Katie rang Ron at about eleven, the next day. He was back at his by then. He was hungover, but he was getting stuff together to go over to Vicky's place. Toby's friend was moving into his place in a couple of days. He'd had a good time with Emma.
'Hello,' said Katie.
'Hi, you alright?' Ron replied.
'Ron, you missed quite a night,' said Katie.
'I can imagine,' said Ron. He'd been imagining.
'Caroline is wonderful. She is going to make an absolute ton of money,' said Katie.
'I believe that,' said Ron.
'I need you to do something for me,' said Katie.
'What,' said Ron.
'I need to you to help Caroline, with kind of a dress rehearsal,' said Katie.
'I'm sorry?' said Ron.
'Ok. What I want you to do, is go to the flat in Victoria, she'll let you in, then you pretend to be a punter. She's really nervous about starting out, so I was hoping you could help ease her into things,' said Katie.
'You want me to fuck her?' said Ron.
'Basically yes,' said Katie.
'I don't know, Katie,' said Ron.
'How could that possibly seem like a bad thing?' asked Katie.
'I don't know... It sounds weird,' said Ron.
'You'd be getting paid... And she likes you, she said so. I asked both of them if I could invite you to join us last night and she was fine with it, she sounded quite enthusiastic, in fact,' said Katie.
'I don't know,' said Ron. He'd heard the way the girls would talk about clients. He could remember Layla and Annabelle almost pissing themselves laughing about a client who they'd found particularly unimpressive. He didn't want anyone having conversations about him.
'Two hundred quid... And I'm asking you because I think you're marvellous, Ron. I like you; everyone likes you; I want you to do this to help Caroline out, I don't want to chuck her straight in with a client,' said Katie.
'When do you want me to do it?' asked Ron.
'Tonight. She's skint, she wants to get the ball rolling ASAP, which I'm more than happy with,' said Katie.
'No one else finds out about this, ok? No one but you and Caroline will know about this. She needs to agree to that,' said Ron.
'That's fine, I'll talk to her. Thank you, Ron, you're a star,' said Katie.
***
He took the last of his stuff to Pimlico. He and Vicky sat and chatted. Vicky told him they weren't allowed to change the wallpaper in the room, it was part of the lease that they couldn't. Ron thought the wallpaper was disgusting, it was a bright red and black pattern which had probably been popular in aristocrat's homes in the nineteenth century. It made Ron's eyes hurt.
'So you're shagging Emma?' said Vicky.
Ron could feel himself going red.
'I've stayed at her place a couple of times. It's nothing serious, it's not a relationship or anything,' said Ron.
'You're a dark horse Mr Ron!' said Vicky.
'It's nothing serious,' said Ron.
'She's your friend with benefits!' said Vicky.
'You leave me alone, you,' said Ron.
'You won't bring her here will you? Annie will scratch her eyes out,' said Vicky.
'I won't bring her here, no. I'm not really sure what's happening. I think she's hung up on Layla still,' said Ron.
'Oh ok, ouch. Yesterday couldn't have been fun for her,' said Vicky.
'It wasn't. I think that's why she invited me back... I don't really get it, the thing with Layla. I can't see what they've got in common,' said Ron.
'You haven't been fucked by her,' said Vicky.
'Is she that good?' asked Ron.
'Yes,' said Vicky.
'Fucking hell,' said Ron.
'She had me in here once. I was on top of her with that fucking dildo up my bum, and she had me round the waist, she had her hands tight round my waist, and she was lifting my whole body up and down, fucking me. I had my fingers on my clit, and I was screaming. I thought I was going to feint. If I thought I could have that on tap for the rest of my life, I'd take it,' said Vicky.
'Did you have a thing for her?' asked Ron.
'Didn't let myself. By the time she got to me she'd had Emma and Katie, and it was obvious she's not the type to go all mushy, not over a woman anyway. She's a tough girl,' said Vicky.
'Well she got to Emma,' said Ron.
'She certainly did. Emma was besotted with her,' said Vicky.
'I feel for Emma,' said Ron.
'Do you know what, I don't dislike her as much as some of our mutual friends, I do feel for her a bit, but she can be pretty nasty when she wants to be. She's made some comments to me in the past which have stung,' said Vicky.
'I can imagine' said Ron.
'Layla could have been more sensitive though. Before you got there yesterday, she and Caroline went off into the toilets for a bit,' said Vicky.
'She didn't mention that,' said Ron. He was surprised that she hadn't. 'What do you think of Caroline,' asked Ron.
'I think she's fucking delicious. Annie does as well. I can't wait to get my hands on her,' said Vicky.