The paper rustled as she smoothed it down with jittery fingers. She lifted the note and scanned it, and then she read the words again more slowly. A cry erupted out of her mouth. It began as a squeal of horror, but quickly gained volume and turned into a scream of fury.
Dad,
Gone to spend the night with Georgina. Back after breakfast.
Love,
Andy
PS. What's a lesbian?
Rick took a step closer. “If you've as much as laid a finger on her—"
"Don't be so bloody stupid,” Georgina yelled.
Rick glowered at her. “Simmer down. Angelina can hear you."
"This is my house and I shout if I want to."
He grabbed her by the upper arms and shook her. “Didn't you hear me? Keep your voice down."
"I heard you, but that doesn't mean I have to obey you.” Georgina yanked herself loose and began to pace up and down the room. She threw Rick a murderous look, but she lowered her voice. “I knew there are men who can only think with their dick, but this is the first time I've seen a real life specimen. Did you really believe I'm a lesbian out to take advantage of your daughter?"
Rick shrugged. He looked less fierce now, but the expression on his face remained uncompromising. “I didn't know what to believe."
"I guess that's because I've not thrown myself flat on my back and spread my legs every time I've seen you,” Georgina ranted on.
"You thought I was a pedophile."
"That was different. I saw you grabbing at her. My suspicion was based on evidence."
"Evidence that you had misinterpreted."
"But it was evidence that any responsible person should have felt compelled to act on."
Rick frowned. “And how is this different?"
"Because your precious daughter is pulling your strings, that's how. She did it on purpose."
"What do you mean?” A hint of uncertainty crept into his voice.
"Andy's a smart girl. Her vocabulary is probably bigger than yours. She would know the meaning of the word lesbian. But she would also know that you'd leap into all kinds of stupid conclusions and go berserk."
Rick lifted a hand and rubbed the flat of his palm over his hair. “I can't believe she'd do that."
"Of course she would,” Georgina told him. “Didn't you see how she was stuffing her face into the pillow to keep herself from laughing?"
"But why would she do it?” Rick said in confusion.
Georgina pursed her lips. Men were such tedious creatures, the way you had to explain everything to them. “Because she thinks she's one smart cookie, and she thinks she has us pigeonholed. I'm the prim spinster, and you are the tough macho man. She likes to toss us in the ring and see who comes out on top."
When Georgina heard what she'd said, the literal image of the last few words flashed through her mind. Blood surge to her face. “That's what I believe, anyway,” she finished lamely. Then she turned away to hide her embarrassment.
"I can't believe she'd do something like that,” Rick said, totally bewildered.
"Trust me. She would. Don't you see how smart she is? She hasn't even done anything you can punish her for. She didn't lie. She just dropped a vague hint. You picked it up and ran with in, just as she intended. You charged into my apartment, ready to throttle me."
"Son of a bitch,” Rick said, and shook his head in reluctant admiration.
"Not a son. Daughter. You've spawned a mischievous little devil who is far too smart for her own good. I wish you luck for the rest of your life, and believe me, you'll need it. Now go scoop up your precious offspring and get the hell out of my house.” The last few words came out on a distraught cry.
"Hey, easy now,” Rick said softly. He stepped closer and ran his hand along her arm in a soothing gesture.
Georgina let out an angry huff and slapped his fingers away. “Could you leave now, please?"
"Dad, is Georgina upset? I didn't mean to hurt her.” Andy stood at the entrance to the living room, looking contrite. “It was just a joke."
"I think you went too far this time, honey.”
Dad,
Gone to spend the night with Georgina. Back after breakfast.
Love,
Andy
PS. What's a lesbian?
Rick took a step closer. “If you've as much as laid a finger on her—"
"Don't be so bloody stupid,” Georgina yelled.
Rick glowered at her. “Simmer down. Angelina can hear you."
"This is my house and I shout if I want to."
He grabbed her by the upper arms and shook her. “Didn't you hear me? Keep your voice down."
"I heard you, but that doesn't mean I have to obey you.” Georgina yanked herself loose and began to pace up and down the room. She threw Rick a murderous look, but she lowered her voice. “I knew there are men who can only think with their dick, but this is the first time I've seen a real life specimen. Did you really believe I'm a lesbian out to take advantage of your daughter?"
Rick shrugged. He looked less fierce now, but the expression on his face remained uncompromising. “I didn't know what to believe."
"I guess that's because I've not thrown myself flat on my back and spread my legs every time I've seen you,” Georgina ranted on.
"You thought I was a pedophile."
"That was different. I saw you grabbing at her. My suspicion was based on evidence."
"Evidence that you had misinterpreted."
"But it was evidence that any responsible person should have felt compelled to act on."
Rick frowned. “And how is this different?"
"Because your precious daughter is pulling your strings, that's how. She did it on purpose."
"What do you mean?” A hint of uncertainty crept into his voice.
"Andy's a smart girl. Her vocabulary is probably bigger than yours. She would know the meaning of the word lesbian. But she would also know that you'd leap into all kinds of stupid conclusions and go berserk."
Rick lifted a hand and rubbed the flat of his palm over his hair. “I can't believe she'd do that."
"Of course she would,” Georgina told him. “Didn't you see how she was stuffing her face into the pillow to keep herself from laughing?"
"But why would she do it?” Rick said in confusion.
Georgina pursed her lips. Men were such tedious creatures, the way you had to explain everything to them. “Because she thinks she's one smart cookie, and she thinks she has us pigeonholed. I'm the prim spinster, and you are the tough macho man. She likes to toss us in the ring and see who comes out on top."
When Georgina heard what she'd said, the literal image of the last few words flashed through her mind. Blood surge to her face. “That's what I believe, anyway,” she finished lamely. Then she turned away to hide her embarrassment.
"I can't believe she'd do something like that,” Rick said, totally bewildered.
"Trust me. She would. Don't you see how smart she is? She hasn't even done anything you can punish her for. She didn't lie. She just dropped a vague hint. You picked it up and ran with in, just as she intended. You charged into my apartment, ready to throttle me."
"Son of a bitch,” Rick said, and shook his head in reluctant admiration.
"Not a son. Daughter. You've spawned a mischievous little devil who is far too smart for her own good. I wish you luck for the rest of your life, and believe me, you'll need it. Now go scoop up your precious offspring and get the hell out of my house.” The last few words came out on a distraught cry.
"Hey, easy now,” Rick said softly. He stepped closer and ran his hand along her arm in a soothing gesture.
Georgina let out an angry huff and slapped his fingers away. “Could you leave now, please?"
"Dad, is Georgina upset? I didn't mean to hurt her.” Andy stood at the entrance to the living room, looking contrite. “It was just a joke."
"I think you went too far this time, honey.”
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