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Message-ID: <32133asstr$998503802@assm.asstr-mirror.org>
From: "Bill Morgan" <morg1058@chartervt.net>
Subject: {ASSM} NEW from Morgan:CYNTHIA MARTIN 2 of 6 M/F Rom
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 14:10:02 -0400
Path: assm.asstr-mirror.org!not-for-mail
Approved: <assm@asstr-mirror.org>
Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories
Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d

Hmm...  Now let's try it with the story attached...

<1st attachment, "Cindy 2.txt" begin>

The following is a work of fiction regarding sexual
relationships.  If you feel that it is illegal, immoral, or
otherwise improper for you to read this, then *Don't Read It.*

*  *  *
	
*Cynthia Martin*

*Copyright (c) By Morgan, 1991, 2001*

Please note the original copyright date.  This story was
basically written ten years ago.  As a result, you will likely
find obsolete references.  I'm afraid you'll just have to live
with it; it's too tedious trying to keep up with the latest and
greatest.

This book is part of the Ali Clifford saga and is a sequel to --
and much longer than -- _Call Girls._  If you haven't read it, I
urge you to do so.  Without having read it, the actions in the
first few pages will not make any sense.

Incidentally, you will find occasional entries, _word_.  The
reason for this is that MS Word's Auto Format function puts a
word preceded and followed by an underscore in italics; that's my
intent.  Similarly, *word* results in the word appearing in bold
face.  If you use Word's Auto Format, it will take care of
things; if you don't, you at least know why it's there.

More of my works are posted on my site <www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Morgan/www> 
If you like it -- or if you don't -- please let me know at
<morg105829@aol.com.>  My books are now also being posted on
<www.storiesonline.net> although at this writing there are fewer
of them than on my site.

*  *  *

*Chapter 11*

The next morning after their lovemaking, Cindy dragged Dan out of
bed.  Along with the Stewarts, they went to church early and then
returned home to another breakfast Cindy prepared.  With her
heart in her mouth, she made croissants which turned out to be as
light and flaky as Jan's best.  She served them with omelettes
which were also masterpieces.

Jan just shook her head sadly and said, "Pete, it's all over.  I
used to think I was a passable cook, but there's no way I could
do this."

Cindy went over to Jan and hugged her saying, "Oh, you poor
thing!  Isn't it lucky you have such a talented house slave? 
Just think!  I'm the only person that stands between poor Pete
and starvation.  You _can_ boil water though, can't you?  With
the boil-in-a-bag dinners they make now, you can probably
survive," she replied with her eyes dancing.

Jan took the opportunity to spank Cindy but hurt her hand in the
process.  She glared at Cindy while she shook her hand; her eyes
were dancing, though, as she said, "Damn it, slave, make your ass
soft when I want to spank it.  You hurt my hand."

"I'm so sorry, mistress.  But why didn't you tell me you wanted
to spank me?"  It was all she could do to keep from laughing as
she added, "I'm just a poor dumb slave, though, not a
mind-reader."

"Damn it, Pete," Jan said with a grin, "why aren't there any
decent slaves available any more?  I guess the British blockade
of the Slave Coast must really be affecting the supply."

They played in the sun all afternoon.  Dan's tan was getting
darker while Jan and Cindy looked like sprites with their golden
tans, golden hair and blue eyes.  When Dan gave Cindy the money
from the previous evening, she grinned and said, "Thank you,
darling.  I appreciate your handling the financial arrangements.
How about if we celebrate by dining at _Chez Nous_ again?  I
think I can get time off."

Jan was lying with her head on Pete's stomach.  She had seen
Cindy using Dan as a pillow and decided it looked like a great
idea.  Without even opening her eyes she said, "Beat it!  And get
out of my sun."  Dan and Cindy again took a shower together. 
While she was fixing her hair, Dan put the few things he had
brought with him back in his bag.

When they arrived at the restaurant where they had eaten ten days
earlier, they were greeted by the hostess who then went back to
the kitchen.  Moments later the chef appeared to personally show
them to the best table in the restaurant.  In spite of it being
Sunday night, the place was crowded.  As they were being seated,
he introduced the hostess as his wife, Marie, and himself as
Marcel Legrand.  He retreated to the kitchen and Marie smiled and
asked, "May I bring you something to drink?  Marcel was in such a
rush -- you can see we're very busy -- he forgot to mention that
you are our guests this evening."

Cindy looked puzzled and asked, "But why?  You already gave us
that lovely cognac when we were here last time.  Why should Dan
and I be your guests tonight?"

She replied, "You see how busy we are.  This is all due to your
help."  She smiled and said, "There is an ulterior... is that the
right word...?  motive.  He would like to sit with you later to
see if you have any other ideas."

They ordered dinner and the change was instantly noticeable.  The
quality of the food was substantially better than it had been the
week before.  Dan ordered a bottle of white wine for them from
the very short wine list.  While they were waiting for their
appetizers Marie brought out a small basket with two croissants
and stood by the table while Cindy tried one.  It was not very
good -- in fact it was rather soggy.  She excused herself from
the table.  Instead of going to the ladies' room as Dan expected,
she went back to the kitchen.

When she didn't immediately reappear, Dan just shrugged and took
some papers out of his bag and started to review them.  After an
absence of fifteen minutes, she reappeared and sat down again. 
She didn't tell him what she had done and he didn't ask.  A few
minutes later, Marcel appeared with another small bread basket. 
He signaled to Marie who came over to the table to join them.  In
the basket were four croissants.  He offered one to Dan and one
to Marie.  Dan broke his and the steam came out.  It was as light
and flaky as the ones Cindy had baked that morning.

Dan didn't say anything.  He watched Marie break one and take a
bite.  Her eyes widened and she took her husband in her arms and
hugged him, exclaiming, "Marcel! _C'est fantastique!_  Never have
you made such a thing.  My darling, it's superb!"

Marcel just grinned and then kissed Cindy on the cheek, causing
her to blush.  "Marie, it's not me.  It's this young woman who
made them.  Have you ever had better?  Anywhere?"  Marie admitted
she never had.

When the Legrands left the table, Cindy said, "Dan, these kids
need help... financial help.  The kitchen is a horror show!  No
wonder it's such a problem cooking well.  And the wine list needs
help, too.  Marcel and Marie have every dime they have scrimped
and saved in this place.  He has access to some very fine wines,
but no money to buy them.  How can we help them get some money?"

Dan had been enjoying the meal immensely.  In fact, the weekend
had been the most wonderful three days he had ever spent.  Not
only was Cindy the most beautiful girl in the world but she was
also one of the smartest.  The biggest changes were in her
attitudes and view of the world.  Where formerly they didn't
agree on the time of day, now they disagreed on almost nothing. 
He took the opportunity to tease her.  Still looking at his plate
he said casually, "Why don't you just lend it to them?"

"Daniel Burke, you're crazy!  And you're mean!  You know damned
well I have about $80 to my name.  The seventy-five from last
night plus about five bucks left over from last week.  I could
lend them about enough to buy five pounds of flour!"

"You can do a bit better than that," he replied casually.  He
reached into his pocket and brought out a bank document he had
intended to show her.  It was a confidential internal credit memo
listing bank officers and their lending limits.  They were listed
alphabetically by rank.  Under senior vice presidents, Cynthia K.
Martin was listed at $50 million, the highest personal lending
limit of any officer listed; the listing for "current assignment"
said "leave of absence."  He passed it over to her without
comment.

While Dan was rummaging through his papers, Cindy was trying to
puzzle out how she could get the Legrands $25,000 which was her
estimate of what it would cost to fix up the kitchen and improve
the wine cellar.  When Dan passed her the paper she was
preoccupied with her thoughts and didn't pay much attention until
her own name caught her eye.  She read it and then reread it. 
When she looked up at him, her eyes were wide with amazement. 
"What _is_ this?  Some kind of joke?" she exclaimed.  "I'm fired.
 My current occupation is slave.  What gives?"

"Did you ever resign?" Dan asked quietly.

"Resign?  I was fired!  As in, 'You're no longer employed here at
the bank.'  God, I'll remember Jen's words forever!  Then I got
violently ill."  She looked at Dan with love in her eyes. 
"Honey, you missed it.  It was not one of your mistress's better
performances.  In fact, I was disgusting!"

Dan appeared to be bored by the whole thing.  "What's the
problem?  Are you sure of the wording?  The exact wording?"

She smiled wryly, "I'm absolutely sure.  Those words are engraved
in my mind as if they were carved in stone."

He shrugged and said, "I guess that explains it then.  You're no
longer employed at the bank.  You have been working at Deerfield
rather than downtown Chicago.  But you are still a senior vice
president and senior lending officer, though."  He looked at her
and shook his head, adding, "But you don't look like most of the
senior vice presidents.  And I don't know if they would approve
of your preferred attire these days."

"Preferred attire?  Burke, have you lost it completely?  My
attire is my skin.  What do you mean?"

"Usually Chicago Trust Company senior vice presidents are so
conservatively dressed it's disgusting.  Honey, you're usually
naked."

Suddenly Cindy grinned.  "That's okay.  Yesterday I hope you
noticed the chairman of the board?  Madam Chairman with the bare
mound revealing her beautiful cunt?  Let's see...  You also saw
Jan -- all of Jan.  She votes her parents' shares and her own. 
That's about 56 percent.  Then Jen votes her shares and the
Chapman's.  That brings the total to about 85 percent.  Then
their sister and brother-in-law, Connie and Chip Cartwright, own
another ten.  That gets us to about 96 percent.  Since Connie was
a stripper for years she won't complain, either, so I guess I'm
okay."  She looked at him with a hurt look on her face although
her eyes were dancing, and added, "Don't you like the way I
dress?  I thought you liked to have immediate access to all my
bodily openings?"

Dan's face was impassive as he just nodded vigorously.  "Cindy,
do you want to do it?  Lend them the money?"

She smiled and said, "Hell, the bank can only say no.  Let's
try!"

It was after nine o'clock and the restaurant had nearly emptied
when Marcel came out from the kitchen.  Marie brought over coffee
and cognac for the four of them.  Marcel looked at Cindy with
respect in his eyes.  He said, "Madame, if you were to open a
restaurant nearby, I would close up immediately.  You're the
finest chef I have ever encountered.  How long have you and
monsieur been married?"

Cindy smiled and said, "We're not.  I'm Dan's mistress.  Besides,
I know almost nothing about cooking.  Actually, I'm a banker."

Both of the Legrands' jaws dropped at her announcement.  "A...
banker?  You mean, you work in a bank?"

Dan smiled and said, "The fact is Cindy is a senior lending
officer at Chicago Trust Company.  In that capacity she has a
proposition to make to you."

Cindy proceeded to outline what she had in mind.  Marie, who kept
the books, left the dining room and came back with the financial
records.  While they were waiting, Marcel told them the reason
for the croissants was they were thinking of opening for
breakfast.  When he heard it, Dan asked, "Have you and Marie had
dinner yet?"  Marcel said they had not.  Dan smiled at Cindy and
said, "Hon, Marcel cooked for us.  Would you mind making a couple
of omelettes for them?"

Cindy nodded her head, grinned, and disappeared into the kitchen.
 Marie returned with the financial records and Dan started to
review them and list their cash requirements.  It turned out that
the store next door was vacant and the landlord had made a very
attractive offer to the Legrands to take it over and join the two
shops together.  It would more than double their seating capacity
since the kitchen, particularly with the new equipment, could
handle both rooms.  Dan made very careful notes as they talked.

Cindy reappeared with onion soup gratinee and a bottle of white
wine for the Legrands.  It was like the soup Jan had made her
first day she was at the house and was superb.  When the crust
was broken, they both savored the aroma.  A few minutes later she
reappeared with omelettes, soufleed potatoes and two salads, and
sat down again at the table.  After taking a bite of the
omelette, tears came to Marcel's eyes.  "Cindy, this is the
finest omelette in the world!  You must be an outstanding banker
because you could make a fortune as a chef!  No one is in your
class.  No one!"

Cindy just shook her head and said, "Thank you, Marcel, but it
isn't true.  Janice Stewart is far better than I am.  She taught
me all I know about cooking which is only a tiny fraction of what
she knows."

Then she reviewed the restaurant's financial numbers with Dan. 
When they finished, she kissed him softly on the cheek and said,
"Honey, if I had a division I would take you into it as a senior
lending officer.  No one can analyze financials the way you do."
Finally Cindy said, "Marcel and Marie, on behalf of Chicago Trust
Company I am prepared to lend you $125,000."  She indicated the
terms and conditions and then looked at the two, waiting.

The two young people were dumbstruck.  Finally Marie said, "A
bank would lend us money?  So much money!  But you can't, Cindy.
We... We're not even citizens.  No one lends money to immigrants.
 No one."

Cindy took Dan's hand and squeezed it.  "Marie, there's an
analyst at Chicago Trust who spent a couple of years trying to
educate me.  With some help from others, what he was trying to
teach me finally sank in.  You have wonderful food.  Your
business has picked up in just the last week.  When you add
breakfast service and enlarge the restaurant, you'll do even
better.  We would like to help you, if you'll accept our help."

Suddenly, Marie jumped into Marcel's arms and kissed him
passionately. _"Mon cher,_ it's true!  The streets in the United
States _are_ paved with gold!  My darling, could you imagine this
ever happening in France?  Could we go to a bank and borrow five
francs?"  She sat on his lap and he cupped his hand under her
full breast.  Suddenly, both Legrands blushed as they realized
what he was doing.

Cindy got up from her chair and sat across Dan's lap.  He took
her breast in his hand and she moaned with pleasure.  "Doesn't it
feel wonderful to have your lover squeeze your tit?" she asked
Marie softly.

"Tit?  I don't know the word, tit," the girl said with a puzzled
look on her face.  Cindy grinned and cupped her breasts saying,
"Tits, Marie.  Or boobs, or breasts."  Since she was not wearing
a bra, her nipples showed prominently under her dress.

The French girl blushed, but then grinned.  Finally she just
shook her head and said, "We must close up now.  Marcel and I are
going to just float home.  Thank you so much.  But what do we do
now?  Do you think we might get the money?  How long does it
take?  Two or three months?"

Cindy smiled warmly and said, "I think it will be faster than
that."  They kissed and left the restaurant.  While they were
waiting for his train, she asked, "Did I do the right thing, Dan?
 I hope that memo you showed me wasn't someone's idea of a sick
joke.  Marie and Marcel would be absolutely crushed!"

Instead of answering directly, Dan replied, "How did you analyze
the loan?"

"Two young people working extremely hard trying to make a life
for themselves in a new country.  Honey, in the kitchen I saw a
pile of English books.  They want so badly to succeed.  They
deserve the chance.  The numbers are okay, I guess, but it's a
loan to them, not against their assets.  What would you have
done?"

Dan took her in his arms and kissed her.  Again she heard bells
and felt the electricity flow between them.  When they parted he
stroked her hair and held her close, murmuring in her ear, "Made
the loan, of course."

* * *

The next day there was a Board meeting at the bank.  It was a
scorching hot day so Janice decided to wear a shirtwaist dress in
a light blue shade that complimented her eyes.  At breakfast
Cindy told her about the events of the night before while Jan
just listened carefully with her face impassive.  When the girl
finished the story she said, "Jan, it will destroy those young
people if I can't get them the money."

Jan smiled warmly and said, "You can.  If worse comes to worst,
write a check yourself.  Our account can cover $125,000 without
any strain.  Okay?  Happy?"

Cindy took Jan in her arms and kissed her warmly.  "Janice
Stewart, I love you!  If the loan goes in the tank, it only adds
ten more years to my indenture."

"Ten years?  Are you kidding?  Make it twenty-five.  Who ever
heard of a slave making $12,500 a year!"  Jan stuck out her
tongue and Cindy laughed.

When Jan got to the bank, she took the elevator up to the
executive floor.  As she went towards Don Martin's office, the
receptionist said, "I beg your pardon!  Madame, visitors must be
announced."

Jan stopped short and went back to the reception desk.  A
beautiful black girl was sitting there with the regular
receptionist sitting beside her.  The regular receptionist, Jean
Robbins, was blushing beet red and looking like she wanted to
disappear into the woodwork.  The black girl looked up at her
attentively and asked, "May I help you?  Do you have an
appointment with someone?"

Jan smiled at the regular receptionist and said, "Jean, relax. 
This girl is only trying to do her job."  She extended her hand
and said, "Hi.  I'm Janice Stewart.  You must be new here. 
Welcome to Chicago Trust Company!"  The girl was beautiful.  Her
skin was the color of light cocoa.  She had lustrous brown eyes
and exquisite black hair worn in a shoulder-length page-boy. 
"Wow!  We must have hired someone with some judgment in Personnel
recently.  You're the most lovely thing to appear in this bank in
years."

The girl took Jan's extended hand and was surprised at the
firmness of her grip.  She was puzzled.  The name, Janice
Stewart, was not on any list of officers.  In fact, she couldn't
recall seeing the name, Stewart, on anything.  She had spent
almost the whole previous night studying lists of names to try to
avoid the kind of situation she had obviously just created.  She
smiled shyly, and said, "How do you do, Mrs. Stewart?  I'm April
Jefferson, the new relief receptionist."

At this point Jean Robbins said, "April, Mrs. Stewart is a bank
director, along with her sister, Mrs. Chapman.  Here comes Mrs.
Chapman now."

Jennifer had been trying to sneak up behind Jan's back.  When Jan
spun around, the girls kissed and then Jen frowned at Jean. 
"Jean Robbins, I thought you were my friend.  I was going to
goose my sister and you went and spoiled it!"  She extended her
hand to April and said, "Hi.  I'm Jennifer Chapman.  I think you
have my name on your list somewhere.  Welcome to Chicago Trust!"
Turning to Jan she said, "Come on, sis.  We're keeping the
overpaid executives waiting."  The two disappeared through the
door toward Don Martin's office.

When the door closed behind them, April exhaled loudly.  "Wow! 
What was that?  They have to be two of the most beautiful women
in the world.  Who are they?  I know Mrs. Chapman is Chairman of
the Board, but who is Mrs. Stewart?"

Jean Robbins had finally recovered.  She smiled and said, "April,
Janice Stewart controls the votes on about 61 percent of the
bank's stock.  If you said she owns the place you wouldn't be far
wrong.  Incidentally, not only are they beautiful but they're
both smart as hell and the nicest people I have ever met.  Maybe
now you understand why things are changing so fast for the better
around here."

One of the first changes made at Chicago Trust was to shrink the
size of the board of directors.  Now there was only Jen, Janice,
Don Martin, Dan Burke, and Harry Simpson, the corporate secretary
and general counsel.  Because of the small number -- the prior
board had numbered twenty-five -- they converted the former board
room to a large conference room and used a small conference room
separating Don's office from Dan's for Board meetings.  Jen had
given the chairman's office to Don and used the conference room
on the infrequent occasions when she was in the bank onbusiness.

As they approached Don's office, Mary Thomas rose to greet them.
Jan stopped short and looked at Mary closely.  "Mary Thomas,
what's happened to you?  You're looking younger and...  Are you
free for lunch today, by any chance?"

The woman was baffled but nodded her head.  "Great!" Jan said. 
"Get us a private dining room for three people, will you?  We'll
eat as soon as we finish with the regular meeting of the Mickey
Mouse Club."  Mary just smiled and shook her head.  She was
becoming used to the irreverence that characterized the two
sisters.  She had no idea what they were thinking about but she
made the reservations.

After greeting Don Martin, the three went into the conference
room and Dan joined them.  Jan grinned and shook her head.  "You
look like you got some sun over the weekend, Dan.  Did you go to
the beach?  And by the way, don't you ever two-block your tie?"

Dan was tired from his weekend with Cindy.  He was wearing a new
suit but, as usual, his coat was off, his shirt cuffs were turned
up, his collar was unbuttoned, and his tie was pulled down.  "As
a matter of fact, no.  I spent the weekend serving alternately as
a punching bag and a pillow.  I did see a great deal of our
directors, though," he said with a grin.  The two girls daintily
stuck out their tongues and then laughed.

