Chapter 6: There Is No Paradise

Of course, as she expected, the State computers found her another job within twenty-four hours. It didn't last because it was in a food warehouse and she couldn't see any point in buying food when she could steal it from work.

The next job was a long way from her apartment and she was always late.

The next job was something of a success. She resigned rather than being sacked. Moreover she resigned before the management were even contemplating sacking her. She just didn't like the woman she had to work with, who kept giving Jacqui orders and who would never do what Jacqui told her to do.

The pattern was becoming established; Jacqui couldn't or wouldn't keep a job and her employment record started to look bad.

Some jobs she lost for different reasons, usually refusing to sleep with the boss, man or woman.

It was through Queenie, a friend at work in one of the succession of dreary jobs, that she made her next major discovery.

Queenie came to work one day with one of her eyes blacked and in answer to Jacqui's query said, "You wouldn't want to know how I got it. It was an accident really, things got out of hand."

"What things?" demanded Jacqui.

Seeing that she was not about to let it go, Queenie decided to shock her into silence.

"Well, my friend and I sometimes have sessions where we beat each other and we both got too excited last night. Usually we try not to mark each other where it shows."

"Yes," said Jacqui thoughtfully, "Donald and I were careful about that."

Queenie looked absolutely flabbergasted. "You mean you're into SM as well?"

"What's SM?" asked Jacqui, "We just used to spank each other and things..." her voice trailed off.

"SM is what you were doing. Aren't you in a group or a club?" asked Queenie.

"No. We just did it together. Then he kept on getting rude with me, touching me, and things and one day he tried to fuck me so I threw him over," answered Jacqui.

Queenie was over the moon; here was an innocent who already liked SM but had no experience other than self-taught. What a find for the Ladies' Club where she and her lesbian Dom friends met!

"You must come to our club one evening," Queenie said, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice, "A lot of us who enjoy spanking and so on go there quite often."

"What's it called?" asked Jacqui, interested.

"It's called the Ladies' Riding Club," said Queenie, adding, "but sometimes we go to the Harness Club as well. I don't think you would like the Harness though, they let men in there and we all know what they want!"

"Well, I'll think about it," said Jacqui, "Does it cost a lot to get in?"

"Bless you, child. It won't cost you anything to visit the club. If you want to join, then they charge you, but while you're just looking it's free."

"You see, I don't have much money," confided Jacqui.

'Better and better, ' thought Queenie, 'She can be persuaded to play for money if she's that hard up.' Aloud she said, "Don't worry about that. I'll take you as my guest the first time; how about tonight?"

Jacqui was about to say no but then thought that Queenie might be offended and not offer again, so she accepted and they made arrangements about when and where to meet.