Jonjoui's Muse

Book 5 of Meridian Michel’

Young, beautiful Jonjoui West (John-ju-ee) left that sad, and lonely place, of her abusive husband behind her, and started a new life in the Sultry Lands. Surrounded by her loving family, and long-lost twin cousin, Meridian Michel’ d’Anise, others, and with a man she called her muse, followed her dreams with a doting friend of her father’s, left himself out of any equation of a romance with her, stayed dedicated to his work, and concealed his feelings.

As her confidante wishes her to explore other avenues in friendships, and even love, at his age, her muse looked great physically, was sharp mentally, and had not a drug addictive personality, so Jonjoui was attracted to her handsome friend, but even Meridian knew she could never heal from the woes of her husband Teaken Willow, who she would have loved forever had he not lost his mind, and her, yet through her decisions, and successes, Jonjoui gives thanks.

Suede had been with her through her emotional recovery and knew all along it was her challenge, and her achievement, pursuing her dreams of ownership of her business in beauty.

Jonjoui’s Muse gave her advice, his generosity, and comforted her. As Teake’s name willow’s, Suede kept an eye on her safety, and of her beauty, something he could not engage, but watched her grow, and in his line of work all he could be, was Her muse.

One-

Eliot Bancroft

The late afternoon settled, and Jonjoui began to see beautiful half mooned skies, long stretches of land, and thought, it’s going to be a long night. The steamy food two cars over, she knew before she entered the dining car she would order roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, and asparagus. She sat, and declined a drink from the writer, Patrick Bentley she recognized when he introduced himself. He is now a novel publisher, traveling south, to visit his mother.

She declined a drink with him, but selected grapefruit juice. Patrick insisted on paying her tab. He said he was honored to sit with such a lovely woman. His compliment made Jonjoui smile, even with what she had just gone through. She took a quick glance to see if he was wearing a wedding ring, he wasn’t, and spent time chatting with Pat, he was not making as much sense as when he started. He drank too much, and after two hours of his storytelling, Jonjoui graciously excused herself.

She had inventory books to equate, Pat was a jolly stranger, understood, and Jonjoui was sure he would find another person, or three on that train drunk enough to be with him, since he said his mother was a nag. He was a man used to the finer things in life. His hair, skin, fragrance, shoes, tie, suit, Rolex, and wallet attested. Jonjoui had work to do. She had a new job waiting, and glad she was able to grab a train after Teake, or God forbid she say “Tweak, or Reek,” made her miss her flight.

He was difficult and jealous of absolutely nothing, and she never cheated on her husband, but he was the cheater in all of it. She returned to her seat, put on her headphones, concentrated on her work and glanced The Wizard of Oz that played on video, going over her transfer papers for work. After the movie, the train traffic ceased. She pulls out a book, reads, and after midnight wraps herself up in her blanket, and adjusts the cozy frog pillow she bought.

Jonjoui just might sleep, and happily slept that time, not worried if her estranged husband followed her again. They were young, separated and her abusive husband Teaken Willow was in his early thirties and used to pop up out of nowhere to harass Jonjoui, ask for money, or to accuse her of adultery. He pushed her around, the essential reason she was on the road after five years of his fantasies against her. Having to take a train, he was not there to aggravate her.

He accused her about things she knew nothing about, and she was glad to take the trip she was taking and had not given Teake Willow another thought. She loved him but was free from all of his tyranny and grateful to her father Caliche’ for being understanding of her plight, meeting her on the platform early the next morning.

“No, no dad. I’d like to travel that way,” she said without ever explaining that she had a flight planned and missed.

With four hours away from her destination she wandered over the beautiful countryside and began to see how wonderful the Sultry Lands were. She saw easy- going people traveling to work, even crossing train tracks. Men old, and young seemed healthy, happy, and strong. From inside the train, she could smell the purity of fresh fruit in the air. Fresh cut grass stimulated her senses after such a long ride seeing the scent of multitudes of orange, and lemon trees.

People woke up little by little after she avoided the rush. Jonjoui got clean, dressed, and headed to the dining car for orange juice. She did not sleep well but there was the most beautiful sunrise, and she began to feel happiness again. The help smiled at her, and she bought a blueberry cheese Danish, drank the juice, ordered a cup of hot coffee, and went back to her seat. There was no sign of Patrick, who would sleep most of the day, even though the scenery was very breathtaking.

