Chapter 75

Author’s Note: This is virtually a no-sex chapter, but it grapples with some significant plot issues that need to be worked out before we close up Book Four. We’ve only got short ways to go in Traffic Girl: Rita, and I hope you’ll find that, in the larger context, this chapter is very well worthwhile in the end. Thanks for reading.

The date for Alix’s move to LA came barreling toward us at breakneck speed. There was so much going on, Jess needed her out there. The agency was dragging a bit and had lost a couple girls, and the scuttlebutt was that it was to rivals. Kelly was still in Vegas most of the time, so Alix would stay at her guest house. Most of the appointments there took place at hotels, but one of Alix’s first responsibilities would be to scout out an LA Hooker House.

But, first, we had to throw a going away party for her. It was a welcome break from counting down the days until Kat hit the twelve-week mark of her pregnancy. We were in week seven, and any distraction was a welcome one. Kat and Rita threw themselves into the party planning, and we decided to make it a fairly small and tame affair. Well, tame for us.

We hosted it at our house, and we kept it to the core Infinity group, which also constituted Alix’s closest friends. Katie would be there, of course, but I was surprised that she added Jamie, the backup quarterback, as a plus-one. There would be Crystal and Jason and the Holy Trinity of Julie, Bianka, and Nikki. Brooke, Katie’s nurse friend, also would attend. She had found juggling work and the agency too difficult and had just quit nursing. And, of course, no Infinity party would be complete without Gloria and Serena. The unexpected guest, though, was Gloria’s fiance, Garrett. So maybe it wouldn’t be such a tame night after all.

The weather in November was glorious, and Kat had the brilliant idea of holding the party outside. Rita came up with the master stroke of covering the pool with thick, clear polycarbonate and setting up a dinner table over the lighted water. I suggested that, given the elegant setting, we make the dress code formal. The girls enthusiastically endorsed it.

So here we were, scrambling to get the final decorations and details nailed down before guests started arriving at six o’clock. The caterers had set up, and we had hired a bartender for the evening. The dinner, a stunning six courses from one of the best restaurants in town, was impeccable. They had sent two chefs to prepare each dish à la minute. It was an extraordinary event, which had the feel of an intimate wedding reception. The girls had sketched out every detail, and it made for a perfect evening. It was even – dare I say – civilized.

At these types of events, I always watched how people interacted. The girls were all so familiar with each other, the flow of conversation was seamless. As the wine flowed, it only became even more friction-free. Except for one thing.

Rita wasn’t happy. I could feel it. She sat two chairs down from me, and she wasn’t her usual ebullient self. She made small talk, and she plastered on her TV smile most of the evening, but I could tell something was off. There were a couple moments, when she let her guard down, that I knew something was wrong.

But I didn’t have a chance to address that immediately. The meal was littered with toasts and jokes and stories. As dinner wrapped up, the caterers and bartender cleared down and headed out. There was a smoldering anticipation about what would come next.After all, you couldn’t have a send-off party for an escort without expecting some shenanigans. When everyone outside our group had left, there remained a touch of mystery. The caterers had left behind a small bowl and spoon at each place setting. Jess stood up.

“Thank you again for coming, everyone,” she said. “I have one last course for us, and it’s something special I made myself.”

Jess hadn’t told anyone about it, so we all looked around curiously. She disappeared inside and came back carrying a tray with two opaque plastic containers on it. Starting with Alix, who sat at one head of the table, she began to place single scoops of ice cream in the bowls.

“What is this?” Alix asked.

“So, my friends,” Jess said. “I felt inspired and wanted to do something special for Alix. It’s been a long time since I made my own edibles, and I wanted to try something new. So please enjoy this cannabutter ice cream!”

I heard multiple, admiring murmurs of “oh my god” around the table. Spoons clinked as people took their first, tentative bites. I noticed two things. First, Jess had given Kat plain vanilla ice cream. Second, Rita didn’t lift up her spoon.

“This is amazing!” Alix exclaimed. “It’s so creamy!”

“And it’s going to get you high as a kite!” Jess said. “I made the butter really, really strong.”

“I think the creaminess blunts the weed flavor,” Crystal said.

The ice cream disappeared quickly. Kat volunteered to clear the bowls, and Rita almost overzealously stood up to help her. Her own bowl had gone untouched. I decided I needed to talk to her. The party, however, wasn’t an ideal setting. Now that dinner had concluded, things shifted into a new gear. Julie and Nikki stayed at the table, engrossed in conversation. Gloria, Garrett, Bianka, and Serena relaxed on the covered patio and got a bong ready to fire up. Jess and Kat took the dishes into the kitchen and teamed up on cleaning. Katie and Jamie, joined by Brooke and Alix, dumped a small mountain of cocaine onto the coffee table. Katie, sitting on Jamie’s lap, chopped and cut like the expert she was.

Rita went back outside to finish clearing off the table, and Serena, Julie, Bianka, and Nikki packed the bong and started passing it around. Gloria and Garrett sat at the bar chatting with Jess and Kat. I excused myself to the restroom. I almost turned around immediately when I saw the door mostly closed and the light on.

“I love when you don’t wear panties, babe,” I heard Jason’s voice come from behind the door.

“I know you like to take me when you want,” Crystal responded to him. “So I like to be ready and make it easy for you.”

“Oh, fuck, you are so wet,” he said.

“I’m always wet for you, baby,” Crystal said. “You’re so hard! I love it!”

As tempting as watching was, I didn’t feel right about spying on such a private moment between two friends. So I returned to the great room. In the few moments I was gone, the party had ramped up. Katie and Alix, now with the tops of their dresses pulled down, were bent over snorting lines. Katie passed the straw to Brooke, and I admired the glimpse of her pink panties as she bent over to hit the coke.

“I can’t believe I’m going to be in LA at this time next week,” Alix said.

“We are going to miss you so much, girl!” Katie exclaimed.

“You’re going to have to come visit!” Alix said happily. “There are some great clients out in LA. It would be hot to have them meet some of our great Houston girls!”

“I love LA,” Brooke said. “I volunteer anytime you need me.”

I walked past the boisterous group and took a peek onto the patio. Bianka had just exhaled a massive plume of smoke, while Serena held a lighter over the bowl as she took a hit. I saw Rita, alone, slowly working to clean up the table over the pool. With the sun down now, the shimmering blue-light white coming from the pool lit her up from underneath. She looked as stunning as I had ever remembered, her red dress made for her curves. The black Louboutin heels added a pop of contrast. Her blonde hair cascading around her shoulders, which were slumped.

I moved into the kitchen, interrupting a whispered conversation between Kat and Jess as they put the finishing touches on cleanup.