Chapter 12

A week later Eric had called her to arrange another tryst.

"With you and Devon?" she asked expectantly.

"No someone new and quite different."

"Really? How so?"

"Let's just say that he'll be introducing you to a side of yourself that you haven't as yet discovered."

"Being a bit mysterious aren't we?"

"No, not really. It's just time that an adventurous woman like yourself found a purpose in life."

"I don't..."

"It will all become clear on Friday... that is the night you said you'd be free?"

"Yes, Phillip will be away on another business trip and a friend is going to stay with Aaron."

"Great, here's the address."

"Not at your apartment?"

"Not this time. Something new and different, remember?"

"Yes... of course," she replied finding a notepad and pen.

Perhaps disappointment was too strong a word. After all, Lawrence, had been rather handsome for a middle aged man. He was suave and mannerly and treated her to a delightful dinner before the two retired to a hotel room he had rented for the occasion. He had been vigorous and even a bit inventive, she had to admit, but he was no match for either Eric or Devon. The sex was enjoyable but, all in all, rather unremarkable (she had orgasmed only four times through the entire night). He, on the other hand, had complimented her again and again on her womanly charms, voluptuous body and multitalented lovemaking abilities. Still, while she had found the evening pleasant, she was still wondering about Eric's cryptic allusion to finding a purpose to her life when she fell asleep in the stranger's arms.

She had awakened the following morning to find Lawrence gone, an envelope on the night stand. Opening it, she discovered a note and ten crisp one hundred dollar bills. Puzzled, she read the note:

Jeanne,

You're a wondrous woman with talents

far beyond those of your sisters in the

trade. While your talents don't come cheaply,

they are worth every penny. I look forward

to a repeat of last night, the next time I am

in town.

Lawrence

Jeanne was dumbfounded. She looked from the note to the money and back again, then, realization setting in, she wept as she began to understand what Eric had meant by finding her purpose in life. Dressing, she hurried to his apartment.

"Here Eric!" she cried throwing the money in his face as he opened the door. "After all a pimp is supposed to get his cut isn't he?"

He closed the door as she stomped into his apartment waiting for an explanation, tears of rage in both eyes.

"No Jeanne I'm no pimp... but you are a whore!"

Her mouth dropped open in indignation and shock.

"After all," he continued, "didn't you just spend the night with a complete stranger, keeping your legs spread the whole time?"

She was about to interrupt but before she could, he went on.

"You spread your legs for me, for Devon and even for your cousin for God's sake!"

"But..."

"But nothing, Jeanne. The truth is you'll drop your pants for anyone who can give you a good ride and to hell with your husband or your child. Not only have you been cheating on Phillip, you even neglected your own son, all for the sake of another good fuck!"

Jeanne burned, but it was now embarrassment and self vilification. Her lies to Phillip had now become compounded for which she felt intense guilt, but Eric was right, she had been almost an hour late in retrieving Aaron after his camping trip last weekend, making up yet another outlandish lie to tell the scoutmaster who had had to stay with the youngster until his mother arrived.

"Why are you saying this Eric? We had..."

"We had several good fucks, Jeanne. Now it's time we both moved on."

"But what am I supposed to move on to?" she asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.

"Why should I care? You can always go back to family life. Washing Phillip's socks and wiping Aaron's nose."

"Stop it! Please!"

"Or, from what I heard, a whole new career opened up for you last night."

"Eric, you know I never wanted money."

"Which means you were jeopardizing your family just for the sake of a good lay. At least the working girls downtown do it because they need the money."

"But they're... that would make me a..."

"Whore? You are a whore Jeanne! The truth is you've wanted to be a whore for a long time!"

"That's not true!"

"Of course it is. Whether you get paid for it doesn't really matter because you