"And what about your part, Es? You're still in charge of this.... I'm not sure what to call what this has become."

"All in a day's work, Phira," Esmeralda replied. "As for my part, He'll let me know when He's ready for my report on the mission."

"That's messed up."

"A little maybe - but that's the way things work... or not, in this case."

"So how long does it take to get the call?" Esmeralda frowned, not understanding Saphira's question. "Once He is satisfied with the results... or once the results are deemed final," waiting for Esmeralda to nod her comprehension, "how quickly does the call come?"

"It's almost immediate... at least for the team leader. The others follow pretty quickly though."

"So we're not done yet."

"Evidently not. I'd like to be a fly on the wall when Brianna calls Okasa though. I think Okasa is going to see the District Attorney side of Brianna Walker, and there isn't gonna be room for a plea bargain."

"Do you think Charisma will read those letters tonight?"

"No," said firmly and without hesitation. "I think she'll wait, accepting the time as some sort of penance for having them in the first place. I wouldn't be surprised if somehow in her rationalization about all this, Charisma sees not reading the letters as a form of punishment for Brianna as well."

"That's warped."

"Yeah, but everything else is at this point, so why not her thinking as well? Remember what she told Brianna - it's all about image and perception. She believes that Brianna needs her to read these letters, so if she delays reading them, then she does penance and Brianna is punished."

"For what?"

"Excuse me?"

"For what? Why does Brianna need to be punished?"

"I dunno - you asked if I thought Charisma would read the letters immediately. I was just thinking aloud from there. Given how things have gone so far...."

"My head hurts now."

"Honestly... so does mine. But my heart hurts too. These two seem determined to be miserable apart. Granted, it's more Charisma than Brianna at this point. Denial's not just a river, ya know. Brianna's mostly given up, I think." Esmeralda shook her head. "It's still a lot of speculation on my part of course. Opal and Indi will be able to give us more facts when they get home."

"Meantime, let's go fix a little dinner. I'm not sure Ruby will eat at the diner like we do."

Esmeralda nodded. "And you can tell me how you got the night off while Ruby is working."

************

"Okasa, this is Brianna."

Okasa frowned. There was something in Brianna's voice... something she hadn't heard since that day long ago when Brianna had come to say goodbye. She shivered in reaction, feeling the tendrils of anxiety begin to curl in her belly. Still, she forced a note of cheerfulness into her voice, hoping beyond hope that her premonition about what was coming was completely off base.

"Hello, Little Bri. How are you this evening?"

"I've been better, Okasa," diligently taking pains *not* to refer to Okasa more familiarly. What she was doing was going to break the older woman's heart and she had no desire to twist the knife any more than was necessary to break the ties that bound them together.

"Is everything all right, Brianna?" her tone of concern genuine and caring. Brianna swallowed hard and steeled herself for what was coming.

"It will be. Listen, Okasa," rushing ahead before she changed her mind, "I wanted to let you know that I won't be there for Christmas."

Okasa sucked in a breath. Despite its awkward moments, Thanksgiving had been such a wonderful holiday for Okasa - having the whole family together again after being fractured for so long had soothed her heart. And she'd thought everyone felt the same. Obviously, she had missed something.

"So we should plan to see you...?"

"You shouldn't. Don't make separate arrangements for me - I won't be celebrating with your family anymore."

"Brianna?"

"I'm sorry, Okasa. I should have stuck to my guns and done this twenty years ago - then we wouldn't be in this mess and this wouldn't...." She trailed off without finishing the thought, then took a deep breath and steeled her fortitude once more. "Anyway, just... give the boys a kiss for me and tell them I love them, will you? I'm glad you were all a part of my life - I really do love all of you."

"Then why are you doing this, Brianna?"

"Because it needs to be done."

"But...."

"Goodbye, Okasa," Brianna said, then clicked off the phone and tossed it to the table. She knew it would ring again in a few minutes, but she didn't particularly care. She didn't have to answer it. Besides, she had other things to take care of, and the first thing involved going downstairs to talk to Sergeant Orwin. Then she'd call Indi and go from there.

************

"And you're sure you want her removed from your list, Senator Walker?"

"I'm sure, Sergeant. Is it going to be a problem?"

"No ma'am. A little unusual, but not a problem. Is Mrs. Tagherty the only visitor you need removed?"

Brianna bit her lip thoughtfully. "Actually, I need all the Taghertys taken off my list. It will make things easier."

Sergeant Orwin cocked his head, wondering what had happened in the hour that Senator Tagherty had been upstairs that Senator Walker was ensuring that Charisma no longer had access to her in her residence. However, it wasn't his job to be a busybody - it was his job to make the tenants of this building comfortable and secure. And if Senator Walker wanted their entrance blocked, then he would make sure it happened for her. He thought it a shame, though - Senator Tagherty had always been nice to him, and she seemed to be one of the few friends Senator Walker had here. Then again, it wasn't his business, so he simply nodded his head.

"It'll be taken care of, Senator. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Not tonight, Sergeant. Thank you for your help."

"I'm glad to do it Senator Walker. Have a nice night."

"You too, Sergeant," Brianna offered as she entered the elevator and headed back to her apartment. She had a couple more calls to make.

