Sorry for taking a long time, but due to work and family issues, I was unable to work on this story for over a year. The scene where Kelly and Jo are staying the night in jail has been moved from chapter 12 to this one.
"I think it's time we call a meeting," said Andy. "We all need to get together and work this out."
"All of us?" asked Geri. "Even . . ." she looked over at her cousin, afraid to say Kim's name.
Although Kimberly and Kelly had had a falling out, she knew that Blair would still be upset that Kimberly chose Kelly over her.
Blair then spoke up. "Yes, even Kim."
She had to bite her tongue after saying Kim's name, and her facial expressions made it clear how angry she still was with Kim. Nevertheless, she continued. "I know the perfect place where we can all hide out until the heat is off from the press."
"Where? Is it around here?" Beverly Ann asked.
Blair shook her head. "Not really. There's a hideaway place in upstate New York that the Warner clan owns. We all can stay there until things die down."
"Oh, I've heard about it, but I thought that it was something that Uncle Steven made up," Geri said.
Blair shook her head and replied, "No, Uncle Steve isn't making it up. He was there last year, so he's telling the truth."
"Really?" Andy questioned skeptically. "You know that's a lot of people," he claimed. "We're talking about at least 20 people, not including Nancy's kids!"
"Trust me, it's big enough for all of us to stay there. The thing is that the directions to get there are kind of tricky so we all need to meet first so we can all go there together. However, I don't think this apartment is big enough to hold all of us for a meeting. Instead, let's go to the hotel and hold it there. It's up on northern Manhattan, which is central to everybody, and there are a few large conference rooms we can use."
"Great idea, Blair," stated Andy. "So should we call the others to meet us over there?"
"Yes, and I'll call Ray and tell him where we'll be."
"Good."
But just before Blair could call Raymond, someone called her.
She looked at her phone and saw Cindy Webster's name on the screen. She was hesitant to answer, knowing that Cindy would only call her in case of emergencies or if she was just plain pissed at her. Usually it was the latter. The last time Cindy called her, it was to address Blair about making fun of Los Angeles - Cindy's hometown. However, Blair knew that if she didn't answer Cindy's call, she would have to answer to Sue Ann. Ever since that time in high school when Sue Ann accidentally slugged Blair, the latter dared not get in the other girl's way. Besides, there was a slim chance that it could be Sue Ann who was calling. Sue Ann had used Cindy's phone to contact Blair on a few occasions, so maybe it wasn't Cindy on the other end waiting to bite Blair's head off.
Silently praying to God that it was Sue Ann on the other end, Blair picked up her phone and put it on speaker, since her phone was charging. As much use at it got on that day, it had already run out of battery life in a few hours.
"H-h-hello?" she answered nervously.
"What the hell, Blair?!" Cindy yelled from the top of her lungs. Much to Blair's chagrin, it wasn't Sue Ann. Everybody in the room was caught by surprise by the outburst.
"What's wrong with her?" Andy asked Tootie, but she quickly hushed him.
"Ssh! I'm trying to listen here!"
"Cindy, we got our kids here!" Sue Ann warned, but it was useless, for Cindy was already on rage mode.
"You two, go to the kitchen right now. I don't think you need to hear this," Max told his two younger siblings as he pointed to the kitchen. Ana shrugged while she took her brother, Yuji, by his hand and went to the kitchen.
"Cindy, l-l-let me explain," pleaded Blair on the other end of the phone line, as her nervousness was apparent. She was thankful that she wasn't holding the phone.
"There's nothing to explain, woman! You and your stupidity put all of us into this shit! Just because you have some petty bullshit issue with one of Jo's friends, you had to embarrass yourself in front of everybody at a goddamn mall of all places, and we ended up paying for it! Now my kids got kicked out of camp, Nancy and her kids became refugees in our house, and Jo ran away from you because she got tired of your shit, and I can't blame her one damn bit! I've been sick and tired of your shit for over thirty years!"
"Cindy, calm down. I can explain everything!" Blair pleaded, but she wasn't having any of that.
"Calm down?! Who the hell are you to tell me to 'calm down?' You sure as hell didn't calm down at the rehearsal, and you sure didn't calm down at the mall. It's all over the internet of how much of a horse's ass you really are!"
Beverly Ann whispered to Geri, "Wow! She really is pissed." Geri simply responded with a nod.
Blair was trying to put in a word during Cindy's rant. "But, but, but…"
However, Cindy wasn't going to stop her tirade. "If I ever get the chance to see you again, I'm gonna punch your lights out and kick your pompous ass all over New York City, you spoiled, privileged, high-society, snooty bitch! Jo deserves better than a Kardashian-wannabe bitch like you!"
That was the last straw for Blair, for she had taken enough of Cindy's verbal abuse. It's one thing to be insulted for being part of the elite class, but it's another to be compared to a black sheep of the elite class. Next to being compared to Paris Hilton or anyone else of the Hilton clan, being compared to a Kardashian was the ultimate insult according to Blair.
Without a second thought, she got steamed up and struck back.
"Listen, you big-mouth twit! You are not going to keep on insulting me like this, Ms. Hollywood! If you think you can intimidate me, you're wrong!"
"Oh, and what do you plan to do about it? Your muscles have run away. You have nothing to back you up, besides your mouth. You wouldn't lift one finger to take me on in fear of breaking a nail."
"Well, my nails are tougher than you, you wannabe thug. I remember bringing you to tears before the Harvest Ball back in high school. Heck, you cried so much they should have called you Cindy Weepster."
That struck Cindy's neves because she didn't want to be labeled as being too soft. Infuriated she shot back, "You prissy peacock. I could take you out just like that," she emphasized with a snap of her fingers. "You may be like twice my size, Miss Piggy, but I can take you out just as good as Sue Ann can."
"Cindy," shouted Sue Ann as she grabbed at her partner's arm. Cindy simply pushed her away and just continued as if she didn't even notice Sue Ann's presence.
"I don't care if you did take that self-defense class back in high school, Gucc-illa, mess with my family anymore and you will be breathing through your ears cuz I will pop you in your puss. Then you will need another nose job, Bimbo Beak. I will also pull your hair out by the roots so we can all see what color they really are." Cindy sounded like she was on the verge of hyperventilating.
"That's enough!" Sue Ann screamed and tried to grab the phone away from Cindy from behind. Cindy quickly flipped her over the ground, but somehow Sue Ann managed to hold on to Cindy's arms. A few seconds later, both women found themselves on the floor rumbling, cursing each other out while trying to grab the phone. The phone was still on, and Blair was able to hear all of it. She was trying her best not to cry over the drama that was going on.
While Sue Ann and Cindy were in their tussle, little did they know that Nancy and some of her kids just came in, hearing the commotion. Nancy was about to step in, but Max and Emily beat her to the punch and stepped in to break up the fight.
