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The protesters, now without a target to direct their protest at, were rolling up their banners and quietly conversing amongst themselves. Odelia, who had strolled up and was interviewing a few of them, wanting to get their view on the recent events, kept a keen eye on her grandmother and Scarlett, and I could sense that a rebuke trembled on the intrepid reporterÆs lips. ItÆs one thing to strictly forbid your son-in-law to eat meat, but quite another to be arrested for causing damage to public property. And that an arrest was imminent became obvious when the constabulary suddenly arrived on the scene. Belatedly, one might say, but to compensate for their tardiness they had arrived en masse.

Moments later, the protesters had been taken into custody, Gran and Scarlett included, and carted off into several paddy wagons, dispatched especially for the occasion.

And thus ended GranÆs first protest.

ôI wish I was a fly on the wall,ö said Odelia, ôlistening in when Uncle Alec discovers his people have just arrested his mother and her friend.ö

For some reason the prospect seemed to provide her with great joy, for she was grinning with obvious delight. I guess Odelia isnÆt much of a vegetarian herself.

The one thing I found myself wondering as we made to leave, was what had happened to CottonÆs girlfriend the supermodel. If I had understood correctly from the news report, those two were inseparable. And receiving a signature honor like a medal doled out by the town mayor would be just the event for this Ebony Pilay to grace with her presence.

So where was she? Or had Cotton already dumped her and replaced the model with a newer model? Judging from the manÆs track record the notion wasnÆt a far-fetched one.

Chapter 7

Ebony was staring at her phone, her mind a whirlwind and her chest ravaged by a storm of emotions.

æI think itÆs time for us to take a break,Æ the text said. æIÆm sure you understand. Cotton.Æ

SheÆd read it three times already, and by the time she reached the end once more, that whirlwind raging in her head suddenly became focused and hot like a laser beam.

Dumped! The bastard had dumped her! By text, no less!

Gritting perfect teeth, the supermodelÆs perfect face spelled the perfect storm. And as her nails furiously clicked on her phoneÆs screen, typing out an appropriately fiery response, she suddenly halted and made one of those quick decisions she was so famous for with anyone from top designers, photographers to fashion show stage managers.

Five minutes later she was zooming along in her silver Mini Cooper, making a mockery of the townÆs speeding laws, and another ten minutes later she pulled up outside the main offices of the Karat Group on the outskirts of Hampton Cove.

She waltzed into the building, paid no attention to the receptionistÆs annoying yapping, and immediately set foot for her boyfriendÆs office, her high-heeled Louboutins clacking on the marble floor. The receptionistÆs shouts in her rear were like background noise as she steeled herself for the upcoming confrontation with the bastard. Then she threw the doors wide and stormed into the manÆs office.

Cotton was in conference with that weaselly lawyer of his, but she didnÆt care.

ôHow dare you!ö she screamed as she placed her phone on his desk. ôHow dare you break up with me by text!ö

ôE-E-Ebony!ö the man cried as he got up from behind his desk.

ôYou could at least have the guts to dump me in person!ö she said, and assumed one of her favored positions: three-quarter turn, hip thrust out, chin up, hand resting on opposite hip. It was the pose she ended every show with, and which had earned her the title æQueen of the catwalk.Æ Invariably a thunderous applause followed this stance, but today all it earned her was a blank stare from her lover and irate glances from the lawyer.

ôBut E-E-Ebonyàö Cotton bleated helplessly.

She frowned at the man. SheÆd expected some fireworks, not this pitiful display of snivelly weakness. ôWell?ö she demanded. ôWhat do you have to say for yourself?ö

ôI-I-Iàö the man stuttered. He seemed to have gone through some sort of transformation, she saw. One in which his balls had been removed and replaced with jelly.

ôItÆs another woman, isnÆt it? Who? I have a right to know!ö

ôNo, no, nothing like that!ö Cotton assured her as he seemed to hide behind his desk.

She walked around the desk, and now stood in front of him, studying him up close and personal. Then she frowned.ôYou look different,ö she said. She placed an imperious hand on his head and tossed his hair like a salad. ôYour hairà did you cut it? And your eyes, they look different, too.ö She narrowed her own eyes. ôAre you wearing colored contacts?ö

ôY-y-yes,ö he stammered. ôYes, thatÆs it. Colored contacts.ö

ôLook, Miss Pilay,ö said the lawyer. ôCotton is a very busy man, soàö

ôSomething is not right,ö Ebony said finally. ôWhat is it? It canÆt be another woman. ThereÆs no one like me. Are you sick? Is that it?ö