"Your father is being evicted from the mansion. You need a place to stay. Besides that, I don't do things the normal way. I do things my way. Haven't you figured that out yet, little girl?"
There was little disputing that fact. "Okay. I'll tell my father and sisters where I'm going. I'm sure they'll be rational and understanding given everything we're going through."
Ty didn't respond, he just focused on getting his tie just right for whatever business things that he had to do.
"You're seeing who?" My father's voice raised.
"Ty. Ty Warren," I said, suddenly feeling a whole lot more meek.
It had been such a good morning too. I had a fantastic breakfast made by some chef whose name was so French that I couldn't pronounce it. Ty had presented me with brand new clothes to wear home, and my ride home even included a stop by for gourmet ice cream.
I didn't even know ice cream could be gourmet.
The feel good morning came crumbling down as I walked into my father's home. He was wondering where I had been all night.
I told him, and it didn’t go over well.
"That greedy miser scumbag? No daughter of mine is going to be seen attached to someone like that." He was shouting at me. My sisters were on the floor above, looking down at the two of us in the foyer.
"Father, he wants to take care of me."
"He wants to rub all of this in my face is what he wants to do. He's trash, Karen. He's why we're in the situation we're in. I forbid you to see that man again."
"Father, I'm an adult, I can make my own decisions."
"If you have any respect for me as a parent, Karen, you'll listen to me anyway. I won't let him lord you over me."
"I'm not a possession for people to lord over others," I said. I mean, unless I want to be. It's a free country.
"Karen, please. Don't torture your father like this."
He was standing firm in front of me. I was angry that he was reacting like this - but he was my father.
He did want what was best for me. He was blood, he was family, he loved me.
I couldn't just throw away that bond because of things like money. Or the pleasures that Ty delivered to me again and again. I couldn't just shun that, could I?
Sighing, I nodded. "Okay, father. I won't see him again."
Ow. I didn’t expect that inner pain to hit me so hard for saying those words.
"Thank you, Karen." His words felt empty, worthless.
I suddenly felt a huge surge of despair coming on. I didn't say anything else to my father, and instead bolted to my room and dove into my bed. Tears began to flow.
Why was I sobbing? I barely knew Ty. It was just one night.
Was it everything I was potentially losing out on? I did want to know more. How would he take care of me, in so many definitions of the word?
It was for my father. He was already going through a rough time. I didn't have to make it worse just because I was a hopeless horny teenager.
I couldn't bring myself to call Ty and tell him off. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't like Ty didn't have this intimidating presence about him. He was a man who was used to always getting what he wanted.
There was another gigantic teddy bear waiti
ng for me the next morning. With some effort, I dragged it into my room before anyone noticed. There was a note card attached to it - "Call me - Ty". I still couldn't do it.
Not even as another day passed and the courier showed up with a diamond necklace. He asked for my response. I told him I couldn't give him one.