"Stop it you two!" Emily screamed as she held Sue Ann back, while Max restrained Cindy. Both women looked red and were a mess. Their hair were all over their faces, their clothes were dirty, and the iPhone now had a cracked screen. Nancy picked up the phone and saw that it was still on. However, by the time Nancy was about to answer, Blair had hung up.
"You two are acting more juvenile than Yuji!" Max spat. "We are in a major crisis here and we need to cool down so that we can come up with a plan."
"We wouldn't need a plan if it wasn't for Blair!" Cindy shouted to Max.
"There's no need to be raising your voice at Max!" Sue Ann shouted back.
Just as Cindy was about to scream back, she quickly filtered what Sue Ann said, and was able to somewhat calm herself down. However, she was still on attack mode.
"Every time Blair does something stupid, you stick up for her. Why do you keep on sticking up for Blair?"
"Because she's my friend."
"Well, as her friend, you should do a better job of holding her accountable for her actions," Cindy scolded back.
"She's your friend too. Remember, she was the one who pulled a few strings to get you out of that prison-like contract with Elite Modeling agency," Sue Ann reminded with an equal angry tone matching Cindy's.
"That's because she did it as a favor for you, and that she hated John Casavantes." John Casavantes was the CEO of Elite Modeling agency, and a notorious scumbag. During her early years of modeling, Cindy appeared as a high-fashion model in ritzy places such as on magazine covers and pages. However, it was very far off from the truth, as Cindy barely made ends meet, even though Sue Ann was living with her. Sue Ann didn't have a high-paying job at the time. She was merely an assistant in a law firm - basically a gopher.
Cindy understood and went along with the business. However, when Cindy's dad had pneumonia, Cindy requested a temporary leave so she could go back to LA and visit her dad, but John refused, telling her that the shoot for the Christmas issue of Glamour was much more important. She had enough, and told Sue Ann about the situation. Sue Ann later shared it with Blair, and Blair immediately took action.
Due to a favor John owed David Warner, he agreed to let Cindy out of her contract without any penalties. This allowed Cindy to find another company. LeChic Designs heard that she was available and quickly signed her to a contract, more favorable to her finances. Though it wasn't part of the deal, she was able to get her life partner a job at LeChic Designs. After Sue Ann proved herself more than competent, she was able to rise within her company - up to an executive level.
"At least she did something for us. We wouldn't be where we are right now if it wasn't for her."
"Bullshit! I would have made it with or without Ms. Park Ave. poster child's meddling."
"No you wouldn't!" Sue Ann rebutted.
"Yes, I would have!"
They kept going back and forth until Nancy stepped in.
"Stop it you two!" Nancy shouted. Then quickly stopped and then they looked at her. "There's no need for you two to be fighting like this."
"We wouldn't be if Blair wasn't such a dumb ass, and if Sue Ann wasn't kissing it all the time."
"What the hell did you say?" Sue Ann demanded.
Nancy quickly intervened again, knowing from her psychology background how things can escalate. "Hey! Blair might be a lot of things, but she does not deserve to be insulted. Now we can't change the past. This is the situation we are in now, and we can't run away from it." Thoughts of Roger leaving her were still in her mind when she said that.
"I'm not going to run away, but I'm not going to be in the same room with her," said Cindy, as she angrily pointed at Sue Ann. "And Nancy, don't bother trying your psychology crap on me. I'll be in the fitness room," Cindy chided, as she went down to the basement. At that moment, Sue Ann broke down and cried. Nancy was there to comfort her.
"Look, Sue Ann, you need to let Cindy chill. Knowing her, she's probably working out just to get rid of her anger." Like Molly, Nancy knew their personalities enough to predict how they would react, and what they do when they tend to be angry. Cindy would work out, while Sue Ann watched movies.
"I know, but with all this going on, it's just becoming a tragic Shakespeare play."
"Not really. Nobody has died yet," Nancy joked. Sue Ann was not in a joking mood and she gave Nancy a cold stare with her lip shut tight. Nancy got a little nervous from the stare, but got over it and continued. "Let me call Blair back. I think she needs to talk to someone."
"Go right ahead, Nancy," said Sue Ann as she went to get some tissues to wipe her tears.
Back at the apartment, Blair felt terrible for everything that was going on. She was feeling even guiltier for causing the riff between Sue Ann and Cindy.
"God must really hate me," she bemoaned.
"No he doesn't. He's probably just teaching you a lesson," Beverly Ann suggested.
"I know, I had that pep talk with Andy and Geri before you came here. Now let me get back to calling Raymond."
But just before she was able to call, she was interrupted once again. This time by Andy. He had received a text from his secretary.
"Hey, Andy, I think you need to see this."
It was attached to a link to a Yahoo article. He clicked on it and it showed the article of Jo and Kelly fighting Miko at the inn. Andy quickly stopped Blair from calling.
"Hey, Blair, I think you might need to look at this."
"What's going on?" she asked as she turned her head around and looked at him.
"I'm not sure, but I think Jo is in trouble."
"What!" everybody in the room shouted.
"Yeah. Jo was at some place in Pennsylvania when she got into a fight with someone."
There was a mixture of surprise, hurt, and anger in Blair. She was surprised to see that Jo would go as far as Pennsylvania to get away from her, hurt by the fact that she went that far, and angry that she got into a fight. Blair approached Andy so that she could read the article. Under the article titled "More Lezsplotion Drama: Fight in Inn Parking Lot Shakes Quiet Town," there was a picture of Kelly ready to strike Miko with her helmet. Obviously the photo was captured by someone's phone because the picture wasn't completely clear, but the identities of the participants were unmistakable. Despite the quality of the photo, the picture itself gave an idea of the severity of the fight.
"Do you know exactly where she is, Andy?" Blair asked, to the point that it sounded like pleading.
"No. I haven't read it fully yet. Tootie, check and see if this story is on CNN. I bet that it is, since even though it's on Yahoo, the article was written by the Associated Press."
"Sure," she replied as she turned on the TV, and then changed it to CNN. Sure enough, the story was on Breaking News. This was hardly news, nowhere near the level of the tsunami that hit Japan earlier that year, yet it got just as much hype. There it showed a battered Miko in a police car, who basically was a Japanese tsunami herself. Blair was surprised to see her condition. Even though the article's picture gave a good indication of how brutal the fight was, it didn't capture the true impact that live video does. Blair knew that if Miko was that badly beaten, chances were that Jo was just as wounded; though, at the same time, inside she was gleaming that Miko got hurt. The encounter at Jo's fortieth birthday was still fresh in her mind.
Guess you won't be seeing Bruce Springsteen anytime soon, huh Miko? Blair was thinking to herself with a smirk on her face.
