Climbing the Ladder 5 - Reaching New Heights
Copyright© 2026 by Michael Loucks
Chapter 61: Lights! Camera! Action!
Fiction Sex Story: Chapter 61: Lights! Camera! Action! - Jonathan's business life is booming, but he's also suffering from yet another loss. While he's done his best to pick up the pieces of that sundered relationship, he can't help but feel responsible. However, where two close relationships have withered, another blooms. Violet has transitioned from a badly damaged girl to a vibrant woman. Will he continue to climb this ladder, or will there be another ladder to climb in his future? No matter what, the only direction he plans to go is up.
Caution: This Fiction Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Workplace
October 13, 1984, Chicago, Illinois
On Saturday morning, I left the house early for my second public modeling session for Claire. The same student, Glenda, greeted me, but this time I didn't need the changing room as I was dressed in one of the chic casual outfits Beth had selected for me. Neither Violet nor Alexa showed up, which didn't surprise me, as neither had suggested they would. Four hours later, after posing, Claire handed me an envelope with my modeling fee.
"Are you available to model for a painting class in February?" Claire asked.
"I should be, yes. What day?"
"Four sessions, February 4, 6, 11, and 13. It would be a mix of clothed and nude."
"I'll check my calendar, but I don't believe I have anything that conflicts."
"Great! I'll get in touch in January to confirm. Thanks again!"
"You're welcome."
I made my way to the door, where two pretty dark-haired girls were clearly waiting for me. They looked to be between eighteen and twenty, but I knew looks could be deceiving.
"I'm Melissa, and this is my best friend, Cindy. Are you interested in having lunch with two fun college girls?" the first one asked.
"A tempting offer, but I have another gig at 1:00pm for a film student."
"Bummer!" Cindy exclaimed. "Raincheck?"
"I hate to say this, but the next several weekends are hectic because of filming."
She pouted, "Another time, then?"
"Let me give you my card, and you can call," I suggested.
I handed her my business card.
"Whoa!" she exclaimed. "I thought you were a student here!"
"No, but a pair of my friends are, which is how I got hooked up with Claire. I really do need to run, sorry."
They both pouted, but I really had to get back to the condo so we could begin filming, as we have a very tight shooting schedule.
When I arrived back at the condo, I ate a quick lunch. I had just finished when Becky and Liz arrived, followed by another girl I didn't know. The girls greeted me and introduced Suzanne, who was going to help with the lights. Ten minutes later, CeCi was framing the shot of Becky and me standing near a window, with Suzanne holding a silver board to direct light onto us.
"OK," CeCi said. "Are you ready?"
"May I say it's weird shooting out of order?" I asked.
"You may, but that's normal. In this case, it's because we need a full day at the house, so that has to be next Saturday, and we'll film the confrontation first, before the seduction scene and the quick shots implying the affair. Becky, when I call 'ACTION', you start with your first line. Ready? ACTION!"
Our lines were simple, and CeCi had encouraged both of us to ad-lib to try to make the conversation as real as possible. As she'd pointed out, she wasn't going to be graded on the acting, or even the script, but on the technical aspects of filmmaking. Both Becky and I really got into the scene, pretending her character had found out from her little sister that I'd cheated. It took four takes and about ninety minutes before CeCi was happy and felt she had the material she needed.
"Are you going to edit those together in some way?" I asked when we took a break.
"Yes," CeCi replied. "If you noticed, I moved the camera in slightly different ways during the third and fourth takes, and you used pretty much identical language, so it'll work perfectly. Next, we're going to film the breakup scene."
The breakup scene was longer, and took six takes and the better part of three hours, before CeCi was satisfied. Once again, we took a break. After the break, CeCi filmed several segments, including me coming in the door, Becky coming in, me on the phone, me getting dressed, and then each of us leaving the condo. The final shot was me driving out of the parking garage in my Saab.
"That's a wrap!" CeCi exclaimed after I parked the car again. "Jonathan, tomorrow morning, we'll film you and Rick in your office. I'll film all the scenes with Becky, Liz, and their friends during the week. Then, next Saturday, we'll film at the house. Becky, Liz, and Suzanne, you should meet us there at 8:00am next Saturday."
They agreed and left. CeCi went to set up to review the tape while I began preparing dinner, which would include celebrating Bianca's birthday, though it was actually on Sunday. Given we were having our friends over for football, we were celebrating a day early. Violet joined us, and just after 6:30pm we all sat down to eat, which allowed Deanna to join us.
