049

JULIA

Our last meal was the first meal I enjoyed at Brianna's where I didn't have to lick someone under the table. Chantelle had gone all out and it was a feast, prime rib, au gratin potatoes, broccoli florets with a cream sauce, several types of salads. I could probably skip supper without a problem. At the end of the meal, Brianna made the three of us kneel at her feet.

"I wish to thank you for granting us all so much pleasure. We enjoyed your visit immensely. We all wish to give you this." She handed me a check. "This is for your friend, Shasta, for her plastic surgery. Everyone contributed at least $100 dollars. Please give this to her with our blessings. I don't think it's the end of it, but I don't want to say too much."

I looked at it. "There's over ten thousand dollars here," I said. Lisa and Rhonda both looked over my shoulder at the check, looking for themselves.

"What can I say," Brianna said. "We all feel quite sympathetic and generous to a woman mistreated the way she was