Chapter 7: Convincing Jenna

Henry thought that one approach to Jenna would be to raise the matter in pillow talk during sex. But he wanted to be sure that she really understood the gravity of the situation. So instead, as with Kitty, he raised the subject on an exercise walk with Jenna. It was a particularly nice day in early May.

“Jen, I have been going over the restaurant finances again. You know that we have been living off our cash reserves since the shutdown. We are through the ‘fat’ and deep into the ‘muscle’ now. I don’t think we can save the restaurant without some drastic action to get more cash quickly-- like $50,000 -- to pay the rent for the restaurant as well as our other living expenses.”

“You were looking at loans, Henry. Did any of them come through?”

“No. Banks are simply not lending to small business restaurants that are on the verge of collapse in this market. I don’t have any profit projections for the rest of the year and no collateral. Once the bank officer understood that, I was shown the door every time. So, I went to a guy I thought could put me in touch with a loan shark from the City. Instead he came up with another idea I want to raise with you.”

“OK, shoot.”

“He put me in touch with a guy who produces amateur porn. We can earn more than $50,000 if we agree to make a video with him.”

“Henry, you can’t be serious. Making love on video for everyone to see? I can’t and won’t be part of that!”

“Jen, just listen for a minute about what it would be. There are these videos that are produced, I guess mostly in Germany, where a mother and daughter strip on camera and sort of fool around on their couch. They aren’t porn stars, but regular folk, real mothers and daughters. Let me show you a video he gave me a link to, just so you know what he was talking about. Please just look at it before you say anything else.”

“Well, I’ll see it, at least.”

So, once again Henry pulled up the plain vanilla Nord video on his phone.

“So, husband of mine, you wouldn’t be upset seeing your wife and precious daughter’s body splashed over the internet and viewed by who knows who. And all those lecherous men jerking off while watching this. You can accept that?”

“Jen, it isn’t something I want. But frankly and honestly, we are at the end of the line here. Either we do a video like this or the restaurant goes under and we lose all the money we invested in it. And we will also have none of our retirement or college savings left by the end of the Summer. We would probably also lose the house to foreclosure. I don’t want you to do the movie, but I don’t see any other way out.”

Henry paused, and then continued:

“Jen, one more thing. Don’t be upset. I first approached Kitty with this idea because I thought if she was willing you might be willing also.”

“You didn’t!! Damn you! What did Kitty say?”

After giving it, some thought and sleeping on it, she said she would do it. She would feel awful if we lost the restaurant.”

Jenna was silent as they continued walking. Henry decided to bring up the extra options early because he didn’t want it to seem like a bait and switch. “Jen, there is something else you need to factor into your thinking. The video you saw is sort of the bare minimum of these videos. The producer showed me another video where there is more lesbianism between the mother and daughter.”

After showing Jenna the second video, Henry said:

“Jen, I know you have done some of these things in the past with a few different women before we met. And I understand that there is a world of difference between doing it with someone else and doing it with Kitty. I am not underestimating or ignoring that. I just need you to know what would be involved and what the financial consequence would be if we don’t get an additional $50,000 very soon. The producer gave me a list of options that he wanted to put into the video.”

Henry handed the option list to Jenna:

“To get to $50,000, you and Kitty would have to do all of these.”

Jenna read the list without comment but looked very uncomfortable.

“Jen, Kitty wanted to sleep on it overnight. I don’t want your answer now. Let’s talk in the morning. Tonight, I will sleep in the guest room down the hall so you have private time to think.”

Jenna agreed to think it over, but by then she had already decided. She really had no other option.