"Tropic of Eros" - Chapter 18 


   "I am SO SORRY, Lindsay!" Trish said to the beautiful and
docile 18-year-old, as I listened in and eavesdropped on them
from the comfort of my voyeur room.
   Trish and Lindsay were gathered together in the stables,
where the pair of resident horses on the island - Blakken and
Smokin' Satin Bars - were kept.  Lindsay came here moments
earlier to embark on her daily horseback ride, only to find
her one-time friend and room-mate, Trish, waiting for her.
Trish, whose life did not seem complete unless Lindsay was
an integral part of it, had gone right into apologetic mode.
   "I never meant to hurt or upset you with what I said about
your friendship with Amy," Trish continued, trying to stress
her point.  "Really, I should not have said anything at all.
You are right, Lindsay.  You can be friends with whomever you
want.  You can even... have sex... with whomever you want."
Trish did not sound all too sincere with that prior comment.
She obviously wanted Lindsay all to herself.
   "I came to the island this summer to kick back, relax and
have fun," Lindsay said in response.  "Jeremy has created a
wonderful atmosphere for all of us.  Jeremy and Kristanna, I
guess.  I did not come here to fall in love."
   "I did not come to the island to fall in love, either!"
Trish fretted.  "But unfortunately, I did..."
   Lindsay shook her head in a negative manner.  "Trish, I
think you are a really nice girl and all, but there are so
many differences between us.  We're like night and day."
   "How so?"
   Lindsay held both hands out.  "First off, there is the
age thing.  You're ten years older than me."
   "So?" Trish countered.  "Big deal.  I've heard of men in
their 60's and 70's marrying women who are only 21.  It may
seem like a big difference to you because you are young,
Lindsay, but it's really not.  Ten years is nothing.  I am
28 and you are 18."  Trish was silent for a short while,
thinking things over.  "There IS a difference, I guess, but
I certainly do not think it is a glaring difference."
   "You live in Toronto and I live in Cincinnati."
   Trish shrugged her shoulders and mused, "I could move to
Cincinnati."  Lindsay shook her head once again as Trish
added, "I would move there in a heartbeat if I thought you
wanted me to, honey.  I really would."
   "And leave all of your family in Canada behind?"
   "Some things are more important than family," Trish said.
"At least it's that way to me."
   "My family is the most important thing in the world to
me," Lindsay remarked.  "Especially after my father died
last year.  My mom and my three sisters - Jennifer, Gina and
Alicia.  I did not know just how important all of them were
to me until my father passed away last November."
   "I love my family very, very much," Trish told her.  "I
don't want you to get me wrong there.  I also love living in
Canada.  Aside from a weekend trip to Niagra Falls when I
was 11 or 12, I never even left Canada until coming to this
island.  I'm a Canuck through and through, trust me.  But I
would move away and relocate for the right person, Lindsay.
I would leave my family behind for true love."
   "How do you know that I am that proverbial right person
for you, though?" Lindsay wondered.  "I could be mistaken,
but I think we've been here for 18 days.  You and I have
known each other for 18 days, Trish.  That's all."
   "Jeremy and Pamela have known each other for that same
amount of time," Trish reminded her.  "They love each other."
   "Kristanna is the _flavor of the day_ for Jeremy right
now," Lindsay said, which caused my eyes to narrow in an
even mixture of surprise and anger.  I could not believe
that Lindsay was capable of such a snide remark about my
newfound relationship with Kristanna.  "It's not Pamela
anymore.  Who knows?  Maybe Jeremy will set his sights on
Devon next.  I know that she really, really likes him."
   "You are definitely not the _flavor of the day_ for me,
Lindsay," Trish stressed to her.  "I'm not here to propose
anything to you, or ask for a commitment.  I... I just want
us to be friends again - like we were before.  As I said, I
am so sorry for making you upset the other day with what I
said about your friendship with Amy."
   "You just want to be friends?"
   "For now, yes," Trish nodded.  "It may progress and move
toward something more, or it may not."
   Lindsay appeared agitated.  "I am not looking for any
type of commitment, Trish.  I'm really not."
   "Then we can be friends," Trish conceded.  "I'd rather be
friends with you than nothing at all."
