Chapter 35

While making her way to Ali's office she asked Rajah how he had come to be trapped. He told her that the door was always latched and he certainly didn't want to break it down. And his dear mistress already knew that he had a difficult time turning a doorknob.

When she found Ali Clifford in her office and told her what happened to Rajah, Ali flung her arms around his neck, kissed him passionately and said, "You poor dear! What can I do to make it up to you? My lord, it was felony assault ... In fact, it was attempted rape. One young man held hostage by fourteen oversexed, horny young women..."

Shaking her head she said, "Oh, the shame of it all..." Then she kissed him again and said with a cute giggle, "Dear Rajah, it appears you survived. There doesn't appear to have been any permanent damage done ... and your coat absolutely glistens. They've been brushing it, haven't they?"

He agreed and grinned back.

After telling Ali her idea, the woman wasted no time. She immediately picked up the phone and began to translate the idea into a plan and then the plan into action. She already knew that the previous night's performance was the last one the circus had for the season and was the last for Gabel-Williams as well.

When she reached him, she confirmed a suspicion: Because he had the only wild-animal act using tigers, all of the animals were going to be consigned to zoos around the country and around the world. After explaining her idea, he was wildly enthusiastic. Arrangements were immediately made to bring all of the remaining seven tigers to the office that afternoon.

After hanging up the phone Ali thought for a moment, looked up a telephone number and placed another call. When Joyce realized what she was doing — ordering seven minivans to be delivered that afternoon — she just shook her head. Clearly, Ali Clifford was a brilliant woman who instantly thought through the entire process and then handled every detail.

When they left the office to go to lunch, Ali told her that she was in for a rare treat: Kathy Carlson was doing the cooking that day and she was — without any doubt — the finest cook in the world. Entering the room, she saw Kathy at what appeared to be an incredibly complete kitchen built into the wall of the conference room.

Four naked young women were beginning to serve. When she asked Ali why they were nude, she was told with a laugh that it was a part of the firm's new training program. "You met Pam Smith this morning, I understand?"

When Joyce said that she had, Ali told her with a grin that it was all Pam's doing: How, at the firm Christmas party the previous year she had complained that they were not taught anything useful — like serving a formal dinner nude. "She pointed out — accurately, it turns out — that when a girl learns to maintain her aplomb while serving naked, her self-confidence is strengthened to a degree that permits her to be comfortable — and look it — in any conceivable setting.

"It's quite valuable, really. Moreover, when they're serving while naked it's far easier to critique their style. There are no clothes to hide poor posture, for example."

After having her first bite of the food that looked so beautifully appetizing on her plate, Joyce put down her fork and exclaimed, "Ali, this is unbelievable! I thought the dinner served Saturday night was the finest food in the world, but ... but it's not even in the same class as this!"

"You're right, dear," Ali replied, "but then I warned you." Then with a little giggle she added, "Incidentally, Michael Morris is going to be in heaven for the rest of his life. Susan is only six but it's already clear that she has her mother's talent for cooking. By the time they get married ... Yum! She will probably be even better! Can you even imagine food better than this?"

After agreeing that she could not, Joyce returned to the enjoyment of her marvelous meal.

After lunch, Joyce told Bobbie what she had found downstairs, triggering an explosion of laughter. Then Bobbie hugged Rajah who had looked hurt when she responded to his tale of woe with laughter.

Bobbie hugged and kissed him, then looked right into his eyes. "Rajah Collier, you're a pretty good actor, aren't you? Terrified? Abused? Hah!

"But don't I look sincere?"

His crack caused Bobbie to howl with laughter.

Then Joyce told her about the plans for the other tigers. She agreed to come down with Andy and Ken to bring the tigers up in the freight elevator. "Good grief!" Joyce exclaimed. "Ali forgot something! She didn't tell the building management. What will the owners say?"

Bobbie grinned. "It's the owner — singular. And she obviously loves the idea. Her name is Allison McGrath Clifford. Any more questions?" Then Bobbie explained that Ali hated to pay rent so she had done in the building what she and Bill had earlier done with the Beverly Wilshire: She bought it.

At three o'clock, the four of them were waiting at the building's receiving dock when a tractor-trailer belonging to the circus was carefully backed into position. Gabel-Williams got down from the cab, greeted Bobbie, Joyce and the children, and then supervised the unloading of the great cats. Each was in his own cage and was delighted to be free. Before taking them upstairs, though, Bobbie carefully explained what was going to happen to them. The tigers, who were sitting in a semicircle in their house-cat positions, listened very attentively.

