And He Called It Research

"Thanks, we'll be kicking ideas around in the meantime."

When Didi returned he called them all together for a meeting. "Okay my beauties here's the latest. The east end of the island isn't being used at all by the guests of Journey's End, so I've come up with another way to help us pay the bills. Create a restricted area around that end of the island. There are tons of resorts and hotels on the big islands and for a hefty fee we could hall a certain number of guests over there and turn them loose for the day. No supervision and no restrictions. We'd provide them with an exotic lunch, have bathrooms there and an open cabana so they could hide from the sun. A few chaise lounges and a generous number of comfortable mats for them or other uses," and he smiled at them. Also have one camera there so we can monitor them to see how we an improve on all of that. Other minor details, but that's the crux of it. Another couple of thousand or so a day to help keep us solvent. What do you three think?"

"No buildings?"

"No and for two reasons. I want to make it feel more remote and primitive and buildings would spoil that. Also I've promised myself that there will be no more development of the shoreline. Oh, and the guests could be driven down the center of the island behind the resort. Nobody would even know the day guests were on the island."

"That would certainly diminish our privacy here."

"Oh, right. Well I have another idea then. Ferry them out there, but keep them well away from shore so they won't invade the resort's privacy."

"That would be better as long as the seas are calm anyway."

"True. Okay, now you're going to the Bistro for dinner because a few of your fans have asked to see the three of you."

Liz looked at the other women and then asked, "What do you mean, we don't have fans, and who are they?"

"Well it seems that you do have and they wish to surprise you three."

"Then you go with us sweetie."

"They don't know me."

"Then it's time they did know you honey."

"Oh my god," Sissy said, "You don't suppose it's some of Boyd's group do you? Some of them said repeatedly that they would love to come back to the island again."

"Maybe so."

They made it a point to be just a few minutes late and as soon as the women saw who was waiting for them they stopped and mentally swore. Then Sissy took the lead by gluing a smile on her face and went in. "I'm almost speechless, hello Brian. Hi Kay," and she moved around the table. Midge, how are you?"

"I'm great."

"Where's Abe?"

"We have quite a story to tell all of you."

"Oh, I'm sorry, everybody, this is Mac Patterson, he owns the island."

The men stood up and shook Mac's hand and then they sat down. Mac was at the end, but they insisted that the three women sit at the open places between them That put Sissy near the other end of the table and the Liz and Didi across from each other near the mid point. Liz was next to Midge who became the speaker saying, "Okay, we don't expect you to remember all of our names, so allow me to refresh your memory." She pointed as she went saying, "That's Brian as you remember, and that's Kay, Brian's sister next to him and then Joe her husband. On Brian's right are Stephanie and then Delores, and Don her husband. Next to me is Calvin, Abe's younger brother and my fiancée," and as Midge's hand went to his thigh, she shared her smile. Then she added, "That's right, my fiancée, because you see, Abe is quite dead. Dead and he and his cheap cremation urn discarded along with the weekly collection of household garbage. He lived like trash and forced us to do much the same, so he is now residing, with trash, quite anonymously of course, somewhere in the landfill."

Liz was turned toward Midge and her hand went over Midge's as she said, "Oh my god. Obviously you're doing great, but what happened?"

"Now that is a very good question that all of us ask. He was murdered actually. Yes, he was shot and stabbed until he was beyond dead. Of course two different weapons lead one to think more than one murderer."

Brian, took over then saying, "The police have questioned and tested each and every one of us of course. But a curious thing happened on the polygraph tests. Most of us tested deceptive. The police have at a minimum of thirty suspects and that's just in the family. Beyond that are former partners, business associates and other parties too numerous to even mention that harbored very bad feelings toward him. Each and every one of us have freely admitted that we hated him and that we all had very strong reasons to make him dead, or at the least want him dead. We all had plenty of motive, means and opportunities."

Didi stepped in saying, "I don't know what to think or say. I have questions, but I can't seem to form them in my mind, except when did he die?"

"Well let's see, tonight would make it just...well, three weeks ago as of about eleven o'clock tonight based on the best guess of the coroner anyway. We're all going to have one more toast to him right at eleven in fact, only Calvin and I will be in the throes of a passionate union at that moment. That just seems appropriate somehow."

Dinner and fresh drinks were served to them, and Alohi stopped by to see that everybody was pleased with their meals, but then not much later, as Kay put her fork down and her hands went to her lap, she said, "I'm sure it doesn't even need to be repeated that what we experienced and endured through that week at Tropic Treat wasn't how we were or are."

