career being a lawyer when I hate the law and the whole
freaking system. I don’t want to work in an office all day. I
don’t want to go to court. I don’t want to do any of it. I’d be
crap at it. It’s not my choice. I want to be an artist. I’d rather
not make it and be happy trying than be successful and
soulless as a lawyer.”
“You wouldn’t be happy!” Sandra shot back. “You wouldn’t
be happy with no money, no roof over your head, nowhere to
go and nowhere to turn. Your dad and I won’t be around
forever. We won’t support you forever. At some point, you
have to make that leap for yourself.”
“And I will! With my art! You’ve made it with yours. Is
mine really so terrible that you couldn’t imagine it supporting
me? You have every opportunity to help and yet you’ve tried
to crush my dreams every step of the way.”
“I’ve done no such thing,” Sandra huffed.
“She’s done no such thing,” Peter echoed.
“You have! You both have.” Emily turned and faced her
dad. “And Dad. I’m gay. I’m not going to change my mind
about that. You say you love me for who I am, but then you
basically tell me I can’t date or go out or fall in love with
anyone because it would look bad for you.”
“It’s not about me,” Peter grumbled. “It’s not what I
personally think. You know that.”
“I do. But it’s still unfair. If I was straight, you wouldn’t tell
me not to date guys.”
“I would still caution you to be careful and use discretion,”
Peter argued. “As I’ve done so far, and that’s all I’ve done.
I’ve never told you that you can’t be who you are.”
“You basically have.”