The meeting went very quickly.  Don Martin now knew that Janice
Stewart had an MBA in marketing and finance from Columbia and was
a Phi Beta Kappa from Yale.  Her sister, Jennifer, was also Phi
Beta Kappa at Princeton and had a Ph.D. in political science. 
Although she didn't have a business degree, she knew a great deal
of economics.  Both young women asked excellent questions.  He
knew he had the best board in the banking industry.  When they
completed the agenda items and adjourned the formal meeting,
Harry Simpson excused himself to prepare the Board minutes
leaving the four alone.

Dan's hands were folded on the table.  He looked down at them and
said, "Don, I think I should resign."

_"What?"_ Don exclaimed.  "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I spent the weekend in bed with your daughter. 
You asked me to keep an eye on her and I said I would.  But I'm
sure that's not what you had in mind.  I breached your
confidence, so I better get the hell out of here."

Jan and Jennifer protested.  Jan said, "Daniel Burke, you'll do
no such thing!  Do you know how much Cindy loves you?  That's the
correct word, but it's so inadequate.  I know the signs well, and
so does Jen.  Dan Burke, if you told Cindy you wanted one of her
boobs for breakfast, all she would do would be to ask you how you
wanted it cooked.  And I don't want to bruise your male ego or
anything, but she seduced you.  And I have never seen a girl so
happy in my life!"

Don asked quietly, "What are your intentions towards my daughter,
Dan?"

Dan looked up for the first time and looked directly into Don's
eyes.  He said, "Don, I love her more than life itself.  I want
to marry her.  I want her to be the mother of my children.  I saw
her with a small baby Saturday night.  She nursed him at her
breast and looked gorgeous and gloriously happy.  She wants a lot
of kids, too.  May I have your permission to court your
daughter?"

Don jumped from his chair and took the younger man in his arms
and hugged him.  Then he gripped his hand and said, "Dan, it
should come as no surprise to you to learn there is no one, _no
one,_ I would rather have as a son-in-law than you.  When is it
going to happen?"

Dan grinned wryly and said, "You better ask Jan that question. 
She owns her."

Jan grinned and said, "How about January?  Chicago is impossible
in January.  You two will love it in Hawaii then."  Dan just
shook his head.  Then Jan changed the subject.  "However, I
understand you're using my slave for unauthorized purposes:
making loans.  What do you think of the _Chez Nous_ credit,Dan?"

"I think Cindy is the best lending officer this bank has.  And I
say that with my personal feelings for her put aside.  Don, with
your permission -- and yours, Jan -- I would like to give her
some special lending assignments.  You know, banks are always
criticized for not supporting the local community, and
particularly for not making credit available to small business. 
The reason is simple.  We don't know how to do it.  As bankers,
we always retreat to the numbers... and those companies never
have good numbers.  We talk all the time about character loans
but we never make any.  Janice Stewart, I'll bet you $10,000
Cynthia Martin can and will."

Jan's face was impassive.  She said, "How can she do the
analysis?  And speaking of things we don't do, who is April
Jefferson?  She seems very bright."

Don and Dan looked at each other and Don said, "Jan, that's Dan,
too.  She has her degree from a local college and is enrolled in
a banking program nights.  Of course our personnel people don't
believe she has the right educational credentials, but we hired
her anyway.  We're going to put her in the credit program, but
you know what a rat's nest that is.  But why do you ask?"

"Could she do the analysis for Cindy?  I'll bet Cindy could train
her if you're willing.  I'm sure she would be a hell of a lot
better than some stupid classroom teacher.  How about if I drive
her out and introduce them?"

Don grinned and said, "It's your money, ladies.  What can I say?
Particularly when my chief credit officer says yes.  By the way,
Dan, what did Cindy say about your new job?  Does she approve?"

Dan looked embarrassed and said, "Don, I didn't tell her.  She
thinks I'm still a lowly credit analyst and I like it that way. 
Can we leave it like that?  She doesn't know I'm buying her
condo, either.  Do you know what Cindy is doing?  She's reading
apartment ads.  She intends to be a wife and mother, so she's
trying to work out how we're going to live on what I make as an
analyst."  He smiled warmly and shook his head.  "God, I adore
that girl!"

They left it that Dan would tell April about the new assignment.
Jan asked him to see if it would be all right for Cindy to drive
her home after dinner... about ten o'clock or so.  He said he
would find out.  Then the two girls left for their lunch date
with Mary Thomas.

The three women were ushered into a small private dining room,
one of several used for important clients of the bank where
business could be discussed in private.  After they were seated
and had ordered, Mary looked at them attentively.  Jen didn't
know what Janice was thinking about, but she had a pretty good
idea.  She left it to Jan.

On one hand, Mary was very puzzled.  On the other hand, even
though she had been with the bank for twenty years, she had never
eaten in one of its private dining rooms so it was a real treat
for her.  She was looking at the two girls and thinking again how
incredibly beautiful they both were.  Then she almost fell off
her chair.  Janice Stewart had just asked her, "Mary, how long
have you been in love with Don Martin?"

"For years," she said quietly.  "At least fifteen, I guess." 
Mary suddenly turned beet red.  "But... but... I never said it
out loud before!  Ever.  Not even alone in my apartment."  The
woman's face crumpled and she began to cry.  She looked up at
them with the tears streaming down her cheeks and said, "I'll
type my letter of resignation as soon as I get back."  She
started to get up from her chair, and said, "If you will excuse
me, I'll leave now."

Jan and Jen kept eating their soup.  Janice looked up and said,
"Where are you going?  You haven't had your lunch yet."

"I told you.  I'm going back to the office to resign," she said
as her sobbing intensified.

"What for?  And why are you crying?" Jan asked kindly.

The question came as a shock.  It startled Mary so much she
stopped crying.  She replied, "Well, I confessed that I love Don
Martin..."

"And I love Peter Stewart and Jen loves Steve Chapman.  So what?
Jen and I are very much alike.  Whenever we think of our husbands
our cunts start running rivers.  In my case my nipples become as
hard as pebbles and I immediately think of our most recent
lovemaking.  I love it and I love him.  Now what does that have
to do with anything, least of all why you would want to resign
your position."

"But you're married!" Mary wailed.  "That's the difference."

"Oh!" Jan said with a grin.  "So when are you going to marry
Don?"

Mary looked at her as if she had lost her mind.  "What are you
saying?  He doesn't even know I'm alive!  I'm just a piece of
office furniture except I've been around the office longer than
any of the furniture."

"Well, let's fix that, shall we?"  The girls talked through
lunch.  When they were finished, Jan asked about a health club
that was supposed to be in the building.  Mary knew about it.  It
was very expensive, she said.

They went down to it and Jennifer paid for memberships for
herself and Mary.  The girls went and stripped, putting on
leotards Jen had purchased for them at the club's shop.  As they
changed, Janice noticed that Mary was very pretty but should lose
about twenty pounds; her posture needed work, too.  They took
Mary to the weight room and put her on a machine between them. 
Mary looked on in amazement as the two young women moved weights
with no apparent effort.  She realized they were both in perfect
physical condition without a single ounce of fat on either of
their bodies.

They swam in the pool, showered, and prepared to return to the
office.  It was almost three o'clock.  Jennifer grinned at her
sister and said, "Okay, sis, I guess I have the assignment.  I
think she'll be a beautiful bride, don't you?"

"Sure do," responded Jan with a grin.*Chapter 12*

April Jefferson was feeling good when she returned to her desk
after an early lunch.  She was scheduled to relieve Jean at the
reception desk at twelve-thirty.  She was very pleased with her
new job at the bank.  The people were very nice and things were
starting to work out for her.  Looking at her desk she found a
note to see Mr. Burke immediately.  Suddenly, her heart was in
her mouth. _It must have been that trouble with the two women
this morning,_ she thought. _But they seemed so nice!  I hope
he'll give me another chance!_

She went to Mr. Burke's office and knocked on the open door.  She
really liked him.  She had learned that his door was almost never
closed.  People -- little people -- from around the bank were
always dropping by to talk with him.  He looked up from his desk
and grinned.  "Hi, April.  Come on in and close the door, would
you please?"

_At least he's kind enough to rip my ass in private,_ she
thought.  Closing the door, she sat down, sitting up as straight
as possible. _Oh, God she thought, _this makes my tits stick out.
 What will he think?_  He smiled and leaned back in his chair. 
She thought he looked tired and said so. _What's wrong with me? 
He'll think I'm offering to take him to bed!_

Dan leaned back and grinned.  "That's part of the problem that
maybe you can help to solve.  April, you don't want to be a
receptionist, do you?"

"I beg your pardon, sir?" she asked softly.  Dan liked the
musical quality of her voice.  She was a very well-spoken young
woman.  "I like it very much.  I'm very sorry for what happened
this morning.  If you give me another chance, I promise it will
never happen again."

"What will never happen?" Dan asked, obviously puzzled.

_There's nothing else to do but tell him,_ she thought. _Here
goes nothing!_  "This morning I challenged Mrs. Stewart at the
reception area.  I didn't think I was being rude...  At least I
tried not to be.  I realize I should have known who she is, but I
didn't.  I'm going to study the lists even more carefully again
tonight," she said softly.

Dan started to get the picture.  He smiled warmly and said,
"April, I'm sorry.  I didn't call you in to bawl you out.  I
asked you in to see if you would like a new job... one more in
keeping with your ability and education."

Now the girl was shocked.  "I beg your pardon, sir?"  Then she
started to cry.

Her mother had spent her life telling her how ladies behaved and
insisting that she act like one, so she kept her head up straight
even though tears were rolling down her cheeks.  "Do you know
what it's like for a black girl like me to have a job in a place
like this?  Mr. Burke, I'm a refugee from welfare.  I went to
city schools in Chicago.  I went to a lousy college.  The only
job I'm qualified for is to be a cleaning woman, cleaning offices
and washrooms.  I guess that's what I'll go back to."

Dan rose from his chair and went around the desk when she started
to cry.  He was down on one knee beside her and reached out and
held her.  It was the last straw.  When April began to cry like
her heart would break, he just held her close, feeling her warm
body.  As she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in
his shoulder, he could feel her body shaking with her sobs.  As
she began to regain control, Dan reached in his pocket and gave
her a clean handkerchief which she used to wipe her eyes and blow
her nose.  Then she realized with a start what she had done. 
"May... May I take this home and wash it tonight, please, sir? 
I'm so sorry...  I guess I'll go look for some other job.  Thank
you, sir."

Dan was down on one knee.  He said, "April, we're having a real
communications problem this afternoon.  Look, instead of beating
around the bush, maybe I should just tell you straight out what
we have in mind.  Okay?"  She looked at him and nodded, utterly
bewildered.  "April, we would like to use you in special credit
analysis reporting directly to one of our senior vice presidents.
 Do you think you would like that?"

"I beg your pardon, sir?  I don't think I heard you correctly. 
Would you mind repeating what you just said?"

"We're forming a special lending unit under a senior vice
president.  She needs help with credit analysis.  Would you take
the job?  She'll give you all the training you'll need.  Are you
interested?"

"Credit analyst?  Me?  Oh, Mr. Burke, I can't believe it!  I
hoped...  Oh, God, did I hope!  I hoped some day I could get into
credit, but I knew, deep down, it could never happen.  But you
say it did!  The answer is yes, of course.  What do you want me
to do?  I'll do absolutely _anything_ to get such a job!"

Dan went back behind his desk and smiled.  "Great!  Now we're
getting on track.  Let me start at the beginning now that you
know how the story is going to come out.  First, the whole idea
was Jan Stewart's.  Obviously, you didn't insult her this
morning.  She was impressed by you and asked for you
specifically.  As you may know, she and her sisters effectively
own the bank.  Do you like her?"

"Like her?  Good heavens!  Mr. Burke, sir, she is a lady -- a
real lady.  My mother worked for a family when she was very
young.  She told me about them.  She's the one who insisted I
speak properly and act properly.  She was always saying that was
the way real ladies act."  Her eyes began to tear again as she
continued, "The other thing she used to say was that real ladies
were kind and understanding.  They respect other people.  I guess
that's what I think about the sisters."

Dan had been listening carefully.  When she finished, he said,
"April, I think you're absolutely right.  I didn't think of it in
those terms, but I think you have it right.  She is a real lady.
In fact, she's really more like a princess or a queen.  But
that's another story.  You'll be working with Cynthia Martin. 
She's the daughter of the president and my fiancee but she
doesn't know that yet.  If I look a little tired, it's her
fault."

As he spoke about Cindy, Dan's face just beamed.  She said, "You
love her a lot, don't you, sir?"

"More than life itself, April.  Look, there are a couple of
things that are strange about this job.  First, she is, in terms
of personal lending authority, our most senior lending officer. 
Second, she's shown on the officer roster as being on a leave of
absence.  You'll know it soon enough, so you might as well know
it now.  She's Janice Stewart's house slave."

_"What?_  Did you say, slave?" April exclaimed.

"I sure did, and she is.  I'm sure Jan or Cindy -- it's Cindy, by
the way, not Cynthia -- will explain it to you."  Dan's face had
been very friendly and relaxed.  Suddenly it became very serious
as he continued, "April, I have a favor to ask.  I have no right
to ask it, and you have every right to tell me to go to hell. 
Your answer has absolutely nothing to do with the job I
mentioned.  Regardless of how you answer, you have the job if you
still want it.  Understand?"

"Yes, sir.  And the answer is yes.  I don't care what the
question is, either.  What is it?"

"I want you to tell a lie for me.  I want you to tell Cindy, if
she should ask, that I'm still a credit analyst.  You can admit
to knowing me or not as you chose.  She doesn't know I'm the
executive vice president, and I would rather she not know."  Dan
was looking down at his desk, not even wanting to look at the
girl.

April got out of her chair without thinking and went around the
desk.  She kissed him lightly on the cheek and said, "Of course,
Mr. Burke.  I thought you wanted something else, like me joining
Miss Martin in slavery.  The answer to that's also yes.  Do you
understand?  There is absolutely nothing I won't do for you, sir.
 Nothing!  I see you love her deeply, but why is it a secret?"

Dan looked at her and saw the warmth in her eyes.  He replied,
"April, I really don't know."  He smiled and said, "I guess I'm
having fun with Cindy, teasing her."  He explained that Cindy was
looking for inexpensive apartments where they could live and have
lots of babies.  "We're going to have dozens, I guess.  She
adores the little things and I'm sure she'll be a world-class
mother."  He grinned and said, "I'm going to work to try to
support the family while she stays home, barefoot, and pregnant
with a baby nursing at her breast.  I can see her now, and it
will be great!"  April just smiled warmly.

He moved along with the conversation.  "There's a stack of files
here for you.  I took the liberty of buying you a briefcase
because you'll need one in the job and Jean Robbins said you
didn't have one."  He pulled out a beautiful woman-size attache
case which he slid across the desk to her.

April opened it and her eyes widened.  Inside it was fitted out
with the best hand-held financial calculator available, as well
as a woman's gold Cross pen and pencil set.  Files were neatly
arranged in a file folder attached to the lid.  She looked at him
and asked, "Do you deduct something from my pay each week until
this is paid for, sir?  It's absolutely beautiful!  I would never
have purchased anything so fine, but I realize that representing
the bank I should look the part."

"April, it's a gift from me.  After all, you're compromising your
integrity for me.  And one more thing: the name is Dan.  It's
really all I ever answer to.  When I was in the Marines, I was a
platoon sergeant; no one has ever called me 'sir' and I don't
want people to start now.  The files are to review with Cindy. 
Tell her it's her father's idea.  The last thing is the manila
envelope that's in the case.  That's all the material she'll need
to close a loan tomorrow."  He smiled and said, "I guess that
about does it...  Whoops!  I almost forgot.  Can you stay late
tonight with Cindy?  Would it be all right if you didn't get home
until about ten?"

"That's fine, sir... Dan.  I'll call my mother, if I may.  Here's
a quarter for the phone call..."

"April Jefferson, how long have you worked at this bank?"

"Sir...? Dan?  For almost six weeks.  But why do you ask?"

"How much money have you seen go down the drain in that time? 
Thousands?  Millions?"

"I don't understand, Dan."

"Young lady, when the bank asks you to work late, the damned
least we can do is pay for the phone call to tell your family
you'll be late!  Cindy will drive you home.  Now beat it!  And
don't forget your attache case!  Jan Stewart will be by to pick
you up in a bit."

April was waiting just off the reception area when the women
returned from the health club.  Jan asked for April and she came
right out.  Extending her hand she said, "Good afternoon, Mrs.
Stewart.  Mr. Burke said you wanted to see me."

"April, I know damned well Dan told you to call him Dan.  I go by
Jan, Janice, or 'you hot cunt.' Very occasionally I answer to
Mrs. Stewart.  Okay?"

April grinned and said, "Fine, Jan."

"Let's go.  I'm parked downstairs."

They went to the basement garage and Jan reclaimed her car.  Soon
they were on their way out to Deerfield.  April luxuriated in the
leather upholstery and the feel of the car.  She said it was the
most beautiful car she had ever been in.  Jan grinned and said
nothing.  As they drove, Jan said, "April, I guess Dan probably
told you that Cindy is my slave.  Did he tell you why?"

"No, ma'am... Jan, he didn't.  He said you or Cindy or both
probably would."

"Jan, I was a prostitute until I got married.  How that happened
is another story.  Anyway, my biggest customer was a guy named
Hugo Bingham.  Bingham hated my guts.  My husband and I obtained
the manufacturing rights to a new computer hard disk.  We're
about to start producing them any day now.  At any rate, we
needed money for tooling.  I borrowed $20 million from the bank.
My account officer was Cynthia Martin.  Less than a month later,
the bank sold the note to Hugo Bingham who immediately called it.
 Suffice it to say, I was not happy.  He wanted me to return to
him as his slave.  We settled his hash but I was not too happy
either with the bank or with Cindy.

"My family bought the bank and fired the chairman.  My sister,
Jennifer, bought some notes Cindy had outstanding.  She did to
her what almost happened to me.  She gave Cindy the choice of
immediately paying the notes or becoming my house slave.  That's
what she elected to do.  Because of some things that happened, I
have come to love that girl.  She's the most courageous person
I've ever met in my life.  She endured the most agonizing pain
it's possible to conceive without a murmur.  Anyway, she thinks
she'll be my slave for about ten years.  Please don't wise her
up."

Jan grinned and added, "There's one more thing.  Please don't
tell Cindy that Dan is the executive vice president.  It's his
secret.  Can you keep it for him?"

"I already promised him I would, Jan," April replied.

As Jan pulled into the driveway, Cindy was using the lawn tractor
to cut the grass in the front lawn.  When she saw Jan had
company, she shut it off and came over to the car.  "Cindy," Jan
said, "This is April Jefferson.  Your father has assigned her to
work for you as a credit analyst.  She has some material to go
over with you, and she'll be staying for dinner.  You two can go
over her stuff after we eat and then you can drive her home. 
Okay?"

"Of course," Cindy replied.  She extended her hand and said,
"Hello, April.  I'm delighted to meet you."  April took her hand
in a firm grip.

"What can I do to help, Miss Martin?  Mrs. Stewart explained the
situation.  I said I would do anything to be able to work with
you, including selling myself into slavery.  Can I help you? 
Please?"

April was wearing a cotton cord suit.  The day was very hot --
well into the nineties.  Cindy shook her head saying, "You don't
know what you're volunteering for!  Why don't you just wait out
back.  I'll be finished here in front in just a couple more
minutes.  Then maybe you can help me."

She got back on the tractor while Jan escorted April into the
house.  She looked around and said, "Jan, this is a small palace!
 It's so lovely."  She told Jan about her mother and the family
for whom she worked.  She said, "This reminds me of something
else she said.  She said that real ladies have homes that are
beautiful, decorated in good taste, and yet are very homey and
welcoming."  She smiled at Jan and said, "I never understood what
she meant before.  But now I do.  She was speaking about your
home and about you.  You are truly a lady!"

"Lady, hell!  I'm a partially reconstructed whore," Jan
exclaimed.

