From Jenny to Mei Ch. 26

Some mournful song about love and lonely nights played on as they slowly rolled up the ramp to the Bay Bridge.

'I want to fuck my father, or actually, I want my father to fuck me, which, of course, means love me, which is totally fucked up and so completely understandable. If that prick just loved me, my life would have been so much easier. If he would have just been sweet and normal and died, at like, forty five, I'd probably be married with a kid now, all domestic and gentle. Might have stayed in Casper and fallen in love with what's his name, that football player I did.' Then she considered, 'And never met Philip... never became his sex slave, never had a dick up my ass and a machine that fucked my lights out. Not to mention a black Amex.' Maybe being abandoned by her father wasn't the worst thing that could have happened to her.

'But what am I going to say to Philip? What if I fall in love with Alan's dick? I mean, it's awfully persuasive. I'm a dick girl, after all. Love me some dick. Not that Philip's isn't magic, totally magic the way he just keeps me going the way he does and I could never get my kink on with Dr. K. I mean, he'd look like Santa with a horse whip in one hand and a ball gag in the other saying, 'I don't want to hurt you, Mei.'

She chuckled to herself and noticed Cowboy giving her a glance in the mirror.

'But what do I do if I go overboard? And what is overboard? Once a day can't be overboard, not as long as I can take care of Philip. If I can take care of both of them, give them what they need, take away their stresses and semen? So once a day for both shouldn't be any problem.'

That was when her mind started to wander. She introduced more people into her scenario and thought about sex as a kind of nursing. She could care for Karla, and maybe give Eric, her personal trainer, a relaxing fuck or two.

The cold water of the bay, tempestuous in the stiff breeze, kicked up whitecaps that seemed to warn her of trouble ahead. Yet, heedless of the danger, she looked out on the cold, gray water and let scenes of her life as a slut play before her. 'Maybe a day for each? Maybe I could just have five homes, commit my whole day to pleasing each for a day and then take a taxi to the next guy's house? Just fuck them for hours then get up and clean the place after a nice nap? That would be heaven. I could even open it up for new applicants, like Ai's life as a whore, but with a twist. They would get a semi-permanent, one day a week girlfriend. We could even have an agency, like, seven girls who just cycle through ten or so guys, with trade-ins and substitute girls. A subscription service! Great idea! Pay one monthly fee and have three girlfriends on rotation. What guy wouldn't love that?! What girl wouldn't be happy?'

'THUMP!'

Mei's head nearly hit the roof and she thought she could feel Dr. K's semen trying to lurch back into her throat.

"Jeez!... sorry. Didn't notice that pothole."

It jerked her out of her daydream, one that, now that she wasn't in it, made her face flush with shame.

'God, I'm such a slut. Here I am, slave to the most handsome, wonderful man in the world and I want more. Stupid bitch. Stupid, stupid, bitch. It's Dr. K and that's it and only until his son is dead and buried. Then I'll tell him we've got to find him a new girl. I've got earn my love for Philip and if that means never having another man, then that's what it means.'

"You know," she said to Cowboy, "I lived in Casper for almost five years?" She wanted to run from the fantasy so she engaged the driver.

"Lovely town, Casper."

"It was hell. I went to Kelly Walsh High School. I was a Trojan," she said with a chuckle. "I really thought they were just condoms, you know. Thought the mascot was just a guy's rubber until someone told me."

"What were you doing living there?"

"Mom worked as a nurse at Rocky Mountain Family Medicine."

"Nice."

"Eh."

The remainder of the ride to Philip's house was taken up with discussions of hometowns and stories while Mei Chun tried to avoid feelings of guilt.

##########

Ai's cell phone, charging in the cradle in Philip's old white Range Rover, began making the sound of a bouncing ball. The name 'Petra' presented itself on the screen.

"High school friend at college in Maryland," Ai said from the passenger seat.

As he reached for the phone, Ai said, "Introduce yourself as Philip, Philip, Philip."

He touched the button, brought the phone to his ear and said, "Hi, Petra." After a moment's hesitation in which Ai's friend presumably said, "Who's this?" He introduced himself as requested.

"Oh," she said, "Mr. Perfect. Are you taking care of my high school pal?"

"Doing my best, yes."

"Is she there?"

"Yes, she's sitting next to me in the car. We're on the way home from her mother's house."

"Dinner with the folks so soon?"

"I'm on the fast track, it seems."

"Sex yet?"

