All the Right Strings

Chapter 3-2

The next day, Saturday, I had off as usual. So, late morning, I called her number.

“Well?”

“I’ve come up with a few questions. Can we talk?”

“Over the phone, or here?”

“Whichever you want,” I answered.

She was silent for a moment.

“Have you had lunch?” she asked.

“No, I haven’t.”

“Then we’ll go to lunch. Wear something nice.”

“Butch or fem?” I laughed.

She laughed, too. “It doesn’t matter as long as it’s a little dressy. It doesn’t have to be as dressy as a tuxedo, though.” She chortled happily. I loved that sound. “Give me your address. I’ll pick you up in an hour.”

I told her where I lived and the phone went dead.

I sighed. Dressy? What should I wear? I walked into my bedroom and opened the closet door. My closet was nothing like hers. What did I have that was dressy and comfortable? I had a few skirts, but that was what I wore to work. They were boring.

She hadn’t said where we were going. I pushed through my clothes and finally chose a salmon colored silk shirt, my black trousers and, as an afterthought, added a short gray linen jacket.

I added a little make-up and looked at myself in the mirror. Well, this was as good as it was going to get. If it turned her off, at least I hadn’t quit my job yet.

When I was ready, I went down and waited in the lobby. It was exactly an hour when the Mercedes Town Car pulled up out front.

Before I could get to the door, the driver had gotten out of the car, jogged to the door, and was holding it open for me.

“Hi,” I said. “We met at Platinum Boutique.”

“I remember,” he smiled. He beat me to the car and held that door for me, too.

“Thank you,” I said as I stepped into the limo.

“Good afternoon.” I smiled as I slid in beside her. She was wearing the dress I had picked out, along with three-inch heels that matched. She reached out and turned my head to her so we could kiss. I knew I was holding back. I didn’t know how to act in front of her driver.

“Don’t worry about Jack,” she told me, guessing my unease. “He’s been with me for years, and he’s very discreet. He’s been around the world with me. Haven’t you, Jack?” she called out.

Jack leaned his head back without taking his eyes off the road as he pulled into traffic. “Yes, Ms. Weldon,” he answered. “Through many adventures.”

“What do you think of this adventure?” she asked him.

“Very, very nice.” He turned his attention back to the road.

“There, see?” she said to me as she pressed my hand. “You’ve passed the first test. Jack has excellent taste in women. He’s never steered me wrong. So, come here and show me how much you’ve missed me.”

I leaned into her as the car moved into traffic, wrapped my arms around her and planted a big, passionate kiss on her lips.

“Ohhh…” she purred. “That’s just how I want you to miss me.”

I looked down in embarrassment.

“You are so sweet!” she said. “What did you want to talk about?”

I glanced at the front seat. Car laughed and pressed a button on the door. The window separating the driver from the passengers slid slowly up.

“I had some thoughts this morning. Why isn’t this prostitution?”

“Is that what’s bothering you?” Car looked at me. “Well, with prostitution there’s never an emotional involvement, for one thing. A prostitute works like a business. She doesn’t get involved. She does what’s requested. I don’t think we’ll be like that. We’re already a little emotionally involved, aren’t we?”

I nodded my agreement.

“I will pay you to be my personal assistant and take taxes out on that. That way the IRS won’t get suspicious. The remaining moneys will be in the form of gifts. Does that help?”

I nodded.

“Will I always just be with you? Or will you want me to entertain some of your friends?”

“Of course not! Entertain my friends?” She guffawed. “No. No, no, no! This will be an exclusive contract, you will not be with anyone else.”

“Will you?”

“Not if you make me as happy as the other night.”

I nodded.

“Do you always jump into relationships this quickly?”

“It wasn’t quick.” Car snickered. “I’ve been watching you for almost three months. You were attentive and respectful every time I came into the store, not cloying like some of the others. I knew when you were working, you know. That’s the only times I came in. I surprised no one ever noticed it.”

“Now you’re flattering me.” My face lit up. “There were some who were jealous because you waited for me to wait on you. I guess if we’d been working on a commission basis, a lot of the women there would have scratched my eyes out.”

Car laughed. “Then I’d have shopped somewhere else.”

“Why did you offer me a contract instead of just letting a relationship happen?”

She ran her hand down my face. “Because I didn’t want to share you with that store, for one thing.” Her voice was soft. “And I wanted you free so we could do things together.”

“Why this fast? You could have waited a while to make sure we’re compatible. I may have been so in love with you that I’d follow you anywhere.”

“Should I have risked that?” She shook her head. “I’m leaving for St. Lucia in a week and a half and I wanted to make sure you had time to get ready, because you are coming with me.” She reached to me and took my face between her hands and planted a kiss on my lips.

Okay, I’m ready, went through my mind. I’ll follow you anywhere.

Then she reached into her purse. “Will this help?” She handed me a copy of a contract she’d prepared. “Read it and see if you have other questions.”

I sat back and unfolded the papers.

Agreement Between Weldon Brokerage House and Christine Anthony, it read: Weldon Brokerage House agrees to employ Ms. Anthony for the term of six months as a Personal Assistant to C.D. Weldon, with a salary of seven hundred fifty dollars a week. ($750.00) If additional time is requested, Weldon Brokerage House will pay an additional wage as outlined below.