"No, ma'am.  You're a lady.  More like a princess or a queen,
actually, but 'lady' is pretty close," April insisted.

Jan looked into the girl's warm brown eyes.  She saw tears in the
corners of them but not a trace of sarcasm.  On impulse, Jan took
the girl in her arms and kissed her warmly.  "April, I'm looking
forward to meeting your mother.  You're the one who was born a
queen or a princess."

April went outside in the back yard and waited for Cindy to
appear.  She saw the tennis court and the swimming pool and
realized how big the yard was.  It was completely private,
shielded on all three sides by woods.  It was beautifully
landscaped with beautifully cared-for flowers and shrubs.  Cindy
came around after putting the tractor away in its shed.  She
grinned and said, "What would you like to do, April?  I still
have a lot of work, but it doesn't concern you."

The black girl smiled and said, "It sure does!  You're my boss. 
If you're a slave, I guess I'm a junior slave.  What do the
slaves do around here and where are the slave quarters?"

"That's part of the problem.  I'll tell you about it.  Let's go."
 She took April up to her room.

"Oh, Cindy, this is beautiful!" the girl exclaimed.

"See, I told you I have a problem!  We're not treated properly
around here.  Everywhere else, slaves get their ration of rice. 
Here, it's gourmet dining.  Slaves have a right to sleep on the
floor.  They make me sleep here.  I don't even have an outhouse.
They make me use my private bath!"  While she was talking, she
was shedding her clothes and then turned to face the girl.

April's eyes widened and she exclaimed, "Good heavens!  Cindy,
you have the most beautiful female body in the world!  No
wonder..."

"No wonder what?" Cindy asked.

The girl smiled and said, "You know Dan Burke, don't you?  He
came in this morning looking like he'd been in a train wreck.  I
heard someone ask him and heard him mention a name: Cindy. 
That's you, isn't it?"

Cindy grinned and said, "I certainly hope so, unless he has two
of us."  Then she said, "Were you serious?  Do you want to help?
You're welcome to take a nap until dinner."  April said she was
certain, so Cindy told her to take off her clothes.  "We can't
handle banker's clothes.  Besides, I'm wearing the slave uniform
around here."

April grinned and stripped.  Cindy noticed that the girl's
clothes were inexpensive but very well cared-for.  In moments,
she was bare.  Cindy whistled appreciatively.  "Lady, did I hear
you say something about women's bodies?  Yours is exquisite!" 
She went up to the girl and touched tiny marks on her abdomen and
looked at her with a question in her eyes.

April answered the unasked question.  "Stretch marks from my
pregnancy.  I'm a mother and like so many black girls, unmarried.
 Do they show very much?"

Cindy shook her head and said, "April, I pray I can look half as
good as you do after my first child."  The girl was slender but
with very full breasts.  Her narrow waist flowed out to slender
hips and down to beautiful legs.  Her pubic thatch was a small
patch of silken black hair above her nether lips.  "Come on,
let's go."

They went outside and the two girls worked on the tennis court
and then the swimming pool.  When they were finished, Cindy dove
in and the girl followed her.  April was only an adequate swimmer
so after four laps she climbed out and just watched as Cindy
surged up and down the pool.  She looked like a trapped porpoise
and moved through the water as fast and as smoothly a one. 
Finally Cindy pulled herself out of the pool and squeezed the
water out of her hair.  She pulled over two mats and lay down in
the sun.

She looked at April and grinned.  "Do you lay in the sun?  You
have a permanent suntan, I guess."

April said, "It can always stand some improvement."  As Cindy lay
with her eyes closed, the girl took the opportunity to study her
closely.  She could see tiny lines on her body and realized there
were lines paralleling her slit that appeared to be surgical
scars.  She asked about them.

Cindy just lay on the mat with her eyes closed.  "They are
reminders of my runaway ego," she replied.

"But what are they?" April asked.

"They're whip cuts.  The worst doesn't show.  It's in my cunt." 
She smiled and said, "It circumcised my clit which has turned out
to be fun."

"But who did this to you?" April insisted.

"April, I did it to myself.  When it was over, I kissed the whip
and thanked the person holding it.  I meant it, too.  I'm
starting to feel pretty good about myself."  Cindy looked up at
the sky and estimated the time.  "Come on.  We have some more
work to do."

They went inside and took turns in the shower.  Then they went
down to the kitchen where Cindy started the dinner.  As usual,
she prepared canapes and got the materials together for drinks. 
At five o'clock, Jan came into the kitchen wearing only her tiny
black peignoir.  Cindy kissed her on the cheek and said,
"Dressing for dinner, I see."

Jan winked and looked at April.  "Good heavens, girl, what a
body!  You're magnificent."  April had been looking at Jan.  With
only the transparent peignoir which ended at her hips exposing
her pubic area completely, she was magnificent and April said so.
 "I guess I've recovered from my career as a prostitute," Jan
said wryly.  Then she grinned and said, "April, are you game for
some fun?"  The girl quickly agreed, so Jan asked her to open the
door when Pete came home.

They heard the car come up the drive.  April was waiting at the
door and opened it as soon as Pete reached it.  "Good evening,
sir," she said softly.  "I'm Slave April.  I'm assisting Slave
Cindy this evening."  Pete's eyes bugged as he looked at the
beautiful girl standing in front of him.  She seemed to welcome
his inspection and said, "I have full tits, sir, although they're
not as firm as the mistress's or Slave Cindy's.  Would you like
to feel them?  I'm slim and have a firm ass.  It's also available
for your inspection.  The mistress believes I may be strong
enough to become a field slave someday."  While she was going
through her recital, her eyes were dancing.

Pete just shook his head and ran upstairs.  He took a quick
shower and soon returned wearing only a pair of shorts.  This
time Jan went to him and melted in his arms.  He picked her up,
carried her into the living room and sat down in his favorite
chair with Jan sitting across his lap.

The two girls brought in the drinks and hors d'oeuvres and both
knelt on the floor with their trays resting on their breasts. 
Jan took her drink which was frosting on the outside of the glass
and put it between Cindy's breasts.  The girl didn't move; there
was just a tiny shudder as the icy glass came in contact with her
tender skin.  "Is it cold enough, Slave Cindy?" Jan asked with
her eyes sparkling.

"I think milady will be pleased," Cindy replied in a flat tone of
voice but with her eyes dancing.

The dinner was magnificent.  The two girls ate at the table.  As
they were finishing, Pete just shook his head.  "April, this is
torture.  Can you imagine what it's like to sit here looking at
three of the most magnificent pairs of tits in the world?  Woman
of the house, your lord and master is horny.  What are you going
to do about it?"

"Let's go up to the playroom," she suggested, leading the way
upstairs to the master bedroom.  The bed was turned down on both
sides.  Jan unbuttoned Pete's shorts and dropped them.  Following
her request, he got on the bed and she knelt between his legs. 
"Slaves, your master wishes to fondle tits.  I'll be occupied so
he'll use yours."

Pete was in the center of the bed.  Cindy got in beside him and
rested her head on his shoulder.  His arm came around and cupped
her firm breast.  April watched what Cindy did and climbed in on
the other side and did the same thing.  Each of Pete's hands was
cupping a beautiful tit.  Meanwhile, Jan had gotten between his
legs and began to work on his cock.  She slid up his body and
kissed him passionately.  Sliding down his body, she worshiped it
with her lips and fingertips.  Finally she took his cock in her
mouth and started to work on it.

April watched the woman in amazement as she took it into her
mouth to its full length. _Where did it go?_ she wondered. _It
can't possibly fit in her mouth.  It's gigantic!_  Jan's head was
going up and down as it acted like a vagina.  Finally, the girls
could feel Pete's body shake as he came in a flood.  The sexual
excitement caused Jan to reach an orgasm of her own, and she
collapsed on the bed.  Cindy moved down on the bed to where Jan
was lying sprawled in exhaustion.  She started to lick the girl's
cunt and tasted her wonderful love juices.  April, seeing what
Cindy was doing, went down on Pete, carefully licking his cock
and getting the last traces of his semen.  When they finished,
the two girls returned to Pete's arms.

Again Cindy had a thought that had first occurred to her when she
saw April nude for the first time.  She leaned across Pete's
body.  April wasn't sure what Cindy was thinking of, but had a
good idea.  She met her halfway, and the two girls kissed. 
Cindy's tongue darted out and April had a taste of Jan's love
juice that was still on Cindy's mouth, while Cindy reached across
and stroked April's full breasts.  The beautiful black girl
moaned with aroused passion.

Jan had disappeared from the room and returned while the two
girls were kissing.  She had a corona lighted for Pete and a
panatella for herself.  Climbing into bed beside him, he cupped
her breast and she moaned softly.  "Why don't you slaves
entertain us?  Drink each other's nectar."

Cindy whispered quickly to April who first looked startled but
then nodded.  Cindy lay on her back and April knelt over her face
with her legs spread wide exposing her cunt to Cindy's mouth. 
The girl leaned forward and Cindy's legs came up to wrap around
her neck, raising her cunt so the girl could reach it with her
mouth and tongue.  Cindy's tongue darted out and began to probe
the girl's vagina.  She found her clit and licked it, then bit it
gently with her teeth.  April shuddered as she had an instant
orgasm -- the first of her life.  Meanwhile her mouth was active
in Cindy's love box.  Her eyes opened wide when she saw the cut
Cindy described that ran across her clit.  She tongued it and bit
it with her lips, being rewarded with a flood of cuntal juice
which she carefully licked up.  The two girls maintained it
through what seemed like dozens of orgasms until they both
collapsed.  Jan and Pete had been watching and were just shaking
their heads.

Finally, they left the room and returned to Cindy's.  Cindy gave
the girl a pair of shorts and a tank top and put on similar
clothes herself.  Going downstairs, they cleaned up the kitchen
quickly and then sat down at the kitchen table.  April told her
what had happened during the day.

Then she changed the subject.  "Cindy, first, thank you.  I have
never in my life gone down on a woman.  If someone had told me
to, I would have vomited at the thought.  However, if my first
sexual experience had been with you, I would probably be a
lesbian.  You have a delicious cunt!"  The girl smiled wryly and
said, "Isn't that a terrible thing to say?"  Then she looked at
Cindy with a question on her face but with her eyes dancing. 
"There's only one thing.  I thought white girls were supposed to
taste like vanilla?"

"April, your cunt is delicious, too!  I think Jan called it
nectar, and yours is."  She grinned at the girl and asked, "But
why doesn't it taste like chocolate?  I thought all black girls
did.  Regardless, I loved it!  Now, can we play banker just like
the big kids?"

April retrieved her new attache case and put it on the table. 
Before she opened it, she just looked at Cindy and said, "I told
your father I would do anything for the opportunity to work with
you.  I was only thinking of the opportunity of getting into
lending.  Now I see that I was more right than I could possibly
know.  Cindy Martin, you're a wonderful person.  Do you know
something else?  You don't treat me like I'm black.  I'm not
talking about discrimination, either.  I've had the experience of
seeing the nice people check off the little box that says
'Black'.  I can see another tick mark on some chart somewhere for
affirmative action.  You treat me like a person.  You seem to be
interested in me; you kid, you joke -- you're just very nice. 
I'm really looking forward to this."  The girl became very
serious and added, "Cindy, I'm going to ask you for a favor. 
It's a very big one but it's within your power to grant.  Will
you grant me my favor?  Please?"

Cindy smiled softly and said, "Of course, April.  Anything. 
What's the favor?"

"Promise to fire my black ass out of your unit and out of the
bank if I don't hack it."  She looked into Cindy's eyes and
waited.  She saw an expression of shock and then... love?

Cindy stuck out her hand and said, "It's a deal.  I promise to
fire your black ass if you don't hack it.  I also promise to see
you get the biggest damned bonus in the bank when you do, though.
 And I'm sure you will."

"Cindy, thank you.  I should warn you, though, I don't know very
much.  The schools I went to through college were uniformly
lousy.  You've heard how bad the Chicago schools are?  The
stories you hear are the truth toned down in the interests of
believability."  She reached into her new case and took out the
envelope Dan had given her.

Cindy opened it and found the loan documents for the Legrands
along with a check for $125,000.  It was ready to go.  All she
had to do was sign it as lending officer and authorized
signatory.  She also found a smaller envelope and opened it.  It
contained the results of pre-employment tests given to April at
the bank.  The IQ was reported as 140, the low end of genius. 
Other tests were similarly impressive.  She asked April to come
around the table and look.  She showed the numbers to the girl
and said, "April, you can do it, and I'm sure you will.  Now
let's get going."

They spent an hour going over the loan files.  Cindy had a pad
and made a list of things she wanted April to do for each one. 
There was a machine shop, a grocery store, a dry-cleaning
establishment, and an auto repair shop.  April took careful
notes.  When they were finished, Cindy said, "April, do you
understand what I want?  How long will it take you to get this
stuff and finish the analyses?"

"I'll have it done by Wednesday morning, first thing," the girl
replied.

"You will like hell!  I just gave you at least a week's work
young lady.  What are you trying to do?  Kill yourself?  Don't
forget, your little boy needs his mother, too."

April just looked at her steadily and repeated, "Wednesday
morning.  Do you want me to bring them out to you?  Could...
Could I rent a car?  I have a license."

"April, you said you know Dan Burke.  You do, don't you?"  The
girl nodded her head.  "Tomorrow, see Dan.  Tell him I said you
need the full array of lending officer plastic.  Oh, and tell him
to get you business cards.  We'll start you as an assistant vice
president.  Is that okay?"

April's jaw dropped.  "But you can't!  That's... that's an
officer.  An officer of the most prestigious bank in Chicago.  I
can't be an officer!"

"Slave April, you're now an officer!  Shall I get out the whip? 
You saw what it can do.  I'm an expert on the receiving end, but
I think I can figure out how to use it from the handle end, too.
Do you want to try me?"

"No, I guess I don't.  But I want you to know a couple of things,
Cynthia Martin.  First, I love you.  There's nothing I won't do
for you, understand?  Absolutely nothing!  The second thing is I
won't fail you.  I give you my solemn oath on that.  You have
just stuck your neck out for a slum nigger.  Why, Cindy?  Why did
you do it?"

Cindy's eyes were bright with tears.  She said, "April, I love
Dan Burke very much.  We used to fight all the time -- I mean
constantly!  It's very simple.  He was completely right and I was
totally wrong.  He said you lend to people.  That's our job.  To
lend to people you have to learn to judge them.  I'm doing that.
I judge that you're an outstanding person and will be an
outstanding loan officer for Chicago Trust Company.  The fact
that you're female and black has nothing to do with nothing.  I'm
judging you as a person, April, and you passed the test with
flying colors.

It was getting late.  It was already almost eleven and it was an
hour's drive to April's home in Chicago.  Cindy checked her watch
and said, "April, please call your mother.  I'm sorry it's so
late.  Your little boy is going to miss you, and I don't want
your mother to worry."  The girl smiled and placed the call.

They went out, got into Cindy's little car and headed south. 
"This is a beautiful little car," April exclaimed.  "And the
seats are so comfortable.  They're special, but I don't know just
why."

"They're Recaros.  They claim to make the best sports car seats
in the world.  It's kind of fun, isn't it."  They sped south,
headed downtown and then went to South Chicago.

It was obvious April was embarrassed by where she lived but
didn't say anything.  When Cindy pulled in to the curb where
April indicated, there were a number of men standing around.  It
was a very hot night as they immediately realized when they got
out of the air-conditioned car.  April nodded towards the car and
the biggest man just returned the nod.  She had seen a light on
in their apartment and knew her mother was still up.  "Cindy, I
know it's late, but would you like to meet my mother?  I know she
would love to meet you."

"I would love to, April.  Lead the way."

April led the way up to a third-floor apartment and rang the
bell.  It was opened instantly by an older black woman.  She
looked younger than Cindy expected, appearing to be in her late
thirties.  She hugged April and kissed her, then extended her
hand and said, "I'm Mary Jefferson, April's mother."

"I'm Cindy Martin, Mrs. Jefferson.  I'm very pleased to meet you.
 I apologize for keeping April out so late.  However, she has
just been promoted to a new position at the bank and I guess I'm
her new boss.  I needed to brief her on her new duties, but I'm
very sorry it took so long."

"Mother, Miss Martin is a senior vice president of Chicago Trust
Company.  I'm working for her.  She says I'm now an assistant
vice president, but I don't believe that."  She smiled at her
mother and said, "Do you suppose we could have some tea?  It's a
long drive down from Deerfield and Miss Martin has to go right
back.  I wanted her to meet you, though."

Mrs. Jefferson hurried into the kitchen while April went into the
bedroom.  She came out holding a sleeping baby boy in her arms. 
She whispered, "This is my son, Cindy.  He's a year and a half. 
Isn't he handsome?"  The baby stirred and opened his eyes. 
Instead of crying, he saw his mother and smiled.  She held him
close and kissed him softly.  After the baby nuzzled her shoulder
and went right back to sleep, April put him back in his crib.

A few minutes later Mary Jefferson was back with tea cups and
then carefully set the table for three.  She went back to the
kitchen and brought back a teapot and a small plate of cookies. 
The women sat at the table while Mary gracefully poured.

April looked at her mother and tears came to her eyes.  "Mother,
do you remember telling me how good people lived?  What their
homes were like?  I didn't believe you.  Now I do.  I was in such
a home today.  Mother, it was exactly like you described it.  The
woman, Mrs. Stewart, _owns_ the bank.  She really does!  But
she's so beautiful and kind.  She treats me like a person -- like
she's really interested in me.  Thank you, mother, for trying so
hard to teach me."

Mary Jefferson had been looking at Cindy closely.  She spoke to
April while looking at Cindy.  "What do you think of Miss Martin,
April?"

"Mother, she and Mrs. Stewart could almost be twins.  They have
the same color hair, the same eyes, and are almost the same
height.  I guess Mrs. Stewart is slightly taller.  Oh, and Miss
Martin's hair is longer.  Isn't it beautiful?"

"That's not what I meant, April," Mary said softly.

"Mother, she is a lady.  A real lady.  Exactly like you
described: a gentlewoman.  Is that what you were asking?"

"Yes, dear, and you're right, of course.  Miss Martin, it's a
real privilege to have you visit our apartment.  Thank you for
giving my daughter her opportunity.  I'm sure you won't be
disappointed."

"Mrs. Jefferson, I'm sure you're right.  I have only known April
for a few hours, but I love her.  I really do.  I'm looking
forward to working with her."  The women talked for a while
longer and then Cindy got up to leave.

When April walked with her back down to her car, she nodded at
the big man who had been joined by two others.  It was obvious
they had been watching Cindy's car to be sure nothing happened to
it.  Cindy opened the door and heard April whisper, "Thank you,
Sam."  She drove off and April went back to the apartment and
found her mother waiting for her.  "What did you really think,
mother?"

"Honey, I think you're absolutely right.  She is a real lady. 
She has been hurt, hasn't she?  Physically, I mean."

"Yes, mother.  Tortured, I think.  I have seen her naked, though,
and I can't imagine a more perfect body.  She's in love with
another officer at the bank who is a wonderful gentleman.  I'm
sure they're going to be very happy together."*Chapter 13*

The next morning Jan went into the office of Illinois
Technologies with Pete.  Cindy learned they were planning to
change the company name to The Peters Drive Company.  By now she
had become so expert in cleaning she finished her work in the
house by ten, and then put on a pair of tight Levi's and a
chambray shirt she borrowed from Jan.  As a result of her
workouts on the gym equipment, her own clothes were now all too
tight in the shoulders and too full on her hips.  Getting in her
car, she drove to _Chez Nous._  Since the restaurant had not yet
opened for lunch, she knocked on the door and waited.

She was greeted by Marie whose face instantly turned
apprehensive.  When she said she had come about the loan, Marie
ran back to the kitchen and returned with Marcel.  From the way
she was holding on to his hand, it was easy to see she was
frightened.  Marcel took her to a table and Marie brought over
coffee.  She sat next to Marcel and held his hand again, as if
trying to draw strength from him.