   "How can we be friends when I know that you have these
feelings about me?" Lindsay inquired.  I figured that she
got the same impression from Trish's last statement that I
did.  In no way did Trish want to be _just friends_ with
her.  Lindsay may be young, but she was smart and intuitive.
"I'm only 18, remember.  I lost my virginity two weeks ago.
I want to go out and explore the world a little before even
thinking of entering into a commitment with anyone."
   "I'm not asking you for a commitment of any type," Trish
responded.  "All I want is to be friends right now."
   "And have sex with me?"
   Trish nodded her head.  "That kind of goes with the
territory around here... doesn't it?"  Lindsay looked to be
a bit flustered and worried as Trish added, "You were right,
Jeremy has hooked up with Kristanna.  But I heard that just
this morning, Devon had a three-some with them.  Jeremy and
Kristanna are in love, you know, but it's okay for them to
have sex with Devon too.  It goes with the territory of this
island.  It is the general theme here.  We all have sex."
   Lindsay took a few seconds to contemplate things, but
eventually shook her head and remained steadfast.  "I am
sorry, Trish.  But I think it's best that we go our separate
ways.  I... I just don't like you as much as you like me."
Before Trish was given the opportunity to say anything in
rebuttal, Lindsay turned and exited the stable in a hurry.
   Stunned and perhaps finally realizing that she did not
have a future with Lindsay, Trish simply stood there with an
empty, emotionless expression for several seconds.  Then, as
I looked on from the voyeur room with a heavy heart, a single
tear emanated from Trish's right eye and streaked down her
face.  An instant later, the dam burst.  I felt a tidal wave
of sorrow and sympathy for Trish as a thick sheet of tears
literally flowed right down her otherwise lovely face.
   I am one of millions and millions of people in this crazy
world of ours who has been shot down and/or rejected by the
person whom they loved more than anyone else, so I certainly
understood what Trish was going through right now.
   11 years after my ex-fiancee left me standing at the altar
for - of all things - another woman, I _STILL_ have trouble
coming to grips with what Victoria did to me.  Even before
Victoria, there was a girl in high school that I had a major
crush on.  Her name was April.  When I was a teen-ager living
in New Jersey, April was the love of my life.  But no matter
what I tried, I could never get April to go out with me.  We
were friends, but through three years of trying, I was never
able to get April to look at me as anything but a friend.
   Then, of course, there was Pamela in more recent times.
I still found it difficult to believe that Pamela had put an
end to our relationship with the _I need some space_ excuse.
   So, I certainly had a lot of personal experience with
what was happening to Trish right now.  She was totally in
love with Lindsay, and wanted to be with her.  I wish that
things could be different between them, but it appeared as
if that would never be the case.  It was really unfortunate.
   If I could, I would have stepped into the surveillance
monitor directly in front of me here within the voyeur room,
magically teleporting myself to Trish's location, so I could
give her a reassuring, sympathetic hug.  She was in serious
need of one right now.  Trish had crumpled down to the dirt
floor of the horse stable and was crying as if her reason
for living had been stripped away from her.

   Then, I suddenly realized, perhaps it had...

                           * * *

   "Hey... what's wrong?"
   No more than five minutes after I left the voyeur room
and ventured off to the horse stables here on the island, my
words had caused Trish, who was still hunched upon the dirt,
to look up at me through her dreary, tear-stained eyes.  She
was still sobbing, but not quite as badly as before.
   "What are you... what are you doing here?"
   I shrugged my shoulders and answered, "I came here to go
for a ride with my horse, Smokin' Satin Bars.  But I see
that you're crying."  I tilted my head at her.  "You know
that I don't like to see any of you girls cry.  What's up?"
   Obviously, I had to play _dumb_ here.  I could not let
Trish know that I was aware that Lindsay had rejected her
because, needless to say, I had eavesdropped on their prior
discussion.  The only person on the island who knew that the
voyeur room existed (besides me, of course) was Kristanna.  I
wanted things to stay that way - for obvious reasons.
