Consequences Pt 09D

Consequences 09

Part D She's gone but won't let him forget

Note: AAA is my version of an online service not to be confused with AOL

Cast of Characters at the end.

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David

That night I slept with Lauren and her bedfellows and they distracted me completely. Subsequently Rachel and Erika joined us, hyped up from visiting some nightclub or other, I supposed. So I went off to sleep exhausted which was just what I needed. I was always surprised that they came home, my low expectations I guess. Of course I wouldn't necessarily know if they didn't but that would not fit with our rules and I was sure that someone would let me know if they didn't.

Life was becoming slow and relaxed, a little unlike the high octane sexual atmosphere prior to the vacation although the weekends always seemed hot. How much of that was down to Olivia's absence was a question but I wasn't going to worry about it.

I had spent a lot of time wrestling with predictions and estimates for occupancy of the hotel and retreat. When I finally recommended the new hotel room numbers and thus the final design, I also made provision for the new retreat house to be laid out in such a way that it could easily be incorporated with the hotel in a practical way without significant cost. The farm had 10 bedrooms but all on the upper floor so to make it flexible the accommodation on the ground level could be changed to provide extra bedrooms. Thus, I had also made provision for the retreat to become an extension to the main hotel if the number of women became untenable or if special needs arose. There would also be scope to extend the main hotel but that was a longer term option if demand exceeded expectations,

Part of my new personal policy was to ask direct questions, so at the first opportunity I asked Bree and Jane if they had heard from the guy at the bar. The room went quiet and then they looked at each other, a question passing between before they turned back to me.

Jane said. "Yes we have been in touch, we met him the day we went into town and he's been messaging us a lot."

"I suppose I have to ask if that means anything to me?"

"What kind of thing?"

"How might it affect our future together? "

"No reason why it should, do you think so?"

"Well, I hoped for honesty, nothing hidden, it's just like Olivia so I can't help coming to conclusions."

"No, we were just having fun."

"Ok well, we will leave it at that then, but I don't understand why you met him without me." I made sure they understood that I was angry as I turned and left, wondering who would still be here when the Farm is finished.

I messaged Angela's office asking for an appointment then rang Aleesha to get an update. She said that she was closing in on more offences but didn't have enough proof yet. I decided to risk a meeting with Joannie and Francine if they were in. I rang and asked if it was possible to drop by. My supposed motive and cover story was to be, 'what to do with my house when the farm is completed?' They were welcoming, although not to the same extent as the early days. I went through to the back office with Joannie and led the conversation off with, "I have two items to discuss, firstly what should be done with my house when the farm is finished and it's not that far off now. Secondly, keeping you out of the press if it's necessary, during the repercussions from my Zac investigations.

Joannie obviously wanted to go to the second item but I wouldn't allow it and we went through the current market for either selling or renting. Then I described what Aleesha had found. "That's it," I said, "I'm just keeping you in the picture." And I rose to leave, as I exited the door I almost bumped into Francine who looked at me with hate in her eyes. I turned back to Joannie, "I would say from Francine's face that she hates me intensely so there's more to this than I imagined. I think we should sever all connections for now." Joannie's face fell.

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David continues examining his life.

I was doing a good job of examining my recent life and breaking ties, my anger at Olivia had galvanised me to find fault or at least disappointment in people; 'who's next?' I wondered.

Back home, I made a list of all the people in my life who might affect my future. Monica was at the top, and irreplaceable, had my recent actions affected that relationship, even my present hard nosed attitude wasn't happy with my recent behaviour, I might have to eat a lot of humble pie on that one. Outside of my family, I thought of Angela as annoying because I was sure she was blocking me, and wasn't making any progress. Then it was the ladies in my house. Ruth was new, and at the moment potentially highly important to future growth of the planned hotel. Ana had hardly spoken to me recently but I had her down as always doubtful just based on history. For a moment I found that thought hurtful, my feelings for her had grown more than my present mood wanted to admit.

Until the recent incident I thought Jane was mine for life but now I wasn't sure. Bree though, was always likely to fall for someone, she was like a captured butterfly, beautiful to enjoy and behold but always knowing that she would need to leave in order to fully live life in a way I couldn't give her. Louise was a 'lost' woman after her break-up but I always thought she was here for the others first, so might be doubtful longer term, as was Amber who didn't qualify as lost. Of all of them Jo was the most certain I thought and I should bring her closer to me. Lauren was one I didn't know one way or another, I somehow felt that she had decided this is her home regardless of her relationship with me. Then I remembered Rachel and Erika, I thought they were tied to me for a while but they could easily move somewhere else together, now that they were so close and could give each other support. I didn't think of them as mine, so tended to be more flexible in my expectations and in afterthought Louise and Amber probably fell into the same category.

I found Jane and broached the idea of what the future expectations might be, whilst I was thinking about occupancy.

"What's brought that into your mind, you've never made anything of it before?"

"I was just thinking through the people who are here and how we might deal with changes in the future."

"Do you still think some people are unhappy?"