"What... what's the problem, Cindy?  Do they need more
information?  Or did they just say no?" Marcel asked nervously.

Cindy reached out her hands and held Marcel's free hand in her
left and Marie's in her right.  Then she smiled and said, "I
apologize.  I know how important this is to you and I'm sorry it
took so long.  I have your check here with me.  If you'll loan me
your pen, there are some things for you to sign and then you get
your check."

The Legrands were stunned.  Marie stammered, "Our check!?  You
mean, they said yes?  They really did?"

Cindy's eyes were moist as she said, "I said yes, Marie.  I said
it on Sunday.  I have the authority to lend a great deal more
than this.  It's important for you to understand that I'm lending
to you and Marcel.  The money is for your wine cellar, to fix up
the kitchen and that stuff, but it's not why the bank is making
the loan.  I'm making the loan to you because I believe in you
two.  Do you understand?"

She opened the manila envelope and pulled out the papers while
the two just looked at each other.  Marcel just shook his head. 
"Do you mean, Cindy, that Dan was not teasing us?  You're really
a senior banker?  But you can't be!  The way you dress..."

Cindy looked down at herself and then asked, "What's wrong?  I'm
dressed."  Then she grinned and said, "Oh, damn!  I forgot to
wear my senior-banker suit.  Don't worry about it.  The money
spends anyway."  Then she looked crestfallen although her eyes
were dancing as she added, "I didn't think I looked *that*
awful."

Marie jumped up from her chair, came around the table and hugged
Cindy saying, "Oh no, Cindy!  We didn't mean to hurt your
feelings.  You are _magnifique!..._ magnificent, no?  We're so
very sorry.  It's... it's just that in France...  Well, there are
no bankers like you in France.  None!"

She took them through the papers and explained them.  In minutes
they were all signed.  Finally, Cindy took out the check, signed
it and gave it to them.  She smiled and said, "In a short time,
I'll be back to see you.  I'll want you to think about using
Chicago Trust Company as your bank.  I hope you'll give us
serious consideration."

This time the Legrands were just wide-eyed.  "Do you mean...
Chicago Trust Company would like us as... as customers!?" Marcel
exclaimed.  "But that's silly!  It's only for the biggest
companies and the wealthiest people."

Cindy smiled softly and said, "Marcel, in case you didn't notice,
I just gave you $125,000 of my bank's money.  You're a customer
of Chicago Trust right now whether you like it or not."  The
Legrands just beamed and said anything they had or would ever
have would go to Chicago Trust.

When Cindy left, she felt great.  She didn't even wait to go
home.  Instead, she found a pay phone and called Dan at the bank.
 He answered on the first ring, "Burke."  She didn't know that he
had kept the extension he had when he was in financial analysis
as a special line on his new phone.  Mary Thomas was instructed
-- and, in turn, told all of the other secretaries -- that if it
were answered it was only to be "Credit Analysis, Dan Burke's
phone."  Cindy was the only person with the extension number; it
was not listed on any bank directory.

"Dan, it's Cindy," she said softly.  "I called for two reasons:
First, I wanted to thank you for the most thrilling three days of
my life.  I love you, darling.  The second reason is to tell you
I delivered the check to the Legrands.  I couldn't even wait to
get home to call you.  Honey, it was my greatest day in banking!
Those two are so happy, they're floating.  I feel so great about
the bank and about myself.  That's what you have been trying to
tell me for so many years, isn't it?"

Dan smiled as he listened to her voice.  "It is great, isn't it?
Cindy, you've changed, you know.  You're the nicest person on the
face of the earth and I love you so much.  I really do.  I'm just
sorry I have trouble telling it to you face-to-face.  It sounds
so dumb to me when I say it.  Cin, I really do love you.  Did you
mean what you said a few moments ago?  About loving me?"

"Isn't it pretty obvious?  By the way, I was assigned the most
delightful person the bank has hired in years, April Jefferson. 
Do you know her?  She knows you, and I asked her to see you this
morning.  Did she?  She needs all the paraphernalia of a bank
lending officer.  Incidentally, Dan, can I get you in my unit? 
First, I want you.  You're the finest credit analyst in banking.
Second, I'm trying to promote her to assistant vice president and
she's only been in the bank six weeks.  Darling, it's not fair to
you!  It's just not."

Dan smiled to himself.  When Cindy's call came in, he had emptied
his office of a group of senior lending officers so he could talk
to her in private.  Then he said, "Look, Cindy, let's face facts.
 You claim to be in love with a guy who has made a career of
stepping on people's toes around this place.  Your father has
been able to keep me here, but he can't afford a revolution. 
I'll tell you what I think I can do, though.  If you need help on
analysis, I can probably spring loose to assist.  Fair?"

"It's better than nothing," she said, "But it's not fair.  I'm
going to talk to Jan and Jennifer.  They'll fix it!"

"Honey, please don't.  I thought you were getting used to having
a low-paid analyst as the father of your children?"

"Damn it, Burke, you're being screwed!  And I don't want anyone
to screw you, do you understand?" she exclaimed.  "Except me, of
course," she added in a small voice.  "What about the officership
for April?  Will it go through?"

Dan laughed and said, "It just did.  Incidentally, I hope you
know it requires the approval of the Board of Directors to elect
an officer?  The Board was polled by phone and it was unanimous.
She has personal lending authority to $500,000.  That was your
father's idea.  He's a great believer in having people sign their
own names."

He laughed again and said, "Hon, if it's okay with you, we're
only giving her a car-rental credit card today.  Your father says
there's a messenger coming out with material for Jan this
evening.  He'll bring the rest of the gear with him.  He wants
you to give it to her and I think it's only right.  Incidentally,
do you really like her?"

"She's a wonderful person, Dan.  Beyond that, though, she's going
to be a great lending officer."  Her voice changed timbre as she
asked, "Will I see you this weekend, honey?  I miss you terribly.
 It's funny.  I only sleep really soundly now when my head is on
your shoulder."

Again Dan chuckled.  "I'm glad to hear it.  I, on the other hand,
scarcely get any sleep at all.  If you're not assaulting me
sexually, you keep me awake with all the noise you make."

"Noise?" she protested.  "What noise?  I certainly don't snore,
Daniel Burke!"

"No, Cynthia Martin, you don't snore.  And I'm teasing you, too.
Actually, honey, you do make noise, though.  You make the most
wonderfully warm happy noises deep in your throat.  Remember the
Chatty Cathy doll?  You pulled a string and she would say
something?  With you, I just squeeze your boob ever so gently and
I hear those wonderful noises."

"Wonderful, Daniel Patrick Burke!  I'm like a windup doll. 
Except instead of pulling a string, you squeeze my tit!  Thanks a
hell of a lot!"

"Cindy, is there an Irishman lurking on your family tree
somewhere?"

"If you're asking me if there is any Irish in the family, the
answer is hell, yes!  A lot.  Why?"

Again he laughed, this time with gusto.  "Honey, there had to be!
 With your temper...  Oh, well, I guess that's why Irishmen are
usually big.  We have to be to survive our wives.  Darling, life
with you won't be dull!  But back to your kind invitation, I
would love to come out, if you still want me.  How about if I
bring some string?"  He laughed and hung up, just as she was
about to explode again.

She stood there on the street looking at the telephone receiver.
Finally, she just grinned, shook her head, and put it back.

That evening, as promised, the messenger from the bank brought
out all of April's materials.  The next morning she heard the
crunch of gravel as April come up the driveway.  She knew it was
April because the car was being driven so slowly.  It was clear
that the girl was being very careful.  April came up the walk and
Cindy opened the door for her and gave her a kiss.  As usual,
Cindy was naked.

When she closed the door, April gave her a light pinch on the
ass.  Then she said, "I've heard of tight asses before, Miss
Martin, but yours is as tight as they come."

Cindy stuck out her tongue and said, "Thank you, Miss Jefferson.
Is that what they taught you in school regarding getting along
with your superiors in business?  Pinch their unprotectedrears?"

April was a picture of wide-eyed innocence and she made tears
come to her eyes as she said woefully, "Miss Martin, I told you
the Chicago schools were lousy.  You mean we're not supposed to
pinch the boss?  But I'm sure I have something about it in my
notes, somewhere!"  Cindy just laughed.  April followed her up to
her room and waited while she took a shower and dressed, again
putting on her Levi's and chambray shirt.  The girls went down to
the kitchen and Cindy poured coffee for them.

Taking the package delivered from the bank, she changed her
demeanor.  "April, I have some things for you.  I was asked to
give them to you personally."  She first gave her engraved
business cards which said, "April Jefferson, Assistant Vice
President, Chicago Trust Company," along with the address.

Cindy put out her hand and said, "April, let me be the first to
congratulate you.  You were elected an officer yesterday by
unanimous vote of the board of directors.  I don't know if you
know it or not, but it takes a vote of the board to elect an
officer.  The reason is officers have the authority to commit the
bank.  You have personal approval authority to $500,000 per loan.
 It's not given to everyone nor given lightly.  Do you
understand?"

April was just shaking her head, stunned.  She whispered, "Do you
mean I'm an officer of the bank?  A real one!?"

"You sure are," Cindy replied, "And the approval authority is
real, too.  It means you can lend up to half a million dollars on
your exclusive say-so.  Incidentally, there may be a few noses
out of joint.  You skipped the rank of assistant treasurer.  And
your salary is now $60,000 per year."  She grinned and said,
"That was Jan's doing, I found out.  She said otherwise she would
have to pay you overtime for last night, and she _hates_ paying
overtime."  She then gave the girl her cards including a
corporate American Express card.  Cindy was having fun watching
the girl who could not believe her good fortune.  It made Cindy
feel very good just to watch her.  She noticed that April had
dark circles under her eyes; she was obviously very tired.

"Let's get to work, April.  How are you coming on your
assignments?" Cindy asked.

The girl smiled and opened her case.  In it were neatly labeled
files for each of the loan applications.  April took the files
out and, one by one, reviewed them with Cindy.  Inside each
folder was the list of questions Cindy had raised on the
application, the answers, and a neatly written recommendation for
action.  They went over the recommendations one at a time.

When they finished, Cindy leaned back in her chair and said,
"Wow!  You did it.  April, I wasn't kidding on Monday.  I did
give you at least a week's worth of work and many officers would
take a month.  I was serious when I asked to review your
progress.  Never in the world did I think you would have it all
done!  It's great.

"Now, young lady, it's crunch time.  You're a lending officer. 
Do we lend?  If so, why?  If not, why not?  Incidentally, none of
them is looking for even half a million, so these are all yours.
What are _you_ going to do?"

April just sat there, stunned.  Suddenly, the authority given to
her began to sink in. _I can say yes or no.  Me!  All by myself.
That's what Cindy is waiting for.  Oh, my God!  What do I do?_ 
she wondered.

She took the file on the grocery store first.  "I lend the money
to these people.  The owner is Korean and his whole family works
in the store.  They have fair prices and excellent produce.  The
loan will enable them to expand.  They are good people."  She
looked at Cindy and waited for questions.  Instead, Cindy just
nodded impassively and asked for the next file.

"On the dry cleaner the answer is no.  I asked around and their
reputation is mixed to poor.  The quality of their cleaning is
not very good.  I don't think they're aware of air-quality
problems with dry-cleaning solvents, either.  I'm not sure they
care that much about their customers."  She looked directly at
Cindy and said, "I think it's some kind of a front.  I don't
think they need the money and I'm not giving them any."  Again
Cindy nodded and asked for the next file.

April sat up even straighter in her chair as she opened the file
on the auto repair shop.  She looked defiant as she said, "The
analysis says no, but I say yes.  The owner is an ex-con; he
learned auto mechanics in prison.  Two other ex-cons work with
him.  They do beautiful work at fair prices.  They're respected
in spite of their backgrounds.  Incidentally, they served time
for armed robbery, burglary, and auto theft respectively. 
They're all black and it's a black neighborhood.  They were
turned down by the SBA on moral grounds.  Sam wants the money to
buy a new lift and an engine diagnostic machine.  The total is
$85,000 and I will personally guarantee the note."  She looked at
Cindy who just nodded and asked for the last file.

"This one I don't know about.  It's a machine shop and I don't
know anything about them.  The numbers look okay and the owner
checks out okay, but I need to know more," she said.

Cindy spoke for the first time.  She asked quietly, "What do you
need to know?"

"I need to look him in the eye," the girl responded.

Cindy still didn't say anything.  Asking April to wait in the
kitchen, she went to the library, called Dan, and again he picked
up at once.  She was so excited, she bubbled, "Dan, I love you! 
And I love April!  That girl is so good!  Here's what I want you
to do..."  She gave him the tinformation on the Korean loan for
$125,000 and the loan to the auto repair shop for $85,000.  She
asked for the checks to be ready within an hour; they would drive
by the bank.  Then she said, "Dan, the lending officer is April
Jefferson.  She's using her personal authority.  Honey, she has
the knack!  Honest, she does.  Do you have any more Aprils hiding
there?  I'll use them."  They talked a few more minutes and made
arrangements for the weekend.  She returned to the kitchen and
returned the files to the girl.

April looked like she was waiting for the ax to fall.  She had a
handkerchief in her hands which she was twisting in her fingers
from nervousness.  Cindy realized she was being cruel so she
grinned and said, "Thank you, April.  That's taken care of.  The
checks will be ready in an hour.  How about if we go by the bank,
get the checks, have some fun, and then look at a machine shop? 
Dan tells me Dad has some more files for us, too.  Are yougame?"

The girl looked at Cindy in utter amazement.  "But... But... But
what about the loans?"

"Honey, you just made two and rejected a third.  What's the big
deal?  That's your job."

"But..."

"I told you, April, you have personal authority to $500,000. 
Those two loans are yours.  Do you understand?  Your analysis was
unbelievably good, by the way.  How were you able to do so much
so fast?"

The girl beamed at the praise.  She reached out and hugged Cindy
and kissed her softly, whispering, "Oh, God, thank you.  Cindy,
you have done everything you said you would do.  I just didn't
believe you or believe it could happen to a girl like me.  But
you made it come true."

"No, April.  You did.  There's a great deal of very hard work in
those files.  I'm so proud and so happy for you."  She grinned at
the girl and said, "I'm thinking of a new uniform for our unit. 
It's what I'm wearing now.  What do you think?  I don't think
that lovely cord suit would last six seconds in a machine shop. 
Care to join me?  I'm sure we wear the same sizes -- except for
your oversize tits, of course."

April was now relaxed and she grinned, "Look, honkie!  I can't
help it if you're flat-chested.  My man likes his woman to have
tits he can grab hold of!"  Then she shook her head and said,
"Cindy, that's the worst lie I have ever told in my life! 
Flat-chested?  Even I can't buy that one."

The two girls went up to Cindy's room.  April quickly stripped
and put on an outfit identical to Cindy's.  It fit her perfectly.
 They drove the rental car to a local outlet where April turned
it in, then stopped at a store for a belt for the Levi's and a
pair of moccasins.  The girls then headed downtown.  Cindy waited
in the car while the black girl ran in to the bank.  She was back
in fifteen minutes, grinning from ear to ear.  She looked very
cute in her tight jeans.

When she was back in the car, she couldn't wait to tell Cindy
what had happened.  "I ran into one of our more pompous young
officers -- an assistant treasurer.  He was appalled at my attire
and was going to take it up with personnel.  Then your father
came along.  He pointed out that, first, I outranked the guy and
an apology was in order.  Furthermore, he happened to know I was
going out to see about a loan to a machine shop and my dress was
most appropriate."  She smiled warmly at Cindy and added, "I
really like your father!"

She gave Cindy directions to the grocery store.  They found a
place to park and the two girls walked in.  By now Cindy's tan
was almost as dark as April's skin.  They were a lovely pair, one
with silky black hair and the other a golden blonde.  They
entered the store and asked to see the owner, Mr. Kwan.  A man
about forty years old came out from the back room, looking very
attentive.  April extended her hand and shook hands with him. 
She said she was from the Chicago Trust Company and they were
there to talk about his loan application.  He ushered them into
his back room where a corner served as his office.

April then introduced Cindy and said, "Mr. Kwan, we're here about
the loan application you filed with us last week."

"Ah, so.  You need more information.  What would you like to
know?" he asked.

"No, sir.  It's not that at all.  The bank has approved your
application.  I have your check with me.  We're looking forward
to working with you and I want to thank you for your business,"
April said quietly.

The man's jaw dropped.  "Approved?  But... But who approved it? 
Chicago Trust Company?  There must be some mistake.  That bank
doesn't lend to small stores...  To immigrants."  He stammered
and shook his head and added, "I only filed an application
Chicago Trust because the SBA requires bank loan rejections
before they will consider helping.  It's all a mistake."

At this point Cindy entered the conversation.  "Mr. Kwan, there
is no mistake.  The loan was approved by Miss Jefferson here. 
She's an assistant vice president and approved it herself.  She
exercised her personal authority.  She'll be your contact at the
bank if there are any questions."  Cindy smiled warmly and
continued, "I'm a senior vice president; Miss Jefferson works for
me.  I came with her only to assure you that we do want your
business.  After all, everyone in the United States came from
somewhere else -- or their ancestors did.  This even includes the
Indians.  Are there any questions?  If not, Miss Jefferson will
ask you to sign some forms and then give you your check."

The poor man was stunned.  Finally he pulled himself together and
ran to tell his wife.  The woman came back along with three
teenage children.  With great ceremony he introduced his family
to the officers of a major bank that was lending money to them. 
While Mrs. Kwan hurried off to prepare tea, her husband signed
the loan papers and April took out the check.  Using her brand
new Cross pen, she signed the check and passed it to him.

"But you... you can sign an official check?"  A girl... and
black?" he stammered.

Cindy said quietly, "Miss Jefferson is one of our brightest young
officers.  April, please give Mr. Kwan your card so he'll know
how to reach you."  April took one out of her brand-new card case
and gave it to him.  Mrs. Kwan returned with the tea and served
it with ceremony.  The boys brought chairs for everyone.  The
Kwan's oldest child was a girl, Nancy.  When she joined them, her
father showed her the check and April's card.

The girl's eyes widened.  She asked diffidently, "Miss Jefferson,
you look quite young.  You have been to graduate school?"

April smiled warmly and said, "No, Nancy, I have not.  I came out
of the Chicago schools.  I've been at the bank for only a short
time.  However, I'm convinced that the bank is a wonderful place
for someone who is willing to work."  She nodded towards Cindy
and said, "Miss Martin is also quite young.  She does have a
graduate degree.  She also has the highest personal lending
authority in the bank.  If you're interested, when you finish
school, please call me.  We're expanding our activity with small
business and I'm sure you could help us."  She smiled warmly and
shook hands with the family.  Finally, Cindy welcomed them as
customers of Chicago Trust Company.

When they were back in the car, Cindy asked, "Well, how did it
feel?  You made your first loan."

The girl was leaning back in the seat with her eyes closed.  They
were headed towards her neighborhood in South Chicago.  Still
with her eyes closed she said, "Fantastic!  The family was so
happy!  Cindy, I think I did the right thing.  What do you
think?"

"Honey, I told Dan I thought you're on your way to being the best
lending officer the bank has ever had.  That's what I think.  By
the way, tomorrow, write a letter to the dry cleaner denying the
loan.  They're tough to write sometimes.  Would you like me to do
it for you?"

"No, thank you.  I can do it."  She opened her eyes and looked at
Cindy and asked, "Could you have dinner tonight with my mother
and me?  I think we will want to celebrate.  Do you think Jan and
Pete would mind?  I would love it if you could.  There are a
couple of nice places we could go."  Cindy agreed and said she
would call Jan later.

Following April's directions, Cindy pulled up at a small auto
repair place.  It was obviously converted from a service station
and the apron was used to park cars awaiting repair.  As April
got out, a big man came out from the service bay.  Cindy
recognized him as the man who had looked after her car on Monday
night.  April wasted no time.  She shook hands and introduced
Cindy who thanked him for watching her car.

He said quietly, "That's a mean machine.  We don't want anything
to happen to it.  What brings you ladies down this way?"

