We really were studying,” Liam said, his voice taking on a defensive tone. “I could even show you the problems we worked on.”
“I was once your age, and I know what it is to love a woman, Liam. I’m sure you're both well aware of my feelings for Janice.” He looked at me, his eyes twinkling with the adoration he had for my mother. “I’ve known your mother since we were kids. We grew up in the same little town and had fun, laughed and played together. As we grew older I came to hope I’d marry her one day. That day never came.”
He turned to Liam, the pain and heartache of that long ago love still in his eyes. “So, yes, son, I know what it’s like to love and lose.”
“Then if you know all this, why haven’t you done anything to help us?” I asked, unable to keep the anger out of the question. “Why can’t you get the Committee to see we belong together?”
Pim’s expression softened. “It’s not as easy as you make it sound. I may be Governor, but the Committee is there to make these kinds of decisions.”
“Decisions that have the perfect couple going their separate ways?” Liam said.
“You two may simply be a little too young to understand the wisdom of that decision.”
“That’s a load of crock and you know it.” Liam looked pensive, as though debating which angle to take with his father. He softened his tone as he took up the argument with his dad. “If her Life’s Plan was empty, it may mean that she’s free to be with who she chooses. My Life’s Plan has me marrying a girl I’ve always known. Everyone’s happy.”
Pim chuckled, a pleasant and hearty sound I’d not heard too many times before. “You're smarter than that, son.”
“Then help get her the Life’s Plan she deserves.”
“Look, kids, I’d love to see you guys end up together. I’d long hoped you two would marry.” He turned his gaze at me. “I know you’d make Liam the perfect wife. I know how good you are for him and what a great asset you’d be to the future governor he’s set to be, but my hands are tied. There is literally nothing I can do to change the course you two have been set
I would warm it up, I thought. Add a bit of whimsy and fun, after all, Liam and I were young and our home should reflect our exuberance and love of life.
“Dad?” Liam said as he rapped lightly on the open door.
“Liam.” Pim’s eyes widened with surprise as he looked up to see us. Sitting at the large and impressive oak desk, he straightened up and set his book on the desktop.
Had he hoped I’d leave right after my study session with his son?
“Kama, were you able to get my son out of his mathematical predicament?” He seemed jovial and pleasant enough, but the repeated flicking of the corner of the page of his book told me he was edgy about my presence.
“I did the best I could, but I think I need a little more time with him.”
“Well, I sure do appreciate the effort. If there’s anyone who knows how important math can be in this house it’s me. Can’t always rely on accountants to do everything right. The Governor needs to have a clear view of everything.”
“I’m well aware of that, Dad,” Liam said with a playful smile. “That’s why I recruited the best. Kama is a wiz at math.”
“I’m sure she is.” Pim closed his book and looked directly at me.
I wanted to sink into the floor. He knew.
“I’m sure she’s good at many things.” His gaze remained steady.
“I am,” I said. I’d wanted so much for the affirmation to sound confident, but it was weak and unsure.
“Dad, Kama and I…”
Pim put up his hand as he rose and came around to lean on his desk. “I know you want to be together. I’m not that naïve. While I have no doubt she’s great at math and could be of great help to you, Liam, I strongly doubt that’s the true reason behind her presence here today.”
“We really were studying,” Liam said, his voice taking on a defensive tone. “I could even show you the problems we worked on.”
“I was once your age, and I know what it is to love a woman, Liam. I’m sure you're both well aware of my feelings for Janice.” He looked at me, his eyes twinkling with the adoration he had for my mother. “I’ve known your mother since we were kids. We grew up in the same little town and had fun, laughed and played together. As we grew older I came to hope I’d marry her one day. That day never came.”
He turned to Liam, the pain and heartache of that long ago love still in his eyes. “So, yes, son, I know what it’s like to love and lose.”
“Then if you know all this, why haven’t you done anything to help us?” I asked, unable to keep the anger out of the question. “Why can’t you get the Committee to see we belong together?”
Pim’s expression softened. “It’s not as easy as you make it sound. I may be Governor, but the Committee is there to make these kinds of decisions.”
“Decisions that have the perfect couple going their separate ways?” Liam said.
“You two may simply be a little too young to understand the wisdom of that decision.”
“That’s a load of crock and you know it.” Liam looked pensive, as though debating which angle to take with his father. He softened his tone as he took up the argument with his dad. “If her Life’s Plan was empty, it may mean that she’s free to be with who she chooses. My Life’s Plan has me marrying a girl I’ve always known. Everyone’s happy.”
Pim chuckled, a pleasant and hearty sound I’d not heard too many times before. “You're smarter than that, son.”
“Then help get her the Life’s Plan she deserves.”
“Look, kids, I’d love to see you guys end up together. I’d long hoped you two would marry.” He turned his gaze at me. “I know you’d make Liam the perfect wife. I know how good you are for him and what a great asset you’d be to the future governor he’s set to be, but my hands are tied. There is literally nothing I can do to change the course you two have been set
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