Chapter 16

Cindy heard April's car come to a sliding stop on the gravel driveway at nine-fifteen the next morning. She heard running steps and was waiting at the door to open it. April was standing there, breathless. There were tears in her eyes as she said, "Cindy, I'm so sorry! We came as fast as we could. There was a mix-up on instructions. Kathy was told to meet me at eight and not seven. It's not her fault. Please be nice to her? All the fault is mine, and as the senior I take all the blame."

Looking at her impassively, Cindy asked, "What action should I take, April? You're fifteen minutes late."

April ran up to Cindy's room and picked up the whip she knew was in the closet. She ran downstairs, gave the whip to Cindy and then walked out the back door to the whipping post. Cindy followed her, still without saying anything. "I think fifteen lashes would be fair, one for each minute. Could you split them, please? Eight on my back and seven across the front? Please try not to cut my nipples." The girl stripped off her clothes and stood with her back to the post and her arms wrapped around it, forcing her full breasts to protrude.

Cindy took the whip and just dropped it on the ground. Then she took the girl in her arms and kissed her softly. "You would have done it, too, wouldn't you? Why? Why on earth would I think of beating you?"

"To show me the meaning of promptness," the girl replied simply. Cindy motioned her away from the post and spanked her once on her firm bottom. April squealed and asked, "What was that for?"

"That's for showing off your oversized tits. I'm jealous and you know it, so it serves you right!" Cindy grinned and stuck out her tongue. April smiled and began to get dressed again.

A simply gorgeous Eurasian girl was standing in the doorway. From the look on her face, she was completely baffled by what was going on. Cindy went over to her with her hand out, "Hi, I'm Cindy Martin. You must be Katherine Chang. Welcome! Now let's get inside out of this heat."

The girls went inside and gathered around the kitchen table having coffee. When they were finished, Cindy led the way to the private gym. She and April had been using it daily for weeks. Kathy watched as the two girls stripped and started on the exercise machines. As Cindy moved against the weights, the girl was amazed at both the total weight she was moving, the ease with which she was doing it, and the extent of the girl's muscle development. There was no fat at all. After working for five minutes, she turned and said, "Kathy, this is a game any number can play. Or do you have a doctor's excuse? Get your ass in gear!"

The girl grinned and stripped off her clothes. As instructed, she was wearing the "divisional uniform" of skin-tight Levi's and a chambray shirt. After she stripped, she stood posed for Cindy's inspection. The girl just whistled softly. She had lustrous black hair, improbably green eyes, and very full breasts. Her body had the grace and sleekness of a cat and at five feet six, she was quite tall for an Oriental woman. But except for her head, she was virtually hairless. Her mound was bare.

Cindy showed her the array of equipment and she began to exercise, too. After forty minutes, they quit and went swimming. April had improved dramatically and Kathy was very good to start with. The three moved up and down like porpoises. Finally they pulled themselves out of the pool and flopped on mats to dry off.

Cindy looked at Katherine and said, "Do Orientals tan, Kathy? My black friend here is just soaking up the sun for the hell of it. Do you?" The girl said yes and smiled. Cindy looked at her and asked, "How was the bank lucky enough to get you? I've seen your credentials and they are spectacular. What are you doing in the bank, and what are you doing in my unit?"

The girl blushed and looked very cute. She spoke softly with an intonation that was at once very musical yet with overtones of British speech. She said, "I've heard so much about you, I felt I must try to work with you. April tells me that you're a slave and she's a junior slave. Does that make me a second assistant slave?"

"We'll work that out," Cindy said with a grin. "But you interest me. You said you've heard so much about me. What could you conceivably have heard? And where?"

"Miss Martin, perhaps it's my Hong Kong heritage, or perhaps it's an accident of nature. Whatever it is, I have an ear for languages. I pick them up very easily. It has become a sort of hobby of mine. The nice thing about Chicago is there are people here in some numbers from almost everywhere in the world. So I spend weekends in these foreign-language communities. It was in these communities I began to hear of the 'Twins who aren't.' It seems there are two girls who are the most beautiful girls in the world. They travel around in a small red car that's now quite famous. They dress the same, they move the same, they are the same height and weight. Except one twin is gold and the other is brown.

"It seems these twins are senior executives at the most important bank in Chicago. Nevertheless, they seek out people to help. It doesn't matter who you are or where you are. If you're working hard and struggling to succeed, they will find you and give you the money you need to prosper. It's the American miracle. The streets are not paved with gold, but there are the Twins. Everyone prays the Twins will visit them, someday. It is said there are guardian angels that look after the twins. They can go anywhere in Chicago safely. They are revered as living saints."

Kathy smiled warmly and added, "One more thing: They're always reported as being kind and friendly and warm. Never do they look down on people. People are always treated with the greatest kindness and respect. I suppose that's why they are so loved."

