A black – haired man in his mid – forties finished brushing his teeth. Today his amber eyes were sparkling with happiness. He'd been told from a friend of his that he paid a visit to a gypsy fortune teller. He never believed in such things like that, but he decided to see for himself if there actually was a gypsy fortune teller. Who knows? He might start believing in those silly things, but he'd have to wait and see for himself.

Bruce Pate left the restroom when he'd finished brushing his hair and teeth. From his teenage years until age forty – five, Bruce never found the perfect girl he wanted to marry. Maybe this silly fortune teller could tell him something on his future with a family. His friend gave him directions to where he could meet the fortune teller. He memorized the address in his head.

Bruce decided that since he didn't have to go to work this weekend, he would fool around and see what he could find. His friend told him his visit to the fortune teller said she told him his future was to have a mission involving United Kingdom.

"These silly fortune tells don't exist, but I'll check anyway. Maybe even tell me what my future holds about marriage," Bruce told his himself.

He walked on the sidewalks until he saw the place his friend mentioned. He saw the there actually was a fortune teller. He walked over, saying to himself, "These things don't exist. Let me try my luck."

He saw she was also in her forties and had blue eyes. He thought she was beautiful. So he answered her question.

"No, ma'am," he told her.

"Then why are you standing here by the fortune teller?" she asked.

She was beginning to think Bruce was acting strange.

"Sir, what's your name?" she asked, still looking in Bruce's direction.

"Bruce Pate. And your name –"

"Julie Ward," she answered.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Ward," Bruce said as he shook her hand.

"Actually, I'm not married. And it's nice meeting you as well, Mr. Pate."

"Were you going anywhere before you showed up?" Bruce asked.

"Just for a walk, that's all. Care to join me?" Julie asked.

Bruce thought to himself, 'I think she's beautiful. Maybe once I get to know her we can have a relationship and end up being husband and wife. Let's see what the future holds.'

When he finished thinking, he answered, "I'll join you. How do you prefer your name – Julie or Ms. Ward?" he asked.

So Bruce left the fortune teller. Before he left to join Julie, he whispered, "Thank you for the woman I might have a relationship with."

The fortune teller replied back, "You're welcome, sir. I wouldn't rush on the relationship if I were you."

"I won't let that happen," he whispered again.

Julie didn't seem to notice right away that Bruce was still with the fortune teller. She thought to herself, 'I think he's the strangest person I've ever met. I do think I can give it a try at a relationship. I hope nothing will go wrong. Let's see what happens.'

Before rejoining Julie, Bruce whispered one more time, "What will my future hold for this woman?"

"You will do something you shouldn't be doing if you want the relationship to go in the right direction. It will also make the relationship hard once you do that wrong thing. After that, you won't be able to have a relationship with any other girl."

"Tell me what I would do her wrong," he told her.

"That will be something you will find out for your own."

That wasn't the right answer he wasn't looking for. As for now, he had a feeling he started to believe in fortune telling. He decided to keep quiet about this.

So the fortune teller told him, "You must be on your way. She is now thinking of leaving you behind."

"It was nice meeting you," he told the fortune teller.

She said nothing more. Then he ran to catch up with Julie.

"Sorry it took a long time. I was giving a short prayer," he lied to her.

Julie didn't give Bruce an answer. She usually didn't talk when she went on walks, and she told Bruce that. He said it was okay. Then they continued their walk in silence.

2: Blackjack Game Cancelled

At home that same night, Bruce thought how interesting his day was before he met this Julie woman. A walk around town with a friend to a bakery shop, checked out this silly fortune teller and finishing his walk with a girl he'd just met. He didn't want to think about paying any other visit to any fortune tellers in the future anytime soon, but he did think he best part of today was Julie. He'd like to find out to see if there would be any other dates with Julie, and so far he seemed to like her.

Bruce usually did like the idea to keep track of what he did on that certain day, but he knew for sure that women mostly did keep a diary they want to keep to themselves without sharing with anyone, but today's events were something he would like to look back. So that's what he did.