************

When Indi showed up the second time out of the blue, Esmeralda and Saphira just waited for her to explain. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Esmeralda and Saphira exchanged glances, then Saphira nodded and disappeared. Indi sighed and dialed Brianna's number on her cell phone, then put it on speaker so Esmeralda could hear the conversation as well. It was answered on the first ring.

"Senator Walker? This is Indi. I'm sorry I missed your call, but...."

"It's all right, Indi. You *are* supposed to be on holiday. I just need your help for a few minutes, and then you can go back to whatever it was that I interrupted."

"What can I do for you, Senator?"

"I've decided I'd like to go out of town for the holidays." Indi and Esmeralda looked at one another with wide eyes, and Esmeralda gestured towards the phone with her head before the silence drew out too long.

"Yes ma'am," she replied. "And you need me to make the arrangements for you?"

"If you could, please. I'm not sure I remember the last time I did something like that. I'm not even sure where to start to tell you the truth."

"It's all right, Senator. That's what I'm here for," booting up her computer. "Where would you like to go?"

Brianna snorted, brought up short by Indi's question. "You know something? I'm not really sure. I'm being spontaneous, so I haven't actually gotten that far in my thinking."

"Okay - how about I ask you some questions and we'll figure it out together." Brianna agreed, and a few minutes later, the arrangements were made. Brianna thanked Indi for her help and the call ended. Then Indi sank back into the chair she was sitting in and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Es - I didn't know what else to do."

"You did the right thing, Indi. At least we'll know where she is. And Opal and Coral should be able to go back and forth to cover her until she returns."

"Es, do you think that's necessary?"

Esmeralda sighed. "I don't think we can afford to think otherwise. We can't let our guard down now."

"You think we're close to the end?"

Esmeralda snorted. "I've thought that several times already and every time I've been wrong," garnering a sympathetic smile from Indi. "However, I refuse to be lax at this stage. I won't fail them as long as I have the opportunity to make a difference for them."

"This one hit close to home, huh?"

"Yeah - I just wish...."

"Es, you've done all you can."

"I know. It doesn't make me wish any less." She sighed. "How was Charisma?"

"Broody. She kept glaring at that box of letters like it had stolen her favorite dolly and was dismembering it in front of her."

Esmeralda's eyebrows shot into her hairline. "That's quite a visual."

"Yeah, well... so was the look on her face."

Esmeralda snorted. "So I take it she hadn't opened the box yet?"

"She hasn't actually touched it. Jas brought it in the house for her and put it on the coffee table in her study. That's where it was when I left - still unopened. And Charisma was sitting at her desk... just glaring at it."

"So I was at least partially correct."

"Es?"

Esmeralda shook her head. "Later. C'mon. Amber and Coral will be leaving in just a few and when Opal and Saphira and Ruby get here we can see where we're at."

"We're behind the eight ball, Es," Amber offered with a smile as she walked by the living room. "Just like always." Esmeralda just smirked and shook her head, waving goodbye to Amber and Coral before they disappeared from sight.


Chapter LXXII

Charisma had glared at the box for a while longer before she headed up to her bedroom. She deliberately ignored the photo album that once again rested on her bedside table, and went straight into the bathroom to run a hot bath. When it was full and fragrant, she stepped into the water with a sigh, closing her eyes and letting the sounds of Mozart lull her into a place of serenity.

But eventually the water cooled and Charisma bathed quickly and wrapped herself in a bath sheet when her feet were firmly on the mat. Then she looked up and caught sight of herself in the mirror, and she walked closer to get a better look.

She dropped the towel and eyed herself critically, noting with a bit of pride that she was still in good shape for a middle-aged woman, especially after having given birth. Not a lot of sagging and still pretty firm where it counted. Then again, Charisma acknowledged to herself wryly, she'd paid good money to that trainer and spent hours upon hours regaining her figure after Adam had been born.

A chill chased over her skin and she watched the goosebumps rise in its path. She reached down for the towel, rewrapping herself then leaning forward to look at her face. There were slight lines around her eyes and mouth that could be attributed to laughter or, in the case of the ones near her lips, considered dimples if one didn't look too closely.

Her lips were full, her eyes wide, her nose straight. There were no gray hairs - regular trips to her hairdresser ensured that her highlights remained natural looking and her grays remained hidden. She tilted her head and stared harder at herself, straining to see whatever it was that had caused Brianna to fall in love with her. Charisma wondered if after the discussion they'd had if Brianna still saw it, and if she would ever share with Charisma what it was.

Charisma sighed - she'd come up here to get away from Brianna and all thoughts of Brianna, and yet they followed her like a spectre. The box of letters sat unopened on the coffee table in her study and even from this distance she could hear them mocking her.

She scrubbed her hands over her eyes, hoping to clear her mind. She grabbed her robe from the back of the door and pushed her arms into it, belting it closed before stepping foot into her bedroom. Charisma growled when she spotted the album on the nightstand, and hastened back out of the bedroom and down the stairs. She was headed to the bar in her study, but abruptly walked into the kitchen instead. She'd told Brianna the truth... just not the whole truth. It was all about image and perception, but behind that was control. And Charisma wasn't going to relinquish her control to anyone - certainly not to alcohol.