"No. No one thinks you're a prostitute. Look all the guys are expecting from you is for you to dress up and saunter around serving everyone a couple of rounds. Then when you've served everybody the 2 rounds Parkers buying 'em, you get up and give everybody a little striptease." Said the virtual stranger causing Debra to drop her jaw in disbelief and glare at Ray angrily. "I just want to warn you now so you aren't surprised by it later. I am sure a few guys will want lap dances and hell you know, maybe something more you never know. You might make a few bucks if you're any good. But that's it then you're done." Debra was now shaking her head no. Looking at Ray, arms folded over her chest the anger visible in her gaze. "Oh and also you ought to know some of the guys will get a little, well, grabby. You know hands on with you." He said as he began laughing. "Hands will wonder no doubt. They ain't all exactly, well gentlemen. But no harms gonna come to ya is all I'm trying to say."

"Say something Ray! Are you OK with this? Cause I got to tell you, I sure as hell am not." Debra shouted as Ray who simply stood looking at her with a blank look on his face. He was at a total loss for anything to say. "I told you this is what it was gonna be, and I'm not fucking doing it!" She shouted at him and then began mocking what he had told her last night "No Deb you'll just play hostess maybe sing'em a song! IDIOT!" she scowled under her breath. Ray dropped his eyes to the floor knowing she had been right. He had feared she was right from the moment she warned him what would be expected of her.

The couple's current problems had started the night before. One of their neighbors Bill Parker was the director of the neighborhood block party committee and had thrown a big end of summer party. Ray and Debra had gone alone, their three kids had went off on a weekend camping trip with their grandparents and Uncle Robert.

Debra had gone off to talk with the other wives and Ray hung around the grill waiting for the food. Bill Parker had been talking up his latest business deal all night as he manned the giant grill. Ray always jealous of Parker had spent the night standing back and making fun of Parker and his wife. Unknown to Ray he had made some of the crudest and most insulting jokes about the Parker's in the presence of Bill's brother. When it got back to Parker the shit hit the fan so to speak.

Parker confronted Ray about his comments in front of everyone and things got out of hand quickly. The two men soon yelling at one another and it almost came to blows. Debra had, as always come to her husband's aid and amidst all the shouting the two reluctantly left. Ray angry at getting ratted out and forced to leave in shame had tried to kick a soccer ball next to Parkers stone bird bath. Misjudging the distance he kicked the stone base knocking the bird bath over and in the process breaking it and his foot. Ray had fallen to the ground screaming in pain.

This further act of vandalism, as Parker had put it, brought the two closer to blows. If Ray wasn't already lying on the ground withering in pain Bill Parker would have put him there. Debra had ran home and gotten the couples minivan to take Ray to the hospital. Debra returned and with the reluctant help of a few neighbors loaded Ray into the passenger's seat and climbed in the driver's seat. The screaming between the two men hadn't slowed as Ray continued shouting out the window at his now sworn enemy as Debra tried to pull away. With the other half of the street blocked off for the party and all the screaming Debra put the Van into reverse and started backing up when another volley of screaming distracted her for just a split second and before anyone knew it their minivan had struck Mrs. Parker while she was holding the couples infant daughter. Debra didn't realize what had happened at first and didn't immediately stop. Quickly the van was surrounded by an angry mob of their neighbors now screaming at Debra.

It was pure luck that the little girl hadn't been hurt but Parkers wife Patty wasn't so lucky her leg surely broken she was now in more pain than Ray. In the ensuing madness Patty was loaded in the van Bill Parker took over at the wheel and Debra ended up in the back seat with Mrs. Parker. Parker's brother stayed behind to look after the kids and party and off the four went to the hospital. Acquisitions flew with the Parkers sure Debra aimed at mother and daughter intent on running them over. Then came the threats, noting the huge number of witnesses they had and pointing to all the people who witnessed Debra's assault. Bill Parker ensured the two as they pulled into the emergency room that Debra and Ray would both be going to jail shortly and there was nothing Ray's brother could do to help them. Debra's crying and pleading had gotten Bill to promise not to call the police until they had gotten a chance to talk about it after they had all had a chance to calm down.

