Wild Horses

Tonight the Dubois compound is lit up for Ladonna’s affair and the entire town buzzed all day with excitement as this was turning out to be more of an event than the Vanderhaven Spring Opener. You would think that Taryn who usually led the way in all social affairs would have retired to a discreet distance, only her association with Gervais had led to some sort of madness, no doubt his constant sly whispering in her ear contributed and she was to attend with him as her escort. I shudder to think of the fallout that will create with Liselle and Jago on one side, Taryn and Gervais on the other and Ladonna bellowing in the middle. Although Ladonna had ensured I received an invitation she gave me a brief phone call suggesting that it might be in my best interest not to attend for although she was happy to face an open war between Taryn and Jago she felt due to being the hostess she could not keep Gervais on a leash short enough to ensure my safety. I assured her that wild horses couldn’t drag me anywhere near the Dubois compound and I would be having a quiet evening in. Ladonna sighed with regret and told me that life was a bitch as I was probably one of the few people she would have actually liked to see there. I thanked her even though I had no idea why she felt attached to me and deafened by her sudden screeches at whatever minion had incurred her displeasure I hung up in relief.

Not that anything could have made me go to that affair although I wouldn’t have minded seeing the face off between Taryn and Liselle, maybe Liselle could call her that Vanderhaven creature or one of Taryn’s favorite put downs. Coco also rang saying that she and Royce were going as they had been invited and she didn’t care what Taryn thought as she was now her own person plus being able to flaunt her marriage in the face of Elyce was too good a moment to pass up. Being married suited Coco as she had turned from vague kitten to embracing her identity as Mrs. Royce Vanderhaven wholeheartedly. Royce also appeared happy to have sorted his affairs out and seemed to be genuinely in love with his new wife. Jojo said they made a good couple as neither annoyed the other too much and I guess that’s pretty much what marriage must come down to after the first insane passion is gone.

Zizi gave me a call late in the afternoon and I was surprised to hear from her as I thought she was busy touring and she said she had been invited to the Dubois affair as Osric said it was wise to attend as it seems they owned half the studio. This was news to me, I knew Dubois owned most of the town or financed the ventures of most people but I didn’t know they had an active ownership in the studio. That would explain why Osric a friend of Jago was always so polite to the Dubois, namely polite to Gervais whenever he oozed over to meet whatever starlet Osric was entertaining. Zizi said she was going for the show, to watch the meltdown, as she said both Chantal and Tony and her mother had been invited, Ladonna did love her drama!

The evening looked like it was going to be one of people watching their ex’s on the arms of others and probably lots of spats in the ladies room. Zizi said she understood why I would not be there given my past with Gervais and asked if she could oblige me by slipping something into his drink. I laughed at her and realised she was right, it was probably best to just see it all with humour or all the drama would kill you in a week. She told me the interesting bit was that Caspar was going to be the escort of Elyce Dubois and I thought they suited each other perfectly, pristine in appearance and soiled by nature.

Tiah rang me in tears, not because her parents were about to become the centre of even more gossip but because she dared not go without support and I told her both Coco and Zizi were going so she could get her support there. She told me that Coco was always too busy with Royce, Zizi was too busy being famous and then in her usual artless, tactless way she let the important information slip out without even realising it. She said that Lynx had snared Simon and was taking him and I could not believe that he would allow himself to be used in such a way. When I had told him about Lynx and Jojo he was scornful of the way she used men for the moment so he was either punishing me or himself I didn’t know which and I didn’t want him to get himself tangled with Lynx for she was only bad news.

Jojo was off taking care of the restaurant for Chantal who was getting ready for Ladonna’s and I took the opportunity to call Simon and ask if it was true. His voice was remote on the phone, not cold, but absent of emotion and he told me what he did was his own business so I said this was how he wound up doing stuff he regretted later. He suddenly got angry at me and I was taken back by his rage when he said it was a bit late to worry about what happened to him and if I really had cared I would have stayed around. Stung but his bitter words I told him that a little honestly upfront maybe would have saved us both a lot of heartache. He slammed down the phone but I was not angry as I knew that in another life we would have been great together but in this one it never was going to be.

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