When she arrived at her destination, the air was hot, hazy and she had never experienced such high humidity in all her life, but the atmosphere of her trip was remarkable. There was lush greenery, and buck-sum men. The earth in the Sultry Land was very much widespread and it made her feel brand new. The whiff of fresh fruits in the air, and different trees were naturally peaceful to see in the entirely new atmosphere. She had an advantage, and her life was in line.

Jonjoui would miss many people, cruising on the train listening to music. She tallied the cosmetic books to send back to New York, stunned at the difference of life there, and practically went to turn as if Teake was there, so she could say so. She was happy, out of a dire situation with her husband but did not gloat, was not ashamed, but a little sad, thinking back when Teake was Teake. She was a bit angry that her very own husband could not be with her, but he could not let her be so happy.

Her husband would fuck things up for her and speak of God in the same breath. He was a soldier for people he claimed not to know, so Jonjoui cared not. She was no whore in anyone’s circle, nor he in her thoughts. When Teake found her again, usually he forced her to be his wife after all the anguish he caused for four years. He would not sign divorce papers, and his baffling her was not a good look. He did not care. Although they were through, he knew his intruding presence disturbed Jonjoui to a fault.

He was evil that way, worse than any horror movie and must have wanted her to know him as the scariest person she ever knew, but now that Caliche’ knew a part of her story with Teake, he would not find her before someone in her father’s agency found him first. Finally admitting herself she deserved a better life, Jonjoui was relieved. Her way to the sultry land was like the sun rose again as it was her stop. The train rode slowly on the tracks, deep down in the lush lands.

Jonjoui was on her way to a place she would call home, delighted with the choice of residence her mother, and sister chose for her. Dakota and le’Aris were happy she finally arrived, and life truly began for her once again without the lock, and chain of her estranged husband’s ’illness, he would not accept help for. Her new abode included close shopping, amenities, and lovely places to dine. There, she could start to enjoy her life again, from being bitterly set up by Teake.

She was free from the people Teake let sabotage his honor with Jonjoui. His jealousy turned too many ugly bitches who wanted him, to want them, but he wanted Daphne and it did not work out. She and her friends he should have complained adultery with, but they were his kind. Teake was an asshole in his own right, and Jonjoui did not know his warning signs, and in truth, he teetered just when she was about to marry him, deeply in love with Teake once.

Now she was just in love with the outdoors, and her home. Jonjoui, and her family shopped at arts and crafts fairs that were extraordinary. The solitude of the estate she lived in was a terraced condominium equipped with an abstract shaped underground swimming pool, greenery and neat barbecue decks and the pool lit nights, just below her. Off the train, she was a few steps away from stepping onto a tropical paradise under the most beautiful trees Jonjoui had ever seen.

She lounged, made a good living, hence, did not give Teake much thought. It was too bad they did not work out, but she was happy where she was, and because of Teake, no mystery how to start a new life. Jonjoui’s marriage to Teake came with too much disappointment, and pain. From him, she had to find a new abode every so often. Confidently, Jonjoui learned to live without Teake and very much appreciated the natural beauty of the sultry lands, friendly people, the peace, and solace.

Everything agreed with her. Her mom Dakota, sister Aris, aunt Saphronia, and Caliche’ made the switch and moved back to the Sultry Lands where he was born, and the reasons were obvious. Teake never would have made that move with her or would have made it miserable, yet chased her away to something most beautiful, her family’s ancestral homestead, and the place to be. The towns had all the eateries, good culture, cool people, sunshine, nature, beaches.

Her father was born into a legacy of fragrant, and beautiful plants, birds, fruits, and flowers, and crops. Tropical trees shaded the hot sun and cooled the nights at the end of the day. Jonjoui found her new surroundings a beautiful, lush paradise, and life was wholesome, and just what she needed to help document her days. Her thoughts were written so that she could move forward from her past. Jonjoui jotted about her days in Haiku, and happily settled into work.

Her life again was a never-ending cycle of beauty, New York set up a good word for her and her occupation and she had another phenomenally successful transfer. Everyone made a big deal about Jonjoui coming, pleasantly welcomed, Teake was oblivious. He ruined her back in New York, but that was his goal. He did not care and added such insult to injury of the lies he wanted everyone to believe and not let her live his lie down, repeating himself, and believing himself.

