Chapter 7

After breakfast, Michael gave all of us these key chain things, and explained they were panic buttons. If there's ever any problem, we just hit the buttons and the authorities would be alerted and sent to us. We were also given small canisters of pepper spray to defend ourselves with until the police got there. We were all grateful for them, but a little scared thinking that they were needed. Michael, Susan, and Mom all said that they hoped we wouldn't need to use them. The rest of us agreed wholeheartedly.

Mini-golf was fun, but not as much as it could have been. We kept getting looks and comments from other former schoolmates. Some of the guys kept hitting on the girls and when they were all rejected, they started making comments about us and Johnny. Things got really bad though when we sat down to eat the lunch Mom fixed us. The manager came over and said we'd have to leave. "We don't allow outside food on the premises"

Joan said, "Is that so? Will you be asking them to leave?" pointing to a family having Little Emperor's Pizza.

"Or, how about them over there?" Natalie pointed to a couple of teens eating sub sandwiches.

All around us were people eating food from outside.

The man got red in the face and said, "I've asked you to leave now, will you leave or do I have to call the police?"

The girls started to get up and argue but Johnny held his hand out and said, "Girls. Girls, let's not stoop to his level. We'll just let our lawyer handle this."

The manager snorted. "Yeah, right. Like you snot-nosed brats can afford a lawyer."

He really shouldn't have said that.

Johnny and the girls each gave him a predatory smile and the man's sneer faltered. "Actually, Sir, we can." Johnny pulled out something from his pocket and took a card out of it. "My father's card, he won't be representing us, but someone from his firm will be when we sue you for the way you've treated us."

The man snatched at the card and started to toss it away when he took a second look at it. Then he went pale as a sheet, which was something since his skin was very dark.

Johnny said, "Come on, ladies. We'll head over to the country club for lunch"

"Wha ... wait. Wait!" The manager called out as he hurried after us. "I may have been a bit hasty."

"You can say that again." Natalie muttered.

"I can give you kids a break this time."

"Sorry, Sir. We know not to stick around where we're not wanted. Besides, my sister's already talking to our father."

And she was too. Loud and clear she said, "Hi Daddy! We're having a little trouble at mini-golf. The manager kicked us out because we brought the lunch that Lauren made us. He told us that outside food wasn't permitted even though there were lots of other people eating lots of other outside food too ... Uh huh ... He even threatened to call the cops on us and called us snot-nosed brats."

The manager winced painfully.

"Yes, Daddy. We're leaving now, Daddy."

By this time we were in the parking lot, heading for the SUV. Joan said, "Yes, Daddy" again and handed the phone to Johnny.

Johnny confirmed what Joan had said and then after listening to Michael said, "Yes, Sir. That's right. Understood. Later, Dad." He hung up and gave the phone back to Joan. Then he opened the door for us and turned to the manager. "You can expect to be served by five o'clock this afternoon."

The manager's shoulders slumped and he hung his head. Johnny climbed in next to me and we drove out of the parking lot.

"Are you really going to sue him?" I asked.

"No, we're going to sue him, all of us."

"Isn't that a bit extreme?" I asked.

"No way!" Joan stated firmly. "He was totally out of line."

"Absolutely!" Justine said.

Natalie agreed. "We've been bringing food in for years and never had a problem. Now all of a sudden we can't do it any more."

"And he singled us out!" Joan fumed, "He had no intention of kicking the others out."

"And then he called us snot-nosed brats!" Natalie added.

"Okay! Okay! I was there! Remember? It's just ... I don't know." I said feeling kind of lost.

Johnny put his hand on mine and gave it a squeeze. "Don't worry, Lisa. It won't go too far. A letter of apology, some compensation, him being replaced, and we'll let it drop."

"And if it doesn't?" I asked.

"We'll end up owning the place," Johnny stated calmly.

"Hey! That might be kind of fun!" Joan said excitedly. "Free games!"

"We can have that arranged as part of our compensation package." Johnny said, turning into the parking lot for a city park.

Confused, I said, "I thought we were going to the country club?"

"Who wants to eat with that bunch of stuffed shirts?" Johnny asked with a grin.

"Yeah! This place is more fun!" Justine added. Joan and Natalie agreed as they climbed out of the SUV.

"Dibs on the swing!" Joan called out, running ahead.

"Hey! No fair!" Natalie yelled, chasing after her.

Justine and Johnny laughed. I just shook my head and thought, Okay?

After we ate, we played in the playground and somehow ended up playing "regular" tag with a bunch of little kids. We had a blast!

After we finished playing, we stopped for dinner. Then they dropped me off at the library.

Work wasn't too much fun. Even my boss looked at me with disapproval. During my break she wanted to talk to me about my future there and I finally had it. A girl can only take so much you know! I said, "Okay, but if you fire me, I will sue."

She looked stunned.

"I don't know what I did but you've been looking at me like I'm diseased or something."

She tried to deny it, but she couldn't look at me in the face either.

"So what is it?" I demanded.

"It's ... it's just that I've heard some disturbing rumors."

"Miss Jones, they're just that, rumors. A lot of people are jealous and are spreading vicious rumors about me."