Chapter 32

Sunday 4th Sept 2022

When she woke, Julian was still asleep again. Yeah, she’d worn him out, just like that girl Tim had. She lay against Julian and looked through social media. She found some great photos of Isla, out for the night with her mother and friend. She looked great, all elegant in a ball gown, on the arm of a good looking boy her age, both their mothers following them. Anna cleaned up well, and was all smiles for the camera. Looking good, however she felt, but that was pretty much her core skill. No surprise that at the end of the night, the cast of whatever musical it was had asked Isla up to the stage to join them so they could applaud her, but she’d resisted the temptation to make music with them.

She found a photo of Patti at a glam party, and wow, Patti had a gorgeous elfin girl on her arm, and they kissed chastely for the photographer. So were they a thing? She copied the photo of them kissing into the girls chat and said: “Happy for you, Patti. Can you tell us about her?”

Then, for balance, she copied the photo of Isla with her boy to the chat and said, “Isla, wishing you good company and great music.”

Had the others been out? She didn’t see it, so she looked through facebook. Ruby had had a nice family gathering, her father’s something or other birthday, and both Ruby and Chelsea had really nice smiles, so she liked that and sent Ruby a note - maybe she could see them during the week.

Toni and Suzy wanted some direction, so she agreed she’d meet them the next morning, and invited Michelle and Zara to join them so she could catch up with them too.

That done, she turned to the news. No big breaking news related to the events of the week for the first time, though she found a yin and yang pair of op-eds in the same paper, one lambasting her for her naive stupidity in letting Isla defy her parents. She took a note of the author and sent a note to Jackie asking if she knew of the guy - why do that? The other was a from a pastor of some church in Sydney, who’d got into her about the campaign back in the whole ‘are christians on board with sex’ exchange earlier in winter. This time he was singing a very different tune, expressing the opinion that Larissa and Layna had been doing the Lord’s work, and Australia was a place that criminals - even rich criminals - would find more hostile than they had last week, and praising them for their fearless resistance to evil. Well, that was nice, and matched what James had said.

She looked at her email, and wow, she had a very nice formal apology from Linda, cc: to Alison. She admitted that she’d been thinking wrong, and she’d refused to admit that, and doing so had opened a breach with a pretty special daughter, and she understood now that Alison was making her own decisions, not Larissa’s, and they were pretty good ones. Better than the ones she had been pushing Alison to make, and really, thank you Larissa for giving Alison wise advice. She could certainly do a lot worse than Landon for a son-in-law. Hell, she had done a lot worse in her own husbands, and should Larissa ever come back to USA, she would be very welcome indeed, and Linda would welcome any advice Larissa would have to offer on how to improve her own life.

Well, that was a huge climb down, and must have been hard to make, even for someone basically as shallow as Linda, so she pulled out her computer and wrote as gracious a response as she knew how, and suggested that real riches were in quality relationships, and it’s never to late to build them.

By the time she’d finished that, the other girls were waking up.

✉ Patti: Thanks! Stacey was my fave from before, but she couldn’t deal with the closet
✉ Patti: I felt strong after that lovely sleep over, so I invited her for lunch and it was nice
✉ Patti: She agreed to go out with me, but we both agreed: slow and then promises Larissa style first
✉ Patti: She’s a fan of Larissa, of course. And Layna
✉ Patti: Sienna, are you OK?
✉ Harper: Great news, Patti, I hope for you to build a nice relationship and I’d love to meet her
✉ Sarah: +1 sounds great
✉ Layna: Lovely
✉ Larissa: Love it. I recommend Harper to witness your promises for you if you get that far
✉ Harper: Happy to do that if it’s right for you
✉ Kayla: Great news
✉ Kayla: Sienna? Please talk to Larissa. My heart worries
✉ Larissa: We all love Sienna, and you know she has challenges. Just tell her you love her
✉ Larissa: There’s a story behind that
✉ Cornelia: Of course there is!
✉ Cornelia: I hate to sound dumb, but what are promises Larissa style?
✉ Kayla: Sienna I love you
✉ Harper: Sienna, yes, thinking of you with compassion, you were lovely to Patti
✉ Patti: OMG she was the best, so nice to me. Please Sienna, we do all love you
✉ Sarah: +1 Sienna, love you lots
✉ Alison: Sienna we do love you! And we’re not just doing what Larissa says and saying so
✉ Alison: Cornelia, Larissa believes that for really meaningful relationships
✉ Alison: You should make promises to each other before you make love for the first time
✉ Alison: Kind of like a mini-marriage. Just you, and who’s important to you
✉ Alison: Here’s mine, made in front of Larissa and Layna and Julian and Joe last Sunday:
✉ Alison: [link]
✉ Alison: It was worth waiting for
✉ Kayla: OMG that’s after our weekend. You said ... that was your first time!!!!!
✉ Alison: Y. I would’ve gone a few weeks before, but we both wanted to wait and do it with them
✉ Cornelia: That’s beautiful
✉ Kayla: Very beautiful
✉ Harper: Awesomely amazing
✉ Sarah: It is. What’s with the ring? You married him?
✉ Alison: Landon’s mother’s wedding ring. She asked me to wear it, for the promises, and what followed. It was how she blessed us from USA. So not married, no, just very ... promised
✉ Alison: Landon’s mum is very sweet, and I wish I knew her before she had cancer. Make the most of life while you have it
✉ Kayla: Oh wow. My heart
✉ Patti: Wow. Promises are even more meaningful than I thought
✉ Larissa: They can be. Alison believed in them. For real. You make of them what you want
✉ Cornelia: Is it just me, but where’s Isla? Someone might have had a big night with some boy!
✉ Patti: Thanks. Btw, see this [link]