Everybody wanted a turn at sharing the details of their lives as Calvin said, "I want to tell all of you just what I told the police one day. We do have to thank Abe for a few things. Our inheritance of course, and I fully and openly love Midge and, though neither she nor Abe knew it at the time, I have loved her since well before we were here. From day one Abe didn't have a clue how to treat this wonderful woman nor did he care to know. We also have to thank him for teaching us to be strong in the face of terrible adversity. And we all have to admit that our week here taught us a lot about ourselves and each other. We were all too greedy for one thing. Other things that few if any other people in the world would ever discover and certainly wouldn't admit to.

Calvin licked his lips and looked at Midge before he continued saying, "By the time we left here I had made love to beautiful sweet Stephanie and my son Rex's wonderful wife Jessica. We've had long talks about all of that and the only reason Jessica isn't here to add her voice to this evening is a major scheduling conflict. Kay and Brian...yes brother and sister, two wonderful people made love, but I'll leave it to them to share their feelings about that if they choose to. My son Rex was with his niece Denise. On it went like that until late the Friday night before we left. We all have emotional scars that may never heal, but we've also become a very close and loving family, and we now enjoy freedoms that we learned here. Being naked a lot of the time, and with what is now Midge's estate, we have ample room to explore those desires. We are not afraid to embrace each other and say we love him or her. Without naming names or family relationships, some intimate events continue and not one of us will ever condemn them. This is our family and as screwed up as it was and is, we are all we have and it's up to us to decide how to move on with our lives. We are strong thanks to Abe. Also because of him dying, we have a great reason to celebrate and that's just what we plan to do while we're here. We'll walk naked on the beach and feel free to embrace, kiss and bond, but in our own way and our own time."

Then Kay said, "Sissy, you and Didi and Liz were just doing Abe's bidding and we all think that all three of you got in over your heads. Of course you had no idea what Abe really was like. You were used and bought just as all of us have been for a long time. All of us, and those that couldn't join us want you to know that we hold no ill feelings toward you at all." Then she looked at Joe and then toward the others as she said, "In fact we've told certain friends what a fantastic place this island is, and how great all of you are. Joe has seen your new ad for your conference facility and he wants to utilize that one day soon."

Delores had been quiet, but then she added, "We also want to come back and take over Tropic Treat again, but in a more civilized way, and no we won't need any entertainment to get us naked and interacting the next time," and she smiled.

Mac finally joined in asking, "So where do the police stand now? What happens with the investigation and all of that?"

Midge took over again and said, "We don't know or care. We've not showed grief or sadness so we don't have to act in any certain way. Maybe one of us at this table killed him, and if so we owe them a great deal. But we don't want to know who killed him. We want to forget he ever existed in fact."

Then Cal raised his glass and said, "To Abe, and may his ashes be picked over by the seagulls and his remains scattered through the garbage." Everybody stood up with glasses raised and large smiles on their faces as they sipped their beverages, and Mac and his ladies joined them.

Mac's little group lingered for a short time after dinner, but then they showered their guests with words of flattery for their good fortune and their strength before they left. The warm humid night breeze washed over them and Liz held her arms out saying, "This is what I need right now. My god what a disaster that family has been through."

Then Didi added, "Or, maybe what a disaster that family is, but if they can pull good out of that nightmare existence, then more power to them I say. As to Abe, I can't quite remember who the hell he is."

"But did you check out Midge? Did she look better or what? She looks ten years younger now."

When they were back home, they gathered around the table and Mac fixed them all one more drink. "I think this would be a good time to review where we are in our lives right now. Didi honey, you are and will be part of our family as long as you're willing to put up with us. Sissy honey you already know how I feel about you."

"Me too," Liz added.

"Liz my beautiful loving wife, I love you more than life, and if nothing more good happens to me I'll always be thankful for having you. I think we can now safely say that we are a great team and we are a success. We have room to improve of course, but the island is paying its own way including covering our salaries and then some. The money we got from Melvin's estate is put away for emergencies only, but all of you are getting a nice raise. Didi, I know that you'll be spending more time at Journey's End, so we'll just have to push a little harder here to make up for losing part of you. Serenity Island has reinvented itself."

"Ooh, I like that," Sissy said. "I think we should splatter that message all over the place when we place ads. I think that's a good ending to tonight and to our long recovery and I love all three of you. We have reinvented ourselves, yes, I like that a lot.

The End.