It was 2:00 P.M. on a Saturday afternoon, and Jada Chamberlyn was in the sitting room with her parents. It was awkward. It was full of mindless, inane conversation that Jada knew was not the point of this meeting.
Her mother was dressed formally (sapphires, as Szelem Montgomery-Chamberlyn was of the opinion no lady wore diamonds in the daytime) to the point of being in a deep blue satin suit that brought out the color of her eyes. Deep black hair (dyed to the raven hue that she had enjoyed in her youth) was pulled back from her face into a ponytail. The waves fell in perfect ringlets to the older woman's shoulder-blades. If Jada was correct, that was fresh botox in those perfect lips too. She had gel nails, exactly ¾ of an inch long, French-tipped; they sat at the end of long fingers adorned with one ring. Szelem had picked it out herself after a fight with her husband, and Jada could remember the fight. The $100,000+ price tag for that particular ring had sent them into screaming matches for a week and a half. And it wasn't even the ring that they were fighting over, it was the fact that Szelem had used the credit card with the limit, not the one without.
For the part of Jada's father, T. Michael Chamberlyn, he was looking tired. In the 25 years he'd been married to the woman he loved, he'd never fought as badly with her as he had in the last week. Grey hair streaked his temples, but his black hair was still thick and full, even at 52 years old. Black suit pants and black loafers, a deep maroon shirt with rolled up sleeves. The suit jacket was tossed over the back of his chair and he had a stack of papers three inches high on his desk that he was leafing through. Jada knew all too well what the majority of the fighting had been about. 12-year-olds Kayley and Zora had done it again; what they had done didn't matter, they'd done everything at least once. And Lucas, only 10 years old, was being prepared to be sent off to a military boarding school for boys.
There was no sound, not even a china clink as Szelem set down her teacup. “Jada,” she said finally, (her mother's voice was so grating sometimes with the prim and proper diction) “Your father and I have chosen to call this meeting in order to discuss your future.”
“Your mother chose to bother you with this meeting.” Michael interrupted his wife.
“Your father has no care for ensuring you receive the proper education.” Szelem pulled out three small pamphlets. The Institut Villa Pierrefeu, the Surval Mont-Fleuri, and the Protocol School of Washington were printed across the front. “I fully expect you to select one of these schools for your finishing.” How typical of the older woman. She'd been working on dictating her daughter's future since she was still in little designer diapers. Jada crossed her ankles, reaching out to take the pamphlets from her mother's hand quietly.
“Naturally if you wish to skip that unnecessary step and proceed to working with me, that is to be expected.” her father sounded bored, taking for granted the same thing her mother was. That their plans, different from the other as they were, would take precedence over what Jada herself wanted to do.
And in the end, they very well may be right. What did Jada want to do with her life? She'd been dragged around like a doll since she was old enough to rate the attention of an actual parent rather than just her nanny. All she'd done (not that she was complaining, mind) was spend her father's money. Her own money, inherited from her mother's parents, was considerable but locked away in trust until her 21st birthday. So in the meantime, she needed something to do. She couldn't live off her father forever, and 'considerable' money would not be enough to support the lavish lifestyle she was accustomed to. Her mother wanted her to find a wealthy husband and be nothing more than a trophy wife. Her father wanted her to take over his company.
“Actually, mother, father; I was thinking about spending a semester or two in Sovereign Heights before attending the University of Destiny City. I want to at least have some kind of proper degree.” still, she didn't discard the pamphlets in her hand. That would have been far too foolish at the moment. Her mother wouldn't give up until Jada was actually too old to attend a finishing school. “I was considering a degree in Business Management.” That would please her father.
“I think that's a-” her father started.
“Horrible idea and out of the question.” her mother finished. She leaned forward, tapped the papers. “Those are your future options, Jada Chamberlyn, and I'll not have you thinking otherwise. Do you understand me?” The older Chamberlyn didn't wait for her daughter's response. Szelem stood, leaving her teacup on its saucer and on her husband's desk. “Michael, I'll not have you forgetting the benefit this evening. Be dressed by 7:15 or I will be vexed.”
It was only 3:00 now. Michael stood courteously as his wife swept out of the room imperiously, almost bumping into the maid who was bringing them a fresh pot of tea. When the other woman was gone, leaving Jada and her father in silence, Michael collapsed into his chair with a heavy sigh. “I love your mother you know.”
“I know, Daddy.”
“I don't like to fight with her.”
“I know, Daddy.” but you do it so often.