"Not exactly that, I was wondering about the differences since Olivia was gone and it made me realise that nothing was for certain, especially the younger ones, like Rachel and Erika, they might find this home constraining."

Jane was expecting something about herself and Bree to be the topic, so had been waiting for the confrontation and was thus slightly caught unawares. "I suppose that's feasible, but I can't quite see the answer to that, except to say that they are both committed career wise for the foreseeable future"

"No you're right, I was over thinking as I was assessing the accommodation we will need in the future. Rachel and Erika are going to need support and I was being ultra-negative after my visit to Joannie and Francine."

"Ohh, tell me all."

"I spoke to Aleesha and got an update about that Zac person, it was bad enough to want to warn them so I went on the basis of discussing the future for this house when we move out."

"Tell me more," she pressed, so I gave her the full picture, including the interaction with Francine or more accurately, lack of. Bree had come in and heard a lot of their discussion and both had a disgusted look on their faces. "I think we make a point of taking them off our party list," they agreed, half joking.

"Hey that's a point, it's just what we need to brighten everyone up, a fun gathering." said Bree.

Jane said "Shall we have a meeting to review our list and decide whether to have a theme, if we give enough notice perhaps more will come, and now there might be people who weren't considered last time.

"Such as the holiday folk and anyone that's become friends since?" I asked.

I received a searching look from both women at that, so I thought now's the time to discuss it further.

"That's a good point and I want to clear the air, please come clean about why you kept the secret about your new friend, let's discuss it then forget it."

The ladies looked like a hangdog for lack of a better description, "We were both feeling very guilty, but we didn't want to upset you by having you watch over us, we know how you really feel, it's just bravado when you pretend that you need to make sure we are safe. We know how we would feel the other way around. If you are unfaithful to us we would both rather not know about it."

"So, are you going to have an affair with him?"

The question threw them I thought. Clearly they hadn't yet decided or at least allowed their wants to become a need. I let silence pervade before deciding to play the only card I could and pull them into a big hug. Then I decided to weigh the confession scales in my favour, "I would like to make a big confession to you two." They looked worried about what could be worse. "Ever since Olivia went too far I have become pessimistic and cynical about everything, it doesn't help when she keeps making contact. When we went to her place the other day she had two guys tucked away in the bathroom."

"So that's why you went around the back?"

I assumed that was a rhetorical question and continued, "She started messaging me saying that she cared for me, and I thought that's all very well but would she care when her slut self was around or was it just random. Whichever way I looked at it, I thought that getting messages couldn't be a bad thing if those messages made her think in a way that her slut side wouldn't like. Then I started getting quite a few at what seemed random occasions and I received one while I was waiting for you two with that guy." Their facial expressions became a picture of guilt. "I thought it was a strange time for such a message. So, as we had to drop off anyway, I thought I'd check whether she was just sending one as a smokescreen. Yet that didn't make sense either."

"Despite what I was being told, what I discovered clearly is that she isn't making any progress so I messaged Angela what had happened and later again to make an appointment, I might ask you two to come with me to keep me calm."

"It's no wonder you're getting so negative." Bree said, "you really need to put a stop to it. Why did she get in touch in the first place?"

"She claimed that she was lonely and missed me, now I suspect she was playing to my soft side so that she could get her phone and computer back."

"Damn that's definitely contrived, would she really do that?"

"Why don't you two go and ask, she might tell you."

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Olivia and Bree visit Olivia

They decided they would go there and then, Olivia's activities were once again putting a cloud over the house.

Bree and Jane came back feeling none the wiser, she had stuck to her story and denied any ulterior motive without being asked a direct question about the laptop and phone. They didn't want to suggest that David had primed them.

"Do you and your Demon hate David?" they asked but got no reply but a grimace.

So they asked, "Then do you know that your demon sends him messages?" She flatly denied it.

They said, "Check your phone later and see how many messages you don't remember."

Then Jane said, "If you're being honest then you have to know that your demon is playing games with him, why would you send him a message that you care about him when at the same time, you are bedding two other guys?"

"He wanted my demon to send him messages."

"Did you really think that you were supposed to do so at the same time as having sex with someone else?"

She looked blank at that.

"So your demon sent a message just to hurt David and stir up trouble, it all seems a bit fishy to me" said Bree.

Olivia's blank face didn't change but they couldn't tell whether it was contrived or she was out of reality.

"He says it as your way of hurting him while shifting the blame away from yourself."

She looked thoughtful but didn't respond. They tried other directions of conversation but it seemed obvious that she saw them as negative so they bade their farewells. They thought she looked sad as they left but not like she was unduly lonely.

As the ladies drove home they concluded that it wasn't possible to be sure and it was no surprise that it was driving David around the bend. They decided that it was a good thing that they would go with David to his appointment. "I think Olivia is too clever for Angela," Bree said, letting her thoughts speak out loud. Jane thought it was a very clever observation given that she hadn't been so closely involved, up until now. Back home they talked it through with David and they decided to get a second opinion from an analyst who wouldn't be controlled by Olivia. "That's first on my list for tomorrow," he agreed.

