RoB-another querencia, part one

Jill promised Maya that she would attend the next quarterly gathering,even though Jill usually doesn't go that often. Not only will she have an opportunity to party with Maya, but Anais will be attending as well- her first Querencia since being branded and becoming an official member of la Femme Fatale club. Jill doesn't believe Anais' story about not sharing some of the secret society's information, and Jill also has suspicions about the Minotaur's note. She will observe Anais closely and have Maya do the same.Another compelling reason for her attendance is the host who, coincidentally, is Jill's original benefactor and mentor,senior member of the elite, clandestine group, and the exquisite, elegant woman who chose Jillian for branding many years ago.Rarely seen in public,Jill doesn't see Ms.Lina - as she is called- often. She was at Jill's soiree 4 months ago, but Jill barely had time to talk with her. Before that, they eyed each other at Joeffrey Alexander's memorial service, although they only looked at each other from a distance, never speaking to each other; and Ms.Lina was at Lily's funeral,too. The next Querencia's theme is Midsummer Night's Dream, and Jillian plans to dress as Titania, queen of the fairies, although she is certain others will dress as the same character. Anna Sui has personally committed to making Jill's see-through , iridescent pearl colored silk mini sheath and fairy wings.But all the guests will undoubtedly have beautiful and unique costumes.Ms.Lina will hold the highly anticipated event- which coincides with Ms.Lina's 80th birthday- on her 200 ft.Lurssen built yacht called "Esprit", which she will have transformed into a forest like setting.Jillian will be one of the few to be able to stay overnight and have more time with Ms. Lina - a motherlike figure for her. Jill needs sage advice and hopes to have her older friend's undivided , private attention and counsel for a while to discuss the perfect storm swirling in her life.

RoB-Pauline's and Sharon's mail

Jill and her entourage have been home three days from Maya's island and things are settling back into the daily routine, and Abby and Cheri seem genuinely contrite. Evelynn has not gotten Pauline's and Sharon's mail for about two weeks, so today she will go to the post office, check their PO boxes, and take care of their bills. They have a lot of junk mail and Evelynn tosses that away immediately. What catches her attention, however, is that both of the exiled women have a similarly typed envelope with no return address. She is suspicious.She does not open the two envelopes until she gets back to the house. She gets a pair of latex gloves from Yung's pantry and a large baggie, goes to her room, and with gloves on ,opens the two notes.They are typed exactly the same: " I will wait.I am patient.Take as long as you think you need, but it won 't be long enough." She shows Jill the ominous notes, and Jill shows Evelynn Anais' note from the Minotaur. Maybe they are from the same person, but it isn't clear.Jill feels bombarded once again. Will she be fighting three nemeses? There is the cryptic Minotaur.Then there is Alina's and Myrtle's unknown executioner( or vigilante). Lastly, the " Caboose" bombing investigation has been reopened,and that too is problematic. How soon will she be paying the piper?

RoB- last day in paradise

They were all relaxed after eating the scrumptious luncheon consisting of different tropical salads that even Yung could enjoy with them because Maya has her own cook and housekeeper. Conch salad, salade nicoise, ceviche, and mango and papaya compote are hits as well as the zapote drink, which they can't get back home. Salsa and reggae music alternate through the speakers, and all of them are wearing different, brightly colored pareo/sarongs. Jill realizes that she doesn't have any photos of her and the staff together, so, with the white sand beach and turquoise colored water as the backdrop,Maya takes some candid shots of Jillian,Evelynn,Barbara,Ruby and Yung and a couple more formal poses.All smile ,and their world at that moment seems sweet. They will be returning home tomorrow, but tonight, Jillian will surprise them with a fireworks display and Rolex oyster perpetual Everose gold and diamond watches, while eating Tres Leches Cake. Jill is celebrating, because during this refreshing, self- reflective,weeklong stay, Jill has had a new will drawn up and has gone by speedboat to St.Thomas to have it witnessed, since her beneficiaries can't be witnesses.Maya and Evelynn both have copies, and another copy is left with the law offices in St. Thomas. Jill will have everything in order. "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst."

