Getaway Girlz by Joan Rylen

Lucy, Wendy and Pierre watched as Jon politely led the strange lady a few feet away. She had a small waist and a “Baby Got Back” booty. Her olive skin complimented her long, straight and shiny black hair. At first glance Vivian thought she was wearing green contacts. It was hard to tell for sure through the torrent of tears.
    “What’s your name?” Jon asked.
    She stammered, “St St Stella. The explosion looked so horrible, how did you survive? I, I, I thought you were killed, but you don’t look like you were hurt. I’ve been praying you would live.” She grasped him in a tight hug.
    Jon tried to pry her loose. “The explosion didn’t happen in real-life. It was part of the script on the soap-opera.”
    Lucy gave Pierre a bewildered look. He looked at Vivian.
    “I think we forgot to tell Lucy he’s an actor.”
    Pierre explained. “Jon was a popular Canadian soap opera and his character was just killed off. Celeste was his TV wife, and they had just had a baby. In fact,” Pierre changed his voice to sound like a TV announcer, “they narrowly escaped the clutches of death.”
    Lucy, Wendy and Vivian laughed.
    Vivian asked Pierre, “Does this happen often, fans coming up like this?”
    “No, thank goodness. This one seems to be quite the nut-job. Clearly this lady doesn’t know fact from fiction.”
    Vivian couldn’t help but notice that Nutty’s short-cropped shirt and low-cut shorts revealed a big, black spider tattoo on the small of her back. Interesting choice .
    Jon walked back over and gave Pierre a look. “I’m so sorry, Vivian, but we’re going to have to go. This one is just a bit much for me.”
    “It’s okay. I understand,” Vivian said, trying to sound upbeat, but she was disappointed.
    Lucy put her arm around Vivian’s shoulder. “No worries, we’ll give her a birthday to remember.”
    Wendy seconded that.
    “Maybe we’ll see y’all tomorrow,” Lucy said, flipping her hair flirtatiously. “We won’t be around until later, but let’s try to get together.”
    Pierre smiled.
    “Yes, tomorrow,” Jon said hesitantly and glanced sideways at the crazy woman who was only a few feet away.
    Jon smiled at Vivian and slid 1300 pesos across the bar to the bartender. “No change, but please get these ladies another drink.” He kissed Vivian softly on the cheek, letting his lips linger. “Happy birthday, Vivian,” he whispered into her ear.
    He and Pierre then walked off toward the beach. He turned once more and waved. “ Adiós-ola !”
    The three girls waved and watched as Jon and Pierre went off in the direction of the hotel.
    Vivian saw Jon glance at a short guy and give him a nod. Must have been the guy Lucy and Wendy were talking about earlier.
     
    ***
     
    Kate was washing her hands in the restroom when a lady came in in meltdown mode.
    “Oh my gosh, are you all right?” Kate asked the woman. “Let me get you some tissue.” She went into one of the stalls, got some toilet paper and handed it to the lady. “Are you okay?” Kate asked again. She looked at the woman whose mascara was smudged beyond repair. Her long, black hair stuck to her face compliments of the tears.
    The lady blew her nose, then finally responded. “I can’t believe it. I just saw a friend of mine,” she paused and bursts into tears again.
    “Well, that seems like a good thing,” Kate said, wondering what the problem was.
    “Yeah, but this person is supposed to be dead,” she wailed.
    “Wait, I’m confused,” Kate said.
    “He faked his death.” The lady wiped her smudged mascara onto the toilet paper.
    “Oh my gosh,” Kate said, shocked. “Why would he do that?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe he felt overwhelmed because of the baby?”
    “He has a baby?” Kate asked. “You’ve got to tell someone.”
    “And a wife,” the woman said with a scowl. “And here he is hanging all over that floozy.”
    “What a jerk! You’ve got to get a hold of his wife. And maybe even the police. I think