Chapter 7

Several weeks later, it was mid-afternoon and Judy was at her reception desk idly paging through a magazine. In fact, nothing in it was registering as she reflected on the past weeks. That morning, for example, she and Kathy continued their workouts. The changes in her friend were astounding, Judy thought. Now she had a smooth tan over her entire body. Although Judy could still beat her swimming, Kathy was getting better and better. My most successful student, Judy thought with a grin.

On the courts — both racquet ball and squash — while Judy still won more matches than she lost, her friend was getting better by the day. Idly she rubbed a bruise high on her thigh where she had been hit by a squash ball that had come off Kathy's racquet and then the wall, hitting her leg like a bullet before she could react.

Thinking about it she realized that Kathy's skill was in some way related to all of the work she was doing on the exercise machines. They had beaten the standards Ginger had set for two weeks at the end of one. However, Kathy just kept increasing the weight loading and was making herself stronger and stronger. When she asked about it, Kathy had just grinned and said that Ken was a ditch digger so she was just doing it for self-protection. Otherwise, she insisted, he might accidentally break her in half.

When they began, Judy was easily moving more weight than Kathy could manage. Now, she admitted, she could not keep up with Kathy's weights. Grinning, she remembered the morning of the first Monday following the start of their training. Kathy brought in a neatly-wrapped package and asked Judy to join her in Ginger's office, saying something about a presentation. When Ginger opened the package, she found the blue jeans she had given Kathy just a week earlier, carefully washed and ironed. Kathy suggested that she keep them for the next victim; they had hardly been worn at all.

Thinking back to their racquet matches, Judy was amused to think that they were now drawing a gallery of spectators. Trying to be as honest with herself as she could, she admitted that the two of them moved on the court like sleek cats, with the same speed, grace and agility. For that matter, in the swimming pool it had now become routine for Kathy and her to start their laps with a number of other women in the pool but end with everyone else standing on the edge of the pool just watching as they churned back and forth.

Her reverie brought her to that very morning. Kathy had come in and just stood in front of her desk. Looking up, Judy reflected on the incredible changes in the woman in such a short time. Where formerly her posture was terrible, now she carried herself up straight, with her shoulders back and her tits proudly upthrust.

That's it! Judy realized. "Kath! You're not wearing your bra!" she had exclaimed.

Her friend had just grinned and nodded her head vigorously. "Today is the noble experiment, Judy. Now we find out if my pectoral muscles will support the weight." With a grin she added, "So far, so good!"

Finally, Judy reflected on the overall relationship she had developed with Kathy Carlson. The two girls had become, in just a few weeks, as close as sisters. And, she reflected with amusement, we compete just as fiercely, too.

Her thoughts turned to the office. So far, while they were still awaiting the appearance of Mrs. Clifford, there were five of them. The fourth girl was Joan Frederick, the computer specialist. When the three girls went to the health club for the first time and Joan had stripped, they were surprised to see that she had an all-over tan. Joan was a small girl — about five feet four — with a beautiful body and tits proportionately larger than the other girls', although they were also very firm and neither required — nor received — any support from a bra.

The girl had told them frankly that she worked as a topless waitress to help pay for her education. It paid better and the tips were better than working fully dressed. When she realized that neither of the girls were shocked — or at least didn't show it if they were — she relaxed. It turned out that Joan was a delightful girl with a wonderful self-deprecating sense of humor. She referred to herself as the computer nerd.

Then she frowned as she reflected on the one sour note in the office: the fifth girl, a lawyer, Sandra Harris. She had joined the firm just a couple of weeks earlier and had nearly caused a mutiny. The easiest way to think of Sandra was that she was the total opposite of Ginger — and fortunately for the staff, Ginger was senior. Apparently problems started when Sandra saw Charley in Ginger's office squeezing her ass. Although Judy hadn't been present, she had seen it often enough herself to know what happened: Ginger's knees had turned to water and she had thrown her arms around Charley's neck to keep from falling. Then she had melted her body to his and just rubbed against him, making warm mewing noises deep in her body as she did. As soon as Charley had left to return to his office — the law firm where Sandra had formerly worked — she had let Ginger have it.

Making no effort to keep her voice down, the whole office heard her berate Ginger for having no sense of her own personhood — Judy wasn't sure what that was, exactly — and was a disgrace to women everywhere. By the time she finally wound down, the girls, attracted by her tirade, were standing outside Ginger's office. Ginger, in the meantime, had seated herself in her chair, leaned back, and had her bare feet on her desk-top. It was all Judy could do to keep from laughing when she saw the utterly bored look on Ginger's face.