April said, "Sam, I came to give you the loan you applied for at
our bank, Chicago Trust Company.  Can we go into the office and
handle the paperwork?"

The big man was stunned.  He said, "April Jefferson, that's not
nice!  You're a good girl, and that's the first mean thing I have
ever heard you say.  What's got into you, child?"

April just walked into the office leaving Sam sputtering on the
apron.  Cindy walked in and found a chair to sit on while Sam
reluctantly followed them inside.  April still had not said
anything.  She placed her case on his cluttered desk, moved some
papers to the side and laid out the loan agreements.  Sam just
watched.

In a flat tone of voice she said, "Sam, sign at the marks and
date it today."  She gave him her pen which he looked at quickly
and then signed.  Now he had an amused expression on his face. 
He was playing along with her little joke.  She checked the
signatures and then took out the check, carefully signed her name
and gave it to him.  "Thank you for your business, Sam.  I want
to welcome you as a customer of Chicago Trust Company!"

It was as if someone had hit Sam behind the knees.  He sagged to
the floor and sat there looking at the check.  He murmured, "It's
an official check, made out to me for $85,000.  And you signed
it, April!  What's going on around here?"

"Mr. Smith," Cindy interjected, "it's real.  April is an
assistant vice president of Chicago Trust Company."  Turning to
April she said, "You better give Sam one of your cards."  Turning
back, she continued, "April works for me.  I'm a senior vice
president and division head.  I want you to know that this loan
is being guaranteed personally by April.  In spite of the SBA
turn-down, she thinks you're going to make a go of it.  The bank
is backing you and she's backing the bank.  In other words, Sam,
she's trusting you.  Are you going to be worthy of her trust?"

In the meantime April had handed him one of her cards.  He looked
at it, studied it, and then jumped to his feet.  He ran into the
shop and came back a few moments later with his two men.  One of
the men with him had also looked after Cindy's car.  Sam Smith
quickly explained what had happened.  Then he asked Cindy if he
could have the keys to her car.  She gave them to him, looking
puzzled.

Sam was now beaming.  He just shook his head and finally said to
Cindy, "It is Miss Martin, isn't it?  That's the name?"  Cindy
nodded.  "Miss, I've known April Jefferson for years.  In spite
of everything I've done -- and I'm sure not proud of it -- she's
trusting me.  Is that it?"

"Yes, Mr. Smith, that's exactly it," Cindy said.  "I want to join
April in welcoming you as a customer of Chicago Trust Company."

Sam looked around outside the building and then returned.  "This
is really on the level, isn't it?"  The girls nodded.  He shook
his head again and added, "Usually, the only way things ever
happen around here is with a TV crew around recording the good
deed for the evening news.  There is none, is there?  This is a
straight business deal, based on trust.  You're trusting me."  To
their amazement, the big man -- he was almost six feet six -- sat
down and started to cry.

April jumped up and knelt on the greasy floor beside him.  She
hugged him and asked, "Sam, what's wrong?  Did we hurt you in
some way?"

He looked up at her.  In spite of the tears, there was a beaming
smile on his face.  He said, "Get up child!  You'll ruin your
clothes with this grease."  She said it was why she was wearing
jeans.  He continued, "It's the first time in my life anyone has
trusted me with money.  April, I will repay it on time and in
full.  I can't thank you enough!"

Then he went and got coffee for the girls.  They drank their
coffee, chatted, and then got up to leave.  As they went out the
door, the Mazda was being backed out of a service bay.  It had
been washed and Sam said the oil had been changed.  Everything
else was fine.  He was insulted when Cindy offered to pay him. 
The three men waved as they drove off.

They found the machine shop and walked in.  The owner was a big
man named Henry Kowalski who spoke with a heavy Polish accent. 
When April introduced herself and then Cindy, she made sure
quickly to give Henry a card.  Cindy took the lead.  She said
with a smile, "In spite of our appearance, Mr. Kowalski, we're
bankers.  Miss Jefferson gave you her card; I forgot to bring
mine.  I'm a senior vice president and division head at the bank.
 You have requested a loan of $250,000 for new tooling.  Frankly,
neither Miss Jefferson nor I know a darn thing about machine
tools.  Nevertheless, we have come to talk about the loan.  Will
you show us around?"

When Henry took them into the shop, the girls noted that
everything was very clean and orderly.  Kowalski gave them safety
glasses and showed them the machine tools and how they worked on
metal.  There were two Poles and two black apprentices working. 
The two workers spoke little English.  They went back to the
office and he explained exactly what the new tools were used for
and how they would be used in the business.  As they were
talking, a pretty young woman came in who was introduced as his
wife, Trudy.  She kept the books for the company.  When the four
sat down in the tiny office, it was apparent Kowalski was very
uncomfortable.  Finally he said with a note of sadness, "I'm
afraid you cannot loan us the money.  We understand.  Trudy and I
are not even citizens.  You can see my two countrymen do not
speak English very much, and I don't speak it very well.  We were
hoping, is all."

April caught Cindy's eye and slowly nodded twice.  Cindy
surreptitiously made a "thumbs up"  sign.  April rose and held
out her hand.  "Thank you for your time, Mr. Kowalski.  It has
been very interesting.  Chicago Trust Company is prepared to lend
you the $250,000 you applied for.  If you still wish to go ahead
with the loan, I can be back with a check tomorrow.  Is that soon
enough?"

The Kowalskis were stunned.  They looked at each other and then
at the girls.  He stammered, "But the committees... the
paperwork..."	

Cindy said quietly, "The committee, Mr. Kowalski, is Miss
Jefferson.  She's making the loan to you on her personal
authority.  She has just committed the bank.  The decision is
official and final.  I hope you'll accept our offer and become a
customer of Chicago Trust Company."

"But... she can commit the bank?  By herself?"

Cindy smiled and said, "She sure can.  So can I, and in even
larger amounts of money than she can.  It's the way we like to
work at our bank.  Do you think Poland has benefitted from its
bureaucracy?  Scores of people filling out forms and signing
them, sending the people everywhere for one more signature or one
more stamp.  Has it been good for Poland?"

He gathered his wife in his arms and kissed her.  She started to
cry with happiness.  He then kissed each of the girls and said,
"I knew it would be wonderful for us if we could get to the
United States.  You have made it more wonderful than we ever
hoped."  He looked at the two girls and added, "That's another
difference.  You must be the two most beautiful bankers in the
world.  Thank you so much."

Cindy asked for permission to use the telephone.  She called Jan
at the office and explained she had been invited out to dinner. 
Then she quickly told her about the events of the day.  Jan said,
"Cindy, I couldn't be happier!  And I get to use my beautiful
kitchen and cook something good for a change.... I think we'll
have hot dogs.  I don't always burn them too badly."  She
chuckled and hung up.

The girls headed for April's apartment.  It was nealy four
o'clock.*Chapter 14*

When they reached April's apartment, Mary was out with the baby.
The girls sat at the kitchen table while April skimmed through
the mail.  She came to one letter, opened it and quickly skimmed
it.  Then she crumpled it in her hand and started to cry.

"What's wrong, honey," Cindy asked.  "What was in that letter?"

The girl looked up and said, "It's that time again.  I hate it!"

"What time?  What do you hate?  Who is the letter from?"

"It's from Ron Jackson.  He's my baby's father.  He's Ronald
Jackson, Jr.  It was a great concession for Ron to acknowledge
paternity... as if I ever slept with another guy.  He sends $100
a month in child support."

"'That time'?  What time?" Cindy persisted.

Tears were flowing form April's eyes.  "Ron plays football.  Have
you heard of him?  I doubt if you have."

"There's a Ron Jackson who plays free safety for the Bears.  That
Ron Jackson?"

April was startled by Cindy's knowledge.  "That's him.  The
defensive players have a beauty contest with their women every
year at the end of training camp.  God, it's awful.  It's like a
slave auction with each guy pointing out the best points of his
girl.  We're all naked, of course.  They give demonstrations
fucking us in front of all the others.  We're supposed to like
it, I guess."

"How have you done?" Cindy asked quietly.

"I won the last two years.  Ron is assuming I'm going to defend
my title.  Last year he featured the milk in my tits.  He had me
feed Ronnie way before we left.  He wanted my jugs to be loaded
with milk.  Then he made me drink brandy and offered my milk to
his teammates.  He said it was a Brandy Alexander.  It went on
all night, with two of them hanging on my tits while Ron fucked
me when he thought of it.  The previous year I was three-months
pregnant.  He demonstrated how to fuck a pregnant woman.  It's
absolutely disgusting!"

"Why do you do it?"

"It was a condition of his admitting paternity.  Now I'm stuck
with it, I guess."

"The hell you are!  April Jefferson, you're a queen and you let
that bastard treat you like a slut.  You detest it and he can't
really like it.  Just tell him no!"

"But Cindy, I think I still love the son of a bitch!  I can't
help it... I do."

Cindy could see that April was miserable.  Finally she asked,
"What leads up to it?  What do you do?"

The girl looked startled.  "Mom will take care of Ronnie while I
move in with Ron.  It's the way it's worked.  Why?"

"Why do you move in with him?"

"Because he wants to fuck me."  The girl's face was
expressionless as she said, "That's the correct word, too: fuck.
Not make love.  Just fuck, as in fuck my ass off.  You know what?
 He really isn't very good, either.  He just gets himself off and
will often go out for a beer with the other studs who brag about
how they just fucked the asses off their women."  The girl began
to cry like her heart would break.  "It's such a disgusting scene
and many of the girls aren't much better than whores, if they're
any better at all."

"April, it's your life.  But if it were me, though, I would tell
him to get lost.  I would stay right here.  If he wants to go out
on a date, fine.  Anything else, shove off.  He's left you with a
lovely baby.  But his level of support compared to what he earns
is ridiculous.  Honey, why don't you stop it right now?"

Just then Mary Jefferson returned to the apartment.  April
brightened immediately as she told her mother about the events of
the day including her title, her big raise -- she had been making
less than $18,000 a year -- and the loans she had made.  She
finished by saying, "Mom, it's working out!  You said I could
make it and I'm starting to.  I'm thrilled."

Cindy said quietly, "You are making it, April.  Please take the
opportunity and break it off with Ron."

Mary Jefferson became angry and asked, "Did you hear from that
bum again?  April Jefferson, your father would roll over in his
grave!  He died fighting for his country... to protect us.  And
to protect that trash.  Ron Jackson needs a good kick where it
would hurt him the most.  Cynthia Martin and her father have
given you the chance of a lifetime.  It's your opportunity.  You
don't need his lousy hundred dollars.  Please, honey?"

They made arrangements for a neighbor to come and look after the
baby while the three women went out to dinner.  The place they
went served very good food and they had a fine time.  Cindy saw
that, indeed, Mary Jefferson was a lady.  She had been appalled
at the degrading acts April had been forced to perform by Ron
Jackson.

Cindy used the dinner to get on April.  Finally, she asked,
"April, do you really love Ron?"

"I used to.  I did at first, but God, he's changed.  He used to
be sweet but now he's all caught up in that macho shit.  Remember
the other night?  We were used by Pete and Jan, I guess.  But it
wasn't the same thing -- it wasn't even close.  Cindy, there was
love in that room running rivers.  When it ended, I felt
wonderful.  With Ron and his friends I feel like a piece of meat.
 What can I do?"

"Honey, as the anti-drug folks say, 'Just say no!'  Make it
simple.  If he wants to see you, it will be on your terms.  Make
him take you out on dates, to dinner, dancing, the movies.  But
don't you dare sleep with him!  If he wants to sleep with you --
and if you decide you want him -- I'm sure you can find a church
somewhere."  Mary Jefferson just nodded.

"But, Cindy, he _expects_ me to sleep with him," Aprilprotested.

"You're wrong again.  He expects to fuck you... to get his rocks
off.  You said it yourself: He goes out for beers with the boys
after fucking you.  Incidentally, do you cum too?"

"Me?  Of course not!  Girls don't..."  Suddenly her eyes widened
and she exclaimed, "But we do!  Cindy, you and I... we came
dozens of times.  It was so great!  But... But you can do that
with a man, too?"

"With Dan, I've cum for over fifteen minutes straight.  Of course
I look like a discarded rag doll when he's through with me... 
No, that's not right.  I look like a discarded rag doll that's
been left out in the rain.  I'm wringing wet, the bed is soaked
with my sweat and my cum...  I'm swimming in it."

"But what do you do?" April asked puzzled.

"I change the bed, put on clean sheets and go to sleep on his
shoulder.  It's great.  Now will you promise?  You'll really
try?"

The girl looked skeptical but promised that she would.*Chapter
15*

It was late August and the weather forecast was for very hot and
humid weather.  There was a director's meeting at the bank so Jan
put on what she referred to as her banker's suit.  In the last
few weeks she had not seen much of Cindy except at night and on
weekends.  She was now fully occupied with her banking
activities.  In spite of it, though, she was taking care of the
house and garden, as well as doing all of the cooking.

She had agreed to have lunch with Jen and Mary Thomas again. 
When she walked by the receptionist, Jean Robbins gave her a
cheery greeting.  When she got to Mary Thomas's desk she stopped
short.  Mary was beautiful!  She had lost the extra twenty pounds
she had been carrying and looked like she had also lost nearly
twenty years in age.  Jan just grinned and walked into Don
Martin's office.  He welcomed her and they chatted a bit.  When
Jennifer joined them, they all went into the conference room.

The directors meeting moved along the way it always did.  Jan and
Jen always did their homework.  The questions they asked -- which
were usually numerous -- were always sharply focused and to the
point.  When the meeting concluded, Henry Simpson withdrew to
prepare the minutes, leaving the four alone.

Don Martin moved back from the table and slumped down in his
chair.  Then he just grinned at Dan.  "Burke, is there a bank
board like this one in the country?  And just think, we even get
paid!  We sit with the two most beautiful bank directors in the
world.  But that's not all.  They always keep us on our toes and
keep reminding us what we're in business for: maintaining our
strategic focus."

He looked at the sisters and his face became serious as he added,
"I'm being absolutely serious.  The greatest service directors
can perform is to hold management accountable: to make sure we
know what the hell we're doing.  I don't think there's a board in
the world as good as this one.  Thank you for the privilege of
working with you."

Jennifer was going to make one of her usual jokes but didn't. 
Instead she said, "Don, thank you very much.  That's the nicest
thing anyone has ever said to me.  I appreciate it very much, and
I'm sure Janice does, too.  We're very flattered."

Dan said, "Please don't feel flattered.  Don was telling the
simple truth.  You two are the best there are.  May I thank you,
too?"  Then he grinned and said, "Speaking of thanking, Jan, how
can I thank you for your hospitality all summer?"

"Don't thank me, Dan.  Thank Cindy.  It's been her body that's
been so hospitable to you.  But are you ever going to make an
honest woman of her?"  She turned to Don Martin and said, "That
was not for your ears, Dad.  To you, she's the very model of
deportment."  She looked at Martin and asked, "Don, it's none of
my business, of course, but what ever happened to your wife? 
I've never heard you speak of her."

When Don looked up she saw a look of pain in his eyes.  He said,
"She was killed by a drunk driver fifteen years ago.  She was
standing on the sidewalk at an intersection waiting to cross the
street and got clobbered."  He smiled softly and said, "Jan,
thank you for what you've done for my daughter.  There are no
words I can say except thank you."

Just then the phone rang in the conference room and Dan answered
it.  He listened for a few minutes, told the caller he would call
back and hung up.  Then he started to laugh.  His laughter grew
in intensity until he almost fell off his chair.  When he finally
controlled himself, tears of laughter were running down his
cheeks.

The other three were looking at him as if he had lost his mind. 
"Okay, Burke, now what's so funny," Don asked.  "The least you
can do is let us in on the joke."

While he was laughing, he just pointed at Jan and Don and
continued with his gales of laughter.  Finally he controlled
himself enough to talk.  Dan wiped his eyes and shook his head
saying, "The joke's on all of us, I guess.  It seems word is
getting around town about credit availability for small business
at Chicago Trust.  An enterprising reporter from the _Tribune_
just called our public relations people.  (We're going to have to
clean house over there, too.)  Anyway, since we never said
anything, they didn't know anything.  They just regurgitated the
usual pompous bafflegab about how we're a bank for top
corporations and wealthy individuals.  The reporter was stunned.
Usually, whenever a big city bank makes a $5,000 small-business
loan there's a press conference called to announce it."  Dan
nodded to himself and said, "I guess that's only fair, too. 
What's the old reporter's adage, 'Dog bites man is not news; man
bites dog is.'?  For most big banks small-business loans are
sufficiently rare to rate a press conference.  But at any rate,
what do you want to do?"

Jan and Jennifer instantly understood the PR problem.  Jan said,
"Should we announce the program and be flooded with applications,
or should we just go along with the word of mouth?  Incidentally,
Dan, how is the program going?"

"I'm prejudiced, Jan.  Because it's Cindy's and I love the girl,
I can't be very objective.  However, let me put it this way: She
has made over 150 loans in about six weeks.  Of course, most of
them are not yet due for their first payment, but I checked this
morning, anyway.  Over 125 have been paid.  That means people are
paying early.  It's really funny.  Some of these people come in
-- I met a Mr. and Mrs. Kowalski yesterday.  He has a machine
shop.  For some reason, the guard sent them up to me.  They were
looking around the lobby in awe.  They came to thank me for the
faith we had in them and to thank us for having such wonderful
lending officers.  They couldn't stop talking about the
remarkable twins who visited them.  They were talking about Cindy
and April, of course.

"Anyway, they wanted to know if the bank had any money left.  I
assured them we still had a couple of bucks.  They said they have
some friends who they would highly recommend, but they didn't
want them to be disappointed.  They gave me all the information
and I passed it on to Cindy."  He shook his head and said, "By
any measure, it's a smashing success.  At least I think it is."

Jennifer spoke up for the first time.  She said, "Dan, I talked
at length to my parents and Steve's, as well as to my sister,
Connie.  Their opinions are the same.  This program is to be
maintained and expanded.  Dad and Father Chapman said the same
thing.  However, they're concerned about what the bank examiners
might say.  If there is the least question about any of the
loans, they will buy them at their face value and pay a fee to
the bank to service them.  This program must continue at any
cost!  Does that convey the wishes of the owners of the bank...
or at least 96 percent of it, or so?"

Dan was looking down at the table top.  When he looked up at Jen,
she could see tears in his eyes.  He said softly, "What I just
heard is the Cliffords, Chapmans, and Cartwrights are backing the
small-business loans with a 100-percent cash takeout, if
necessary.  Is that correct?"  Jen just nodded.  Dan looked at
Don and asked, "When do you think a thing like this last
happened?"

Don got up, went to Jen and kissed her warmly, then kissed Jan. 
He replied, "We just witnessed the first time in the history of
banking.  Burke, how does it make you feel?  This is backing
that's utterly without precedent.  The owners of the bank are
saying the risk is totally theirs -- not the FDIC's, not the
depositors' -- theirs!  Ladies, all I can say is, speaking for
Dan and the entire management of the bank, thank you for your
support from the bottoms of our hearts!  You make me feel very
humble."

They decided to let the PR people continue in ignorance because
they didn't want to make a big deal out of what they were doing.
As they were about to break, Dan asked, "Jan, I have a favor to
ask.  You know I bought Cindy's apartment.  Could you tell her
the buyer is a bachelor banker who wants it redecorated?  Just
tell her to do it the way she would like it.  I'll bet my last
dime she wouldn't do it again today the way it's done now.  Tell
her she'll get standard decorator's fees.  Since she's always
looking for money I think she'll take the job.  Will you ask her,
please?"  Jan replied that of course she would.

The girls left for lunch, picking up Mary on the way out.  When
they were seated, Janice looked at Mary and said, "Wow!  You're
gorgeous.  Now when is the wedding?"

"Wedding?" Mary responded with a grimace, "A better question is
when is the first date."  She looked at Jan with a question in
her eyes and asked, "Do I really look all right?"