“But if you don't want to go to a Finishing School, you won't, Jada.” he reached across the desk, took his daughter's delicate hand in his own. “You know I'm well aware of your distaste for your mother's socialite lifestyle. You've never shown the same drive to be married that your mother had. And what a relief it has been.”
Of course she didn't want to be married. Hell, she'd be happy to have a boyfriend that hadn't been bought by her father's money. Hell, she'd be happy to not be a virgin. “Daddy, I'm only seventeen.” she chided, keeping the rest of her comments to herself. Seventeen, and she'd been kissed exactly twice in her life. One of those kisses had been a lesbian, and the other had been a young man under the assumption that they were already engaged. Family didn't count toward that kiss total.
“I know, but I keep watching you grow into this lovely young woman. Your mother was just as beautiful as you when she was your age, and I remember the way-”
“Daddy.” she cut him off with a knowing look. The older man gave his daughter a sheepish smile, squeezing her hand.
“I just want you to know that regardless of if you choose finishing school or take your place with the company immediately, I'll be behind you.” he let her hand go almost reluctantly.
“What if I don't want to work with the company?” she asked, keeping her eyes on the brochures in her hand. “What if I want to explore other options?” Jada had never noticed that the carpets were patterned with small lotus flowers. The walls were somehow a deeper forest green than they had ever been before, and the floor-to-ceiling windows were suddenly oppressive.
“Other options before taking over, right?” his voice was quiet, careful. Jada raised her eyes to her father before quietly shaking her head. “Oh.” he looked down at his desk, pulling his hand away from hers to shuffle the papers. “I suppose I would support that option as well. You know, however, that would leave me at an extreme disadvantage when trying to discuss things with your mother.” AKA 'I'll have jack s**t to argue back at your mother with should you choose to follow this course.'
“I know, Daddy.”
He sighed, lowering his eyes from Jada to the papers on his desk. “Just keep your mother happy until you decide what to do.” eyes flickered back up to her. “Which means until you are enrolled in the school of your choice, Jada. And stay out of further legal issues.” A reminder of the night she had been Awakened as a Senshi- not that he knew that it had happened. “Don't be involved in any issues, and for god's sake, make your decision quickly.”
Jada smiled, pushed to her feet. The new pot of tea had still not yet been touched. “I'll be as good as I can, Daddy.” she agreed, and moved around the desk to press a kiss to his forehead. “Oh, and can I have the credit card again? I want to go shopping for some things.”
Smooth.
(She got the credit card.)
Her mother was dressed formally (sapphires, as Szelem Montgomery-Chamberlyn was of the opinion no lady wore diamonds in the daytime) to the point of being in a deep blue satin suit that brought out the color of her eyes. Deep black hair (dyed to the raven hue that she had enjoyed in her youth) was pulled back from her face into a ponytail. The waves fell in perfect ringlets to the older woman's shoulder-blades. If Jada was correct, that was fresh botox in those perfect lips too. She had gel nails, exactly ¾ of an inch long, French-tipped; they sat at the end of long fingers adorned with one ring. Szelem had picked it out herself after a fight with her husband, and Jada could remember the fight. The $100,000+ price tag for that particular ring had sent them into screaming matches for a week and a half. And it wasn't even the ring that they were fighting over, it was the fact that Szelem had used the credit card with the limit, not the one without.
For the part of Jada's father, T. Michael Chamberlyn, he was looking tired. In the 25 years he'd been married to the woman he loved, he'd never fought as badly with her as he had in the last week. Grey hair streaked his temples, but his black hair was still thick and full, even at 52 years old. Black suit pants and black loafers, a deep maroon shirt with rolled up sleeves. The suit jacket was tossed over the back of his chair and he had a stack of papers three inches high on his desk that he was leafing through. Jada knew all too well what the majority of the fighting had been about. 12-year-olds Kayley and Zora had done it again; what they had done didn't matter, they'd done everything at least once. And Lucas, only 10 years old, was being prepared to be sent off to a military boarding school for boys.
There was no sound, not even a china clink as Szelem set down her teacup. “Jada,” she said finally, (her mother's voice was so grating sometimes with the prim and proper diction) “Your father and I have chosen to call this meeting in order to discuss your future.”
“Your mother chose to bother you with this meeting.” Michael interrupted his wife.
“Your father has no care for ensuring you receive the proper education.” Szelem pulled out three small pamphlets. The Institut Villa Pierrefeu, the Surval Mont-Fleuri, and the Protocol School of Washington were printed across the front. “I fully expect you to select one of these schools for your finishing.” How typical of the older woman. She'd been working on dictating her daughter's future since she was still in little designer diapers. Jada crossed her ankles, reaching out to take the pamphlets from her mother's hand quietly.
