Emily Parker didn't wake up until almost 7:00 Tuesday morning. The first thing she realized was that she was lying on top of her bed fully dressed. The second thing she noticed was that she was about to be violently sick. After dealing with the second issue, she tried to remember what had resulted in the first one. She remembered meeting at the boat. She kind of remembered playing some kind of machine. She tried to think, but her head hurt so bad she couldn't concentrate. She must be coming down with the flu or something. Emily decided to just go back to bed until she felt better.
Connie Davis woke up an hour later in about the same condition. If anything, she was even sicker, since at her small size the amount of alcohol she had drunk was really impressive. She also figured she was sick with some bug and decided to go back to bed. Neither lady had ever been drunk, so they had no idea what a hangover felt like. They just spent the rest of the day in bed, miserable. Janice, of course, never heard from either of them, but she wasn't surprised. After all they drank she knew they'd live, but by that morning they probably weren't sure they wanted to.
Friday morning both ladies felt fine. Emily actually called Connie to discuss what they would tell Janice. She also hoped Connie would say enough so that she could remember what had happened. Unfortunately for her, Connie remembered even less than she did. In fact, Connie didn't remember anything after the first drink of punch, but of course she couldn't tell Emily that. So when Emily asked her what they would do, she just told her that they would decline Janice's offer. A casino was just not the proper place to take a respectable group of officers' wives. Since Emily didn't remember anything, and didn't want Connie to know it, she couldn't argue with that decision. She just told Connie she was absolutely right, and that she would call Janice and let her know.
Janice got the call from Emily about 1:00 Friday afternoon. Emily tried to sound haughty and outraged, since she didn't know what had really happened and she didn't want Janice to know that. She told Janice that she and Connie had agreed that a casino would not be an appropriate place for their gathering. Also, that since it was the kind of place Janice obviously frequented, they would find someone else to find a location for their ladies' day out. Janice tried to sound suitably disappointed, and, most importantly, she struggled not to laugh.
By noon Sunday, Janice had not heard another word from either woman. She figured that neither lady remembered enough to even know what trouble they were in. It was time to remind them. Janice called Emily, she told her she was very sorry that they hadn't like her suggestion, and she wondered what she was going to do about Mr. Vineti. What about him, Emily asked. "Well the $500 dollars you owe him of course, it's due tomorrow by 9:00." Emily asked Janice what she was talking about. "The $500 dollars you borrowed from the casino manager so you could keep gambling. The note's in your wallet."
Emily again told Janice she didn't know what she was talking about, but she'd check her purse and to hang on. When Emily got back on the phone, she was much more subdued. She told Janice she didn't remember borrowing any money and asked her what had happened. "Well, I'm not surprised," Janice told her, "after all you and Connie had to drink, I'm surprised you even remember your names." Emily told her she was crazy, she didn't gamble and she certainly didn't drink. "Well, you did Wednesday. The bartender gave you both fruit punches which you both loved. Then you each asked him for a second, and he suggested mai-tais would be even better. You both drank about 4 of them."
Emily whined that she didn't even know what a mai-tai was, "Well it's a fruit drink with a lot of rum in it. I tried to tell you both to slow down, but do you ever listen to me, no! Then you went to the $5 slots and just started playing and playing. You both went through all the money in your purses, and then you went to the ATM and emptied your accounts. I told you to stop, but you both said that I should just mind my own business. Finally, when you were out of money, you went to Mr. Vineti's office and he loaned you both $500. Then you both went back to the machines and lost that, too. I don't know how you're going to pay Tony back, but it's due tomorrow by 9:00." Well, Emily told Janice, she didn't remember any of that, but if any of it really happened she was sure it was Janice's fault and she hung up.
Emily looked at the note. It said she owed the casino $500 payable by Monday at 9:00. Well she had enough money in her account to handle that. Anyway, she knew gambling debts weren't legally collectable. She'd go see Tony Monday morning. She probably wouldn't have to pay anything, but she'd take the money just in case. Emily was curious about the note, it was odd that there was no interest charged and she wondered what consequences meant. Oh well, it wouldn't matter.
There was an ATM at the grocery store, so Emily walked over and withdrew $500. At least she tried to, the machine told her she had insufficient funds for the withdrawal. That had to be a mistake, so she asked for her account balance. When the machine printed $0.00, she knew she was in trouble. Even if she didn't have to pay Mr. Vineti, how would she explain what she had done with her $700.
Emily walked home and called Connie. She told her what Janice had said they had done. Connie told her that while Emily may have done those things, she most certainly would not have. Emily asked her to just check her wallet and let her know what she found. Connie came back a minute later. In kind of a hushed voice she told Emily that she had found one of those notes, too. Emily told Connie to go check her bank balance and call back.
