Phil slowly and calmly hung up the phone, even though the news would have infuriated any other parent. He had received enough of them in the past 14 months. He would never get used to the calls, he was simply resigned to them. It first started with the move from Chicago where Phil was a commodities broker and his wife Ann was a nurse. Kelly's bad behavior really peaked after Ann had been diagnosed with breast cancer, which killed her 3 months later.

Phil and Ann had made their move to a suburb that has a school district rated tenth in the nation. Phil gave up his clients and now from his home traded for himself and the family. Phil knew that while the home was a large and beautiful ranch style on three wooded acres, it didn't replace his daughter's lost friends. He couldn't figure why the death of her mother should cause his daughter's behavior to deteriorate to such dismal depths.

Where once Kelly was a good student earning B's and some A's now she was barley passing. It couldn't be the school since in Chicago she attended a private school that was pretty good academically. A once happy kid who loved playing games with her Father was now a sullen brat who considered him an intrusion on her life and was only good for money and rides. Once an honest child now a thief who was caught twice stealing from local stores. She didn't need the items and could easily pay for them. Before the move, a polite and courteous little girl, after her Mothers death, a rude and nasty demon spawn.

Kelly would be home from school soon. She'd be home for quite a while; she had been suspended for bulling a smaller girl. Suspended for three days, that brought them to Friday. Spring break started next Monday so she'd be home for twelve days. Or not, for if she couldn't or wouldn't change then Phil would take her to a boarding school. The school he had chosen was more of a private reform school where corporal punishment was freely and often used to keep the girls in line, a very straight line. There was little else he could do as the phone call from the school's principal informed him that this was Kelly's finale chance. Next time she'd be expelled, thrown out.

Phil heard the front door open and then slammed shut. How many times did he tell her not to slam the door, he had lost count. Into the kitchen she came flouncing in as if she hadn't a care in the world. Without a word acknowledging her Father's presence, she went to the refrigerator, opened the door and stuck her head in looking for an afternoon snack.

Phil had to face it, now was the time to confront his wayward daughter.

"Kelly dear, we have to talk."

"Yeah yeah, talk to the hand." she indignantly replied as she stuck out her hand.

That act was the straw that broke the camels back. Phil moved with a speed Kelly would never think him capable of. He grabbed that extended hand and jerked her away from the frig and pushed her, none to gentle, down on to the kitchen chair.

"What the f**k do you think you're doing?!!!" She yelled. Then she saw the look on her Father's face, never had she seen such fury in his contorted features. His eyes were ablaze, his forehead wrinkled; the veins in his neck bulged and pulsed.

"You Will sit there and shut up while I talk." he hissed though clenched teeth.

"But I..."

"SHUT UP I SAID!!!" With that he turned and opened a drawer and took out a roll of duct tape. He peeled off about 8 inches of tape and tore it. In two strides he reached his daughter who now sat with such fear she was unable to move as he slapped the tape over her mouth.

"If you try and take it off, first I'll tape you hands behind your back, and once I'm done talking I'll blister your butt. Which is something I should have done long ago. Do you understand?"

Kelly slowly nodded her understanding.

With that Phil started talking and that's putting it mildly. He compared her actions from when she was a good girl to what she'd become. He tried his best to do his impression of a Jewish Mother putting the kid on a guilt trip. He brought in the memory of her Mother. He finally started to ask questions, knowing the questions had to be rhetorical since Kelly couldn't answer. Finally he explained about the boarding school and what would happened if or once she got there. It was at this point that his face became flushed, his eyes misted and his voice cracked.

"I...I never could understand how people could send their children away to school. How can they love them yet send them away."

He stood beside her and hugged her head and started pleading with her as he sobbed.

"Don't do this to us. Don't make me do this to us. Please Kelly, please You have to change."

Little did Phil realize that he said something that did change her. Something he said plucked the strings of her heart. Kelly knew that she had hurt him but the crowd that she hung with was the dominating influence in her life at that time. Truth be told, she was getting tired of them and here her Father was crying, pleading and begging her to change. She really did love daddy, after all how many Fathers would quit their jobs to stay home and take care of the kids.

So many of her friends talked about their parents and the lack of communication and concern. They'd be given money to get the kid out of their hair. Kelly knew she had made a bunch of bad choices and now she would have to pay the piper.

In his emotional turmoil he didn't hear her crying. She stood up and put her arms around him and hugged tight. Together they rocked back and forth. She pulled away and walked over to the counter. Pulling open the drawer containing the dishtowels she started to pull out cloths. She pulled out cloths with vertical stripes, flower prints, pumpkin prints and all sorts depicting holidays until she found a plain white dishcloth. She wanted to say something but was still afraid of what Daddy had told her about taking the tape off. So she got the cloth, held it up and waved it back and forth. Phil didn't quite understand what she was doing so he carefully pulled the tape from her mouth.

"I surrender. And daddy I'm sorry."