Jessie woke up to feel a weight across her chest. She didn't have to open her eyes to know that it was Katie's hand sprawled affectionately over her. The memories of last night were imprinted on Jessie's subconscious. It wasn't some event that erases during the long hours of darkness. It was an exaltation that remained indefinitely.
Jessie breathed contentedly. Suddenly, her stomach growled and she realized how hungry she was. She opened her eyes and glanced towards Katie. Brown hair fell across Katie's lowered eyelids. Katie's lips were slightly parted. She looked like a sleeping child, all innocence when asleep, filled with notoriety when awake.
Jessie tried to pry away Katie's fingers from her waist. The movement disturbed Katie and mumbling something incoherent, she tightened her grip even more.
Jessie sighed. Katie was stubborn even in her sleep.
She then inched slowly out while working with her hands to pull Katie's hands away.
"Mmm... Jessie..." Katie growled drowsily. Successfully getting her hands off, Jessie slowly laid them on her pillow. Katie snuggled closer to the bed and snored soundlessly.
Jessie placed a light kiss on Katie's lips.
She climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth.
Katie woke up and blindly spread her hands beside her. Expecting a warm body, she was surprised to be greeted with a cold bed. Her eyes popped open and she saw that Jessie wasn't beside her. For a moment, she was filled with panic and hurt. She threw the covers away and dressing herself hurriedly in work jeans and a shirt, she was struggling to keep her hair in check as she raced out of the room. She was just on the stairs when she heard what sounded like someone whistling in the kitchen.
A whiff of freshly made eggs and toasted bread entered Katie's nostrils.
"Breakfast... hmm... how thoughtful." Katie murmured. She went up to freshen up.
Jessie was lost in her own thoughts as she spread the eggs on the plates.
"Hullooo!" Katie yelled behind her ear.
"Aah!" Jessie nearly dropped the plate in fright. Her face was pale as she saw Katie go into a fit of giggles.
"Katie! Jesus Christ!" Jessie shouted, her heart still beating fast.
"Oh my God!" Katie chuckled, "You should have seen your face... it's... it's... Holy!" Katie bubbled into another bout of laughter.
Jessie placed her hands on her hips and scowled, "You think this is funny? I'll show you funny."
Jessie jumped at Katie and began to tickle her. Katie squirmed and tried to dodge, but Jessie was faster and she ran her fingers rapidly, tickling Katie mercilessly.
"Jessie... please... please... stop." Katie gasped and giggled.
"Well... say, I am sorry Jessie first." Jessie blackmailed.
"NO... Oh Lord! Wait... wait... alright alright... I am sorry, Jessie. I am sorry... now please stop."
Jessie finally stopped. Katie was exhausted and she collapsed on the ground. Jessie did not realize that she had managed to straddle on top of Katie during her tickling torture.
Her laughter died and a warm flush crept up in her cheeks.
Katie noticed the sudden silence and she looked up to see Jessie awkwardly trying to disentangle herself from Katie.
Katie placed a hand on Jessie's waist, causing Jessie to look into her eyes.
Katie strained forward and kissed Jessie.
When she moved away, she gave Jessie a brief wink.
"Good morning Billy."
Jessie smiled and kissed Katie back.
"A very good morning to you too, Billy."
Hand in hand, Katie and Jessie walked out of the bungalow. They braced themselves for the pungent, but now familiar, smell of coir in the air. The feast had a toll on everyone last night, but everyone had returned to their normal life after it. They heard the rumbling of machines in the factory. In the distance, they could see women carrying on with their daily tasks.
"You know looking at them makes me feel so lazy." Katie drawled.
Jessie coiled her fingers around Katie's arm.
"I know. For the first time in my life, I feel I have nothing to do."
"Doctor's life is tough, huh?" Katie empathized.
"I'm sure it is not as interesting as globe-trotting with pot-bellied men and women who always grumble about ulcers." Jessie teased.
Katie smiled. She linked her fingers in Jessie's and glanced lovingly in her eyes.
Jessie saw the bottled shine in Katie's eyes and thought that she could be lost in them.
Katie kissed Jessie softly and then deepened the kiss.
"Ahem..."
Katie and Jessie moved apart in a fraction of a second. Norash Khamur was looking contrite at having interrupted them.
"Sorry, Miss." He blushed. "But something important I have to say."
"What's wrong?" Jessie asked, trying to put the man to ease, even though she felt her blood rushing around in abnormal levels.
"We have company. Your people." Norash Khamur looked down, his mouth dropped to a sulk.
