Helping Jodi

"We do a lot of three-ways," Sly offered.

"Oh my God," I muttered. I had never heard of such a thing.

"Snooty people call it a ménage a trois," he said with a grin.

The fifth and sixth sets were occupied by couples screwing in awkward looking positions.

"Any questions?" Sly asked as we headed back to the office area.

"Just one," I replied, my curiosity getting the better of me. "Why were all the women wearing high heels?"

"Come-fuck-me shoes," he replied.

"What?"

"That's what they're called. Come-fuck-me shoes. The viewers expect to see them, so our directors insist on them."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I remained silent. And baffled. I didn't have much experience with sex, but wearing high heels in bed seemed really weird to me; or any other kind of shoes for that matter.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to work out back instead of up front?" Sly asked with a wide grin. "You are fuckin' gorgeous and you'll make a hell of a lot more money. I can keep looking for an ugly broad to run the office."

"Absolutely not," I said and meant it. "Nothing about that appeals to me. Thanks for the offer, but I'll run things for you in the office and that's all."

"Okay, but let me know if you change your mind," he said with another grin. "The offer is always open.

Not when my pregnancy begins to show, I thought to myself.

Reviewing the tour in my mind, I was shocked to the core by what I had seen, but I was not the least bit aroused. It seemed like should have been, so I concluded that any sexual urges I ought to have felt died with Rob. It was a sobering thought.

By Wednesday, most of the actors had found an excuse to swing through the office and check me out. The women were worried that I'd soon be competing with them for on-camera time. The men hoped I would be. Once I figured out what they were doing, I assured them that I was quite content to work in the office. The women were relieved, the men disappointed.

By Thursday, I had a handle on all the administrative functions that were not directly associated with the production and distribution of pornographic material.

On Friday I began going through files in the row of cabinets lining one wall of my office. All were stuffed with manila folders holding records that were mostly out of date. Some were ancient. I filled three large boxes with stuff that I thought ought to be shredded. Sly agreed and handed me a credit card.

"Keep that for office expenses," he told me. "Do whatever it takes to keep all that shit off my back. By the way, it's Friday, so what's your decision about staying?"

"I'll stick around," I told him with a smile. "From the looks of things you need all the help you can get."

"You don't know the half of it," he responded with a scowl.

****

By the end of the first month, Sly was so pleased with my work that he gave me a raise. I wondered what his reaction would be when my pregnancy became obvious. I had a little baby bump by then but was able to conceal it with carefully chosen clothing. I had already shifted my wardrobe to more professional attire in order to discourage the male actors from hitting on me. When my pregnancy became obvious, I knew they'd back off.

The raise was enough for me to seriously consider getting my own place. My aunt had been solicitous since Rob's death, but I knew that both of us would be happier if I went out on my own.

I was having lunch on a Friday with Janna, when I mentioned my desire to get an apartment. We were both sitting around my desk.

"You're in luck," she tells me through a mouthful of the salad she'd brought to work. There is a one-bedroom furnished unit available in my apartment complex. It's only a couple of miles from here. The apartment is in the building directly across the parking lot from mine. They're nice places. The prices are reasonable, and I know the manager. If you like, I'll give him a call."

"Thank you very much!" I responded enthusiastically. "I really appreciate it."

Janna reached across, grabbed my desk phone, and punched in a number. She had a brief conversation and then covered the mouthpiece. "Can you meet me tomorrow at ten o'clock?" she asked.

"Sure."

"We'll see you tomorrow at ten. Thanks Tom."

"You're all set. If you like the place, it's yours. Tom owes me a favor or two."

I didn't dare ask why.

By Sunday evening I finished moving into my new place. Aunt Barbara gave me a hug after I loaded the last of my things into the Camaro.

"Don't be a stranger," she told me. "And let me know if there is anything I can do to help you through your pregnancy. And afterward with the baby too," she added.

She sounded sincere, which surprised me. My aunt had been married and divorced years before but never had kids. I hoped she meant it because I was sure I'd need a little help from time to time. I returned the hug, jumped behind the wheel, and waved as I drove off.

