Nikki McKibbin Smith slowly meandered down the path leading from her rustic cabin to the outdoor hot tub, which was nestled in the centre of a stunning rock garden.  Cacti and succulents sprouted bursts of red, yellow, or orange and wildflowers lay a carpet at their feet.  She removed her freshly laundered white terry cloth robe, immersed herself in the warm, bubbling water, and gently lay her head back to look up at the cloudless sky.  In the distance Nikki could hear the soft whinnying of horses and smiled.  Her son, Tyler, loved horses and she knew he would be enjoying his lesson.  She had been at this spa/ranch, just outside of Santa Fe, for a little more than a week.  Nikki had longed to go home to Grand Prairie, Texas, but she knew that would be the first place her husband would look.  Nikki sighed.  She would be 25 in less than a month and, being a typical Libra, she had to weigh all of the pros and cons before she made her next move.

 

It had only been two months since she'd come home late from the recording studio and discovered Stephen in bed with one of their maids.  Like a robot, she removed the tiny silver revolver from her purse, took aim, and fired.  In a single moment Stephen's erect penis had been blown to kingdom come.  Amidst Stephen's agonized screams and the hysterical wailing of the nude maid, Nikki quickly turned and ran downstairs to her son's bedroom. She opened the door and found Tyler still deep in slumber.  Nikki murmered a silent prayer of thanks and gathered him up in her arms.  She grabbed his one-eyed teddy bear, his favourite "horsey" blanket, and carried him out to her bright red Jeep.  She drove east out of L.A. and then turned north.  Tyler had woken briefly but she soothed him back to sleep.  Two hours later, as she drove into the sunrise, she pulled into an anonymous motel on the outskirts of Barstow.  She registered under her mother's maiden name and the overtired desk clerk didn't ask for her identification when she handed him two $100.00 bills.  Nikki had settled Tyler into one of the beds, covering him with his blanket and placing his teddy bear next to him.  She kneeled down beside him and sofly pushed the golden locks from his eyes.  She kissed his cheek and whispered, "Tyler, everything I have done has been for you, since the day you were born.  It's not going to change now".  After another gentle kiss to his forehead, Nikki rose and, grabbing the bag of groceries she had purchased at the gas station convenience store, she headed towards the kitchenette.  After brewing a cup of peppermint tea, Nikki sunk into a worn navy blue velvet chair and picked up the telephone.  She placed a call to L.A.  "Hello?", the nasally British voice answered.  "Bunny Hopper speaking."  Nikki took a deep breath and calmly said, "Bunny, it's Nikki.  I've shot Stephen in the family jewels and I need your help".  "Oh, my", responded Bunny.

 

The next two months had been pure hell.  Bunny relocated Nikki to a small condo in an unassuming neighbourhood just north of L.A.  Bunny called it her "safe house" and assured Nikki she had successfully hidden many celebrities there.  Bunny further arranged to send Nikki's mother and Tyler to the spa/ranch in New Mexico.  Nikki had told Tyler that she and Stephen had a "big fight", which he had witnessed too many times before, and while she filed for divorce, he and Gramma were going to a ranch where he could learn to become an expert rider.  Tyler was thrilled, of course, thinking he was going on a wonderful vacation with his grandmother.  Nikki was tortured by his absence.  Bunny got Nikki off on a technicality and she joined her mother and son at the ranch.

 

Nikki rose out of the water, towelled herself dry, and wrapped herself tightly in the thick terry cloth robe.  She followed another stone-strewn path toward the riding stables and joined her mother, who had been watching Tyler during his lesson.  "Mom! Mom!", Tyler hollered, as he sat proudly on the chestnut mare, "Look at me!".  Nikki laughed and waved to her son.  She turned to her mother and said, "Mom, it's time for us to go home".