The Slut Rose: The Masseuse's Mistake, Part 1
*Author's Note - This is a standalone story, but if you want more background on the Slut Rose and Slut Spray, please read "The Slut Rose: Origins" and "The Slut Rose: Hammer".
"Thank you for calling the Relaxation Center," Vanessa answered, picking up the desk phone. "Can I help you?" She smiled, loving that people were calling, that business was really booming for the first time in the ten years she'd had the place. If this kept up, she'd have to hire a receptionist soon.
"Sure... what's your name?... Amy. Alright, and is this for yourself?... Yes, we have half-hour, hour, and ninety-minute massages, with just upper-body, and full-body options. Which would be best for you?" She opened her schedule book and located a free day. "Sure... I have Lauren available for you at 2:00pm. Is that good?... Perfect... thirty minutes on Saturday the tenth at 2:00pm... Thank you. We'll see you then."
An older woman walked up to the counter. "Erica! I didn't even know you had an appointment today." Vanessa turned the scheduling book back to today. "I'm sorry, but I'm booked. I think I can squeeze you in on Friday, though."
"Oh, no, I just finished my appointment," Erica said. "With Vince. He's a wonderful, wonderful young man." Erica opened her purse and pulled out her wallet to pay for the session.
Vanessa looked at her in surprise. Erica had been her regular client for several years now, coming in about every three months or so. She had no idea how she got scheduled with Vince.
Erica handed Vanessa her credit card. "Can you add a hundred dollar tip onto that, too, please. That was... incredible!" Erica gushed.
Venessa was in complete shock now. The massage alone was only a hundred and twenty dollars... and Erica wanted to add a one hundred dollar tip?
"One hundred dollar tip? Are you sure?" Vanessa asked, holding the card.
"Yes dear, please," Erica smiled. She had a glow about her. Vanessa often saw clients leave with a wonderful relaxation and glow about them, but Erica's glow seemed off for some reason.
"Ok, here you go. Just sign here," Vanessa indicated on the form. Erica signed it and Vanessa dropped it into the cash register. "Would you like to schedule another appointment?"
"Yes, please."
"Three months again?" Vanessa asked.
"No... um... this time I think I want to come back in a month and see how that works."
"Ok." Vanessa changed the page on the schedule book. "I have a three o'clock available on the twenty-seventh." She looked up to look for clarification.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to go to Vince again. Does he have time available that day?"
Vanessa was definitely confused, but scanned the schedule. "Yes... he has an opening at ten in the morning."
"That would be perfect. Thank you," Erica smiled, putting her wallet back into her purse and walking to the door. She seemed almost dazed.
"Have a good day!" Vanessa called just as Erica reached the glass door.
"You, too, dear," Erica replied and left the building.
"What the hell?" Vanessa said, turning the schedule back to today again.
Vince walked out from the back hallway towards the desk. "Hi Vanessa! Do I have another appointment soon?"
"Um... you have Crystal in an hour," she said.
"Ok. Cool." Vince turned to walk to the back again when Vanessa stopped him.
"Vince... can we talk for a second?" she asked.
"Sure... what's up," he said, walking to the front desk.
"You... um... you know that I really like having you here," she said. "Since you started, we seem to have gained a good number of new clients and I have to really credit you with that."
Vince nodded and smiled. He had such a youthful, innocent smile that really showed his happiness. "Thanks. I really like it here."
"There's... um... I just have to ask you, though." She paused, unsure of how to ask him what she truly wanted to know. "You're not doing anything... special... with your clients are you?"
"Special?"
"It's just... I've never seen any place have growth like this before," she said nervously. He really was a great employee and she didn't want him to take offense and quit on her. "And I just want to make sure there's nothing... you know... illegal about your massages."
He shook his head. "I can't think of anything," he said.
"In just the few months that you've been here, you've not only added new clients yourself... but some of our current clients have switched over to you. And many clients are becoming... very regular. More regular than I'd expect."
He raised his hands into the air and turned them around looking at them and showing them to Vanessa. "I guess they really like my touch," he laughed.
Vanessa was still puzzled and still didn't have the answers she wanted, but didn't know what else to ask.
"Is that all?" he asked. "Can I go to the back to wait?"
Vanessa looked at him and then shook her head to snap out of her suspicious vibe. "Yeah, sure. I'm sorry," she said.
Vince turned and walked to the back room, humming some tune she didn't know.
She shook her head, still concerned. If there was something going on, drugs, sex, or anything else illegal, and the cops found out, they'd shut her business down and she'd be in big trouble. She really was going to have to figure this out.
*****
It was only a month later and Vanessa's suspicions had only grown worse. But she still didn't know what else she could do. Suddenly the phone rang at 9:30am. "Thank you for calling the Relaxation Center," Vanessa answered, picking up the desk phone. "Can I help you?"
"Vanessa, it's Vince," the voice on the other end said. It didn't sound like Vince, but the guy sure sounded sick.
"Vince... everything ok?"
"No. I caught some stupid bug the other day," he said, before starting to cough. "I'm going to have to take a few days off to get over this crap. Can you call and reschedule my appointments?"
Vanessa scanned the appointment book. "I think we can handle most of them with the other masseuse's. I should only have to reschedule a few of them."
"I'd prefer just rescheduling all of them, if you would."
Vanessa felt that something was... off. He seemed a bit too insistent that none of the other therapists take his clients while he was out sick. Was he trying to hide something?
"Well, I understand, but I'd rather see what else I can do," she said. "Don't worry, we'll take care of it. You just get better, ok?"
There was a momentary pause that made Vanessa nervous. "Yeah... ok... I'll let you know what's happening and should be back in a day or two."