LITMIR.BIZ

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hell, let’s pack, and we’re out of here. I’ll call Snowden to arrange our departure.”

      Myra was off the chaise and running into the house before Charles could click on his phone. “Thank you, God. Thank you, God,” she kept muttering over and over as she threw her suitcase on the bed and, willy-nilly, tossed their clothes in. She rushed to the bathroom and ran her arm across the vanity, and in one fell swoop, the contents went into a small leather satchel.

      Done!

      “We’re good to go, Charles,” Myra said breathlessly. “How soon can we leave?”

      “Forty minutes!”

      “Details, darling, details.”

      “I just called for a taxi to take us to the airport. We will have private transportation to the mainland, and from there, Annie’s Gulfstream will take us home. We will have a two-hour wait once we hit the mainland, but I didn’t think you’d care about that any more than I do. Does this work for you, old girl?”

      “It does, Charles. It really does. Oh, I feel almost giddy. Dear, you aren’t…you know…disappointed that our honeymoon was so…boring, are you?”

      “Myra, our honeymoon was deadly boring, but thank you for being so kind. By the way, I’m glad you pushed the envelope. Now, we have to come up with some believable story for our early return. A story the girls will believe.”

      “They won’t believe anything we tell them. You know that. They’re going to know, Charles. We’ll be honeymoon duds!”

      Tongue in cheek, Charles said, “And this bothers you, my dear?”

      Myra thought about the question. “Annie will be relentless!”

      “Well, we’re going to have a good many hours to come up with a story that will work for Annie. And the others.”

      “Can we make it risqué, darling? Annie won’t accept anything less.”

      “I’ll put everything I have into it,” Charles drawled.

      Myra sighed happily. Her world was looking more wonderful by the minute.

      Chapter 2

      The room looked like an overcrowded gym, with workout clothes, water bottles, and sneakers scattered everywhere, along with sweaty bodies. The only problem was, the occupants in the room were not working out, nor was there any kind of machinery. No treadmills, no Exercycles.

      The women were lying in various positions on the floor, glaring and cursing at the evil-looking pole in the middle of the room, the only sign that possibly the pole was the source of exercise. The psychedelic lighting inside the pole added to the snarling that was going on.

      Kathryn Lucas rolled over on the floor and groaned aloud. “I am going to take an ax to that damn thing. Then I’m going to kill you, Mom!”

      Annie eyed the pole, which she and the others had not been able to conquer. “I hate a quitter,” she mumbled.

      “Quitter! Quitter!” Nikki shrieked. “Is that what you said? Look at us!” she continued to shriek. “We’re black and blue from top to bottom. My butt is so sore, I’m not going to be able to sit down for a month! I am one giant cramp. You better say something, Annie, or I’m going to help Kathryn strangle you.”

      Annie sniffed. “Obviously, all of you are out of shape. Pole dancing is an art. You need to pay closer attention to the tutorial. I’m way older than any of you, and I’ve made the most progress. Your performance is pathetic! Now, we’re going to get to work and conquer this goddamn pole or die trying. Up and on your feet! I want to see all of you on your feet, and this time turn the music up. We are not, I repeat, we are not going to allow this pole to conquer us. Shame on all of you! We’re women. We’re supposed to be able to do anything. Wusses!”

      “I hate you, Annie,” Yoko cried pitifully. “I cannot do it.”

      “You will do it. That’s an order!” Annie said as she massaged her thighs, grimacing in pain. “Now, let’s see some agility here! You’re up, Alexis.”

      Alexis struggled to her feet, her expression mirroring Kathryn’s as she stumbled to the stripper pole. She swiped her hands on her shorts, gritted her teeth, and reached out to the pole. The muscles in her upper arms bulged. The others held their breath as she leaped at the pole and got smacked right in the nose for her effort. She slid to the floor and started to cry. She rolled over to get out of the way as Isabelle, her face grim, shouted something obscene as she took a run at the pole, grabbed it, and swung around, her long legs wrapping around the pole. The beat of the frenzied music seemed to give her some impetus as she whirled around and around, then fell to the floor in a miserable heap.

      “Bravo!” Annie shouted excitedly.

      “Screw you, Annie. That’s it! Do you hear me? I am never touching this pole again. Ever, ever, ever! If I have to, I’ll chew it till it falls apart,” Isabelle snarled as she, too, rolled out of the way so Nikki could take her turn.

      All eyes were on Nikki’s grim but determined face. The calves and thighs of her legs burning, she eyed the pole like it was her enemy, which it was at this point in time. She didn’t run to it. Instead, she marched up to it, raised her arms, grabbed the pole, her knuckles white. Carefully, she swung her right leg, which was bruised from thigh to ankle, and wrapped it around the pole. Her left leg followed suit. Her jaw tight, her eyes closed, she straightened her back, took a deep breath, and started to rotate her hips to the beat of the music. Somehow or other, she managed to command her body to slither upward, then downward. And then she stunned everyone by doing three full swings around the pole before she allowed herself to slide all the way down in a crumpled heap.

      Roars of approval and clapping hands made Nikki burst out laughing. She rolled over and clutched at her ribs. “That’s it,” she gasped. “I am never, ever going to touch that pole again! You’ll have to kill me first.”

      The others seconded her declaration as they all managed somehow to get to their feet, moaning and groaning at the pain in their abused muscles.

      It normally would have taken the Sisters five minutes to slip into their outer gear for the trek across the compound to the main dining room and kitchen, but this time it took almost twenty. They were through the door when Annie’s cell phone chirped. She flipped it open and heard a voice command her to send the cable car to the base of the mountain. The Sisters stopped in their tracks when they heard Annie say, “But there’s ice on the cable. All right, Charles. I’ll do it.”

      Their pain forgotten for the moment, the Sisters all started talking at once.

      “They can’t be back already!”

      “What kind of honeymoon is over that quick?”

      “Maybe something happened!”

      “What if the cable car gets stalled?”

      “This is not good!”

      Kathryn summed it all up by saying, “Now it’s Myra’s turn on the pole.”

      Annie was already halfway to the cable car and didn’t hear Kathryn’s comment.

      Annie’s hand was on the switch to send the car to the base of the mountain when Nikki reached out. “What if the car gets stuck halfway down?”

      “At least it will get stuck going down, not coming up. The trip down will melt the ice. Coming up should be a breeze. It was an order from Charles, dear,” Annie said, shrugging off Nikki’s hand. She pressed the power button, and the hydraulics came to life.

      The cable car slid out of its nest and started down the mountain. The women could see shards of ice flying right and left as the car made its slow, steady descent. All eyes were on the control panel, which marked its progress.

      Annie’s fist shot in the air when the cable car made contact with the hidden platform built into the base

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