After only five years with several marital separations, Teake was violent, abusive, and Jonjoui could no longer withstand his psychobabble brainwashing. He was a foolish liar but blamed her anyway. He was sickening and married, Jonjoui was sleeping with Teake, her enemy, and asked herself not to kill him, anytime she could not escape him. Out of all the people in the world who do drugs, she ends up with someone who cannot enjoy himself or handle it but kept doing it.

Teake enjoyed what he was doing to Jonjoui. He started picking on her out of nowhere. Drug, and alcohol rehab did not help, even though she sent him three times. He said he was addicted, but his head trip was mental. Jonjoui used to be in love with Teake. He quickly became her husband, but turned on her, listening to his ugly demons and others because she was beautiful. It was a good thing she was still young. Jonjoui was attractive and had a family who loved her.

She made a decent salary, and as she settled, she wanted to get in touch with her sister best friend Heather. She wanted Heather to receive word that she had relocated again, so all Jonjoui could do was hope another friend would get word to her, it had been a year since she, and Heather last saw each other on that cold snowy evening they ran into each other, the barbeque, and now they lived on different spheres, Jonjoui remembering the last conversation they had.

“Thing’s changed, and I can’t be with him anymore. He wants to accuse me, be violent, call me bad names, we had to move from every place we stayed because of his belligerence,” Jonjoui complained.” Teake turned out to be as immature as his mother said he was and Jonjoui saw where he lacked growth, and so good to see Heather that winter in the New York bus station, and her parties were wild! Jonjoui loved Heather and if anything were to happen to her, she would die.

“I loved him, but it was shitty.” Heather regarded Jonjoui with much patience. “And you know I CANNOT do Krazy,” she added.

“Yeah. Krazy, no. We don’t do. It’s not our thing.” not too long after she, and Heather spoke, Jonjoui finally had to relocate because of his carnal abuse. It took the life out of love. Teake used to follow her, stalk her to where she lived, but now, he will not readily find her, no longer able to tolerate her fate with Teake.

It was because of him, she had to leave the

place he knew she loved to start anew, and she missed her chum. Without Heather, another year, and a half whizzed by, and Jonjoui had not one breeze of her. She was two years younger than Heather who had sisters, and knew she had things to do even before Jonjoui first started her career, but Heather always took time out for her. In the meantime, in the Sultry Lands, Jonjoui met a neighbor named Eliot.

In a high spiritual kind of way, he was kindred, West Indian, and absolute. The construction worker was dreamy. His shiny black muscles met Jonjoui at the mailboxes of their condos, and he turned out to be very friendly. He was a man with brawn, nothing to prove, a smooth muscle toned body, and had a few years on Jonjoui. He was mild, playful, and just what she needed in such a beautiful, place; a clean handsome creature who enchanted air of the place, rather than harm her.

His condo was in route to hers, she pointed out because he asked, where he found out, balconies faced adjacently. She was a little glad she told the truth about her location because he mentioned seeing her once a few weeks, or so ago, and said he had not seen her since then. “Bancroft. Eliot, not Elliott,” he had an accent as thick as a mango.

“You only stayed over de’re all this time?”

“Yep, well not long,” she said.

Jonjoui was still in her twenties, petite, pretty with dark, shiny black wavy hair. She had a cheerful impression.

“Hello, I’m Jonjoui.” They shook hands, and it was not long before Eliot brought over a spot of his native food for her to taste. Eliot was not always the flirty type. He learned to live with his good looks, he was pretty, but no man would ever try him. Eliot was an alpha-masculine, the kind of pretty that would make a woman jealous.

Eliot was a rugged man put together well and healthy. His dark skin had not a mark, it shined, and his hair was as lush as butter. Jonjoui thought his cooking had tremendous flavor, and when he visited, Jonjoui was cooking too, and garlic aroused his senses. She just finished cooking another dinner of meatballs and spaghetti and tasted Eliot’s dish while he was there and loved it. They were in tune with one another, and aromas wafted.

“Mm. What you are cooking, lady?”

Eliot’s voice was rough, deep, and she liked the gentle way he spoke even in the boldly gruff way he sounded, his voice like every word had a beat. He took in the aroma of the spaghetti and meatballs cooked, and said they smelled good. Jonjoui asked Eliot into the kitchen and dished a container of spaghetti with meatballs for him to take, since he said he already eaten. They pulled up a chair at her patio and she tasted his wonderful, delicious food cuisine.

Beef, rice, and many vegetables had not tasted that good in a long time, and she fell in love with it, and he was most appreciative. It had been a few days since they saw one another again and Jonjoui started to meet more people at the private place they lived. She encountered a strange guy of sorts, but did not know he, and Eliot were incredibly good friends. Jasper lived closer to Jonjoui than Eliot, but she had never seen him after some months, living in her condo.