   Trish shook her head and flailed her right hand about in
a barrage of hurtful emotion in response to my question about
what was wrong with her.  "Everything that you have ever
wanted, Jeremy," she began.  "Everything that you have ever
dreamed about, ever fantasized about."  Trish shook her head
again.  "It's right there.  Right there in front of you.  You
see it every single day.  You smell it everyday.  It is right
there.  Right there... in front of you."  Trish paused for a
brief moment, then sniffed her nose.  "But no matter what,
you can't touch it.  You can never have it."  She hung her
head low and sulked, "Do you know what that feels like?"
   "Yes," I replied, without hesitation.  "I know exactly
what it feels like."  I slowly stepped forward and closed
the distance between us, then knelt down directly in front
of Trish.  "I think everyone knows what it feels like, dear.
We've all been through it at one point or another."
   "It's... it's L-L-Lin-Lind...say," Trish stammered, wiping
away an excess of tears from her eyes.  "I c-can't be-believe
it, but she is not interested in m-me."
   "Then you have to move on, Trish," I suggested to her.
"Move onto someone else.  You have to forget about Lindsay."
   Trish let out a shrill whine.  "How can I forget about
her when she is everything that I have ever dreamed of?"
   "Because you have to," I insisted.  "You just have to.
Until the person comes along that is truly right for you,
and you're truly right for him or her, someone better will
always pop up out of nowhere.  That is how it is, at least I
believe, until you find your soul-mate."
   "I love that girl more than life itself!" Trish cried.
"I just don't understand why I cannot be with her!"
   "You can't be with Lindsay because it is not meant to be,"
I countered.  "Why drag yourself through the mud like this,
Trish?  You're doing nothing but hurting yourself.  Lindsay
does not like you the same way that you like her.  As much
as I hate to say this, but... nothing will ever change that.
I'm sorry, but Lindsay will never love you.  And the more you
pursue her, the more she will distance herself from you."
   "L-Lindsay spends most of her time with Amy now!" Trish
complained.  "What does she see in Amy that she doesn't see
in me?  All I want to do is love Lindsay!  Love her forever!
All Amy wants is to have sex with Lindsay!  And USE her!"
Trish hung her head low and began to cry once again.  "You
know something, Jeremy?  I'm... I am obsessed with Lindsay."
   "I know you are."
   "Her face, her eyes, her mouth, her hair... her tight,
little body, her hands, arms, legs, feet.  Her voice.  The
way her eyebrows shoot upward when she laughs.  The way she
tilts her head when you talk to her.  Lindsay is... perfect.
Do you... do you know what it is like to feel this way about
someone, Jeremy?  To be obsessed?  But for that person to
have absolutely no interest in you at all in return?"
   I took a few seconds before answering, "Not sure about
being _OBSESSED_, but there was this one girl a long time
ago that I was very much in love with."
   Trish made eye contact with me.  "Your ex-fiancee?"
   "No, this was before Victoria.  It was back when I was
still going to high school in New Jersey.  Her name was
April.  I loved that girl so, so much.  But... I could never
get her to look at me as anything more than a friend."
   "Why not?  You're a great guy."
   I offered a wry smile.  "Let me tell you a story.  I was
age 15 in the tenth grade.  I had never spoken to a girl
before in my life.  One day, though, a girl named April
walked up to me and said _hello_.  That's it - hello.  I was
so incredibly shy then.  She said hello to me, I kind of
looked at her, my face turned red, and then I walked off."
Trish giggled - through her misery about Lindsay - as I
added, "That was the first time a girl had ever said one
word to me.  I was so shy, so embarrassed.  I could do
nothing but stare at her for a few seconds, then walk off.
I couldn't even bring myself to say anything to her."
   "I was never shy in my life, fortunately," Trish mused.
   "Anyway, a couple weeks later, I switched a few of my
classes around and, lo and behold, I sat at the desk right
in front of April in history.  She was so very outgoing and
friendly that, eventually, I felt comfortable talking to
her.  One day, I found the courage within myself to ask her
out on a date.  A pizza date, actually.  It was Friday, and
I asked April to go out with me after school on Monday.  I
wanted to take her to the local pizza place, my treat."  A
smile came to my face as I recalled, "She said _yes_."
   "I thought you said April never liked you that way?"
   "Hold on, there's more," I told Trish.  "Much more.  I
went home that day - Friday.  I was in love.  I thought
about April all weekend.  She was my new girlfriend.  I
called my family in Ohio and told them I had a girlfriend.
