There Is Always a Choice

I'm still of a mind that this is a romance but, perhaps, not in the traditional sense. In the end though it is just that, a story and not real life.

It is a romance although perhaps not in the traditional sense. In the end though it is just a story and not real life.

If you haven't read parts 1, 2 & 3, I suggest you do, to fully understand the background to the story's conclusion in part 4.

As always comments, constructive and critical, are welcome.

Enjoy.

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There is always a choice

Part 4

It was almost an hour after Sam had made her phone call that Sarah arrived at the house to find her showered and dressed but still very tearful.

"What happened hon, what's up?" She pulled the quietly crying Samantha into her arms.

"It's... it's Rob... he... he doesn't want me... anymore."

"Why? What happened?" Sarah looked at her questioningly, "What did he say?"

Between sobs Sam, haltingly, told her friend how she had bumped into her estranged husband, Ben, after leaving the gym. Explaining how she had gone for a drink with him to ask about a divorce before coming home to find Rob drunk.

Filling her in on everything that had been said between them she then showed her the note Rob had left for her.

"See, he... he doesn't want me. I... I don't know what to do?"

Sarah hugged her again, "You really do love him, don't you?"

Sam nodded wiping her eyes, "Yes, I love him so much. I didn't intend it to... to happen but I... I can't help myself."

"Look babe, the best thing you can do is get out of here for a while. Give him some space and see if he comes to his senses."

"But... where will I go?"

Sarah grinned at her, "You can come and stay with me hon. I have a spare room that's never used."

"You.... you're sure? You don't mind?"

"Mind? Of course not. We can have a few girly nights with a bottle of wine and set the world to rights."

"Thank you, thank you so much." Sam flung her arms around her friend with relief, "I don't know what to say."

"There's no need to say anything. Let's just sort out the stuff you need and get out of here."

It took the two girls the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon to pack two suitcases and a couple of bin bags with her clothes and other essentials then, with that done, they loaded up Sarah's car.

"Should I leave him a note?" Samantha asked her friend as they went to go, "To tell him where I've gone, just in case."

"In case of what? Let him stew in it for a while until he realises what he's lost."

"But.... what if... if he wants to find me?"

"No note... trust me." Sarah said firmly, picking up the last of the bags, "See how he likes the boot being on the other foot?"

Sam wasn't sure about it but, reluctantly, she did what Sarah suggested and, after stuffing the last of her possessions onto the back seat, she slipped into the passenger space alongside her friend and let herself be driven away.

It was six o'clock before her phone rang.

The two girls were sitting enjoying a glass of wine, waiting for the pizza they had ordered to arrive, after unpacking all of Sam's things, when the insistent buzz of her mobile startled her.

"It's Rob." She picked her phone up and looked at the screen, "What should I do?"

"Whatever you do don't answer it." Her friend replied staring at her until the ringing stopped.

"But what if...."

"No what if's hon, don't answer it. Make him think." Snatching the phone away from her, Sarah instructed firmly.

Even as she was speaking the phone rang again and Samantha took it back, looking at the screen.

"Is it him?" Sarah asked immediately.

"Yes, it's Rob... I should..."

"No, you shouldn't. You let him suffer."

Over the next half-an-hour Sam's mobile rang six or seven more times, all the calls were from Rob, none of which she answered.

That was when the text messages started

'Where are you? Why won't you speak to me?'

She looked at Sarah, her finger poised to text him back.

"Don't you dare."

The brunette glared at her until eventually, somewhat reluctantly, Sam put her phone down and picked up her wine.

For the next hour there were numerous text messages from Rob and Sarah could see that her friend was weakening.

"Give it to me." Eventually taking her phone off her she muted it and put it out of her reach, stopping Sam capitulating and speaking to her boyfriend.

"But maybe I should...."

"Why don't I just drive you back over there?" Sarah cut her off angrily mid-sentence.

"Really?" For a brief moment Samantha thought she meant it.

"No, not really. Let him suffer. It might do him some good."

Realising her friend was being sarcastic Sam lapsed back into her misery.

Ignoring the phone and the messages on it, the pair settled down with their wine and, later, the pizza when it arrived.