Hours later, after having been seen by a doctor Ray had gotten a cast on his foot. After getting discharged himself Ray and Debra had a long talk about the trouble they found themselves in. Ray insisted he could smooth it over with Parker and so they set off to find him before he did anything rash.

They found Bill Parker in the waiting room. He was waiting for his wife to be transferred to a hospital room for overnight monitoring. Everyone had calmed down and no longer felt the need to scream, but angers stayed high. Ray started by apologizing to Bill about all the jokes and mean things he had sad that night. Bill wouldn't accept Ray's apology pointing out several other occasions Ray had sat back and made jokes at his and his family's expense. He went on to explain he wouldn't be so angry about it if Ray had kept to only insulting Bill himself but he couldn't stand hearing the things Ray had said about his wife and family. He was especially angry when he heard about Ray's jokes about his wife Patty and the Cable guy and the Pizza guy and the Garbage men. He went on to tell Ray he should have decked him at the party but he was trying to stay civilized about it and had no intentions of escalating it to a physical level, stating he only wished Ray had done so as well.

Debra was the first to broach the subject of her striking Bill's wife with her car and attempted to convince him there was no malice in the act and it had been a simple accident. She tried to explain how with all the yelling and screaming back in forth she was frazzled. Telling him it was one of his screaming outbursts directed at Ray that had caused her to look forward afraid she might have hit something with the front of the van explaining she had only taken her eyes off the mirror for a second.

Parker told her how he wished he could believe her but he didn't pointing out that even after she hit Patty and knocked her down she didn't stop. He pointed out she kept backing up until she had ran over both her legs and was about to hit her with the front tires before she stopped. He told her how he used to respect her and consider her a friend even though he never got along with Ray and that he was shocked she could do such a thing to his family. He went on to tell her how disappointed he was with her as a friend and fellow parent.

A long negotiation followed, Ray offering Bill Parker everything he could think of. Ray started off small first offering to drive the car pool in Parkers place for a month, a year, then till the kids are out of school. The first offer only seemed to make Parker angrier. Next he threw in babysitting, and having his mother cook for Parker's family while Bill's wife was injured. This set the tone for the rest of the negotiation by angering Bill further feeling belittled by Ray's offers. Next Ray offered him money telling him to pick his own price, Parker rebuffed this even before Ray finished offering it. Ray then offered a public apology, even placing it in his newspaper column, Parker listened intrigued but turned him down saying if he wasn't going to press charges he was going to humiliate them. He went as far as offering to let Parker kick him in the balls in front of the whole neighborhood. This got a laugh from Debra and a smile from Parker but still wasn't good enough. Feeling exhausted and a little buzzed from the pain killers he even joked about letting Parker sleep with Debra, this joke angering Debra.

The joke it seemed had given Parker an idea however. Parker then made the two of them an offer and in the end Ray and Debra could keep the Parkers from filing charges if Debra agreed to play hostess and entertain a collection of union workers while Ray watched. Parker had at first suggested both Ray and Debra dress up as cocktail waitresses and serve drinks but gave into it only being Debra after Ray pointed out his cast and crutches.

Debra had been against the deal all along. She was afraid from the beginning stripping or worse would be involved in this "entertaining". But her arguments fell on death ears as both men seemed so naïve, insisting nothing more than serving drinks and maybe singing a song would be needed to provide this entertainment.

Ray had taken over the negotiations shutting her out as he worked to get Parker not to involve the police in the events earlier in the evening. He had gotten Parker's word not to involve the police as long as Debra provided the entertainment for the party and Ray had to sit there quietly and watch. Parker had told them he would provide Debra's costume for the night. When Debra asked him what kind of costume it would be, he had to think for a moment before telling them he would let the workers decide pointing out it was there party. Parker insisted on hearing Debra say she would entertain the workers before he gave his word not to involve the cops.

