Breaking The Routine

            Sam glanced at the setting sun, and then towards her watch. It was nearly six in the evening. She had spent the whole day thinking of what she was going to do and now it was time to do the correct thing for once in her life. She lifted her chin in determination as she patted her hair lightly making sure it was still in its immaculate bun. She smoothed over her dark skirt and blouse then started towards the house.

            She was sure if he saw her making an effort that he would forgive her. She tried to ignore the little voice in her head telling her she didn't really want to do this. That her father and her job could all go to hell. She stiffened, and told herself resolute. "No, this is the correct thing to do; this is what I should do. I need to stop acting like a stupid child who thinks she knows better than everyone else," Sam told herself quietly as she walked towards the elegant door of her childhood home. Her plan of coming to him had to work, if it didn't she didn't know what she was going to do.

            She knocked on the door and her father opened the door almost as if he was expecting her. "What may I do for you?" he asked coldly and Sam gave him a pleading look. "I thought I made myself clear yesterday!" He snapped and Sam lowered her head nibbling on her lip feeling so ashamed of herself.

            "I wanted to apologize. I realize now that you have been right and only have been thinking of my best interest. I also realize that I have done nothing to thank you for your efforts and in fact I seem to have done everything possible to make it harder on you. I know you're angry with me but I promise I won't cause you any problems again," she explained looking at him hoping desperately he would forgive her.

            Her father stood there in silence for a moment and looking at her intensely as if he was examining her soul. "What about David Andrews?" He asked and she shook her head side to side slowly.

            "I have told him it was a mistake. I realize that I was only thinking of myself and not of how it would affect you or the company. I will longer see him outside the office," she explained feeling her heart ached as she said it but she tried to swallow the pain. He opened the door wider so she could come in and she knew he had forgiven her.

            "Well then that will be not at all. I fired him today," her father told her as he closed the door and Sam's head shot up in surprise.

            "You're fired him?" She asked and her father eyed her with suspicion. "I mean I thought the company really needed him," Sam added trying to sound like she didn't care whether David was fired or not.

            "That was before the idiot decided to sue me on two counts," her father spat angrily and she looked at her father confused.

            "He is suing you, what for?" She questioned not understanding why David would do such a thing.

            "First due to I wanted him gone because he so foolish let himself be placed in a situation very unprofessional with my daughter and secondly he actually was pretending you two had a relationship and that because of my "harassment" you two were having relationship problems," he explained laughing as if what he just said was the funniest thing of the century. She chewed her lip trying to fight off the fluttery feeling in her stomach. David was seriously willing to fight against her father...for her.

            The idea almost made her giddy, but Sam shook her head in refusal. No whatever David was doing wasn't for his feelings for her, it was probably something as silly as pride. David couldn't really care for her like that, the only one who cared was her father and she wasn't about to betray him again. "I had just finished speaking with my lawyers, they actually want me to reach some agreement with that idiot, I guess his lawyer had made a good case for the harassment lawsuit," her father snapped then looked at her with a hard determined face.

            "Maybe I can talk to him, and get him to drop it," Sam said chewing on her bottom lip till it became raw wondering how she could fix all this mess she made.

            "No, that isn't enough. No one messes with me like this and now that you've come to your senses you're going to clarify that I didn't cause any relationship problems and what's more there never was a relationship to begin with!" Her father commanded her callously. Looking at him with a shocked expression while her stomach knotted painfully Sam knew she couldn't do that; she would embarrass David if she claimed that!

            "That would make him look like an idiot in front of everyone, I am sure I can convince him to drop it and there would be no need to embarrass anyone," she pleaded with her father but his face only grew colder and harder.

            "No, you will do this! That boy wanted to do the same to me, and if he thinks he can make a fool of me then he has another thing coming. If you really meant everything you just said then you will do this," Her father demanded and her gaze drifted to the floor seeing no way out of it and nodded solemnly.

            "Yes father, you're right. I will do it," she said defeated trying not to sound as crushed as she felt.

            Once back at home she paced her living room back and forth feeling sick. Her father had literally written out exactly what she was going to say tomorrow morning when they met with David and his lawyer. She really didn't think she could do it, it was lying and wrong. There was only one way out, she thought as she picked up her phone and turned it on The phone started to ring almost immediately and she saw it was David. She smiled for a second weakly thinking it must be a sign. If she could convince him then there would no need to lie.

            "Sam, thank God, you finally answered," David said sounding relieved when she answered the phone and her insides twist with guilt and shame. "Please let me come over so we can talk! Give me a chance. I know we can figure this all out," he pleaded her desperately. She bit down on her lip hard realizing that it was going to be so much harder than she imagined.

don't think that is a good idea David," she managed to finally say. He started to reply but she cut him off. "Are you really suing my father?" She asked focusing on her irritation that he would do such a thing and making it

   "Yes," David answered after a moment of silence. "He is wrong

           "No he isn't, you shouldn't have done that," Sam told him angrily. Why couldn't

listen," David started again but she cut him off. She couldn't let

  "No, I want you to drop it

    "And what about us Sam, he can just make

no us anymore! I told you that it was a mistake,"

          "No," he snapped, "Sam I refuse to believe this was a

       "I am sorry David but it was," she insisted

mind, but don't say it was a mistake because it wasn't. I don't fall in love by mistake," David argued and her stomach drop to

  "I can very well mean it Sam, and I do," he replied with a calmer

knew her; he can't be honestly in love with her! "David drop the lawsuit please," she begged going back to the subject at hand, not

before he spoke again."Sorry Sam, but I have to do this, I won't let him bully me around and you don't have

bully me around; he is my father! I

He may be your father but doesn't love you, not like I do. You don't have to do as he says Sam; I promise that I will be here for you...always!" David replied with a pleading

of course. She ended the call without saying another word. She just wasn't able to take any more. She fell down on the sofa tears streaming down her face. Her world was upside down and turned inside out. She wasn't so sure what was right any more. Sam begged silently

    The next day Sam felt herself shaking as she got stepped out of the car; she didn't feel prepared for what she had to do. She stared at the building trying to prepare herself for what was going to be quite possibly the hardest day of her life. No matter how hard she tried not to, yesterday's conversation kept running through her head.

was lying and because of that she hurt and betrayed her father! Her father had been there with her all these years and would be

and passed her up for someone else much more attractive than

            "I thought you got fired," Tabby asked her in a whisper when she

      "My father gave me my job back when I apologized," she said momentously revising what she had to get

    "So that's your choice then," Tabby

my father over some guy I have only known a few weeks and whom I met when I was drunk in a club," Sam shot back at the woman

        "Well that guy made you the happiest I have ever seen and that guy really loves you. You really

I to do when he moves on to something new

           "So that is your excuse for kicking him to the curb. Better I dump him before he dumps me? I got a lot of experience with men Sam. So I really know them and I can pick out a player, a prick, or a good guy a mile away. David is a good guy Sam and he isn't going to be around a few weeks then go away! He seriously wants to be with you," Tabby argued but Sam shook her head again

then Mrs. Simpson ushered David and his lawyer, which she was surprised to recognize from the night in New York, to her father's office. Sam ducked her head toward the table as they passed so he wouldn't see her. Her heart raced

           "Stop being such a coward Sam and take a real gamble on someone for once," Tabby pleaded with her when they had entered in her father's office and

going to happen," she hissed standing up as her

"What are

the office. David sat with his lawyer across from her father and his.

          "Sam what are you doing here,"