CNN's newly acquired Erin Burnett then appeared.
"Believe it or not folks, there's more drama to the so-called 'Lezsplosion'. As you all know from our exclusive coverage, Sergeant Joanna Polniaczek, better known as Jo, recently went into hiding. Well, apparently, the hiding didn't last very long. Jo, partner of socialite Blair Warner, resurfaced after an altercation with Miko Wakamatsu, from the famed Wakamatsu family. The incident occurred at the Settler's Inn, a bed and breakfast in Hawley, Pennsylvania. However, Sergeant Polniaczek was not alone. She was with her friend, Kelly Donovan, who you know was in both the wedding rehearsal video and, of course, the 'Lezsplosion' incident at Westchester mall. Now she's in yet another recorded fight."
Then it showed a personal recording of the fight between the three women from a witness' cell phone. Blair was shocked to see what Jo endured, to the point that she shed a tear. She badly wanted to go to the area, but when she heard that they were detained for questioning, she knew that they wouldn't be released for a while. Oh, the things that she knew being a policewoman's partner.
Erin continued. "That Kelly woman can't seem to get herself out of trouble. Well, what do you expect from a former drug dealer?"
It wasn't until a few minutes later that the camera showed Jo and Kelly in another car together.
"What the hell is Kelly doing there?" Blair asked, with anger. "How come she knew where Jo was and not the rest of us?"
"Yeah. Why did Jo cut all of us out?" Tootie questioned.
"Maybe she wanted Kelly to know, because she's the only one she can trust to not tell Blair, I guess?" Andy suggested while shrugging. Blair was thinking of another reason… One that could bring her onto the verge of explosion.
Then a certain type of jealousy was starting to build up in Blair. "Those two better not be..."
However, Andy was quick to diffuse that bomb, knowing what Blair was thinking. "No, that couldn't be possible. Kim was here last night, talking about their date, so chances are that she went up there today."
"Yeah, Andy's not lying about that," Tootie stated to back up her husband.
"Speaking about their date; how did it go?" Blair asked.
"Very bad. Kelly dumped her because she found out that Kim was pansexual."
"Well, what's wrong with that?" asked Blair, not seeing why it would make a difference.
"Apparently, Kelly wasn't happy that Kim could possibly be interested in guys as well as women," confided Tootie.
Another reason for Blair not to like Kelly, was that Blair was also still attracted to men, even though it seemed to be fading more and more. Kelly's reaction wasn't exactly news to Blair because Jo had told her a few times before that Kelly was biphobic; however, it still upset her that someone who was marginalized herself could be so critical.
Blair tried her best to hide her smile as she thought, "Well, at least that trash is finally gone from Kim's life." Despite her happiness from the news, she refrained from saying anything for it would cause even more drama than she was already in. Instead, she simply responded with, "Oh, that's too bad."
After finding out what happened between Kelly and Kimberly Blair was able to cool down a bit, but she still felt slightly angry over the fact that Jo reached out to Kelly and not her.
"Excuse me, but where is Hawley, Pennsylvania?" Beverly Ann asked, breaking the silence. "It doesn't sound like a place that people would know unless they're from that area."
"I don't know, but I know we got to contact them somehow," Geri said as she glanced over toward her cousin.
Blair shook her head at her cousin, knowing it wasn't possible. "We won't be able to for a while since they'll be detained. I am going to contact Raymond, however, and start planning for all of us to meet at the hotel."
"All of us?" Beverly Ann asked.
"All of us who were affected by this whole mess. That includes everyone in this room, plus Cindy and Sue Ann, their children, Molly and Jamaal, Natalie and David, their children, Nancy and Roger, and their children."
"What? Are you crazy? Nancy and her family will need a bus," Geri said.
"That's already covered."
Beverly Ann noticed an important flaw in Blair's plan. "Well, with the exception of Nancy's children, who we know are with Nancy basically all the time, it wouldn't make sense for all of the other kids to go to your hideout. I think some of them have day camp and other activities like that, so I really don't think it would make sense to travel four hours away."
Blair pondered that for a moment before responding. "You're right, Bev. We'll just tell everyone, except for Nancy, of course, to come by themselves. If they have any problems getting someone to watch their kids, I'll make the appropriate arrangements."
"Sounds good enough," Beverly Ann replied.
"Well, since we have a lot of ground to cover, let's start calling people," Tootie shrugged. "I'll call Cindy. I know she'll answer if I call her."
"Okay, then I'll give Natalie a call," Beverly Ann stated.
"And I'll give Molly a call," Andy added.
"Good. Then I'll just call Nancy, since I'll be able to make arrangements for her and her family better," Blair finished.
"Hey, what about me?" Geri asked. "I would like to help out too. Who can I call?"
Blair thought about it for a minute, and then she remembered Kim.
"Give Kim a call. I think it's best for you to call her. She's probably blocked my number."
"Right," Geri ended.
Afterward, everybody got on their mobile phones and started dialing.
8888888888888888888888888888888888888
Molly was the first to be reached, since she was back home in White Plains. Outside of her home were a few camera crew, waiting for her to come out. She was in her "She Shed" or "Femme Den" as it is also called - basically, the female version of the man cave. There were posters of radical female trailblazers such as Amelia Earhart, socialist leaders such as Che Guevera, and a few rock bands such as the Cure and REM (before they went totally commercial), and a few girl bands and performers such as Joan Jett, the Runaways, and even the Bangles. Bookshelves were filled with Feminist, Socialist, and other left-leaning books.
There were also pictures of Molly with famous and prominent people. Most of them were feminists, social activists, and certain left-leaning politicians, but there were a few musicians and actors/actresses as well. However, Molly didn't consider those pictures to be as valuable as the ones with her friends and her boyfriend, Jamaal. Despite all the aforementioned items, it wasn't all hardcore feminism in the room. She also had a stuffed elephant on the couch, as a small nod to femininity. She was listening to an indie rock band when she got a call from Andy. She looked at the number.
"Andy? I bet it has to do with what's going on right now." He didn't call her too often, so she knew it had to be about what was going on around them.
"Hey, Molly, do you have some time?"
"I got all the time in the world, unfortunately," said a miffed Molly.
"I know, I know. Listen, Blair is having a meeting today at her hotel."
"I don't know if I want to be around her right now, because I'm afraid that if I see her, I'll slap her face off," exclaimed Molly as her face turned red in anger.
"I understand, after the way she treated you at the rehearsal. But listen, Blair wants to make it up to you, and she has a plan that will get all of us away from the media."
Molly rolled her eyes when she heard that. "Oh, please, we all know about her so-called 'brilliant ideas', which they are anything but."
"Trust me, this one is. She has a hideout in upstate New York that will get all of us away from the media."
"When you say 'all of us' do you mean the whole group, like Natalie, Tootie, Cindy, Sue Ann, etc?"