Debra told both men she wouldn't be a prostitute or break her wedding vows. Parker and Ray both laughed at her telling her she was blowing this way out of proportion and not to worry about it. She also told them she wouldn't get naked in a hateful tone angry about being made fun of for her concerns. Ray caved beginning to tell her no of course she wouldn't and begging her to stay calm. Parker took her angry rant differently than the timid Ray and simply told her "You'll do what you promised or I'll have your," hesitating not wanting to use a fowl word. "butt thrown in jail! The both of you! Don't think you can tell me what you're not doing! You be there tomorrow on time, and do as your told or else!" he said angrier than Debra had ever seen Bill Parker. "You better keep your woman in line! We understand each other?" Parker asked looking at Ray his head shaking in rage.

"Yea, Yea. We understand we'll be there. We don't want any problems." Ray responded his voice breaking, fear in his voice. "She's sorry she didn't mean anything by it." Stuttering Ray looked to Debra his desperation painted on his face. The pleading look said it all she knew Ray was scared she also knew he wouldn't make it in jail even if they only spent a few days behind bars it would be too much for him to take.

"We'll do what we said." She said with a heavy sigh. "We'll do whatever we have to." Debra said looking down at the floor and trying to speak as timidly as she could not wanting to anger Bill again. "Good to hear it." Bill responded and with that the each shuck each other's hands and the deal was set.

The thought of the uppity Debra getting up and strutting around serving a group of strange men drinks in a cocktail waiters outfit made him chuckle to himself. Knowing it would kill Ray to watch other men ogle his wife made it even better. With this understanding Ray and Debra returned home leaving Parker to spend the night with his wife at the hospital.

Parker had promised to pay for a party for a group of union workers at one of the businesses he represented in exchange for their support for his company getting a contract from theirs. He had left making the arrangements of the party up to the foreman at the other company. But things had come up and he had quit angry over how the deal had come down. It was another worker from the company who had called up Parker just minutes before the block party to make sure he had everything ready for the party the next evening.

As Parker quickly looked into things before his block party he found out when this other party was scheduled and that they had already rented a bar for the evening. He also learned the bar in question belonged to one of the other workers brothers. Learning it was Donnie Vinci's brother's bar he was hesitant to try and postpone. Not wanting to anger Donnie the likely replacement for the old foreman, Parker agreed to make the final arrangements and ensured them the party would go on as planned. He also went on to learn what else the men were expecting. They had been promised by their former foreman that each man would get two rounds of drinks paid for. They had also been promised some female entertainment for the evening would be provided.

Parker a good church going man had his idea of what female entertainment would be, and assumed that the men on the phone shared this definition. Parker and his wife had got rid of their TV when they got pregnant with their first child. The couple spent most of their free time committed to their children involved with the PTA the church and other family activities. To Parker he needed a cocktail waitress or a female lounge singer.

He had never hired a cocktail waitress or entertainer for that matter and wasn't sure where he was going to find one on such short notice. He hadn't even had time to look into it before the party so this deal with Ray and Debra would work out great for him.

Parker a generally good and moral man had made deals like this and paid for these parties before but had never attended the party's his company paid for. He always had someone from the group set up what their people wanted telling them how much he was willing to spend and just paid the bill. But things had fallen through on this deal. Now he had to throw everything together at the last minute. Parker occasionally wondered just what went on at these parties, but never really wanted to know.

Ray and Debra had no idea why Bill Parker had anything to do with a party like this, but now here they stood.

Debra had known when she got the call early that afternoon wanting to know her measurements and sizes that things would be bad. Now here they found themselves having this stranger tell them what he had promised his men. Worst was what was expected of them as he tried to hand Debra her outfit for the night. Debra looked at it but refused to take it from his hand. She eyed the skimpy french cabaret dancers outfit he held out for her with disgust. Disgust not so much with the outfit, it was a nice looking costume and they had obviously spent a fair amount of money on it and the shoes but disgust with the idea she was supposed to strip out of it in front of a room full of strange men.