Where he lived all that time, she saw foliage, not his front door from her terrace, their paths had never crossed. From a short distance in the night air, she often felt someone near, different than Teake, but watching her? His place was very well shaded, in the warmth of the summer months. Jonjoui had never seen so much plant life. Jasper, she had begun to see, and he had an agenda. He would say hello, and give the biggest, pacifist smile, and she would wave or nod hello.

Jonjoui paid him no attention yet witnessing her loud neighbor’s weird behavior in the shadows reminded her of how Teake treated her or how awful he made her feel. In the hot breeziness of an evening, she felt weird, knowing she and Jasper Bonaparte lived closely, only separated by four condo spaces. There was pavement throughout the landscape, a private cove secluded in the beauty of well-kept flowers. The greenery was luscious, and the land forever bloomed.

Jonjoui never knew there lay an apartment condo behind thick foliage while she sunbathed, and that Jasper lived behind the it, but when they were introduced, Jasper seemed cool, Eliot’s friend, unknowing he could have been watching her all along, and Jonjoui tried not to let him get too close. Jasper was the type of person you had to get to know. He seemed strange in a bitter way but in time she learned some of his truths, and his reasons for feeling the way he sometimes did.

When she decided he kept his distance, he still had a zealous eye when he saw her. Jonjoui knew better. Jasper, and Eliot were friends, but the smile on Jasper’s face was not face value. It usually meant he could kill someone, so Jonjoui was right, he could lose it. He wore a smile as if a therapy treatment when crazy, and thought people were not paying attention. Jasper was muscular like Eliot too, the kind of muscles to try if you dare, and a dubious smile that teetered.

It turned out he was love stricken by Jonjoui and might have given her anything she asked if he could, trying not to kick himself in the ass at the same time. He preyed on women and was slick enough to attract just the right girl who would say yes but would end up dirty in a dumpster if she said no. Jasper was an emotional man, and the sight of Jonjoui was stimulating. They became great pals despite themselves, and every now and then Jasper would ask Jonjoui if he could cross the lines.

He was not as appealing to her as Eliot, and she did not want him to cross that line or ruin her reputation. Jasper, and Eliot would bicker for one reason or another, yet Jonjoui had a fun time with them. She was the new player on the block, and they individually had different lasting friendships. Jasper was West Indian as well. He, Eliot, and Jonjoui shared recipes, exchanged dishes, and even nursed each other’s colds from time to time.

When she moved there, and to her joy, her father Caliche’ called and wanted to know how she was doing since the last time they saw each other. He thought she sounded a little down, but Jonjoui was not. She had a good but long day at work. In general, Caliche’ hoped she felt better about things, since she had to commit to a different lifestyle, but life suited Jonjoui fine, contrary to sadness and ill repute, as time sped forward.

“Hello?”

Jonjoui was soaking in a hot bathtub full of perfumed bubbles, picked up the call, and was glad it could never be Teake on the other end.

“Oh, hi Daddy.” Jonjoui’s father was nice, and a man with little worries.

“Hey Baby. I just thought I’d give a call to check on you, it’s been a few days since you moved in. How’s my little ugly princess doing?” Jonjoui sounded better knowing it was her father and he was happy she had a lot to say.

Caliche’ had business in New York again and especially proud to see Jonjoui’s newest photo up in the mall again. For the first few months, she worked as a makeup artist, and will introduce new shades of beauty in a natural skin-care line, and it was exciting. Jonjoui liked the product she would sell. The color palates, and skincare was a part of a winter hue collection, glad her terribly busy father saw what she had been up to at work. Jonjoui was remarkably busy that season.

She had to travel to different department stores, in fashion malls, to stir that promotion as a representative of the company in skincare, and as a makeup artist. Jonjoui mastered special effects and worked in between as a beauty adviser in fragrance departments as well. Her assignments led to bigger freelance positions, her work was rewarded, and the salary was good, and people were thankful for the knowledge of their good new looks.

“I’m doing great,” Jonjoui said confidently.

Caliche’ was happy, and in her photo, noticed she had gotten a new haircut, and he liked it. If Jonjoui was happy, he was happy. Far be it for Caliche’ not to have sympathy if she did not like her new life, new hairdo, and position in it.

