Nine-ten a.m., blast that man! He said nine o'clock a.m. sharp! I told him I did not have time for this. All I want is to pick up my check and leave. I don't understand this meeting nonsense. He is such an old fuddy-duddy. Probably wants to make sure I am okay. I'm fine. Grandfather is gone and life goes on, what does he want from me? Molly O'Connor was getting edgier with each passing minute. She was sitting in the waiting room of Shaughnessey and Duggin, her, or rather her deceased grandfather's lawyer's waiting room. She did miss her grandfather more than she would ever admit to anyone. He was the most important person in her life and she loved him without reservation. But, he was gone and she was not going to give in to her grief. Life was meant for living and that was exactly what she planned to do. Her feelings of devastation would not get in her way.

Molly was not a patient person. What little she had, she was losing. She flipped through a magazine without even reading it. Suddenly throwing it down, she stormed over to the receptionist. "Miss, how long is old man Shaughnessey going to be? I'm not waiting much longer. Tell him I'm here and would like my check, now! I don't care if you have to interrupt him."

"I am sorry, Mss O'Connor, but Mr. Shaughnessey is on the phone with a client and cannot be disturbed. He knows you are here, please be patient. Could I get you some coffee or anything?"

"No, You cannot get me some coffee or anything, other than my check! Now I insist that you interrupt the old fart or I'll do it myself!" Molly was leaning over the desk screaming at the poor receptionist. The mini skirt she was wearing was very short and revealing far more than she knew.

Dan Duggin heard the commotion from his office. He figured it was Molly O'Connor causing the uproar. Tom Shaughnessey had warned him she would be a handful. Her grandfather had raised her from the time she was five, after her parents had died in an automobile accident. He had loved her with all his heart, but had spoiled her badly. He had never been able to instill any discipline; he just could not punish her. Consequently she was now a twenty-year-old spoiled brat.

"I'd better go break this up and get her calmed down. I may as well break the news that there will be a meeting, and she won't be getting a check today. If you think you're upset now, Miss Molly, just wait 'till you hear what your Grandfather had planned for you." Dan opened his office door and walked out into the reception area. The first thing he saw was the sight of a shapely brunette in a mini-skirt leaning over the desk. She was about five-foot-three, necessitating her standing on tiptoe to yell at poor Linda. Her hiked up skirt showed her pantied bottom peeking out. A pleasant sight indeed.

"Excuse me! Is there a problem here?"

Molly twirled around and faced him. "Yes, there's a problem, I want my check now! It was to be ready at nine a.m. sharp and it's now nine-fifteen. If I don't get it now, I am going into Lard Butt's office and get it myself!"

"You must be Molly O'Connor. I'm Dan Duggin, Mr. Shaughnessey's partner." Dan held out his hand, but Molly just ignored it. "Okay! I'm meeting with you and Mr. Shaughnessey as soon as he's finished with his call. Why don't you come with me into my office to wait for Tom; it'll be much more comfortable there." Dan took Molly's elbow and steered her into the office.

Molly started to pull away, but decided it couldn't hurt and maybe would speed things up. She needed this monthly check from the estate to pay her bills. She was supposed to be in class, but lately had skipped more than she'd attended. She had big plans for the rest of the day; most of which centered on shopping and partying with her friends. Since she was her grandfather's only heir, and he was a multi-millionaire, she had become quite popular. Molly took the seat at the table that Dan motioned her to. He sat down next to her. She realized for the first time, that he was quite nice looking. Well-built, over six feet tall, with auburn hair and hazel eyes ... he could be very desirable. At least he was easier to look at than Old Man Shaughnessey.

Molly had a scowl on her face. "Do you mind telling me what this is all about? Who are you and why are you involved in this?"

Dan was just about to answer her when the door opened and Tom Shaughnessey came in. He smiled at Molly and took her hands in his. "My dear, you are looking lovely as always! How nice to see you! Please accept my apologies for the lateness, but I had to take care of a client."

Molly pulled her hands away and wiped them on her skirt. "I don't care what you were doing. I have plans and I'm late already. Just give me the damn check and I'll be out of here." Molly stood up, preparing to leave.

Tom sat down at the table. "Molly, I told you on the phone, we need to talk about your Grandfather's last wishes. Now please sit down so we can go over this with you. It's important that you understand this."

"I know what his wishes were; he told me, I get everything after the bequests to the servants, so what is there to understand? Just give me--the check. Now. You asshole!" Molly was speaking through clenched teeth.

"Molly! I'm shocked at your language; there's no call for that, now sit down!" Tom addressed her in his sternest voice.

"Look, I am not sitting here discussing anything with you. You, scumbag are fired! I'll find myself another attorney." Molly turned and was on her way out the door.

Dan jumped up and blocked her exit. "Miss O'Connor, I think you should calm down and resume your seat!" He grabbed her arm and returned her to her chair.

Molly pulled away from him. "How dare you! Who do you think you are?"

Dan just pushed her down in her chair. He leaned into her face and calmly said, "That's one."

Tom cleared his voice, preparing to go on. "Now, Molly, you have to hear what your Grandfather specified in his will. You are right, you are the sole heir, but there are some things you must agree to before you get his estate free and clear."

Molly jumped up once again and leaned over the table. She grabbed Tom by the tie. "Look, I know what my grandfather wanted and you had better not be trying to put any strings on it. I will sue your fat ass from here to Sunday, understand!" Tom's face was beet red and he was unable to speak. He had never seen Molly so out of control before.

The words were barely out of Molly's mouth, when Dan grabbed her arm and sat her down again. "That's two, young lady! I wouldn't advise going for three. Now you sit there and listen. I don't want to hear another word out of you 'till we're finished here. Do you understand that!"

Molly just glared at him, but said nothing out loud. Who the hell does he think he is? I don't like him one bit.

Tom was having a hard time regaining his composure. "Dan, why don't you take over from here."

"I'd be happy to. Molly, when your grandfather realized that his disease was fatal, he wanted to provide for you in the best possible way. It was his observation over the last few years that he hadn't been exactly fair in raising you. He loved you so, that he didn't have the heart to give you the one thing he should have. Discipline. He realized that you weren't going to be able to handle life without that missing ingredient. In other words, he knew he had produced a spoiled rich girl, incapable of making the right decisions for her life. He--"

Molly was livid! "You absolutely are wrong! You are the biggest F***ing jerk I have ever met! You dare to sit there and say these things. Are you some sort of a pervert? How dare you." Having said that, Molly stood and tried to slap Dan's face.

Dan saw it coming and caught her arm. "That is number three! Now sit down! I told you, I did not want to hear another word from you until we were finished. Sit!"

Molly was taken back with his reaction. Sit, she did.

"As I was saying, your grandfather wanted to change things for you. He and Tom discussed this at length. They looked for someone to be executor of the estate and more. To be your 'guardian' shall we say? An executor with powers beyond those of the normal executor. They looked for and interviewed many candidates. Tom, as you know, is retiring soon. He was also looking for a successor for his business. I interviewed with both your grandfather and Tom on many occasions. It was our decision that I would become Tom's partner and successor and also the executor your grandfather was looking for."

Molly started to stand and say something. Dan quickly silenced her, "Uh--Uh, I told you, not a word!

"The letter I'm about to read was written by your grandfather. It was to let you know his wishes for you and the conditions attached to your inheritance. Please say nothing, until I'm done reading this."