You Need a License to Fish

    Sean listened, at first politely, but soon his own anger began to grow and he stood and walked up to his father-in-law. He told him he was not asking for nor did he need his permission, that this is what he intended to dedicate his life to and he would find a way with or without him. Back and forth they went, Sam coming up with the reasons why he would fail, Sean arguing back that even without his support he could still succeed. Sean had wanted Sam's blessing and told him so (and had hoped to get some financial backing too, he admitted to himself) and maybe some advice but he would figure it out on his own if he had to. Sam only laughed, and called him a fool, told him that he would not help him. He added that Laura would soon realize what a loser he was and that she needed someone more like her father to take care of her, someone already with real power and not an idealistic fool like him.

    Thinking that Sam already knew about Laura's sexual abuse as a child Sean began to slowly and carefully explain the impetus that had compelled him to want to go into politics to save children. If he could save just one child from knowing the pain that Laura had to endure and was still dealing with, it would be worth everything to him. Sean watched as the older man's face turned red and he exploded with the words, "That's a lie, Laura was never abused, you say that again and I'll kill you myself!" He raged on taking a closer step toward Sean, his fist up in the air as if he would strike him. His veins stood out on his forehead and bulged at the sides of his neck as he continued to deny what Sean had
thought he already knew to be true. ''I'm sorry, Sam, I thought you knew, Laura is in therapy to try and deal with it." His response was to accuse Sean, "What lies are you putting in her head; she does not need therapy, she needs to come home so I can take care of her and not you!” He ended his tirade in disgust.

    Sean was baffled, not knowing what to do now, it was only then that he realized the office door stood ajar, suddenly Laura was in the room with them. Standing there, she must have heard what they had been shouting. “Laura, I did not know you never told your father.”

    Laura looked at her husband then coldly back to Sam and spoke in a voice of steel, "Father, you will help Sean, you will give him the money he needs. You will introduce him to whomever he needs to know. You will back him and help to make him president of the United States. If you do not do these things, Father" (she said the word with contempt) -I will tell all your political cronies, your well-to-do friends and business associates our dirty little secret.