"Yep, so that means you won't be with Blair alone. Whaddaya say? You can either hang with your friends or you can hang with the media all over your house and, as we both know, the media isn't going anywhere anytime soon."
Molly took a look out of the window and saw the media there, waiting for her to come out.
"Trust me, it's worth your time. Do it for me, as a favor for helping you get the sponsors for the Women's March two years ago."
She sighed before responding, "Okay. I'll do it, just for you."
"Cool. Thanks a lot," he said with a grin.
"No problem, Andy. However, after this, we're even."
"I understand. The meeting will be at the Warner Hotel, the one where Mrs. G. works at, 8 PM, after rush hour. Like I said, this is a hideout, so we will be gone for a few days, so bring some clothes and stuff."
"Okay. Does it have internet?" Molly asked. The internet was a deal-breaker. Her work and life depended on it.
"Lemme check. Though knowing Blair, she would have it."
Andy asked Blair about the internet and she nodded back.
"She said yes, so grab your laptop."
"Great. Then I'll see you at 8. By for now."
"You too."
After the conversation ended, Andy let out a sigh of relief. "Well, at least she's on board."
8888888888888888888888888888888888888
Beverly Ann contacted Natalie, who was at her place. There was a camera crew over there, but they were from Fox News and MSNBC - her employer's rivals. When she looked at her phone, she saw "Bev Ann" appear. More than happy to see one of her best friends calling, she picked up.
"Hey, Beverly Ann. Have the wolves captured you as well?" joked Natalie. Even in situations like this, she always kept her sense of humor.
Knowing what she meant, she replied, "Yeah, they're treating us like we're buffalo meat!"
"Welcome to the dark side of the media." Natalie sighed, feeling embarrassed for being a part of the media.
"Well, I wanted to tell you that Blair wants to have a meeting of what has been going on later on tonight, when the traffic dies down."
Being the ever-prepared journalist, Nat whipped out a notebook and pen to write down the details. She had a good enough memory, but she couldn't seem to get herself out of reporter mode no matter how hard she tried.
"Alright, Beverly Ann. Shoot," said the reporter as she readied her pen.
"It's going to be at 8 PM at the Warner Hotel. Blair booked one of the conference rooms to accommodate everyone."
"I'm assuming you mean the one where Mrs. G. is working?" Natalie asked.
"Yep. The flagship one."
Natalie finished writing down the info. "Got it. Okay, I'll tell Dave and have him cover for the kids."
"You might need to have him cover for a few days."
That threw Natalie in a loop, with a puzzled look on her face. "Huh?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Blair wants to tell you more about her hideout upstate."
Natalie's investigative journalism nature peaked. "Oh, that one. I've heard about it. I heard it's real big!"
"From what I've heard, it sure is. So you might need to bring a few pairs of clothing."
"So, wait," replied Nat, scratching her head with her pen, "Blair wants to gather us all to talk about her hideout?"
"Well, you'll learn more about it at the meeting, but Blair wants to invite us all to that place to escape the media circus. So, you just want to bring everything you need."
"Oh, so we are literally going underground, huh?"
Beverly Ann shrugged. "I guess you could say that."
"Hmm, it could give me some good material for a story," contemplated the writer. "Okay, I'm in," she said after a moment's pause.
"I'll see you later, bye!" Beverly Ann ended. "Well, Natalie is up for it," Beverly Ann said with a smile.
8888888888888888888888888888888888888
As Blair was about to call Nancy, Nancy called her instead. She was upstairs with some of her kids.
"Hello Nancy, I was going to call you."
"Well, the coincidence couldn't have happened at a better time because Cindy and Sue Ann had a fight – over you!"
"Oh great.." Blair muttered feeling targeted by everyone as being the cause of this mess. She was hoping that Nancy wouldn't blame her so much. "We heard a little bit. How bad was the fight?"
"Very bad. They were grabbing each other and rolling all over the floor."
"What else is new?" asked Blair trying to lighten the mood. "I thought that was called foreplay."
"It's not funny, Blair. Sue Ann was near tears and Cindy snapped at the kids. Humor is not the appropriate response for such an explosive reaction. They are clearly displacing their anger and transferring it to innocent people. And Sue Ann, her emotions are all over the place."
Blair sighed in despair.
"Listen, at 8 PM, I am holding a meeting at my flagship hotel. I have a place where we can get away from the media for a while."
"Look, I don't think Cindy will step foot in the same room as you right now."
"Nancy, you can work your psychological magic. We all need to put our differences aside to escape the vultures. I will admit I was" she gulped as she managed to squeak out "wrong."
"You – Blair Warner – are going to admit you were wrong? Hmmm, Cindy might come to see that after all. Then Nancy remembered something. "But what about my kids?"
"Bring them with you. I can put them in one of our congress room while we hold the meeting in another."
"Thank God! They would get bored quickly and make it near impossible for the adults to discuss serious matters."
"Well, they're kids. Heck, maybe I will have ice cream or something delivered to keep them occupied. They will be well taken care of by the staff. Anyhow, please keep me informed of the Cindy-Sue Ann situation."
"I will do my best, Blair. Even if it means using every trick in the book."
"Thanks, Nancy. See you then."
8888888888888888888888888888888888888
As Tootie dialed Cindy's number, she was quietly praying to herself that Cindy wouldn't blow up when she answered. After the blow up that she heard earlier, Tootie was afraid that Cindy would bite her head off because she'd assume that Tootie had taken Blair's side. The actress thought that she could convince her friend to meet at the hotel with the secret card she had up her sleeve, but she was only hoping she'd get the chance to play it. Besides, if history applied, Cindy would probably be working out or something physical to get her aggression out, so it was a good chance that Tootie would be talking to Sue Ann anyway.
When Cindy's phone rang, Sue Ann picked it up and saw that Tootie was calling. She didn't think Cindy would mind her answering the phone since she did it many times before. They both trusted each other in their relationship, so there was no need for complete privacy. Also, Sue Ann was curious to see how much damage was actually inflicted on the phone during her and Cindy's scuffle.
"Hello?" said Sue Ann, still trying to hide the sadness in her voice.
Tootie let out a sigh of relief when Sue Ann answered. "Hey, Sue Ann. What's wrong?"
Sue Ann shook her head. She should have known she couldn't hide anything from Tootie. No one hardly ever could.
"Nothing Tootie. It's just, oh, Cindy's phone is a bit . . . busted. Cindy and I kind of got into it and she stormed off to work out."
"I was going to ask why you were answering Cindy's phone."
"You know how Cindy gets when she's upset," sighed Sue Ann. "I couldn't let it go unanswered though. I'd like not to lose all our friends today. Cindy and Blair already had it out. She is super mad at Blair right now."
"You know why, don't you?"