****

I could no longer hide my pregnancy. I was in my fifth month and beginning to show unless I wore a Mumu, which wasn't my style. Sly took it in stride. The male actors began keeping their distance, but most of the women closed ranks around me. No one yet knew I was a widow. I had decided to keep that to myself as long as possible.

I couldn't avoid it for very long.

"How old are you?" Sly asked a day or two after he became aware of my condition.

"I'm nineteen. I won't be twenty until May," I replied.

"Jeez, I assumed you were much older. You act a lot older."

"Thank you," I responded with a smile. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"So who's the father," he asked in his usual blunt manner. "Is the guy still around, or did he split."

I took a deep breath and told him about Rob. Sly was visibly upset, which caused me to tear up a little. I had done a good job of keeping my feelings hidden, but any kindness tended to set me off.

"Oh, shit. That really sucks. I am so sorry," he said, his voice tinged with concern and I began to cry in earnest. A crying female makes most men uncomfortable but Sly reacted differently, taking my hand and making soft soothing murmurs. Within a minute or so I pulled myself together.

"Thanks for the shoulder," I told him, "but please keep this to yourself."

"Certainly," he responded as he patted my hand.

But of course Sly blabbed to everyone. Within a day or two, all the actors payed me a visit and declared that they were in my corner all the way. Suddenly I felt like I had more family than just my aunt.

****

By the time I was near my due date, I knew I had reached my objective. I was indispensable to the studio. Sly payed no attention to the day-to-day workings of the office, leaving everything to me. I received my second raise and it was substantial enough for me to quit my job at the department store. For the first time since Rob's death, I had some extra time on my hands and I was no longer obsessed by his absence. I still missed him like crazy but I was thrilled to be carrying his child and time no longer weighed so heavily on my mind.

I arrived at work on what I suspected was my last work day before giving birth. I was late by a couple of hours because of a prenatal appointment. My doctor had told me the baby could arrive at any time.

As I entered the building, a loud cheer of 'Surprise!' almost made me deliver on the spot. All the employees of the studio were crammed into my office with big grins on their faces. Janna grabbed me by the hand, led me into the center of the room, and gave me a hug as best as she could with my extended belly. Then Sly stepped up and put his arm around my shoulders.

"I have something to tell you and something to show you," he said. "When I'm done, the ladies are giving you a baby shower and us guys are going to go drink beer somewhere," he added.

"As soon as the baby is born," he continued, "you are on paid maternity leave for four weeks. The girls have all volunteered to take turns holding down the fort while you're gone."

I was dumbfounded by his announcement. I had assumed that I would be off until the baby was old enough for day care. I had more than enough money to cover the gap in pay, but daycare would be a continuing financial burden.

"And now," he said in a dramatic voice as he pointed toward the small alcove that served as a waiting area for visitors, "behold!"

One of the male actors snatched a bedsheet out of the hands of two cameramen who had been holding it up to obscure my view. When I saw what was in the alcove, I covered my face with my hands and burst into tears.

The furniture in the waiting area had been removed. In its place were a crib, a playpen, and a changing table.

"Daycare is expensive," Sly announced. "When you're ready to come back to work, bring the baby with you. We don't get many visitors anyway. This will put the space to better use."

"I...I...don't know what to say," I managed to choke out.

"A simple thanks will do," he said with a wide grin as he pulled me close and kissed me on the cheek.

"Oh, thank you. Thank you so much!" I sobbed.

"Okay, that's it. Let's go guys. We're outta here," he announced. "Janna is in charge for the rest of the day."

For the next hour the women treated me to a wonderful shower. When the party broke up and the gifts were loaded into my Camaro, I gave each of the girls a hug and promised to keep everyone up to speed on how I was doing. Waving goodbye, I went straight to my aunt's house. She had insisted that I move back in with her to await the baby's arrival and to remain there until I felt comfortable returning to my apartment.

Three days later and a couple of months past my nineteenth birthday; I gave birth to a six pound, nine ounce baby girl. It was a textbook delivery; short labor, easy birth, and early release from the hospital. I named her Jodi.

