It was a nasty business, and he was a nasty man. He was short, fat and sloppy and he sprayed spittle when he talked. I didn't like him, and I didn't like what he did for a living or what he stood for. If I controlled the law firm where I worked, I would not have him as a client, but the senior partners over ruled me and there I was, in my first year as a practicing attorney, ready to defend this piece of trash in his latest brush with the law. When I first met him in New York a few months earlier and we shook hands, I wanted to pull away and wipe my palm on my trousers or better yet, go wash my hands.
He owned a series of topless girlie bars and massage parlors in and around New Orleans. I went to Louisiana to meet with him and the local district attorney to see if we could get him off his latest pandering offense with a plea bargain. His office was in the French quarter, on the second floor, over one of his massage parlors, "THE SPA." The flight from New York had been delayed and the non air-conditioned taxi had broken down on the way in from the airport. It was a hot mid November and I loosened my tie as we drove down the grimy street toward his grimy office. My shirt was wilted, sopping wet with sweat under the arms and I already felt dirty. I was sure it wasn't going to get any better. I felt like I needed to wash my hands or at least wipe them on my handkerchief.
I was already pissed at having been torn away from my regimented life in the big apple with my neat apartment, my athletic club and most of all my friends. The only saving grace was the fight I had with my girlfriend a week ago. Maybe a few days away would make that pompous bitch realize what she was missing. With any luck, I could wrap this up in a few days and be home by Tuesday or Wednesday.
I had to enter the "THE SPA" to get to his office. Much to my surprise, the massage parlor was bright, neat and clean. It was almost 4 o'clock on a steamy Thursday afternoon when a very attractive, petite, young lady greeted me. She was dressed in a sheer, powder blue, Roman gladiators skirt and tunic. In response to my questions, her syrupy sweet Cajun voice said, "Mr. Ponte is expecting you. Just go down that corridor to the staircase on the left. His office is at the head of the stairs." She took my overnight bag and, in that same voice that made me want to hear more of it murmured softly, "You can get it from me when you finish your business with Mr. Ponte." I may not like Mr. Ponte but I was already in lust with one of his help.
I could hear whispering voices, giggles, and subdued laughter from the dark recesses of the cubicles as I passed. Somewhere, in one of the rooms, a male voice was moaning in what sounded like the throes of ecstasy. Through the open door of one vacant room, I could see a whirlpool type hot tub and a massage table with an elaborate shower system suspended from the ceiling above it.
With each step up the staircase, the dΓ©cor got grungier until, by the time I got to the top of the stairs I was in a suite of gray, grimy, dirty, offices. The same girl, with the same blond, pageboy hair cut, except now in a yellow outfit, greeted me in the same sorghum syrup sweet voice, "I assume that you are Mr. Young. Have a seat, Mr. Ponte will be with you in a minute."
I was probably ogling her when I said, "Thank you. Sorry I'm late but everything went wrong today." I think she sensed my confusion. "How did you get up here so fast?"
She giggled self-consciously, "You must have met my twin sister, Chloe, downstairs. I'm Cleo."
Before I had a chance to make a pass at this sweet young thing, greasy Mel Ponte waddled out of the inner office and stuck out his hand. There was a fleck of some type of food, maybe pasta on his loose tie and his shirt was half out of his trousers. I had no option but to shake hands with him. I tried to duck the spray from his mouth as he began to talk but it was useless. "Sorry, I tried to reach you but your office said you already left. The meeting with the D. A. has been put off until Monday. Where are you staying?"
"I don't have a hotel yet, I was running late so I came directly from the airport. I'll get something close by."
"Good luck... There's a big convention in town and a Saints game Sunday so I doubt you will find anything. Why don't you stay in one of the rooms I keep for VIP visitors? It's in the old house out back. Chloe and Cleo live there. There's a spare bedroom."
I probably wouldn't have given it a second thought if it wasn't for the vision of Cleo and Chloe, their obvious charms and what could be. So I agreed (not too reluctantly).
"Good! Then it's all set. Go downstairs and let Cleo or Chloe, whichever one it is, give you a bath and massage, on the house of course." To the blond he said, "Take good care of him, Cleo or Chloe, whichever one you are."
Cleo's baby blue eyes were sparkling when took me by the arm and said, "I'll take you down and introduce you to Chloe. I have some work to finish up and will come back down and join you shortly." I watched as her well-shaped bottom swished down the steps ahead of me.
Mel must have called ahead because Chloe was waiting for us at the foot of the stairs. She smiled and giggled a little as she said, "Mr. Ponte said I was to take good care of you. Come with me."
Cleo scampered back up the steps while Chloe took my arm and steered me into one of the vacant cubicles. "Hang your clothes on the hanger behind the door and get in the hot tub. Spend 15 minutes in there, then, dry off and lay down on your tummy on the table. I'll be back to check on you soon."
She blew me a kiss as she backed out and closed the door. Her smile hovered in the room behind her like intoxicating perfume. I did as she said and made myself comfortable in the tub. There was soft, relaxing music coming from some concealed speakers with subdued lighting, along the ceiling. The music and the warm water had the desired effect. The day's tensions and frustrations rinsed away like rainwater down the drain, leaving my mind clean and at ease like the streets after a downpour.
I was almost asleep 15 minutes later when she stuck her head in and said, "O K sleepy-head, enough of the tub, get on the table and I'll be back in a minute."
I climbed out, dried off and sat on the side of the massage table. It was padded with a thin, plastic covered mattress. This was covered, in turn, with a cotton sheet and pad. There was a light rap on the door. Chloe stuck her head in and said, "May I come in? Are you ready for me?"
I wasn't sure what she meant but, at the end of a long, hot day, I was surely ready for something, damn near any thing, especially from someone that looked as nice as Cleo or Chloe. I had to leave all of my friends in New York, so why shouldn't I have a little action in this hell-hole. Besides, I had been working like a dog and hadn't done anything socially since I the fight with my girl last week.