When the cats were all up on the 37th floor, Bobbie said to Joyce, "It was your idea, darling, so you take it from here." Leading the way with Rajah at her side, Joyce opened the door of the Leper Colony. When she did, she found Ali already there waiting for them. She whispered to Joyce that she expected the subsequent scene to be very funny and so it proved to be.

The young women were naked again and were standing in a row in front of the window in nervous groups of two. Their eyes widened as, one after the other, seven huge Bengal tigers stalked into the room. Then the big cats paced back and forth in front of the women while communicating in a form unintelligible to humans. Although unintelligible, Joyce knew what they were doing and Rajah confirmed it: They were making their selections. Suddenly the pacing stopped and the cats sat down in a row facing the girls, spaced at the same intervals the girls were.

Marty Bradford and Kelly Maguire each had an arm around the other's waist. It was for mutual support, Marty knew. Her eyes widened as she looked at the cat sitting opposite them. His green eyes were wide and he seemed to be looking at them hungrily — Are we his next meal? she wondered. Then simultaneously the tigers got to their feet and covered the short space to where the girls were nervously waiting.

"My name is King," the huge animal communicated. "May I have the pleasure of serving you? What are your names, Mistresses?"

With a great sense of relief, Marty wrapped her arms around the animal's huge neck, kissed him and replied, "My name is Martha Bradford, but everyone calls me Marty. This is my roommate and best friend, Kelly Maguire."

Kelly kissed him, too, and now both girls had their arms around the animal's neck. Kelly was also five feet eight inches tall and was constantly teased about being the younger Ginger Conrad. Like Ginger, she had magnificent auburn hair, brilliant green eyes, a glorious figure and, like Ginger, the very rare complexion for someone with red hair, one that tanned. Then Marty asked, "Darling King, what do we do now? Do you know?"

"I think we get acquainted," he replied tentatively. Then looking at each beautiful girl in turn — he already thought them to be two of the most beautiful girls in the world — he asked, "May ... may ... may I drink at your fountains? Please?" It seemed to be what all of the other tigers were about to do as well.

Just then Joyce said in a voice loud enough to get their attention, "Girls, I have news for you. I know you're all intact virgins and I also know that the tigers are about to lick you at your source. You should know that in just a week or so they will have taken off all of your pubic hair. Since I see you all have the cutest little beavers — they are all beautifully plucked — are you sure it's what you want? Of course, being virginal and pure, receiving your husbands with bodies utterly devoid of any body hair could be a major-league turn-on, but..."

Martha Bradford and Kelly had spent hours working on one another's pubic area so Marty looked down at hers with some dismay. Then with a grin at her roommate she said, "Good-bye, beaver! It can always grow back someday, I suppose, if I want it to." Then she noted, "But Joan Clifford has always looked so darling..."

Then to King she said, "My darling King, my love fountain awaits." She spread her legs and then stifled a scream as she felt his tongue penetrate her vaginal lips.

As the tigers were finishing their first round of licking, the door opened. This time it was Kris Bradley with Sasha. The girls all gathered around, then sat on the floor while leaning back against their animals, and listened carefully as Kris began to tell them some of the things she had learned in the first thirty-six hours of her life with a tiger.

Joyce left the room with Rajah and rejoined Bobbie and her class. At the end of the day, the mothers came in followed by the young women with their tigers, along with Kris and Sasha. Bobbie smiled and said, "This morning we started on Greek and this afternoon, on Latin. Well, the children decided that we should have a school song. They appropriated one and would now like to sing if for you." The children lined up in two rows and began to sing the Latin student song, Gaudeamus Igitur. The mothers and guests were utterly thrilled.

Then Bobbie said, "I see that my thieving twin sister has joined us. And she can sing ... at least a little. Kris, feel like singing?" The girl came forward with a guitar she had brought with her. In addition to having a fabulous singing voice, she could play a wide range of musical instruments with virtuosity, including the guitar.

Coming forward, she told the children that if she had to work, they did, too. The only way she would sing would be if they sang with her. What followed was an impromptu folk concert which ended with a beautifully moving rendition of Shenandoah. Then Kris stood up — she had been kneeling for the entire concert — and said, "It's time for the Bradley with the good voice — Bobbie — to join in." Having seen April and Ron Jackson enter the room she added, "And I would like Casey Jackson to join us. We are going to sing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". Casey?"

The little girl stood in front of the two young women and began to sing in a beautiful voice while her tears began to flow, "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord..." Singing softly at first and backed by Kris' and Bobbie's brilliantly clear voices, Casey sang. At the first chorus the remaining children came in. At the final chorus, everyone in the room was singing but still Casey's brilliant voice, now filled with emotion, rose above them all singing, "Glory, glory, hallelujah..."

