In This Town: Chapter Twelve: Everything that begins must end

Part Two

Chapter Twelve: Everything that begins must end

Two months had passed since our reconciliation on the sidewalk outside my apartment building and nothing much had changed. Business as usual for this small-town call girl and the likes of those near and dear to her. My relationship with Joe was unchanged, there was an inbuilt understanding of trust connected with our discreet awareness and need. It was as if it was true, our souls had forever been entwined.

Yes, all was going along swimmingly, much as it had before, save for the fact that now I had Riley in tow and Max had Janet. To be quite sure, Max's relationship with Janet was a thousand times more “normal” and, well, healthier than that of mine with Riley. I couldn't exactly be one hundred percent honest with my boyfriend about my true business interactions and out of town trips. At one point after I returned from a visit with Ed in Seattle, Riley asked to see some of the photo work I'd done on my trip, I lied and said the proofs weren't available yet. My time with him was a knuckle-biting affair, wondering how long I could keep up the appearances of normalcy while pursuing my nightly ventures.

My out of town business trips had enlarged. Through Ed, I had become connected to more interested parties, those with deeper pockets and a wider cash-flow whose desires were more varied than even that of Mitch Wheeler, who by the way had just announced his candidacy for the town mayor. Our escapades at his riverfront house were less frequent then.

I had an invite for dinner at Jacob and Becky's house, to celebrate the birth of their second child. I took along Riley, not Joe, as date, thinking that in whatever means possible I could reflect the status quo of society as well as please the boyfriend was definitely beneficial.

The dinner was fairly uneventful, in a word, it was endless and boring. Even Riley agreed as we rode home together, in I might add my new turquoise Pruis; (“Modeling pays off,” I had lied to Riley.) The new baby and the “mini-me” version of Becky were cute to be fair but also were vivid reminders of my decision to not have children.

However, what came from that dinner was even more eventful. Joe had left a message to call when I returned home. When I did, he informed me of a new client with instructions of when and where to meet. “Tomorrow night, 7 pm, at the Marriot, room 216,” I wrote down the instructions as he gave them to me.

I arrived a half an hour early to the destination, a custom I had recently developed and felt added to my degree of professionalism. I walked into the Marriot, nodded briskly to Max in greeting but not showing too much recognition, and breezed into the elevator and ascended to the second floor.

Walking down the long hallway to room 216, my heart rate quickened along with my breathing in anticipation of that first entrance, as an actor awaiting their cue to enter the stage. I turned the doorknob and slipped into the room.

My client for the night stood at the bar of the room, his back to me, making drinks for us. A voice that seemed somewhat familiar instructed me that the money was on the side table by the door. I took it and slipped it into my purse. I was once again wearing my long tan coat, underneath black thigh-highs clipped to garter and over it a black lacy teddy. Black stilettos donned my feet. My hair was a perfect light curl and hung softly down my back and away from my face. My make-up was perfectly applied but not over-done.

The client turned to face me, with the drinks in hand, and stopped in cold shock. My mouth fell agape. For a few moments in what seemed like an eternity, we stared at one another. Finally, I found my voice:

“Jacob?”

“Anna?” He came back to me.

“Yeah,” I said at last. “How are you?” Which seemed quite absurd to say under the circumstances, as if we were reuniting at a high school reunion and not under the current situation.  Jacob moved towards the living room area of the room and sat in an armchair. I followed and sat across him in a matching chair. He set one drink on the table and I picked it up, sipping slowly.

“So, this is life modeling?” He asked, cocking his head to one side.

“No, that's a cover,” I explained. He looked at me, with that sarcastic grin I had seen so much in school, the one that said, 'I'm about to tease you and you are going to like it' and said,

“Nice one, really.”

I took a larger sip of my drink, a gin and tonic, and then fired back,

“Why are you here?”

He thought for a moment and then said, “For the same reason you are.”

“Okay, why do you think I'm here?” I shot back.

“Exploration,” he admitted. I was taken aback by this.

“What about Becky?” I asked.

“She isn't...really up for...everything,” he stammered out. “And besides, she's all caught up with the kids and stuff and the whole image thing, you know.”

“So, you want to sow your wild oats, experience the bad side of things?” I asked looking for confirmation.

“Yeah, something like that,” he nodded. I looked him over and then rose slowly. I stood there for a moment and then put my drink down.

“Well,” I said, at last. “I should get going.”

“What, why?” he asked, looking at me with a piercing gaze.

“Well, you don't think we should, I mean,” I broke off.

“Why not? I paid for you,” he pointed out. He had a good point there so I brought out the money from my purse and moved to return it.

“No,” he shook his head. “That won't suffice.”

Reluctantly, I put the money back in my purse and stood back from him.

“So, what do you want?” Secretly hoping he wasn't like his father and that I could just get this over with, go home, take a hot bath, laugh it off with Max.

He looked me over and said, “Dance for me.”

I put my purse down on my chair and because tonight I needed it more than ever before, I gulped down my drink. Slowly I began swaying and moving around the room in a seductive fashion. I slowly brought the coat down around me until I let it fall to the ground. I heard him gasp in astonished satisfaction at the sight of my undergarments. I moved over to him and proceeded to give him a lap dance, feeling the bulge in his pants rising. I closed my eyes as I let my bottom rub against it, trying to visualize myself far away, anywhere but here. When I did, I saw the face of Riley float up at me. My eyes snapped open abruptly.