Sue Ann arched her eyebrow and asked, "Why?"
"It's because they are so much alike."
Sue Ann had a puzzled look on her face that lasted a few seconds. "What? They couldn't be any more different if they tried."
"No, really. They are both stubborn and prefer to have things go their own way. When it doesn't, they blow up."
"I do not," shouted Cindy who had come into the room, sweat running down her face, neck, and back. She was on her way to the kitchen to get some water when she overheard the conversation.
Apparently when the phone cracked it got stuck on speaker.
"Umm, exhibit A," said Tootie.
"Don't you dare compare me to that . . . " Cindy stopped in her tracks as she noticed that Sue Ann was using her phone. "What are you doing with my phone again?"
"Sorry, dear," answered Sue Ann sheepishly, "but I didn't want to get all our friends mad at us. You already upset Blair . . . ."
"Listen, I want nothing to do with that bleach-blonde bimbo. She's ruining all our lives and . . ."
"Cindy," interrupted Tootie, "don't be so dramatic. I'm the actress in this group. Isn't over exaggerating something Blair would do?"
"Stop saying her name. Blair, Blair, Blair, Blair, Blair. She's not the center of the universe. Least not mine."
"Then why do you keep talking about her?" questioned Tootie.
"I, uh," stammered Cindy.
"And another thing," continued Tootie, "both of you keep trying to steal the spotlight and be the one in the leading role with no consideration for the ensemble. I mean look at your latest photo shoots. How many of them have been solo lately?"
"Will you stop with the theater talk, Tootie. I am not a character in one of your plays."
"Well, actually, you'd be a cast member playing a character . . . ."
Cindy sighed and rolled her eyes at the same time. "Whatever Tootie. This is real life not some off-Broadway performance."
"Exactly, so why do you always have to play to an audience?"
"Whaddya mean?" asked Cindy confused.
"You tend to make a spectacle of things when a simpler solution would be the better alternative. For instance, when the basement flooded that one time and you came up looking like a half-drowned rat because just because you had to save your spikes."
"Hey, if my memory serves me correctly, you just had to go out to the stables to save your rabbits," Cindy noted.
"Yeah, and you even refused to take off your roller skates," added Sue Ann, backing up her partner, even though they were currently not on good terms.
"So, who is the one who is always looking for attention?" asked Cindy.
"Well, I was born to be an actress. What's your excuse?"
"Ummm,"
"Exactly, you just can't help it . . . . just like Blair."
"I thought I told you . . ." Cindy gritted.
"And you think you are always right, just like Blair. But Blair is prepared to do something she NEVER does if you come to the hotel at eight."
"Oh, yeah, and what's that?" asked Cindy skeptically.
"Apologize," answered Tootie.
"Blair Warner apologize?" asked Sue Ann in awe. "You're kidding."
"No. Honest and truly. She wants to apologize for all this mess and try to make it right."
"This I gotta see," stated Cindy.
"Well, then come to the Warner Hotel at 8PM. Oh, and don't forget to pack some stuff. That's all I'm going to say."
When Tootie hung up, she heaved a huge sigh of relief, but nodded that Sue Ann and Cindy had reluctantly agreed to meet them. A big smile appeared on everybody's faces along with a group sense of awe because she had done the impossible - convincing Cindy to be in the same room with Blair.
8888888888888888888888888888888888888
Geri started calling Kimberly. She knew that Blair and her had a falling out, but she knew that someone had to talk to her, regardless.
"Geri?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"Did Blair tell you to call me? If so, then forget it. I don't want to have any part with that bitch!"
Geri was shocked at how resentful Kim was.
"Listen, Kim. I know you are mad at Blair . . ."
"Mad? Mad doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about her right now," fumed Kim with a steamed look on her face. She was clutching her cell phone so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. There was no mistaking how angry she was feeling.
"Look, I know Blair can be a pain sometimes . . .
"That's the understatement of the century," huffed Kimberly.
". . . but," continued Geri, "she can try to come through in the end."
"Right. What would you know about it?"
"I grew up around her."
"I'm sorry, Geri," replied Kim as she lowered her voice a little, "but she is trying to stick her nose in my relationship."
"Been there," interjected Geri.
"What?" asked a puzzled Kim.
"Back when Blair was in high school, there was this dance and the French teacher asked me on a date. We decided to see each other a little after that, but Blair was convinced that he would hurt me. Just because I have Cerebral Palsy, she thought she knew what was best for me."
"But she doesn't understand what's going on with me," declared Kim in frustration.
"And she didn't know what was going on with me either. She wanted to put me on a shelf so I wouldn't get broken, but she didn't think how lonely it is there. Being put up and displayed from a distance is worse than being enjoyed and closed to someone."
"Hmm, it is similar, I guess."
"We all know Blair has airhead moments. Hell, sometimes I think she's going to float off somewhere, but she really does want to make up for the mess she caused. Ha, I guess she learned something working at Eastland. God knows she still can't cook all that great . . ."
"Or make her bed," Kim said with a chuckle. She knew that it never was one of Blair's best things. "Okay," sighed Kimberly after a moment's pause, "I guess if you can give her another chance, I can too. Besides, I'm tired of these vultures and I am prepared for any ideas . . . even Blair's."
"Thanks a lot. You won't regret it."
Kim raised her left eyebrow the minute that Geri said that. "Are you sure?"
"Well, not in the end. Oh, by the way, it's at 8 PM at the main Warner Hotel and you may want to bring some clothes and any essentials. Just warning you. Oh, if you need to make any arrangements for your father, then I suggest you do it now."
"That won't be a problem. My housekeeper will watch him."
"Great, so that is one thing that is taken care of. So, I'll see you at 8, okay?"
"Okay, Geri. Talk to you soon."
"Bye."
Geri heaved a sigh of relief and flashed her cousin the thumbs up sign.
8888888888888888888888888888888888888
Finally, all the people were reached. Then another number appeared on Blair's phone. It was her sister Bailey. She answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Blair. Look, these news people are driving me nuts. In fact, Sister Meg can't even go back to the convent, they are hounding her so bad. So, she's here with me and we were wondering if we could lay low in the hideout you just renovated?"
Blair was stunned. "Funny you should mention that. I was just going to make plans for all my friends and their families to go there until everything cools down."
"That's a brilliant idea, Blair."
"One of the things I'm best known for," replied Blair as she subconsciously flipped her hair.
"Blair . . ."
"Seriously though, Bailey, do tell me, how in the world did you know? It's like you read my mind or something."
"Well, I would have done the same thing if I had a secret place like you do," Bailey noted.
"Wow, what a coincidence."
"Maybe it's just because we share the same blood and I think just like you do. I guess great minds do think alike."
