Chapter 2

First month goes by.

She is very happy, loving the set up, it has been a long time since life gave her a break.

Her job is decent, she is a receptionist at a contracting company in town. Due to extensive work done by the contractor in government institutions, all staff had to be bonded and to sign non-disclosure agreements, vis a vis, anything involving the institutions. She is known as a friendly, willing to help, coworker but never stayed late or attended any after hour functions.

Everyone knew about her child but no one knew about her past. She was accepted, paid every Friday and actually happy with her position in life.

She met with Mr. Black each Sunday on the porch at four. They chatted, she shared more and more about her past, her life, her son. She began to see Mr. Black as a kindly, confident, older man, who seemed to care for her and Brian, she was actually happy. Black was easy to talk with and wasn’t exactly hard to look at either. Maybe a little old for her tastes but not at all bad. ‘A small bonus’, she thought.

On the Thursday, of her fifth week under Mr. Black’s roof, a package was delivered by a certain PI, to the owner of the contracting company.

He informed the owner that he was hired by the government to look into recent bond applicants. He showed the owner some photos and suggested the young lady involved in the photos may not be an appropriate employee. The owner agreed, called her into his office, showed her the pictures and explained the situation.

She tried to justify it but he wouldn’t hear it. He was sorry but he wasn’t about to lose the D&D work because of her. She should have made better choices in her life. She was terminated on the spot.

She cried all the way home the injustice of the world! Where had the photo come from? Was it even her? She couldn’t remember any photos being taken when she was high. Then it hit her, Ronnie! That nerdy asshole was always hovering in the background. He took the photo she remembered. Terry, her baby’s father, has just said something very funny, as she lifted her head having sputtered in laughter, sending the lines of coke flying and escalating everyone’s laughter until their sides hurt and some were gasping for air. She had forgotten about Ronnie and the photo. ‘Fuck! How stupid!’

Turning up the driveway and stopping in front of the big house, she was afraid she would not make next week’s rent. She didn’t want to have to move out. He had said come and see him if there was going to be any problems.

Answering his screen door, he said hello and looked at her inquisitively. She burst into tears as he reached forward to support her slowly crumbling body, into a two-arm embrace and holding her to his chest as he let her cry it all out.

He felt for her. Her anguish over the unfairness of the world. The bastard who shared the photo. She asked what she was going to do. His first thought was, ‘pay your rent’, but as he slowly rubbed his hands up and down her back, from shoulders to just the middle of her back, he assured her she would get another job quickly. She snuggled in closer. She needed someone to care.

“But what about next week’s rent?” she asked as they separated and she stood in front of him, her mascara a mess, her makeup in streaks, her nose running and she was sniffing to hold back the drips, she needed a tissue and looked in the moment like a drowning little kitten.

“Do you have any ideas in mind?” he asked. She had no ideas. He suggested she start getting her resume out to prospective employers as soon as possible. She indicated she didn’t know where to start.

She said she would see what she could find from local want ads. He suggested it could take a little time to find a new job and earn her pay check but she should get right onto the job search.

He added, “Ms. Radner, you have this week’s pay check to cover next week’s rent. This gives you the week to find a new job. Were I you, I would get started on the job search today.”

Jen agreed appreciating his support. She got up and went back to her place to update her resume and begin the search.

Jen tried very hard all the next week, knocking on doors around town, hoping, praying, someone would give her a job but no luck at all. There just weren’t a lot of jobs in a town of twenty thousand, for a young girl that hadn’t even graduated high school and now had a reputation for drug use. The picture had been seen by everyone at her old place of work. Word spread.

Sunday arrived and Jen had to meet with her landlord. She had to beg forgiveness and ask for more time. She was sure she could find something next week. He was a kind man so he would understand.

Mr. Black was actually not very receptive to her request for time. He asked if she had any other thoughts. He gently prodded her until she arrived at the idea of doing some yard work for him in lieu of rent.