Jade groaned when she saw the crowds of people carrying notepads, laptops, microphones, cameras and mini voice recorders. She turned angrily at Trey.
"Who invited the media?" She spat.
Trey gave her an I-am-innocent look.
Jade impatiently tapped her foot on the sand as she saw different news channel reporters pushing each other to get the best position for photographs.
They had arrived on the island for almost and hour and she had insisted to go and see Katie. However, the locals did not allow them to go further than the periphery of the colony of huts.
Some photographers had gotten bored with waiting and were busy harassing the locals for pictures.
Lorraine was rambling something in Spanish with one of Katie's Spanish client. She kept glancing at Jade in question. Jade just shook her head. Disappointed, Lorraine would go back to cancelling another meeting.
All of a sudden, there was a flurry of activity. Jade's attention immediately turned towards the source. She forgot to breathe when she saw her friend come towards them. She was holding Dr. Sammler's hands.
Involuntarily, Jessie's grip tightened around Katie's palm. Katie squeezed it reassuringly. On their way towards the shore, after Norash Khamur told them that there were some people from the ship, they were very silent. Neither spoke a word.
The days spent on the island had passed in a dream. Not for a moment did they pause to consider the fact that it is not permanent. Now the temporary nature was a looming reality.
Katie saw Jade and Trey in the distance. She had only covered a small distance towards the shore, when she saw Lorraine rush towards her. Suddenly, a swarm of people surrounded her and their force broke her grip with Jessie.
"Miss Singer, this is Flash TV news..." One woman began.
"How are you feeling, Miss Singer?"
"What was your experience like in this tribal village?" Another questioned.
Jessie was clueless for a moment. She lost Katie in the mass of flashing cameras and barking questions.
"Dr. Sammler?" Jessie turned to face the warm eyes of Jade von Heinbich.
"Miss von Heinbich... you..."
"Jade." She corrected, "We have come to take you back."
"Hi, Jessica." Trey greeted. Jessie turned and acknowledged the friendly hug he gave her.
"Dr. Sammler, let's go. The ship is here." Jade spoke.
"But... Katie..." Jessie staggered.
Jade glanced briefly at the mass of reporters, the suited secretaries carrying phones and the waiting helicopter. Jessie followed her direction of gaze and understood.
"Katie is being taken care of." Jade said quietly. "Your mother and brother are waiting for you."
"Mom? Eli?" Jessie quizzed, shocked.
Trey nodded. "They were informed and they flew here with us."
Jessie looked uncertainly at the still surrounded Katie. She did not want it to end like this. She then looked at Jade.
"Miss vo... Jade... I need to talk to the villagers." She pleaded.
Jade hesitated and then nodded.
Jessie ran back to the village. Trey followed her.
Jade saw Lorraine and Katie's personal bodyguards; Mitch and Ben escort her to the helicopter. Mitch had made it very clear that no one, not even Jade was allowed in that helicopter.
"I cannot thank you enough." Jessie smiled at Paali. Paali hugged her. Norash Khamur patted her back and said something in his language that sounded very much like a blessing. The whole village clapped and cheered.
"Where the other Miss?" Norash Khamur asked.
Jessie looked embarrassed at Katie's absence.
"She is handling some important people." Jessie lied.
"Oh yes." They nodded, though Jessie could see that they were hurt that Katie did not come to say her goodbyes to them.
Trey placed his arm around Jessie motioning to her that they must be going now.
Jessie tearfully bid them farewell. The village waved and asked her to come back.
"Seems like you got along with them." Trey remarked when they were making their way back.
Jessie nodded. It did not escape her attention that the helicopter, the reporters, Katie was gone.
Trey noticed the gloom in Jessie's eyes and kept quiet. He just lent a supporting hand round Jessie's shoulders.
"Oh my baby!" Karen hugged Jessie as soon as Jessie laid foot on the ship. Eli, who was standing beside her, patted Jessie's back.
"Mom... I am fine. See not a scratch..." Jessie joked.
"When Mr. Carter told us about you, I was sick with worry. How did you get yourself stranded on that island?" Karen asked concernedly.
"Mom..." Eli laid a restraining hand on her shoulders, indicating that Jessie should not be barraged with questions.
Karen nodded and stared at Jessie remorsefully.
"I'm sorry sweetie... I was just worried. But you should go and take a rest."
"No, mom. I am good." Jessie assured her. She then paused, wanting to share.
"Mom... there was someone else with me on that island."