Blair paused for a bit then shrugged. "True. Listen, since you brought up the place, I was going to call and tell you to meet me at the main hotel at 8PM. We will be in one of the large conference rooms."
"A large conference room? Why unless..."
"Yeah, like I said . . . it's going to be EVERYBODY. Including all of Nancy's children."
Bailey and Meg's jaws nearly dropped when they heard that Nancy's kids were coming.
"Nancy's kids? Does the place have that much room?" asked Bailey in shock.
"That family's like the Brady Bunch times two!" Meg exclaimed, yet it wasn't loud enough for Blair to hear.
"Of course the place has enough room. Look, don't worry about Nancy and her family. Just bring some clothes for a few days and tell Sister Meg to do the same."
"I got you on speaker, so Sister Meg heard you."
"Oh really? Well then, hi Sister Meg!"
"Hi, Blair. How are you doing?"
"Crappy! But after we get to the place, I think I'll feel much better."
"Don't be discouraged, Blair. Things will get back to normal, I hope..."
"Ha. That doesn't' really sound too confident on your end, Sister," Blair noted.
Sister Meg sighed. "Yeah, I know. I can't hide the fact that this experience has been very trying for me, but I believe that my faith will not be broken. I know that it is just God testing us and, with His help, I know I'll get through this . . . we all will."
Blair smiled. "I agree with you, Meg. I totally do."
"Now, you are the one who doesn't sound too confident."
"Well, if you believe that everything will work out in the end, then I guess I can trust in your faith as well. Although I'd be lying if I'd say it won't be hard."
"God gives us obstacles to test our strength, Blair. This is our test."
"I guess so. Anyway, so you guys will meet us at the hotel, then?"
"Yes, Blair. We will be there."
"Thanks, Meg. See you then. Bye."
After Blair hung up, she declared to the room, "That must be everybody."
"Yeah, I can't think of anybody else to call," Tootie responded.
"Well, now all I need to do is call the hotel and make all of the arrangements for tonight," concluded Blair.
8888888888888888888888888888888888888
Cindy was able to talk Max into taking care of the house while they were gone and to have Emily help out. Natalie was able to get in touch with her husband and her kids, telling them that she would be gone for a few days. Nancy tried to contact Roger, but he blocked her call. She used Blair's phone to call him back, but he didn't respond. Instead, she left a message on his phone telling him that she had the kids with him. Molly had the fewest problems, for she only had to tell Jamaal that she would be gone for a few days. He understood and told her to be careful. Tootie wanted Andy to come along, but he told her that since he was Blair's PR representative, he needed to stay behind to face the media. However, Brian accompanied Tootie instead.
It was 8:15 PM, and everybody was in the main conference room. Everybody, except for Blair. She was trying to get the bus ready and to get the hideout prepared with a lot of people through the housekeeper.
Everybody was in the room. Tootie, Natalie, Molly, Mrs. Garrett, Sue Ann, Cindy, Nancy and her kids.
"Typical Blair, always freaking late!" Cindy complained.
"Cindy," Mrs. G. said. "Be patient. I don't think Blair is fashionably late on this one."
Cindy sighed and responded, "Sorry."
Finally, Blair entered the room. It looked like she ran all the way there because she was panting.
"Sorry folks. I had to help out with some mechanical issues on the bus, plus check up on the hideout," she said while huffing and puffing. This wasn't a big surprise that Blair was helping out, for Jo taught her some auto-mechanical skills.
"Well look at her now - Mrs. Goodwrench," Natalie jibbed.
Blair chucked. "Well, that's what happens when you have a grease monkey as a partner."
The rest of the room laughed. After the laughter died down, Blair began.
"As you know, the media is in a frenzy because of my actions."
"Stating the obvious there, Blair?" Cindy sneered with an angry look at Blair. It made her feel uneasy a bit.
"Please, let her speak," Tootie responded.
"Thanks, Tootie. Now, I know I did wrong, so I'm willing to make it up to all of you. For a few days, we can stay at my secret place. I hope it's okay with all of you?"
Everybody in the room was discussing it with themselves until one of them spoke up.
"What's it like?" Molly asked. "I mean, I've heard bits and pieces about it, but I want to know
what we're getting ourselves into."
"Well, it wouldn't be much of a secret if I told you guys," Blair said. "Don't tell them either, Bailey, Sister Meg," said the blonde directing her attention to her younger sister and her
stepsister.
"Blair, if I can take a vow of silence, I can surely keep the secret . . . well, secret," Sister Meg claimed calmly and quietly.
"Trust me, it is really nice," Bailey whispered to Molly.
"I hope so, because I don't like to be kept in the dark like this."
"I understand that you are not big on surprises, but I can tell you it's upstate, around Ithaca."
Some people were surprised by Blair's declaration.
"Ithaca? That's a good four hours away from here!" Nancy exclaimed.
"Yep, which is why it's perfect," Blair stated. "I mean, we will be a good distance away from the media and from the craziness of New York City. I know that we can't disappear from the media forever, but it will give us a good amount of time to get our personal lives back for a temporary time and to at least plan for our next steps in dealing with the media. Who knows? It may die down."
"I don't know, Blair. It may or may not die down. Trust me, I work for the media," Natalie stated.
"But what about our kids?" Sue Ann asked. "Someone has to watch them. Our housemaid is on vacation."
"Yeah, did you think about that, Blair?" Cindy snarked. "Plus, we have jobs, you know. Some of us here work for a living."
"So do I, Cindy. Yes, and that's why I said for only a few days. Any more questions?"
The group asked Blair a few more questions, which the blonde promptly answered, before the meeting was adjourned. While everybody agreed to staying at Blair's hideout for a few days in an effort to escape the scrutiny of the media, not everybody saw any good in doing so.
"I can't believe I'm doing this. I'm only doing this for you, Sue Ann," said a reluctant Cindy. It was clear that she was not thrilled about the prospect of spending any amount of time with Blair, let alone a space where she was bound to run into her.
"I know that, and I'm thankful for it, but you and Blair need to settle your differences."
"That's not only true for Cindy, but with me as well," Molly added. "Blair owes me a bit of an apology for what happened at the rehearsal."
"Don't worry, Molly. I'll see to it that you and Blair settle things as well," Sue Ann said.
"Umm, I'm right here you know," said Blair, waving her hand to the group. "But, you're right Sue Ann, I will do whatever I can to make everything up to everyone. I owe all of you my deepest apologies. Please, go with me to my safe house and let's try to figure out what to do next."