RoB- Jill's walk on the beach

Jillian enjoys the cool, white sand between her toes and the glorious sunrise as she walks along the deserted shoreline, save for Barb, who keeps a respectful distance but follows her, nevertheless. Jill's mind races as she tries to make sense of the shocking events that have led up to this island getaway.Alina, Myrtle,Anais,the Minotaur and now her bodyguards' affair have combined to give her an unrelenting uneasiness.She never was naive to think that her malfeasance of assembling the illicit quartet would not have dire consequences for her eventually, but she didn't anticipate these latest turn of events, and her epiphany is that her arrogance,misandry and abuse of power and resources will be her downfall. Hubris has toppled many a mightier person than she. Jill decides to treat the next week as if she knows she will shortly die. During the next seven days, Jill will drink a whole bottle of 2008 Mouton Rothchild while she devours a rare filet mignon. She will savor lobster tails while imbibing her favorite Dom Perignon , and she will delight in a grand Marnier soufflé -or two. She will dance wildly like a dervish to Tim Buckley, the Stones and Sarah Vaughn, and and she will take a long swim nude in the beckoning ocean. Jillian will have a massage and facial,and then a delicious foot rub and an exquisitely lengthy pedicure while she sips on an excellent cappuccino. Jillian will play the elegant musical instruments of her youth one more time- the cello, piano and harp. She will ride a horse bareback,play with the adorable house cats,and sing along with a Beatles CD at the top of her lungs. While smoking a few cigarettes and even a Cuban cigar, she will watch for the umpteenth time " Love in the Afternoon" , and then reread her favorite Shakespearean sonnets and get Evelynn to play one last game of chess, backgammon and pool with her. She will deeply kiss all the women who she brought to the island and tell them she loves them, and confess that her middle name is Agnes, and then she will have passionate sex with Maya, the exotic and free-spirited owner of this slice of paradise, who has a top notch staff herself, and shares the same branding on her leg as Jillian. Then Jill will take a luxurious, long nap and have a very pleasant lucid dream about her sweet, darling little Lily. She will wear a series of silk dresses, with no undergarments, and no adornments, other than a fresh orchid in her hair, a turquoise anklet and a matching toe ring .Jillian will concertedly live in the present and savor the moment, because her future seems short-lived.

RoB- fly away

Jill hasn't piloted her 6 seat Cessna Turbonair since her husband's death, but she misses the exhilaration and the sense of privacy and freedom, and the sleek plane's pontoons make it amphibious and convenient. She is skilled and has logged many solo hours, so she surreptitiously arranges to fly with most of the staff to a close friend's private island near the USVI, so they all can unwind and destress, except for Abby and Cheri, who stay behind to keep an eye on the estate, take care of the dogs, and do penance for their severe lapse of judgment.Jill is giving them a second chance to gain her trust. She has had enough turmoil, and doesn't want to have another major change for the time being. Abby and Cheri are moved,appreciative and promise to make amends. Barb is annoyed and not so forgiving. She's glad to get some distance from them for a little while.At least, Barbara will be able to do some triathlon training and that will redirect her energy and anger. As far as Anais goes, she nor anybody else except the ABC crew know that Jill and her entourage have left the estate. When Anais hears from the mysterious Minotaur, Anais will contact Jill at the estate. As a precaution against any further security breech,Jill wants it this way, because she doesn't have much trust in anybody right now, and rightfully so.

RoB- Abby and Cheri

When Barb returns with Jill and Anais from la femme Fatale, she goes directly to the monitoring station so that Cheri or Abby can take her place to be in the house with Jill, because Barb has a bad headache and needs to lie down a while.Barb assumes one of crew is there, since the gates opened to let Jill's Black,750i BMW through. What she walks in on is Cheri and Abby having heated sex.Barb is stunned ; she has been celibate and assumes they have been too, since Jill hired them. Not only is the estate's security compromised, but Barb disdainfully feels like it is almost incestual and a betrayal of her trust and most certainly Jill's trust. She is appalled and alarmed. It isn't because Cheri and Abby are lesbians- she is too - it's because their negligent, deleterious and selfish actions put everyone in jeopardy.

RoB - at the club

Nobody is at La Femme Fatale except a couple workers and Jillian, Anais and Barb. Jillian has Barb sit on one of the plush, deep red sofas on the other side of the large, quiet, darkly lit room, while she and Anais talk. Billy Holiday songs being heard in the background and silent movies playing on one of the large screens keep Barb happily occupied while Jill and Anais discuss the anonymous, threatening letter. The " Minotaur" knows about the Querencia, so Jill wants to know if Anais has told anybody about the initiation and branding. This could spell real trouble for Anais, if she has; the branding of circles indicates unconditional loyalty, so any kind of betrayal of secrecy, will put Anais' life in jeopardy ,and Jillian will be required to tell the clandestine group about the ominous letter. Anais insists she has told nobody and pleads for Jill's help. Jill is not convinced, and decides to send Anais back to Manhattan to wait for more " instructions" from the Minotaur.Then they will proceed from there. Jill suggests that, in the meanwhile, Anais hire a body guard.Jill does not tell her protege about the quartet. Perhaps the " homicide" mentioned in the letter is not connected to her team of killers. Then again,she realizes, maybe it is. There are more questions for Jill than answers...