We had our meal, and dessert was a cake Chelsea had baked while we had been filming, along with Oberweis ice cream Deanna had purchased on her way home. We each gave Bianca a gift, and then spent the evening together. Violet spent the night, which made up for her missing her usual Friday.
October 14, 1984, Chicago, Illinois
"I have a storyline suggestion," Rick said with a goofy grin when he, Ceci, Suzanne, and I met in my office at Spurgeon.
I chuckled, "You're my rebound?"
"Exactly!" Rick exclaimed. "Are you a good enough actor to pull that off?"
"I'd pay serious money if I could film that!" CeCi smirked.
"Sorry, but CeCi typecast a stockbroker for a reason!" I declared.
"You do realize there are gay men in your field, right?" Rick asked.
"Of that, I have no doubt," I replied. "But exactly zero of them are out, and the fallout from coming out would be brutal. You'll have to be satisfied with being the friend and confidant!"
"If you two are done with your foreplay, we could start," CeCi teased.
Rick and I both laughed and took our places, me behind my desk and Rick sitting in a chair across from me. It only took three takes for CeCi to be happy with the conversation between my character, 'Jake', and Rick's character, 'Ken', who were friends since grade school. The second scene was filmed standing by the windows, and took another three takes. The final scene was us leaving the building and walking across the street to have a beer.
The timing was such that we all arrived back in the condo with only a few minutes to spare before the game between the Bears and the St. Louis Cardinals began. It was another lousy day for the Bears, who lost 38–21, dropping their record for the season to 4–3. Everyone hung out until about 8:00pm, when the last of our guests left.
We turned on HBO to watch Countdown to Looking Glass, a drama about the run-up to a nuclear confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union. It was realistic, and I was not surprised that the storyline blamed much of the global unrest on a banking crisis. We all enjoyed it, though the ending was quite chilling — the activation of the Emergency Broadcast System and a shot of the President's plane departing from Andrews Air Force Base.
After the movie, Violet went home, because Sundays were CeCi's night, but CeCi ceded her time to Bianca. That led me to join Bianca and Nicole in bed, and several hours of good, clean, birthday fun.
October 15, 1984, Chicago, Illinois
"Predictions for interest rates tomorrow?" I asked Tony, Pete, and Scott early on Monday morning.
"A quarter point," Scott replied. "But it really needs to be a half point."
"I agree with Scott," Pete said.
"I think they go with half a percentage point," Tony offered.
"I lean towards a half point," I said. "Something needs to kickstart the economy, and that would be it."
"Volcker doesn't want to look like he's bowing to Reagan," Pete said. "I think they spread out the cuts."
"Unemployment is the real bugaboo," Tony countered. "It's still higher than when the recession started. That has to spook even Volcker. As Scott says, it needs to be half a point, and I think they'll pull the trigger."
"Did the model provide any useful insights?" I inquired.
"No. There simply isn't enough historical data to make the numbers meaningful. In a thousand simulations, it came back with almost equal chances of zero, a quarter point, and a half point. It was, in effect, a complete waste of computer cycles. I suggested to Bianca that we dump it."
"I'm sure she'll discuss it with me. Scott, you're the lead, so you break the tie."
"A quarter point, but with a note that Tony's position is completely defensible."
"What's your target for the end of the year?"
"Same as it has been — 11%, though it's possible Volcker will cut faster after the election."
"I think that's highly likely," Pete observed. "It wouldn't surprise me at all."
"OK. Write it up and lead with the quarter point," I directed.
The three of them left, and I returned to writing my part of the Analyst Report. When I finished it, I put five copies of the prospectus for the Cincinnatus Fund in a manila envelope, addressed it to Debbie Vaughn, paper-clipped a form to it indicating it should be sent overnight, and put it in my out box so the mailroom would collect it.
Just after I finished doing that, Julie called to let me know Noel wanted to see me. Three minutes later, I walked into his office.
"Cincinnati?"
"An extra half million from some rookies; it's a long-term play."
"Names?"
"Tom Browning with the Reds, and Boomer Esiason and Pete Koch with the Bengals."
"The Esiason kid fell pretty far in the draft considering his college career, though he was the first QB, given Young went to the LA Express. Esiason had a good game a week ago in his first start."
"Koch was a higher draft pick, but all three have good prospects, which should mean more AUM."
"Let's keep on that, along with Hollywood. We've barely scratched that surface."
"I have Jack working on that. Any movement on the lawsuits?"