Jodi turned out to be a model baby, rarely fussy and usually sleeping through the night. I recovered quickly and, within a week, returned to my apartment. All the women, some of the guys, and Sly paid short visits to meet Jodi and to assure themselves that I was doing okay. Two weeks later, I decided to return to work with Jodi in tow.

Everything quickly returned to normal at the studio. The women had done a good job keeping up with the administrative work so everything was in order. Jodi adapted easily to her new daytime environment. She was the center of attention with the ladies for a while and then her presence became routine. All was well.

****

I had known since my first week on the job that the other room in the hallway leading back to the studio area contained nothing but file cabinets, each with a locking bar and a padlock. Early on, I asked Sly what was in the cabinets and was told not to worry about them; they contained nothing of an administrative nature. I got the hint; their contents were none of my business.

By the time Jodi was six months old and I was feeling secure about my importance to the company, my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to push the issue a little.

"Sly, what's in those locked cabinets?" I asked him one Friday afternoon just before quitting time.

"Curiosity killed the cat, you know," he said with a grin.

"Yeah, I know, but satisfaction cured him," I responded with a grin of my own.

"Okay. You win," he said as he reached in a desk drawer, pulled out a key, and tossed it to me. "This is a master key that fits all the locks. Guard it with your life. Open the cabinets whenever you like, but make sure you lock everything up when you're through snooping. I can't wait to see your reaction," he added with another grin.

"I'll take a peek sometime next week," I told him as I retreated to my office. Before leaving for the weekend, I put the key on the ring with all my other keys.

Jodi and I had a busy Saturday and Sunday, so Monday morning arrived quickly. The contents of the locked cabinets had been nagging at me a little throughout the weekend. When I arrived at work, I found a note on my desk that told me Sly was off at a meeting somewhere and would not be back until lunchtime.

Seizing the opportunity, I picked a cabinet at random, opened the lock, and set the bar aside. When I pulled open the first drawer, I was confronted by dozens of DVDs, neatly arranged and carrying the logo of our studio. I opened the other drawers and found much the same thing. Then I unlocked the remaining cabinets to find a mixture of DVDs, VHS tapes, and even some old reel-to-reel films. Two of the cabinets held videos from other studios.

"Holy shit," I said aloud. "I've just found the mother lode of porno flicks."

It only took me a few minutes to realize that the contents of the file cabinets were well organized; at least as far as our studio productions were concerned. They were filed in chronological order by release date. I grabbed a small handful of the more recent videos, most of them featuring performers who were now my friends.

As I was scrutinizing the photos on the DVD box covers, the door opened and in walked Sly. He barked out a short laugh.

"Ha!" he exclaimed. "My meeting ended early and I win the bet I made with myself."

"What bet," I inquired with a smile.

"I predicted that you'd be into these cabinets first thing this morning," He responded, grinning at me.

"How many of these things have you made?" I asked, waving the movies in the air and ignoring his obvious pleasure at catching me in the act.

"Hundreds," he answered, "and we are a relatively small studio. Are you sure you don't want to work out back?"

"Positive." We'd had the same conversation a hundred times already. Sly knew I wasn't interested, but he felt obliged to keep asking just to needle me.

"Well, feel free to take a few of them home with you from time to time. Or if things are slow here, watch them on your computer."

"I'll take you up on that offer. Believe it or not, I've never watched a porno movie."

"You're shittin' me!" he exclaimed, genuinely shocked.

"Nope."

"Well, maybe you'll get turned on by them and change your mind about becoming our next megastar," he said with another grin.

"I may get turned on, but it'll be in private, and I'm not going to change my mind," I replied with a grin of my own.

"Oh well," he responded with an exaggerated sigh.

"What's the story on the ones from the other studios?" I asked, changing the subject.

"I try to keep tabs on what the other outfits are up to and I'm always looking for talent to poach."

****

I decided to learn more about the industry that employed me, so I locked everything up and slipped my selection into the oversized bag I used as a purse, determined to watch them that night after dinner.

Later in the evening, after putting Jodi down for the night, I selected one of the videos and stuck it into my DVD player. The box for that one featured our petite brunette actress with the splendid body and the guy with the tattoos. I paused for a moment, undecided if I should proceed. I had gotten to know these people and I felt like I was invading their privacy. Then it dawned on me that porn stars gladly relinquish their privacy. They want people to watch them perform. I hit the play button.