Karen smiled, "I know honey. Miss Von Heinbich mentioned that her friend was there too. That was some reassurance. At least, you weren't absolutely alone there."
"Mom... that someone was... umm... Katie."
Karen's hands froze on Jessie's shoulders as she tried to swallow the piece of information.
"Katie?" Eli mouthed, astonished. "Your... I mean...our Katie Singer?"
Jessie nodded. Her eyes fixed on Karen and studying her mother's reaction.
Karen pursed her lips. "Where is she now?"
"She's... she's... umm..." Jessie struggled to find something to say.
"Hello Mrs. Sammler." Jade called out cheerfully. "The plane is waiting for you."
Karen looked at her daughter from the corner of her eye and nodded.
Katie pranced impatiently on the Chinese carpet in her room in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Lorraine was typing furiously and talking on the phone at the same time.
A tall, black haired woman, dressed in dark trousers and a long brown coat was standing stoically by the doorway. Her hands were casually tucked in her pockets, concealing the dangerous weapon in them.
A muscular man with shaved head was standing looking out of the window. His white shirt threatened to rip apart as it stretched across his wide shoulders.
Sitting on the leather couch was a thin, intelligent-looking man. Beside him was a very distinguished looking elderly man. His legs were carelessly crossed in front of him and he was smoking what looked like an Excalibur cigar.
"Kathryn dear, please, you are making me nervous." The elderly man puffed a light wisp of smoke.
Kathryn did not stop her pacing, "Morris, you are keeping me caged like a prisoner."
"Aah... the tigress in her enclosure." Morris Schwenn mocked.
Kathryn glared at him.
"Morris, I need to meet some people. You can't keep me chained here."
"Please Miss Singer. You must understand. Your cancellations of appointments and meetings, your missing out on important deals..." The thin man shrugged, "We have to show that you are very weak and drained from that little incident. Otherwise, our clients have the potential to sue us, not to mention the flushing of Lotianne Gloss's reputation down the drain."
"Dan, it's just a few phone calls I have to make to friends. You won't even allow me to meet my friend, Jade."
Daniel Lanford, the legal advisor of Lotianne Gloss smiled sweetly.
"Formalities, Miss Singer. Once they are all done, we can proceed to a normal life."
"Morris!" Katie appealed to her boss. Schwenn shook his head apologetically.
"Okay." Katie agreed begrudgingly, "But not for long. Once you are done with the media and the clients, I want out of this protectiveness. Do you all understand?"
Everyone nodded in unison.
Jessie closed her eyes and rested her head on the plane seat. Beside her, she heard her mother snore. Eli was sitting by himself on a seat across the aisle. The business class accommodation allowed him to use his laptop, equipped with the recent software in sound mixing and other acoustical devices. He had on his headphones. Eli Sammler was producing a huge talent show next summer and he wanted to make sure that everything went according to plan.
Unconsciously, her hand went to her neck. She felt a pang of pain as her fingers encountered the jagged edges and smooth curves of a seashell. She was still wearing the necklace made of seashells and an oyster pearl. Katie had presented it to her. Katie wasn't an expert in handicrafts and the seashells were all haphazardly arranged, but to Jessie it was the cutest ornament she had ever received.
It had been almost a week since they were rescued from their stranded refuge on Talam sameh. Jessie had not heard from Katie since then. She had, however, seen a news clipping where a spokesperson for Lotianne Gloss said that Katie was very exhausted from the little unpredicted jaunt and she had been placed under mandatory rest. She will resume all her duties as soon as she recovers.
Jessie had waited for Katie to call. Some part of her wasn't surprised that Katie hadn't contacted her. She knew that their world was as different as chalk and cheese. When Katie reappeared in her life a couple of months ago, Jessie had found out everything she could about Kathryn Singer. Internet search engines and paid newspaper archives had revealed that Katie had become a very successful and high-flying executive. Kathryn Singer was the darling of the business social sphere; she was the ambassador of a generation of charming young entrepreneurs. Europe was mesmerized by the tornado that swept them when Kathryn took over the CEO helm of Lotianne Gloss. In a matter of months, she converted an indebted and loss-burdened company into one of Europe's most profitable and glamorous industry. The fact that Kathryn was often called "Lady Viking" bore testimony to her ruthlessness in conducting her business. Rumours that she would soon take over Lotianne Gloss as chairman as soon as Morris Schwenn retired floated in every nook and corner.