Maybe tomorrow he'd pay a visit to the casino and play some blackjack and try to win some money. He grabbed out his wallet. He counted the money that was left – five dollars and nine cents. 'Hope I win some money. I don't like using a bank to take money out of a savings account.'

Brice awoke to a rainy day. He opened his window shades after he made his bed. He usually did that every day except when he was out on the road. He didn't have any travel dates coming up, so today looked like a good day to visit the casino. This is what he did for a living – gambling. He did find out for himself that gambling could be part of a crime, but he'd never been caught once.

As he walked down the stairs to the kitchen, he saw there was a message on his machine. It was from somebody he kept in touch with at the casino. He pressed the PLAY button. Here's what the message said:

"Hi, Bruce. This is Carl. I wanted to call ahead of time so you'll know what's going on. The police department came by sometime after you left. Some of the guys were arrested by stealing big money from the blackjack game. So tonight is out of the question. I'll keep you posted."

Then it was the end of the message.

Bruce didn't like the news he'd just heard. He didn't have much money left in his pocket to last him very long. He usually never cared or believed in taking money in and out of the bank. He liked to think that sounded stealing, and he decided to keep that belief for the rest of his life. Right now he still had the fortune teller's warning. He thought to himself, 'What did she mean by me doing something wrong to her? I'll have to find out for myself.'

3: A Phone Call to Julie

About a week or two later, Bruce was at his house, listening to an old rock and roll station that went back to the 1960s. Right now he was listening to 'Runaway' from Del Shannon. It was always one of his favorites from that era. 'Runaway' died down and the Association came on with 'Cherish.'

Bruce thought of asking Julie if she would like to go out to supper with him, even if it meant they hadn't known each other for very long, but he hoped this would be the right time to give this relationship going. He had never been married, but had all sorts of girls dumping him back in his high school and college years, and he didn't want Julie to do the same thing.

Bruce grabbed out the telephone book to see if Julie would be found so he could call her. He remembered when they both talked on their walk and she did mention her last name happened to be Ward, so it took him a while to go to the 'W' directory to see if he could look her up.

When he found her name, he wrote down her address and telephone number just in case he lost it for future contacts. He had found e – mail somewhat helpful, so he logged into his account. Maybe this would help to put her name in his address book.

After adding Julie to his contact list, he saw he didn't have many e – mails to respond, so he logged off. He did have some accounts on a few social media websites, but he hardly used the computer. He usually was out of the house a lot, but as a gambler, he never cared for going online.

Bruce still wanted to get in touch with Carl again later this week to see if there would be any games in progress after his recent telephone conversation. He needed more cash badly because he didn't have much cash left in his pocket.

Bruce sighed as he picked up the telephone and called Julie. There was no need to keep his fingers crossed, but again she might not be home to take his call. He listened to the ringing sound of her telephone. He said to himself, 'Please be home, Julie.'

So his thoughts were wrong and that didn't make him very happy, so all he could do was leave a message, but if Julie ever listened to his message, maybe she would call him back and once again he told himself there was no need to cross his fingers. That's when he hung up after giving his name and number. Once he put the phone back, he told himself, 'I'm not going to bother telling her I gamble for a living and she doesn't need to know.'

4: Julie Tells About Bruce

Julie was also thinking about Bruce. Even if she just met him, she liked him immediately. She didn't want to think about rushing in a relationship with somebody she just met, so now wasn't the time to think about having a family with somebody she just met. She sighed a second time that day. She wished Bruce would give her his telephone number so they could have telephone conversations but she turned out to believe this thought.

Julie didn't bother looking up Bruce in the telephone book. She wasn't so sure when she will be able to see and talk to Bruce again. She even wondered if Bruce was also thinking about her, but it really didn't matter, but did have a feeling Bruce was thinking of her as well.

While Bruce was still on her mind, it made Julie wonder what he had been doing for a living. Another question popped up in her mind. What if he planned on keeping from telling her what he did for a living? She decided to keep that thought to herself for now. So she picked up the telephone ad punched in a number.

She listened to the telephone ring two more times before somebody picked up to answer her. There was no use to cross her fingers. She was in luck. A woman's voice on the other end of the line said, "Hello?"

Julie felt a lump in her throat, and swallowed.