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David

When I received a 'care for' message late that evening, I decided to stop the ever decreasing circle and said, "There's no need to message me anymore, it's pretty clear that saying that you care doesn't stop your bad side, so there's no point. Having sex with someone else while you tell me that you care is just sick and nasty. Do what you have to do but please leave me out of it."

The messages still kept coming so eventually I tried something more straightforward. I wrote "Olivia, this is David, stop having sex or doing anything to do with sex right now." Later the same evening I received a different message, it was more like her first ever message. I wrote back "I can't save you Olivia, you need to be in control yourself."

The following evening her message said "I need a hug. "

I replied, "Do you deserve a hug?" There was no further message.

They had tracked down a psychiatrist who had a reputation for dealing with difficult cases. They spoke to him via video online and he asked David to write down as much of the history that he could and then email it to him. Jane and Bree were there during the conversation and he asked for separate reports from them. He wanted background material on the retreat and how it came about and they decided to make that a joint project with Jane taking the lead. David felt warning bells that the shrink might already be seeing excuses for her behaviour just because the Retreat was a 'different' way of life.

As David wrote his report over a number of days he began to realise that he was rarely firm or decisive in the words he used until after each event. He began to wonder if there was something in him that wanted to be hurt, maybe it was a punishment or just complete lack of self esteem when it came to some women. He wondered if the Psychiatrist would pick up on it. He realised then that he allowed Jane and Bree too much latitude and resolved to do something about it, if it wasn't too late.

At their meeting with Angela they told her that they were getting a second opinion and what they had been asked to do. She was of the opinion that Olivia should be asked to present her own report. David, Jane, and Bree gave her a full description of what had been going on and showed her the messages, which she quickly scammed through. When their hour was nearly up David threw a question into the mix "Angela, do you think Olivia could be bi-polar?" Her view was that she didn't fit the profile, she was too responsive to outside stimuli that changed her behaviour. They got up to go and then as pre-arranged between them, Jane said "Do you think it's possible that Olivia is playing with you, like it's one big game to her?" Angela just stared at her as if Jane was insulting her. So Jane continued, "Please don't prime her that we are making this second referral, let's not give her a chance to play her game." Angela shrugged her shoulders, "it's your decision to get a second opinion, not mine."

David was paying the Psychiatrist to fly in and so he made sure Olivia was going to be in the office on that day, to be interviewed. He was so worried that she might not turn up that he was watching her home on the day to make sure she drove in. Sitting at his laptop the evening before, he decided that this would be the final throw, there was nothing more he could do. Killing time he logged into AAA, played some games, and then found himself automatically going to the private chat room. His friend joined while he was there, he had discovered over time the likely hours she might log on. He had pretty much convinced himself it was a she but was now so sceptical about life that he didn't assume anymore.

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Who is it on the webcams?

When she came on, he decided upon a direct question. 'You don't invite me into your private chats, can I ask why?' There was quite a delay, he noticed her other friends joined and guessed that she was too busy and he wouldn't get an answer.

Then a message came, 'you seem like a nice man I don't want you to think badly of me.'

He wrote back, 'that's the story of my life,' there was a much longer wait then.

'You can join me if you like.'

'No thanks, it's been nice meeting you, I won't be back again.'

'Why were you here?'

'Just wandered in like a lost sheep, got bored of the games.'

"What do you play?"

I told her, then admitted I would be playing games after I left her tonight.

'I like games too.'

'I can already guess what kind of games you like, you probably never can get enough.'

An embarrassed smiley came next, then, 'I'd really like to play another kind of game with you.'

He'd noticed that her other friends were going absent.

He suggested a few.

'We could play strip backgammon' a rofl smiley followed.

Maybe she wants the best of both worlds, he thought.

'Will it be just you and me? or will your friends be watching your webcam?'

'Would you mind so much?'

'I suppose not, I am pretty used to that kind of thing.'

'How so, you said you didn't want to watch.'

'My ex-wife kept trying to get me to watch her with other men.'

There was nothingness for a long while so he moved out of the chat section and went to set up a backgammon game, then he invited her with a message saying, 'No stripping for anyone else'. That done he had no expectations that the invite would be accepted so he accepted some other open invites. Something inside him said it must be Olivia, and sadness washed over him, he was getting to know that feeling well. He decided to shut down his Laptop and get on with his life as it now was.

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Investigations

The day of the consultation came and went and some of their suspicions were confirmed, although the psychiatrist found that she did have a multi-personality that had been triggered by some event. The recommendation was that the investigations continue to try and identify the problem. He was not averse to the idea that one of Olivia's persona was playing them and recommended that David sever all ties with Olivia until the trigger was found. It was his opinion that David was the person who somehow activated the trigger. David was not surprised by the result and asked that his report be copied to Angela.

Next day David visited the development to assess the time to completion then he went to see his father. After telling him everything that had transpired his Dad recommended that he get away for a while, David was delighted when he suggested that he spend some time searching for another location to follow on after this was completed, his idea was to fund it from investors in a holding company. The idea looked promising so they arranged to meet Jane's father for lunch.