<strong>Jasmine</strong><br/><br/>She waited until she heard people bursting in before she dared to step from the bathroom. By the time she had Cindy was already changed and Jasmine was upset enough that she wasn't entirely sure what the deal with the carved tree was. Was this supposed to be some sort of reconciliatory gift? It was lovely and must have taken some skill, but there was something disturbing about it as well. Hearing Maria tell Richard not to interfere with her vacation she felt a sudden burst of tears come on and all but flopped into a chair.<br/><br/>Dealing with his ravings had been a stressor she didn't need on top of her grief. How could they have let him run loose?! No doubt they pitied him and thought he couldn't cause much harm being trapped on an island as he was. If she hadn't been grieving they might have been right, she would probably have found his story amusing.<br/><br/>Looking up at Maria, she completely disregarded Richard's ravings and fought the urge to sob in relief, instead she gave the other woman a wan smile while tears still rolled quietly down her cheeks, "Thank you Ma'am. The ravings he was spewing and then his following me...it was just too much. Please, don't be upset with Cindy, she did try to get him to leave me alone at the beach, he didn't listen, and she is exactly the sort of companion I need right now. I wouldn't want her to in trouble on account of my freaking out because of Richard. In my right frame of mind I probably would have just laughed his ridiculous tale off."<br/><br/>Shaking her head she dashed the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and sighed softly, "But there's been  no such thing as a right frame of mind since my parents wreck four months ago. If you can promise he'll leave me alone the rest of my stay I'd like to stay in this lovely place, but if not then we need to discuss terms of my departing, immediately; I don't have the fortitude to deal with someone stalking me with insane stories right now."<br/><br/>She was honest and forthright. The island truly was beautiful, and the beach had been perfect with Cindy there frolicking, close enough to be company if she wanted, but far enough away to offer privacy as well. She wouldn't get that combination anywhere else and she knew it. And there was her job to think of as well. Not that she'd really thought of it all day with all that had happened. Such a tiring day when she had planned on it being soothing and relaxing after her voyage.<br/><br/>Nothing had gone quite to plan.