"Hi, Sharon. This is Julie."

"Julie! What a pleasant surprise to hear from you! How are you doing? I've thought of calling you also. Is there something you wish to tell me?" Sharon asked.

"Actually, there is, Sharon. I thought this was a good time to call."

"Is this something to do with boys?" she asked.

"How did you guess that? And yes, it is about men, of course."

"Go ahead and tell me what is on your mind," Sharon said.

This was one of the reasons she liked about Sharon. The girls have been friends for about thirty years, and Sharon could sometimes easily figure out what Julie had on her mind.

"Well, Sharon, this time it made me wish you were with me. I took a walk and found this cute guy. I somehow thought he was a strange character. I saw him standing by a fortune teller," Julie began.

"That does sound odd to me too from what you just told me. I don't believe in that sort of thing either. So did this guy believes in silly things like this?" Sharon asked, agreeing with Julie.

"I have no idea, Sharon. Once he left the fortune teller, he decided to join me on my walk, so I let him come along. He does sound friendly," Julie told her friend.

"Julie, this guy give you his name?" Sharon asked.

"He told me it was Bruce Pate," Julie answered.

"Pate, huh? That's a new name to me. Who knows, maybe he'll tell you what kind of job he has. Whatever it is, I hope you will find his career interesting."

"I don't know about that," Julie said.

5: Bruce Talks to the Fortune Teller

Bruce decided to pay another visit to the fortune teller he talked with just a couple of days ago. He still wanted to find out what she meant by having did something wrong to Julie, buy he didn't want to be left by a cliffhanger and find out for himself. So he did just that.

Once he made it to the same area where he'd met Julie, the fortune teller was still there. He put a nickel and dime in since it only took fifteen cents to have a fortune being told. He still believed in these silly fortune tellers. How much longer would he have to stop believing in such a thing like this? That he would have to answer for himself.

"What sort of wrongdoing will I do for the redhead I wanted?" Bruce asked.

"I told you the answer, and like I said before, you shall find out for yourself."

"So that means you know what happens while I don't? That makes no sense to me, but this is why I came back to pay another visit. I really don't like cliffhangers, and that's what is going on right now."

The fortune teller did not give an answer to Bruce, so she left it the way she told him when he asked the first time.

"I always leave cliffhangers to visitors when they come this way and figure the answer out for themselves," she said.

After that, she was finished on Bruce's visit, but it wasn't often when people like Bruce would come back for a visit.

Once Bruce saw the visit ended, he decided to go ahead for the rest of his day. He sighed once he left the fortune teller. Maybe his belief in these silly fortune tellers already ended. He hoped this fortune he received would come true or not. That he would have to find out for himself. Plus this fortune he'd received sounded like a romantic mystery to him, but he didn't know if Julie agreed. It was time to pay a visit to John.

6: Julie's Thoughts

Julie still couldn't take Bruce off of her mind, but with somebody she'd just met was odd. To her fortune tellers didn't exist, but meeting Bruce recently might even wouldn't last long enough for a friendship relationship, but with the guys she'd dated until today the relationship lasted about six to ten months, and then it was time for a relationship and she didn't want this to happen with Bruce.

She was a police officer's daughter while growing up, so she learned about using a gun for protection, but when he got older, her father taught her to shoot. When he reached old age, he left her the gun he used while working in the police department, but she did have lots of target practice. At least she would never know if she needed protection if Bruce was like the other guys she'd dated.

She'd kept her father's gun in a safe place. Some of her friends never knew she kept the gun, but it was never loaded when she needed the weapon. She'd keep it unloaded until it would be used again in the future. Julie wasn't a fan of thinking, he loves me, he loves me not and she liked to be surprised on would happen, but none of these guys in the past weren't known as love in first sight.

Julie really wanted a family, but she'd been trying to hard since the high school years, and it kept failing until Bruce came along, and ever since the meeting, Bruce that something would be positive. Would Bruce want to be her husband until death? She found out that question she kept asking herself was hard to answer. If Bruce was the right person, it would be an answered prayer. Again she could be wrong. It made no sense to keep fingers crossed.

