The next day, I wake knowing today is my father’s funeral and I won’t be able to be there. It hurts, and it should bother me more, but for some reason I’m at peace with not going.

I look over and try to wake a sleeping Kyle. He slept with me last night because we were both scared from my earlier attack.

“Kyle, wake up, come on. You’re snoring.”

He jumps up, shocked at what I said. “I do not snore, how dare you.”

“You do, too. You’ve always snored.”

“You’ve hurt my feelings, and after I’ve been so good to you.”

“Come on, Princess, we have to get up, the funeral starts in a few hours. I don’t want to miss a minute of being in the casino alone.”

I finally get him up, then we eat breakfast and get dressed. I wear something simple because I don’t know what kind of investigating I’ll be doing. About two hours later, we were calling a cab to take us to the casino. I didn’t want to call a driver in case someone’s watching me or following my movements; a driver could be paid to answer questions. A cab driver would be too hard to find, and they usually don’t give a shit who’s in their cab.

“This is so gross,” Kyle whispers to me. “I haven’t ridden in a cab in forever. I don’t understand why we couldn’t just take a car service.”

“Chill out, Kyle, I already told you. There’s nothing wrong with this cab.”

“He didn’t even open our doors or ask us how our day was.”

“I know, Kyle, that’s the idea. In here, we are anonymous. You’re too spoiled, Princess.”

“Am not!”

I laugh at the shocked expression Kyle has on his face. He looks offended, and that was my plan. He is spoiled. He didn’t come from much money, but he sure acts like he did.

I met Kyle when I was little. His mother was a stripper working for my mother. He and I became very close, very early. When we got a little older, I had a crush on him. I thought he was my soul mate until I found out he was gay. He crushed my little heart, but then our friendship became stronger. My mom even took him under her wing and taught him how to sew. He took to it like a savant. He was mastering his skill at an early age. It’s like he came alive with a sewing machine. Which I was grateful for, sewing became his outlet, and he needed it.  He was picked on so bad at his school, many times he would come to the club with black eyes and bruises all over. His mom became so worried about him that she was ready to move away to protect him. I, however, wouldn’t allow that. I begged my mother to help them, and she did. She gave his mother more hours at the club while Kyle would stay with us. She also offered to help put him in my school, which was private and expensive. Mom said whatever Kyle’s mom couldn’t afford, she would help pay. But it had to be our little secret. He still got bullied at my school, but this time he had me. Like I said, Kyle is scrappy, but he’s no fighter. I, on the other hand, punch like my father showed me how to. I defended my friend against all the other kids and went home with a black eye or two myself, but my mom never got mad or fussed at me. She was proud, she said you always need to protect the people you care about. She also taught me to never back down to anyone.

Maybe that’s why I’m having a hard time giving up this casino. I know Judith or whoever else wants me out of the picture, but I’m not ready to give up. I’m not backing down from this fight. I know Kyle thinks I will, but I won’t. I feel like I have something to prove, and I have no clue why. I might go down, but I won’t do it without a fight. If that bitch Judith or the Sterns want a war, then I’ll give them one. All I have to do is find some shred of hope that it can be done and that my fight will not be for nothing.

We arrive at the casino to an empty parking lot. Kyle pays the driver while I look at the large building that kept my father away from me. I thought I would feel hatred towards being here, but I don’t; it’s just a brick and mortar building. But I see the life in it, I feel the appeal it must have when the lights are all on and the place is booming.

“Wow, this is it, huh?”

I nod. “Yep, let’s go inside.”

I unlock one of the many doors, and we enter the building and look for the main lights. It’s massive with loud, vivid colors. There are playing tables for all the games and thousands of slot machines. I can see a bar and a restaurant with a buffet layout. I also hear the humming of the slot machines running, they’re all still on.

We continue to look around, and I can’t help touching everything as I pass. I’m in amazement that my dad ran this place. It’s more than I could have possibly imagined.  

“Kyle, we need to find his office.”

He’s totally stunned, just like I am, but he nods his head at me. We work our way to the halls and begin our search for his office. Door after door we open until we find his. I start off by looking around the room; it’s a large office with warm wood resembling the panels in our club.

“I think I know where my mom got her idea for our club design.”

“You think? It’s exactly the same wood, stain and design.”

I notice there is a painting of a couple on the wall. It’s a man standing in a suit and a woman sitting in front of him. I’ve never seen them before, but I notice the necklace; it’s my pearls.

“Hey Kyle, look at this, it must be my grandparents. Look at her necklace.”

“It’s your necklace, isn’t it?”

“Yep.”

I study it for a few more minutes. The woman has kind eyes; in fact, they’re my eyes. I wonder if she would have liked me. Then I study the man, he looks stuffy and maybe a little like an asshole. Maybe he was kind; I don’t know, but I don’t think so. I continue to look around, seeing more pictures of my father with different people. Sadness creeps up on me because this is his office and there’s not one picture of me. What father doesn’t have a photo of his child? As I continue to look, I notice there’s none of Judith either.

Shaking my feelings away, I tell Kyle, “Help me look for a box.”

“What kind of box?”

“I don’t know, but my dad told me it was mine, and I want to get it before Judith can come up with some reason to have me thrown out of my inheritance.”

As Kyle’s looking for the box, I start looking at the paperwork on my father’s desk. Some I can’t make out, and some I know are financial reports, but they’re dated and wouldn’t help me in the long run. I continue to look through his desk to find anything that would maybe help me. While searching his desk, I find two little buttons under the desktop. I press one, and one of the paintings moves.

“Jesus, what was that?”

“That, Kyle, is a safe.”

I stand up and walk over to the safe. It has a digital combination lock.