Fifteen minutes later, Connie called in a panic. She had no money in her account. What were they going to do? She had no money to pay this debt, and if anyone ever found out she had been drinking and gambling, her reputation would be ruined. Emily told her to calm down. Gambling debts weren't legally collectable, and besides, they hadn't known what they were signing. They would go see Mr. Vineti the next day and just tell him he was out of luck. After all it was his fault for taking advantage of them in that condition. Connie said that took care of one problem, but how were they going to explain the missing money. Emily told her they would blame Janice for it. She had tricked them into drinking and robbed them. Everybody knew she was the type that did those sorts of things. Even her husband would believe them and probably give them their money back.
One problem took care of itself, that night. The general came home and told Emily that he and Colonel Davis had to leave for Iraq, immediately. They were being assigned to logistics there and would be gone for six months. Emily was to take care of the house and he would see her when he got home. While he was gone, Major William Adams was in charge, if she had any problems she was to discuss them with him. The general would send her $300 a week for her expenses. Emily complained that she would need more than that, but the general told her that people in his family did not spend money frivolously. $300 a week was more than generous. Within an hour, both men were packed and on the plane.
Emily called Connie and asked her if her husband had left her any money. Connie told her he hadn't, and he was only going to give her $200 a week while he was gone. She asked Emily what they should do? Well, Emily told her, they couldn't have anyone find out about the casino incident. They would go see Mr. Vineti together first thing tomorrow morning. Emily would pick Connie up at 8:00 and they would drive over together. They would give that Mr. Vineti a piece of their minds about how he had tried to take advantage of them. Then, at least with their husbands gone, no one would find out about the money missing from their accounts. It would be easy to explain that they had spent a little extra while their husbands were away. Connie agreed that it sounded like it would work. She'd be ready at 8:00.
Emily picked Connie up right on time, and they drove to the casino. They walked onto the main deck, and in a huff, demanded to see the manager. They were told that Mr. Vineti's office was on the lower deck and they were welcome to go down and see him. The ladies walked down the stairs to the office area and told the receptionist to tell Mr. Vineti that they wanted to see him at once. The girl told them that they were expected and to go right in.
Both ladies went into Tony's office and stormed over to his desk. Tony was impressed with what he saw. Emily was a little older, but she was, indeed, quite attractive for her age. Connie was younger, and if it wasn't for the scowl on her face, could only be described as cute. Connie was also extremely voluptuous. He hadn't really noticed the last time he saw them, but she was wearing a rather tight knit sweater this time, and it really accentuated the positive. Tony asked the ladies what the problem was, he was sure that they could work any difficulties out. He didn't want two such fine ladies to be upset.
Both ladies relaxed and Emily told him that it was so nice to speak to a reasonable person. Tony then asked them if they had the money they owed him. Emily started to speak, but Connie cut her off. "That's why we're here. You took advantage of us when you leant us that money. We didn't know what we were signing, and anyway, gambling debts aren't collectable, so we aren't paying you. We just wanted to come tell you in person, so there would be no misunderstandings."
Tony calmly told Connie he was sorry she felt that way. However, they certainly had understood what they were signing. Not only were the terms specifically spelled out on the papers, but he had gone over the terms with them verbally when they borrowed the money. If they didn't believe him, he taped all such conversations and he would be happy to have the tape played for them. Emily told him it didn't matter. They didn't think the debt was fair, and since gambling debts weren't legally collectable, there was nothing he could do about it.
The ladies turned to leave, but Tony asked them to wait a minute. "I'm sorry you feel that way. You're right, of course, those debts are not legally collectable. However, your husbands are both high ranking military officers. I'm sure their sense of honor would demand that they pay all debts. I will simply send the army copies of your notes, and ask that they be forwarded to your husbands. I'm sure that when your husbands see your signiatures on the notes, they will know that they are valid debts and pay the money that is owed. As I said, I'm sorry it worked out this way. My receptionist will show you out, good day".
Emily and Connie both stopped in their tracks. They couldn't have their husbands find out they were drinking and gambling. Connie's reputation as a moral leader would be destroyed. God only knew what General Parker would do. He despised all forms of vice. Last year he had court martialed an enlisted man for simply drinking in public on the base. The man had gotten 30 days in the brig. What would he do to his own wife? He'd probably divorce her. He might even claim that due to her immorality she was unfit. He would take the children. More importantly, she wouldn't get a penny from him. That couldn't happen. The ladies walked back to Tony's desk. They told him that they were sorry they had been so hasty. Certainly they intended to pay their debts. Surely, three such reasonable people could come up with some solution to this unfortuntate problem.