“I can see how greatly you are doing, and I’m still proud of you baby. You’re looking good, and doing the successful thing,” he smiled. Jonjoui could feel her father’s pride, and it made her driven while Teake steadily stepped on her toes.

The smile under his thick mustache, she could almost feel, plowing across his face from ear to ear.

“You should be proud of yourself too,” he concluded. Jonjoui smiled and could not handle any more praises. She realized she had gone silent, but Caliche’ knew she was smiling too. He could feel it. She was aglow with her father’s call, who worried about her regardless, and she worried about her father too in his line of work, owning the private investigating agency was dangerous.

“I am Dad. I feel really good about things here and seemed to have made a good impression at our preview meeting, and have even met a really nice neighbor too,” she said. “Mom, Aris, and Aunt Saphronia, have been popping in. Wait until you see my place.”

“Oh, good Honey, I’ll be happy to see what you’ve created.”

“Thanks Dad. Tige and Desiree are coming to visit in a few weeks.”

“Oh, your brother’s flying down with

Desiree?”

“Yes. And he said he had call you. Everything else is really good.”

“Good. Well, I’m happy you’re happy Baby, and that everything is cool. I’m glad you love your job. You’re making a mark.”

“I am.”

“Your sister phoned Saturday to say how well you were doing. She thinks you’re lucky.”

Aris was happy Jonjoui moved to the Sultry Lands as well. She put Teake in his place too many times to remember, and never felt intimidated by him, so perhaps everyone knew him better than Jonjoui ever really had. Teake preferred to be an asshole, his friends said so, and it was a good thing Jonjoui had a family who loved her, otherwise she would have believed his annoying shit.

“Your grandparents can’t stop talking about you. They’ve missed you so much.”

He was glad his daughters got along so well. Caliche’ had to go, glad he checked in before he received an important phone call. Jonjoui was blushing and thanked her father for checking up on her. She always thought Caliche’ was the most! Next week, he is taking his out on the town, and asked her, and le Aris to figure out where they wanted to eat and what they wanted to do while he was there. Jonjoui was going steadily at work, and Aris’ dinner party slipped her mind.

le Aris’ was a social butterfly, and since Jonjoui had to look at her own model image often, and worked hard on her feet, she was tired. She needed to unwind by the weekend, and after that, will work another ten day straight, unaccustomed to so much humidity, but with Aris, experiencing the good life and what it had to offer, was even more content since her father’s telephone call. That night, Jonjoui stayed up a while longer with a movie, writing, and having a cup of orange tea.

She thought about the enjoyable conversation she had with her father and slept. Jonjoui dreamed in colors, about flowers so beautiful she could smell them. In the clarity of her visions, in a far-off place, she dreamed of floating, and of faint whispers, and the smell of fresh ferns danced in the air. She was happy, and where she lived was breathtaking. All year long the place flourished, glistening with rays from the sun by day, and twinkled with moon dust at night.

The sultry lands left no choice, all a person could do was appreciate God’s gifts. Jonjoui too, slept outside in the sultry land’s openness. Her six senses of life were bountiful to her, as if being born again, and like she was a stone’s throw away from heaven. Life was beautifully different and in her head at night, she drifted to sleep, letting the static in her head fade. Teake was no longer too much for her mind, and Caliche’ made his intentions clear to Teake- stay away from his daughter.

Jonjoui would no longer suffer that man, her father and brother Tige’ finally knew what went on, Caliche’ laying eyes on him would be Teake’s last breath, and he was not worth Tige’s salary. She covered up their issues but should not have, hoping things were Teake’s last mistake, but it was not. Teake was boastful behind the backs of most, and a backstabber. Jonjoui loved her life again, combined with sitting in the parks listening to live jazz music that summer with Eliot and Jasper.

The sultry land was heavenly bliss for Jonjoui,

and she was glad she met them. They were nice guys, and she was usually tired from the glamour and glitz, of her profession. By each day’s end, Jonjoui coached at least one hundred people concerned with the latest evening’s edge, normal facial skincare, upkeep, fragrance, colors, or makeup and after work, preferred to bathe, pop in a good tape, and then work on her art projects, sipping a cool glass of warm blush wine.

There was solitude poolside. Her sunny side condo was quaint, comfortable, she basked in the golden sun, lounged in the shade of the palm trees, and their group shared their time poolside. Jonjoui was happy she was there, and belonged, but her immediate neighbors had troubles worse than she, and Teake could ever. They were a strange couple who had fights and that perhaps since they were open with it, may cause them to recover, after once Luna ran onto Jonjoui’s terrace naked.

