Chapter 2

Vanessa

My eyelids fluttered as I awoke. I was confused by my surroundings. I just lay there thinking about what had transpired the night before. One thing I noticed right away was my arthritis was gone. No painful joints which greeted me every morning for the past thirty years. My eyes surveyed the room. Expensive Early American furniture was neatly placed all over. My bed had four large posters. My hand fell to my side and I noticed I was laying on sensuous satin sheets. I also had on a white silky nightgown held up by two thin spaghetti straps. I felt wonderful as I stretched my limbs. The digital clock on my nightstand read ten am. Brushing the blonde hair from my face I noticed how long and soft it was. I tossed aside the satin comforter and stood up. No pain in my ankles, knees and hips.

"Lovely," I said aloud. I slid into my dainty slippers and headed to the bathroom to relieve myself. It was enormous. As big as my cheap flat in Florida. All in marble with golden fixtures as well as commode with a soft seat. My first urination as a woman felt odd. Not only did I have to sit, but the stream shot out of me felt very warm. After wiping (how did I know to do that?) I looked at myself in the mirror. The aliens kept their promise.

Even with my shaggy hair and no makeup, I was gorgeous. A sylph! I slipped into a silken robe and walked to the door of my apartment to get the morning paper. It was the Sunday edition. I made some rye toast and tea. The spread was one of those fat free, carb free, salt free cheapies. I put some honey into my tea and sat at the kitchen table for my light breakfast.

COLD WAVE CONTINUES read the headline of the newspaper. I walked over to the window to my 63rd floor flat overlooking Navy Pier, Lake Shore Drive, and a frozen Lake Michigan with ice extending several hundred yards from the shore. "So now I am in Chicago," I said aloud as if I were telling someone in the room. I sipped my tea while nibbling on a piece of toast as I surveyed all that was below me. Steam was coming from the ends of all cars of the Drive. 'It must be frigid out, ' I thought.

The phone rang. I walked over to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Brooks?"

"Yes, Sally." How did I recognize her voice?

"I'm just confirming your appointment to do your hair this afternoon at two."

"That will be fine," I said cheerfully knowing that the salon was in this building on the 12th floor. "I'll be there."

"Thank you, Ms. Brooks," she replied.

"You're welcome," I hung up.

I finished my breakfast, cleaned the dishware off the table and put them into the dishwasher.

"Now to take a look at myself," I sauntered toward my bedroom undressing as I walked.

Standing in front of the full length mirror I gazed at my body. It was as nice as I hoped.

About five foot-five, one hundred and fifteen pounds, very luscious breasts. Not too large, not too small. They stood there defying gravity. I knew that wouldn't last as I aged. I gazed down at my cunny with a trimmed patch as wide as three of my fingers. Standing there on my two shapely legs and hands on hips I had to marvel how well those aliens or whatever they were did their job. I studied myself for almost an hour looking for any flaws but I saw none. No scars from childhood accidents, complexion as good as it gets, and a cute little naval with a diamond piercing. Beautiful long blonde hair down past my shoulder blades, sparkling blue eyes staring back at me made me smile with satisfaction.

I decided to take a long hot bath. Laying in the water perfumed with bath oil beads, I felt stupendous. The shower cap I donned just before entering to keep my hair dry was a little irritating to my forehead but no complaints. I put my fingers to my pussy to explore my new sex. I had pinched my nipples to work myself into a frenzy. Everything I read about how sensitive a woman's breasts were, were true. And I soon realized how much a woman felt while having an orgasm. I didn't scream, shriek, or gasp. I breathed deeply and rapidly as the fires of my cumming made me feel a sensual pleasure that words could not describe.

I was tempted to go for another but washed myself instead.