"Look I'll tell old Bill he needs to call the cops after all." He stated and then paused for it to sink in. "If that's what you want. He told me what you done." The now gruff stranger told them. "Way I hear it he has over forty witnesses saw you run down his wife" he stated looking at Debra. "and vandalize his property." He followed up with looking at Ray. "Guess he found out today you had been drinking last night little missy. Sure did get him mad. He said he would've had you arrested for sure if he knew that then. I told him it should be a no brainer for the prosecution to get a conviction on that one, he has plenty of witnesses. I don't think you all got a chance in hell of getting out of it if it went to the courts. At least the way I heard it." The stranger said shrugging at them as he turned and started to leave. "I told him I would get you all settled in and see to it the party got started without him when he told me about his wife. He's the one who gave me your number so I could pick out a costume for ya. Said you wasn't really a dancer, but he promised me you wouldn't give me or the fella's any problems. That's when he told me the story. Oh well, I'll let him know he'll get to send your asses to jail after all. To tell you the truth sounded like that's what he would have rather done anyway." He stated walking away.

Ray looked up at Debra his eyes pleading with her. She saw the tear in his eye and knew this was killing him. He stood looking at her his mouth open but silent

"Hey look I mean that's it right. Serve two shots and then a dance and that's it right?" Debra said shooting an evil glare at Ray. She knew this would still be better than having to call her in-laws to bail them out of jail.

Ray was in a state of panic hearing the stranger explain things to them he couldn't even register all the implications of what was being asked of them his mind awash with panic. Ray had reminded her earlier in the day about her drunk driving arrest not even a year ago. He had already pointed out she had drank a couple of long island ice tea's at the party and how that would surely come up in any investigation. But now knowing Parker knew it and was prepared to make it an issue, Debra knew she had no choice.

"Well if by dancing you mean stripping, and lap dances for those willing to pay then yea if not I'll be making that phone call." The stranger stated impatiently.

"No, No just wait. I uh ... I uh ... I can dance will uh ... strip but uhm..." Debra said foolishly looking back to Ray for help and seeing none. "We thought, or I would be willing to strip down to ... my uh bra and..." Debra started to say again taking a look at the custom in his hand and looking at her options. "Well the garter and oh well panties I guess." She said half-heartedly looking now to Ray for his approval. Ray nodded yes a little too anxiously, looking desperate. "But" she said loudly interrupting the stranger who had begun to say something. "I won't or eh can't do any lap dances or anything else,, you know like that. I mean I'm a married woman for god sakes." She saw the look on the strangers face and began pleading her case. "Jesus you can't be ... I,,,,, I am the mother to three! I'm thirty eight years old! These guys don't want me dancing" she started before he now interrupted her.

"Well first things first missy, I'm pretty sure you don't wear no bra with this get up and it would be up to the guys if they want you taking the garters off, ya understand?" He asked harshly. "As to the lap dances if they want um, if you're going to stay that is, you're gonna have to do 'em or whatever else cause that's what their expecting out of you. Well come on what's it gonna be their already showing up out there and their thirsty." He stated testily. When she didn't immediately answer him he got even louder and angrier. "Will what's it gonna be Godamnit? You doing this or do I need to send one of the boys to try and find someone else? You're really putting me in a pickle!"

Debra looked first at the floor then to Ray who looking quite beaten again nodded his consent reluctantly. "I'll do it but nothing more than what we've discussed." She stated firmly looking straight into the stranger's eyes. He nodded and she reached out for the outfit. "God I could use a drink." She said under her breath taking the costume from him. "What would you like?" he said in an understanding tone as he motioned for Ray to leave. "Parker wants you sitting by him so he can keep an eye on ya." He said holding the door open for Ray who was on crutches.

"A screwdriver please." Debra said watching Ray make his way out. "I'll let you get changed and get ya your drink. You can call me Chris." Said the stranger as he let the door close, following Ray out into the bar.

