Chapter 12

In the morning, Sara got up early and dressed quickly; flared, blue, mid-thigh skirt, lighter blue polo shirt with pockets that hid her nipples. She looked sort of 'business casual'. Sexy, but very tired.

She threw some clothes into her bag and got to the airport in time for her plane, but not without hurrying. Her exhaustion showed, and few people noticed her straight back and attractive figure as she walked though the airport: she was so exhausted that she became almost invisible. The flight was boring and she dozed off, waking irritably when the landing announcements began. Soon, she was walking through the gate toward Charity Hoyle, who was cool and beautiful in shorts and a brief top.

"You look like something the cat dragged in, ' Charity said, with a ravishing smile. She grabbed Sara and hugged her tight and Sara hugged her back, beginning to relax for the first time in days.

"Thanks, buddy, same to you, ' Sara laughed. "I've been through the wringer this week. Don't even ask. All I want to do this weekend is relax and look at your playpen. The way I feel now, I'd take any job as long as it wasn't where I am.'

"Well, whatever the reason, I hope you'll take ours, ' Charity said, leading the way to the parking lot. Her car was a well-cared-for, five-year-old Mercedes. It had seen a lot of use, but ran like a top. They were soon out of the lot and moving quickly away from the city.

Along the way, Sara told Charity about the events of the week and about Jim Wright's offer.

"That might be hard to turn down, Sara, if he's sincere, ' Charity said, looking a little troubled.

"Well, I think I want to look this over and think about it all a little. What you said to me last weekend about red hair and hot pants makes sense. But I have to take some time to decide what that means for me and how I'm going to handle it for the rest of my life. I haven't had time to think much this week and it probably won't be solved in a day anyway.'

"Surely you didn't think you'd outgrow it, did you?' Charity asked. "What usually happens is that the sex drive, for women at least, just gets stronger as you get older. It has for me.'

"Regular ray of sunshine, aren't you?' Sara replied wryly. "No, of course I didn't think it would go away. I don't think I'd really want it to. No, the thing is, I've never really understood my feelings about this whole subject. I've never really accepted it, as you said, and I've never really come to terms with what it's going to mean for me as a person over the next thirty years or so.' Sara thought of Steve. "Or, for that matter, about what I want in terms of a man.'

"That sounds like a pretty big order for just one weekend, ' Charity said ruefully.

"Shit, Charity, I don't mean I'm going to go into a funk and meditate on my navel or something. But you were right when you said that I need to come to terms with this and I think what I want to do is take the time to do just that. And a good job to keep me busy while I do it will help.'

"Well, hard work is good therapy and we need what you can do for us.'

"Right now, though, I'm beat, I'm irritable, I've got a lot on my mind, and I'm about to check out a job in a place that sounds like a cross between a country club and a swingers' dive.' The size of her task suddenly hit Sara with real force.

Charity put one hand on Sara's thigh, letting it rest there. "Love, I know how you feel. I'm glad to hear you speak out like that. You take all the time you want to think and to work things out. We'll take it easy this weekend; I'll make sure you see everything you should, and on Sunday, we'll talk shop. Otherwise, relax.'

"I'm sorry to blow off, Charity, ' Sara said. She sat back and watched the California countryside rolling by. They were approaching a town, and as they reached the top of a hill, on the outskirts, Sara saw a big, walled structure ahead.

"That's it, Sara, our club.'

They drew up to an iron gate in a high wall that extended along the side of the road. Charity waved a card at a device on the gatepost and spoke her name. A voice came from a loudspeaker, speaking unintelligibly. "Would you look out your window, Sara? Look at the thing with the eye painted on it. Then, say your name clearly.'

Sara did as she was asked, and the gate rolled aside to let them in.

"What the hell was that, Charity?' Sara asked.

"We have a computerized access system that is as good as anything in the world. In fact, we sell it to governments. One of our members designed it and gave us the rights to it. It's paid for his membership ten times over. The scanner recognized me, of course, and I have my pass.' She waved the card. "But it didn't recognize you, so I had it take a picture and a voiceprint of you. The next time you come to the gate, it will know you and will know what to do about you, whatever that is. The system covers the entire property, including inside the club.

