‘I’m taking the rest of today off, sucker! Ha ha!’ ——— I made sure I was early, and even checked to see if I could make reservations, some...hing set off to the side so as to be as intimate as possible. I checked my wool overcoat at the door, and went to the bathroom for a pre-game solo pep talk. I checked my hair in the mirror, adjusted my tie, cuffs, and waistline. I even applied a bit more cologne so it was still noticeable. Jittery nerves don’t even begin to describe what I was feeling. The. He left his entire estate to her, which made her financially independent.I didn't know it at the time, but Demmy was beginning to feel broody. I'm guessing she had plenty of boyfriends after Harold passed away, but she was always a traditional sort of girl, with no desire to be a single mum. So, still childless. Or child-free, depending on your point of view.Along had come Leonard. They'd been married for about five years, during which time he informed her that he'd changed his mind from the. ”“You know we’ll pick you up if you need a ride. Don’t drive if you are ... sleep deprived.”So, I was waiting for Cassie’s call Sunday evening. When I got it, it was not what I was expecting.“Daddy. Please come and pick me up. We need to go to the hospital.”“Are you all right?”“It’s not me, Daddy. Josh just called. He was beaten up and Denise is dead. Daddy, please come quick.”Bea and I were in the car a minute later. Three girls piled in the back seat and we headed to the hospital. All three. Still she seemed happy so I was happy for her.Then subtle changes started taking place. Since I was unable to find work she had me doing all the cooking and housework. I did all the washing and ironing and had to do her lingerie by hand. She also had me running errands, saying things like, "be a good boy and pick up my dry cleaning," or, "call my hairdresser and make an appointment Saturday morning for me." She had always been a bit domineering with me but since I lost my job she became.