Larissa looked at the link. Wow, it was that same old celebrity columnist that thought she owned Larissa and Layna, the one with the impossibly flowery language. This time, Larissa skipped through it. But whoever it was, she’d done her research. She named each of the girls at the weekend, and found glorious ball-gown or other glam photo of them from before the weekend, and after. Then she looked at what changes she could see in them since the weekend, just in a week. Isla, obviously, earth-shaking changes for Australia. Sweet - the photo of Isla was the one with her half brother. That really underscored how different things were. Then there were ones of her singing and dancing on Friday night as well. Then Patti, coming out, and then going out with a gorgeous girl - a huge tick of approval for that. Kayla - sacking her dad, and going on Deanna’s board. Alison, moving out of home and in with Landon. Larissa was impressed that she knew that. Also, she noted Alison’s in your face and funny comments on the photos of her with considerable praise, and she included the photos. Then she noted that Alison, Patti, Harper, Cornelia and Kayla’s families had all made significant statements about their response to climate change since the weekend, but Sarah and Sienna’s had not. Watch this space ... Wow, impressive. The columnist promised to keep her eyes out for further evidence of changed lives from what was obviously a very significant weekend, but she couldn’t help but think that Layna was one of the most significant movers and shakers in the entire country right now, as well as the most beautiful, and clearly Layna was now also one of the best connected women in the country. Along with her personal Samurai, Larissa.

Well, how about that. Someone was paying attention properly.

They were up and Yoga was well underway when Sienna called her.

“Larissa ... what ... I have a note here to call you?”

“How are you feeling? Are you OK after last night?”

“Umm. I woke up with a massive hangover, and my maid brought me a coffee, and then mum came in and screamed at me for wasting a whole bottle of whisky. I still feel like shit, but not as bad as before. What’s that note about?”

“You called me last night, Sienna.”

“Really? I wasn’t going to. I suppose I drank a bit, but I can’t have drunk the whole bottle of whisky, I’d be dead. I might be anyway, mum’ll ... no, I can’t say that this week, can I?”

“That’s exactly what you said last night too.”

“I really called you? How much did I drink? Shit. Tell me I didn’t call you of all people smashed out of my brain. Shit.”

“Sienna, you did. You’d had about a quarter of the bottle. That’s a lot, you were quite shitfaced. It’s best we don’t remember what you said.”

There was a pause. “What did I say?”

“Nah, it doesn’t matter. What we need to talk about is why you drank a that much whisky.”

“What happened to the rest?”

“I told you to pour it down the sink in your bathroom, and you did.”

“Shit, Larissa, that’s why mum is furious with me. That’s expensive stuff, even for us. How did you convince me to do that?”

Larissa frowned. But maybe she should say. “I told you to empty it out, wash it, lube the bottle up, and use it like a vibrator.”

There was a silence. Then, “Oh my god, I can see that I did. Fuck, Larissa, what did I say to you that you told me to do that?”

“Sienna, you were lonely. You said your parents didn’t let you go out, and your mum gave you the bottle and told you to find comfort in it.”