This is an exclusive contract. Ms. Anthony will not work for anyone else during that time and will not reveal any details of Weldon House’s business procedures. Any details of Weldon’s business that are revealed to Ms. Anthony will be held in the strictest confidence. If any part of Weldon House’s business dealings become known by anyone else due to Ms. Anthony’s actions, be it in error or by intention, the result will be an immediate termination of Ms. Anthony’s employment. This contract will also become void with no other moneys forthcoming beyond what has already been earned. If harm is done to either party, legal proceedings may be initiated.

“This contract is renewable by mutual agreement of both Weldon Brokerage House and Ms. Anthony for an additional six months, and will automatically be extended without further negotiation. Termination of this by either party must be in writing and preclude any subsequent contracts.

There was a chart below that read, Ten to twenty-four hours overtime: two hundred fifty dollars, ($250.00), Twenty-five to sixty-four consecutive hours: six hundred fifty dollars, ($650.00). Sixty-five consecutive hours and above: one thousand dollars ($1,000).

I turned the last page and took a deep breath.

“Well?” Car asked.

“I thought you said five hundred a week.”

She smiled. “I rethought it. You proved you’re worth more than five hundred on Thursday.”

I was silent for a moment while I thought through the contract. Finally I nodded.

“Okay. This could work.” I smiled at her.

“When do you want to sign it?”

“Tonight? I have to play at the museum tonight and tomorrow afternoon. When do you wish to start?”

“How long is the concert?” she asked.

“It isn’t a concert. It’s mood music while the museum-goers drink a little wine and look at the new exhibits. We play two sessions of about forty-five minutes each with a ten to fifteen minute break in between. So we’re there for about two hours.”

“Then I’ll come listen. Maybe we can initiate your contract starting at 12:01 on Sunday. Plan on staying the night.” Then she looked into my eyes. “Will you be able to play on Sunday after I wear you out?” She smirked at me.

“I guess we’ll find out.” I smiled back at her.

“And you’re coming to St. Lucia with me?”

I smiled. “That’s why we’re signing this contract. Once it’s signed, I’m yours. When would we leave?”

“A week from Wednesday. We’ll be there three, maybe four weeks. We can talk about your wardrobe next week.”

The car slowed down and Car looked up.

“Here we are.”

Jack pulled up in front of one of the swankiest restaurants in the city. I’d always looked at it but knew I couldn’t afford it. I guess those days were over for a while.

I held the door open for her as we entered the restaurant. And as we approached the front desk, the maître d’s smile lit up.

“Ms. Weldon!” he gushed. “It’s so nice to see you again. Your usual table?”

“Yes, thank you, Robert. How are you this week?”

“Quite well, thank you. And you?”

“Better every day,” she assured him. He glanced at me with a smile.

He picked up two menus and led us through the restaurant to a table by a window overlooking the beautiful fountains and topiary outside.

As we sat down, he turned to Car. “Your usual drink?”

When Car nodded, he turned to me. “And you, ma’am?”

“The same as Ms. Weldon, please,” I smiled.

“Certainly,” he said, and he was gone.

“Does everyone in the city know you?” I asked Car.

“Not everyone.” She grinned at me. “Just the important ones.”

I chuckled to myself. Then I took a deep breath. “I guess I need to know how you want me to treat you when we’re in public. Should I be aggressive or fade into the woodwork?”

Car thought for a moment.

“I think you’ll have to play it by ear, for a while. I want you to be comfortable and natural, but…I want to feel that I’m the most important thing in your life.”

“Well, you are!” I exclaimed as the waiter placed glasses in front of each of us. Car sat back and looked at me for a moment.

“You’ll be fine in this job,” she decided. She held her glass up and said, “Here’s to a new adventure.”

I tapped my glass to hers and said. “A new adventure.” We drank the toast.

Then, she looked me up and down. “I like that color on you,” she said. “We’ll have to get you a new wardrobe before we leave.”

“I have a few things. Don’t you like what I wear?”

“Some of it, but you’ll have to be much better dressed to go to St. Lucia. We’ll be running into all sorts of famous people. We’ll probably be invited to several cocktail parties.” She shook her head at what she was thinking. “Everyone throws a party aboard their yacht. It always seems to become a contest to see who can invite the most famous people. You’re not one of those groupies that goes manic if they meet someone famous, are you?”

I laughed. “No. I don’t faint or scream when I meet someone like that.”

“That’s good, because we’ll be rubbing elbows with a lot of them.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. I’m in awe of what some people have done but when you meet them, they’re just humans.”

Car joined me in the laughter. “When will you quit your job?”

“I’ll give them a one week notice on Monday, and I’ll have to tell the quartet that they need to find another cellist for a few weeks. Do you have any preference about what my reason for quitting is?”

“Just tell them you found another job that pays more and has better benefits. What you’re going to be doing is not anyone else’s business.” We both looked up when we felt someone standing beside the table.

“May I take your order?”

“Yes. I’ll have the lobster bisque and a small, green salad, vinaigrette on the side,” Car said.

Then the waiter turned to me.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, “I haven’t even opened the menu.”

“She’ll have the same as me,” Car said before I could look inside the large white folder.