"I'll let Ai discuss that with you. How's school?"

"I'll tell you what I told her. I don't know you but if you break her heart I'll hunt you down and club you to death."

"That's nice."

"Really. She's the sweetest girl I know, and ..." She was about to laud Ai further, then remembered, "she said you have another girlfriend."

"Did she, now?"

"Yes. Is it true?"

"Yes, I suppose it is."

A momentary, stunned silence was her reply.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I love Ai, Petra."

"Everyone loves Ai. You can't love both of them."

"I used to think so too, but..."

"Just like a man! Let me talk to her."

"She's studying. Guess she wants us to get to know one another. How's Goucher?"

Philip, with a cringe, realized, as did Ai, that he wasn't supposed to know anything about Petra, but in his eagerness to change the subject of his complicated arrangement had let his caution lapse. Fortunately, Ai didn't seem to have caught the slip.

"Don't deflect," was her answer. "Who are you gonna dump, and the answer had better be the right one."

"I'm not dumping anyone. I told you. I love Ai. Like, love as in there is no time limit."

"And the other tramp?"

"Ai's not a tramp."

"I meant..."

"I know, I'm playing with you. I love Mei Chun, too. If that's too unconventional for you..."

"So you're gonna date both of 'em?"

"We live together."

"Lemme talk to her."

"Still studying, I'm afraid."

"I'm FaceTiming!"

"I'm driving."

"Tough shit."

In moments her phone made the chime and Philip mounted it to the dashboard holder. An image of a pretty, if a bit pudgy, young woman appeared on the screen.

"Ai, what the fuck?" she said.

"Isn't he handsome?" she said, echoing the observation she had provided her mother a couple of hours ago.

"I don't care if he's Justin Timberlake, he's a two timer."

"Yeah, and?"

"He's... he's.."

"He's dreamy," Ai said, visibly fawning.

"And what about Dreamy's girlfriend? She know about you?"

"Yeah, we live at his house. She's awesome - you'd love her. Cute Chinese chick who is, like, super cool. We're like sisters already."

"He's probably married with, like, three kids. He's old enough to be your dad!"

"If my dad started, like, real young, I guess. So, what's your point?"

"Oh, Ai. You're so... "

"Yes?"

"So... delicate."

"Delicate? Me? Pick another."

"So, I don't know, so... inexperienced."

"Nope, try again."

"So..."

Philip interjected, "She's so beloved. Isn't that what you are saying, Petra? That you treasure her so much that you can't stand the idea of her being injured. That you would rather suffer a heartbreak yourself than see her disappointed and hurt."

"Right," she said after a pause that showed she didn't appreciate his insight into how she felt, "what he said."

He realized that her parents had named Ai well. 'Tender beloved,' was what Ai meant in Vietnamese, and it fit her perfectly. He would have named her Sophia if it were his choice; wisdom personified, and with a flash of what felt like foreknowledge, thought it would be a good name for their daughter.

"So, um, Petra. You know I like girls, right? I mean, I didn't keep that a secret. I mean, I gave you enough hints, like at summer camp that time?"

Philip saw the girl's eyes widen a bit and her mouth noticeably slacken.

"So, Mei Chun and I really have no problem with it. In fact..."

"Don't tell me more, Ai. Ok? I mean, TMI, ok?"

"Don't get like that, P. I've never kept secrets from you. I know you're kinda freaked out, but it's good. I'm happy. I've found the man for me. Be happy."

Petra went silent for a moment and Philip took the opportunity to look over at Ai. She seemed mildly concerned but, he felt, not for herself or what her friend might think of her.

"It's your life, Ai," she sighed, "I hope you know what you're doing."

"I do."

"And you! Philip, Philip, Philip. The warning is still valid. Clubbing to death is a bad way to go."

"I'll lend you the bat," he said.

"Bye, Ai," Petra said, sounding thoroughly displeased, and closed the session.

They rode in silence for a while as the streets of South Oakland trundled by outside.

"Go ahead," she said, not sounding perturbed but not anxious to hear what he had to say either.

"I dug through your phone and read your emails."

"Um hmm."

"I'm sorry."

"Um hmm."

"Angry?"

"No."

"Disappointed?"

"You're a blackmailer."

"You didn't know that at the time."

"At the time you did it? No. But I knew it before I learned you did it. Which is what you meant. And when?"

"That first time you came over. I took your phone while you were on your second orgasm."