“She did, yeah.” Sienna paused, thinking. “I think that wasn’t a very good thing she did.”

“Right. Sienna, that was a very bad thing she did. Don’t let her put her shit on you. Why did you let them stop you from going out?”

“There was no security. My normal girl has covid.”

“But they went out?”

“Yeah. They did.”

“Sienna, I’m going to talk to your mum. But first, when she gave you alcohol, was that good for you?”

“Nah.”

“Was that meant to be good for you?”

“No. You’re right. It wasn’t.”

“So I’m going to tell her, never again, and if she does, tell her, you’re done. You’re leaving home, and never going back. We’ll sort something out for you, but Sienna, last night, you did everything I said to do, just like I said it. You can never afford to get drunk, you’re anybody’s once you do. You’ll do anything.”

“Yeah. Shit, I will. I know.”

“OK. Give me your mother’s number, and I’m going to have a little chat to her, and while I’m doing that, catch up on the chat with the girls, and I’ll call you back.”

“Umm, OK.”

Larissa called Sienna’s mum. “Hello, this is Elise here. Who’s calling?”

“Hi Elise, my name is Larissa Wright.”

There was a long pause, and then Elise said, very guardedly, “And what do you want?”

“I’m calling on behalf of my friend Sienna, and about an empty bottle of whisky.”

“Well, I don’t know how she emptied it, and she’s in trouble given how much it cost.”

“Right. I told her to pour it down the drain, and she did. When she called me last night.”

“You what? Do you have any idea what that was worth? What the hell were you thinking?”

“Yeah, apparently two year’s income for your maid. I looked it up. But what I was thinking as I told her that was, what kind of mother stops her adult daughter from going out, and then actually gives her a bottle of whisky as she herself leaves to go out, and tells her to find comfort in it?”

“I don’t see what business it is of yours what kind of mother I am.”

“No, You probably don’t. But guess what? I’m making it my business, because I care for Sienna. Apparently you don’t.”

Elise drew in her breath. “What? Just who do you think you are?”

“I’m Larissa. Who do you think I am? I’m the woman that rings up my friend Sienna’s mother and tells her that if she ever gives her daughter alcohol again, I’m going to destroy her in public. She’ll never set foot out her front door again. You know I can do that, don’t you? And you know that I keep my word, right?”

There was a long pause, and Elise said quietly, “Yes, You can. And you do.”

“Right. Elise, it’s not hard. I’m not asking for much. Just never give her alcohol again. My advice is that you get your staff to remove every last bottle of alcohol from the house including your secret stash that they know about, so that you’re never tempted to offer her any. Just, if you offer her any ever again, she’ll tell me, and she’ll move out, and I’ll do what I said. So I’d get rid of everything just in case.”

“How did you know about my secret stash? And what do I tell my husband?”

“I know about your secret stash because I used to drink like a fish too. Never again, Elise. And I don’t care what you tell your husband, as long as he never offers her any again either. He can call me if he wants.”

“But what do I drink?”

“Your best option is to stop. Cold turkey, right now. Blame me, lose your fucking nut at me. But don’t touch any ever again. And tell everyone in public that you’re doing my pledge. But you don’t have to do that. If you must drink, visit a friend’s house, and tie it on with her, and stay over night. Or do it at home, and risk it. But do you think I’ll give you another chance?”

“No, Larissa. You won’t. You’ll keep your word. We all know that after this week. Fuck, my husband is terrified of you.”

“I’m not coming for him, Elise. Unless he gives Sienna alcohol. Or he rapes girls. But one day, he’ll have to talk to Layna on her show, so he should think hard about that.”

“I understand, Larissa. And thank you.”

“Thank you?”

“For not coming for him. And for laying down the law to me.”

That was such a drinker’s comment, but there might a smidgen of hope for her.

Larissa gave her some warmth in her voice. “I hope it helps you, and I hope that if we ever talk again, we’ll both be much happier. Thanks Elise.”

“Thanks, Larissa.”