"Mary Thomas, you're exquisite!  Now how are you going about
trapping him?"  The woman looked puzzled; she didn't know what
Jan was talking about.  Jan continued, "I guess you don't know
it, but I used to be a prostitute.  May I give you some tips? 
There have been more men in my bed and in my cunt than I can
count, so maybe I can help you.  First, are you experienced with
men?"

Mary just laughed bitterly.  "Experienced?  I heard you use the
word 'cunt' a moment ago.  I hardly know what the word means, let
alone what it's used for.  For all practical purposes, I guess
I'm still a virgin.  Isn't that disgusting?"

Jan just grinned and said, "I think it's kind of cute.  But are
you sure you want to catch him?  Because I guarantee you will if
you really want to.  Do you?"

"Jan, you could have my breasts for breakfast if I could catch
Donald Martin.  I adore the man."  The woman grinned wryly and
shook her head.  "That's a problem, though.  In fact, it's a
conundrum.  Right now I would happily trade my breasts for Don. 
On the other hand, when I get him he would probably want to use
them for the first time ever.  What should I do?"  There was a
puzzled look on her face but her eyes were dancing.

Jan said she would take care of it.  Jen signed the check and
they went down to the health club.  This time, when they worked
out, Mary was using the same weight loading and doing as much as
they were.  They swam nude and she realized the older woman had a
perfect figure, with a small patch of curly pubic hair.  Her
breasts were full and very youthful-looking with tiny tip-tilted
nipples like a nineteen-year-old's.  Jan just shook her head
sadly.

Mary's eyes widened with concern.  "What's wrong, Jan?  What did
I do?"

Jan grinned and said, "That wasn't for you, Mary.  It was for
Don.  The poor soul doesn't have a prayer!  It's going to be like
shooting fish in a barrel."  Again she shook her head sadly. 
"Mary, it's going to cost you your hunting license, you know? 
What you're going to do meets anyone's definition of
unsportsmanlike conduct!"

Instead of going back to the office, the women went to a fine
department store.  When Janice asked her about underwear, Mary
just shrugged.  She wore serviceable briefs and bras.  Jan
wrinkled her nose and bought a number of very low cut bikinis
that didn't fully cover Mary's pubic hair.  Then she bought three
bottles of expensive musk oil in the largest size the store had.
Carefully, she explained to Mary exactly how to use it and what
to do.  Before leaving her she said, "One more thing: When you
get back, go to the ladies room, put on a new bikini and throw
away your bra.  Your tits are absolutely gorgeous.  Flaunt them!
Now get with it, and good luck!"

Mary blushed when she heard what Jan said.  Then she whispered,
"But Jan, my nipples will show!"

"They sure will, won't they"  Jan agreed.

* * *

Late the next morning, Janice received a call from Mary Thomas. 
The woman was bubbling.  "Jan," she exclaimed, "It worked!  Oh
God, did it ever work.  I'm utterly destroyed, but I feel like I
could conquer the world."  Jan asked what happened and Mary said,
"I did exactly what you said.  (Incidentally, all my bras are
going in the trash tonight.) I drowned my slit and my boobs --
Don calls them boobs -- with the musk oil.  We were working late,
as usual, and I asked Don to come over to my desk for a minute. 
There was some dumb thing in the typewriter I was working on.  He
leaned over me to read it and got a whiff of the musk oil, or me,
or whatever.  Anyway, he asked, 'What's that wonderful
fragrance?'  I said it was probably me and if he kissed me, he
might like it even better.

"He did, Jan, and it was exactly the way I've dreamed it for
fifteen damned years.  There were bells and electricity and I
just melted.  I felt a wonderful wetness in my cunt -- that's
what he calls it so that's what it is.  Then I kissed him again,
got up, went into his office, locked the door and took off my
clothes.  When I slipped off my skirt, I was only wearing that
tiny bikini you made me buy.  He reached out his arms and I came
to him.  Oh, Jan, he took me and took me..."  She sighed and
continued, "We went to his apartment and it went on all night."

She laughed and added, "Today was the first time in twenty years
I wore the same outfit two days in a row.  I felt so deliciously
wicked!  All the girls on the floor just look at me.  I feel so
proud.  It's a riot!  I'm the CEO's secretary and one of the most
senior people in time of service, so no one dares to say
anything.  So they look at me and I just laugh.  Oh, Jan, I feel
so great!  Now I know what a cunt is for!"

"Mary, I told you.  By the way, I won my bet.  You got him into
bed with you the first night."

"What did I lose?  Am I your slave now, too?  I don't mind, of
course.  I'm just asking," she said with a merry little laugh.

"I'll deduct it from your wedding gift," Jan replied. 
"Incidentally, was there any discussion of marriage?"

"There sure was.  That's another reason I called.  Don wants to
know if he can rent your slave tomorrow evening.  He wants to get
married a week from Saturday.  He claims we've lost almost
fifteen years already and he's not prepared to wait another
fifteen minutes.  Anyway, he wants to ask his daughter's
permission at dinner.  Dan will be joining us.  Can you spare
her?"

"That's the silliest question I've ever heard!  Of course.  What
time and where?"

"Could she come by the office?  Her father would like her to see
his office and I would, too.  Is that okay?  At six?"  Jan agreed
immediately and Mary raised another question.  "Did you have a
chance to ask her about decorating Dan's apartment?"  Jan said
she had and Cindy was looking forward to it.  "Maybe you could
suggest she borrow Dan for a couple of hours late tomorrow
afternoon.  She can try out her decorating ideas on him.  Is that
possible?"  Jan said she thought it was and hung up.

That evening, when Cindy got home, Jan passed on her father's
invitation to dinner the following evening.  Cindy was excited so
Jan said, "Incidentally, since you're going to be downtown, why
don't you see if you can borrow Burke and try out your decorating
ideas on him?  He's male and a banker.  Does that make sense?"

Cindy grinned and immediately called Dan.  They agreed to meet at
her old apartment at four o'clock.  Then she continued to prepare
dinner.  In spite of her work schedule with the bank, she refused
to allow Jan to do anything that she considered to be a slave's
duties.

The next day at four she found Dan sitting by the door of her
former condo, waiting for her.  She still had her key and opened
the door finding the apartment exactly the way she had left it
months before.  As she walked through it, she felt ill.  Finally
she said, "Dan, what was I thinking of?  This place is absolutely
awful!  She grinned at him and said, "There's one thing, though.
The carpet is pretty thick.  Since everything is going into the
trash anyway, could you take me on it first?  This way it doesn't
matter if our juices flood the damned thing."  While she was
talking she was stripping off her clothes.  In moments she was
standing naked before him.

Dan quickly stripped and picked her up in his arms.  Then he
carried her to the floor-to-ceiling window and laid her on the
carpet.  He whispered, "Darling, your charms are exposed to
anyone in Chicago who cares to look.  Does it bother you?"

"Not as long as they can see that magnificent weapon of yours at
the same time, darling.  Let them eat their hearts out."  Their
lovemaking in the afternoon was wonderful, and Cindy was soon
asleep in Dan's arms.  He had taken a blanket from the bed and
spread it over them.

At five-thirty, he squeezed her breast and her eyes opened
instantly.  He whispered, "Do you want to take a shower or sleep
a few more minutes?"

She snuggled closer to him and whispered, "Sleep.  I can take a
shower anytime.  You can just eat out my cunt later so I don't
leak all over Dad's furniture."  She closed her eyes again, and a
few minutes later woke up with Dan's tongue probing her cunt.

Exactly at six, they walked back to the corner office.  Don had
correctly estimated that anyone who might inadvertently tip off
Dan's new job would be gone by then.  Mary Thomas was sitting at
her desk and, when Cindy saw her, she stopped so abruptly Dan
walked into her back.  She looked at the older woman and said,
"Mary Thomas, what have you done?  You look younger than I do,
and you're simply beautiful.  Can we have lunch together, soon? 
I want to know what you did."  Mary nodded and smiled warmly as
the young couple walked on in to Don's office.

She kissed her father and he showed her the office.  Not much had
changed since Horace Paterson had left but now it had a totally
different feel.  Then she realized what it was.  Now it was a
working office that fit her father like a glove.  He was at home
in it.  With Paterson, it had always seemed to be more of a stage
set.  Surprisingly, her father seemed nervous.  When he left the
office, he didn't even take his attache case with him which was a
first as far as Cindy knew.

They went to the best restaurant in Chicago with Mary Thomas
joining them, but her father still had said nothing.  They were
immediately seated, with Mary sitting at her father's right.  His
nervousness appeared to be increasing by the minute.

Don Martin wasted no time.  As soon as the maitre d' withdrew, he
said, "Cindy, I asked you to have dinner with me for a reason.  I
would like your permission to marry Mary Thomas.  I hope you'll
approve."  His eyes were down on his service plate and he didn't
even look up.

Cindy looked at her father in amazement.  He was sitting like a
schoolboy waiting for his report card and expecting the worst. 
Mary Thomas was also looking down at her plate with her hands
folded in front of her.  Cindy could see her knuckles whiten
indicating the tension the woman was under.  Moments passed and
the tension built.

Cindy then jumped up from her chair, went to her father, hugged
him tightly and said, "Dad, I'm so happy I could cry.  Do you
mean after all these years I'm going to have a mother again? 
And, Dad, you couldn't do better.  You just could not!  Mary
Thomas is the nicest person I know."

She kissed him quickly and went to Mary who stood up when she
came around the table.  Mary was looking hopeful but there were
tears in the corners of her eyes.  Cindy took her in her arms and
kissed her.  Suddenly, Mary broke down and started to cry.  Cindy
heard the woman whisper, "Oh, my darling daughter!  Thank you so
much.  May... May I be your mother?  It would make me the
proudest person in the world to have such a beautiful young woman
as my daughter."  As she held her, Cindy realized what a perfect
figure she had.  Mary Thomas was utterly exquisite.  Cindy
returned to her seat and sat down.

Don Martin signaled the head waiter for the champagne he had
ordered.  Before anything else could be said, Mary said softly,
"Cindy, you may change your mind.  I must tell you that I have
slept with your father.  I let him... fuck me!  I did, and I
tried to help him as much as I know how.  I have to admit that
isn't very much, yet.  But I had to tell you, and you may not
wish your father to marry a woman who would do such a thing." 
Again, Mary's eyes were focused on the service plate in front of
her.

Cindy's reaction took her completely by surprise.  She started to
laugh and her laughter grew in intensity.  Soon tears were
rolling down her cheeks.  She wanted to take Mary in her arms
again and hug her.  Instead she just shook her head.  She said,
"Mary, Dan fucks me so often I can't keep count.  Only it's not
fucking, it's making love.  I'm sure Dad made love to you, didn't
he?  When you kiss him, do you feel electricity?  Do you hear
bells?"

The woman was looking at Cindy with surprise on her face while
she slowly nodded her head in response to her questions.  Cindy
continued, "When he looks at you, your cunt starts to flood with
your juices.  You want to wear a pair of plastic baby's pants so
you won't soak your chair, don't you?"

Now Mary was just grinning and nodding.  She said, "You mean I
didn't invent this?  It's happened before?  Cindy, I love your
father so much!  I can't get enough of him, or get close enough
to him.  I guess that's why I love it when he's inside me.  It's
as close as we can get."  Mary blushed beet red and said,
"Regardless of where he enters me, too."

"When did it happen, Mary?  It couldn't have been very long ago,"
she asked.

"The night before last.  We would have had dinner last night
but... but I didn't get home the night before to change."

Cindy's father had just been watching the exchange with
amazement.  Finally Cindy just grinned and said, "Hurry up and
get married, Mom and Dad.  Someday I'll be released from slavery
and Dan and I will get married.  It's great to learn that there
will be someone who knows how it's done."

At that point Don reached into his pocket.  He took Mary's left
hand and gently slipped a diamond ring on her third finger.  She
looked at it and squealed, "Oh, Don!  It's magnificent!"

He stood up and she rose, too.  In spite of the crowd that was
now filling the restaurant, when he took her in his arms and
kissed her, their passion just flowed between them.  Mary had her
arms around his neck for support as her joints turned to jelly. 
When they finally parted to breathe, there was applause from the
people in the restaurant who had been watching.  Mary then both
surprised and delighted Cindy.  She just waved to the crowd.  The
applause had not bothered her a bit.

When they were seated again, Cindy raised her glass in a toast. 
She said, "To my father, Donald Martin: a man -- a gentleman --
who tried to teach me what it really means to be a banker, and to
Mary Thomas: the most beautiful, kindest and nicest person I
know: May you be as happy together as you deserve to be.  Mary, I
haven't had a mother for more than half my life," Cindy continued
with tears beginning to run down her cheeks.  "I was only eleven
years old when my mother was killed.  Dad saw me through puberty,
through dating and through college.  He tried to be both a mother
and a father to me.  Now, though, as I contemplate marriage and
all that means, I can look forward to having a mother to talk to,
to counsel with, to confide in, and to love.  Mary, I only hope
you'll learn to love me a little bit as much as I already love
you."

Mary had been looking down at her service plate while Cindy
offered her toast.  When she looked up, there were tears
streaming down her cheeks.  She said softly, "Cindy Martin, I
couldn't love you more if I nurtured you in my womb and nursed
you at my breast.  I love you, darling daughter, very much. 
Thank you for being so generous, so welcoming, and so sweet."

Don said very quietly, "Thank you both so very much."  Dan
blinked back tears in his eyes and smiled at both of the women
very warmly.

While they were eating dinner, Mary asked Cindy to be her maid of
honor, while Don asked Dan to be his best man.  Cindy took the
opportunity to ask her father why it was Dan was still in credit
analysis instead of in a division.  Don repeated what Dan had
told her previously: "Honey, I love Dan and respect him. 
However, when diplomacy and tact were being passed out, he was
hiding behind the door.  We can't run the bank by ourselves.  If
I tried to promote Dan, there would be a revolution.  I did get
him a raise, though.  Doesn't that help?

"Incidentally, Daughter, congratulations on the job your division
is doing.  It's spectacular.  And I have two pieces of news for
you: The first is the owners of the bank are backing your lending
with their personal net worth.  I've been instructed to continue
your activities regardless of what the bank examiners think of
the credits.  They will buy any loans that may be questioned at
their face value and pay us a servicing fee besides, but we _will
not_ call them.  Do you know what that means?"

Cindy was stunned.  "It means I'm lending their personal money,
in effect.  Not the depositors; their own.  Is that right?"

"It sure is.  I have _never_ heard of that happening anywhere. 
You can't get stronger support than that.  The other news is I'm
assigning a new girl to your unit, Katherine Chang.  She's fluent
in about a dozen languages including three dialects of Chinese,
Korean, Polish, Russian, Vietnamese, and a bunch of others. 
She's also a mathematical genius and a delightful girl.  Maybe
she can extend your culinary abilities."  Her father grinned and
added, "I have it on good authority that you have learned how to
boil water.  And, I understand, you even get it right at least
two times out of three."

He agreed to send Kathy out with April the next day.

Before they left, Cindy joined Mary on a visit to the ladies'
room.  While there she told the older woman about sleeping with
her head on Don's shoulder and his hand cupping her boob.  Cindy
put her hand inside the woman's blouse and squeezed.  Her breast
was very firm and full.

Mary just moaned softly and said, "That feels so good, Cindy. 
Almost as good as your father doing it."  Her eyes flashed as she
said, "I can't wait!  And I promise to let you know how your tip
works."*Chapter 16*

Cindy heard April's car come to a sliding stop on the gravel
driveway at nine-fifteen the next morning.  She heard running
steps and was waiting at the door to open it.  April was standing
there, breathless.  There were tears in her eyes as she said,
"Cindy, I'm so sorry!  We came as fast as we could.  There was a
mix-up on instructions.  Kathy was told to meet me at eight and
not seven.  It's not her fault.  Please be nice to her?  All the
fault is mine, and as the senior I take all the blame."

Looking at her impassively, Cindy asked, "What action should I
take, April?  You're fifteen minutes late."

April ran up to Cindy's room and picked up the whip she knew was
in the closet.  She ran downstairs, gave the whip to Cindy and
then walked out the back door to the whipping post.  Cindy
followed her, still without saying anything.  "I think fifteen
lashes would be fair, one for each minute.  Could you split them,
please?  Eight on my back and seven across the front?  Please try
not to cut my nipples."  The girl stripped off her clothes and
stood with her back to the post and her arms wrapped around it,
forcing her full breasts to protrude.

Cindy took the whip and just dropped it on the ground.  Then she
took the girl in her arms and kissed her softly.  "You would have
done it, too, wouldn't you?  Why?  Why on earth would I think of
beating you?"

"To show me the meaning of promptness," the girl replied simply.
Cindy motioned her away from the post and spanked her once on her
firm bottom.  April squealed and asked, "What was that for?"

"That's for showing off your oversized tits.  I'm jealous and you
know it, so it serves you right!"  Cindy grinned and stuck out
her tongue.  April smiled and began to get dressed again.

A simply gorgeous Eurasian girl was standing in the doorway. 
From the look on her face, she was completely baffled by what was
going on.  Cindy went over to her with her hand out, "Hi, I'm
Cindy Martin.  You must be Katherine Chang.  Welcome!  Now let's
get inside out of this heat."

The girls went inside and gathered around the kitchen table
having coffee.  When they were finished, Cindy led the way to the
private gym.  She and April had been using it daily for weeks. 
Kathy watched as the two girls stripped and started on the
exercise machines.  As Cindy moved against the weights, the girl
was amazed at both the total weight she was moving, the ease with
which she was doing it, and the extent of the girl's muscle
development.  There was no fat at all.  After working for five
minutes, she turned and said, "Kathy, this is a game any number
can play.  Or do you have a doctor's excuse?  Get your ass in
gear!"

The girl grinned and stripped off her clothes.  As instructed,
she was wearing the "divisional uniform"  of skin-tight Levi's
and a chambray shirt.  After she stripped, she stood posed for
Cindy's inspection.  The girl just whistled softly.  She had
lustrous black hair, improbably green eyes, and very full
breasts.  Her body had the grace and sleekness of a cat and at
five feet six, she was quite tall for an Oriental woman.  But
except for her head, she was virtually hairless.  Her mound was
bare.

Cindy showed her the array of equipment and she began to
exercise, too.  After forty minutes, they quit and went swimming.
 April had improved dramatically and Kathy was very good to start
with.  The three moved up and down like porpoises.  Finally they
pulled themselves out of the pool and flopped on mats to dryoff.

Cindy looked at Katherine and said, "Do Orientals tan, Kathy?  My
black friend here is just soaking up the sun for the hell of it.
Do you?"  The girl said yes and smiled.  Cindy looked at her and
said, "How was the bank lucky enough to get you?  I've seen your
credentials and they are spectacular.  What are you doing in the
bank, and what are you doing in my unit?"

The girl blushed and looked very cute.  She spoke softly with an
intonation that was at once very musical yet with overtones of
British speech.  She said, "I've heard so much about you, I felt
I must try to work with you.  April tells me that you're a slave
and she's a junior slave.  Does that make me a second assistant
slave?"

"We'll work that out," Cindy said with a grin.  "But you interest
me.  You said you've heard so much about me.  What could you
conceivably have heard?  And where?"

"Miss Martin, perhaps it's my Hong Kong heritage, or perhaps it's
an accident of nature.  Whatever it is, I have an ear for
languages.  I pick them up very easily.  It has become a sort of
hobby of mine.  The nice thing about Chicago is there are people
here in some numbers from almost everywhere in the world.  So I
spend weekends in these foreign-language communities.  It was in
these communities I began to hear of the 'twins who aren't.'  It
seems there are two girls who are the most beautiful girls in the
world.  They travel around in a small red car that's now quite
famous.  They dress the same, they move the same, they are the
same height and weight.  Except one twin is gold and the other is
brown.

"It seems these twins are senior executives at the most important
bank in Chicago.  Nevertheless, they seek out people to help.  It
doesn't matter who you are or where you are.  If you're working
hard and struggling to succeed, they will find you and give you
the money you need to prosper.  It's the American miracle.  The
streets are not paved with gold, but there are the twins. 
Everyone prays the twins will visit them, someday.  It is said
there are guardian angels that look after the twins.  They can go
anywhere in Chicago safely.  They are revered as living saints."