I turned and began unbuttoning Jacob's shirt and kissing his bare chest, moving my hands down to his pants. I was very careful about not giving him an open mouth kiss, too intimate for this situation. With his penis out, I slipped a condom on, then slipped myself. He put his hands on my shoulders and pulled himself inside of me. My eyes focused passed him onto the wall, I sucked in air and tried not to think.

What seemed like forever finally came to an end. I crawled off of him and returned to my coat and purse.

He smiled up at me and said, “I will call for you again.”

I cringed inside but dutifully turned and nodded, smiling in mock agreement.

I headed out the door, down the elevator, and through the lobby without acknowledging Max at all. Upon coming home, I headed into my bathroom and collapsed against the toilet and for the first time after a client, vomited. Not from the alcohol but from the shame of it.

The next morning I confessed it all to Max and was barely able to finish my breakfast without feeling sick. I had modeling that day so I managed to pull myself together for work and an after class delight for Ken.

Riley met me, as per our custom, in the cafeteria of the college. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Joe sitting at a table and when Riley leaned to kiss me on the mouth, I moved my face so it fell against my cheek. I had not told Joe about Riley as of yet. How would I explain that?

Riley looked at me, a little hurt and asked, “Something wrong?”

“No, uh, I forgot to brush my teeth, breath smells rancid, I'm sure,” I managed to say.

“Oh, okay,” he accepted that in true Riley fashion. “Hungry? You want something to eat?”

That was also true Riley fashion, he always bought me food or anything really, treated me with such care and adoration I really felt like royalty and to be honest sometimes like glass, with any movement I might break. Or was that just me and my double life I needed to keep hidden?

As we walked to class, we held hands and laughed together, just like any normal couple in our age group would do. Nodding to Ken in silent confirmation of our after class meeting, I quickly began undressing and moved into the necessary poses for the class.

After class, I was on my knees behind Ken Payne's desk with his penis deep in my mouth while he groaned quietly above me. There was a knock on the door and then without waiting for an answer, it opened. Behind and above me, I heard a gasp of horror and shock. I froze.

“Anna?” came Riley's horrified voice above me. “Mr...Payne?”

I pulled myself out and tried to stand up. Mr. Payne grabbed my hand to stop me. I looked at him with horror and disgust.

“Riley, I..,” I began, then looked from him to Ken for some sort of answer or clarity. “I can explain, I will explain.”

Riley's eyes flashed at mine with anger.

“No need, Anna,” he growled. “No need, you whore.”

My insides cringed and shriveled tightly inside of me. I tried to move towards him but Ken restrained me, as if to remind me his time was not up yet. Riley turned and slammed the door behind him as he left. I heard his footsteps pounding down the hallway away from me.

After eventually leaving Ken's office, I grabbed my phone and anxiously called Riley's phone, to no answer. I drove home and entered the apartment frantically, hoping to catch Max before he went off to work. I found him and Janet sitting in each other's arms, happily on the sofa. She glanced up at me with disgust and marched off into his bedroom. Max got up and came towards me.

“Anna,” he said excitedly before I could speak. “I need to talk to you.”

“Yeah?” I managed.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just stuff with Riley,” I managed. “So, what's up?”

He gestured for me to sit on the sofa so I did.

“Janet and I were talking, we think we'd like to take this relationship to the next level,” he began. I looked him over, waiting. “I've asked her to move in with me.”

I nodded, taking this in. This wasn't a surprise to me at all. Janet knew about my profession and did not like it nor me. She was not at all quiet about this dislike either. For his part though, I was happy for Max and wanted to see him that way. He was after all my best friend. He just wanted us to get along.

“That's fine,” I began. “When do I need to move out?”

“Uh, the end of the month, okay? Unless you need more time?”

“That should be fine,” I confirmed. I looked down as my phone vibrated. Riley! “I have to take this,” I told Max, moving into my bedroom.

“Hello?” I said expectantly.

“Meet me at the waterfront park...now,” was all I got before I heard the click.

As I drove into the parking lot of the park, heavy storm clouds were deepening in the sky. The wind was kicking up and blowing litter about as I walked down the sidewalk into the park, looking for Riley. I saw him standing at fence overlooking the river below.  Behind him was a park bench. I walked up to him and touched his shoulder, he shook it off.

“Riley,” I began.

“Why, Anna, why?” he barked at me. “Why him? Its not like you need a grade...is that how you got the job?”

“No,” I began and the tears welled in my eyes. “That's not it.”

Without hesitation, I began to tell the truth.

“I do that for money,” I stated. “Not just with him, but with lots of men. All my out of town trips and...”

Riley glared at me and said in utter shock, angry, and disgust, “In this town?”

“Yeah,” I said quietly looking down. I heard him sigh, turn back to the water, and sigh again.

“Say something!” I begged him.

“I can't,” he began. I waited. “I can't do this, I can't be with you.”

“Please, Riley,” was all I could say. He turned and looked at me, again glaring.  I looked up at him, my eyes imploring.  He flinched and I saw his lower lip tremble.  Then without saying a word, he turned and stormed off just as the first drops of rain began to fall. 

I walked over to the bench and sat. The rain poured harder and harder but I did not mind it, I needed to feel the cold icy sting of the wetness. My tears mingling with the raindrops.

Alone, I sobbed, wondering what to do now, I looked up at the sky, at the falling rain, and screamed,

“Why?”

The Shape of You