Sitting down behind his new expensive desk in his newly renovated office on the second floor of the estate. He couldn't shelter his satisfaction on his face that everything is going his way, his daughter will finally be free from that albatross of a man.

 

A pound on the door disturbs him out of his thoughts.

 

" Come in "

 

Tommy Covington walks into the office with some trepidation he often has when he is in the presence of his father.

 

" Gabriella told me that you wanted to see me, dad? "

 

Daniel puts his hand on his chin. " Take a seat, Tommy. "

​

Tommy does what he is told by sitting himself in front of Daniel.

 

" Son, I know you're becoming a man, you're going to have sex, I hope you used protection. " Daniel notifies

 

The teenage boy feels intolerable about his own father talking about the do's and don'ts of sex.

 

" For your information,  Dad, I used a condom don't worry you're not going to be a grandfather anytime soon, or have me tested for any STD's either. " Tommy tells him.

​

Part of Daniel is fine with his son's response, yet hopes he takes this conversation he is having with him more seriously one of these days when it will be of value.

 

" Now let's address the subject of your future since you were expelled by that overpriced institution, I believe I have the best solution to your situation.  "

 

Tommy expects him to say he will be attending.

​

Exeter in New Hampshire.
Taft in Connecticut.
Some military school.

​

"Starting next week, you'll be attending Radcliffe High School. " Daniel answers

 

Tommy shakes his head in refusal like he would've preferred going to the military academy now.

 

" Dad, I can't finish my junior year in some redneck public high school. Is there any way I can go somewhere else? " Tommy pleads

 

Daniel points his finger at him. " If you think I'm going to pay fifty-three thousand dollars for you to attend another boarding school and your pension for testing the boundaries is going to cost you another exclusion that I'm not going to keep you bailing you out. Besides Radcliffe is one of the best high schools in the county, just give it a chance son."

 

Tommy rolls his eyes. "Ok, Whatever. "

 

Daniel clears his throat. " And on Mondays and Wednesdays, you will be coming to work at Covington after school too. "

 

Tommy is about to protest once again before the door to the room flies open which makes the two of them take an instant notice of Courtney walking in wearing a beige Ralph Lauren trench coat that is unbelted which shows off her long-sleeved blue ribbed dress.

​

Courtney trails over to her little brother who she did not know he was here in town. She wraps around her arms around her brother who is now taller than her now.

 

" Hey what are you doing here? " Courtney asks trying not look at her father who she is extremely furious with right now.

 

" How was your business trip to Puerto Rico Courtney? " Tommy changes the subject.

 

The two siblings let go of one another, and Courtney finally narrows her eyes on her father who is none of the wiser to her knowledge of his duplicity.

​

" Tommy, I will catch up with you later, I need to talk to our father alone."

 

Tommy quietly leaves out of the office leaving his older sister and father together.

 

Daniel is quite taken back that Courtney doesn't seem that much torn down emotionally about catching her boyfriend kissing his ex-wife. He wouldn't bring the conversation up until she does though.

 

" Hello father, I just came from the farm, and you will never believe what I discovered for myself. "

 

" What's wrong sweetheart? " Daniel inquiries

 

Courtney remains standing." What is wrong is that I thought that the one person in my life who is always is supposed to love me decides to pull something so underhanded it makes me sick. "

 

" What did Doctor Dolittle do this time? " Daniel says trying to further the conversation along.

​

" Oh no, it's not Steven dad, we're fine, you know when I got over to the farm I overheard Lorraine confessing to Steven that you wanted her to split us apart. " How could you do that to your own daughter daddy? " Courtney lays into him

 

Daniel stands up from his chair and tries to comfort his daughter. But Courtney backs away from her father.

 

"You have no right interfering in my life, I'm an adult who makes her choices dad, is the reason you had me going to San Juan was to get me out of the way so you can conspire with that bitch to have me dump Steven, wasn't it dad? " Courtney says

 

"First of all, you're a bright businesswoman, I wouldn't send you down there if you weren't capable. Steven Sullivan doesn't deserve you at all sweetheart, he didn't even tell you that he used to be married let alone has a son. " Daniel defends himself.

 

Courtney purses her lips knowing he partially correct that she felt betrayed about him not confiding in her about his past.

 

" We are getting through it. " Courtney states

 

Courtney then takes a few steps into the entryway of the door." I can't live with someone who is willing to take my happiness away, I'm moving out. " she proclaims.

 

Her pumps make the clickety sound on the hardwood floor to go to her bedroom to get her belongings.

 

Daniel retreats to his desk as much as he wants to call out to her to apologize to her for not trusting her to make her own decisions which aren't necessarily the truth. Yet he doesn't want her to waste her entire life with a guy who is already set in his ways as a man nearing forty.

 

Daniel stares a picture of his late wife Keri, on his desk beside his computer. He picks it up and kisses it he can't believe that she has been gone a year now.

 

"Babe, I'm losing our little girl."

​

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