Kathy smiled warmly and added, "One more thing: They're always
reported as being kind and friendly and warm.  Never do they look
down on people.  People are always treated with the greatest
kindness and respect.  I suppose that's why they are so loved." 
She looked at Cindy and said, "Obviously, you and April are the
twins.  Now that I've met you, I'm sure the stories are true. 
Thank you for giving me a chance to be in your unit.  I hope I
will be worthy."

Cindy looked at April and said, "Wow!  What do you think,
partner?"

"She's correct, Cindy," she replied quietly.  "I know it's true.
I can see it at home.  I can go anywhere, at any time, in
complete safety.  I don't have to worry about my mother or
Ronnie.  It's as safe as church.  As for Kathy, what can I say? 
She's outstanding... and beautiful, of course."

Cindy swallowed hard and told the girls what she had learned from
her father.  She finished by saying, "Last night I had dinner
with my father.  He told me we have the full backing of the
Cliffords, the Chapmans and the Cartwrights.  That's about five
and a half _billion_ dollars."  She explained what was meant and
Kathy started to cry.  "What's wrong, hon?  I thought it was good
news?"

"Miss Martin, you're telling me that three of the wealthiest
people in the United States are willing to back us with billions
of dollars of their own money so we can help immigrants, blacks,
and God-knows-who!  Why on earth would they do such a thing? 
It's unheard of!"

"It's because they feel they were lucky and want to help others
without making it charity or making a big deal out of it.  That's
simple enough."  Then she quickly told of the family backgrounds,
ending with Janice Stewart.  "This is her house, of course.  I
adore the girl.  She's also the smartest person I have ever met
-- and the most beautiful."  She stretched and Kathy saw her
muscles ripple under her skin.  She said, "Let's go, troops.  We
have money to give away."

Late that afternoon the girls swung by Henry Kowalski's machine
shop.  He had recently taken delivery of his new tooling and had
asked them to come by and see it.  The girls walked into the
office with Cindy in the lead.  When Henry saw her come in, his
eyes lighted up like a Christmas tree.  Then he called to Trudy
who came running in.  After kissing Cindy and April she quickly
retreated.  The other men from the shop came into the office,
too.  One of the Poles put his hand out and murmured something in
Polish to which Kathy immediately responded.  The man looked
astonished.

In no time Henry and his two countrymen were all talking at once
in Polish.  Kathy held up her hands, smiled, and said something
quickly in Polish.  The two machinists took turns with rather
lengthy speeches.  Kathy merely nodded.  After the first spoke,
she translated for Cindy and April and then did the same for the
second.

"The men are delighted to be able to personally thank you and
thank the bank for the wonderful tools they now have to work
with.  They are the finest the men have ever seen; they have
never worked with anything nearly so good.  Now they will produce
to the highest quality standards in the world!  They swore it! 
It will be made in USA!"

There were tears in her eyes as she finished.  She said to Cindy,
"These men are so proud!  They told me how hard they're studying
English.  They can't wait to become citizens of the greatest
country on earth."  At that, she started to cry and Cindy held
her tightly.  The girl looked up and whispered, "They're right,
you know?  It is, and you're the greatest American of them all. 
They love you, Miss Martin."  With that the girl kissed Cindy
softly on the lips and then recoiled in shock.  She exclaimed,
"My God!  I didn't mean...  Oh, I'm so sorry!"

Cindy gathered the girl in her arms hugged her, and kissed her
softly, murmuring, "I'm not sorry at all.  It was a delicious
kiss, and I love you already, Katherine Chang.  But for Christ's
sake, the name is Cindy or Cin or Slave.  It's rarely Miss
Martin.  Clear?"

The girl grinned and wiped her eyes.  Then they were served
little sweets that Trudy Kowalski had made along with coffee. 
When they left, the entire staff was in front of the building to
wave goodbye.  As they drove off, April said, "Kathy, while you
were talking to the Poles, I was talking to the black boys. 
First, one is out of reform school and the other is a school
dropout.  Second, they love their jobs.  The Poles are really top
machinists -- the very best in the world.  They're very proud of
their skills and are really working with the boys.  The boys are
working with them on their English.  They wanted to say thanks,
too.  Their last words were that your money is very safe."

The loan volume picked up to such a degree Cindy got April a car
like her own.  They needed more transportation and she decided
the red GTX had become a bank trademark.  Volume climbed in terms
of both number of loans and average dollar value per loan. 
Meanwhile, Kathy Chang proved to be invaluable because of both
her analytical and language skills.

Late one afternoon, Cindy met April in a small luncheonette in
South Chicago for coffee.  April reported on recent events with
Ron Jackson.  It seemed that Ron had been calling.  He couldn't
believe she was not going to defend her title.  Finally, he
waited outside the apartment for her one day and grabbed her when
she came out.  It turned out not to have been a smart move.  "Sam
Smith took him from behind.  He told him that if he ever grabbed
me like that again he would be eating his balls for breakfast." 
April grinned as she added that, even though Ron was a football
player, he was a defensive back who stood six feet one and
weighed 195.  "Sam is six feet six, weighs about 275, and it's
all muscle."

"What happens now?" Cindy asked.

"He asked me out for a date," she replied.  "He was sort of cute.
 Sam asked me if that was all right with me, and I said I would
have dinner with him if he promised to behave himself."  She
grinned and said, "He didn't answer, Sam did.  He said Ron would
certainly behave himself or it would be the last thing he ever
did in his life.  Anyway, Cindy, would you and Dan join Ron and
me for dinner at the Pump Room?  Ron's buying, by the way.  I
said you would come and chaperon.  He doesn't know what the word
means, but he does know he's paying the bill.  Will you?"

"Partner, it's a deal!" Cindy exclaimed.  "When will we do it?" 
They scheduled it for the following night.  Ron would pick them
up at April's.

The next evening Cindy went over to the Jefferson's.  April
wasn't home yet, so she talked with Mary and played with the baby
who was already starting to toddle.  April arrived with Dan
shortly before five-thirty and disappeared into the bathroom to
shower and change.  A little before six she reappeared looking
very nervous.  Cindy looked at her and whistled softly.  She
said, "April, you look devastating!"  The girl was wearing a new
dress she had bought for the occasion.  It was perfect on her,
looking at once very demure and very sexy.

Dan looked at her and just shook his head.  Mary looked at him
with a question in her eyes.  Dan said, "Mrs. Jefferson, all I
can say is they just are not making bankers the way they used to.
 No one has ever whistled at me."

Cindy said with a warm smile, "That's just because you're beat
up, battered and generally shot to hell.  Aren't you lucky that
you keep me in such a constant sexual daze I don't even notice?"
She leaned over and kissed him softly and lovingly on the lips,
making warm sounds deep in her body while she did.

"Did you hear that, Mrs. Jefferson?" Dan asked plaintively. 
"Those noises?  I can't get any sleep with her.  All I do is
squeeze her tit lightly and she makes those noises for at least
the next twenty minutes."

"Right, fink!  The Chatty Cathy doll," Cindy interjected, poking
him sharply in the ribs with her elbow.  "Mrs. Jefferson, do you
recall a little doll where you pulled a string and it says
something?  This creep says he squeezes my tit and I start making
happy noises for the next twenty minutes.  I ask you?  Then he
says he's going to bring out a string next time, and does!  How
would you like to be compared to a windup doll?"

Mary Jefferson smiled warmly, held up her hands and shook her
head saying, "You keep me out of this, young lady!"  Then she
said, "I hope you two have many children.  You make me so happy
just watching you.  I have never seen two people as deeply in
love or as attuned to each other as you are.  It's truly
wonderful to see."  With her face serious she added, "Mr. Burke,
I think it's wonderful what the bank has done for April.  The
opportunity Miss Martin has given her is beyond belief.  My
husband fought and died for this country and there were times I
was very bitter about it.  I didn't think black people were given
a fair chance.  Now I think Tom is smiling, wherever he is.  His
daughter is succeeding beyond our wildest dreams.  Thank you
both."

Mary had seen a warning in Dan's eyes when she started to thank
him.  She didn't know what was happening, but she didn't say
exactly what she had started out to say.  When she changed the
direction of her remarks, she saw him relax.  He replied, "Mrs.
Jefferson, I'm just an analyst at the bank.  On the other hand,
I've been around the bank for quite a while now, so a lot of
people talk to me.  The talk in the bank now is about the
brilliant young assistant vice president who is minting money for
us.  No one knows who she is, where she came from, or exactly
what she's doing, but whatever it is, it's great!"

Just then there was a knock on the door.  April opened it and
admitted a very good-looking young man who looked like the
trained athlete he was.  She introduced Ron Jackson to Cindy and
Dan.  Mary Jefferson just nodded.  Dan noticed that both Mary and
Cindy's eyes were cold as they looked at Ron.  There was none of
Cindy's usual warmth in her greeting; she was very distant and
formal.

Ron Jackson was very uncomfortable.  He was wearing a suit and
tie and it was obvious he wasn't used to it.  He held the door
and they went downstairs.  Reaching the sidewalk, Cindy noticed
Sam Smith standing close by, watching.  Ron was driving a big
Mercedes SEL sedan that he had borrowed for the evening.  He
self-consciously held the door for April who gracefully got into
the car.  Dan assisted Cindy and they pulled away smoothly. 
Almost nothing was said as they drove to the Ambassador Hotel,
the site of the Pump Room.

When he drove up, a valet parking attendant opened Ron's door
while another opened the passenger-side doors.  Seeing April and
Cindy, the young man's eyes widened.  He motioned to the doorman
and instantly they were greeted like royalty.  Ron thought he had
been recognized but then he saw the doorman salute and say,
"Welcome to the Pump Room, Miss Martin and Miss Jefferson.  We're
honored!"

When they reached the maitre d'hotel's stand, there was a flurry
of activity as their table assignment was being changed.  The
maitre d' personally seated them at the best table and asked,
"Miss Martin, I hope this table will suit?  You may have any
table in the house if you would prefer another?"

Cindy smiled warmly and thanked him.  The maitre d' was black. 
He went up to April, extended his hand and said, "My name is
Howard Washington, Miss Jefferson.  Thank you for what you're
doing.  You're a credit and an inspiration to black people
everywhere."

April shook hands and replied, "You're too kind, but it's Miss
Martin you should thank.  She's my boss and my inspiration.  Mr.
Washington, the credit is hers.  She's the one who taught me what
little I know.  Then there are the owners and the top management
of the bank.  Miss Martin's father is president.  They gave me my
chance.  Please thank them."

The man beamed and said, "Thank you all.  Please consider
yourselves guests of the Pump Room this evening.  We're grateful
you would think to come here."  With that he disappeared.

Ron Jackson had been watching with increasing bafflement.  When
Washington withdrew he asked, "What's that all about, April? 
What's going on?  You're my woman and I have a right to know!"

April sat up straight in her chair and there was fire in her
eyes.  "The hell I am and the hell you do, Ron Jackson!"  She
looked at Dan and said, "You could tell Cindy and my mother were
not delighted to see Ron.  Has Cindy told you anything about Ron
and me?"

"Only that he's the father of your little boy.  That's about
all," Dan replied quietly.

"Well, that's a good place to start.  I was on the pill but Ron
made me stop.  He wanted me to become pregnant to prove his
manhood!"  Turning to Ron she asked, "Have you had your contest
yet?"  Ron nodded.  "Who won?"

"Kelly's woman.  God, was she great!  She took three men at once:
Kelly in her cunt and another guy in her ass and a third guy in
her mouth, all at the same time!"

"Dan," April said, "that's the contest.  I won the last two
years.  All the girls are naked, of course.  Last year I had just
given birth to Ronnie.  Ron made me drink a lot of brandy and
wouldn't let me feed my baby.  By the time we got to the party my
breasts were aching with all the milk in them.  But that didn't
last long.  I was the life of the party!  I served Brandy
Alexanders all night long -- from my nipples, of course.  There
was usually a smelly jerk hanging from each tit, sucking up a
storm.  All Ron did was to fuck me occasionally and a couple of
times hit me across the face because my jugs weren't refilling
fast enough -- his teammates had to wait!

"Dan, could you imagine doing that to Cindy?  I could imagine you
giving her the brandy.  I could imagine her nursing you at her
tit."  She smiled warmly and said, "In fact, I could see the idea
going through her mind when I told her about it the first time. 
Her thought was that it was something you would enjoy.  It would
be another way for her to give herself to you.  But a meat
market?  It would be over your dead body, wouldn't it?"

Dan had been sickened by the recital.  He just nodded once and
held Cindy's hand.  He lifted it to his lips and kissed it. 
Still holding her hand he looked in her eyes and saw incredible
warmth and love.  Without making a sound he saw her lips form the
words, "Thank you, darling."

Ron was sitting abashed.  He said, "But April, that's not it at
all.  It's just a way for the guys to have some fun.  We spend
all that time at training camp and it's a way to blow offsteam."

"Fine, Ron," she said quietly.  "Why don't you do what most of
your teammates do, then?  Hire someone."  She started to say
more, then stopped and started again.  "I was about to say I
would do it if the money were good enough, but I stopped. 
There's no way in hell the money could ever be good enough.  I
would die first."

"But why did you do it then?" Ron asked plaintively.

"Because I thought I loved you and you wanted me to.  Now I
realize you can't love me.  Ron, you just love yourself. 
Incidentally, I see you're having problems on the field.  You're
getting beaten too often.  I don't know if you're losing a step
or if you're giving your moves away.  Are you working hard in
practice?  Have your coaches said anything?  Does anything show
in the films?"

Ron was taken by surprise.  He didn't realize April knew anything
about football.  As a matter of fact, it had never occurred to
him that she knew anything at all.  He looked at her for the
first time and was shocked.  Suddenly, he realized how beautiful
she was.  But there was something else that he didn't understand.
 The behavior of the people at the Hotel Ambassador was
completely beyond his experience.  They were talking to girls! 
Then a new thought occurred to Ron.  He asked April, "What do you
do, anyway?  I guess I heard you're with some bank.  But what do
you do?  Clean?  Receptionist?  What?"

"Mr. Jackson," Cindy replied coldly, "April is an assistant vice
president and lending officer of Chicago Trust Company.  She
works for me.  She's well on her way to becoming the finest
lending officer the bank has ever had."  Cindy was disdainful as
she continued, "I've heard of male chauvinist pigs in my time,
but you are the absolute worst!"

Jackson was stunned.  "She's... She's an _officer?_  In a big
bank?  What is this, anyway?  Is this 'affirmative action comes
to Chicago,' or some kind of shit like that?"

"I thought it was, Ron," April interjected, "But it isn't.  As a
matter of fact, I consider Cynthia Martin to be my closest friend
and confidante.  The first time I reviewed loans with her, she
didn't say a word.  She just looked over my presentations and
asked me what _I_ was going to do.  She didn't ask what I thought
she should do, mind you.  Cindy... Miss Martin asked me what I
was going to do.  I told her.  She still didn't say anything.  I
thought it was all over for me at the bank.  I asked her what we
were going to do.  She said, as matter-of-factly as she could,
'We're going to pick up the checks, silly.  You just made two
loans.'

"Ron, I can't tell you how she made me feel right then.  I felt I
was ten feet tall.  You saw Sam Smith watching you tonight?  He
has one of the first two loans.  He served time in prison for
armed robbery.  No one would lend him ten cents.  Chicago Trust
Company lent him $85,000."

"April Jefferson loaned him $85,000," Cindy corrected.  "It's one
of the best loans on our books.  His business is booming now, I'm
delighted to say.  And it's all April!  Now, Mr. Jackson, what
are you doing with all of your money?  Let's forget the $1,200
_per year_ you're contributing to support your son.  That's an
utter disgrace, by the way.  You're making something in the
neighborhood of six hundred to seven hundred and fifty thousand
dollars a year.  How much do you save?  What are you going to do
when your career in football is over?  What else can you do?"

Ron was shocked.  He told them his agent took a lot of it.  When
April asked how much, he said it was about half when everything
was added in.  She said, "Ron, you need a keeper!  You give your
son one hundred dollars a month and your agent about twenty-five
thousand!  For what?"

Ron Jackson was abashed and said nothing.  Cindy and Dan had gone
out to the dance floor.  He nervously asked April if she would
care to dance.  She rose gracefully from her chair and they went
out on the floor.  He took her in his arms and was surprised when
she maintained a separation between them.  He looked around and
noticed that the busboys and the waiters were watching them
closely. _It's almost as if they're her bodyguards,_ he thought.
The music was slow dance music.  He had never danced to music
like this before but found April moved like a dream in his arms.
He whispered, "April, you look absolutely beautiful tonight. 
I've never seen you look better!"

She looked at him, smiled wryly, and said, "Ronald Jackson, you
have never seen me, period!  You saw a hot cunt.  I was a
conquest.  You made me do things to myself that are disgraceful
and disgusting.  I still almost vomit thinking about some of the
things I did because you asked me.  I don't think you have ever
thought of me as a person at all!"

Ron didn't know what to say.  Finally he said, "April, we play at
home on Sunday.  Would you and your friends like to come to the
game?  Could we try to start over?"  He smiled at her and she
smiled back.  He continued, "They are really friends, too, aren't
they?  Who is Dan Burke, by the way?  What does he do?"

April's eyes sparkled.  She asked, "Can you keep a secret?  If
Cindy finds out, I'll kill you, understand?"  Ron nodded,
puzzled.  She said, "Dan is executive vice president of the bank
and Cindy's boss.  The only thing is, she doesn't know it.  She
thinks he's just a credit analyst!  And Ron Jackson, if you even
_hint_ at his position, I'll murder you!"

She smiled warmly and moved closer to him.  He could smell the
perfume coming up from between her breasts.  Ron said, "What's
that wonderful smell, April?  Your perfume is overpowering!"

"It's me, Ron.  I'm wearing something called musk oil.  It
enhances natural smells.  It's just me," she said softly.  Then
she looked up at him and said, "Were you serious?  Would you like
to start over?"  He said absolutely yes.  She continued, "In that
case, fire your agent.  Send all your money to me at the bank. 
We will set up an investment account for you and I will pay you
an allowance.  You'll get $2,000 a month."

He moved away from her and there was an expression of shock on
his face.  "April, are you crazy!?  The payments on my Porsche
are more than that!"

"That's easy enough," she replied, smiling sweetly, "we'll give
it back to the leasing company.  I'm sure they'll be happy to
have it."

They continued the discussion at the table.  Ron fought, but
April was adamant.  It was her deal or no deal.  Finally, he said
with the greatest reluctance, "Okay, April.  It's a deal.  But
who's going to tell my agent?  I don't have the guts."

"I guess I'll do it," April said.  "By the way, there's an
agent's fee you'll be paying.  It's 5 percent off the top and
goes to Ronnie's education fund.  When the season is over, I
expect you to go back to school and get your degree.  We'll talk
about a career for you later."

"But, honey!" he protested, "That's a lot of money.  I don't know
what 5 percent is, but it's a lot of money for a baby."

She again smiled sweetly and said, "There are two points in what
you just said: First, you damned well better learn what 5 percent
of your salary is.  Second, education is expensive and getting
more so.  Your son is smart as a whip and he's going to get the
best education possible.  Daddy, you're paying!"  She said, "By
the way, I need to see the existing contract.  Do you have a
copy?"

Ron sheepishly reached into his coat pocket, pulled out an
envelope and passed it to her.  It was the proposed new contract
with his agent.  April skimmed it and then read a couple of the
paragraphs closely.  She whistled softly and passed the contract
to Cindy.

After reading it quickly, Cindy shook her head and said, "Ron, I
thought you used pistols to commit highway robbery.  Obviously, I
was wrong.  That's the most outlandish contract I've ever seen!"

"What's wrong with it?  It's better than most of the guys have. 
I think it's pretty good," he protested.