From what I had seen on my tour of the studios right after starting the job, I didn't have high expectations. But I was pleasantly surprised. The editor had done a pretty good job. The sex scenes were nicely done and the little brunette appeared to really like what was happening to her. Clearly the guy was enjoying himself. The only distractions were the high heels and some of the uncomfortable looking positions they were using.

Two things happened as I watched. The woman appeared to have several genuine, screaming orgasms and I felt, for the first time since Rob's death, a stirring between my thighs. The sensation was delicious and I quickly gave in to my urge to masturbate. I was out of practice but, like riding a bike, it all came back to me quickly. Parting my labia with one hand, I scooped up some of the abundant lubrication I was producing with the other and began to gently manipulate my clit.

Unexpectedly, my body began to shudder and I let out a sharp cry of release. It was my first orgasm in well over a year, the last one provided orally by Rob the night before his departure for the Middle East. A minute or so later I recovered enough to watch my pretty brunette friend smile up at her partner as he withdrew to ejaculate onto her stomach and breasts.

His withdrawal and ejaculation was the last thing I expected to see. I did not yet know that most porno movies were highly formulaic; minor foreplay, male and female oral sex, intercourse in awkward positions designed specifically for camera angles, and masturbatory ejaculation at the end.

The remainder of my evenings that week followed a similar pattern; prepare my dinner, spend time with Jodi, feed her, get her ready for bed, and finally put her down for the night so I could watch more pornographic movies. Although I quickly found the video sequence repetitive, the performers did well enough to keep me aroused throughout the evening until I treated myself to an orgasm before falling asleep. I enjoyed myself immensely.

While watching my final movie of the following weekend, one that featured Janna and two of the better looking guys with impressive cocks, I noticed something odd. After pausing the video to confirm my suspicions, I restarted the movie so I could finish masturbating. As I drifted off to sleep, I decided to talk to Sly in the morning.

****

"Sly, you've got a problem," I announced as I entered his office with the video in hand.

"I do? How so?"

Sly had a lot of video equipment in his office for obvious reasons. I crossed the room, inserted the disc into a DVD player, and turned on a large screen television. Fast forwarding to the place I wanted, I stopped the action.

"What do you see?" I asked him.

"Janna facing the camera," he responded with a wide grin. "Isn't she a knockout?"

"Look closer. What do you see?"

"Gorgeous face, great legs, great tits, and a nice bush. What is this, a quiz?"

"No. I'm trying to make a point," I answered. "Come closer to the screen."

Sly got up from his desk chair, circled around to the big screen, and peered intently at Janna's image.

"Look at her knees," I prompted.

"Oh. What the hell is that?"

"Dirt."

"How did she get dirt on her knees?" he asked, truly puzzled.

I backed up the video for a few seconds and then restarted it. Janna was kneeling in front of a sofa where one of the guys was reclined. She had his cock in her mouth. Moments later, she removed the organ, gave it a couple of vigorous strokes, and grinned as he shot cum into the air. When he was depleted, she rose to her feet and faced the camera while the second guy moved up behind her to cup her breasts.

"I don't get it," Sly said. "So she gave Eric a blow job and then jerked him off. No big deal."

"She was on her knees, Sly. That's where the dirt came from."

"You mean the floor is dirty?"

"That's exactly what I mean. I came in early this morning and went out to the studio..."

"Changing your mind?" he interrupted with a grin.

"...to look around. The floors in the movie sets are filthy," I continued, ignoring him.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do about it?"

"We need to hire a cleaning service to come in once a week. And we need a linen service as well. I wouldn't touch some of those sheets with rubber gloves."

"Are you out of your mind?" he yelled. "That'll cost a fuckin' fortune!"

"Whose Ferrari is parked in your spot?"

"Mine, of course. You know that. What's your point?"

"If you can afford to drive a Ferrari, you can afford cleaning and linen services," I answered.

"Goddammit! I hired you to run the office, not to go snooping around the sets looking for problems," he spat with a frown.