After dressing in panties, bra, bodysuit, and tight jeans I sat in front of the television watching the 24 hour local news while perusing the Tribune. After reading some of the important news I settled on looking at the ads. All of them had beautiful clothes. Lord & Taylor had a gorgeous satin and polyester blouse in all colors and sizes on sale. I got up, looked at one of my dozens of blouses for the size I wore. Perfect. Size six. I called their number and ordered three. One in apricot, one in pearl, and one in red. They knew me so I didn't have to give them my credit card number. They'd just add it to my business account. The cost was almost eight hundred dollars. Looking at the clock, I saw that it was time for my hair appointment. Grabbing my purse, making sure I had my keys, I was out the door heading for the elevator.

"Hi Vanessa," Georgeanne smiled as I walked in. "I see you're on time as usual."

"Hi Georgeanne, a little cold to be here today. Isn't it?"

"Yes, but it isn't too bad with our cars in the underground parking spaces," she led me back to Sally. "We don't have to worry about them not starting. Sally, Ms. Brooks is here for her hair to be done."

"Oh good," she said with enthusiasm. Something in the back of my mind told me that she did my hair and makeovers exclusively. "Get in the saddle and we'll start."

I hung up my purse and climbed into the seat. Immediately I was draped over with a soft sheet. She wheeled me back to the sink, leveled the chair and started to do me.

"Cold today," I remarked to make conversation.

"Brutal!" she agreed. "I had my husband run out to warm up my car while I got ready for work. I froze the twenty-five or so feet from the house to the car but once I got in it was toasty."

"So what does hubby do on the Sundays you work?"

"Watches football and looks after our sons. Football, football, football," she griped. "I wouldn't mind it so much if it were just Sundays but there is Monday night, Thursday night, Saturdays during the college games. I sometimes think he loves football as much or even more as he loves me."

"Try seducing him during a game," I suggested with my eyes still closed while she shampooed my hair.

"I did that when we first got married. And it worked! But now that the boys are getting older there is little chance of that happening," Sally lamented.

"When I was younger, my parents bribed us kids to go to the movies on Saturdays so they could have a good time in the sack." Now how did I know that? I asked myself but it was vividly painted in my mind.

"When are you getting married, Ms. Brooks?"

"I haven't met the right guy yet."

"There's got to be a lot of big handsome males wanting you," Sally suggested.

"I'm not interested in big handsome males. I like nerds," I joked.

"Yeah, they only have to be big in one place," Sally giggled causing me to giggle too.

"Brains and a biggie, what more could a girl want?" I smiled.

"Do you really like nerds?" she asked.

"Sure!"

"Why? I thought you'd be attracted to guys with great personalities, good looking and sexy in bed."

"Maybe a hot girl?"

"You're not gay, are you?" she inquired seriously.

I shrugged. "Definately not gay, but I see some girls I feel attracted to and wouldn't mind to have a go at it. It could be a whole different experience."

"Well we all are that. Deep down I think all females might be bi but we're afraid to act upon it. I wonder what it might be like!"

"I think you're right. I most definately would be if I ever was confronted with that choice."

Sally sighed. "I think I had the hots for this girl in high school."

"And?"

"Nothing ever came of it. She was nice and friendly but I didn't run in her circles."

"I see, well there are cliques in high school. Some are very exclusive."

"I was on the fringe of some," Sally confessed as she rinsed my hair then put vast amounts of conditioner rubbing it into my scalp. This was my favorite time here when her fingers massaged my head. It felt wonderful.

"I was a loner is high school too. I dated some guys, went to some parties and sleepovers, but never quite fit in. I was very serious about my studies." I was referring to my high school experience as Jack Holiday back in Lawrence, Kansas.

"I wish I applied myself more diligently in school. I kind of regret watching all those music videos on television all the time. I got good grades but not good enough to get any of those scholarships to college."

"How did you meet your husband?" I queried.

"Stan? We met in high school, dated some, then he went into the marines. He was in Desert Storm and when he got out we ran into each other at a McDonalds. He liked what he saw and we started dating again. Next thing I knew, we were married."

"Well you are a very beautiful woman, if I can be so blunt."

"Thank you, Ms. Brooks," she smiled as she finished her massaging and rinsed my hair. "I have to admit you are very lovely yourself."

