This story is part of a continuation of my
Road Trip
series (see the end of 'Road Trip -- California' for a list of the chapters of that series, in order to be read). You need not read that series to enjoy this series. Although real places and celebrity names are used for realism, this story is fiction. Please 'read, enjoy, vote, and comment.'
Synopsis of This Story Up to This Point
: After a motorcycle road trip laced with grief, love, incest, and sex, Jim moved in with country singer Crystal Lee and her sister Ellen in Nashville. With Crystal's help, Jim became a top country singer. He got tapped to do a movie, enjoys several orgies with his leading lady Jill Danes, and finds a new love interest in Claire. The film crew moved to Nicaragua to film on location, and Jill was kidnapped. Jim did a bold and risky rescue using his skills he learned as a Green Beret. Shooting finished on Jim's movie. He returned to Nashville with Ellen and Claire for a sex-filled week with Nadia their housekeeper before Crystal returns from Europe where she did a movie. Upon Crystal's arrival, Jim and Crystal do a press conference where a reporter asked Jim about his fathering a child in Ohio. Jim initially ducked the question, but his answer indicated the reporter's accurate assessment. The media went wild at the prospect of Jim having a hidden baby. A few days later, Jim and Crystal sneak off to join his child's parents and the baby in Michigan after they too have fled the paparazzi; as a group, they decide to allow Edie, the pretty reporter from the press conference, to interview Jim, Crystal, Summer -- the baby's mother, and George -- her husband. Edie falls in love with Jim, Crystal, and the baby's parents; they share some intimate times, and then Edie writes her story for publication, putting a positive spin on the relationships. A full-blown scandal is narrowly averted. Later, Jim and Crystal fly to Florida for a concert with their entourage. While there Claire reveals the secret she had hidden from them for months.
Crystal Clear Ch 12
'Mysterious Claire' tells about her past; decisions are made
Claire took a deep breath and blurted out through her tears, "I was a porn star and a call girl."
With that pronouncement, she burst into tears and buried her head against my chest. In only seconds, I could feel her salty tears running down my naked body. I wrapped my arms around Claire's equally nude form and pulled her to me in a move to comfort and console instead of anything erotic.
The others in the hotel suite's room couldn't have missed her confession, particularly Crystal and Ellen who had sensed Claire had been anxious about something for months. Both women came over and joined me in surrounding Claire within a circle of love. We all babbled words of love to her, and that her confession made no difference to us.
I kept saying, "No one cares now. We love you." I must have said it a hundred times in the five minutes that Claire sobbed into my chest.
Nadia appeared next to us with a box of tissues and a washcloth, and we started to blot up some of the tears from me and soothe Claire's face. She snuffled and sniffed between sobs, her eyes were red, and when she'd look at us, her face would scrunch up and she'd sob again and throw herself against me.
Ten minutes passed before we could get Claire quieted down. I just held her tightly, and kept telling her that I loved her.
When her blubbering stopped, she started apologizing, "Oh ... sniff ... I'm so sorry ... snort ... that I didn't ... choke ... tell you before. Now, ... sniff ... you feel you have to ... put up with me ... sigh ... or tell me ... choke ... to leave."
I kept saying, "Claire, what you did doesn't make any difference to us. We aren't obligated to put up with you. We love you. We're not going to be making you leave us; we love you. You could be doing porno movies and hustling today, and we'd still love you. Heck, we'd all probably want to join you."
She sniffed a few times, and her tears slowed. In a weak voice, she asked, "Really?"
Crystal and Ellen spoke simultaneously, "Really!"
Claire looked between each of us. Billy and Dan were leaning forward towards us, hanging on every word. Billy had brought Claire a glass of water. They didn't know Claire as well, yet real concern showed on their face. Besides, if they'd wanted to help, there wasn't any more room around us to join in. I knew both of them would keep they mouths shut about her revelation. I trusted them with much of my life story and road trip, and never heard another word about it.
Claire choked out, "I need to tell you ... it's been my dark secret for three years."
Edie said tenderly, "Not so dark. Bring it out in the light and you'll find it's not so big or as awful as you've talked yourself into thinking it is." She reached down and stroked Claire's cheek, wiping away a tear as she did. In just the few days when Edie stayed with us at the Nashville home, she'd formed a strong bond with Ellen and Claire since there were close in age.
After more sniffling, Claire started her story. "I wasn't always Claire Whitman; I changed my name from Cheryl Zaret, but when I did the movies or the porn pictures I became Breezy Cummins."
"I was pretty tame in High School, partly because my parents scared me and made me cow-tow to their every instruction. I wanted to be a good girl and please everyone. I got good grades, and even graduated High School and started college a year early -- when I was seventeen."