Everyone was so excited for me."
   "When Monday came, though, and the time and place for us
to meet after school, April was nowhere to be found."
   Trish gasped.  "She stood you up?"
   I laughed.  "Yeah, she did.  I couldn't find her anywhere.
I even went to her house, but she wasn't there.  Or, just did
not answer the door.  I walked all the way home and threw a
fit.  I even stayed home from school for two or three days."
   "But the next time I saw April, on the ensuing Thursday or
Friday, she was all happy and smiles - like nothing happened.
I wanted to ask her why she did not show up for our date, but
I wasn't that bold yet.  This girl was still being nice to me
and, believe it or not, I began to think she forgot about the
date completely.  A few weeks went by, I asked her out again.
April said that she had a boyfriend."
   "To lessen what is already an incredibly long story, I
must have asked April out 15 or 20 times in high school.
That would be harassment in many people's eyes, but I was
just a kid, and I did not know any better.  Plus, April
liked me as a friend.  I asked her out 15 or 20 times, as I
said, but she always had an excuse for me.  Again, April
liked me.  She would actually call me on the telephone at
night and we would talk - as friends - for hours."
   "I became very open and honest with her.  I loved her, I
wanted to make her happy.  I used to write her letters saying
just how much I loved her.  I even wrote her poetry.  I would
do anything for that girl.  I remember one time, I rode my
bike through a driving snowstorm from my house to hers, just
so I could return a movie to the video store so she would
not have to pay a late fee.  I lived a good three or four
miles away from her, too."
   "I know all about trying to ride a bike through the snow,"
Trish nodded.  "Remember that I live in Canada."
   "So, when we became seniors, it got to the point where I
basically demanded to know why April would not go out with
me," I continued.  "It seemed that she went out with every
single guy in the school EXCEPT me.  April had told me in
the past that I was the nicest guy she had ever met.  I even
asked her once if she did not like the way I looked, and if
that was the reason why.  But she said I looked fine.  So...
this one day, I demanded a reason.  We're friends, I'm a nice
guy, I look fine to her... why doesn't she like me?"
   Trish looked tentative.  "What did April say to you?"
   I frowned.  "She did not want to answer at first.  But I
kept pressing.  I told her that no matter what it was, as
long as she was honest with me, my feelings would not be
hurt.  Eventually, I got the answer that I wanted."
   "What was it?"
   I sniffed my nose, remembering that exact moment in time,
and took a deep breath.  "April said that if she and I were
to go out together, I... I would have... depressed... her."
   Trish looked at me through narrow eyes.  "You would have
depressed her?  What does that mean?"
   "Because I have battled depression and anxiety attacks my
whole life," I sighed.  "The girl of my dreams - at that time
in my life, at least - did not want to go out with me because
I would have, of all things, made her feel sad and depressed
by just being around her."  I sighed once again, then shook
my head as Trish stared at me, wide-eyed.  "I was very lonely
back then.  My parents were always bickering and fighting.  I
had moved away from my two brothers and one sister when my
father was transferred from Ohio to New Jersey in his job.
I only had a few friends.  I hated it in New Jersey.  I was
very, very lonely, and I had a lot of other problems."
   Trish was stunned.  "And the girl that you were in love
with - spent years going after, I presume - did not want to
go out with you because you would have DEPRESSED her?"
   "Yeah..."
   "How did you take that?"
   I let out another (begrudging) laugh.  "I stayed home from
school for a week, then got my schedule re-arranged so April
was in just one of my classes - instead of four or five.  As
I think about it, I did not stay home that week.  I worked.
I worked from nine in the morning until eleven at night for
six days that week.  It was at _Kentucky Fried Chicken_.
Our store was so desperate for help that the boss ignored
the child labor laws for me.  I was only 17, but worked in
excess of 90 hours that week - just to keep my mind off of
April, and stay away from her."
   "Were you friends with her when you went back to school?"
   "Yeah, but not as much as before," I responded.  "After I
graduated from high school, my father was transferred in his
job again - this time to California.  We moved there, and I
kept in contact with April through the postal mail for a
good two or three years.  Just letting her know how things
were for me.  We even talked a few times on the telephone.
Incredibly enough, she called me each time."
   "Did you tell her about your ex-fiancee?"
