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“Are we picking David up on the way?” Erich Strauss asked as his wife straightened his tie.
They walked out of their Central Park West condo to the elevator and down 15 floors to where the car service waited.
“He's meeting us there, Daddy. I wouldn’t be surprised if he's there already.”
“Why would he be there so early?” Joanna Parkinson-Strauss asked.
“Well, for one, David hates being late. He also had to come from Long Island on trains running on a holiday schedule. They can be a bit unpredictable.”
“He still doesn’t have a car?” Erich asked. The doorman held the door open for them. The car was already open; Erich made sure his wife and daughter were in before he climbed in on the other side.
“He splits his time between New York and Washington, DC.” Erin replied. “We’re talking two of the best transportation systems in the world. A car would be a waste of money.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that before I bought that Beamer you love so much.” Erich grinned and Erin saw her face in his.
Everyone always said she was her father’s child. She was happy that her mother took no offense to that. Joanna surrendered her daughter’s future to her father’s whims as well. She seemed to worship Erich just as much as everyone else in the room did. Erin loved her parents very much.
They loved and supported her in everything she’d ever endeavored. But she was not unaware of their shortcomings. One thing she knew was that she never wanted a relationship like theirs. Her mother was a brilliant woman. She was intelligent, beautiful, vibrant, and amazing.
Yet she never minded dimming her light so that her husband’s could shine brighter. Erin could never understand that. It was the complete opposite of what she had with Dave. They shared the spotlight, didn’t compete for it or steal it from one another. If anything, Dave boasted to anyone who would listen just how amazing the girl he loved truly was.
“Well, not everyone feels as David does about cars.” Erin said smiling. “I love mine.”
“I'm sure he does as well. You’re always bringing him back and forth to school.”
“He did fine on his own for 10 months while I was gone. He also survived before he met me. My car is a convenience sometimes, not the reason we’re together.”
Erich nodded but Erin had mastered all of her father’s faces over the past 22 years. He didn’t like Dave and she couldn’t figure out why. He was smart, brilliant really, cordial, and was full of wit. He was engaging and always discussed things that interested her father. No matter what, Erich Strauss remained a brick wall. Erin couldn’t explain it and she didn’t like Dave’s explanation.
He said her father was prejudiced. He didn’t want a smarmy Italian staining his pure Anglo-German princess with his greasy fingers. The thought of that made Erin’s stomach turn. She’d never once heard her father make a prejudiced statement and the Strausses had lived and traveled all over the world. An elitist, yes Erich Strauss was definitely an elitist, but not prejudiced. If Dave was right, she had no idea how that would change her relationship with the man she grew up in awe of.
Erin didn’t want to think about it anymore and thankfully she didn’t have to…they pulled up in front of the restaurant. Dave stood outside under a big, black umbrella since it was now drizzling. Erin couldn’t even pretend to hide the smile that spread across her face when she saw him through the tinted window. She caught her mother glancing at her so she tried to turn it down but it was impossible.
He came over to open the door as the driver walked around the car.
“I got it.” he said.
The driver nodded, letting him do his thing. He opened the door for Erich on the street side as Dave opened the door for the women. Dave held the umbrella over them as they did a quick walk into the restaurant.
“I don't know if I should make a big deal of how well you open doors, David.” Erich said as they checked their coats.
“And yet you manage to anyway, sir.” He replied as respectfully as he could. He helped Erin out of her coat before taking his off. She looked beautiful in a blue and black dress; his desire for her had to be felt by everyone at the coat check. “I worked summers at the Commack Country Club. I won't be sad to see those days come to an end. Though there's no use letting pride get in the way of an honest day’s work.” he smiled at Erin’s mother. “You look very lovely tonight, Mrs. Strauss.”
“Thank you, David.” She returned his smile. She knew how much her daughter loved him, even if she tried to keep her feelings close to the cuff.
What impressed Joanna even more was how much those feelings were reciprocated. They hadn't spent much time with David and when they did the situations were usually tense. Erich didn’t like the boy; he could barely conceal it. Erin was his only child and he always said he just wanted what was best for her. Joanna reminded him that she was her only child as well.