"Thank you," I sorta blushed.

We didn't talk while she worked my hair with a dryer. When she shut it off and started styling it she asked, "Are you really into nerds."

"Let just say for the case of argument that I am. Nerds are very intelligent. They love women but are very frightened of us. If you date one, he's forever grateful. If you marry one, he will be more devoted, more caring, very honest, certainly faithful, very tender and loving."

"Never thought about that." Sally said as if her mind was a million miles away.

"Just pointing out the good points of a nerd or a dweeb or whatever they call those boys nowadays." I felt her brushing my long hair then snipping the uneven parts.

"So you're looking for the nerd of your dreams?"

"Well I'm looking. I mentioned nerds for the sake of debate. Not every young girl wants a man who is tall, dark and handsome. Some of us would be satisfied if we're just loved."

"I see," Sally smiled, turning my chair. "There all done." She showed me in the mirror.

"A magnificent job as usual, Sally" I smiled in satisfaction.

"Thank you," she slipped off the sheet. "Now I can go home."

"To cuddle with your hubby?" I reached for my purse and handed her two twenties for her tip. I always tipped generously.

"Thank you," she smiled leading me to the front desk for me to sign for my hairdo. "Yes, I like cuddling but he gets a little wild and bounces around during the game. Same time in next week?"

"For sure, sweetie," I smiled, signed my name to the bill and walked out feeling great. There is nothing like being pampered and getting a fine hairdo."

I rode the elevator back up to my suite. Mrs. Watson was on the phone when I walked in. I could tell by my caller ID. I picked it up in time before it went into voice messenger.

"Hello Edith," I tossed my purse onto the couch.

"Vanessa dear," the middle aged woman now approaching her fifties answered. "I thought you might have gone out in this terrible cold.

"Not me, I was downstairs having my hair done."

"Oh, I see. I was just calling to see if you're interested in attending my party next Friday night? I'll have some important people there."

'Men, ' I guessed. "What's the occasion?" She was always trying to fix me up with some dull male. No one she introduced me to was even close to my scrutiny.

"Sid is turning fifty on Friday. I thought we should have a little get together for him."

"Fifty? I didn't think he was that old," I buttered her up.

"Yes, he turns a half a century. Now can you come?"

"Of course," I answered after checking my schedule to see if I was free that night.

"That will be wonderful."

"Do I need to bring anything?"

"Only your own beautiful yourself. And no gifts please. He has everything a man of his age will ever need."

"What time?"

"Eight o'clock. Have a light snack because although I'm not serving dinner I'll be have lots of different refreshments, but no big dinner."

"I'll be there and thank you for asking me."

"The pleasure is all mine," she seemed to smile over the phone. After a few more remarks we said our goodbyes. I walked to the bedroom, changed out of my bodysuit and into a pink cotton blouse. Then grabbed my purse to go back down to the deli to pickout my lunch and dinner. I loved kosher food.

The mood was glum when I reported to work on Monday at nine. I parked my new Jaguar in the executive parking spaces under the B & D Agencies Building and took the special elevator up to my office where I was the Senior President of the company. I wore a dark blue skirted business suit and a vanilla silk shell underneath. The skirt was an inch above my knees. I had on my matching 3" heels with my hair falling smoothly down my back and light makeup. I hung my sable fur in the closet and checked for any emails. A meeting for all executives at ten. Enough time to get a cup of tea and go through all of the overload from last Friday. Microwaving my hot water and putting in a smidgen of honey, I tore open the wrapper for my orange pekoe bag.

"Good morning, Ms. Brooks," Emily Cox, my personal secretary greeted me. "There's a very important meeting scheduled for ten. Last minute kinda thing."

"Good morning, Emily," I greeted her with a smile. "How was your weekend."

"I broke up with my boyfriend Friday night," she told me.

"I'm so sorry," I took the tea bag and placed it in the cup of scalding water.