She checked on the chat before calling Sienna back. After they gossiped about the gossip column, Sienna had joined in:

✉ Sienna: Thanks girls. That means a lot
✉ Sienna: I had a down night last night, and hit the bottle
✉ Sienna: I feel foolish, but Larissa is helping me. So compassionate
✉ Sienna: I will try very hard to be OK. Please help me
✉ Kayla: We’re here for you, and we love you. Next time, talk to us. Someone will always be here between us if you’re down
✉ Patti: Hell yes. Call anytime. Sleepover always
✉ Isla: Very definitely. Wish you the best
✉ Harper: Yes, always here for you. Down night? You weren’t out?
✉ Sienna: My security girl had covid, couldn’t get out
✉ Sarah: We’d come to you. I was home lonely too last night. Dad had a stupid political anti-climate meeting. F. that
✉ Sienna: Oh that would’ve been so much better.
✉ Cornelia: Sienna, be strong, we do love you. But Isla, tell us about that boy!

She called Sienna. “Hi Larissa! What did you tell her? What did she say?”

“I told her never to give you alcohol again. I won’t say what else I said to her, but she can tell you if she wants. But if she ever does offer it to you again, you have to tell me, and we act, OK?”

“OK, sure. You’re not angry with me are you? I obviously said something I shouldn’t have?”

“No, Sienna, I’m not angry with you. I’m sad. Sad because you drank, and sad for you, that you felt that way. And sad that your mum gave you a bottle.”

“So I didn’t say that wrong thing?”

Larissa chuckled. “Oh no, you did. I was sitting at the table with my family all around me, Julian’s family, and you called, so I put you on speaker phone, and you started by propositioning us for a threesome.”

“Shit! Larissa, I don’t know what to ... I’m sorry. Really really fucking sorry.”

“Don’t worry. I told them, you’re shitfaced. They understood. So it’s fine. We just have to work on your drinking, so you don’t do it again. Because you were very inappropriate and also it was very easy to get you to do things.”

“Yeah,” Sienna said, “I’ve done some really stupid things while drunk. Really bad. One time, I...”

“Don’t tell me. I know the kind of things, I’ve done them too. That’s why. Tell me, us on the beach, would that have been better if you were drinking?”

“Hell, no.”

“Right. So don’t drink, so you enjoy sex more. You said it was your dick that you had who was good at drinking, but maybe that wasn’t quite the right story?”

“Yeah. You’re right.”

“OK. Do you have a secret stash in your room?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“Because I used to drink too. Get it now, and put it outside your room door. And while you’re doing that, do you have ribbons? Pledge ribbons?”

“Yes?”

“Tell your maid: always put a ribbon out for you with your clothes. And wear one always, Sienna. They won’t even offer you drinks when you go out anymore. And you’ll get much more attention from the guys. You can dance with them, and play with them, and find the right one. And Sienna?

“Yes?”

“If you can look me in the face, and tell me you’ve had nothing, then I’m going to come up to Sydney for the grand final, and take you to that, and then we’re going to go dancing at the winning rugby club’s after party, and really set the floor on fire. I’ll decide on your underwear. You and me, girl, blow their minds into space from just looking at us.”

“Fuuuuuck! I’m so in for that.”

“Right. So, no alcohol, period. Tell everyone, because Larissa, and they’ll know. I’ve gotta go, good luck with your mum, be gentle with her.”

“Thanks for everything, Larissa!”

When she hung up, she had a message. “Robert. Sienna’s dad. Please call me.” Well, she was short on time, but she better. And he’d be quick.

“Hi Robert, It’s Larissa.”

“Hello, Larissa, thank you for calling back.”

“My pleasure Robert, how can I help you?”

“Two things. First of all, thank you for talking to Elise. I hope it helps, I don’t know what else will. You’ve really shocked her, and I’ll do everything I can to drive the lesson home. So thank you.”

“That’s OK. Robert, from talking to Sienna, that goes back to stuff in Elise’s childhood. Has she had counselling?”

“Umm, yeah, you might be right. But no?”

“Could be a good investment right now, maybe. If she’s willing anyway. And the other thing?”

“You said that you aren’t coming for me, which I really appreciate, but you also said that I have to go on Layna’s show, and I should think about what to say. I’m just making sure I understand your demand.”

“Oh no, no demand. I’m sorry I didn’t word it clearly. I think that you will have to go on Layna’s show, because of politics in Canberra. It’s not long till the minister won’t be able to talk to people who haven’t gone on the record with Layna, so I was giving you a helpful hint. But I’m not demanding you do that.”

“Yes, you might be right. Layna is certainly a force to be reckoned with now. Anyway thanks for clarifying. And thanks for not coming for me.”

“I don’t enjoy doing that, Robert. Only if you don’t look after Sienna properly, or if it turns out that you rape girls. Then I certainly will.”

