Ch. 35 Off the Rails

We heard from the Dean of Students office shortly after each of us sent our reports on Kaitlyn Dixon's behavior to their office. Since she happened to be an excellent student with no prior complaints, she got placed on social probation for the remainder of the semester. That meant they barred her from attending all classes during the fall class sessions. The school also required her to attend twice weekly therapy sessions at the PSU Counseling Center on campus. The Dean's Committee on Student Health Issues specified that she ought to address her obsessive tendencies as well as develop appropriate social skills with her peers during this time period. Things calmed down in our lives after that.

Our habits and patterns started taking on a life of their own once she left class. Each weekend, Christian and I exchanged trips to see one another. Sometimes, we extended the weekend over three days. On weeks when that wasn't possible, he either took Charlie Tango or the GEH jet down to Portland to spend time with me. We both relished our time together.

Of course, our tweets, calls and emails also helped fill up those lonely nights. Christian couldn't get enough of my humorous and sometimes downright sarcastic descriptions of the latest course assignments for my graduate program. One professor required us to write stories for an online story site called NOWA (Not Only Writers Allowed) and then analyze the reviewers' comments on our pieces for relevance.

My story concerned sex slaves and examined the international sex trade through the eyes of a young sixteen year old poverty stricken girl from Ecuador. She got send to a dingy bar in Hong Kong after her handlers introduced her to a steady supply of heroin. A number of reviewers seemed more than interested in discovering how to participate in the practice. From both ends of the equation. I flashed on a memory of Christian at the Sex Club working over some of Elena's girls. I jokingly told my guy that I'd forward those messages to him for advice. He seemed less than amused but replied by sending me an icon of a twitching red hand and signing off as Ed.

I also enjoyed regaling him with real-life tales about the students who sought out my help with their assignments for Jack's class. Just last week a drugged up male undergraduate who looked like Chris Pratt tried to charm me into writing his paper on semiotics by passing me an envelope containing a bag of weed. I quickly wrote a large red F on the front of it and shoved it back in his direction. With a charming and friendly smile on my face, of course. He left my office without a word but then subtly extended his middle finger while waving goodbye. The power of those symbolic forms of communication should never be underestimated.

Our wedding plans began moving ahead with the prodding of Mia and a generous cash flow sent her way by my fiancé. One Saturday, I spent six hours at Neiman's trying on a series of slinky white wedding gowns. All six had been preselected by Christian. They ranged in price from $6,000 to $12,000. I blushed at the cost of the gowns and the excess involved with weddings. I considered taking the cash set aside for the dress alone and sending it to charities for abused sex slaves in South America.

Mia tried to talk me into buying one of Vera Wang's signature lines with its classic draping.

"Ana this day just isn't about you. It's about a lifelong commitment that you're making to one of the world's most wealthy men. You need to celebrate the love you have for him and one another by showcasing it through the dress and the event. Everyone who comes to your wedding will be studying your gown. Christian loves your figure and wants to show you off as the best of everything. You, of all people, should appreciate the symbolic significance of this dress. He values you more than anything and anyone else on the planet. Honor that status."

"It just seems wrong to spend so much money on one item. I can understand spending on the food and music because it satisfies so many people at the same time. But not the dress!"

"Listen. He specified that it's exclusively Vera Wang that he wants for you. She's the goddess of wedding dresses and hails from New York. Think sensual. Wang tries to celebrate and venerate the female form with her amazing designs. She also understands Paris couture since her mother dragged her to Fashion Week there from the time she was a young child and adolescent. And you know how much I adore and appreciate everything French."

I roll my eyes at her. She gives me an impish face but doesn't stop her tirade.

"Plus, Wang uses all the best craftsmanship, rich fabrics and hand beading. It's all about class. She even walks that fine line of blending modern touches that might get a bit harsh with traditional styles that avoid being old-fashioned and syrupy. She's the best in the business."

I study a range of her dresses on the rack that Caroline Acton has prepared for me. I notice too many small bows and tulle-backed dresses that don't fit my style. There are even a few gowns displaying large gold lame bands running across the hemlines of her gowns that cost more than $12,000. I hiss and turn away.

Mia gives me a scowl and starts tapping her foot. She's not going to let me leave the store until I make a choice. I roam the room looking for alternatives.

I' m finally satisfied when I discover Vera Wang's new and less expensive line of wedding gowns that are quietly advertised near the back of the room. These gowns are bisque colored and classified under the name of the White Collection. Most are priced below $1,000. I select a high necked and form-fitting crepe sheath gown with draping that swirls at my feet. I feel like a princess as I twirl and model it for my future sister in law. Christian will appreciate its snug fit and clingy features.