"They blinked this morning. We have a settlement conference set for Thursday."
"That's good news."
"You're seeing Lyle Danforth for dinner tomorrow, right?"
"Yes. He specifically requested Morton's The Steakhouse, so that's where we're going."
"Do whatever it takes to keep him happy! We want that second tranche!"
"Count on it!"
"Interest rates?"
"A toss-up between a quarter and half point," I replied. "Our year-end target is still 11%, because we expect rapid cuts following the election."
"Are you still sour on Reagan's debate performance?"
"Yes. Sunday will make it clear one way or the other. If Reagan comes out as the Gipper, he wins a landslide; if he repeats his previous performance, Mondale has an actual chance."
"The poll numbers don't show that."
"Mondale isn't charismatic at all, but if Reagan is clearly incapable of carrying out the duties, that won't matter."
"You and I are both front-loaded for a Reagan win."
"Yep. But I can only call them as I see 'em. Volcker is holding off on big cuts, and that makes me wary."
"Me, too. You're going to Dallas next week, right?"
"Yes."
"OK. Keep up the good work, Kane!"
He picked up the phone, indicating I was dismissed, so I left his office and returned to mine. The rest of the day was routine, and at 5:00pm, Violet and I left the office to head to her house for dinner, and then class. After class, we had our usual pie and coffee, then she accompanied me back to the condo to spend the night.
October 16, 1984, Chicago, Illinois
The Fed cut rates by a quarter percent, yielding a prime rate of 12.5%, in line with Volcker's thinking, though the word on the street was that other Fed governors were pushing hard for accelerated cuts. I felt another cut would have to come soon, but I was skeptical that Volcker would allow it before November 6.
As I saw it, the Fed's decision to raise rates every six weeks from last November to last June was a grave error, and rates were still higher than in January 1983 for no good reason, given the fundamentals. Holding back the economy to avoid appearing to support Reagan was a severe disservice to the public, as high interest rates were a drag on growth, a drag on spending, a drag on the markets, and most importantly, a drag on the housing market.
I was confident rates would come down further, driving the stock market higher, and I was positioned to take advantage of it. If it didn't happen as quickly as I expected, I was protected by diversification across the Nikkei, Yen, precious metals, and fixed-income products. The correct move was, at least for the moment, to stay the course, pending the outcome of the second Presidential debate.
Once the Analyst Report was circulated, I called First Chicago and arranged to wire $100,000 to Ian McIntyre for my investment in Golden Gate Livery. That would provide me additional passive income and diversify my personal portfolio, which consisted of the condo, three apartment buildings, Ateljé D, Omega Graphics, and, as of today, Golden Gate Livery, though with Ateljé D, 100% of profits were being reinvested.
Just after 9:00am, I called Ian and let him know the wire had been sent.
"I cannot thank you enough," he said. "Will you be in the Bay Area soon?"
"Probably not until the first quarter of next year when I visit my client."
"Call, and we'll have you to the house for dinner."
"I look forward to it."
"Great! I'll begin sending monthly financial reports on the 10th of next month."
"Fantastic. Call me if you need anything."
"Will do!"
Just after I ended the call, Violet let me know that our first candidate for the new Executive Assistant program had arrived. As we had agreed, Violet would speak to her first, then Tony, then finally me. About forty minutes later, after those two conversations, Violet ushered Cynthia Taylor into my office.
The first thing I noticed — for which I immediately reproved myself — was that she had small breasts, making her an anomaly amongst the secretaries except for Violet. The fact that I'd noticed that immediately was problematic, because it meant I was being affected by the toxic environment at Spurgeon. Unfortunately, in the short term, I did not have a way out.
Ms. Taylor was pleasant, personable, and intelligent, and had an Associate's degree in business, along with three years of experience at Windy City Trucking. On paper, she was my first choice, and after speaking with her for about twenty minutes, I was positive I'd hire her, though I did have two additional candidates to interview.
"Did Mrs. Peterson explain the somewhat odd situation?" I inquired.
"Do you mean switching jobs with Ms. Clemmons in a year?"
"Yes."
"I don't have any concerns about that. Do you know who will run the Research Department?"
"No. That is up to Noel Spurgeon, though I'll have input. Do you have any questions for me?"
"When can I start?" she asked.
"I like the assertiveness," I replied. "I have two additional candidates to interview today. I'll make a decision no later than tomorrow morning."
"I'm very interested in working here. Is there something that's giving you pause?"
"Not at all," I replied. " I believe you're an excellent candidate, but I scheduled three candidates, and I do need to speak to all three."
