RoB- another Querencia, part 2

Jillian woke with an incredibly bad hangover. Barb, who had accompanied her to the fete, was sitting on the aqua sofa, reading on her Kindle, waiting for her boss to give her directions upon waking.Barb already has a teakwood serving tray ready with aspirin, ice water, cold compress, and saltines, in case needed,and Jill gratefully uses everything on the tray, glancing at the mermaid clock on the cherrywood wall. 10:30! Jill has only a half hour before meeting Ms. Lina up on deck for breakfast. She decides to lie down 10 more minutes with the compress on her face and then puts on a silk robe and sandals, after washing off her makeup, gargling, and combing her snarled hair.Jill doesn't remember much after the initiate's branding around 1am,and the subsequent celebratory " Happy Birthday " song to Ms. Lina while Baked Alaska is served to all. Barb explains that Jillian, on a dare ( what was she thinking?),gulped a huge brandy sniffer glass full of Grand Marnier after already drinking at least six jiggers of tequila shots. Barb helped Jill to her quarters below deck, and Barb was able to get the fairy wings and Titania costume off of Jill, before Jill passed out. It had been quite an evening indeed! Maya came dressed as Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, and Anais imbued the character Helena. Ms Lina dressed as Queen Elizabeth the First, and regal she was! The lovely young woman who Lina chose for the honor of being branded is Diann, a creole beauty of a French mother and Namibian father. She is heavily sedated and will not be seen in public for quite a while. Jill walks rather slowly and unsteadily up the stairs to the sunny, upper deck,and again she is thankful when Barb hands her a straw fedora and large sunglasses to wear. Ms.Lina is already seated for breakfast and having her second cup of French press coffee.She too is wearing a hat and shades, and smiles broadly as Jill sits down.Barb finds a deck chair under an awning, out of earshot, and tries to be unobtrusive. All the forest decorations and party's mess have already been completely removed, and the Esprit's deck is once again clean and quiet.The only people left on the yacht are the crew,Diann,Lina 's personal physician, Jill, Barb and Lina. Jill talks about the quartet, the Minotaur, apprehension about Anais,Alina's and Myrtle's deaths, the nightclub bombing, her recent trip to Maya's island and updating her will.Ms. Lina listens attentively, and when Jill finishes her lengthy and convoluted confession, Lina simply nods, takes off her sunglasses and stares unflinchingly at Jillian. "My darling girl", whispers Ms. Lina, "I knew all of this before you told me. Why would you think that I wouldn't?"