CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY EIGHT – SURPRISE AT CENTRAL PARK

They passed the next hour in that vein, rehashing and recounting Jasmine's most outrageous Weekly Housing recollections between fits of helpless giggling. It felt cleansing in a way, to purge all those memories through the filter of humor and familiarity. Like pressing an internal 'reset' after the surreal pressures and anxieties of reality tv life. By the time Claire finally departed with the flimsy excuse of needing to grab a coffee refill, Jasmine felt utterly at peace. She sank deeper into the plush sofa cushions, eyes roaming the colorfully cluttered studio flat with a contented sigh. She was back - and with the worst behind her too. As if on cue, her phone pinged with a new text notification. Pulse quickening, Jasmine eagerly snatched it up. "Welcome home, Picasso. I hope you're well-rested from your adventures, because the evening I have planned for you will surely be exhausting in all the best ways." Jasmine felt her cheeks tinge pink, nipples peaking beneath her camisole