"What are you going to do about.... you know?" Sarah asked her as she finished her last mouthful of the take-away.

"Honestly, I don't know. But I have to do something to pay him his fucking money."

They had started on a second bottle of wine and Sam was starting to feel a little tipsy.

"What about Ben? Can't he help?"

Samantha shrugged, "Maybe, he said he was putting a thousand pounds in the joint account. That would help a bit."

"And has he?"

"I don't know, he might have, I haven't checked yet. I've been kind of side tracked."

"So, what will you do about the... the escorting?"

Sam took a moment and a mouthful of wine before answering.

"Maybe I could arrange for an interview with the agency? I... I think that... maybe I could just... you know, see what it involves before I make any big decisions."

"That's fair enough I suppose. You would at least know what it's all about and then you can do whatever you think is best for you."

"But if I get an interview...." Sam took a deep breath before continuing, "I wouldn't be able to do this alone. I... I'll need your help if I'm going to do this. Is that... ok?"

"I'm here for you hon. Just tell me what you want." Sarah took her hand and squeezed it affectionately.

Samantha thought about her response for a moment, swallowing the remains of her wine out of her glass before pouring them both another.

"I'm not absolutely sure. Will you at least come to the interview with me. Would you do that for me?"

Her friend smiled, "Yes of course I will."

"You don't approve though, do you?"

Sarah didn't answer. Instead, she looked away, picking up her glass, clearly ashamed at what Sam was proposing to do.

She didn't need any more of a response than that but she wanted her friend to admit to it, "You don't, do you? You don't think I should become a whore? To let men fuck me for money to settle my debt?"

"No hon, I don't. You need to walk away from that bastard Robert Howell and this whole stupid scheme of his. Remember, there's always a choice."

"That's what Rob says."

Staring disconsolately at the floor Sam started to cry, the tears running down her cheeks as she wondered what she was going to do about the mess she was in.

Gently Sarah pulled her into an embrace.

"Hey, what do I know. You ring this Peter tomorrow to set up an interview. At least see what he says before you finally make your mind up." She told her soothingly.

"I suppose going to see him doesn't mean I have to do it." Sam replied wiping her eyes, "I'll ring him in the morning."

Finishing her wine, she said goodnight to her friend and went off to bed, snuggling under the duvet, knowing sleep wouldn't come easily as she worried about what the next day would bring.

'Could she actually do it?'

'Maybe she should call Rob first?'

'Why did she have to fall in love with him?'