The group went into the garage and saw two huge buses that resembled Greyhound buses. They were painted with brown, green and gold and it had the Warner Hotel sign and logo on each side. The outside may have resembled a typical bus, but the inside was different. It was rather luxurious. The inside was a creamy beige color, with matching leather seats that had enough room for someone to have a comfortable sleep. There was a fold out tray to the side so that someone could do work or put their laptop on it. It was equipped with Wi-Fi and it had a kitchen as well as two bathrooms. It was equipped with microwave, refrigerator, and stove, so one could literally almost live on the bus. There was also televisions, CD players, game systems, and anything children could want. Although Blair had no children of her own, this bus was perfect for her friends' children. Since the bus belonged to a five-star hotel, and since many hotel visitors who had lots of money sometimes brought their kids with them, Blair always made sure that it was equipped with the most up-to-date, top-of-the-line gizmos, gadgets, and games that would make any child happy.
"Wow, Blair, is there anything you do that's not high class?" said one of Nancy's kids.
"Nope. High class is my middle name," Blair gloated. "I got two buses, one for you guys and Nancy, and the other is for the rest of us."
"Oh, thank you so much, Blair," exclaimed Nancy as she gave Blair a huge hug.
"No problem Nancy. It's the least I could do for you."
Everybody boarded as they were going to take a trip far, far away from the Big Apple.
During the four-hour ride, Blair decided to text Jo so that she knew where the group was going. It was also a last ditch effort to contact Jo, for she wanted her other half back. She knew that Jo was going to be held overnight, and that she probably wouldn't get message until she got released from jail, but it was the only available option for her right now. So, she calmly typed in her message to Jo, though deep down inside, she wanted to cry.
8888888888888888888888888888888888888
Around the same time that night at the Pennsylvania police station, Jo and Kelly were just settling down for the night. Although they weren't being charged, the officers asked if they could hold them overnight just so they could confirm their stories. Not even Jo's badge could get her out of this one. Jo agreed on the condition that nothing was placed on their records and they would be released first thing in the morning so she'd have the time to swing by the bed and breakfast, gather her belongings, and check out without having to pay for an extra night. The officers made the deal. In fact, they gave Jo and Kelly the best holding cell accommodations and even let the women keep their cell phones – which was not normal protocol. However, Jo's status allowed the girls this particular perk as a professional courtesy.
As Jo and Kelly were getting ready for bed, Kelly's phone began to ring.
"What the fuck?" exclaimed Kelly.
"What's the matter?" asked Jo.
"It says it's my mom, but I ain't talked to her in four years."
"Well, why don'tcha answer it and find out what's up?"
"I guess." Kelly took a deep breath before answering the phone. Jo tried not to overhear the conversation because she knew it should be a private conversation between mother and child, but it was hard not to listen in since they were sharing a cell. Although she only heard one side of the conversation, she knew that Kelly's mother wasn't calling to express her undying love for her daughter.
"Hey, Ma. Why ya callin' me again fo'? I told ya that I don't wanna speak to you evah again! . . . Whatcha mean that I can't diss you like that? So what if you're my mutha? Some mother you are. You're the one with the boozin' and the man whorin' ways. . . . So what if you friends are laughin' at ya right now? They're losers, just like you. . . . Well, whatdya mean . . . No, . . . Well, fuck you too! . . . And don'tcha evah try to call me again. I'm blockin' ya fa good! . . . Good bye and eat a dick, I know that's a delicacy fo' ya!"
"Bitch," exclaimed Kelly as she slammed her phone on to the bed. It bounced off of it and hit the wall. She picked it to check and see if there were any bad damages.
"What's wrong?" Jo asked.
"Oh, that man hoppin' whore had the gall to tell me I had no right to talk to her like dat and that she's da laughin' stock. Like I need her bull shit right now." She followed her rant by a fish pound to the wall.
"Kel, you're not a disappointment."
"That slut just needs to stay outta my life," declared Kelly as she wiped her eyes before the tears began to flow.
"Everything will be okay, Kel," reassured Jo.
"I hope so. Everything has gone crazy since I've been here. Blair, Kim, that Yoko-Ono wannabe bitch, the mother-fuckin' media, and my bed-hoppin' mother. They are all drivin' me nuts," Kelly said through her tears. "Videos and memes about me are all ovah da news an' da internet. My face an' my name is connected to everything bad. I'm more notorious now than I ever was as a dealer! I wouldn't be surprised if my company fired me for the bad press." She tried her best to stop the tears from flowing, without much success.
Jo gently touched her right shoulder in support. "Kelly, it'll be okay. No need to overreact."
Kelly slowly shook her head while tightly closing her eyes, yet the tears were still able to seep from out beneath her eyelids. "Ya don't understand, Jo. I ain't shy, but I ain't happy that all the craziness I went through was caught on camera and no one is lettin' it go. You may be used to possible scandals and bad press since gettin' in with the richie rich an' dealin' with Blair's shenanigans, but I sure the hell ain't. That's what we call bad for business."
"Hey, don't forget that I came from the same area as you. I know the importance of keeping your private life private."
"But you're used to livin' in the scrutiny of the public eye. Evah since you got involved with Ms. Moneybags." Kelly took a breath before saying, "Ya know I'm not much of a crier, but here I am sobbin' like some idiot. This is the worst vacation evah!" Kelly ended with her balling in tears. Jo comforted her by letting Kelly cry on her shoulders.
"I know, Kel. It has been crazy since the day Blair changed the wedding date. Don't worry, we'll get through this, ya know?"
Jo was surprised to see her usually strong friend reduced to a shy shell of herself. It was at that point she understood just how overwhelming this must be for Kelly.
Jo's cell buzzed twice. She knew that it had to be a text message, so she looked at the phone and saw that it came from Blair. It said, "Jo, I know that you probably won't get this message until you get out of jail, that's if you finally got me off block, but I just want you to know that I really, really, really miss you. I never, ever, ever wanted to put you through this. I love you so much."
Jo eyes started to water as she read the text, but she quickly wiped off tears with the back of her right hand, as it was holding the cell phone. Her left hand was on Kelly's back, comforting her.
Just then another message came through. Jo looked at it.
"Oh good, it wasn't blocked. If you get this message, and I hope to God that you do, then meet me at Ithaca. You know what I mean."
"Ithaca? Oh yeah, that place," Jo said to herself as Kelly was still crying on her shoulders. Finally, another message came in.
"Please come back to me. PLEASE!"
Jo tried to hold back her tears, but it wasn't working, as she knew she wanted to be back in Blair's arms. To smell her expensive perfume. To nuzzle up to her thick, flowing, bottle-blonde hair. Blair was her other half and she knew deep in her heart that she wasn't complete without Blair in it. She could text Blair back right now, but she decided to wait until the next day when she would have more energy to respond. She knew that Blair would either text her like crazy or talk to her so much it'd feel like she was in a marathon.
Before they went to bed, Jo told Kelly about the message, and about the hideout. Kelly was happy that there was a place for them to get away from the media, but not so happy that Blair would also be there. Still, she figured that as long as Jo was there as a buffer, nothing serious would happen. However, she had a feeling that Jo hadn't told her everything, and she might be right on that one...