Debra now alone in the "Employee only" locker room locked the door with her trembling hands and looked around. The room consisted of three lockers on one side of the room with a couple of chairs in the middle surrounded by a bunch of junk cluttered around walls. The room looked more like a dump than a changing room she thought. Deciding the chairs had to be the cleanest place to leave her dress she reluctantly took it off and folded it up before placing it on a chair. She then took the lacy panties from the costume and slipping her shoes off removed the plan cotton white pair she had worn and slipped on the tiny black pair. These new panties not a thong really, more a small swath of lacy cloth on an elastic string. She had just started to take her bra off when an Exit door she hadn't even noticed at the back of the room opened and a young woman entered.

Debra almost screamed when the door opened but just stood there trying to cover herself in front of the other woman. "Excuse me I thought this was private." Debra said shocked by her presence.

"Oh you must be the whore they got for the night. You know your costing me a lot of money!" She said angrily. "I just stopped by this fucking place to get something out of my locker." She said staring Debra up and down. "What a shy hooker or stripper or ... whatever?" she asked noting Debra trying to cover herself.

"What?" Debra said confused by the other woman's fast and bitchy dialogue. "No. I am not a whore or stripper." She stated, insulted by the other woman's acquisition.

"Oh sorry they closed the bar tonight for some party Ted's brothers throwing and I'm a little pissed cause their doing it on the busiest night of the week. I need the money." The woman spat out quickly. "Well wait, who are you then? What you doing in here? This is for employees only?" she asked suspiciously then quickly followed with. "Oh your Ted's new squeeze? You can do better sugar." She stated never giving Debra a chance to answer. She continued on about her business opening her locker.

"No I, uhm, well my husband and I are ... Well I mean I have to..." Debra hesitated not knowing how to explain her situation to this stranger not wanting to talk about her situation with someone she didn't know. The younger woman looked back confused by Debra's response. She then saw the costume Debra had just picked up from the other chair.

"Lying bitch you are the stripper there's your outfit right there. I was here when they got back from buying it today?" She stated angrily.

"No I am not a stripper. I am,, a housewife. I mean I have to strip tonight but I don't want to. I have to. My husband and I we, uh well we had some problems and well, I have to uh, do this tonight to uh,, " Debra began to say almost crying as she said it aloud.

"Whatever you better hurry Bitch. The place is filling up fast." The woman said turning back to the locker still angry.

Debra knowing she did have to hurry took the garter belt off the hanger with the costume and quickly put it on sliding it up her legs. Still angry at Debra for taking her money from her the young woman had an idea grabbing the item she had come back to work to retrieve. "So you ain't no hooker or a whore huh? So is this your first time stripping?" The woman asked in a much kinder, gentler tone of voice, pulling out an unmarked prescription bottle.

"Yes I uh, have to, I really don't want to do this but there wasn't any other way." Debra started to explain pulling the nylons up her legs and clipping them to the belt.

"Sure, whatever." The other woman said turning to look Debra over again weighting her decision one last time in her mind before making her final decision and extending her hand to Debra. "Well then here if you want it, take one of these it will help you." She told Debra in a girlfriend like manner. "Especially if it's your first time out there. It'll keep you from, well stressin out." She told Debra nodding her head. "It's like an herbal concoction like an herbal valium. I swear by 'em! I couldn't make it thru a night out there without one. There's a lot a pressure on you when you waiting on like a couple hundred people ya know?" She said holding the pill out to Debra waiting for Debra to finish clasping the second nylon in place.

Debra eyed the pill for several seconds not listening to the woman's continuing praise for the little pill as she considered taking it. She was stressing out, and she did need something to calm her down. The capsule looked like it might be some type of herb or something. The pill was a clear capsule with a brownish powder inside and reminded her of the herbal tablets she took every morning or the herbal diet pills she had tried.

Debra thought most of the herbal stuff was bogus, but deciding if it helped it couldn't hurt she considered giving it a try. If she only knew then the pill was a designer drug made out of black market Valium, Ecstasy, Ruffies and a form of Woman's Viagra ground up with several other tabs, she would never have considered taking it. This woman almost seemed sympathetic to her now, and did say it was harmless. She was unaware how angry the waitress was about losing a night's wages or how she had misunderstood Debra's explanation and thought Debra and her husband just needed the money, as if they were the only people with money troubles.