Tossing and turning she lay there, thoughts filling her mind as she remained awake, staring into the darkness until, a few hours later, sleep finally claimed her.

~~~~~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~~~~~~

Samantha awoke early the following morning and found herself missing the feel of Rob spooning up against her, his arm draped across her with his hand cupping her breast while his hardness pressed into her bottom.

Feeling lost she lay there for a minute or two, smiling to herself, enjoying the thought of her boyfriend.

Finally, pushing him out of her mind, she gave in to the demands of her bladder and slipped out of bed, tiptoeing to the bathroom wearing just a t-shirt and a pair of knickers.

She was in the kitchen, sitting down with a cup of coffee when Sarah joined her a good half-an-hour later.

"Morning." Her friend yawned as she came through the door

"Morning." Sam smiled back at her, "I take it you want coffee?"

Without waiting for her to answer, she got up and poured another cup, passing it across to her.

"Any more messages from Rob? Sarah enquired taking a sip of the hot brew.

"Three missed calls and half-a-dozen text messages." Samantha picked up her phone and showed her the screen, "You know I can't help but think that maybe I should call him?"

"The only person you're going to ring today is the agency."

"I know, I know, I'm going to speak to this Peter in a bit and make the appointment." Glumly agreeing with her Sam took a mouthful of her drink, "But what if Rob...."

"Rob can stew in his own mess. Don't you dare contact him."

Sam looked at her unhappily, "Ok, I suppose if you think that I shouldn't."

"No, you bloody well shouldn't."

"Ok." Reluctantly she agreed.

"Good girl. In that case I'll shower and get dressed." Sarah told her and headed off up the stairs leaving Sam alone in the kitchen.

She had just come back from the bathroom half an hour later, washed and dressed, when she heard Sam on the phone.

"Fine, I'll see you at 5, thanks Peter."

"You've arranged a meeting with the agency for this afternoon?" She asked cautiously, making Samantha aware of her presence.

Sam grinned nervously at her, "Yep, all set up. I have to be there at five o'clock. Will you be able to come with me?"

"I think so." Her friend nodded, "I'm not in work today. So, what do we do until then?"

"First I need to shower and then I need to go shopping for an outfit to wear."

"Outfit?" Sarah opened her eyes wide in surprise.

"Yeah, apparently, he wants to take a couple of photos to show prospective clients. You know, the sort of thing you're going to wear when you go to meet them."

"Oh! Like what?"

Sam looked somewhat apprehensive, "I'm not sure, some sexy underwear, a nice dress, that sort of thing."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah, I'll just put it on my credit card, no problem." Samantha responded sarcastically,

"Ok, I'm coming with you and I'll pay."

"Sarah, I can't accept that."

"Yes, you can and you will. You can pay me back when you start earning."

Sam did make a half-hearted protest, suggesting that her friend might have better things to do but she was secretly relieved when Sarah insisted on paying. She really had no idea what she should buy and certainly didn't have the money to pay for it.

Sitting in the car an hour later, as they drove to the local shopping precinct, Sam couldn't help but feel almost normal; just like they were a couple of girlfriends out on a shopping spree.

Gazing out of the passenger window she watched the scenery drift by without really seeing it as she thought about Rob. Her phone had buzzed several times since they left the flat but she had done just as Sarah had instructed her and ignored it.

Despite their age difference she knew she had developed deep feelings for him and still wondered how he felt about her. She had hoped he was interested in her but now she realised he was probably only ringing to demand payment of the debt or for her to take the rest of her stuff and get out of his life.

After the catalogue of disasters in her life over the past three months or more losing him was by far the worst.

She had realised that things with Ben had ended months, if not years, before when she had learnt about his gambling addiction. However, some of the things he had done recently had just served to emphasise the depth of his problem.

Losing her job had been another blow. One she was still struggling to come to terms with but even that hadn't compared to the pain she felt over Rob's rejection of her.

The car stopping after reaching the shopping precinct jerked her out of her deep reflection back to her reason for being there.

"What are we doing?" Sam asked when they immediately stopped off at a coffee shop for a break.

"Err... getting a coffee hon?" Sarah laughed, "I don't know about you but I need one."

"Oh right, of course."

Just then Sam's phone buzzed yet again causing her to glance at the screen.

"Rob?"

She nodded and looked at her friend pleadingly, "You know maybe I should just...."

Sarah shook her head, "Don't you dare. That bastard had his chance and he blew it. You deserve better."

"But I... I love him and I thought he cared about me." Samantha whispered looking forlornly at her phone, "I want to know what changed everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, on the one hand he was charming and nice and made me feel like a million dollars." Sam told her being as open as she could, "And then the next minute he's calling me a slut and telling me to be an escort and demanding I pay him back."

Sarah reached across the small table and took her hand, "That's men for you."

"After Ben I thought I had actually found happiness. There must be one out there for me."

"We all think that. Just most of us never find them."

Samantha looked at her dejectedly, "I thought I had, after Ben and everything he did to me."

"You and me both hon."