8888888888888888888888888888888888888
It was 11 PM, and Roger was staying at the Deedee's Townhome Hamilton Park in Jersey City. It wasn't a five-star hotel (it's really 4.5), but since Roger was good friends with the owner, he was allowed to stay there for free for a few days. He was in his room, watching Fox News with a bourbon in one hand and the remote control in the other.
Mad and angry at his wife, he was doing his best not to let his wife's "stupidity," get the best of him. As he was watching a conservative pundit talk about how the new nation of South Sudan would be just like any other African country, Roger noticed that he had received a text message on his phone. He knew that it couldn't be Nancy because he had blocked her number, so he decided to read it in case it was important.
"Hey there handsome. I heard that you left Nancy because of what's going on. Want to meet up and talk about it?"
Roger looked at the number attached to the message but didn't recognize it. Since he was curious about who the message could come from, he decided to call the number. After two rings, a middle-aged female answered.
"Hello?"
"Hello, who is this?" Roger asked curiously as he answered the phone.
"It's Margo."
A shocked look appeared on Roger's face. "Margo? How did you get my number?"
"I have my ways," Margo teased. "Anyhow, I bet you are lonely right now. Maybe you can use some company," Margo seductively stated.
Roger wasn't stupid. He knew what Margo really wanted. He knew very well that Margo wanted to have sex with him, as many other women seemed to desire. After all, he had landed in the top 10 most handsome congressmen in GQ Magazine, so he figured that it wasn't surprising that women like Margo was attracted to him. In fact, one could say that Nancy's job was to ward off all the women who tried to steal him from her. Of course, there were also men who wanted to steal Nancy from Roger, especially after her reality show aired and became a hit, but she always had the willpower to resist temptation.
There was an Id/Ego boxing match going on in his head, with his Id, who looked like an angel, saying "don't forget, you're married," while his Ego, who looked like a devil, said, "go ahead and have a little fun. Margo's a hottie for her age."
"Yeah, but Nancy's just as attractive as Margo," thought Roger's Id.
"But Margo's probably better in bed than Nancy. Everybody knows Margo's a freak in the sheets," argued Roger's Ego.
"That's another reason why you don't want to be seen with Margo," reasoned Roger's Id. "Her reputation."
"Well, it's not like Nancy was giving it up much anymore anyway," Roger's Ego retorted. "A man has needs."
"But it's not always about sex. You should be thinking about the love you and Nancy share. It's what makes you two so – YEOWWW!" screamed the Id as his butt got stabbed by the Ego's pitchfork, before getting a swift kick on his behind.
With only the Ego left standing, he told Roger, "Go ahead and take this booty call."
On that note, Roger smiled and said, "Well, I guess I could use some company over here."
"I'm sure you could. After what Nancy put you through, you have every right to get away from her and her freakshow."
"Yeah, Margo. There are so many things going on here. Nancy and her friends could destroy everything that I worked so hard for," he said in frustration. Just thinking about Nancy's friends gave him a headache.
"I totally understand. Listen, tell me where you are and I can come by and visit. I could bring some fine Chardonnay, aged in the 50s."
Roger smiled. "Thanks, but I'm not in a wine mood today. I need something much stronger, considering all the shit that took place today."
"I figured that, knowing that you're a bourbon guy."
Roger was clearly stunned, as he dropped his cell phone onto the carpet. He quickly picked it up and asked, "How did you know that?"
Margo slyly smiled on the other end. "Like I said, I have my ways. Anyhow, I got some of that 25 year old bourbon from Old Rip Van Winkle."
"You're talking about the $14,000 bourbon?" Roger asked with a touch of skepticism.
Detecting his skepticism, Margo responded, "Yep, and I'll prove it to you. Give me a sec."
She went to her wine cellar and pulled out the bourbon. She put a sign that read, "See, Roger?" next to it, then took a picture of it with her iPhone, and sent it to Roger. When Roger saw the picture, his jaw nearly hit the carpet.
"Oh my God, you know how rare that is?"
"I know. It's some good stuff though. So, do want me to come over or not?"
"Absolutely, please come on over." At that moment, Roger didn't know what he wanted more - the bourbon or Margo.
"Great. Where are you located?"
"I'm at the Deedee's Townhome Hamilton Park in Jersey City."
Just the word "Jersey City" or anything with the word "Jersey" in it made her cringe, unless it was the island of Jersey on the English Channel, which is a tax haven and one of Margo's favorite vacation spots. Like most New York socialites, Margo avoided New Jersey like the plague, with a few exceptions, and Roger knew that.
"I know it's not up to your standards, since it's in Jersey and it's not a five-star hotel, but it's not so bad."
Margo was very tentative to answer, but she knew that she had to make the sacrifice for the group's "cause." "Umm, okay. I'll be there."
"Good. I'm looking forward to seeing you," Roger said.
"Same here."
Right after he hung up, there was a big smile on Roger's face and an even bigger smile on Margo's face.
8888888888888888888888888888888888888
The ride up to Ithaca was a few hours, but the trip was uneventful, minus the few media trucks following them, though no one is complaining. Everybody wanted a break from the drama of the past few days. Eventually they got to Ithaca, and a few minutes later, they were in a rather secluded area with a fortified gate. The media trucks were behind them, but were a good 300 to 500 feet away. The guard came up to the driver of the first bus and he showed a badge.
"Where are we going?" Sue Ann asked.
"Underground," Blair replied.
"What? You mean your hideout is underground? Why didn't you tell us this?" Molly questioned.
"I wanted it to be a surprise," Blair said. "Well, for most of you anyway." She was always full of surprises.
"Will this place be big enough to fit all of us?" Tootie asked with concern.
"Trust me, it is."
Finally, at about 200 feet below ground, they got to the big, steel door. The drivers scanned their badges and the door opened like a giant metal mouth. It was a garage big enough for a few cars, definitely big enough to fit the two buses.
Finally, they got out and saw a grandiose door with intricate adornments. The door itself was a rich mahogany and was inlaid with silver and gold. In addition, there were jewels used in fancy patterns and the knob was pure pearl.
"Ready to be surprised, folks?" Blair said with sly smile on her face.
"Please, it's a bunker. It couldn't be that impressive," Cindy snarked, while rolling her eyes.
Blair looked at Cindy with a smirk and punched in the code to open a small area next to the door. The area was only small enough to put her hand in it, which was made for that. It was a hand scanner.
"Good God, Blair. You have this place protected like it's Fort Knox!" Natalie chided.
"Trust me, when you see inside, you'll know why," she replied as she placed her hand on the scanner. Suddenly, the door opened and what they saw amazed them. Little did they know was that it was only the first floor…
End of Chapter 13