"Look if you don't want it. I pay like 30 bucks a bottle." The woman stated shrugging at Debra. In truth she sold them for 10 dollars a tablet to customers of the bar, she got to keep five dollars for every one she sold.

Debra deciding it couldn't hurt took it from her and popped the huge pill in her mouth and swallowed. She then went back to getting ready taking off her bra and folding it up. She then placed it inside her dress with her panties she then stood back up just as the door to the room from the bar opened. Debra was shocked. She had locked that door, she was sure of it.

The stranger called Chris walked in and took in the sight of Debra topless. Debra quickly covered up her chest loudly asking. "Do you mind? I had that locked."

"Oh yea sorry locks broke that's what the bolt is for." The other woman stated pointing to a long bolt sticking out of the door molding next to an eye bolt in the door and another in the frame. "Got to use the poor man's lock around here. Have fun and good luck." she said walking out the exit door smirking at the poor woman. She knew full well the effects of the pill being a fan of them herself but only when she was alone with her boyfriend.

"Sorry it was open." Chris said nodding at the door. "Hey don't worry missy. Nothing there I won't see soon enough sugar." He stated raising his eyebrows at her noting the fact she was covering up. "Here's your drink. I told him to make it strong. Figured you might need it. Anyway you best hurry I think just about everyone's here and waiting on you so get out there." He said handing her the drink and leaving.

Debra walked over to the door and slipped the bolt thru the eye bolts before taking a couple of large sips from her drink. It was good, but strong. She stood there against the door wondering just what else she didn't know as she eyed the make shift lock before putting her drink down. She quickly slipped the costume on and got it just right. She then took a moment to figure out what the best way to strip it off would be when the time came. Just thinking about it gave her the chills and she took another long sip of her drink. The costume was really only a single piece. The dress and corset all one piece with the tiny skirt sown on the bottom. The corset zipped up the side with the string laced up the front used to tighten if needed.

She tightened the corset making sure not to make it too tight. Next she slipped into the four inch stiletto heels noting they felt a little tight and wondering just how much her feet would hurt by the end of the night.

She then pinned her top hat on and checked her hair and makeup in the dirty old cracked mirror on the back of the door. She knew she looked good but couldn't imagine going out in front of a large group of strangers dressed like this. Then a loud knock on the door almost scared her to death.

"Hurry up the boys are thirsty." She heard Chris on the other side of the door shout.

Deciding it would be best just to get this over with and unable to think of a way out of it she downed the rest of her drink and pulled on her elbow length gloves. She then took a deep breath before pulling the bolt from the door.

Stepping out into the bar Debra was shocked at the number of men there. A few less than fifty it felt like a thousand to Debra as she felt all eyes on her. The first round of applause and whistles startled her. She sure wasn't expecting it. They men sounded hungry and wild and it sent a cold chill down her spine and for the first time in the evening she felt truly scared. It all seemed so real to her now she hadn't known how it would be until that moment.

The lustful shouts, whistles and loud applause and foot stomping gave her an eerie feeling like she was in imminent danger of being physically assaulted at any minute. Chris took her by the arm just above the elbow length gloves that came with her costume and ordered her to take a bow. Reluctantly she did, all too aware how much cleavage she would be showing as she did. She felt every eyeball in the room on the top of her chest taking in the sight of her breast pressed up and together by the outfit.

Ray sat on the upper level of the bar having just finished his first drink when someone named Donnie delivered him another. He was waiting for Bill Parker to show up and gloat about his victory over Ray and his wife. He sat there thinking about asking someone for his crutches back, a little concerned this Chris person had walked off with them telling him he would put them someplace safe. To say Ray felt intimidated by Chris and the other men wouldn't be a stretch. They all looked like they could beat him to death physically and some had that look like the might even enjoy it. Ray's attention was then drawn to Debra by the deafening eruption when she walked out in her dainty little costume. Ray felt fear, now more for Debra than himself. The comments shouted at his wife so crude and uncalled for he knew he should put an end to this the minute he saw her in the costume and heard the men's reaction.