The landscapers had done an excellent job around the property but it was time for some up keep. Hedges could be trimmed, gardens weeded, grass mowed, there was a good week’s work there. Black had employed a service to attend to those needs but on renting to Jen he had dismissed the yard contractor for just this opportunity.

They worked out an hourly agreement to allow her to earn enough to buy groceries and make minimal payments on her other bills and pay next week’s rent over a forty-hour week. She went home almost happy until she realized that she would have to let Elsa go. The government wouldn’t continue the subsidy if Jen couldn’t show a pay stub.

They both agreed that when she found a new job, she would immediately ask for Elsa back. It was a tearful separation.

On her way out to her car, Mr. Black asked Elsa if she would be interested in babysitting once in a while. Elsa responded saying she certainly had a soft spot now for little Brian and if needed, yes, she would love to come by now and again to look after the little fella. Both Jen and Mr. Black were pleased.

The next morning, at the agreed to start time, Jen was out pruning the shrubs. In bare hands, an old man’s shirt and jeans. He called her up to the house, “Nope, I just can’t do it”, he informed her.

He was sitting on his deck and she was standing at the foot of the three steps up looking straight up at him. She was wondering what he was talking about. “I have to get some fun out of this, too, otherwise, I am just an old fool,” he offered.

“You see, Jen, while you are out there doing a wonderful job earning the money to pay the rent, I still have to come up with the money you’re earning, money out of my own pocket, in order to actually pay the bills resulting from your living here.

Mortgage, utilities, taxes all have to be paid weekly, you know this because we set it up together. So, although you are helping by straightening out the yard, which I sure appreciate, at the end of this week, I will be out the four-hundred-dollars in rent money plus your other expenses, rather than up your standard rent payment. Understand?”

She understood his reasoning so was nodding her head with his statement while constructing counter arguments and wondering where this was going. Her anxiety level was climbing.

“So, I will not be receiving your four-hundred dollars but actually paying out four-hundred dollars and not having much fun in return, that’s a thousand-dollar swing,” he finished off.

“But the yard is going to look a lot better,” she countered.

“Yes,” he allowed, “but if that was important to me it would already be done,” he added.

She was nodding again, searching her mind for a new argument when he continued on, “So, I should like to have fun spending my four-hundred-dollars, wouldn’t you agree, Jen”?

‘Ok’, she wondered again where this was headed. He was just looking into her eyes as she blinked.

“Would you like to help me make it as fun for me, as this situation is, as good for you? Doing the yard work for yours and Brian’s rent I mean.” He received a tentative nod, “Good, it makes me happy when we see things eye to eye my girl.”

He reached into his shirt pocket, took out a credit card, and handed it to her. There were questions in her eyes and on her lips as she extended her hand to receive the credit card.

He spoke first as he handed the card over, “I have a friend, she owns a boutique in town, her name is Rachel. She likes to play a French lady or something for her clientele, she will be expecting you, you will enjoy her company.”

“What?” she blurted out.

“You have agreed that I should enjoy your working as much as you will, but the way I will get the enjoyment I want, you can’t provide without my help, so,” he had opened his arms in humble supplication.

“What do you want of me that I can’t afford?” she asked, her mind running at full speed, a myriad of thoughts crashing through her mind.

Smiling he stated, “I want to enjoy watching you do your magic around here and when I watch, I want to enjoy what I am looking at. To ensure that I do enjoy the um, scenery, my friend is going to outfit you for my viewing pleasure,” he finished with his hands and arms extended wide open once more and if anything, his smile even broader.

“As I am asking you to dress for my viewing pleasure, I think it only fair that I provide the credit for the purchase of the new attire,” as he pointed at the credit card now in her hand.

He had already arranged for Elsa to come by and sit with Brian. She was right then driving up the driveway, he tipped his head toward her vehicle saying, “Right on time, here comes Elsa, how about you run home, get changed and head to this address,” he handed her a business card.

As he rose from his chair he waved at Elsa as she drove over to the carriage house, then he turned and walked into the house.

