Monday morning comes quick. I barely eat breakfast because my nerves have my stomach in knots. I dress in a tight hunter green dress and fix my hair to look as professional as I can. Kyle wears a nice button-down shirt with grey slacks and suspenders, and for flare he ties on a quirky patterned bow tie. I’m so thankful he feels well enough that he can come with me. I feel so alone in this; at least with him by my side, I won’t feel physically alone.

This time, we do take a car service; there’s no reason not to. From today on, everyone will know where I am, and that is at the casino. I’m a workaholic. I’m sure the casino will take up all my time in the foreseeable future. Just like it did with my dad. Whoever wants me gone won’t have a hard time finding me. Let them come, let them threaten me. Unless they kill me, I don’t plan on going anywhere.

We arrive at the casino at seven in the morning. The parking lot has a good number of cars. It’s not packed, but it’s early. I can’t imagine gambling at this hour, but hey, it’s money in my pocket now. Making an entrance into the casino gets me a few looks, but everyone really pays me no mind. Kyle follows me as I walk straight for the offices. As soon as I make it to my new office, a balding man stops me from entering.

“Excuse me, ma’am, I don’t know how you got back here, but this area is off limits to guests.”

I pass by him and open my door, leaving him shocked at my boldness. I throw my purse on the leather sofa as I take a seat behind my new desk.

“Ma’am, ma’am, I have to demand you leave. I told you, guests are not permitted entry back here.”

Kyle starts giggling, and I throw my feet on top of the desk.

“Excellent. I, however, am not a guest. I’m the new owner.”

His mouth drops, he looks at Kyle, then me. “Ma’am, I don’t know who you are, but Mrs. Judith told me she is handling the casino from now on.”

“Really, Judith? Huh?” I stand and walk over to Kyle. He hands me a document stating that I am the new owner. I take the envelope and walk to this pesky man.

“I am the new owner, not Judith, and this document will prove my standing. We haven’t been properly introduced. My name is Murphy Larussa.”

I hold my hand out for him to shake, but this asshole ignores it and tears the envelope open. I put my hand down and walk back. Sitting on the corner of my desk, I cross my arms and count down in my head how long it will take him to read and know that it’s true, I am his new boss. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four…oh yeah, there it is, his face looks priceless.

He clears his throat and says, “I’m so sorry, Ms. Larussa, I had no idea. I mean, it was never said that Mr. Murphy had a child.”

I swallow my hurt at the fact that it’s just been proven that my father never mentioned me to anyone.

“Yes, well it was on a need to know basis. Now that you understand who I am, who are you?”

“I’m Tom Williams, I’m your head of security.”

I stand tall. “I’m going to tell you this once. If I ever offer my hand for you to shake again and you deny it, I will treat it as an act of disrespect. I will not put up with my employees disrespecting me. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

He swallows hard, nodding his head. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good, because I know you don’t know me yet, but I am the boss, and I will be treated like it. I won’t accept anything less. So please, go pass it around that the new boss is a real bitch because trust me, I am.” I gesture in a shooing manner. “Go on, start now.”

He leaves the room fast with his tail between his legs. Kyle starts busting out laughing. “Girl, you are a total badass.”

“They will all learn that soon enough. Now, let’s get to work.”

“Okay, what’s first, Boss?”

“First, I want to meet with HR, and I want to meet with all my floor managers. Then we are going to tear this office apart looking for anything I can use to find out what the hell is going on. Got all that.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

I throw a ball of paper at his head that hits him right smack on his forehead. “Hey, don’t you badass me. I’ll knock that shit out of you, girl.”

“Yeah, yeah, Scrappy, get out.” Now to get to work. I start digging through all my father’s drawers. Some things need to be thrown out, but not a single piece of paper will go unread.

Two hours later, I’m meeting with HR in my office, and we go through the employee policies of the casino, some of which I change. An hour after that meeting, I have another meeting with all my floor managers at one time. Most were called in to work for this special meeting, but they all showed. Learning everything and trying to remain in charge is a difficult balance.  

It’s now supper time, and I haven’t left this office all day. Kyle and I are still going through every inch of space in the office. I find more ledgers, but so far nothing out of the ordinary.

“Murphy, I’m getting hungry; can we take a break to go eat?”

I want so desperately to leave, but I know if I want to make any headway, I should keep going.

“It’s going to be a long night. Why don’t you take a break, go eat? Hell, leave the casino for a while if you want, but I’m going to stay. Would you mind bringing me something back to eat, please?”

“Sure, I wish you would come, but I understand. I’ll find something you like and bring it back to you.”  

For the next hour, my frustration continues to grow. It shouldn’t be this hard to find why my dad borrowed the money, nothing makes sense. Why would he risk his life’s work? Hungry and tired, my aggravation takes over and I push all the bullshit papers off my desk. Then I throw my head down on the desk and curse my life. Fuck, why did I do that?  All I did was give myself more work to do, and now I’ve got to pick up all the fucking papers.

I stand and make my way around to the front of the desk, seeing all the damage my tantrum did. “Fuck it all!” I bend down, getting on my hands and knees to make my way around, gathering all the papers. Then I notice some have fallen under the desk. So, squeezing further down with my ass stuck in the air to fetch the papers, suddenly I hear, “Hello, Red.”

It’s him. I jump and hit my head under the desk, cursing as he starts laughing. “Shit!”