"I'm not. I found out that he's a cheating pig. Sorry for expression but that's the way I feel," she continued her smile but not warmly as before.

"Another lady?"

"How about ladies!" she emphasized. "He's juggling four at a time. Now it's three. Had I known what he was like I would've dumped him long ago."

"I don't know why men have to do that," I shook my head, taking a tiny sip. "Some women do the very same. I'd have trouble just with one. Man, that is"

"I cried myself to sleep on Friday but I woke up on Saturday feeling so much better."

"A good cry will do that for you. What's on the agenda besides the meeting today?"

"You have a luncheon appointment with Gary White at one. He wants to firm up that new ad deal you presented to him last week."

"Oh yes, I recall." Another thing that that trio put into my mind. I had even met with him once before. Short but good looking, kept himself in shape and nice appearance for a guy in his forties. He was a ladies man and though he was married, he flirted a lot. Harmless kind of flirting but still a girl needed to be on her toes with him if she ever found herself alone in his presence. No need to worry about that since we'd be in a public place.

"Anything else?"

"No that's about it, but for the Garinger contract you said you'd look at today."

"Put it in my briefcase to take home. I'll study it there."

"Yes, Ms. Brooks," Emily placed the folder in my briefcase.

"I hope your love life improves, Sweetie," I smiled. "There are plenty more fish in the sea."

"As long as I don't hook up with a Charlie the Tuna," she giggled. I giggled in response.

"Oh by the way," I just remembered. "I'm leaving at noon on Friday. A big party for a friend of mine."

"Is he single?"

"No but if he were, I wouldn't be interested in him."

After going through all my emails, I saw nothing too important so I deleted them all. I opened my snail mail which I put some aside for later perusing and the others went into the trash. A large envelope caught my attention from the Harris Bank. Opening it, I saw that I had twenty million dollars in my various accounts. Checking, savings, certificate of deposits, many other investments handled by a large brokerage firm and some money in commodities like copper, tin, wheat and municiple bonds. I also learned that I owned several car washes and three Baskin-Robbins ice cream stores in large malls where business was always brisk. 'These people really set me up nicely, ' I thought. Then there was an invitation to a dance at the Lincoln Park Zoo for charity, It was to be held in the building housing the large cats. I needed a date for that. I'll call up Denise to see if Todd was available that night. I had gone out with him before and he knew the rules with me. No kissing except when I was deposited back home then it was a peck on the lips, no fondling, no profanity and certainly no sex. He was very handsome but not the type I'd be interested in. I had Todd escort me to these kinds of things plus the opera, live plays or the symphony. I paid for the tickets, our meal and four hundred dollars for his time. Pretty handy! No muss, no fuss and no commitments. We enjoyed each other's company but that was as far as it went.

I looked at my watch, time for the meeting. I let Emily know I was on my way and took the elevator to the top floor. "Barney had a fatal heart attack on Friday," Jim Pepper informed me as I got off the lift and into my chair.

"Barney Willis is dead!" Shock shot through me. I was the youngest but most aggressive person on the board and it was Barney that steered me in that direction. "He had to be only in his midfifties."

Jim nodded.

"Oh my," I was still numbed by the news. "What are the funeral arrangements?"

"He was Jewish so they buried him Saturday afternoon," Pepper stated.

"Anything I can send over? Flowers? A sympathy card?"

"A donation to the Heart Association is requested."

"I'll send over a donation today."

"We have to name a new COO."

"Yes, we do, anyone you have in mind?"

"I think it's going to boil down to Fredericks and you," Pepper said.

"I don't want the job," I replied, dismayed. "Let Bill have it."

"Bill's not a people person. He's a behind the scenes man. We have to get someone that can give us the publicity needed. You certainly are the one."

I quickly thought if this was arranged by the aliens who turned me from a cantankerous old man into a beautiful young woman with brains to run B&D. I also wondered if someway they had something to do with his death to put me to the top here. I was only at this firm for less than three years and since I landed the Landis Account my rise was meteoric. From a saleswoman to vice-president then president because of the Mills & Mills Account that I got from another firm whose contract with M&M was running out at that time. I knew I deserved those promotions, but this?

