02 - Last of his line

(Kaan POV)

A few hours prior…

I'm sitting in my office, trying to focus on the report I'm working on. Suddenly, my mother walks in, interrupting my work with her usual barrage of questions and comments. "Kaan, when are you going to give us a grandson? You're not getting any younger, you know. We need to keep the bloodline alive," my mother says, her tone serious and insistent.

I try to brush it off with a joke. "Seriously, Mom, my mind hasn't changed in the last six hours, so please stop haranguing me or I'm going to have to ask security to escort you out of the building," I tell her with a teasing smile.

My mother chuckles, thinking it's all in good fun, but as she presses on, I begin to seriously consider following through on my threat, mayhap only temporarily. I love my mother deeply and respect her greatly. But the constant pressure to have children is wearing me down and wearing me down fast. I know she means well, but the daily dose of "You need to have children to continue the family line" is simply starting to fry my nerves.

"We are from a very long line of ancient rulers and noble lycan kings! Even in this modern time and place, our special gifts and abilities live on and survive! It is your duty... nay, your moral obligation to make sure our line does not end with you," my mother tells me, a repetition of what I had already endured that morning, as if I hadn't already heard it ad nauseam. Actually, my mother has been singing the same tune since I came of age.

Sometimes I try to reason with her, telling her that having children is a personal choice and that I'm not ready for that responsibility yet. But she simply cannot be deterred. Unfortunately, today I'm feeling particularly impatient because I've been cooped up in the office for too long and am starting to feel a little claustrophobic. So now, as I sit there listening to my mother lecture me for the nth time, I'm seriously considering asking security to escort her out and banning her from returning temporarily, just to get some peace and quiet from the constant nagging. However, I know that would be unkind and disrespectful and that is why it would never actually happen.

I take a deep breath and try to remain calm, but my frustration is beginning to spill. While I know that my mother only wants what's best for me and the family, the pressure has become too much for me at this point.

Praying for an extra dose of patience, I look at my mother and try once again to explain how I feel. “Mom, I understand where you're coming from. But having children is a big responsibility that I am not ready to take on right now, and I would like to be certain that I'm ready for it before I take that step. I still have a lot of things I want to accomplish in this business, and I need to focus on them right now.”

My mother looks at me with a hint of disappointment in her eyes. “But Lakàn, you're not getting any younger, and you also need to think about the future of our family. We have a legacy to uphold, and you're the only one who can carry it on.”

I sigh and rub my temples, feeling a headache coming on due to the stress. There is not a day that passes that I wish I had a brother or sister, just so the pressure is not all on me. I know that my mother is quite determined and that I'm going to have to find another way to deal with this situation if I want her to stop.

Just then, my phone rings, interrupting our conversation and providing me with a welcome distraction. Feeling somewhat relieved and hoping my mother will finally leave me alone, I answer the call, hoping that she will take the hint and leave me to work in peace. While I talk on the phone, though, I notice her standing in the corner of my office, watching me intently and refusing to budge. Tenacious as a barnacle on a ship's hull.

I reluctantly finish the call and turn to face my mother again, still trying to be reasonable. "Look, I need you to understand that this is my decision to make, and it's a big deal for me. I want to do it right, just like you did with me. I want to be a good parent and a great role model for my child. I understand your concerns, but I need you to respect my choices and give me some space to figure things out on my own."

My mother nods slowly, but I can tell that she's not entirely convinced. This conversation is far from over, and I realise that I will have to find a way to deal with her constant badgering in the days and weeks to come without alienating her.

“You know, son, your father and I wouldn't feel so anxious for a grandchild if only you didn't indulge yourself in those... daredevil sports you are so fond of,” my mother says, shaking her head in frustration. “What if something happens to you? We tried so hard to have another child, but unfortunately, we were not blessed despite all our efforts. If we weren't able to produce another child in our prime, how can we even hope for one when we are in the twilight of our years? We just want to make sure that our family line continues. You're our only hope,” she says in a sad voice before turning to walk out of the room.

I grit my teeth as I watch my mother close the door behind me, and I count to ten before letting out an exasperated sigh. The pressure of my parents' expectations is already weighing heavily on me, but now it annoys me how my mother managed to hit an important nerve at the same time. Extreme sports are one of the rare things that I actually enjoy.

“Daredevil sports,” I mutter to myself, rolling my eyes. As an adrenaline junkie, these activities are my go-to stress reliever whenever the pressure of my job becomes too much. The adrenaline rush is the one thing that can clear my head and make me feel alive without having to resort to medications that will only do more harm than good in the long run.

I know my mother means well, but the incessant pressure is triggering my rebellious side. It is already so hard to balance my demanding work life with my almost non-existent personal life. I want to live on my own terms, without feeling like I'm letting my family down. Deep down, I can't deny that I feel a sense of responsibility to continue the family line but right now, it infuriates me that I can't even enjoy my hobbies without my parents reminding me of my responsibilities all the time.

There is also another hidden truth that is very hard for me to explain because not everyone understands, especially people like them - extroverts.

Yes, I am an introvert born to extrovert parents. Fate must have found it amusing to give two busy bees a platypus for a child, as they are vastly different from his point of view. I feel like a fish out of water whenever they drag me out to social events, gatherings, or even when they receive guests at home. They probably don't even realise that I am an introvert because I used to try so hard to be like them, thinking it was the norm, but it was so exhausting that I eventually gave up. Now, as a grown-up, I bury myself under tons of work just to get away from the rounds of parties and meeting people that make me want to claw my own eyes out. I especially loathe the not-so-subtle introductions to ladies that my mother hints could be possible candidates as my future missus. So awkward and unnecessarily painful.

They say one mustn’t make rash decisions when one is angry but at that moment, I am too distracted to continue working. I press the intercom button and tell my office secretary to come into my office.