Chapter 4

"Come in, Jennifer," said Cindy, closing the door after her, "you sounded worried on the phone. My God, what's happened?"

Jennifer's eyes were bloodshot, her expression forlorn. She hadn't slept at all, weeping quietly to herself through the night after Ron went to sleep. She had begun crying again the moment he left for work and had only paused long enough to call Cindy and asked if she could come over.

"Are we alone?" she asked still wiping tears with a tissue.

"Yes, of course. Mike left over an hour ago. What is it, Jennifer? Does it have to do with your having dinner with the Trempers last night? Did Tremper try something?"

Jennifer looked into Cindy's eyes and began weeping anew.

"Oh, honey, come in and sit down."

They sat on the sofa in the living room, Jennifer trying to compose herself, but still the tears came.

"What did he do, make a pass at you?" Cindy asked.

Jennifer nodded.

"I was afraid he would. It's what I was trying to warn you about the other night."

"You mean..."

"Yeah", was Cindy's reply, "he tried it with me about a month after Mike went to work for Tremper Industries."

"What happened?" asked the distraught woman.

"I let him know I wasn't interested."

"And that was all?"

"Yes, of course... Oh, Jennifer," cried Cindy, "you didn't!"

Jennifer shook her head in the affirmative and began crying again.

"He..." she said through the tears, "drugged me with some kind of pheromone. It made me go crazy. Oh, Cindy, I've never felt like that, never done anything like that ever before. I was out of my mind for sex. I..."

"You mean he has some kind of drug that makes you crazy to have sex?"

Jennifer nodded.

"It was on a rose. One minute I was smelling it, the next I was pulling my clothes off and begging him to take me!"

"And he did?"

"Yes, right there in the library while Ron and Dana were taking a walk. I... I..." her voice was desperate, "I wanted it, Cindy. That drug made me want it like I've never wanted anything before. I was like an animal in heat. I couldn't think and suddenly the only important thing in the whole world was... was..."

"Getting laid?"

She hid her face in the tissue as she nodded affirmatively, embarrassment burning throughout her.

"Afterward, it was all I could do to keep from bursting into tears in front of Ron. I didn't sleep at all last night, thinking and crying.

"I'm so sorry, Jennifer. I should have made my warning more direct. I never thought he would try it so soon."