>> Ivy Langley continued from i'm gonna lose my baby, so i always keep a bottle near
>> September 5th, 2005
"Morning!"
"Good morning, father. Do not forget your manners."
"Um- sorry! Good morning, father!"
"Better. Today is your first day of school, correct!"
"Yes! Maria said we gotta leave-"
"Have to."
"... Have to leave in ten minutes!"
"Good. I am sure you will do well. This should all be easy for you."
"Maria says I've g- I have to work hard. So I can do good."
"Do well. And you will do more than do well, sweetheart. You will be the best."
"The best?"
"Of course. You are a Langley, after all. Success is in your blood."
"Maria says there's gonna- going to be lotsa more-"
"Many more."
"Many more kids there and I can make friends!"
"Ivy. ...Be careful."
"Careful?"
"The other children will drag you down to your level if you allow them to. It is important to learn to speak with others, but never forget that you are worth more than them."
"Okay! Um... why?"
"That is a complicated matter. You will understand when you're older."
"Awww. I wanna know!"
"Want to know. All that matters, Ivy, is that you remember that it is so."
"Fiiiiine."
"..."
"I- sorry, Father. I... understand."
"I accept your apology. Your breakfast is ready. Eat quickly. Being late on your first day would be unseemly."
"Okay!"
Ivy shoveled a huge plate of pancakes into her mouth before following Maria out the door, daydreaming about her future new friends.
you are not a human being
you are not a human being
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
>> June 28th, 2011
"Oh, Father, I didn't know you'd- you would be home."
"Your graduation is tomorrow, correct?"
"Oh! I thought you forgot! Maria said-"
"Ivy."
"... Sorry, Father."
"I accept your apology. I will not be here for the ceremony. I have a meeting that I must attend to."
"... Oh."
"Don't be so sentimental. Elementary school graduation is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But it does mean things will be changing soon."
"Changing?"
"Your schooling has been easy so far, sweetheart. It will become more difficult, but for you it should still be trivial. Remember..."
"... I am better than the rest of them. I know."
"Good. Hopefully you can meet some friends that are more... suitable to your status."
"Father?"
"Don't interrupt me."
"Sorry, Father."
"I accept your apology. ...Those boys you hang out with. They are not worthy of you."
"But-"
"They may be useful. But they are not important. Perhaps it is better for you to think of people that way. Always keep in mind how others are useful to you. Remember that what you need is the most important thing."
"... Yes, Father."
"Now, fetch your violin. Maria has told me your studies are progressing well."
Ivy's thoughts were complicated, but she smiled as she picked up her violin, confident, at least, in this.
"Oh, Father, I didn't know you'd- you would be home."
"Your graduation is tomorrow, correct?"
"Oh! I thought you forgot! Maria said-"
"Ivy."
"... Sorry, Father."
"I accept your apology. I will not be here for the ceremony. I have a meeting that I must attend to."
"... Oh."
"Don't be so sentimental. Elementary school graduation is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But it does mean things will be changing soon."
"Changing?"
"Your schooling has been easy so far, sweetheart. It will become more difficult, but for you it should still be trivial. Remember..."
"... I am better than the rest of them. I know."
"Good. Hopefully you can meet some friends that are more... suitable to your status."
"Father?"
"Don't interrupt me."
"Sorry, Father."
"I accept your apology. ...Those boys you hang out with. They are not worthy of you."
"But-"
"They may be useful. But they are not important. Perhaps it is better for you to think of people that way. Always keep in mind how others are useful to you. Remember that what you need is the most important thing."
"... Yes, Father."
"Now, fetch your violin. Maria has told me your studies are progressing well."
Ivy's thoughts were complicated, but she smiled as she picked up her violin, confident, at least, in this.
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
>> January 11th, 2018
"Ivy."
"... Where did you-"
"What is this."
"... I'm sorry, Father. It's-"
"You deliberately went behind my back. Is this why you wanted to visit New York so badly? To audition for Juilliard?"
"I just... I wanted to see if I would be accepted. I was... I wasn't planning to attend."
"I can tell when you're lying. Stupid girl. Did you think that I would allow my money to be spent on something so damaging? Vacations, clothing, those things are frivolous, certainly, but this is actively harmful."
"I... only wanted to-"
"See if you would be accepted. I heard you the first time. And you would not be. Your talents are adequate at best."
"I'm sorry..."
"Stop looking at the floor."
"... Yes, F... Father."
"You were born into success. Your path has always been written for you. All you need to do is follow it, and yet you still stray. Do you want to fail so badly?"
"N-no, Father."
"You will go to Duke. You will get your business degree, and you will inherit my business, and you will not squander the life I have given you. Do you understand me?"
"Yes. Of... of course."
"... That smell. Ivy. Have you been drinking?"
"I..."
"Ungrateful child. You're just like your mother."
"... I'm sorry, Father."
"Leave my sight. We can discuss this in the morning."
Ivy woke up the next morning with a terrible headache, and no memory of the night before.
>> Ivy Langley continued in With Plenty of Money and You
"Ivy."
"... Where did you-"
"What is this."
"... I'm sorry, Father. It's-"
"You deliberately went behind my back. Is this why you wanted to visit New York so badly? To audition for Juilliard?"
"I just... I wanted to see if I would be accepted. I was... I wasn't planning to attend."
"I can tell when you're lying. Stupid girl. Did you think that I would allow my money to be spent on something so damaging? Vacations, clothing, those things are frivolous, certainly, but this is actively harmful."
"I... only wanted to-"
"See if you would be accepted. I heard you the first time. And you would not be. Your talents are adequate at best."
"I'm sorry..."
"Stop looking at the floor."
"... Yes, F... Father."
"You were born into success. Your path has always been written for you. All you need to do is follow it, and yet you still stray. Do you want to fail so badly?"
"N-no, Father."
"You will go to Duke. You will get your business degree, and you will inherit my business, and you will not squander the life I have given you. Do you understand me?"
"Yes. Of... of course."
"... That smell. Ivy. Have you been drinking?"
"I..."
"Ungrateful child. You're just like your mother."
"... I'm sorry, Father."
"Leave my sight. We can discuss this in the morning."
Ivy woke up the next morning with a terrible headache, and no memory of the night before.
>> Ivy Langley continued in With Plenty of Money and You
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."