virus that learned about Annual Blowout at the mall.”
Yvette expressionistic face gave her away as she threw herself into the chair in front of him. “C’mon, Daddy! I did good on my last paper, and I want to eat out to celebrate!”
“Then why couldn’t you say that, young lady? I prefer directness to the ‘over the river and through the woods’ routine.”
“I know, I know.” She pouted. “I’m sorry. If you want ... I’ll pick you up something, too. I know how rare it is for you get out and treat yourself.”
Mr. Madison raised his eyes up from the currency he was counting and his grin flashed briefly, dazzling against his dark brown skin. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, Sassy.” He knew the nickname wasn’t her favorite. He only called her that when preparing to give her a punishment to make her eat her words.
“Aw, Daddy. What now?”
“Since you offered, so why don’t you give me and all the workers here a little treat. Everyone is a bit hungry, so take this and get some pizza pies for us.” He handed her two fifty dollar bills.
“A pizza run, Dad? You know that icky guy in my chemistry class works at Papa John’s. C’mon, anything but pizza. Please!”
“Ah ... no can do. I think pizza is the most economical, don’t you Ms. Business major?”
“Yes, Daddy, it is. We did the equations the last time everyone wanted lunch on you. There’s no way I can get out of this?”
“That’s right, Princess,” he stated as he rose and escorted her to the door. “Yvette, you must remember a person is only as good as their word. So if you promise something, you must be prepared to pay the piper. I promised your mother I would love and care for her always, and I promised the mayor that this center could be a place of safely, learning, and growth. So, tell me, does your mother love me?”
“Yes, Daddy. She told you so this morning after breakfast.”
“Do you feel safe in this center?”
“Yes.”
“Did I teach you a lesson?”
“Of course.”
“Do you feel your brain expanding and wisdom developing?”
“No, I feel like I got duped.”
Mr. Mason chucked and hugged his daughter tightly to his chest. “You did learn something, and it’s a lesson you won’t forget. Be a woman of your word, honey. If you say you’ll do something, then you have to do it. And know that I’ll be proud if you do.”
Yvette remembered how her father had grinned at her as she headed toward her office. To this day, she always made a point of only giving her word if she could come through. She had assured Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher the center would be a safe haven during her position as CEO, and tonight she almost failed by not keeping her best friend safe.
Yvette dialed the police to report the threats and beef up security. It wouldn’t take a fatal accident to make her take the necessary precautions. “He thinks he can intimidate a little woman to pack up her things and leave. Well let’s see if some detective work will reveal exactly who’s playing puppeteer.”
“Hey, Rick, it’s Vet. I have a problem that needs your expertise.”
Caresse was thankful Graham drove his car around the Toms River area in complete silence. The last thing she wanted was a conversation. She needed find a way to get out of his presence so she could feel more like herself. Suddenly he parked his car at the shore’s edge of the Toms River and placed the radio on an XM easy listening station.
“We can talk if you want, or we can listen to the music until you’re ready to leave. The decision is yours,” Graham stated, his voice barely a whisper above the music.
Caresse stared out the side window into the darkness. She felt so unsure of her feelings. What she wanted was to get far away from Graham before the tears swelling in her eyes overflowed. She opened the car door and took a few steps toward the rear of his car. Graham got out and joined her, in time to see her push the tears from her eyes.
“Penny
Yvette expressionistic face gave her away as she threw herself into the chair in front of him. “C’mon, Daddy! I did good on my last paper, and I want to eat out to celebrate!”
“Then why couldn’t you say that, young lady? I prefer directness to the ‘over the river and through the woods’ routine.”
“I know, I know.” She pouted. “I’m sorry. If you want ... I’ll pick you up something, too. I know how rare it is for you get out and treat yourself.”
Mr. Madison raised his eyes up from the currency he was counting and his grin flashed briefly, dazzling against his dark brown skin. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, Sassy.” He knew the nickname wasn’t her favorite. He only called her that when preparing to give her a punishment to make her eat her words.
“Aw, Daddy. What now?”
“Since you offered, so why don’t you give me and all the workers here a little treat. Everyone is a bit hungry, so take this and get some pizza pies for us.” He handed her two fifty dollar bills.
“A pizza run, Dad? You know that icky guy in my chemistry class works at Papa John’s. C’mon, anything but pizza. Please!”
“Ah ... no can do. I think pizza is the most economical, don’t you Ms. Business major?”
“Yes, Daddy, it is. We did the equations the last time everyone wanted lunch on you. There’s no way I can get out of this?”
“That’s right, Princess,” he stated as he rose and escorted her to the door. “Yvette, you must remember a person is only as good as their word. So if you promise something, you must be prepared to pay the piper. I promised your mother I would love and care for her always, and I promised the mayor that this center could be a place of safely, learning, and growth. So, tell me, does your mother love me?”
“Yes, Daddy. She told you so this morning after breakfast.”
“Do you feel safe in this center?”
“Yes.”
“Did I teach you a lesson?”
“Of course.”
“Do you feel your brain expanding and wisdom developing?”
“No, I feel like I got duped.”
Mr. Mason chucked and hugged his daughter tightly to his chest. “You did learn something, and it’s a lesson you won’t forget. Be a woman of your word, honey. If you say you’ll do something, then you have to do it. And know that I’ll be proud if you do.”
Yvette remembered how her father had grinned at her as she headed toward her office. To this day, she always made a point of only giving her word if she could come through. She had assured Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher the center would be a safe haven during her position as CEO, and tonight she almost failed by not keeping her best friend safe.
Yvette dialed the police to report the threats and beef up security. It wouldn’t take a fatal accident to make her take the necessary precautions. “He thinks he can intimidate a little woman to pack up her things and leave. Well let’s see if some detective work will reveal exactly who’s playing puppeteer.”
“Hey, Rick, it’s Vet. I have a problem that needs your expertise.”
Caresse was thankful Graham drove his car around the Toms River area in complete silence. The last thing she wanted was a conversation. She needed find a way to get out of his presence so she could feel more like herself. Suddenly he parked his car at the shore’s edge of the Toms River and placed the radio on an XM easy listening station.
“We can talk if you want, or we can listen to the music until you’re ready to leave. The decision is yours,” Graham stated, his voice barely a whisper above the music.
Caresse stared out the side window into the darkness. She felt so unsure of her feelings. What she wanted was to get far away from Graham before the tears swelling in her eyes overflowed. She opened the car door and took a few steps toward the rear of his car. Graham got out and joined her, in time to see her push the tears from her eyes.
“Penny
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