She had no questions, so I called Violet to walk her back to Personnel. I saw Patricia Davis and Kay Wilson after lunch, and while both were good candidates, they were not nearly as good as Cynthia Taylor. I called in Violet and Tony and asked their opinions, and they agreed with my assessment. I thanked them, then called Mandy Peterson. She had no objections, so I asked her to extend an offer to Cynthia.
At the end of the day, Bianca and I went up to the condo, where I relaxed until it was time to meet Lyle Danforth at Morton's. I arrived at the restaurant about five minutes before he did, and we were seated immediately due to the reservations I had made. I ordered a bottle of wine and a large bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water.
"Mind if I ask what your brother does?" I inquired once we had our wine and had ordered our food.
"He's an executive at Sears. His wife, Jane, works for DCFS."
"Are you originally from here?"
"No. Bob moved here from San Francisco after he graduated from UC Berkeley. My parents still live in the Bay Area. Are you from Chicago?"
"No. I'm from Goshen, about thirty miles northeast of Cincinnati. Did you attend Berkeley?"
"No, I went to Stanford, both for undergrad and my Master's. Mind if we talk business?"
"Not at all. Consider this your time to ask anything you want about anything."
"What happens if the Fed doesn't cut interest rates the way you expect?"
"The US markets remain in the doldrums, but the Nikkei, yen, and precious metals offer opportunities, and I'll put more money into fixed income. I'll continue to position myself for rate cuts, which have to come, or the country slips into a serious recession. I don't believe Volcker will allow that; my team is convinced he's trying to wait for the election."
"He's screwing the global economy to appear non-partisan?"
"That is our opinion. We don't disagree with your analysis that it's screwing the economy, but to be honest, President Reagan did himself no favors demanding rates be cut. That puts Volcker in a position where he appears to be doing Reagan's bidding, even though he's supposed to be independent. There is one other thing for you to consider."
"What's that?"
"The longer Volcker takes to cut rates, the more he delays the coming economic expansion, and the attendant rise in stock prices. That allows me to accumulate shares at a lower price and position the fund for even larger gains when rates are eventually cut."
"I'm not sure I like that in terms of economic policy, but I completely understand your point. You're a Republican, I assume?"
I shook my head, "I'm a Democrat, but I voted for Reagan in 1980."
"I'd expect someone in your position to be Republican."
"I've made the comment that I'm the token Democrat at the firm. I don't object to people making money, even a lot of money, but I do think we need a strong social safety net, good schools, fire and police protection, and so on."
"Do you have any investments in South Africa?"
"No. When I trade precious metals, I do so via futures contracts and options, and I never take physical possession of any precious metal. My private holdings do include Canadian Gold Maple Leafs and Morgan Silver Dollars, but those are purchased through a coin dealer here in Chicago."
"What would you recommend for a private portfolio?"
"That all depends on your goals," I said as the waiter brought our salads. "Generally, for the average person who does not want to incur high fees and wants to minimize risk, buying an S&P 500 or Wilshire 5000 fund makes the most sense. The management fees are low, and you'll earn market returns. It's simple, and basically 'fire and forget'. If that's too risky, then US Treasuries are a good choice at the moment, or insured unit investment trusts, both of which are tax-free and are absolutely safe. If you prefer higher returns, you can put more money into my fund."
"I'm surprised you didn't lead with that."
"Based on the fact that you asked for a recommendation. If you simply wanted to invest further in my fund, you'd have simply let me know."
"Logical and analytical, as I would expect," Lyle said.
"Do you mind me asking about your current personal investments besides what you gave me to manage?"
"Not at all. I have an investment advisor and financial planner in San Francisco who handles that for me. His fees are lower, but so are the returns. He has me heavily diversified in several equity sectors, municipal bonds, government securities, and time deposits."
"That sounds similar to what I set up for a friend of mine, though she did put money into my fund."
"Before I forget, and I should have asked sooner, is there any chance of visiting Miss Haight's studio?"
"Absolutely. She'll be there until 10:00pm, so we'll have plenty of time after dinner."
We had a good chat during the rest of our meal, and both elected to skip dessert. After I settled the bill, we left Morton's, and the valet hailed a cab for us. Fifteen minutes later, we walked into Ateljé D.
"Deanna, I'm sure you remember Lyle Danforth," I said.
"Yes, of course! Welcome! Please, have a look around the gallery. There are pieces by a number of students at the School of the Art Institute."
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