David was a good young man. He did well in school, was well-liked, and had a bright future ahead of him. Erich would not be moved but Joanna still did her best to support the couple. Even if it didn’t last forever, which these things rarely did, Erin didn’t deserve to feel as if she wasn’t intelligent enough to make the right love choices. Despite all of her father’s “lessons”, she still picked Dave.
“How was Thanksgiving with your family?” she asked him as they were shown to a table for four. Joanna was glad when David held Erin’s chair. He was raised right and it showed. Erich ordered a bottle of Riesling for the table.
“Well ma'am, I couldn’t indulge as much as I wanted to. I knew I’d be having dinner again later. My mother made my great aunt Simona’s famous cherry cobbler. She always says it came over on the boat from Sicily.
“My father says it came from Good Housekeeping. I don’t much care where the recipe came from; it’s my favorite dessert. It’s always good to spend time with my family. Being so busy in DC doesn’t allow me much time to come home for visits.”
“And you're the first in your family to go to college, correct?” Erich asked.
Both his wife and his daughter looked at him but he seemed unfazed. Dave, to his credit, smiled. He smiled so much his cheeks hurt. The bastard had asked him that question before; he knew the answer. Dave couldn’t have loved Erin more than when she put her hand over his on top of the table. He knew what she was doing and so did she. Dave felt his rising blood pressure fall.
“No sir. My brothers Francis and Michael are both college graduates, as is my sister Natalia. My younger siblings will follow in my footsteps. Camilla will be a freshman at Vassar this fall.”
“There are five of you?” Joanna asked.
“There are seven of us. My mother had a set of twins last…they don’t even run in our families.”
The server came and poured four glasses of wine. They needed time to decide what they wanted from the extensive menu. Dave suddenly had little appetite but he would eat, drink, and be merry. Then he’d probably go home and vomit.
“I’d like to propose a toast.” Erich said, holding up his glass. I want to toast my family, but especially my lovely daughter Erin. She has a very bright future ahead of her and the whole world at her feet.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” She sipped her wine. “Speaking of bright futures, I wanted to wait until David was here to tell you guys…he’s been recruited into the FBI.”
“Oh David,” Joanna smiled. “That’s wonderful news.”
“Thank you, ma'am. It does save me the trouble of figuring out what to do with myself after graduation. I knew that law school wasn’t for me. I was considering the Secret Service when this offer was made to me. My best friend Jason Gideon will be joining me there. It’s going to be a very good fit for us.”
“Gideon?” Erich asked. “Is that Jewish?”
“Presbyterian.” Rossi replied but couldn’t keep a straight face. “I'm sorry, Dr. Strauss. Yes, Jason is Jewish. I'm Italian Catholic and you're German Lutheran, am I right? I just want to make sure we’re all on the same page.”
“I've decided to remain at American for my graduate studies so that David and I can be close.” Erin said. She didn’t like where the conversation was going so she pulled it back.
“I thought we had decided on Columbia.” Now Erich seemed to care about the conversation.
“No, Daddy, I was seriously considering it but I've made my decision.”
“A Masters degree from an Ivy League University will look better on your resume.”
“American is one of the best schools for international relations in the world.” Erin replied. “I'm already there so it’s best to continue there with a Masters in International Studies. There were many things to consider in making my decision.”
Erich wanted to know what things. He wanted to demand to know but the server was back and they were ordering dinner. He was sure that Erin would break up with Dave Rossi, return to New York City to attend Columbia, and meet a more suitable match. She said that she loved him, and maybe she did, but he wasn’t good enough for her.
He was a middle class frat boy from Long Island…being recruited into the FBI didn’t matter. Erin needed to be with someone of the same social standing as she. David Rossi might be the great El Jefe, or whatever the hell it was that they called him, on a college campus. In the real world he was nothing.
“What other things were there to consider, sweetheart?” Erich asked as soon as the server walked away.
“David has proposed, Daddy. He asked me to be his wife and I accepted.”
“Oh my God, Erin.” Tears sprang to her mother’s eyes. It wasn’t Joanna’s nature, she was usually reserved, but she rose from her seat to hug her daughter. “This is amazing news.”