When Sandra had no more to say, Ginger told her in no uncertain terms that she lived to be in Charley's arms. Then she said, "Sandy, it's a good thing Charley didn't want to take me just then, because if he had, instead of seeing him squeeze my buns, you would have seen him fucking my ass off right here on my desk top. That would have really blown your mind!"

Then, with her eyes blazing green fire — her appearance of boredom was now forgotten — she said, "As far as that personhood bullshit is concerned, you can take it and shove it! I tried it once, and it isn't worth a shit." Although Sandra's back was towards them, the girls could see her ears turn a flaming red. Then she turned and stormed out with her face as bright red as her ears.

Sandra also seemed to delight in giving Kathy, Joan and herself a hard time. She acted as if they were slaves without a brain among them. She insisted that she be called Ms. Harris, claiming that she did not believe in being familiar with the hired help. Her announcement was made in the conference room and the girls started to giggle, causing her to blow her stack. What she couldn't know was that Ginger, sitting behind her sight line, was making funny faces and sticking out her tongue while Sandra was demanding the respect she felt she deserved.

On that occasion, when she finally ran down, Ginger just announced flatly that she was far easier to replace than the staff was. Furthermore, one more nasty word directed by Sandra at a staff member meant she was history. The message was received loud and clear. From that moment to this, there had been an uneasy truce while everyone waited for Mrs. Clifford to make her appearance.

While she was woolgathering, the door opened slowly and a very beautiful young woman came in. She looked around the reception room and was obviously awed by what she saw. Diffidently, she approached the reception desk where Judy stood to greet her. It was obvious that this girl was very troubled about something.

"Good afternoon, Miss. Welcome to Clifford & Jamison. How may we help you?" Judy asked.

The girl stuck out her hand and Judy took it in a very firm grip. The girl asked tremulously, "Is either Mr. Clifford or Mr. Jamison in? I don't have an appointment..." Then she looked straight at Judy who could see tears at the corners of her brilliant blue eyes and finished, "But I sure need a lawyer."

Judy liked the girl on sight. While she had been speaking, Judy had been looking at her carefully. She appeared to be about twenty years old — twenty-five at the outside. In addition to her startling blue eyes, she had the most glorious golden tan that Judy had ever seen, along with the most beautiful golden-blonde hair. Her hair was tied back in a pony tail. All the girl was wearing was a pair of well-worn skin-tight Levi's and a dungaree shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Although the day was very hot, Judy thought, the girl at least appeared cool.

Judy came around from behind her desk and escorted her to an easy chair. Standing next to her Judy realized that she was quite tall — about as tall as she was. After seating her, she asked if she could get her a cup of coffee or a cold drink while she waited. The girl was now clutching her hands together and politely declined.

Then she finally responded to the girl's expressed desire to see a partner. "Miss, I'm sorry, but Mrs. Clifford is out of the office this afternoon, but Miss Jamison is in. Would you like me to ask her to see you?"

The girl's eyes seemed to light up with hope and she replied, "Oh, yes! Please do."

As kindly as she could, Judy asked, "Who shall I say wishes to see her?"

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry! My name is Allison. I should have mentioned it before." Looking somewhat more relaxed now, she added, "That was thoughtless of me. I guess I'm even more upset than I thought."

Returning to her desk, Judy buzzed Ginger and told her that there was a Miss Allison in the reception area to see her, adding that she did not have an appointment. Then she dropped her voice, masked her mouth with her hand, and added, "Ginger, she really needs help!" Ginger said she would be out at once.

Ginger came out to the reception area wearing a very smart summer dress that was very appropriate for business wear. Judy muffled a grin, realizing that the odds normally ran at least five to one that Ginger would be wearing the same things that Miss Allison had on.

As she went towards her, Miss Allison rose from the chair and put out her hand saying, "Miss Jamison? My name is Allison, and I need help..."

What happened next utterly flabbergasted Judy. Instead of taking her hand, Ginger put her arms around the girl, lifted her off the ground and just spun her around in a tight circle. Then she realized the two girls were howling with laughter. When Ginger put her down, they just exchanged hugs and kisses.

Holding one of the young girl's hands in hers, she led her towards the reception desk and said, "Judy, I would like you to meet our senior partner and the founder of this firm, Allison McGrath Clifford." Turning to the girl she said, "Ali, this is our receptionist, Judy Jeffries. Isn't she neat?"

For Judy, it was all she could do to keep her jaw from dropping. Instead, she held out her hand. Rather than taking her hand, after an incredibly quick and graceful move, Ali was around the desk and taking her in her arms. When she did, Judy was conscious of Ali's beautiful natural perfume as the woman hugged her and then kissed her softly.