"What do you think of this cut and style? It's from Vera Wang's collection after all."

"It does look gorgeous on you, Ana. But I don't think he'll like the price. You're his princess and he wants only the best for you. He want to show you off."

I grimace and whine. "Come on now, Mia. He's giving me so much already. Let's cut down on the cost here. Don't tell Christian, please."

She sighs with frustration. "You need to appreciate that the women who spend time on the hand-beading of expensive gowns are going to be paid well for their skills. By purchasing these high end gowns, you're keeping them employed. Otherwise, they might be working as sex slaves."

"Good point, girl. But I've decided that this one's a keeper. If you want to spend more on dresses, consider what the bridesmaids will wear. That should keep you and the others happy. Alright?"

She nods and smiles at last. I notice Mia's spark of excitement, though, as she scans the room for her dress. I shudder to think of the expense. No one else will share my reaction I guess. At least my guilt meter has been turned down a notch by the cost of my more reasonably priced wedding gown. I think it's gorgeous and I look more than hot in it. That's when I decide to take a selfie while wearing the dress. Then I ask Mia to use my phone and take several more photos.

Once I check on the pictures of me in the gown, I send a couple of the best shots to Christian. I share only the most basic details with him. That means the item's designer and where the dress is being purchased. He replies by sending me a red hot chili pepper emoticon with a huge smile on its face. I share his response with Mia and she sags with relief.

"Good on you, Ana. I'm glad he approves. That's one less thing to worry about."

I have to chuckle at her reaction. To think that six months ago I'd have gasped at spending more than $50 on any dress makes me realize how quickly my world has shifted gears. That evening my fiancé lets me know how much he appreciates the fact that I put quality time into selecting my wedding dress. Not only does he worship my body with some amazing vanilla sex, he buys me a pair of Harry Winston sapphire earrings with diamonds the very next day. There's no escaping his conspicuous consumption.

By the end of the fall semester, Mia's helped us decide upon the dresses, wedding invitations, music, food and vendors as well as the photographer. At least the venue isn't in question since Grace and Carrick insisted on hosting the event in their lovely back yard under white tents. Christian's already selected the tuxes and flowers. Grace and Carrick have asked their pastor, Reverend Daniel Perkins, to oversee the ceremony. My dress has already been delivered to Escala and hangs in his closet in an expensive yet protective bag.

Once December rolls around and I have a few weeks free, Christian decides that we need a little R and R in paradise. He surprises me with the vacation news. When I arrive at Escala with my roller bag, he pulls me into his arms and nuzzles my head and hair. After we've kissed for a while, he makes an announcement.

"Don't unpack your things. We're going to celebrate the end of your semester elsewhere. We'll return in time for the holidays so don't fret."

I'm thrilled with his idea but still in shock. "Like where?"

"The southern beaches of Maui. The temperature's perfect this time of year. We need to escape from this cold, grey, wet Seattle weather. You know the expression, Seattle's Rain Fest lasts 365 days a year."

I chuckle and realize that I don't mind the cool, grey days at all. That's because it's all I've known. I want him to convince me. "Tell me more." He opens his IPad and shows me several different webpages.

"We'll stay at the best resort in Wailea. We can sail, hike, swim, snorkel, jet ski, go to luaus, visit ancient sites, shop for art and jewelry, star gaze at the summit of Haleakula, make love, eat, and…talk about our agenda over dinner tonight as well as on the plane ride there."

The thought of spending time with him in bed and on the warm sand beaches of an island in the Pacific Ocean thrills me. "But I don't have any summer clothing with me."

"That's not a problem. I called my personal shopper and she's put together a beach vacation ensemble for you. It got delivered this afternoon. I'd like you to look it over and approve."

I stare at Christian with concern and then feel guilty for a minute. "You've thought of everything but I'm still in shock about our mini-vacation."

"Hope so. You deserve a little break and so do I. There's nothing I need more right now than to bury myself in you for several days in a row. I've missed you baby."

I realize how sorely I've missed him too. It warms my heart to know how much he needs me. There's really nothing pressing on my agenda. I shrug. "Why not? Thanks, Christian. You're so romantic."

"We'll eat in tonight. Jones just spent a few hours preparing a shrimp and lobster treat for us. Care for some wine?"

After we've consumed the meal and we're both feeling hazy from the drinks, he leads me into his closet. "Why don't you look through the summer outfits from Neiman's and see what you like." He turns the lights in his immense space up to high.