"Oh?" The idea was pleasant to her. She remembered how she felt about him then and to have him return her interest by violating her privacy was sexy and heartwarming.

"It's how I learned... at least I had a glimpse of you as the person you are. I wish I didn't do it because I should have given myself the chance to find out on my own."

"That's what has me..."

"Disappointed?"

"Yeah, I guess. Like missing the beginning of a movie or something. But if it was what had to happen so that you saw me as a person and not a whore then I'm grateful. In fact, now that I think of it, it had to happen that way. See the logic?"

"Um..."

"You do see it, right?"

"Yeah, in a way, I guess I do."

"Ain't Destiny a cool bitch? She's always surprising you, y'know? Even takes something like that and uses it the way she wants."

"So, destiny, then?"

"You have doubts?"

"If she's brought you into my life then I owe her."

"Yep, and she collects, too. No escaping Destiny."

"I liked her," he said, referring to Ai's friend, which she picked up on.

"Petra's a sweetheart. But she was serious."

"Clubbing me to death?"

"Yep. She's, like, the most male girl I've ever known. Which is kinda funny. She'd make the perfect dyke but hasn't figured that out yet."

He wrinkled his nose, "She was kinda cute, in a way."

"Dykes can be cute."

"Really? Never knew that. I always pictured them shaving in the mirror."

"A dyke can marry a guy you know."

"Really? Do tell."

"Yeah, well, if he's mostly girl then it works out fine. And god knows there's enough of 'em out there these days."

The tone of her voice made it clear that girlymen were not Ai's favorite subspecies.

"Anyway, she's not all male. She's got a sweet side, so for the right man she'd turn to pudding."

He noticed her sly grin that seemed to make her side of the car twice as bright as his.

"I'm not fucking your high school girl crush, Ai."

"By Thanksgiving you'll fuck anyone I tell you to."

##########

Karla found Tim lounging before the TV in the suite, a basketball game on, his feet on the coffee table, drinking a beer.

"You've made the transition to luxury quite easily, haven't you?" she said.

"Yeah," he replied, not taking his eyes from the screen. "How was your day?"

She set the large envelope on the coffee table and slid out the stock certificate from between the cardboard protecting it and showed it to him. "Move your feet," she said, and, holding it gingerly with her fingertips, set it out on the table.

"What's that?"

"It's six hundred thousand dollars."

"What?"

"It's my shares in Nox Spaworks."

"Wow." He looked at the ornate piece of paper. "A million shares? So he put up a fucking million dollars?"

"Yeah, I told him it was too much. Like, way too much, but then, when he dropped me off, Ai came up to get me and... He wants to rent the clothing store... you know the one in my building.

"The...?" He was trying to recall.

"The big one on the corner... two floors?"

"Jesus. You could put a Target in that space. But... that's..."

"Right, too big but he said we needed a flagship store. Oh... and he bought a penthouse condo, the whole thirteenth floor of this place by the bay. Ai said it was your love nest."

"Holy fucking Christ." He put his beer down and shut off the TV with the remote. "Has he lost his mind?"

"I think the whole thing with Mei and now Ai has him spending for the first time. I think he's kind of like got a lot of pent-up giving inside. He wants me to start a whole chain of massage salons."

She was grinning, he was looking at her open-mouthed, then he started laughing.

"I know..." she said, laughing too.

"Oh my god..."

"I know... It's crazy but I don't think we should question him too much about it."

"And he's going to finance the expansion too?"

"I guess. He said a million wouldn't be enough."

"Jesus, guys with money!"

They couldn't help but feel like they'd won the lottery. It changed everything and Tim, ever the accountant, took stock and realized that she could, or quite possibly would, be the top earner in their family. He started to envision a nice house in the suburbs and two cars and making partner one day. But still, hanging like those deadly clouds over Egypt in The Ten Commandments, there was this feeling that it was too good to be true, that something else was out there waiting until he was committed that would spoil everything.

"And he wants to take us to Paris."

She realized immediately that she spoke too soon, had let the excitement of the moment dull her judgment. She had meant to wait until just after he came and tell him when his head would be full of endorphins and his cock still inside her. But it was out now.

"He what?"

"Wants to take Mei, Ai and me to Paris for ten days or so." She tried to sound light about it but her enthusiasm shone through.

"And you want to go?"

"Of course I want to go. Who wouldn't?"

"And I have to stay here."