   "Yeah, I told her," I breathed.  "I also told her that
Victoria left me standing at the altar, and why.  I haven't
heard from April in years.  I kept writing her, but she
stopped replying after two or three years.  I guess it was
just time to move on for her, and get away from me."
   "Do you still write her?"
   "Once a year," I nodded.  "One of my friends who lived in
New Jersey, he came to my wedding years ago and told me that
April really cared about me.  April was always worried about
me, and it hurt her that she shot me down all those times.
Just... she couldn't go out with me.  She did not want to go
out with me because I would have depressed her."
   "If you could go back in time and change things, would
you still demand that answer from April?"
   "Yes," I replied.  "Without a doubt.  It was the absolute
worst thing that she could have told me, but yes, I would
still want to hear it.  What April said - it has always
stayed with me, Trish.  It will never leave."
   "It's just one person's opinion, Jeremy..."
   "I try my best to be nice to people.  I try to my best to
smile and be friendly, be happy, be courteous.  But I know
that I cannot fully mask the way I feel, or my emotions."
   Trish frowned.  "I do get that vibe from you sometimes,
Jeremy.  You are nice and friendly toward all of us, but I
can tell that you are not the happiest person inside.  At
times, it seems like you have to force yourself to smile."
   "Am I that obvious?"
   Trish shook her head.  "It's perfectly okay in my book.
I'm not the happiest person either, you know.  Neither is
Pamela.  Devon, Amy, even Stephanie.  Even Lindsay.  I think
the only truly happy person here is Kristanna."
   "Lindsay is not happy?"
   "Lindsay misses her father," Trish confided.  "She almost
killed herself when he passed away."
   "Lindsay told you that?" I asked, my eyes wide.
   Trish frowned and nodded her head.  "Her mom and younger
sister had to convince her not to cut herself with a knife.
She said her father was her hero in life.  He was only 46
when he died.  It was totally unexpected, too."
   "Wow..." I murmured, taking all of that in.  Then, I
remembered something.  I reached into my pocket and pulled
out my wallet, and opened it up.  After thumbing through a
series of photographs encased in plastic sleeves, I settled
on one and showed it to Trish.  "This is a picture of April
and me when we were both 17."
   Trish took my wallet from me and inspected the photograph
closely.  If one did know any better, they would suspect that
April and I were once a loving couple by looking at the
photograph.  In it, the two of us were smiling as I embraced
April from behind.  "She looks like Amy," Trish observed.
   I laughed again.  "That is one reason why I chose Amy as
one of you girls to come to the island."
   "Are you still in love with April, Jeremy?"
   "April is a closed chapter of my life," I told Trish.  "It
will stay forever closed.  I have no intention of ever going
back to New Jersey.  Plus, last I heard, she was living with
some guy and was thinking of marrying him.  That was four or
five years ago, at least.  They are probably married now.  I
send her a letter through the mail once a year now, but I
know that she will never reply."
   "What about Victoria?  Do you still love her?"
   "I hate Victoria," was my response.  "She destroyed me.
For as much as what April said affected me, and hurt me...
what Victoria did was a billion times worse.  A trillion.
She ripped my heart out in front of everyone, and stomped
on it.  She..."  Trish suddenly appeared to be a bit uneasy
because of my words, so I decided to let up about Victoria.
I did not want to get all mean and nasty around Trish.
   "Are you going to forget about Lindsay?" I asked, changing
the subject between us.  "I guess you could never really
forget since you care for her so much.  I'll never forget
April or Victoria.  But will you at least move on, Trish?  I
do not want to see you hurt or upset.  I certainly do not
want to see you cry.  I want you to be happy."
   Trish shrugged her shoulders and pouted, "I really have
no choice but to move on from Lindsay.  It will be so hard
because I consider her to be absolutely perfect.  Lindsay is
everything that I have ever dreamed of in another girl.  But
if she doesn't like me, I... I have no choice."
   "Lindsay just wants to have sex right now," I said.
   Trish frowned again.  "Sex for me has always been much
more meaningful and important than just physical pleasure.
It has always been an expression of love and caring, true
and total devotion.  When you and I took Lindsay's virginity
two weeks ago, Jeremy, it was the most incredible experience
of my life.  Certainly the best, and the most memorable.  I
will never forget it.  It was so special for me."