When the hymn ended, Casey ran to her parents who she had seen standing in the back. To her dismay she found her father crying. She apologized for singing so badly it had made him cry.

Dropping to his knees Ron Jackson hugged his little girl and cried, "So badly? My darling, that was the most beautiful singing I have ever heard!" He kissed her tenderly and added, "Case, there is one thing of which I am certain: Your grandfather in Heaven is smiling down on you right now! To hear his beautiful granddaughter singing our song of freedom with the beauty and power and emotion that you did ... Darling, I have never heard anyone sing it better."

The little girl just glowed in the praise from her parents. When she looked up at her mother, she saw the most brilliant smile on her face that she had ever seen.

April scooped her up and said, "My darling daughter, I cannot tell you how happy you have just made your father and me! I just can't! But darling, there are no parents who have ever lived who could possibly be prouder of their child than we are of you!" The family left with Casey between them holding each parent's hand as she began to bubble over while telling them what she had done in school that day.

When the school ended for the day, Joyce asked Ali if she could meet with the firm's senior partners. For some reason Joyce felt that she should be particularly careful with her appearance for the upcoming meeting so she went into the ladies room, washed up and brushed out her hair. When she entered Ali's office with Rajah pacing proudly at her side, the women were sitting around a table waiting for her.

There were Ali, Ginger Conrad, Kathy Carlson, and Sandy Benson. In addition, Joan Clifford, the firm's director of administration, and Judy Morris, the director of operations, were there, too. Rajah's subsequent behavior did not surprise Joyce in the least. In fact, it provided the last piece of confirming evidence for her thesis. Now she was certain that her idea was correct. On seeing the women arrayed around the table Rajah dropped flat on the floor, closed his eyes and just lay shivering in fear.

"Ladies," Joyce began, "Rajah has just provided the last bit of confirmation I was looking for."

Then to Ali she said, "Would you please tell Rajah that it is all right for him to rise, even if he is in the presence of six empresses!" Ali's eyes widened in amazement but she did as she was asked. With apparent reluctance Rajah rose from the floor and sat beside Joyce who hugged him and whispered that everything was fine.

Then she said, "You see, I have solved the mystery of Clifford & Jamison!"

Turning to Sandy Benson she introduced herself and asked, "Sandy Benson, I have a question for you. In what significant way could your life be better than it is right now?" Sandy was utterly dumbstruck by the question, but recognized that Joyce was serious. She sat and thought, then began slowly to shake her head.

"How could it possibly be any better?" Joyce asked. "You have a husband you utterly adore and who adores you. You have three children who would melt the hearts of a marble statue ... What more in life could you possibly want? Oh, yes!" she added, "Health! Well, that's part of it, too. You see, Mrs. Benson, while your driver's license says you're in your forties, the fact is you're physically about twenty-two. Do you feel tired? Do you feel menopause closing in? I think not. Am I right?"

Sandy sat, stunned. What she was hearing made no sense at all, and yet ... and yet she did feel better than she could ever remember feeling. Judy had mentioned Marty Bradford's comment about not wearing a bra and Sandy realized that, in spite of her constant nursing, she didn't ever wear one, either, nor had she ever felt the need for one. Finally she stammered, "But how... ? Why... ?"

"Now I know the answer to that question, too," Joyce replied with a note of triumph in her voice. "But before I answer it I would like all of you to strip naked. Please?"

The women did as she asked and in just seconds all of them were bare. Joyce stripped off all of her clothes, too. After forming them in a circle Joyce instructed them to look at one another's bodies very carefully. While the women were certainly used to being naked around one another, they had really not looked carefully at one another in years. As they did, Joyce could see eyes widening in surprise.

"Now look at your feet, your elbows, your hands ... Do you see any signs of aging? Ali, you're the oldest. I guess you're pushing fifty. Any signs of it? Drying skin? Wrinkles?" Of course there were none. Ali's golden skin had the smoothness and softness of a teenager's but without the pimples. Ali just shook her head in bewilderment.

"Last question," Joyce continued. "Have any of you incurred any injuries after the age of ... oh, let's say twenty-five ... that left a scar? How about you, Ali?"

Ali admitted that when she was making films she did many of her own stunts and wasn't always as careful as she should have been. One stunt had resulted in a compound fracture of the tibia; the bone end had driven through her calf muscle and exited in the rear. When she turned her back so the others could see the scar and looked down, she couldn't find it.