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lollypops.”
    “Lollypops?” I asked totally bemused.
    “Cause if you aren’t indulging in oral pleasures with some sex god, you should do something to occupy your mouth. You don’t want to get fat at the endless buffets,” she laughed, as I gave her a slap on the arm. Smart ass bitch , I thought.
    She was in the group that had the most money riding on me not getting it on until my wedding night. They thought I didn’t know about the bet, this harebrained little virgin girl had very good hearing and wasn’t a fool.
    “Is that all you guys think about, is sex?” I slowly shook my head pretending to be all innocent, even though I was hoping in the back of my mind that the big bad V wasn’t long for this world. Hoping that it was jumping overboard with any luck, on a certain cruise.
    “Yeah!” They said in unison, loader than intended and we all laughed and cheered with our drinks.
    Sylvia was the shy one in the crowd, she sat back not quite sure what to say. Judy nudged her arm and encouraged her on.
    “I just wanted to say I hope you have fun, I always wanted to go on a cruise, aren’t you scared?” she asked, blushing.
    “Scared? Why would I be scared?” I said.
    “I can’t imagine going all by myself, that doesn’t scare you?”
    “No. I never really thought about it.” I hadn’t really, until now.
    I was going on a cruise alone, me myself and I, not a biggie. So what? What was there to be scared of? I mean, I knew I was going alone from the get go. I was okay with that. Should I be scared? Nah! Fuck that idea!
    “No Syl, so not scared. Think about it this way,” I held up my hand and with each point raised a finger. “No one to answer to, I follow my own agenda. If I don’t feel like going for dinner, I don’t. If I want to lie around the pool for three days, that’s what I do. If I want to read in my cabin, that’s what I do. I get to see a big chunk of the world, tour exotic places and spend lots of money. It couldn’t be better.” I high fived Sylvia and everyone had to agreed it was the perfect vacation.
    “I’m sorry I think you forgot one very important point Miss. Manning, my friend!” Tess interrupted. “If you want to fuck some gorgeous hunk, you fuck some gorgeous hunk!”
    I rolled my eyes and watched my friends laughing and chatting as Camille filled everyone’s glasses. My girls were the best. The very best friends a girl could ask for, impending bet and all.
    “You girls are un-fucking-believable and you’re the best, I mean it. You’ve been there with me through thick and thin. We really are the five musketeers. I’ll see you all in fifty five days. Cheers!” I held up my glass.
    The day ended with me having an extra-long soak in the tub, feeling a little fuzzy and light headed from the booze. The afternoon ended with a blast after my father called and told Camille he’d be late. The girls stayed a little longer than planned and Henry drove them all home, well tanked, each and every one of them.
    I lined my bags at my bedroom door and ran through the list of to-do’s, checking each off one by one before climbing into bed. I hadn’t seen my father all day, but heard him pass my door earlier, making no attempt to come to me and settle the rift between us. His problem I figured. I was leaving, he probably wouldn’t even miss me.
     
     
     

Day 55
    Bon Voyage!
     
    Henry finished loading my bags into the car and watched as I kissed Camille and gave her a big hug goodbye.
    “You enjoy yourself honey, and behave,” Camille ordered, showing the mothering side of her.
    She had to have noticed the gleam in my eye, the one that said fuck-behaving. A smile curled in the corners of her mouth and she slapped my hip. It was an I-know-you-too-well slap and I giggled mischievously.
    “I will. Hold down the fort and don’t take no crap off the old man either. I’ll be back before you know I’m gone.”
    “I know,” she smiled. I could see her fight back a tear when I