That's when we both notice that something's quite wrong. Several colorful fabrics are strewn across the middle of the closet floor. They appear to have been ripped and cut into pieces.

Christian tenses and goes into his hyper alert mode. "What the hell is this? Someone's been in here, recently."

I search through the clothing that's now flung about on the carpet and realize that my summer ensemble has been vandalized entirely. Someone cut all the new clothing sent to him by Caroline Acton into shreds. Nothing else seems to be ruined but my sundresses, shorts and bikinis. In fact, all of my fiancé's clothes appear intact.

He's on his phone in a nanosecond. "Taylor, someone's just broken into Escala. They were in my closet and did a number on Ana's new summer wear. Can you investigate immediately?"

My heart drops into my gut as I consider who might resent me. The first person who comes to mind is none other than Kaitlyn Dickson. Now that her therapy has come to an end and she has time on her hands, she might be seeking vengeance on me. I imagine it's because I exposed her irrational crush on Dr. Hyde. None of her plans for him have worked out and now she's got a record at the school. The incident and its resolution has been documented and the details were placed into her permanent file. She probably hates me with a passion by now.

In the few minutes before Jason arrives, we look around for the perpetrator. We check the bedroom carefully while I share my thesis about Kaitlyn with Christian. He nods his agreement.

"This whole thing must have happened in the last few hours. The clothes arrived just before you did. Whoever did this found time to leave their mark while we ate dinner and talked. I just hope they couldn't hear us discussing the details of our trip."

Taylor arrives looking flushed and surprised. "I did a quick look around and couldn't see anyone."

"Neither did we. We'll need to check the monitors and security devices. Can you get Welch here on the double?"

"Yes, sir. In the meantime, the two of you ought to go elsewhere. Until will give you the all clear, you're not safe. Plus, the perp has a weapon. They could be hiding somewhere in this condominium and hoping to do more damage to you or your goods. It's best to be cautious."

Christian looks reluctant to leave but then stares at me with care. "We can't let you stay here, Ana. Whoever's done this damage obviously resents you. Let's go to the Four Seasons tonight."

"What about our vacation to Maui? Shouldn't we hang around here and cancel it while Taylor and Welch investigate?"

"Oh no. Not where she or he might be able to get to us. We can always buy you new clothes in Wailea. There's a high end shopping center near our hotel. Besides, that little fool isn't going to ruin our time together."

"I'll be so worried though."

"If Jason needs to bring in more security on this break-in and act of vandalism, so be it. We need to keep you out of harm's way. Besides, she's not going to be able to reach us there."

"I wonder if she plans to break into my place in Portland. Maybe we ought to send someone down there."

"Good thinking, Ana. In the meantime, give Jose a call and see if you can get the manager of your apartment building to check things out. Maybe we ought to get the local police down there to keep an eye out for this criminal."

We spend the next hour or so speaking with the police, the delivery man from Neiman's, and the security team that Jason's organized. Everything's seems fine in Portland though. Taylor brought in a new, third member of the team called Luke Sawyer. Christian informs me that he's going to be my personal guard from here on. My stomach rumbles with acid.

"Are the security guys going to stay here while we're away?"

"We'll take Sawyer with us to Maui in case Kaitlyn or whomever overheard us talking and tries stalking us there. In the meantime, grab your suitcase and we'll head out to the hotel. We're leaving early tomorrow morning for our vacation."

"Let me check my luggage to make sure the perpetrator hasn't ruined those clothes either."

My bag still stands in the corner of the living room, where I left it. Nothing has been touched, it seems. It looks as though I still have my underwear and a couple of nice negligees to my name. At least I can take them on this trip. I also have my jeans, casual tops and a few sweaters. Those last few items are hardly consistent with our vacation plans in the warm temperatures of Hawaii though. I sigh as I pull out all the heavy clothing from my suitcase and carry it into the closet for storage.

That's when I notice the protective bag holding my wedding gown looks askew. I realize that it's also been slashed open with a sharp object. I can tell because the dress can be seen through the front of the cover. I scream and Christian comes running from his master bedroom. The security team starts combing the floor for fibers as they examine the remnants of my beautiful gown. I'll need another one.

I cry for a solid five minutes before my fiancé ushers me out of the complex and into our bullet proof SUV with Taylor at the wheel. We're going to need five days in the sand to get over this latest assault to our privacy. We're both so tense we could break.

AN: Do you think Kaitlyn's behind the break in at Escala? Or could it be one of his former lovers like Elena? What do you think should happen next? I love to hear from you.