   "Is what happened that day one of the reasons why you are
so attracted to Lindsay?"
   Trish nodded her head.  "Yes, most definitely.  I had
always fantasized about being with a virgin girl.  I had been
with virgin guys before, but never a virgin girl.  It was my
ultimate fantasy come to life!"  Trish giggled and added, "I
wish I had it on video so I could re-live it all over again!"

   I had that three-some archived in the voyeur room...

   "I guess I want to be Lindsay's beginning, middle and end
in terms of sex, and relationships," Trish confessed.  "That
is included in my fantasy of the virgin girl - I am so good
for her, and I treat her so well, that she does not ever need
or even want anyone else."  Trish paused and continued, "But
you and the others that I have talked to about her are right.
I hate to admit it, but I am a lot older than Lindsay."
   "I'm older than you, Trish, and _I_ HATE to admit it," I
mused.  "I'm 30.  You're 28, and Lindsay is only 18.  I hate
to admit that I am a lot older than Lindsay is.  Do you know
that Lindsay was only _AGE THREE_ when I asked April out for
the first time.  That is unbelievable to me.  It really is."
   "Lindsay is still a kid," Trish sulked.  "A child."  She
was silent for a moment, then shook her head.  "Did April
ever stop to think that if she actually said _yes_ to you,
and went out with you, it would have made you a lot happier?
Then, you wouldn't have felt so down and depressed."  I
shrugged my shoulders as Trish continued, "Makes sense to
me.  If it was me, Jeremy, I'd have went out with you."
   I was somewhat surprised by her comment.  "Really?"
   "Yes, really.  It's too bad you didn't go to my school."
   "What were you like in school, Trish?"
   "I was a freaky combination of a really good athlete and
a science nerd," she told me.  "I was really into soccer and
gymnastics, and played hockey, too.  I was also a cheerleader
in high school.  I was into science, too.  I had this little
microscope.  I loved to dissect things and look at them with
it.  And I absolutely LOVE astronomy - always have."
   "You?" I chuckled.  "A science nerd?"  I tried to envision
this blonde and overly voluptuous creature of satisfaction as
a _science nerd_.  Hey, I bet Trish looked really good in a
pair of glasses and one of those white lab coats...
   "I love science and always have," she stressed to me.
"Was there any other girls in high school besides April?"
   I shook my head.  "No, not really.  I asked a few others
out, but always found myself coming back to April."
   "I would have gotten your mind off of April," Trish said,
her voice sweet and sincere.  "You and I could have went out,
been boyfriend and girlfriend, if we knew each other."
   "I'm afraid that a girl as beautiful and as popular as
you must have been in those days would have never noticed a
guy like me, let alone go out with me."
   "What makes you say that?" Trish squealed.
   "Experience."
   "I'm noticing you right now," she countered.  "Aren't I?"
   "You didn't the other day."
   "What are you talking about?"
   I took a deep breath.  "Do you remember when you and I
were talking at the bar that one day?  It was probably about
ten days ago, or thereabouts.  We were having a really nice
discussion.  Lindsay showed up, you stopped talking to me.
You completely forgot that I was even there, Trish.  You went
off with Lindsay right in the middle of our discussion."
   Trish nodded her head.  "Yes, I remember that.  I thought
about it later, too.  It was incredibly rude of me to do that
to you.  But Jeremy, you know how much Lindsay affects me.
My whole world stops whenever I catch a tiny glimpse of her."
   "I know," I breathed.  "I am not angry or upset with you
at all, Trish.  I know what Lindsay does to you inside."
   "I have always been attracted to guys who are very open
and honest," Trish mused.  "Guys who are soft-spoken and
respectful.  That describes you, Jeremy.  Whether it be now,
ten years ago or ten years into the future, I would notice
you, and like you.  I like you now."
   Her words made me smile.  "Thank you."
   "Can I ask a favor of you, though?"
   "Nice way to butter me up for it..."
   Trish giggled at my playful accusation.  "I know that
tomorrow is Amy's 30th birthday.  I also know that you have
something planned for her, like a party.  I hope I do not
make you mad by asking, but... can I... can I skip it?"