‘Meeting over I guess’, was Jen’s thought, as she turned to go see Elsa and get her squared away with Brian before she left. Again, not seeing much choice in the matter.

Entering the boutique, a well attired lady in her forties, trying to look in her thirties with the makeup she had on, came over saying, “Jen, my dear, it is so good to have you drop by today.”

Jen was almost overwhelmed with the force of will that came at her, a barrage of cologne and French accented English flying at her like they were long lost friends. A hug, two cheek kisses and Rachel didn’t even seem to draw a breath as she moved about, constantly prattled on, while pulling out different looks to show Jen.

“Oh, this if far too short, the hem line.” Jen was having trouble getting through to the whirl wind that Rachel was. “I am here for garden cloths, not miniskirts,” Jen complained.

Finally, Rachel came to a stop, face to face with Jen. She placed one hand on Jen’s shoulder and looking into her eyes she said, “Honey, I know the man who sent you here. You have the chance of a life time right in front of you. For some reason he wants you to buy yourself some really nice cloths, nothing here is cheap.

“Play your cards right who knows just where you can get to with this man helping you.” Then she just stared into Jen’s eyes, this was the first moment when Rachel wasn’t talking.”

Jen responded, “I am not a slut and really have no desire to feed his misogynistic desires. I am simply trying to provide the best home for my child.”

Rachel stepped back and countered, “He sent you to me, Honey, and I don’t do garden attire, I do sex appeal.” She said it with such flare and flamboyance that Jen couldn’t help but laugh. Rachel went on in a more serious tone, “Has he asked you for anything sexual thus far?”

Jen just shook her head no adding, “No, not yet.”

Rachel continued, “And the best way to provide for your child right now is to keep the big guy happy, right?” Jen hesitated so Rachel continued, “Honey, if all he wants is to look then let him look.”

“I know Black’s a pretty handsome man so why don’t just go with the flow for now and see what happens down the road.

“Like I said, play your cards right with this man and who knows how great life can be. Personally, I’d love the chance you have right now,” she finished with a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree full model swirl.

Jen left the store with five outfits, minimal material, sexy, if not whorish, she had actually come to enjoy Rachel. Once you saw through the presented flamboyance, she was a smart woman with a head on her shoulders. Little tidbits of advice she shared indicated she knew more about her relationship with Mr. Black than she expected.

At one point, Jen asked if Rachel and Mr. Black were friends. Rachel made it pretty clear that she certainly wanted to be but left it at that. On the drive home Jen asked herself, “What am I getting myself into?”

He happened to be walking down to the drive as she came up the lane. He caught up to her just as she was getting out, “How did the shopping go?” he inquired.

“She doesn’t listen very well,” Jen replied.

He chuckled, “No, I suppose she doesn’t but she knows her role though,” he turned and kept on walking.

‘Knows her role? What have I..., yes Jen you have already asked that one, what’s the answer is the better question.’ Baby Brian cried out as she entered their home, Elsa was playing with him. He was smiling and gurgling, Jen’s heart melted.

The next morning, she tried on all five outfits but just couldn’t make herself wear anyone of them to garden in. So, she showed up at his place and began working in the same garb as yesterday.

A half hour later he walked out onto the deck and she looked up and waved. He didn’t wave back and he didn’t look happy, she knew why immediately.

She spoke from out at the hedge where she stood, “I am sorry, Sir, but I just couldn’t make myself wear the clothes, they are just too skimpy, embarrassing actually, to do the hard work I need to do, to do this,” extending her arms out to take in the entire property and the work she saw in front of her. “All right?”

He stood at the leading edge of the porch and she was sixty feet away working on the shrubs alongside the driveway. He looked from her to a spot on the ground in front of him.

Not moving, not saying a word, looking into her eyes, even over this distance she felt as if she were right in front of him, he had the eyes, then he looked to a spot on the ground in front of him. Not a word was said but she got the message.