7: Bruce Talks About Julie

Meanwhile, Bruce made a telephone call to John and they had a nice conversation.

"John, I'm still short on money. Can I come back and play the blackjack game or are the cops still trying to come up with arresting people?" Bruce asked.

He was now to seventy – five cents and he never bothered opening a bank account.

"We can start again, Bruce. We just haven't done anything for a while," John answered.

"I have some news for you," Bruce said.

"What's that, Bruce?"

"I found the right woman I've been looking for. You would really like this woman."

"Oh, yeah? Who is she?"

"I met her the day the police came by to the casino. We met at that place where the fortune tellers can't be positive all the time."

Bruce seemed to agree with his friend.

"I guess you're right, John. This woman is the redhead I've been searching for."

"What does she look like?" John asked with interest.

It wasn't very often he and Bruce talked about women, and today seemed to be the perfect day to get caught up. Bruce always shown made interest in women than John did, but it never happened much when John would share with Bruce about his previous evening with a girl. Now it was Bruce's turn.

"Did she say what her name was and her age?"

"She didn't give her age, but she looks to be somewhere in her late thirties to early forties, but it's hard to tell. Her name is Julie Ward. She has light red hair and blue eyes. I want you to meet her someday."

"That sounds like a good idea, Bruce. Why don't you bring her to the casino with you so we could meet this Julie?"

"I don't think I want to do that, John. The thing is, I don't want her to figure out what I do for a living. I don't want her to think I'm no good for her. Do you think she wants a relationship with me or what?"

"Have you and this Julie start dating?" John asked.

"Not yet, but I'll try to set up a date and see what she thinks. What if she turns down my invitation?" Bruce asked worriedly.

"You don't need to worry about it, Bruce. Just take the relationship with Julie as slowly as you can. I wouldn't rush it. This is why all the other girls you met in the past stopped dating you because you wanted to move forward too fast and they didn't want that. Think about it some more and you'll see my point. The other guys and I shall look forward to seeing you on Friday this week, same time and same place."

That's when John left the conversation. When John hung up, Bruce saw John had a good point. It was something to think about.

8: Blackjack Game Continued

As the week came to the end for a new new start, Bruce headed back to join his friends at the casino and see if he could win some money. Bruce didn't want to tell Julie he gambled for a living. If he did choose to tell her, she might not want to continue seeing him, and that was something he would keep to himself.

So Bruce made it just in time to join the guys. Some of them hadn't yet arrived, but Bruce was used to it.

"We missed you, Bruce. We're happy to have you back."

"Thank you. I'm happy to be back. I hope I can win some money and I'm already low on money," Bruce said.

Bruce was never into banking, so opening a bank account was something he didn't believe in because he didn't want his money stolen, so that was why he kept all of the money to himself.

Bruce was the first to start the blackjack game.

He asked aloud, "Will I get to see Julie as a girlfriend or not?" as he gave out his bet.

"Who the heck is Julie?" a guy named Clarence asked.

"She's a girl I met when the police got involved. She's really pretty."

"How did you meet her?" Clarence asked.

Bruce saw he won $15.00 right now. It was his turn to continue.

I'm sure you guys all have heard of fortune tellers," Bruce began.

All of his friends nodded, but they did understand what Bruce just mentioned. They did know about fortune telling.

"What about it?" another guy asked.

"I was standing by a gypsy fortune teller when Julie walked by. I did get my fortune told."

"What was your fortune?"

"I was to meet a redhead and I would do something wrong to her," Bruce answered, and then added, "I thought I would see for myself if these fortune teller machines told the truth."

"Did believe the fortune teller?" Clarence asked.

"In a way, yes. And right now I'm not so sure if I do anymore."

"Those things are fake," Clarence said when he won ten dollars.

The other fuys who were there seemed to agree with him.

"Why are they a fake?" Bruce asked.

"I asked for a redhead and it came true. I still haven't figured out what the gypsy meant about doing something I shouldn't done. I asked the gypsy that myself, but the only answer I got was I'd have to figure it out for myself."

"Does Julie know you gamble?"

"Of course not! I don't want to tell her! I think if I did tell her, she wouldn't be able to continue seeing me, so I prefer she doesn't try to figure this one out."