   "You want to skip Amy's birthday party?  Why?"
   Trish was sulking again.  "Lindsay will be there, and I
know that she and Amy are going to be laughing and having a
good time.  It will just make me feel bad, Jeremy.  I will
think that Lindsay should be laughing with me.  Not Amy."
   "You have to get over that girl," I reiterated.  "You
have seven-and-a-half weeks left on the island with her.
You'll eat breakfast and dinner with her every single day.
No matter what, you cannot avoid Lindsay, Trish."
   "Birthdays are different," she told me.  "I just think
Lindsay and Amy are going to be mega-happy tomorrow.  I
would really rather skip it, Jeremy.  Please?  It's not
like anyone is going to miss me, or something.  Lindsay
wants nothing to do with me, and Amy is mad at me.  Amy has
been mad at me since I argued with her over Lindsay.  They
would probably like it if I wasn't there."
   "I would miss seeing you there, Trish."
   "Please let me skip it," she begged.  "Please?"
   "Okay," I relented.  "You can come down with a case of
the phantom flu tomorrow.  It has to be under one condition,
though - you MUST stay in your room, and sell the fact that
you are sick.  It would look incredibly bad for you to skip
Amy's birthday party in favor of... going to the weight room.
I don't care if there is a feud between you and Amy or not.
You have to stay in your room and act sick."
   "I can do that," she nodded.  "Thank you, Jeremy.  I know
it is a strange request on my part, but I really appreciate
it.  Hey... is Stephanie going to be at the party tomorrow?"
   "Stephanie is leaving the island in a couple of hours," I
answered.  "I am sending her home for reasons that I rather
not discuss."  The main reason, of course, was because of
what Stephanie had said to Pamela a few days ago - notably,
calling her a _whore_.  But Trish did not need to know that.
   "I, for one, am going to miss Stephanie," Trish offered.
"But this is your island, Jeremy, and you can send her home
if you want.  Stephanie did tell me that you are paying her
$100,000, though.  That was surprising to me."
   "I don't want there to be any hard feelings from her end,"
I explained.  "I promised all of you girls at least $100,000
for ten weeks of your time.  Stephanie gets it for spending
less than three weeks here.  She loses out, though, on the
chance at $500,000.  You can look at it that way, too."
   "Only one of us gets paid $500,000, while everyone else
gets $100,000," Trish remarked.  "I know you won't tell me
or any of the others what the criteria is for winning the
big money prize, Jeremy.  So I won't even ask."
   "If you did ask, you wouldn't get an answer."
   Trish giggled.  "I figured as much."  She looked around
in all different directions before saying, "Look, I better
get going."  Trish stood up and dusted her lower body of
the excess dirt from hunching upon the stable floor for so
long.  "I want to go back to the mansion and take a shower,
maybe lay down and rest for awhile.  Take a nap."
   "And avoid Lindsay at all costs?"
   Trish shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Yeah."  When I
stood up as well, Trish stepped forward and encircled my
body with both arms.  She offered me a very warm and loving
embrace, which was topped off by a kiss on the cheek.
   "Thank you for talking to me about Lindsay, and wanting
to help," Trish cooed once our embrace had ended.  Those
pretty green eyes were flickering as she smiled, "And thank
you for telling me more about yourself, and your past."
   "April, you mean?"
   "I meant what I said."
   "What was that?"
   Trish grinned.  "I would have made you forget about April
if we went to the same high school."  Trish pressed her lips
to my mouth and volunteered a deep, tongue-filled kiss.  My
insides tingling with a sudden rush of emotion and desire,
Trish concluded the kiss by stepping back and smiling at me.
"I think it's time for my shower."  Trish turned to walk
away, but stopped and then glanced back over shoulder at me.
"I hope that you and I have the opportunity to spend some
more private time together like this in the future, Jeremy.
I enjoyed talking with you."  She waved her hand.  "Bye..."
   With a pair of hip-hugging denim shorts adorning it, I
literally drooled as I watched Trish's splendid, round ass
jiggle and twitch as she strutted away from me.  Realizing
that I had a hard, aching erection, I cleared my throat
three times before finally managing to call out, "I hope
that we can spend more time alone together, too."  Then, in
a voice too low for Trish to hear, I ended, "MUCH more..."