She looked at Cindy and said, "Obviously, you and April are the twins. Now that I've met you, I'm sure the stories are true. Thank you for giving me a chance to be in your unit. I hope I will be worthy."

Cindy looked at April and said, "Wow! What do you think, partner?"

"She's correct, Cindy," she replied quietly. "I know it's true. I can see it at home. I can go anywhere, at any time, in complete safety. I don't have to worry about my mother or Ronnie. It's as safe as church. As for Kathy, what can I say? She's outstanding ... and beautiful, of course."

Cindy swallowed hard and told the girls what she had learned from her father. She finished by saying, "Last night I had dinner with my father. He told me we have the full backing of the Cliffords, the Chapmans and the Cartwrights. That's about five and a half billion dollars."

She explained what was meant and Kathy started to cry. "What's wrong, hon? I thought it was good news?"

"Miss Martin, you're telling me that three of the wealthiest people in the United States are willing to back us with billions of dollars of their own money so we can help immigrants, blacks, and God-knows-who! Why on earth would they do such a thing? It's unheard of!"

"It's because they feel they were lucky and want to help others without making it charity or making a big deal out of it. That's simple enough." Then she quickly told of the family backgrounds, ending with Janice Stewart. "This is her house, of course. I adore the girl. She's also the smartest person I have ever met — and the most beautiful." She stretched and Kathy saw her muscles ripple under her skin. She said, "Let's go, troops. We have money to give away."

Late that afternoon the girls swung by Henry Kowalski's machine shop. He had recently taken delivery of his new tooling and had asked them to come by and see it. The girls walked into the office with Cindy in the lead. When Henry saw her come in, his eyes lighted up like a Christmas tree. Then he called to Trudy who came running in. After kissing Cindy and April she quickly retreated. The other men from the shop came into the office, too. One of the Poles put his hand out and murmured something in Polish to which Kathy immediately responded. The man looked astonished.

In no time Henry and his two countrymen were talking at once in Polish. Kathy held up her hands, smiled, and said something quickly in Polish. The two machinists took turns with rather lengthy speeches. Kathy merely nodded. After the first spoke, she translated for Cindy and April and then did the same for the second.

"The men are delighted to be able to personally thank you and thank the bank for the wonderful tools they now have to work with. They are the finest the men have ever seen; they have never worked with anything nearly so good. Now they will produce to the highest quality standards in the world! They swore it! It will be made in USA!"

There were tears in her eyes as she finished. She said to Cindy, "These men are so proud! They told me how hard they're studying English. They can't wait to become citizens of the greatest country on earth." At that, she started to cry and Cindy held her tightly. The girl looked up and whispered, "They're right, you know? It is, and you're the greatest American of them all. They love you, Miss Martin." With that the girl kissed Cindy softly on the lips and then recoiled in shock. She exclaimed, "My God! I didn't mean ... Oh, I'm so sorry!"

Cindy gathered the girl in her arms hugged her, and kissed her softly, murmuring, "I'm not sorry at all. It was a delicious kiss, and I love you already, Katherine Chang. But for Christ's sake, the name is Cindy or Cin or Slave. It's rarely Miss Martin. Clear?"

The girl grinned and wiped her eyes. Then they were served little sweets that Trudy Kowalski had made along with coffee. When they left, the entire staff was in front of the building to wave goodbye. As they drove off, April said, "Kathy, while you were talking to the Poles, I was talking to the black boys. First, one is out of reform school and the other is a school dropout. Second, they love their jobs. The Poles are really top machinists — the very best in the world. They're very proud of their skills and are really working with the boys. The boys are working with them on their English. They wanted to say thanks, too. Their last words were that your money is very safe."

The loan volume picked up to such a degree Cindy got April a car like her own. They needed more transportation and she decided the red GTX had become a bank trademark. Volume climbed in terms of both number of loans and average dollar value per loan. Meanwhile, Kathy Chang proved to be invaluable because of both her analytical and language skills.

Late one afternoon, Cindy met April in a small luncheonette in South Chicago for coffee. April reported on recent events with Ron Jackson. It seemed that Ron had been calling. He couldn't believe she was not going to defend her title. Finally, he waited outside the apartment for her one day and grabbed her when she came out. It turned out not to have been a smart move. "Sam Smith took him from behind. He told him that if he ever grabbed me like that again he would be eating his balls for breakfast." April grinned as she added that, even though Ron was a football player, he was a defensive back who stood six feet one and weighed 195. "Sam is six feet six, weighs about 275, and it's all muscle."

"What happens now?" Cindy asked.