He saw it was his turn again after he finished saying that last word. Je won that hand, so he won another fifteen dollars. The second hand he lost five dollars. He didn't want to loose anymore after the last game he had before the police came in on the picture.

9: A Phone Call to Julie II

Bruce received a telephone call from Julie once he came back home from his weekly blackjack game. This time he won eighty dollars. At least this would last him for a while. He walked into the kitchen of his apartment and saw his landlord wrote down the message. He looked at the number the landlord wrote down the number the landlord wrote down. So he grabbed out his phone and punched in the number.

He listened as he heard somebody say, "Hello?"

"Is a Julie Ward around?"

"She is. What did you say your name was?" the woman asked.

"Bruce Pate," he answered.

"Wait a moment, please."

He waited two minutes before he heard Julie say, "Hello?"

"Julie, this is Bruce. We met by the gypsy fortune teller."

"Of course I remember you, Bruce."

"I got your message and would you like to go out with me?" he asked.

"Isn't our relationship starting to be rushed? I really don't know you, but I'd like to take our relationship slow. I'm sure you've had this same problem before."

"Of course I have experienced it several times, Julie. I'm going to do my best to never do that again."

"Once we first met at that gypsy fortune teller, I thought you were weird because you were having your fortune told. Who believe in silly things like that?"

"I do, or used to. I'm beginning to think my fortune is happening just like the gypsy told me so far. I asked for a red – haired girl. I got what I wanted. Before you came along in my life, Julie, I was breaking up with a blonde, and now I got that wish."

"Oh. But that's still strange to me," Julie said, "but this is the first time I met someone who visited a gypsy fortune teller, and of course I'll give our relationship another chance. If something happens between us the way we didn't expect, I'll leave, you understand?"

"Yes, Julie, I understand."

He didn't want to let that happen anymore, and trying his best to build up a family of his own never was easy, like he hoped it would be, but he knew that thinking a marriage going in the wrong direction would ruin it for him.

"Do you want to see a movie and dinner?" Bruce asked.

"That's a start. I'll let you know what day works best."

"Okay. I'll look forward to hearing from you again."

That was the end of the conversation.

10: Julie and Bruce Make a Condition

A few days later, Bruce and Julie were able to get together after they discussed when would be a good time. This time Bruce decided to try to take her to the casino to meet his friends. Julie was the first to speak once their waitress seated them.

"So, Bruce, today will be a good time for us to know each other a little better."

"Isn't this why I asked you out?"

"It looks that way, but since we really don't know one another so we can tell each other about ourselves."

"Do you want to start, Julie? I do plan to keep the women and children rule, and so that's what I'm doing."

"Okay. As you might have guessed by now I'm in my forties," she began.

"Yes, I did guess that. Now you can start."

"Well, I have been single all of my life but I really never dated much when I grew up in high school or college until I met you. I grew up in New York with being the middle child of five kids in my family. My mother was one of those housewives from a long time ago. My father went to work five days a week by being a journalist.

"I grew up pretty fast and by the time I graduated from high school. I was excited that going to college that wasn't in the East Coast. I ended up getting accepted to UCLA in California.

"I did go on a few dates during my four years of college, but every one of these boys didn't last very long in having a steady relationship, but I'll bet you those guys probably are married with a family of their own, but if you ask me, I really don't miss any of them. You are the latest guy I've met since my senior prom in college and now I'm eating lunch with a man I just met. Tell me a little about yourself."

"We,, there isn't much to tell, Julie. I really don't remember my birth parents, but my life was mostly spent in foster care. My birth parents died after I turned four. I had no brothers and sisters if I remember right. My grades weren't very good, but once I graduated high school. I stayed in college for a couple of years and then dropped out.

"I do all right on money, but I may share something personal to you, even if it means you and I just met. I usually don't do this to girls I recently met. I do not believe in banks so I mostly keep my money to myself. I do believe if I ever did open a bank account my money would be stolen, so I take my money everywhere. And so here I am at lunch with you," Bruce told her.

"That was quite a story, Bruce. If you don't mind my asking this, but you haven't told me what you do for a living."