"Look around you, honey. This is better than our place." Again, instantly, she understood it was the wrong comparison. It reminded him that this was all Philip's doing.

His countenance changed. "He's stealing you away from me, Karla."

"No."

"Yes, that's what he's doing. He's just tossing around his money and seducing you with it... and it's working."

"That's not it, Tim. Listen, you told me you got along with him last night. That you had fun and understood him a little."

"Now I see what he's doing."

"I'm not going to turn this down, Tim. I have a chance to start something. I have a chance to own a spa. Ten spas, for god's sake, and I'm not going to pass that up."

"Not for me?"

"Oh please. Holy shit, you're going to shack up in a penthouse apartment with any whore you want and it's all paid for. He's even going to put ten thousand fucking dollars in an account for you that you can't drain, all to keep your dick wet and happy."

"That's not my idea," he said, on the defensive, "that's how he's trying to use his money to split us apart."

"He doesn't need to do that."

"What does that mean?"

"I like him. He's a nice guy. I'm fucking his girlfriend, for Christ's sake."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Tim," she explained exasperatedly, "if he wanted to fuck me he could have already."

Anger burned in his gaze. "You bitch!"

She looked back at him with contempt.

"You fucking bitch. You fucked him already, haven't you?"

"No." She turned her head, seeing herself naked and masturbating for Philip on the patio of the Mandarin Oriental.

"Look at me..."

"... I didn't fuck him."

"Blow job."

"... No... he wouldn't let me."

"So you wanted to!? You cunt!"

"Tell me you didn't want to fuck Mei Chun last night. Go on!"

"That was different."

"How?"

"You were there and your mouth was around her pussy."

'Yeah,' she thought, 'that did make a bit of a difference.' She tried a different tack. "What does it matter anyway? You knew this was the deal. You get to fuck any woman you want and I get to have fun with Mei Chun. And I get to start my spa."

"I don't want it."

"Frankly, Tim, you don't get to make that decision."

Tim realized he was at a fork in the road. That the next words out of his mouth would change the rest of his life. If he blew up now, told her to fuck off and stormed out she would go with Philip, probably run to his place tonight and jump in bed with them and he'd never see her again. If he could just swallow his anger and get control of himself he would at least have time to think and maybe come to terms with it all. On the one hand was his pride like an angry welt on his heart, and on the other his future and his girl. He looked up at her.

What Karla saw was mostly anger but beneath it she saw Tim as she never had before. As a confused little boy with a broken toy in his lap pleading for his mommy to fix it. It was at the boy she looked at now and her heart broke.

"Tim," she said, her voice soft. She got to her knees in front of him, "Tim, honey, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I love you."

She was making it easy for him, easy to step back.

"We have so much to look forward to. The spa, if I can make it work, would mean such a difference to our lives in the future. We could get married and have kids. You could start your own firm if you wanted to. I know it's hard for you. I am sorry about that. If I could turn the clock back and never have met her I think I might do that, but it's too late. We have to make the best of the now that we find ourselves in. I want you to come with me. I don't want you to leave me. I want your kids for god's sake, Tim."

"I don't know, Karla."

She wisely didn't speak.

"I don't know if I can play second fiddle to a billionaire. I can't compete with him, honey, and you're going to fall in love with him and he's going to use you and forget you and I won't be there for you to run back to. I have pride, honey. Maybe not much but I do have some."

"You still have a deal with him. A promise."

"With you in Paris? With him buying you clothes and jewelry? You've admitted you wanted it."

"I want you, Tim, and if he's promised not to touch me, then I won't touch him. I mean that. And anyway, you have to trust me."

"I trusted you not to seduce girls at work, too."

"Don't nitpick."

"What kind of life is it going to be, honey? You fucking him and that Korean girl and me in some penthouse fucking whores. I mean, alternative arrangements are one thing, but it's just too much."

"Listen," she put her hands on his knees, "I've already betrayed you with Mei Chun, I know that. Why don't you get a few girls first? Make it even. Let the month go by and see how you like it. I know you love me, honey, and I don't mind you having fun. Especially since we don't have to pay for it. If this were coming out of your salary it would be a different story." She gave a hint of a small smile. His face remained fixed. "It's a fucked up arrangement, I agree. I have no idea if it will work, but I want to try, sweetie." She squeezed his knees and he looked into her eyes. "There is something inside me. Something I was afraid of before and it's coming to the surface. I feel this sexual strength now and I want to see what kind of person I am."