They finished their coffee in silence thinking about what had just been said between them, then picking up their bags they headed for the shops.

It took them two hours of hard shopping before the pair of them returned home laden with several bags from a couple of stores and Victoria's Secrets. In them she had her new dress, a pair of stiletto heels and two sets of underwear complete with black, white and tan stockings.

After a late lunch Sam went up to shower for the second time that day before getting changed for her interview.

Taking her time with her make-up she made sure she was happy; putting mascara on her false eyelashes as well as her eyeshadow and eyeliner before getting dressed.

Slipping on the tan stockings, her new black lacey underwear and the little red cocktail dress along with her stiletto heels she checked her reflection in the mirror and decided she was as ready as she would ever be. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her nerves and, telling herself she could do it; she made her way out of the bedroom.

Leaving the house just after four o'clock Samantha slid into the car alongside Sarah, tugging the hem of her short red, backless dress down so that it covered the tops of her flesh-coloured hold-ups.

"God, I feel like a tart dressed up like this in the middle of the afternoon."

The other girl chuckled, "Well, I think you look stunning hon."

Sam shook her head, sending her blonde hair swaying around her shoulders, and snorted derisively before turning away to stare out of the car window. Her mind was to pre-occupied with thoughts about what she was considering doing to think of a suitable reply.

Almost thirty-five minutes later they pulled into one of the parking spaces at the front of the large house that acted as the offices for the escort agency.

"Here?" Sarah asked curiously, peering through the windscreen at the property, "It looks a bit.... shady to me."

"Apparently, Peter lives in the upstairs and uses most of the downstairs for the agency business."

"Ok, if you say so."

The two of them sat for a moment, studying the house.

"Do you think I should do this?" Sam's voice was hesitant as she voiced her concerns over what she was considering doing.

"I've told you it's your body, you do what you want with it. I'm not going to judge you, whatever you decide."

"Thanks." She smiled back at her friend and slid out of the car, her dress riding up to reveal the tops of her hold-up stockings for the briefest of moments.

"Ooops." She giggled, tugging her hem back down.

Sarah grinned and shook her head, "Well, your clients will certainly enjoy that view."

Sam smiled back at her, "I'm sure they will."

Locking the car, they walked up to the entrance together and pressed the intercom to announce themselves. A minute or so later Peter Yates, the owner of the Allure escort agency, opened the door to them.

"Hi, Samantha, is it? I'm Peter, how are you?" He greeted her before glancing towards Sarah, "And this is?"

"Err... yes, hello, I'm good, thanks." Sam replied taking his hand, "This is my friend, Sarah."

After exchanging pleasantries and shaking their hands he ushered the two of them inside and into his office.

"So, young lady, you want to become an escort?" Peter asked once they were all seated.

"Well... I... err... I... it's the.... ummm...." Struggling to find a sensible answer Sam stumbled over her words.

Her awkwardness made the agency owner laugh out loud.

"It's ok if it's just about the money sweetheart. That's basically what all my girls want."

"It's just that I have a few debts I need to pay back."

"Fair enough. Well, I don't know how much you owe but working a couple of nights a week will probably bring you in one to two thousand depending on what your clients ask for."

Her eyes widened when he mentioned the amount that she could earn for just two nights work.

"How... how does it work? I mean how... how much is it... for... you know?" Sam let the sentence tail off, unsure what she was actually trying to ask him.

"It's pretty simple, Samantha." Peter started to explain, "The clients book you through me and 25% of your charge goes to the agency as the booking fee. The remainder is given to you at the start of the appointment."

"And what are the fees?"

"The normal hourly rate is £250 and there is a minimum booking of 2 hours, for which all the girls charge £500 obviously." Peter continued on answering her question, "An all-night booking is considered to be from 8 p.m. until 9 the next morning. For that we charge £1500."

Sam quickly worked it out in her head, "So, for 2 hours I would get £375 and for all night it would be £1125."

"Plus, any tips you get. Whatever the client tips you, that is all yours."

"How many nights would I be expected to work?"

"That's up to you." He told her, "But I like the girls to be available for at least two nights a week."

Samantha looked at Sarah as she considered everything the agency boss had told her.

"You... you said something about those being the normal rates? What does that mean?" She enquired after a moment.

Peter smiled; it was obvious that it was a question he had been asked before.

"Occasionally I get a request to provide a specific girl, or girls, for something a little special. A week-end away, a sweetener in a business meeting, a small intimate party, you get the idea. The rate for those depends on how many men are involved and how many girls I'm asked to supply.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want too though." He quickly added before he finished speaking.

"No, I... I just wondered what... what sort of.... things.... and what I.... I might be paid."

"Perhaps a couple of businessmen negotiating a deal and wanting some entertainment, a special birthday for someone, things like that." Peter tried to be a little more specific, "And I guarantee you will get your normal rate plus a very nice bonus."

She sat back and looked at Sarah for guidance, "I don't know.... I'm not sure I should..."