She did not want her boyfriend to touch her, but he said he was only trying to help her to bed. Who or what do you believe? They were at least in their late thirties, and she distrusted him to a fault. Dominic was open about their money issues, and things Jonjoui cared not to hear, but Luna was to irrational, out of the blue hyper tense, but since Jonjoui had been through domestic violence, she was compelled to hear them out, because it was like they needed someone.

Jonjoui offered the woman her robe, and a hot cup of tea. Luna was lunatic, quite pathetic and that night, Jonjoui ignored the couple, because after all that commotion, Luna willingly went with Dominic, instead of calling the police to press charges, or to see to her mental health. Thank goodness! Luna’s personality changed again, and suddenly decided she sis not need a friend, or any family to help her and when things died down, the other neighbors clued Jonjoui on the couple.

“Their Entertainment,” the neighbor’s said it was. In their private cover of seclusion, Luna was spotted naked at Jonjoui’s. She was noisy, quite out of her mind that night in the peacefulness of the Sultry Lands. Jonjoui let fragrant air flow through her windows, and it called to her senses. That smooth breath of oxygen cultivated, transformed her soul, and refreshed her spirit. After the neighbor incident, a breeze swept. It was a man’s fragrance Jonjoui sensed, but unfamiliarly, and a good thing.

Jonjoui was happy it was not Teake’s. How dare he intrude on her dreams. He bitterly seeped into her thoughts from time to time, and that was enough. Only she, and her friends stirred music, and excitement. There was laughter around the pool area, and friends and if Teake was around the corner lurking mad, he would be angry she had good people looking out for her. Someone would always be watching out for Jonjoui. Teake preyed on her.

He knew he kept them alone in their lives, and isolated Jonjoui from her family. Aunt Saphronia suggested she take her sister up on an offer to go out, have an enjoyable time! Jonjoui needed to get out more, and did, having a little chuckle about the other night too, her neighbor’s hysterics were new to her, and she thought they were on some real heavy shit. On her patio after a long bath, Jonjoui lounged. She said a blessing in prayer and drifted off to sleep.

A shift in the wind woke her and the flower vines moved swiftly in the darkness, when she once looked to discover in an instant, a door shut. It was strange, but she had not given the matter another thought and grew accustomed to her space. Settling into the Sultry Lands, Jonjoui calmed herself and had not smelled the sensual scent of a clean man since Caliche’ in a while, and of the many signs she ignored from the beginning, there were plenty of eligible men around her.

In the newness of transcending, any sex without love did not solidify a relationship; sex was just that, sex. Marriage should have solidified a relationship, but for Jonjoui, it just solidified sex, sometimes, burdened by the issues between her, and Teake it seemed they could not resolve. After presenting him over the years with divorce papers, he would not sign them. Judgement lapsed, causing Jonjoui to pay to reopen the case three times. Teake was an ongoing expense.

Jonjoui had to afford all the places she had to move to because of him and he thought he could beat the shakes into Jonjoui, but he was wrong, and instead tried to feed his need, which was an issue too. Most of Teake’s torture, everyone knew he could make mind over matter, but he did not want to. He blamed his unpleasant habits, and wrong doings on society, and his wife, but no one bothered Teake but Teake. He used drugs as a crutch to drink and drinking, a reason to fuck off.

He was still very unhappy. Teake believed his own lies, and made their lives a problem, not giving a damn. When he was not taking drugs, alcoholism took a toll on them. Their relationship could not be salvaged with Teake’s wild fantasies about his wife having sex with his friends, so he could hit her again. Drama was something Jonjoui did not want in her life, but it was what Teake gave her. The things he said about her doing, were nasty, distasteful, and not her style.

Instances that looked differently, Teake added to his imagination of her. Jonjoui was sure Teake would not see past the worst in the last woman he had treating women with discord. His so-called, old girlfriend was cute, but not Jonjoui, and not the exotic looks of that dumb Daphne, who Jonjoui might think she paled, but at last she saw Daphne, her looks were diminishing. Safe in the sultry land, Jonjoui retired into a humble sleep and rose beautifully anew.

Into her new place she settled. Caliche’ and le Aris were the last to visit Jonjoui and liked what she did with her suites. Her family normalized Jonjoui and with her father, Jonjoui said things she had not a chance to say, had not a care in the world and went to dinner at the marina.