"The thing is, we have to limit access to the place, but we don't want to have guards — they'd want to know what they were guarding — or to make things tough for the members. So, we have this. It works.'

Sara was impressed and said no more as they drove down a short lane to a wooded area. Trees concealed another wall, even higher, that stretched a considerable distance in both directions. The drive led upward to a paved parking area and an entrance in the wall.

Around the corner from the inner entrance was a small, one-story stucco house built in graceful Mission style with a tile roof. Its back was to the inner wall, but the windows of the house were large and it looked light and airy. The whole entry area was over two acres in extent, sunny and landscaped with lawns and shrubs where it wasn't paved for parking. They parked, and Sara started toward the gate. Charity stopped her.

"Let's go in through the house, Sara. That's where you'll be staying this weekend, and if you take the job, the house will be yours. No one's been living there recently, and you can have a free hand with the decor. You can put in your own furniture, use what's there, or we'll help you find some new stuff. It's rent free, by the way.'

They entered a large living room with a Mexican-style fireplace bulging out of the corner. The floors were wood — old, random-width oak. The white stucco walls and high, wide windows overlooking the valley made the room, with its wooden roof beams and white stucco ceiling, seem even larger. It was beautiful. Through the front windows, Sara could see rolling hills dotted with trees and low bushed. Somehow, she couldn't see the parking lot from here.

"I'll bet you could sit here all day and watch the jackrabbits fucking, ' Sara said. Charity came up beside her at the window, putting her arm around her.

"I think the view is one of the nicest things about the place. Let me show you the rest.'

There was a bedroom next to the living room. It was large, dominated by a big bed. A cedar armoire in the Spanish style took up a lot of one wall, a dressing table the other. In this room the big windows looked on an interior courtyard. Smaller windows, high on the wall, let in light from the front of the building.

A door at the other side of the room led to a huge bathroom. It had an enormous, sunken tub and opposite, a sliding glass door that opened onto the patio. A low wall protected the patio from sightseers in the outer yard, but not from the sun. There were Mexican rugs on the tiled floor. The toilet was in an alcove. A little fountain played in one corner.

"You can turn the fountain off, if it keeps you awake, ' Charity said. "But I don't think anyone ever has, ' she added.

On the other side of the living room was a roomy but efficient eat-in kitchen with a rustic dining table. Charity showed her the stock of coffee, food, and drinks.

"I think you'll be comfortable here this weekend, for as much time as you want to spend.' As they walked back into the living room, Charity pointed to a door in the back wall. "That door leads to the club, but maybe you'd like to relax a little first. You weren't kidding when you said you were beat. I can actually feel it. How about a tub? Do you like baths?'

Sara had collapsed on the deep couch in the living room. "Charity, that's a great idea. I take showers to get clean, but I love a big tub like that one to soak in. Give me a hand.'

She held her hand out to the other woman, who helped her up. They went into the bedroom where Sara had dropped her bag. Sara took off her shirt and walked into the bathroom, her naked breasts swaying. She opened the sliding window and stood at the door in the light breeze, slipping her skirt off. She felt Charity come into the room behind her and expected to feel the woman's hand on her flesh.

"Do you want company, Sara, or is a solitary soak on the list?' Charity asked.

Sara turned toward Charity and hooked her fingers into her panties, sliding them down until they floated of their own weight to her toes. She walked to the tub and started the water flowing, testing the temperature. "Of course I want company, Charity, ' she said, finishing the task and heading for the toilet alcove. "Take off your clothes and join me.'

When Sara returned, Charity was already sitting in the half-full tub. She had poured in what must have been a gallon of some wonderful-smelling stuff that turned the water green. Sara stepped in and stretched out beside her friend. For a long time, they just soaked, and Sara appreciated the fact that Charity didn't seem to need to talk. They floated beside each other in the warm, fragrant water, their bodies touching each other occasionally. Sara felt the tension slowly draining away. She relaxed and enjoyed the feeling.