I’ve had some pretty uncomfortable dinners in my life. That Easter Sunday when my Ma came home and got into this massive passive aggressive argument with Bets over Ma’s living arrangements. That one time when my Bet’s nephew (who is closeted as hell) came over for dinner. And we all had to pretend we thought the guy he  brought was just a platonic BFF.  But that doesn’t compare to this dinner. Where I'm sitting across from my Grandmother. And her goddamn gentleman caller.  Sebastian  Graham.  The room is dead silent except for the scraping of cutlery and the occasional.  Could you pass the salad please. 

“So Mr.Graham”. I say desperate to avoid this awkward silence. “What do you do for a living?”. 

“I own a construction business called Superspeed. And please call me Sebastian ”. He says shoving a mouthful of steak in his mouth. 

I smile pleasantly. God I want to punch his stupid face. I’m not sure why though. “Tell me what interests you most in school”. He asks. I Smirk. 

“Humanitarian  law” I responded. “Wanna get those labourers fairer wages. You know”.

Bets chokes on her water and Sebastian  smiles like I've offered him a challenge. “Well you know labourers get paid for what they do''. Sebastian  says. 

I do know that”. I reply. “But they don’t get paid nearly enough. Especially  since they work every day, in the hot sun, with relatively small breaks, only to make little under  thirty dollars an hour”. 

“You know if you’re that interested in humanitarian issues  why don’t you fight human trafficking”. This guy. 

“Cause human trafficking is already illegal.” I argue like it’s the basic fact that it is.  “But these wages are perfectly legal and exploitative. Someone needs to fight the things that are  wrong by ethics, not just wrong to a judge”.  I say metaphorically pouring gasoline everywhere.  “And you think that someone should be you”. He said smiling. What. Is he laughing at me?

“Well someone has to, and I guessed it wasn’t gonna be you”. I say without a shred of emotion.  I hear Bets laugh. The only sound she’s made so far. 

“Now that’s the problem with you kids these days. Always reaching for the stars. Why can’t you be satisfied with what you have and what is”. He says. Whether or not he is generally angry or not I can't tell. “Yeah  if we keep this up women might get to vote”. I say mock horror. 

That struck the match . “Well this has been very interesting But i really should get going. Mary I'll see you around”.  He leaves the house in a beautiful ball of fire.  Bets is chuckling to herself. 

“What are you smiling about, I just chased away your boyfriend.” I say 

She shrugs “When did I say he’s my boyfriend.” 

My head snaps up as she walks into the kitchen. 

“What do you mean?”. I ask her. 

“Well he came by my work a few days ago to deposit this big check. We got to talking and I saw how horrible his ethics were. I tried to screw his head on right. But I guess he just needed someone to bite it off”. 

My grandmother finishes speaking with a huge grin on her face.  I laugh at this news. Bets is really a character.