Chapter 266

• The twist came that Thursday. Out of the blue, Kat got a phone call from Kelly in LA. She was hysterical and crying. Her husband had died. It wasn't entirely unexpected -- he was significantly older, had been battling health issues for a number of years, and was an unrepentant workaholic until he keeled over in his office of a heart attack. He toiled, keeping the money-making clock ticking, until his last breath.
• I couldn't relate to it. But I felt for Kelly deeply. Though her marriage was more of a business partnership, it was one she held dear. And the relationship worked for them. The four of us, if nothing else, could understand how effective a non-traditional arrangement could be. So without blinking, Rita and I agreed and encouraged Kat and Jess to hop a private jet and go be with Kelly -- Kat to console her friend, and Jess to help her fellow madame tend to business details.
• Back home, Rita and I would hold down the fort. I had lunch trysts scheduled with Bianka and Julie, Crystal's friends, the next two days. More importantly, it would fall to Rita and me to coordinate plans for the week three football party, which was going to be an epic affair. It would also be, to date, an unparalleled challenge.