“Do you know the combination?”

“No, but maybe I could figure it out.”

“Murphy, I don’t think you should touch that. What if it has an alarm on it? You know, one like if you mess with it too much, it’ll lock you out and call the police.”

“Maybe, but I want to try. I’ll give it three tries, and after that I’ll leave it alone.”

I try to think of any number combo that he might have used. I try his birthday, but it failed. I think some more, but I don’t know what else to try. I don’t know that much about him. I mean, I don’t know his wife’s birthday or his anniversary, but then I think of my mom, her birthday. So, I try that one, and nothing.

“What did you try?”

“I tried my mom’s birthday, thinking that maybe that was it, but now I’m out of options. Maybe I should just wait till I can get a locksmith here to open it for me.”

“You have one more try. What about your birthday?”

“Mine? I guess I could try, but I doubt that’s it. It’s worth a shot, though.”

I try, and sure enough, the damn door opens. Well, hell, it was my birthday. Kind of makes me smile. I open the door all the way and start looking into it. It’s filled with papers and books. I find one book that looks very interesting. It’s a ledger, and it has names and amounts in it.

“Okay, Murph, that’s enough. Put it back, you can’t take it.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because it’s not yours yet, and that would be stealing.”

I think about what he said, and he’s right. I can’t legally take it yet.

“You’re right, I can’t steal it, but I can take pictures of it. Here, take my phone. I want pictures of every page. I’m going to look for more.”

After sifting through the rest of the papers, I decide all I need for now is that book. Then it hits me there was another button under the desk. I go back around the desk, press that button and the picture of my grandparents pops.

“Shit, Murph, you have to warn me when you do that. It scared the shit out of me.”

Laughing, I say, “Sorry.”

We both go to the picture and pull it open and see a wide square cut out in the wall. It holds a large locked file box.

“There’s your box. What’s in it?”

“His love.”

“What?”

“That’s what he said, it’s a box that holds his love.”

“Look, I’m finished taking all the pictures of the book’s pages. Can we leave now? Being here makes me feel like a criminal.”

I say nothing to him as I just stare at the box. What could be in there? His love. I start to feel jealousy towards an inanimate object.

“Murph, close the painting and let’s go.”

I start to pull the box out of the wall.

“What the hell are you doing, Murphy?”

“I am not leaving here without this box.”

“You can’t do that, Murphy. You would be stealing it.”

“I don’t give a shit. It’s mine, and I’m taking it before Judith or the Sterns can find a way to take it from me!”

After giving it some thought, Kyle says, “All right, let me do it. You know you’re going to get us thrown in jail. I just know it, but I’ll do it.”

“Thanks, Kyle.”

“Don’t thank me, just bail my ass out if we get arrested – and I want the best attorney your money can buy.”

“Done and done. Have I told you lately that I love you?”

“No, and I don’t want to hear it now. I just thank God I don’t like pussy because I couldn’t handle being your man. Poor Mr. Right; whoever he might be is going to have to go through hell for you.”

“Funny, but the trick is on you because there is no Mr. Right. He’s a myth, a lie parents tell their daughters. Sort of like Santa Claus. But lying about a Mr. Right is just a cruel, sick joke.”

“I hate you sometimes, Murphy; you’re just trying to ruin it for me. I’m still looking for my Mr. Right. I guess I’m just going to have to prove it to you that he does exist.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just get the box and let’s go.”

* * *

We go back to the hotel with the box in tow. Once in our room, Kyle puts it on the coffee table. We both sit down and stare at it.

Kyle asks, “Are you going to open it?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know? You made me steal it for you, and you’re going to, what, just stare at it?”

“Leave me alone. I don’t know what to do with it. Part of me wants to open it right now, but part of me is scared to find what’s inside.”

We’re both quiet for a while, and then Kyle says, “I get it, just think about it. It’s not like it’s Pandora’s box. It’s just a plain box.”

“But it’s a box that holds his love, and I don’t know what that could mean, but I don’t think I’m ready right now to figure it out. Can you move it to my bedroom dresser? I’ll decide later. I’ve had enough adventure for one day.”

Kyle agrees and gets up to take the box to my bedroom. I need to call my mom.

“Hey, Mom, how are you?”

“Oh, Chéri, I’m so glad to hear from you. I’m fine, but I’ve been so worried about you. Tell me what’s been going on?”

“I went to see the casino today. It was closed for a mourning period.”

She practically shouts, “Today? Why weren’t you at the funeral?”

“I…shit, Mom, Judith hired security to have me thrown out if I tried to go. It’s all right, though. I used the time to go check out the casino.”

My mom shouts, “I should’ve kicked that bitch’s ass when I had the chance to. Damn her. Look, maybe I should come down there for a while to help you out?”

“No, Mom, thanks for the offer, but I can handle it and her. The will is to be read tomorrow. When I take over ownership of the casino, I’ll be able to tell you more about how long I might need to be here. But don’t worry about me, I’m handling all of it.”

“Are you sure, Mon Chéri? I feel like you’re not telling me something.”

“Yes, Mom. Look, I have to go. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

We hang up, and I wait for Kyle to come back into the room.

I am so mentally exhausted but not physically. “Kyle, let’s do something. You want to go shopping?”

“Why, yes, yes, I do, and I think you owe me something very nice and expensive.”

“You do, do you?”

“I sure do.”

“Fine, but I’ll have you know your friendship is costing me a lot of money. You might have to start putting out.”

“Fine, I’ll buy my own shit. I’m not a prostitute, I don’t sell my dick for trinkets.”

“Oh my God, you are such a queen!”

“I know, and don’t you forget it. Now get your ass up, and let’s go shopping.”