her naivety.
They passed a modest house on the right and Jake commented, “That one seems a bit out of place, it only has a two-car garage.”
“That is the Crowe Estate. They have about thirty acres. When I was in junior high school Mrs. Crowe taught me how to ride horses,” Kate responded. “And that is not the main house. That’s the guest quarters.”
So this is how the other half lives, Jake thought. He realized what half he had been living in, and he wanted to switch teams.
The Sorrentino residence was at the end of the country lane. Twenty acres of rolling hills overlooking the Potomac River. It was beautiful land, and the house accentuated its splendor. Kate pulled her Lexus in front of the verifiable mansion and parked between the large fountain and the stone entrance. A dozen cars were parked in and around the long driveway, a mix of autobahn-certified German autos and other high-end imports.
Kate stopped at the step to the front door and looked at Jake. “Relax. You look a little nervous.”
“That’s probably because I am.”
Kate didn’t bother to share that she too was nervous for other reasons. With the exception of Ricky Groves in the sixth grade, her parents had disapproved of every boyfriend she ever had. The reasons varied, but were all the same: they simply weren’t good enough for the Sorrentinos’ only daughter. Not from the right lineage, not the right breed, not the right stuff. Not good-looking enough. Not smart enough. If you looked for a reason not to like someone, it was easy to find one. And her parents looked hard.
Kate pushed open the large wooden front door and invited Jake into her world.
Initial introductions with Mr. and Mrs. Sorrentino went down in the kitchen, and Jake answered the standard questions well enough to earn an invitation backstage, to the barbecue festivities in full swing in the backyard. Kate’s parents eyed the couple through the glass wall, and her father cringed when his daughter’s hand reached for Jake’s.
Jake followed Kate across the multi-tiered cedar deck and down the walk to the edge of the pool. The huge brick barbecue pit in the corner pumped smoke into the air, the six-foot gas-powered grill large enough to feed an army. Jake eyed the food on display. Not a hot dog in sight. Freshly cut tuna and swordfish cooked slowly on the right hand side of the grill. Filet mignon and shrimp on bamboo skewers took up residence on the other half of the metal grate. Nachos and dip were absent, replaced with crackers, heart of palm, and black caviar.
Sundresses and blue blazers ruled the scene and Jake felt grossly underdressed in his polo shirt and knee- length shorts. He reminded himself to have a word with Kate. Next time he wanted a little more detail of what he was getting himself into. Small groups mingled around glass-top tables talking about vacations in Tuscany, the real estate market in Honolulu, and bank accounts in New Zealand that were paying eight percent interest. He had never been to a tie-only barbecue, and if the first fifteen minutes were any indication, he would live comfortably not having to attend another.
Kate’s father cornered Jake on his way back from the bathroom. Kate was on the deck, her ear being bent by an elderly aunt who had already repeated herself twice. Mr. Sorrentino seized the opportunity to lay down the rules,
“Kate tells me that you are in grad school at American University.”
“Yes sir. I am getting my Masters in English Literature.”
“What do you do with a degree in English Literature?”
“I don’t know yet. Maybe teach. Maybe get involved with a non-profit in D.C.”
It wasn’t the answer Mr. Sorrentino was hoping for. He hated to hear anyone say, “I don’t know” when it pertained to their future. He was equally offended by the term “non-profit.”
“What does your father do?”
“He’s in international business…importing, exporting.”
“Sales?” Mr. Sorrentino said in more of a statement than a question.
“No, he is the CEO and President.”
“Based in Washington?”
“Incorporated in Delaware, headquartered in D.C. The company has offices on both coasts and facilities overseas.”
“Tell me about your family.”
Jake balked. It was a question he didn’t like.
“I have a small family. Most of them live in the Portland area. I have an uncle in town.”
“Any chance you will follow in your father’s footsteps?”
“In business?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know,” Jake answered.
Mr. Sorrentino swallowed at the resurfacing of his least favorite expression. He hated to think about his daughter dating anyone, but especially a young man without a plan. Change your mind later, but for God’s sake have some idea what you want to do with yourself.
“I’m working at his company this summer.”
“Learning the ropes?”
“Yes, I guess so.”
With the word “guess,” Mr. Sorrentino had heard enough. Jake needed some direction. Something definitive. One of the problems with young kids these days. Mr. Sorrentino feared for the future of the country.
Jake just wanted to get away from his girlfriend’s father. Mr. Sorrentino asked questions with a stare so intense it was as if he were making inquiries directly to your soul. His gaze burned through Jake’s eyes and penetrated his skin. Every question was loaded. Jake didn’t like the man.
“May I ask about your profession, Mr. Sorrentino?”
“Sure, Jake. I’m mostly retired now. My business interests lie in real estate, construction, waste removal, imported produce, restaurants.”
“How is the waste removal business?”
“There is never a shortage of waste, Jake. Never met a person who didn’t produce any, and the population keeps growing.”
“True enough.”
Jake chalked up Mr. Sorrentino’s condescending attitude to natural arrogance and an overbearing nature when it came to his daughter. Jake wanted nothing more than to tell Mr. Sorrentino a couple of things. First and foremost was that, indeed, he was giving it to Mr. Sorrentino’s only daughter and enjoying it immensely, thank you very much.
He wondered if the details about caring for his mother over the last eighteen months would wipe the smug look off Mr. Sorrentino’s face. The all-nighters, the trips to the doctors, learning how to give injections with the skill of a seasoned nurse. Do that for a year and a half and see if you come out of it with a life plan. Life changes and having a plan guarantees nothing. Jake knew the words would be lost on Kate’s father. He was a hard-ass, and a scary one at that.
“It was good speaking with you, Jake,” Mr. Sorrentino said. “And let us conclude this conversation on a constructive, positive note.”
“Please,” Jake answered.
“There are two things I will not tolerate as a father to my daughter. Number one is infidelity. If I catch you cheating on my daughter, I will cut your balls off and feed them to the dogs. Number two—if I catch you lying to me or my daughter, the same thing will happen to your tongue. Understood?”
Jake looked at the madman in front of him. “Sounds pretty straight forward to me,” he answered. “But remember this, Mr. Sorrentino: for every man who cheats there is a woman cheating as well. And for every man who lies there are at least an equal number of women lying. Men just can’t hide it as well. The chance of me breaking Kate’s heart is equal to the chance that she will break mine.”
“Just so we know where we stand,” Mr. Sorrentino answered as if he hadn’t heard Jake’s short soapbox sermon.
Kate knocked on the glass door and her father changed from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde.
“How are my two favorite guys?” she asked, opening the door.
“Just getting to know one another, right Jake?” Mr. Sorrentino said.