"He asked me out for a date," she replied. "He was sort of cute. Sam asked me if that was all right with me, and I said I would have dinner with him if he promised to behave himself." She grinned and said, "He didn't answer, Sam did. He said Ron would certainly behave himself or it would be the last thing he ever did in his life. Anyway, Cindy, would you and Dan join Ron and me for dinner at the Pump Room? Ron's buying, by the way. I said you would come and chaperon. He doesn't know what the word means, but he does know he's paying the bill. Will you?"

"Partner, it's a deal!" Cindy exclaimed. "When will we do it?" They scheduled it for the following night. Ron would pick them up at April's.

The next evening Cindy went over to the Jefferson's. April wasn't home yet, so she talked with Mary and played with the baby who was already starting to toddle. April arrived with Dan shortly before five-thirty and disappeared into the bathroom to shower and change.

A little before six she reappeared looking very nervous. Cindy looked at her and whistled softly. She said, "April, you look devastating!" The girl was wearing a new dress she had bought for the occasion. It was perfect on her, looking at once very demure and very sexy.

Dan looked at her and just shook his head. Mary looked at him with a question in her eyes. Dan said, "Mrs. Jefferson, all I can say is they just are not making bankers the way they used to. No one has ever whistled at me."

Cindy said with a warm smile, "That's just because you're beat up, battered and generally shot to hell. Aren't you lucky that you keep me in such a constant sexual daze I don't even notice?" She leaned over and kissed him softly and lovingly on the lips, making warm sounds deep in her body while she did.

"Did you hear that, Mrs. Jefferson?" Dan asked plaintively. "Those noises? I can't get any sleep with her. All I do is squeeze her tit lightly and she makes those noises for at least the next twenty minutes."

"Right, fink! The Chatty Cathy doll," Cindy interjected, poking him sharply in the ribs with her elbow.

"Mrs. Jefferson, do you recall a little doll where you pulled a string and it says something? This creep says he squeezes my tit and I start making happy noises for the next twenty minutes. I ask you? Then he says he's going to bring out a string next time, and does! How would you like to be compared to a windup doll?"

Mary Jefferson smiled warmly, held up her hands and shook her head saying, "You keep me out of this, young lady!" Then she said, "I hope you two have many children. You make me so happy just watching you. I have never seen two people as deeply in love or as attuned to each other as you are. It's truly wonderful to see."

With her face serious she added, "Mr. Burke, I think it's wonderful what the bank has done for April. The opportunity Miss Martin has given her is beyond belief. My husband fought and died for this country and there were times I was very bitter about it. I didn't think black people were given a fair chance. Now I think Tom is smiling, wherever he is. His daughter is succeeding beyond our wildest dreams. Thank you both."

Mary had seen a warning in Dan's eyes when she started to thank him. She didn't know what was happening, but she didn't say exactly what she had started out to say. When she changed the direction of her remarks, she saw him relax.

He replied, "Mrs. Jefferson, I'm just an analyst at the bank. On the other hand, I've been around the bank for quite a while now, so a lot of people talk to me. The talk in the bank now is about the brilliant young assistant vice president who is minting money for us. No one knows who she is, where she came from, or exactly what she's doing, but whatever it is, it's great!"

Just then there was a knock on the door. April opened it and admitted a very good-looking young man who looked like the trained athlete he was. She introduced Ron Jackson to Cindy and Dan. Mary Jefferson just nodded. Dan noticed that both Mary and Cindy's eyes were cold as they looked at Ron. There was none of Cindy's usual warmth in her greeting; she was very distant and formal.

Ron Jackson was very uncomfortable. He was wearing a suit and tie and it was obvious he wasn't used to it. He held the door and they went downstairs. Reaching the sidewalk, Cindy noticed Sam Smith standing close by, watching. Ron was driving a big Mercedes SEL sedan that he had borrowed for the evening. He self-consciously held the door for April who gracefully got into the car. Dan assisted Cindy and they pulled away smoothly. Almost nothing was said as they drove to the Ambassador Hotel, the site of the Pump Room.

When he drove up, a valet parking attendant opened Ron's door while another opened the passenger-side doors. Seeing April and Cindy, the young man's eyes widened. He motioned to the doorman and instantly they were greeted like royalty. Ron thought he had been recognized but then he saw the doorman salute and say, "Welcome to the Pump Room, Miss Martin and Miss Jefferson. We're honored!"

When they reached the maître d'hôtel's stand, there was a flurry of activity as their table assignment was being changed. The maître d' personally seated them at the best table and asked, "Miss Martin, I hope this table will suit? You may have any table in the house if you would prefer another?"

Cindy smiled warmly and thanked him. The maître d' was black. He went up to April, extended his hand and said, "My name is Howard Washington, Miss Jefferson. Thank you for what you're doing. You're a credit and an inspiration to black people everywhere."