"I don't think you want to know, Julie. When I was at work last Friday, my friends are interested in meeting you after I mentioned you, but I guess just this once will give you an idea what I do."

"I like that idea. I work in a homeless shelter, so whatever works for you I will try to keep myself open for the weekends. I work three days a week, so the weekend gives me time to myself. Plus I do go to church."

When she finished telling him about her being a religious person, Bruce made a face at the word religion.

"I do have one condition on letting you show me your workplace."

"What's that?" Bruce asked.

"Since I just told you I am a Christian, this is where your condition comes in. If I don't accept your career, it will tell you something would not work for a future relationship. Got it?"

"Yes, Julie. How long is your workday on Friday?" Bruce asked.

"Three hours in the morning. Nine and I leave for my weekend on Friday afternoon at lunchtime."

"Okay. I will see what will make you feel about my job you won't like."

"And you will. Another part of this condition is if I accept your career, we will have a future relationship with you since we just met. I will take my lunch break at noon and you could spend an hour or two with me. Would that work?" Bruce asked her.

11: Another Visit to the Fortune Teller

Friday came fast. Julie agreed to let him spend his lunch hour to come and pick her up. Bruce told his friends at the casino that Julie agreed to stay a couple of hours to see the casino. He did tell them about the condition on what Julie made up. Bruce usually played blackjack since it was the only casino game he knew well. He always thought if you win a lot of hands the more money you win. Sometimes it works and sometimes it didn't but it was not very often he lost a game.

The address Julie gave him wasn't hard to find. When he told Julie about some information of his past, he didn't want to give out too much detail. He still couldn't figure out what she said about the relationship going in the wrong direction. While on his way to pick up Julie at her house, it gave him some time to think about what the fortune teller said the words 'did her wrong.'

He never really cared much about religion like Julie does, but he did take one guess on what the fortune teller told him. He didn't go directly to Julie's, but he decided to pay another visit to the fortune teller to see if this mystery was solved. The fortune teller had no visitors when he arrived, so he saw he was the only one. He put a couple of coins in the machine and began to speak.

The fortune teller did remember Bruce from the last visit he saw her.

"Do you want another fortune?" the gypsy asked.

"No, but I have kept the fortune you gave me when I met that red - haired girl. I think I solved your mystery."

"What did you come up with?" the gypsy asked. She never asked her visitors what their names were.

"O remember you used the words I would do her wrong," Bruce began as he watched lots of people walk by, paying no attention to him and the gypsy.

"The only thought I had was would my gambling career have something on the condition the redhead woman suggested. She said our relationship would go in the wrong direction we would be finished. Did I solve your mystery?"

"Yes, you did figure out the mystery I gave you to work on. Your relationship will go in the wrong direction to end the relationship you just only began. There is another thing you do not know about her but this one you do not need to figure out what she would do."

"Okay. Thank you for your time."

Then he left to pick up Julie.

Julie did notice Bruce was last. It made her think she got lost on his way over. She couldn't call him to find out, but he would still make it. He came seven minutes later. While waiting for his arrival, she grabbed out a bag and put the gun in the bag. 'I'll let him figure this little secret for himself,' Julie thought to herself.

She saw his car. He'd given her the description of the car so she would recognize the car. She zipped up the bag and he walked up the driveway to the front door. He was about to ring the doorbell when Julie stood at the door. She was happy he wasn't in the house to see she had a gun with her. It was a good thing she didn't tell him about being a police officer's daughter. She locked the front door when she saw him waiting for her.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Julie. I had an errand to make, so here I am. Ready to leave?"

"Yes, I am. Now I can see what you do for a living. It better be good."

12: Julie Under Arrest

Friday arrived. As promised, Bruce picked up Julie at her house. She hadn't been waiting very long for Bruce to come and pick her up. She thought there was no need to take a guess at what type of job he has. She told her friend she would let her know what Bruce's job was if she liked what he was doing or not and her friend said okay.

Julie decided that since today was nice outside, she wore a summer outfit. She'd recently got it for her birthday from a cousin. Of course the cousin knew about Bruce. Julie got into his car once he opened the passenger's side. She thanked him and he didn't respond. Once he slid into the driver's seat and put the key in the ignition, he buckled his seatbelt.