“It was hard to keep it a secret for so long but I wanted to wait until we were face to face. He asked me on All Saint’s Day.” She pulled the ring from her purse, slipping it back onto her finger. “I'm so happy.”
“I'm so happy.” Joanna repeated, hugging her again. She held up Erin’s left hand. “This ring is so beautiful. Oh David, its just perfect for Erin.”
“That’s exactly what I thought.” Dave replied.
“Joanna, please sit down.” Erich said when he got his voice back.
She did what her husband asked, still beaming from their daughter’s news.
“Erin, have you really thought this through?” he asked. “It’s a gigantic leap.”
“Of course I have. I love David; I've told you that. I love him and he loves me. We make each other happy.”
“You're 21 years old; you're still young. You haven’t even dated other men…experienced anything. The happy he makes you now may not be the happy you need when you're ready to grow beyond this moment.” he glanced at Dave. “No offense, of course David.”
“With all due respect sir, nearly everything you’ve ever said to me has been offensive.”
“David…”
“No, please Erin; let me speak. I'm a grown man and I need to speak.”
She nodded. He wanted his moment and probably deserved it. Dave would never be rude to her father but she was well aware that her father had been hurling veiled, and not so veiled, insults at him since the day they met. It made her uncomfortable but she didn’t know what to do about it. It looked as if Dave did.
“I love Erin very, very much. I know that you think that I’ll never be good enough for her. You don’t do a very good job of concealing that…perhaps you don’t want to. That’s fine; you're entitled to have your opinion.
“The point is, my life is better because of this woman and I hope hers is better because of me. We want to love, laugh, and grow together and she's accepted my proposal. I'm gonna take care of her like a husband should. That might not mean a condo on the Upper West Side and entrée into all the elite parties but I know what it takes to make her happy.”
“You make me happy.” Erin interjected.
Dave smiled at her, his face turning serious again when he looked at her father.
“I'm about to be a member of this family, sir. I know how much Erin loves you and I know how much she loves me. She doesn’t deserve to be pulled in two directions. I think you need to find a happy medium because she shouldn’t have to choose. And I won't let you constantly belittle or disrespect me. You don’t have to like me but I've done nothing but show you respect and I’d appreciate some in kind.”
“Erin never has to make a choice with me.” Erich replied. “I will always be her father and I will always love her. Whenever she needs me, I’ll be there.”
“I love you too, Daddy. I love David as well and I'm overflowing with excitement about starting our life together.”
“Have you set a wedding date yet?” Joanna asked. She was proud of David for standing his ground. She’d known Erich for a long time; it surely did nothing to change his opinion of the young man. That was all the more reason to do it. Dave was nice, this time, maybe the next time he wouldn’t be.
“It'll be after Erin gets her Masters degree.” Dave replied. “I thought a September wedding would be nice; I know how much Erin loves autumn.”
“It'll be a lengthy engagement.” Erin said. She was still holding his hand. He was trembling so she gave it a healthy squeeze.
“That should give you time to properly think things through.” Erich replied, leaning it at that.
Dave didn’t say anything else, he couldn’t do it. A part of him wanted to shove his foot up Erich Strauss’ ass. He’d never liked the man anyway and that wasn’t going to change. Holidays would be a little frosty from this day forward.
Dave planned to be the bigger man; the better man. He wasn’t going to say anything bad about her father…Erich’s behavior spoke volumes. One day Erin would have to choose. Dave would make sure he was there to hold her when she saw Erich for what he really was.
***
“We’re going for an after dinner drink.” Erin said, buttoning her coat.
Everyone survived dinner but it was tense. Erich hardly spoke and Joanna tried to make niceties but she knew how upset her husband was. Dave didn’t even bother; he knew no one wanted to talk to him anyway.
“What bar is open on Thanksgiving Day?” Erich asked.
“There's this great little hole in the wall called The Water Buffalo. It’s not a far walk from here.”
“Erin, I don’t want you going to some slummy bar.”
“Daddy, I'm a grown woman and know how to handle myself. I've been there before; it’s a respectable establishment. Dave will look after me.”
Dave didn’t say anything, he just held her hand. He was so afraid if he opened his mouth then the vitriol he’d been trying to swallow all night would tumble out like Niagara Falls.
