Permanent Holiday? Not really.

[Jennifer Drew]

Why don't we just start off with a couple of mimosas?

Stupid. What I really needed right then was a nice warm glass of milk with a horse tranquilizer chaser. Being totally paranoid about one of your best friends makes you lose a lot of sleep. I felt like I'd been out of it for days waiting for the next insane thing to come from Ashley Raimond. And that's what led me here. Breakfast at the cafe felt like an appropriate place for a messy public break up.

Oooh, fancy. Are we going to repeat “high society” day from when we were in Vegas or something? Because I think I can do a much more ridiculous Southern belle than you this time, shugah.

Alright, you're not as interested in this as I am, what's the deal?

It's Ashley.

Damn it, why did I have to get to the point? We'd both have been much more reasonable if we would have had breakfast. Well at least the drinks are here.

I've just been thinking about the other day. She's taking this too far. She knows I can't take it if anything happens to you and that's bad for both of us. You saw she doesn't know when to quit. She's not going to stop until she bashes you back to kindergarten and you're stuck in Mrs. Harris's class re-learning shapes. It's one thing to hang on to something that important but this... what she's doing is criminal.

I mean granted I've done some downright evil stuff to people in my time, but never to anyone who didn't deserve it and never to anyone that wasn't a trained professional.

I'd ask what ever happened to the rules but this is what happens when the stakes are this high. You can't be a part of this any more, OK?

So, I'll be more careful next time. Shit, just buy me a crash helmet and we're set. Jenny, everything's cool. I have to be here. We've got to show her...

We?

We. First person, plural. As in you and I. As in “We are going to mangle Ashley Raimond and send bits and pieces of her back to Jessie and her big oily side o' beef boyfriend.”

Dee Dee, I hate to tell you this but there can't be a we on this one. You've got an filthy rich rock star career ahead of you. No joke. I know how you've been taking care of yourself selling your indie record the last couple months. I wouldn't be surprised if you had a big fat offer sitting in the mailbox when you get home. I don't want you to risk that.

Ashley's dangerous. She kicked my ass, clean. No cheap shots, not even a 1,2,3. It was just me on my back loopy and wondering if the house lights were coming from a UFO. Oh and the time before that they had me upping my iron intake for a week after she and Lauren decided to juice me.

Is this all starting to make sense?

But what about me, huh? I don't get a vote on the Deirdre Hahn Security Council? Some psycho out there just gets to come after me and I don't get to get her back for it?

That's not what I'm saying at all. Maybe when things are different, OK? Once Ashley drops the belt she won't have to resort to shit like this to hang onto her spot. She'll mellow out, get lazy then oh wait... who's that knocking on her door with lead pipes... oh, it's us! But right now...

Right now I'm just some fragile little devotchka you've got to protect while she's damseling.

Jenny, don't do this. Except for the first night, and the gym being here with you again has just been awesome. I feel like I have to finish this.

You let me worry about all that alright?

[Jennifer Drew]

Later.

Well that sucked. You'd think the awkwardness would end after the big reveal but you'd be dead wrong. We just kind of sat there not even looking at each other at the table for the rest of our meal. I didn't want to have to do it like this. Honestly, I thought this would last longer with Deirdre only making vague references to her day job as a successful touring musician like in some horrible sitcom.

So here we were out on the streets in front of the Tower as the Town Car I called showed up and idled for a minute before they took her away.

I took care of everything to get you home. You'll be walking around like you own the joint for the couple of minutes it takes to get back to Ohio. I've got someone to deal with your stuff so don't worry about packing. I don't know what Ashley might have planned, I wouldn't be surprised if she was watching us now actually. So, I got you a car to a sweet little undisclosed location for the night.

Oh! And I left your itinerary in there. Make sure you read it.

Whatever...

Not whatever! That thing is loaded with useful information. Like, uh. The flight times!

Wow...

Oh and your seat number!

Amazing...

And contact numbers in case something goes wrong. Don't worry if you can't take off because of an act of God. I've totally got you on that. Seriously though, it's pretty fascinating. Take a look once you climb in.

Damn, I thought that would at least break some of the tension.

I could tell she was in no mood for wacky so I just went ahead and turned it down a notch. So I just held her hand a minute and flashed a little smile. This was going to be tough for her for a little while but I knew she'd get through it.

Jenny, I'm so-

I stopped her right there and just shook my head.

Don't, OK? Everything's going to be fine. Trust me.

See you soon.

And so we shared a nice long hug before we waved for the driver to hold the door for her. Of course this was the moment when all of a sudden you start asking yourself if you're doing the right thing and what this is going to mean for the two of us down the line. Right now though the door was closing and she was driving away.

And that meant there was only one other woman in my life now.