"Look Jim," I whispered as the room was filling up fast. "I don't want the job. I am happy where I'm at for the time being. Ten years from now, maybe. Not now."

"You might not have any choice," he whispered back.

"Why don't you take it?"

"Can't I'm moving to Los Angeles to work out there."

"Oh, that's right."

"Okay," Jason Curuthers opened the meeting. "We all know what happened to poor Barney.

I was a good friend and golfing partner with him for over twenty years. It hurts me to do this so soon but we need a new Chief Operating Officer right away. Our competition might be happy that this happened to us since Barney was a thorn in their sides but we have to move on. Hopefully to bigger and better things."

"Here, here," most of the people agreed. I sat there feeling like a clay pidgeon ready to be thrust in the air with all these shooters aiming and firing.

"I'm ready for retirement so it can't be me. Pepper is taking over our LA office, Fredericks says he doesn't need the stress since he has a heart condition. All of you have a piece of paper in front of you to vote. Please do right now."

"Aren't we going to discuss this?" I barged in.

"Discuss what?" Curuthers stated. "We vote for the person we feel that can lead this company to a brighter future."

'Oh shit, ' I felt that I was being railroaded into this. They must have been politicking before poor Barney became room temperature. No wonder I wasn't told of his passing until now.

I voted for Curuthers despite his near retirement. The papers were gathered and handed to one of the secretaries attending. She got up and went to a small table to count the tally.

"Ms. Brooks is the new COO," Curuthers announced, smiling like the cat who swallowed the canary. "Congratulations."

There was applause all around. I sat there stunned. It was almost as bad as the news of Barney Willis' death. People gathered around me shaking my hand with a woman on the board hugging me then pecking me on the cheek. I felt like giving that LBJ speech many years back. "I will not accept nor will I serve another term for President of the United States." I knew I flushed red in embarrassment. I should have called in sick this morning.

"I hope I am up to this task," I stumbled. "There are others here I feel can do a better job than me." Those damn aliens. They put my tit in a wringer already.

"No, you're the right person," Pepper corrected me. "You have brains, looks, and you are definately a people person. B&D can't help but grow under your directions. You know a lot more than many of us despite your youth."

"Here, here," came a chorus of aggreement.

I rode the elevator down to my office. Word spread quickly. I wasn't even settled in my chair when Emily walked in giving me her personal congratulations.

"Get ready for the move, Sweetie," I stated. "You're along for the ride with me."

"But what about Margaret Smiley?"

"I'll kick her upstairs. Put her in charge of the secretarial pool or something. Give her a big raise in pay and benefits."

"Do you think I'm up to her job?"

"Do you think I'm up to Barney's job?" I asked.

"You... definately!"

"So are you, with a hefty raise in pay too." Making my first corporate decision. "Get ready to move this afternoon. They're taking Mr. Willis' things out and will be here shortly to take my stuff to my new office. Now, I am going to lunch with Mr. White." I picked up my sable, purse and briefcase to leave for the day. A COO has that prerogative, you know.

"See ya' tomorrow, Sweetie," I smiled at Emily taking the elevator down to my Jaguar.

That night there was a blurb on the news about my elevation to COO of B&D. I sat there with a glass of wine sulking. I made my third attempt to read the Garinger contract. I turned the television off to concentrate on it. I was royally pissed off at what happened to me today. Last Friday I was beach bum trying to make a living on finding lost change and a piece of jewelry or two. Now I was the head of the largest ad agency in Chicago. As William Bendix said on his radio show The Life of Riley, "What a revolting developement this is."

I managed to get through the contract and crossed out only one clause that read that the their company could cancel at anytime. I replaced it that it had to be on a six month notice for both parties. Other than that, it was a clear cut document. I signed my okay to transcribe and send the change back to Garinger for their approval.