<div class="floatleft">(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/a8/6c/6a/a86c6a4ea2a504ae27794da454e88296.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong><strong>Alexandra Vale</strong>(https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=264761.msg13068641#msg13068641)<br/><strong>Time / Location:</strong>Evening - St. Clair Residence<br/><strong>Wearing:</strong>Link (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/fb/07/f6/fb07f6008e7e49db50cd206997406f98.jpg)<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Open to those in attendance<br/><strong>Content:</strong>Snark<br/><br/><hr/><br/>For a long few moments, after the engine of the BMW was shut off, Alexandra Vale sat behind the wheel, practicing her pranayama.  Her eyes were clothes, manicured fingers upon the wheel, as she took in the calming breaths.  She focused upon her inner chi, harnessing it to bring about a sense of calmness that she so desperately needed.<br/><br/>She should have been home, curled up on the sofa, slowly draining the reserves of Pinot in her wine fridge.  Relaxing in comfortable clothes, washing trashy television, or better yet, having a little hunk around to massage every inch of her body before a little romp in the bedroom.  Yes, that's what she should have been doing that very night, at that very moment.<br/><br/>Instead, she was about to deal with a deadly combination that she was wholly not looking forward to:  an HOA meeting and seeing her ex.  One of them alone was enough to cause a headache, but together?<br/><br/>Alex was wishing she had a bottle of wine to get her through the evening.<br/><br/>But she persevered, swallowing the discomfort of the evening, feeling confident in the evening that was to come, rather than to give credence to the  little, nagging thoughts of What If...<br/><br/>Alexandra walked up the pathway of the meticulously-kept yard.  She greeted the man whom she did not vote for, with that smarmy look about him, politely as Ms. Manners would have dictated for such an occasion.  She said her hellos to the other men and women of the community, putting on the face of polite warmth, while biting back her tongue at some of the comments her anxious mind wanted to say (<em>fake tits... cheating bastard... oh God, this bitch again?... a walking medical marvel, more silicone than person...  little tart... flirted with your son...</em>), waved at those she knew and enjoyed the company of, all as she moved about the house.<br/><br/>She stayed away from the wine.  As tempting as it was to indulge, to whet the fires of anxiety with a bit of soothing wine, Alexandra resisted.  She told herself that it was probably cheap shit, and for that reason she convinced herself to stay away.  But the deeper reasons, namely in the form of her ex husband, were the reasons why she kept herself away from temptation.<br/><br/>The last thing she needed was to be making a fool of herself.<br/><br/>When the time of the meeting came, when everyone began to gather around in the living room, Alexandra found herself tucked away against the wall, arms folded across her chest, wondering what sort of shit show the HOA was going to try and pull now.