Enid's story.
I want to start off by saying I was more than a little annoyed when I first found out about this. The girls asked to see me one day and they came in like a delegation. Silvie, as the most senior, had obviously been chosen to speak on their behalf and she presented me with three folders. I was shocked and slightly concerned when she told me what they contained. She tried to assure me that there was nothing detrimental in them but that they'd like me to read them. They had a sort of vague plan of putting them on some website but wanted me to approve them first.
They were, all three of them, very sweet girls and I often felt very motherly towards them. I think they also saw me as some sort of mother figure. They were all very pretty and, most importantly, all very popular among my clients. Silvie had worked for me the longest, and Angel, as I had renamed her, was her friend and housemate. Jewel, another of my re-brandings, used to be my receptionist until I recently promoted her after much nagging on her part. But, of course, you will already know this if you have read their stories.
Perhaps I should tell you something about the business I run. First, let me state quite clearly that it is both legitimate and legal. I declare all my income to the tax people and I'm up to date with the local business taxes. I'm even a member of the local chamber of commerce, an organisation of local business people and I'm accepted and respected within it. How the girls get paid is really no concern of mine but, of course, I have a good idea. It is up to them to sort out any fees with the clients, but I have already made suggestions during the client interviews. I hope that they all declare their earnings, although I suspect that any cash payments might disappear quietly. However, that is nothing to do with me.
It all started about a year ago almost by accident. I was having dinner one night with a friend who ran a clothing wholesale warehouse and somehow the conversation turned to her lack of a sex life. How we got onto the subject I don't recall but I immediately found myself sympathising with her and realising that I too felt the same. Our discussion set me scheming. In an ideal world what I would like would be to have a nice dinner with a young girl and then maybe more. Not every night but as the occasional treat. I could imagine other women with similar needs. I had another friend with a daughter that I had met several times and who I'd always got on with. I could remember her saying to me one day that she hated her job and wished she could find something more fun. That remark, coupled with the fact that she had recently come out as gay, set my mind thinking.
At the time I was struggling to make ends meet as an accountant and was not happy by any stretch of the imagination. After trying to formulate some sort of business plan over the next couple of days, I was finally ready to phone my friend's daughter. I invited her to dinner the next day and asked if she had a friend she could bring along as well. I told her we would be joined by one of my friends. She was understandably mystified by this request, but I refused to elaborate any further. In the end she said she had a friend that she would bring with her. This was ideal as I could now test my idea to a wider audience. After telling her where and when to meet me the next evening I rang off. I knew she'd google the name of the restaurant I'd mentioned, and I hoped she'd be suitably impressed. I had just suggested the most expensive restaurant in town and one with a great reputation as well as two Michelin stars.
I then phoned Marjorie and invited her to dinner. I refused to be drawn as to the reason, just that we would be joined by two others and I hinted at a nice surprise. In the end I had to put the phone down to stop her asking so many questions. Next, I phoned the restaurant and asked to speak to the owner. He was an old friend and another prominent businessman, and also a member of the chamber of commerce. Bless him, but he managed to squeeze in a table for four to a restaurant that is booked up at least six months into the future. It's what friends are for. Now all was set.
I made sure I got there early, and I sat at one of the tables set out on the pavement, cradling a glass of wine. I knew the girls would be nervous about coming to somewhere quite so posh and I wanted to set them at their ease. When they arrived on time, Fleur, my friend's daughter, saw me immediately and came over and gave me a hug and a peck on the cheek. She then turned to introduce her friend, who was loitering in the background, unsure about what was happening.
"This is Crystal," she said, and her friend smiled sweetly and offered her hand which I ignored, pulling her to me and giving her a hug as well. She seemed to accept my friendly greeting which I took to be a good sign. I gestured for them to sit down and signalled to the waiter to bring two more glasses of wine and a refill for me. I'd arranged for my friend Marjorie to be here in half an hour which gave me a little time with the two girls to start to explain my proposition. I raised my glass in a toast. The two girls looked stunning and I was sure they'd turn a few heads during the meal. They'd both made an effort to glam up, Fleur in dark red which went well with her dark skin and Crystal in a very eye-catching electric blue, both dresses only just on the right side of decency and decorum.
"To you two and to lesbians everywhere," I declaimed, then stopped and feigned embarrassment, turning to Crystal as I did so, "I'm so sorry, my dear, I should have checked."
Luckily Fleur butted in to save my blushes. "I thought you knew, Mrs.B, Crystal and I have been a couple for about a year."
"I wasn't sure," I lied. In fact, I'd known all the time from things both Fleur and her mother had said in the past. It was just a pity that it had taken until now to meet her, as she was stunning. They had both gone to some trouble to wear their best dresses. I felt quite privileged for them to be my companions. I suddenly had visions of how well my idea could go with local business and professional women.
"My friend, who will be joining us shortly, is also gay so that will be nice. I've asked her to come after you two as I want to make you ... a business proposition first."
Fleur took a sip of her wine and leaned forward, eager to hear more, whereas Crystal simply looked puzzled. I took a deep breath before continuing.
"I'm sure you two young things are at it all the time but the same can't be said for either Marjorie or me. And yet we have the same needs and desires. That is so unfair, don't you think?" I asked them and they both nodded in agreement. "This is why I invited you two out to dinner this evening. As companions for two slightly older women. You are already making me feel younger just by being here. My friend, who is quite wealthy by the way, just wants some young and pretty company for an evening, as I do as well."
Flattery will get you anywhere and they both blushed. I could see they were still trying to work out where this was leading.
"This is my suggestion," I said, "we have a lovely meal at the best ... and most expensive ..." I paused to let that sink in, "... restaurant in the town. Then we go back to my flat and have some fun."
I didn't feel the need to elaborate any further. They were two bright girls who could easily put two and two together.
"Who knows, at the end of the evening Marjorie and I might be feeling quite generous. I'm sure both of you could do with a little bit of a financial bonus in your lives."
They glanced at each other, totally nonplussed with what I had just said. Below the level of the table I had my fingers tightly crossed. This could only go one of two ways. I glanced at Crystal. Up to now she had been my biggest concern, but her demeanour had changed completely. She had gone from being shy and reserved to being alert and attentive and, dare I say it, almost eager.
"Why don't you two visit the ladies and have a chat." I suggested.
They looked at each other and then came to a joint decision by standing up and leaving to go inside to find the ladies room. At least they hadn't stood up and walked away, I consoled myself with thinking. As I waited, I felt inside my jacket for my trump card, the neat bundle of notes freshly drawn from the bank earlier. Marjorie and I had discussed things when I'd phoned her earlier to explain my plan in greater detail and we'd agreed, for this first time, on a suitable amount of incentive. I was sure that it far exceeded anything the girls were currently imagining. I was reluctant to use such a base tactic to win them over and hoped they would agree anyway. I was almost at the point of despair when they reappeared and sat back down.