Releasing the Slut Within

CHAPTER 4

Orion was pleased, telling Starre Helen had really bucked up when Starre arrived. That was true but Starre knew that would be short-lived. She'd had a couple of girlfriends who'd suffered mild depression. She faced hard work and uncomfortable times.

Actually that proved to be an over-read of the situation. The first thing she tried to get Helen to focus was on naming the baby. She'd had a scan and was told to expect a girl.

Wisely Starre didn't download lists off names off the Internet. She sat beside Helen in bed holding hands and they came up with names from memory, spending several days at it and by then the new names or repeated names were down to no more than a dozen an hour.

When Orion arrived home Starre would walk for miles or go to a movie to leave Helen to go over with Orion the lists of favored names Orion had composed that day. Finally one evening when Starre returned for dinner two happy faces greeted her. Helen said, "We have complete agreement, sealed with kisses. The name is to be S-t-a-r."

Starre almost reeled in horror. "Oh how could you give a baby such a ridiculous name although at least you have spelt it correctly?"

Helen and Orion laughed and in less than a minute Starre laughed along with them. She wasn't surprised that Helen awoke next morning back into a black mood. Orion went off to work looking rather moody himself so when the maid arrived Starre worked at Orion's laptop and phone and ordered catalogues and used her credit card to have them delivered by express courier. Over the next week she tired Helen looking through the thirty-two catalogues of nursery décor and furniture, toys and clothing for baby girls.

Helen began sleeping during the day and all night and slowly her coloring improved, her mood swings lessened to such an extent that Orion arrived home one evening to find her up and dressed and pouring him a drink, complete with a lovely smile.

"Ohmigod, my darling is back," Orion crooned.

"Bye," shouted Starre, "I'm eating out tonight."

The couple shouted no, but she'd already was out the front door and off.

On the aircraft two days later Starre thought change was around her. The coming of the baby had been a big test and it had really changed Orion and Helen, pulling them closer. Despite the tough time Helen's depression had given Orion he'd not pulled away from her. Starre hadn't expected to have sex with Helen but with Orion yes, but it hadn't happened. It would appear the relationship between the three of them had petered out.

Perhaps it was time for Starre to change. Now that she was a widow it was not necessary to retain the name Mrs Ridge. She'd rarely used it anyway. She decided to get her name changed for her passport, with the IRS, with her financial adviser company, on all registered documents – everything – to Miss Star Haar, not that she would advise her family she'd also dropped and 'r' and an 'e' from her name. Star then planned her future and then planned her 30th birthday celebrations. She decided to have the party in London, flying in around a dozen people closest to her in American. After arriving in New York she lunched with Miss J, issuing her with the birthday invitation and saying it included her bringing a friend, and then went to stay with her parents for a few days at Hopewell Junction. En route when she stopped for coffee Star called Helen and asked her to arrange a suitable date for the birthday bash for them and to book the venue. Helen sounded bright and said she was fine.

When back in New York Star leased an apartment and took the first step in her business career. She advertised for a tutor in advanced business management and received almost 300 replies. She'd requested they be in writing enclosing a CV. Generally impressed at the apparent caliber of respondents, Star thought she might have similar success advertising for a live-in lover but balked at the idea, thinking it would happen. It did.

She ended up with a shortlist of three, two women and a guy much older than herself. She thought that would be best, sex not interfering with tutoring. Both women suggested one hundred bucks an hour and the guy $170, so she prudently went to the women first and decided either one would do. Since the guy was very close to her apartment she decided to see him and was very pleased she did that. Harry Patton looked rather like her Uncle Joe, was bright with a lively humor and stroked his moustache when thinking deeply as he did when she said she wanted to study online for a masters of business administration and graduate in two years. Harry who'd lectured in business management and finance for almost thirty years and was now retired, stoked his moustache and said that would be pushing it but added, "Of course that's why you require a tutor...to provide leadership and to show you shortcuts and to keep you focused."

"Yes, exactly."

"May I ask, do you always dress beautifully like this and wear exquisite perfume like that?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll reduce my fee to $120. It will be a real pleasure working with you and I would require us to work here, not where you live. I have fast cable Internet."

"That's fine but you thought you were worth $170 and hour so that's what I'll pay you."

"So I'm hired?"

"Yes."

"Pardon me but I am required by my son that he must check you out before I take on any student. You see my wife is away visiting her folk in Italy for two months. She insisted Tony check out any major decisions before I commit. He's five minutes away."

"That's fine."

An hour later Tony and his father were eating in an Italian restaurant as Star's guests.

"I'm very pleased you have engaged dad as it will boost his income and give him a big interest. He misses university life but remains involved in small ways."

"Tony is a good boy," Harry said, sauce on his chin.

Tony was an executive in advertising and Star had seen him looking at her rather closely, so Star said, "Does my name mean anything to you Tony?"

"It rang a bell but that's all. I've been trying to figure it out but haven't hit the bell."

Star laughed and Harry laughed but Harry seemed unsure of the joke.

"Stockings."

"Jesus!"

Harry wiped his chin and said, "You two are getting along fine. I'm off home to watch 'City Girls on the Loose'.

He shook Star's hand, winked at his son and was off.

"Is he trying to set us up?"

"Yup he was then, but having me in to check you out was a commitment we have with mom."

"Thank you for your honesty. Are you married or engaged?"

"I'm all over an older woman at the moment but she is showing signs of taking her cur of a husband back."

"All over an older woman. That's a new expression for me. Please tell me what it means?"

Toni's half-Italian complexion deepened in color and he croaked, "More wine?"

"No, let's go to a bar where it's more intimate. I'd like to hear about the women you've been all over and what gives you kicks. I'm back with your father at 3:00 tomorrow to start looking for the best online MBA program that allows accelerated learning and after that you might wish to take me to some clubs. Being your uninvited guest I'll pay so you better dress up and take me top shelf."

Tony swallowed and attempted a cheesy grin. "I'd like that Star. Tell me, after a few drinks would you like to check out my apartment?"

"Oh Tony, I do have to tell you I enjoy behaving like a slut at times. My thinking is this night is one of those nights."

Star had decided to commit to lifting her education qualification and to seek election to the boards of some of the companies in which she would invest heavily. She probably never would remarry but intended perfecting her favorite recreational interest by gaining wider experience with available men. She'd choose guys who just loved hanging out with a slut who didn't charge them for her favors. That meant probably most guys, if only they knew it.

THE END