RoB- the letter

Dear Anais, You don't know me, but I heard about the Querencia, and wanted to know how it worked out that you were invited to attend and then were selected for the branding? I ask because I really could use the " prize" money to move to England and start over.I will understand if you do not wish to communicate with me, but please know that if you do not follow my future instructions, I will clearly implicate you and Jillian Alexander in a recent homicide.I look forward to working with you, and I will be in touch soon. Sincerely, Minotour

RoB -Anais' visit

Anais rolled unexpectedly into town to visit Jillian and the rest of Jill's staff. The surprise visit's ill timing was lost on the ever self- centered Anais who didn't understand everyone's tepid welcome. Although the lockdown was still in effect, Jillian let Anais through the huge iron gates after Barb thoroughly checked the showy Porsche , after Cheri's pat down and after Abby confiscated Anais' phone and IPad. Anais settled into the plush bedroom she had inhabited for weeks after the Querencia;the lavish surroundings comforted her, and she was genuinely excited anticipating the five star treatment she expected to get. Yung's annoyance at the arrival of the surprise guest was evident. Yung remembered how high maintenance Anais could be, but since Jillian agreed to Anais' visit, Yung would remain quiet for Jill's sake, even though she would be frowning a lot. Ruby rolled her eyes when she was told of Anais's arrival and wondered what the young woman's motivation was to visit at this particular time. Jill, also, was considering what Anais' true agenda was, but Anais was a welcome diversion for Jillian who had pretty much not left the grounds since Myrtle's death coming right on the heels as it were of Alina's demise. Evelynn was the most distressed over the interloper.Anais had indeed let Evelynn stay at her apartment when she had been in NYC, but they never had a meal together nor did anything else together, as a matter of fact. Evelynn thought that Anais was aloof and rude; Anais did not know what being a good hostess entailed nor did she care. In Evelynn's opinion, Anais and she could not be friends, because Anais was immature, narcissistic and a Prima Dona. Nobody seemed overjoyed to have Anais at the house, but each woman decided begrudgingly to make the best of it, with the hope that Anais' stay would be short lived. Three days after her arrival, Anais finally showed Jillian the disturbing letter she brought with her.

RoB- Mother's Day

They all thought of their mothers and the obvious fact that they aren 't mothers themselves. Jillian missed her long dead, beloved, doting mother every day, and her darling Lily, of course, died so young, so tragically.... Evelynn despises her negligent and perverse mother, but she got no pleasure in recently seeing how frail she is when Evelynn visited her in NYC. ( Maybe she would die soon.) Evelynn never wants children; she has her family to thank for that.... Sharon had murdered both her parents, Lizzie Borden style, when she was twelve, because they "killed" all the farm animals she raised and adored for food. She was held in Juvenile detention until she was eighteen, and those court records were sealed.She cannot have children because of a botched abortion when she was nineteen.... Ruby still visits her feeble, but sweet mother with dementia , who lives in a high end nursing home about 80 miles from Jill's estate. Her dutiful mother had made sure Ruby's nursing was paid for, but when Ruby graduated, her mother chose that auspicious day to tell Ruby that Ruby had been adopted as an infant and that her biological parents were brother and sister. Ruby will not take any chances with having an abnormal child.... Yung had no memory of her mother or any other family, in fact. She had been a slave in Korea since she was a toddler, then eventually sold for the Sex trade. Jillian had rescued her from that Hell, and eventually, she came to think of Jillian as a mother figure.Yung can't imagine herself being a mother - enough anguish in the world....Abby, Barb and Cheri all have normal, bedroom community, Joan Cleaver type, traditional mothers. All three keep in contact with their caring moms, but don't have much time to visit them. Children? They don't have any time for that either.... Finally, Pauline's mother loved her as Paul, but when Paul became Pauline, she disowned Pauline,and even blames Pauline for the fatal heart attack of Pauline's father.Of course, Pauline is not allowed to see her beautiful, teen daughter Remy, who thinks of her father/ mother as a freak anyway.... Some women have good relationships with their moms ; some women don't. Some women are meant to be mothers; some women are not.

If it were you ( lyrics for a song)

If it, if it were you...You'd feel joy, never feel bad...If it,if it were you, you'd shout and dance, if it were you. But, hey, it wasn't, and what did you do? Walked away and left me stunned. If it, if it were you, you'd be proud, never be cold.If it, if it were you. The sun would rise and set with Love, but I wasn't that for you; no, I wasn't that for you. If it, if it were you,I'd never leave.