“Oh, no,” he said, shocked, “Never! Really, Larissa, how can I convince you?”

“You don’t have to, Robert. I know you can’t offer any evidence you don’t do something. Even your mistresses on the side, it’s your business. Though this might be a good time to tell them to have holiday and commit to Elise, hey?”

“Umm, yes,” he said in surprise.

“OK, well, think hard about what to say to Layna. Good luck!”

“Thanks, Larissa.”

Yoga was over, but that set of conversations was probably worth it. Time for church now. In the car, she saw more messages

✉ Sienna: Larissa loves me a very great deal
✉ Sienna: I feel better, and strong
✉ Sienna: [photo of bottles by a door]
✉ Sienna: Say goodbye to my secret stash
✉ Sienna: [photo of pledge ribbons]
✉ Sienna: My new uniform. For my better life
✉ Harper: Hope that’s not all the uniform is
✉ Patti: I’d pay to see that!
✉ Kayla: So would I. But Sienna: well done
✉ Harper: Yes! Love you, Sienna, be strong
✉ Sienna: If I am strong, Larissa will take me dancing after the grand final
✉ Sienna: Blow everyone’s minds on the dance floor. I am beyond excited
✉ Harper: Can we come?
✉ Patti: Oh yes!
✉ Larissa: Well, here’s the deal: you can come, and watch, and dance
✉ Larissa: But we’ll be dancing in our underwear. You can do that too
✉ Larissa: If you are, I’ll choose your underwear, for maximum impact
✉ Larissa: The photos will be wild. If you want that - and Sienna needs it - then you’re welcome
✉ Harper: I saw your underwear style, I’m in for that
✉ Patti: Yes
✉ Isla: Me too. And Emily
✉ Kayla: Why would I want to miss out? Sounds awesome
✉ Larissa: Guess we’re going to a lingerie shop beforehand. Going to be great
✉ Sienna: Mind is blown
✉ Kayla: Larissa changes out on the shop floor!
✉ Larissa: You don’t have to. But Kayla does if she’s coming ;-)
✉ Kayla: Fuck but I’m still in
✉ Alison: I really need better friends over here!
✉ Larissa: Ciao. Breakfast time, and reminder, it’s Father’s day today
✉ Larissa: Remember to love your dad today!
✉ Kayla: Yes, even my dad still gets some love
✉ Patti: Love my dad, he’s been great this week
✉ Cornelia: Yes, mine’s great. Thanks for reminding me

The mood was good at breakfast, everyone giving James presents. He had everything he wanted, so the presents were whimsical and full of feeling. Xander and Steph had made him a ‘how great is dad’ poster, Jaiden and Asha gave him a poem that they’d written and painted onto a piece of wood, and Julian and Larissa gave him something that Callum had helped clean up, a photo of Larissa had taken of Julian snorkelling behind a huge turtle - James had always loved turtles, and he was thrilled with that.

When they got out of the car at church, the attention they got was insane. Larissa supposed it made sense - she hadn’t been there for more than two months, and she’d missed them all - she had many friends there now. Cheryl was waiting for her at the door, and hugged her tight, and pretty much refused to let go. Inside the front door, she found Annaliese and Ashley, more of her fan club, who hugged her tightly. But others were too, for example, the couple that owned that magnificent spa that overlooked the bay were also waiting for her, just to welcome her back. The church was crowded, and lots of people were wearing ribbons, and proud to point them out to her, which she appreciated. And Julian was getting plenty of attention from his mates, hugs, and high fives.

She was just getting settled and calming down after the service started, when Tim and Vicki called her up the front. Once she was up at the podium with them, Tim said, “Larissa, you knew that we’d call you up here, didn’t you?”

She sighed. “Yes, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Vicki smiled. “We’ve certainly missed you while you were gone! It’s been so quiet! So there’s a couple of things we’d like to talk to you about. The first is your pledge. As you know, we’ve supported the pledge here in the church passionately. For us, the ribbon pledge is about inviting people for home meals, and sharing friendship with them, and helping them avoid alcohol. How do you think that the campaign is going?’

“Well, first of all, thanks for supporting the pledge, and I love that interpretation. I know that the pledge hasn’t sat well with everyone. How is it working here in the church?”