Jessie was a very successful and reputed person in her own field. She was known in the world of medical academics as a woman of breakthroughs. No issue of the Science or Nature is complete without some reference to her enormous contribution in the field of neuroscience. Jessie was in demand all over the world but had been restricted by not having an international medical license. Dr. Jessica Sammler was a beautiful enigma. A handsome blend of intelligence, charisma and modesty, Jessica did not seek out attention. She did not like the limelight to focus on her. In spite of her status, very few people knew of this young brilliance.
There was the difference. Jessica hated the celebration. She liked her anonymity. She could not tolerate having mikes and cameras pushed onto her face every second. Kathryn was the opposite. She needed applause. She craved fame. Having to live in a shadow wasn't how Katie functioned.
And of course, Jessie hadn't exactly been impressed by Katie's dubious connections with people of shadowy occupations. Also, Katie's single-minded ambition and her resolve to be materialistic troubled Jessie.
Living on an isolated island without the world's yoke to carry, it was easy to forget your masquerade and live your inner self. But once, you re-enter civilization, realization comes back in full force. As Jessie scrolled through pages and pages of biographies regarding Katie's business and social conquests, she knew that she had lost her Katie to the Kathryn Singer she was reading about.
Katie curled the rice paper into a ball and aimed it to the waste-paper bin. It did not fall in but landed very close to it, along with many of its sisters.
"Damn!" Katie swore under her breath. She glanced briefly at the screen of her laptop. Five chat windows of Lotianne Gloss's own Instant Messaging Service was open. The windows glowed as the chatters impatiently beckoned for her to reply. Katie wasn't in the mood to carry out any conference right then. Her mind wasn't on the cost reports of the Ad assignment they had got for De Beers in South Africa. Her thoughts were far away with a light-eyed blonde and she was getting very frustrated.
Lorraine walked into the office; her nose was buried deep into a portfolio. She was also rambling on her cell at the same time. When she looked at Katie, sitting on her leather chair, her legs carelessly perched on the desk, Lorraine stopped. She shut off her cell and looked at Katie with disapproval.
"Ma'am... I thought you had a conference." Lorraine looked at the laptop screen pointedly.
Katie shrugged and played with her pen, "Call them and cancel them."
"Miss Singer!" Lorraine gasped.
Katie got up and moved her lips churlishly, "Do you have any idea what being locked in this office is doing to my precious sanity?"
"You are not locked..." Lorraine tried to soothe her boss's rising temper.
"Oh yeah?" Katie's eyes flashed. "Well... I call not being able to move out of this building because of some lame lie that we are living, a very huge prison."
Lorraine scratched her nose nervously, "I could arrange for you to take some days off..." She began.
"I don't want to take anymore days off!" Katie practically screamed, "I want to return back to a normal life and talk to all those people I want to. Is that such a hard thing to understand?"
Lorraine backed away. The poor girl was sandwiched between her desire to help her boss and take orders from the ultimate boss, Morris Schwenn.
Katie took a deep breath. "I am sorry, Loe. I didn't mean to snap. It's just... it's just... this has been awful. There is something going on which I obviously don't know. I can't take that you guys are keeping me all secured because you need the world to believe that I am recuperating. And..." Katie choked.
Lorraine placed a sympathetic hand on Katie's shoulders, "Boss... talk to me."
"Loe..." Katie looked up into Lorraine's big, brown eyes. "I need to talk to her. This girl."
Lorraine smirked. Her Boss's love life wasn't exactly a pleasant thing since she had to deal with a queue of very spurned women when Kathryn got bored with them.
"I can manage her, if you want."
Katie shook her head. "No. This girl, she's special. She's different."
"Special? How?" Lorraine's brows furrowed.
"I... I... I love her." Katie looked at her assistant as Lorraine's jaws dropped in surprise.
"Love? You love her? Boss... YOU love her?" Lorraine shook her head at this incredulous piece of news.
"Yes, so?" Katie was annoyed at Lorraine's reaction.
Lorraine giggled. In all her years as assistant for Kathryn Singer, she didn't really think that she heard Kathryn utter the word "love" in anything but a cynical accent. Now all of a sudden, Kathryn Singer was in love!
"Lorraine Beaumont!" Katie's eyes darkened in warning.
Lorraine stifled a bubble of laughter.
"Fine... fine... Boss. I will allow you to call her. I am breaking some rules... but Hell! I think I can risk being fired if only to die seeing you all mushy in love."
Katie picked up a paperweight and aimed it at Lorraine. Lorraine laughed and ducked at the mock attack.