April shook hands and replied, "You're too kind, but it's Miss Martin you should thank. She's my boss and my inspiration. Mr. Washington, the credit is hers. She's the one who taught me what little I know. Then there are the owners and the top management of the bank. Miss Martin's father is president. They gave me my chance. Please thank them."

The man beamed and said, "Thank you all. Please consider yourselves guests of the Pump Room this evening. We're grateful you would think to come here." With that he disappeared.

Ron Jackson had been watching with increasing bafflement. When Washington withdrew he asked, "What's that all about, April? What's going on? You're my woman and I have a right to know!"

April sat up straight in her chair and there was fire in her eyes. "The hell I am and the hell you do, Ron Jackson!" She looked at Dan and said, "You could tell Cindy and my mother were not delighted to see Ron. Has Cindy told you anything about Ron and me?"

"Only that he's the father of your little boy. That's about all," Dan replied quietly.

"Well, that's a good place to start. I was on the pill but Ron made me stop. He wanted me to become pregnant to prove his manhood!" Turning to Ron she asked, "Have you had your contest yet?" Ron nodded. "Who won?"

"Kelly's woman. God, was she great! She took three men at once: Kelly in her cunt and another guy in her ass and a third guy in her mouth, all at the same time!"

"Dan," April said, "that's the contest. I won the last two years. All the girls are naked, of course. Last year I had just given birth to Ronnie. Ron made me drink a lot of brandy and wouldn't let me feed my baby. By the time we got to the party my breasts were aching with all the milk in them. But that didn't last long. I was the life of the party! I served Brandy Alexanders all night long — from my nipples, of course. There was usually a smelly jerk hanging from each tit, sucking up a storm. All Ron did was to fuck me occasionally and a couple of times hit me across the face because my jugs weren't refilling fast enough — his teammates had to wait!

"Dan, could you imagine doing that to Cindy? I could imagine you giving her the brandy. I could imagine her nursing you at her tit." She smiled warmly and said, "In fact, I could see the idea going through her mind when I told her about it the first time. Her thought was that it was something you would enjoy. It would be another way for her to give herself to you. But a meat market? It would be over your dead body, wouldn't it?"

Dan had been sickened by the recital. He just nodded once and held Cindy's hand. He lifted it to his lips and kissed it. Still holding her hand he looked in her eyes and saw incredible warmth and love. Without making a sound he saw her lips form the words, "Thank you, darling."

Ron was sitting abashed. He said, "But April, that's not it at all. It's just a way for the guys to have some fun. We spend all that time at training camp and it's a way to blow off steam."

"Fine, Ron," she said quietly. "Why don't you do what most of your teammates do? Hire someone." She started to say more, then stopped and started again. "I was about to say I would do it if the money were good enough, but I stopped. There's no way in hell the money could ever be good enough. I would die first."

"But why did you do it then?" Ron asked plaintively.

"Because I thought I loved you and you wanted me to. Now I realize you can't love me. Ron, you just love yourself. Incidentally, I see you're having problems on the field. You're getting beaten too often. I don't know if you're losing a step or if you're giving your moves away. Are you working hard in practice? Have your coaches said anything? Does anything show in the films?"

Ron was taken by surprise. He didn't realize April knew anything about football. As a matter of fact, it had never occurred to him that she knew anything at all. He looked at her for the first time and was shocked. Suddenly, he realized how beautiful she was.

But there was something else that he didn't understand. The behavior of the people at the Hotel Ambassador was completely beyond his experience. They were talking to girls! Then a new thought occurred to Ron. He asked April, "What do you do, anyway? I guess I heard you're with some bank. But what do you do? Clean? Receptionist? What?"

"Mr. Jackson," Cindy replied coldly, "April is an assistant vice president and lending officer of Chicago Trust Company. She works for me. She's well on her way to becoming the finest lending officer the bank has ever had." Cindy was disdainful as she continued, "I've heard of male chauvinist pigs in my time, but you are the absolute worst!"

Jackson was stunned. "She's ... She's an officer? In a big bank? What is this, anyway? Is this 'affirmative action comes to Chicago, ' or some kind of shit like that?"

"I thought it was, Ron," April interjected, "but it isn't. As a matter of fact, I consider Cynthia Martin to be my closest friend and confidante. The first time I reviewed loans with her, she didn't say a word. She just looked over my presentations and asked me what I was going to do. She didn't ask what I thought she should do, mind you. Cindy ... Miss Martin asked me what I was going to do. I told her. She still didn't say anything. I thought it was all over for me at the bank. I asked her what we were going to do. She said, as matter-of-factly as she could, 'We're going to pick up the checks, silly. You just made two loans.'

"Ron, I can't tell you how she made me feel right then. I felt I was ten feet tall. You saw Sam Smith watching you tonight? He has one of the first two loans. He served time in prison for armed robbery. No one would lend him ten cents. Chicago Trust Company lent him $85,000."