"Are we ready?" Bruce asked as he looked in Julie's direction.

"You bet," was her answer.

"Off we go," he said as he turned the radio on to one of the rock 'n' roll stations. He was the kind of person who liked rock 'n' roll. Julie didn't like it much, but this afternoon she had no choice but didn't want to complain about it.

Bruce drove for a while longer. She usually let the person who did the driving in silence to the driver could concentrate. Bruce appreciated that from Julie, but like some others, he liked to listen to the radio while driving so that's why they had the music on. Bruce must like to have some noise in the car so it wouldn't be too quiet.

They finally made it to the casino. Once they appeared in the casino's parking lot, Julie saw they were in a hotel that held casinos. Julie finally spoke up.

"I thought you were going to show me where you work."

"I am, aren't I?"

"What are we doing in a parking lot in a casino?" Julie asked.

"I work here," he said truthfully.

He locked the doors once Julie stepped out of the passenger's side. The doors opened automatically.

"I never thought about a casino for you to have a job. Do you work behind a computer?" she asked.

"Of course not, Julie. If I did, I wouldn't have any fun," he answered.

Bruce saw his friends and waved to them.

"That must be her we've been hearing about," John told the guys.

They didn't say anything, but all they did was nod their heads. Bruce and Julie were now in the group of men. Julie saw when he waved.

"Guys, I'd like to introduce you to Julie Ward. Julie, these are my friends I work with," Bruce said.

Now Julie was starting to figure this one out. She watched as one of the guys shuffle a deck of cards. Now she was starting to figure out the game, and that was blackjack. 'Now that I've found out, he's going in the wrong direction in this relationship.' But she did warn him.

Bruce didn't pay any attention the Julie when she pulled her gun out of her bag. John and a couple of other guys did notice the gun Julie bought along with her. John tapped Bruce on the shoulder.

"Not now, John. I need to figure out I should play," Bruce said.

"Bruce, take a look at Julie," John told him.

"What about her?" Bruce asked.

"Take a look for yourself to figure it out."

Bruce did what John just told him to.

"Julie, what are you doing with that gun in your hand?" he asked.

"Figure it out, Bruce Pate. I did warn you about that one condition I told you about, and this is what you get."

"Are you a policewoman or did you lie to me about working at the homeless shelter?"

He still couldn't figure this one out, but maybe this was the one thing the fortune teller told him about? If so, he isn't liking Julie much anymore.

'What did I do to make Julie angry enough to bring a weapon along?' he asked himself. He didn't want to guess why, but he already solved the mystery about his working as a gambler.

"Julie, may I ask you something?"

"What?" she said, still giving him eye contact.

"Is that gun loaded?" Bruce asked.

"Of course it is."

She pulled the trigger. She ended up aiming the deck of cards until they were completely gone.

"What was that for?" John asked her.

"By showing me you gamble for a living, that's why," she answered.

'Oh well,' she thought to herself, 'there's no need to share this with my friends.'

The player who shuffled the cards went directly to a pay phone and called the police. He mentioned to the police station there was a woman who had a gun with her. The police told the card dealer they were on their way. He then rejoined his friends and Julie.

"I called the police. They are on their way over."

"Good idea, Chad. Now she's not the kind of person I want to continue dating after what just happened."

"You have thought for once, Bruce. This is the first time I have seen you with a girl who has a gun with her."

"Now you've seen it for yourself, John," he replied.

"Yup."

The police now arrived to the table where Chad told them over the phone.

"Who did you call us about?" the sheriff asked.

"Her," Chad answered.

At his age, Chad was smart enough not to point at people.

"What's your name, ma'am?" the sheriff asked.

"Julie Ward."

"That's a pretty name. Well, Ms. Ward, you are under arrest for bringing a weapon inside a casino," he said as he handcuffed her and walked out of the casino with Julie.

"I'm sure you learned a lesson," John told him.

"I sure did, John. Next time this happns, I won't waste my money to hear my fortune and let it happen again."

What Bruce said was true. He wouldn't miss Julie anymore.