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going to insult my intelligence? I could only imagine what was going through his head, his thick, stupid, controlling skull at this very moment.
    “What is this?” I asked and held it into his view.
    “Fifty Thousand Dollars, kitten.” He stared at me with cold blue eyes and a smug look on his mug.
    “I can see that. Why?”
    “Change your mind about this ridiculous cruise thing and it’s yours.”
    “Ridiculous cruise thing?” I stood and tore the check in half, then carefully and slowly tore those two pieces in half again. I continued until I couldn’t tear it anymore placing the tiny pieces in my palm. I took a deep breath, held out my open hand and blew the pieces across my father’s desk.
    Fury? Hell hath no fury like me when I’m pissed, and I was pissed with a capital P. And when my father stood and leaned on the edge of the desk, ready to roar at me I placed one angry hand in the space between our faces as a warning and then flipped him clean off. I was satisfied that he understood exactly how I felt. Exactly!
    There was no doubt in my mind that every staff member in the house and every household for a two mile radius, knew that the wrath of Tandy had reared its ugly head, that all should quake in their boots and refrain from darkening my doorstep, or surely face an agonizing death when my bedroom door slammed to a close.
    My head was pounding, the pain was immense and I rocked back and forth with my knees pulled tight to my chest as tears streamed down my face. I tried to take deep even breaths but my ribs ached and the feeling had left my hands all together by now. I don’t know when my body finally gave in and I drifted off to sleep, I just knew that Friday couldn’t get here fast enough.
     
     

Day 57
     
    As it turned out, the past few days were spent resting and packing for my trip, avoiding all which was beyond the sanctuary of my room. Leaving only to take in nourishment and run a few errands with Henry, when I knew the old man was gone.
    Today the girls were coming over for a Bon Voyage party. I made arrangements with cook for a Caribbean menu. Yeah I know I wasn’t going on a Caribbean cruise, but the girls wouldn’t know the difference and quite frankly wouldn’t give a shit with enough Mai Tai’s and Margaritas in them.
    When Tess finally arrived, she was going to be late for her own funeral, the group was complete and the first of many drinks were served.
    “A toast,” Tess announced, holding her drink high into the air and waiting for everyone to follow suit.
    “To you bitch. May you get laid, correct that, may you finally get laid on the high seas! Here’s hoping!” Tess roared and everyone laughed, including me, the virgin Tandy.
    “Seriously, Tandy, I’m going to miss you, have a safe voyage.” Tess said and took a sip from her drink before giving me a hug and sloppy wet kiss on the cheek.
    “Okay my turn,” Lynn my friend who had married young and made us all jealous with the way her man caters to her every wish, he was hot and sexy and from what Lynn shared, hung like a stallion.
    “I’m seriously jealous. I hope you find Mr. Right on board. Here’s to hot, sexy, sweaty men and the seas they ride on. Cheers!” Everyone clinked glasses and sucked back their drinks.
    From her lips , I thought. Just a brief encounter would be enough for me, with someone that didn’t know who my father was or gave a crap that he had money, on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean where my father couldn’t interfere, where he had absolutely no control over my life or its outcome and I could just be me. Not George Manning’s little girl.
    Judy held up her hand and waited while the group settled down before adding her two cents. “You should’ve booked your holiday on Virgin Cruise Lines,” she laughed, the joke growing older by the minute.
    “Promise me one thing Tandy?” She leaned in. “Take along plenty of condoms but don’t give it up to just anyone…Oh and