Vicki looked around with a smile. “I think pretty good. Can I ask everyone who’s reached out to someone they wouldn’t have, and hosted them for a meal to stand up?” Everyone stood up. Larissa couldn’t see anyone who didn’t. Vicki smiled. “Thanks. Stay standing up if you do it at least once a week.” A lot of people stayed standing up. Wow; she hadn’t been doing that. Well, not that much. “Thanks. Sit down, but then, can you raise your hand if you feel that someone that you invited to dinner’s life is better because you did that.” About half the people in the church put their hands up.

“There you go, Larissa. Totally worthwhile.”

“Thanks. That’s awesome, everyone. Really wonderful. So how’s it going elsewhere? Really, the project has landed hardest and the most has happened in Gippsland. There’s three reasons for that. First, one of my fathers owns almost all the alcohol distribution there, and he told them on day one: get ahead of the campaign, do anything you can think of to support it. The second is that the school headmasters banded together and said, we know we’ve got a real problem for our kids, and one of them hired Louise, an olympic medalist from when I was a little kid, to make the project real in all the schools, and she’s committed her heart and soul to it, and she’s awesome. And the third is, the school kids in the area just totally owned the campaign, to the point of picketing businesses that didn’t get on board, and they’ve been evangelising the idea to their families, demanding that they make the pledge. It’s really impressive, and now that they’ve been going three months, we’re starting to get real outcomes.”

“The first outcome is that they keep running out of contraceptives in the valley.” She heard some quiet laughter for that. “Right, not everyone thinks that’s a good outcome, but it certainly shows that people’s behaviour is changing. The second outcome is that sales of alcohol by volume have dropped significantly, but sales of alcohol by value have actually risen.” She saw their surprise. “Right, what that means is that people are drinking less, but they’re buying more expensive drinks, and research says that they’re taking the time to appreciate the drinks they do buy with their friends. So I’m happy with that, it’s a good thing. And my father is making even more money than before, as he always does. You mightn’t think that’s a good outcome and I don’t care about that, he has more money than he knows what to do with anyway. Specially after this week.” She got a huge response from the church for that. “No, that’s really significant because all the suppliers and retailers know that’s happened, and they’re spending real money to support the campaign now, supply different drinks in bulk, so that they don’t miss out on the action. I’m hoping that the changes to drinking patterns are here to stay.”

“But none of that’s important. What’s important to me is that we’ve got data from the Gippsland Police and health services last week and this week, showing really significant decreases in teen pregnancies, alcohol caused disease, and domestic violence and other kinds of alcohol related violence and accidents. The numbers I saw on last Friday say that somewhere between 40 and 60 people are alive right now that wouldn’t have been if we didn’t do that campaign, and I cried when I saw that. And that will only grow over time. For me, those are the really meaningful numbers.”

Tim started it, but everyone was one their feet applauding for that.

When they stopped, she said, “Thanks everyone. And it really was my idea, I can’t deny that. But Louise is the beating heart of the campaign, it consumes her life, and hundreds of people, specially kids, got on board. I guess that’s the other really meaningful thing for me. What I hear from the valley officially and through my friends is that the campaign really is led by the high school kids. They own it, and they’re driving this with a real passion, and for me, that’s a really good long term outcome. So I’m very grateful that I’ve had so much support, and it’s my campaign in only name now.”

“Wow, Larissa,” Vicki said, “that’s amazing. We’ve prayed for your campaign to be successful every week, but I don’t think we expected anything like that. We’re very happy about that.”

“So am I!”

“Right, Larissa,” Tim said, “can we talk about this week?”

Larissa sighed. “If you want to. It really wasn’t very much fun for me.”

“No. Larissa, I watched Layna’s video this week, and it was really hard for me to figure out how I felt after it. I know I’m not the only one.” She got a massive echo of that from everyone in the church, even though no one said anything. “It was such a powerful mix of good and evil, and it was terrifying. And it was wonderful, and both of those things kept smacking me over the head. And it was real, and the good overcame in the end, but only just. I think that calling it Larissa’s song was very appropriate, but I would’ve called it the Valley of the shadow of death. There was a point in that video when you that was where you were, right?”

“Yes, Tim. After that phone call when he’d found out about the song. I still didn’t know quite how much of a criminal he was, but I knew that he was determined to capture me and rape and kill me, and I knew he’d wait until my protection dropped. I was sure that I was going to die horribly, and the police agreed that’s what he intended, as did several other security consultants involved behind the scenes. And the police suspected about the dead girls all along, they just couldn’t get anyone to talk, so that’s why I had that huge armed guard after that. Yes, Tim, I was terrified.”