“Alright.” Erich conceded. “I want you home by 1am young lady; these are dangerous times.”
“I will be.” She nodded.
“It was lovely to see you again, David.” Joanna leaned to kiss his cheek. “Congratulations on the FBI.”
“Thank you so much, ma'am. It’s always good to see you.” Dave held out his hand. “Dr. Strauss.”
“Have a good evening, David.” Erich took a deep breath before he shook it.
Dave and Erin stood in front of the restaurant under his umbrella. They watched her parents get into the waiting Lincoln Towncar and pull off from the curb. Then they started walking down the street.
“Your father is a monumental, unabashed douchebag.” Dave said. “I swear, I will never say it again but I had to get that out.”
Erin put her hand on his to stop I'm from walking. He looked at her. Her face was unreadable and that concerned him.
“I don’t give a damn what my father thinks about you, David. He’s wrong; he doesn’t know you and won't even try. Nothing he says will ever stop me from loving you. I'm sorry for his behavior because you don’t deserve that. I hope that it doesn’t reflect on what you think of me.”
“Absolutely never.” Dave slipped his hand in hers and they kept walking.
If her father’s behavior judged what he thought of Erin he would've broken up with her the moment he met the great Doctor. Instead he was going to marry her. And yes there was a mean part of him that relished the idea of how sick Erich was that Dave would thrust his Italian salami into his pure daughter every night until death do us part. She liked it, she loved it, and her bastard father died a little with each thrust.
“That’s just wrong.” Dave mumbled, shaking off the thought. Keeping Erin and her father separate was essential. They were not the same entity. They didn't even live on the same planet.
“What did you say?” Erin asked.
“Huh?”
“You mumbled something. Are you alright?”
“I got a hotel room for the night. I knew it would be the only way to really spend a little time with you. We could just skip The Water Buffalo and go straight there.”
“I hope you didn’t spend too much money, David.”
“I have money Erin, OK? I may not be some country club boy but I can afford a goddamn hotel room.” he replied.
“Hey, wait.” She stopped walking. “Firstly, it’s the most traveled day of the year and we’re in Midtown Manhattan…the hotel rates are insane. Secondly, I'm going to be your wife and I have a right to be concerned with how you spend your money.”
“I sense a thirdly coming.” Dave said.
“Thirdly,” she gave him a healthy poke in the chest. “Don’t you ever talk to me like that again.”
“I'm sorry. He just sets me on edge and I know I shouldn’t let him but I do. Dammit, he has no right to make me feel like I'm not good enough for you. And if that isn’t bad enough he makes it seem as if I'm not good enough to breath the same air you do.”
“But he's wrong.” Erin put her arms around him.
“It doesn’t stop him from saying it every time he gets a chance.”
“I'm gonna set him straight tomorrow. We’ll have a long talk and whether he likes it or not, he will listen to what I have to say.”
“I don’t want to cause a rift between you two.” Dave sighed.
“I love my father, I do. But I love you, and I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm not going to let him belittle you every single time we see them. We just won't see them.”
“That’s not what I want.”
“I know,” she nodded. “And that’s what makes you better than him right now.”
“So you wanna go back to my hotel room?” he asked.
“What do you think?”
Hugging her again, Dave kissed her and held her close. She leaned on him and just smiled. Erin wished her father saw all the amazing things she did. Honestly, she never thought she would meet anyone like Dave. She surely never thought she would fall in love with him and have those feelings reciprocated.
On paper it seemed as if they were light years apart. She knew that her friends and his all raised their eyebrows and twisted their lips in the beginning. Some still did. But they didn’t know how awesome it was. Erin didn’t feel the need to justify what she and Dave had to anyone, and that included her father. If they didn’t know or realize then she pitied them.
“I'm thinking we get drunk and screw.” He said.
“Tipsy and screw…I have to go home tonight.”
“One day you're not gonna have to say that anymore.”
“I’ll always say it.” Erin replied. “It’s just that I’ll be coming home to you.”
“Hearing that made tonight worth it.”
They both wanted to put this evening behind them. It would be much more productive, and fun, to focus on each other. Dave and Erin were never unhappy when they were doing that.
***