“Naturally if you wish to skip that unnecessary step and proceed to working with me, that is to be expected.” her father sounded bored, taking for granted the same thing her mother was. That their plans, different from the other as they were, would take precedence over what Jada herself wanted to do.
And in the end, they very well may be right. What did Jada want to do with her life? She'd been dragged around like a doll since she was old enough to rate the attention of an actual parent rather than just her nanny. All she'd done (not that she was complaining, mind) was spend her father's money. Her own money, inherited from her mother's parents, was considerable but locked away in trust until her 21st birthday. So in the meantime, she needed something to do. She couldn't live off her father forever, and 'considerable' money would not be enough to support the lavish lifestyle she was accustomed to. Her mother wanted her to find a wealthy husband and be nothing more than a trophy wife. Her father wanted her to take over his company.
“Actually, mother, father; I was thinking about spending a semester or two in Sovereign Heights before attending the University of Destiny City. I want to at least have some kind of proper degree.” still, she didn't discard the pamphlets in her hand. That would have been far too foolish at the moment. Her mother wouldn't give up until Jada was actually too old to attend a finishing school. “I was considering a degree in Business Management.” That would please her father.
“I think that's a-” her father started.
“Horrible idea and out of the question.” her mother finished. She leaned forward, tapped the papers. “Those are your future options, Jada Chamberlyn, and I'll not have you thinking otherwise. Do you understand me?” The older Chamberlyn didn't wait for her daughter's response. Szelem stood, leaving her teacup on its saucer and on her husband's desk. “Michael, I'll not have you forgetting the benefit this evening. Be dressed by 7:15 or I will be vexed.”
It was only 3:00 now. Michael stood courteously as his wife swept out of the room imperiously, almost bumping into the maid who was bringing them a fresh pot of tea. When the other woman was gone, leaving Jada and her father in silence, Michael collapsed into his chair with a heavy sigh. “I love your mother you know.”
“I know, Daddy.”
“I don't like to fight with her.”
“I know, Daddy.” but you do it so often.
“But if you don't want to go to a Finishing School, you won't, Jada.” he reached across the desk, took his daughter's delicate hand in his own. “You know I'm well aware of your distaste for your mother's socialite lifestyle. You've never shown the same drive to be married that your mother had. And what a relief it has been.”
Of course she didn't want to be married. Hell, she'd be happy to have a boyfriend that hadn't been bought by her father's money. Hell, she'd be happy to not be a virgin. “Daddy, I'm only seventeen.” she chided, keeping the rest of her comments to herself. Seventeen, and she'd been kissed exactly twice in her life. One of those kisses had been a lesbian, and the other had been a young man under the assumption that they were already engaged. Family didn't count toward that kiss total.
“I know, but I keep watching you grow into this lovely young woman. Your mother was just as beautiful as you when she was your age, and I remember the way-”
“Daddy.” she cut him off with a knowing look. The older man gave his daughter a sheepish smile, squeezing her hand.
“I just want you to know that regardless of if you choose finishing school or take your place with the company immediately, I'll be behind you.” he let her hand go almost reluctantly.
“What if I don't want to work with the company?” she asked, keeping her eyes on the brochures in her hand. “What if I want to explore other options?” Jada had never noticed that the carpets were patterned with small lotus flowers. The walls were somehow a deeper forest green than they had ever been before, and the floor-to-ceiling windows were suddenly oppressive.
“Other options before taking over, right?” his voice was quiet, careful. Jada raised her eyes to her father before quietly shaking her head. “Oh.” he looked down at his desk, pulling his hand away from hers to shuffle the papers. “I suppose I would support that option as well. You know, however, that would leave me at an extreme disadvantage when trying to discuss things with your mother.” AKA 'I'll have jack s**t to argue back at your mother with should you choose to follow this course.'
“I know, Daddy.”
He sighed, lowering his eyes from Jada to the papers on his desk. “Just keep your mother happy until you decide what to do.” eyes flickered back up to her. “Which means until you are enrolled in the school of your choice, Jada. And stay out of further legal issues.” A reminder of the night she had been Awakened as a Senshi- not that he knew that it had happened. “Don't be involved in any issues, and for god's sake, make your decision quickly.”
Jada smiled, pushed to her feet. The new pot of tea had still not yet been touched. “I'll be as good as I can, Daddy.” she agreed, and moved around the desk to press a kiss to his forehead. “Oh, and can I have the credit card again? I want to go shopping for some things.”
Smooth.
(She got the credit card.)