By this time Cindy had passed it on to Dan.  When he finished
reading it, he asked Ron, "Are you serious?  Is this really
better than most of your teammates'?"  Ron assured him it was. 
Dan grinned at Cindy and said, "There's a great new-business
opportunity I'm going to pass on to your father.  We're going
into the sports agency business.  Even our normally extortionate
trust division pricing is only a small fraction of this!"  He
looked at Ron again and said, "What you're hearing, Ron, is envy.
 I always thought our fees for trust services were out of sight,
but this guy _really_ knows how to price.  It's an interesting
split: You take the career risks and he takes the money."

April took a small notebook from her purse and wrote for a few
minutes.  When she was finished she tore out several sheets and
gave them to Ron to sign.  "What's this?" he asked.

"It's my contract as your agent," she replied.  It consisted of
three sheets torn from her purse-sized notebook.

Ron looked at it and asked, "When do I get the real one?  I'm
used to having a contract."

April just shook her head sadly and looked to Dan for help.  He
said, "Ron, it is a contract.  It doesn't need to be long or
typed or anything else.  Just sign it and Cindy will witness your
signature.  Someone from the bank will be in touch with you soon.
 I was very serious about helping the other ball players, too. 
Your contract is the worst I've ever seen and far worse than I
would ever have imagined."

Ron was very quiet for a while.  Then he looked up and asked,
"There's something else, though.  All the people -- the busboys,
the waiters, the car-jocks -- treat April like she's a queen or
something.  What's going on?"

Dan looked down at the table and then looked at Ron.  He said,
"Ron, I'm an analyst at the bank.  April is senior to me, now. 
However, I have been there awhile and maybe I have a friendly
face."  Cindy rolled her eyes and then grinned as he went on:
"People talk to me about a lot of things.  The word on the street
is 'the twins who aren't.'  They are referring to Cindy and
April.  The girls dress alike, they're the same height, and
they're both beautiful girls.

"Cindy is a division head in the bank.  Her division is new.  It
specializes in what we call character loans.  A character loan is
one where you're lending to the person more than to the company.
Bankers talk about them a lot, but no one ever does much.  Cindy
and April don't talk.  They lend money.  Apparently the word is
spreading among the minority communities about them."

He grinned and continued, "Cindy runs around in a little red
rocket.  Rumor has it she just got one for April, too.  It seems
that it's the most famous car in Chicago.  She could leave it
anywhere with the motor running.  If anything happened at all, it
would be someone turning off the ignition to save her gas. 
Apparently, that's what you saw tonight.  These people know what
the girls are doing.  They may have helped a friend or a
relative.  All I know is they are the best lenders this city has
ever seen."  He smiled at Ron and said, "Does that answer your
question?"	

Ron just shook his head.  "Do you mean April lends money?  Real
money?  I thought they just took applications and some committee
said yes or no."

"In some banks I guess it works that way.  In fact it's the way
it used to be at Chicago Trust until Cindy's father took over the
bank.  He believes that people should make loans, not committees.
 He said one time that a loan committee is just a device to
syndicate the risk.  If a loan goes bad, it becomes the
committee's fault, not any person's.  Since you can't fire a
committee, nothing happens."

They finished up the evening and Ron drove them back to April's.
When he got there, he moved to kiss her but she just backed away.
 At this, he blew up.  "April Jefferson, what _is_ this shit? 
I've fucked your ass off, girl, and now you won't even kiss me?"

April just looked at him coldly and said, "No, I won't.  Good
night, Ron.  Send the tickets to me at the bank.  And thank you
for the evening.  It was nicer than I thought it would be."  She
got out of the car and joined Dan and Cindy who were standing on
the sidewalk.

They went up to the apartment.  As soon as the door was closed,
April broke down in tears and went into Cindy's arms.  Cindy held
the girl tight and just listened to her cry, while Dan, like all
men, was baffled in the presence of tears.  Mary Jefferson took
him over to the table and poured him a cup of tea that he
accepted gratefully.

Meanwhile, April was slowly regaining control.  With tear-filled
eyes she looked at Cindy and said, "I lost him, didn't I?  I'll
never see my baby's father again!  He'll just call me in the
morning, cancel the contract and tell me to go to hell!"  She
began to cry again, even harder than before.

Cindy helped her to the sofa, sat down with her, and just held
her.  She murmured, "No, you didn't lose him at all, honey.  Ron
saw you for the first time tonight.  You were absolutely correct
in what you said to him.  You were just a hot cunt -- a trophy
for his wall.  Now he doesn't know what to make of you, but
you're a lot more important to him than you ever used to be.  Can
you stay out of his bed?  Please?"

"Cynthia Martin, I hate you," April said while trying to smile
through her tears.  "Just because you have a man who is a woman's
dream, you ruin it for the rest of us.  Damn it, Cindy, there are
only two people like your father and Dan.  Mary Thomas has one of
them and you have the other.  What are the rest of us supposed to
do?  We have to make do with ordinary humans." 

"Oh, you poor thing!  You have the world's most precious little
baby to keep you warm.  Besides, have you ever taken a good look
at Burke?  He's a wreck.  Aside from the fact that when he
touches me I turn to mush, I can't figure out what I see in the
guy.  April, you're a mother and you're making $60,000 a year. 
How am I going to make it being barefoot, pregnant, with one baby
nursing and a toddler pulling at my skirt made from a used flour
sack?  Hell, I'll bet you make double what he makes and there
will be five, then six, seven, eight... all trying to live."

April kissed Cindy softly and said, "Mother, would you please
explain to Miss Martin the ins and outs of welfare and food
stamps?  She's going on the dole, poor thing."

Cindy's face was sad although her eyes were sparkling as she
said, "I was thinking about serving Dan a Brandy Alexander, but
we can't afford the brandy!  What can I do?"

April looked thoughtful and finally suggested, "Use rubbing
alcohol?  It's cheaper."  Cindy poked her in the ribs and
laughed.

The next day, April went into the bank.  She was amused at the
physical arrangements.  Her office was next to Cindy's -- an
office Cindy had never seen and didn't even know she had.  While
everyone else in the bank was wearing the most approved business
attire, she was wearing her now-famous uniform of tight Levi's
and a chambray shirt.  Kathy Chang's office was next to hers.

They both used Cindy's secretary, another girl Cindy had never
met.  The girl initially resented working for a black female
assistant vice president claiming that she was a senior
executive's secretary.  April pointed out sweetly that she had
three choices: First, she could remain Cindy's secretary and work
for Kathy and her; second, she could take a demotion and a cut in
pay and become her secretary and handle Kathy's work, too; or
third, she could quit.  The girl elected the first option.

April went into her office to call Ron's agent, Jack Scott.  Then
she reconsidered and told the secretary to make the call.  The
girl was very good at telephone tag.  Her phone buzzed; the
secretary said Mr. Scott was on the line.  She picked up her
phone and said, "Good morning, Mr. Scott.  It's good to talk to
you.  I'm calling about Ron Jackson's contract.  I'm now his
agent and will be taking over his affairs.  Please also send over
his Bears' contract and any other contracts to which he is a
party."

Scott was stunned.  "Who is this?  The secretary said something
about a bank, but I didn't catch it."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Scott.  I'll have to speak to her about it.  She
should speak more clearly.  My name is April Jefferson.  I'm an
assistant vice president of Chicago Trust Company.  I have been
named as Mr. Jackson's new agent."  She paused a moment and then
added, "I believe you heard the rest of the conversation."

"But... But that's impossible!  I'm Ron's agent.  I gave him the
new contract just yesterday.  It's all agreed."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Scott.  It's neither agreed to nor signed. 
Frankly, we're thinking about turning it over to the District
Attorney.  There are statutes regarding both theft and fraud. 
That's the most outrageous contract I have ever seen in my life.
Now, can we keep this pleasant?  Please just send over the
materials by messenger this morning.  You have made more than
enough on Ron's services to afford it.  Are there any questions?"
 Scott sputtered but agreed.

Then April called the Chicago Bears office and asked for the
general manager.  She introduced herself as Ron's agent and she
could almost hear the man choke.  He said, "Did you say you're
Ron Jackson's agent?  A girl?  I can't believe it!"

"It's true nevertheless, Mr. Clancy.  Ron has had a good career
with the Bears.  The reasons I called are twofold: First, to
introduce myself.  Second, to ask you how Ron is doing.  There
are two parts to that: First, the better the Bears do, the better
Ron can do.  Second, you're in a very competitive sport.  Your
players wear out, grow old, get injured.  You have to have a
fresh supply.  I want to know how many more playing years you
think he has."

"Miss Jefferson, if you don't mind, I would like to call you
back.  Can I reach you by calling the switchboard at the number
listed for Chicago Trust Company in the phone book?" Clancy
asked.

"Of course you can, Mr. Clancy.  I think it's a fine idea, too. 
Please do," April responded and hung up.

The phone rang moments later, but April let her secretary answer.
 She heard the girl say, "Good morning, Miss Jefferson's office.
May I help you?"  A moment later her phone buzzed and she picked
up.  The girl said, "A Mr. Clancy from the Chicago Bears, for
you, Miss Jefferson."

"Hello again, Mr. Clancy.  Thank you for being cautious.  Are you
satisfied?  While I was waiting for your call I asked my
secretary to type up my agent's agreement with Ron.  The original
is handwritten and executed; I could send that along, too.  I'm
sure you need it for your records."

Clancy acknowledged and then relaxed.  "Miss Jefferson, may I
speak frankly and off the record?"  She agreed instantly and he
continued, "In honesty, we're not too happy with Ron.  He's
getting beaten too badly and too often.  If things don't improve
in one hell of a hurry, I'm not sure if he'll be back at all next
year.  Is that honest enough?"

"It certainly is," April said.  "Thank you for your opinion, Mr.
Clancy.  That's about the way I had it figured, too."

"You _did?"_ Clancy exclaimed.  "You're kidding!  You did say
you're his agent, didn't you?"

"That's right, and I'm also the mother of Ron's son. 
Nevertheless, I do watch football games and I think his play is
lousy.  Not being an expert, though, I wanted your opinion.  You
gave it and it conforms to my own.  What's the problem?  Let's
face it: football -- for the players, at least -- is hardly a
lifetime career.  I'm planning for the future for Ron, or trying
to."

"Miss Jefferson, may I ask you a personal question.  Are you the
April Jefferson I've heard about?  The girl who won the defensive
players' beauty contest last year and the year before?"

"Yes, I am.  I was expecting Ron's baby the first year, and had
recently given birth last year.  That's how I was able to serve
Brandy Alexanders from my tits.  I suppose that's what you were
referring to."  Clancy said nothing.  "Since then I joined the
bank.  I didn't see Ron from the end of the season last year
until last night.  That's neither here nor there.  The important
thing is that I'm now his agent and would like to make certain
arrangements regarding his finances.  When would it be convenient
to go over them with you?"

"How about right now, Miss Jefferson?" he asked.

She agreed and drove right down to Soldiers' Field where the
Bears had their office.  When she parked, her car was recognized
by some men working on the grounds.  Instantly, a man detached
himself from the group and sat down to keep an eye on it.  She
winked and waved, then ran into the office.  She had just
introduced herself to the receptionist when Clancy came out.

He looked at her attire, then looked through the glass doors and
saw her red GTX in a visitors parking spot.  Clancy's eyes
widened.  He stuck out his hand and said, "Jim Clancy, Miss
Jefferson.  Won't you please come back to my office?  Would you
like some coffee?"  She accepted and they stopped by a small
canteen, poured two cups and took them back to his office.

When they were seated he looked at her thoughtfully.  April was
sitting up straight in the chair, just looking at him.  Finally
he shook his head and said, "It's absolutely none of my business,
Miss Jefferson, but why did you do it?  You're a queen or a
princess.  Why did you allow yourself to be degraded like that?"

April heard genuine personal concern in his voice and realized he
was not pursuing a prurient interest.  She replied simply, "I
thought Ron loved me, Mr. Clancy.  I know now I was just used...
degraded is an excellent word.  But... But it was even worse than
that.  He forced me to degrade myself!  I did it.  He just
asked."  With an effort, she smiled warmly and said, "Enough of
that.  Would you please call me April?  I prefer it.  All my
clients do."

He grinned back and held out his hand across the desk.  "It's a
deal, April, if you call me Jim."  He looked at her and said,
"Now I really see what they mean.  You're the most beautiful girl
I've ever seen.  And you're one of 'the twins who aren't.'  I'm
right, aren't I?"

"Yes, Jim, I am.  Does it matter?" she asked quietly.

"In one way it does, April.  I can be certain you're acting in
the best interest of your client.  All I hear on the street are
people who are in love with the 'twins who aren't.'  You two have
done more that's good for this city than any thousand politicians
around.  Incidentally, do you like football?  Would you like to
come to a game?"

She grinned and said, "As a matter of fact, I love it.  Ron asked
us to come out on Sunday for the first game.  We said yes, but
come to think of it, I don't know where he'll get the tickets."

Jim made a call and spoke quietly into the phone.  He hung up and
grinned.  "The owner, Mr. McCaskey, would like you to be his
guest on Sunday.  You referred to several.  Who are the others?"
April said it would be Cindy and Dan Burke.  She quickly
explained who Dan was and the position Cindy thought he had. 
Clancy said, "I'm sure Mr. McCaskey would love to host the
executive vice president of Chicago Trust Company.  I hear great
things about Dan Burke, too."

April quickly made arrangements for Ron's paychecks and arranged
to dump all the expensive toys Ron had leased.  Clancy just shook
his head finally and said, "God!  Would our life ever be easier
if all the agents were like you.  I'm delighted.  But are you
prepared for Ron crying when they come and take his toys away?"

April said, "Jim, I thought about that a lot so I brought
something for you to give him.  It's Ronnie's and it usually
works with him."  She took a baby's pacifier out of her pocket
and gave it to Jim without cracking a smile.  Clancy saw what it
was and howled with laughter.

When she rose to leave, he kissed her and said, "April Jefferson,
you're a piece of work!  Could I possibly refer other players to
you?"

She smiled and said, "According to Dan Burke, we're going into
the business as a service of our trust department.  Cindy thinks
he's going to suggest it to her father.  The fact is, it was
decided by him last night."  She grinned and said, "Please
preserve our little secret?  It really is kind of cute."

Clancy quickly agreed and walked her out to the car.  The man
watching it rose to his feet and saluted when she came out.

* * *

It was the day before the Labor Day weekend and Kathy was riding
with April as they visited customers and prospective customers. 
April asked Kathy what she had planned for the holiday weekend. 
She and Cindy had noticed that the girl never spoke of her
private life except for her hobby of visiting foreign-speaking
enclaves in the city.  The girl replied quietly that she had no
plans.

"Kathy, I happen to know Cindy and Dan are going to be in
Deerfield over the weekend.  She does absolutely everything out
there.  I know it's not Jan, either.  It's Cindy:  She insists. 
I intend to be a slave over the weekend and do her work for her.
Do you have any interest in helping?"

"April, would Cindy mind?" Kathy asked.  "I would love to if it
was all right with her."

"Honey, there's one more thing: I'll be naked all the time. 
Since I've done it before under far more degrading conditions, it
doesn't bother me at all.  I don't think it's fair to you,
though."  April glanced over at Kathy and said, "Please forget I
said anything, will you?"

"No, April, I won't," Kathy said with more determination in her
voice than she had ever heard before.  "I've done many worse
things in my life, too, and I love Cindy.  Please?"

April smiled and agreed.*Chapter 17*

Early Saturday morning, Cindy was awakened by Dan gently
squeezing her breast.  It had become a game with them to see how
little pressure awakened the other.  She smiled because she never
woke up during the night but instantly awakened when he was ready
to take her.  Now she was on her back with Dan moving between her
legs.  Quickly he brought her to orgasm and was keeping her
there.  She dimly became aware of someone else in the room but
was beyond caring at this point.  As usual, she fainted as Dan
came inside her.

When she awakened, she found Kathy Chang standing by the bed. 
The girl was exquisite in her nudity.  She smiled and held out a
coffee mug to Cindy, saying, "Good morning, Slave Cindy!  How do
you feel this morning?  Since it's the Labor Day weekend, Slave
April and I decided you needed a weekend off.  I have coffee for
you and breakfast will be served when you're ready.  How do you
feel?"

Cindy ran her fingers through her sopping-wet hair and moved to a
dry place on the bed.  Leaning back against Dan's shoulder she
said, "I feel like a truck just ran over me, since you asked, and
I'm sure I look like a survivor of a shipwreck."

Meanwhile, April had done the same thing with Pete and Janice. 
She marveled at the way the two were so attuned to one another. 
Pete took a shower with his wife and then left her alone with
April who said, "Mrs. Stewart, I have never seen anything like
that in my life!  How do you feel?"

Jan stretched and grinned, saying, "April, I couldn't feel
better!  What a way to start the weekend.  On the other hand,
what a way to start any day!  And it's Jan, not Mrs. Stewart. 
Remember?  Now that my brain is getting in gear, April, what are
you doing here, anyway?"

April told her that since it was Labor Day, Slave Cindy should
have some time off.  She and Kathy Chang were substituting, and
breakfast would be served soon.  Since the weather was supposed
to be sunny and very hot, Jan padded downstairs nude.  She found
everyone was naked, including the men.  They ate a wonderful
breakfast the two girls had made and were quietly sippingcoffee.

April was looking at the scars on Cindy's loins.  They were
fading fast but were still visible.  Cindy had never told her
what had happened, but had said only that it was her own fault. 
She raised the question again, and Cindy ran her fingers over the
scars.  She told them about the dumb bet that Jan and Pete had
pleaded with her not to make and its outcome.  April and Kathy
just looked at her in amazement.

Kathy said, "Are you saying, Cindy, that a man can get you to beg
for release?  That's silly!  I've been worked on by experts and
it's never happened to me."

"The only orgasm I have ever had in my life was with you, Cindy,"
April chimed in.  "And that's only because you're a woman and
know how we're built."

"Are you two innocents saying it can't happen to you?" Cindy
asked?  The two girls looked at each other and then nodded in
unison.  Cindy looked at Jan, rolled her eyes and shook her head
sadly.  Then she said, "Jan, do you feel like starting the
weekend with a bang?  I'll make a bet with you.  Fifty dollars
against another month on my indenture.  The bet is that Dan can
get one of the girls begging for release before Pete can."

She grinned at Dan and kissed him softly.  "The big lug is really
coming along, too.  You have heard of Irish foreplay, haven't
you?  'Brace yourself, Bridget'?  Dan is really learning."  She
grinned at Jan and asked, "Do you want to make the bet?  Frankly,
it will make my agony worthwhile to see a couple of volunteers go
through what I went othrough."

Jan reached over and shook her hand.  "It's a bet, Slave Cindy. 
Now, which guy gets which gal?"  They flipped and Dan got Kathy
while Pete would work on April.

The two girls were excited about the prospect while the men
looked at the two luscious bodies.  Dan looked at Pete and said,
"The things we're forced to do sometimes: being forced by our
wives and mistresses to handle other women."  He looked at
Kathy's perfect body with her remarkably full breasts and shook
his head.  "Pete, war is hell!"  They agreed that since the day
was so beautiful, they would play by the pool.

They all went out to the pool and pulled up the mats.  Pete and
Dan had talked and decided to get revenge.  Since Jan and Cindy
had used them as pillows all summer, they agreed that since they
had to do all the work for their women's bet, the women would be
the pillows for a change.  Cindy lay down across Dan's mat and he
rested his head on her belly.  Although he had shaved that
morning, when he turned his head and nuzzled her satin skin he
scratched her with his beard stubble.  She winced and looked at
Pete and Jan; Pete had done the same thing.

Jan lightly stroked Pete's cheek and sighed, "The things we have
to do for money, Cindy.  Isn't it awful?"

The two men laughed and the women grinned.  Responding to
instructions the two girls knelt alongside facing the men.  Cindy
grinned and just shook her head sadly as Dan began to move his
fingers lightly across Kathy's body.  The girl's skin was smooth
and as soft as satin.

Kathy didn't know what to expect.  She had never fully told her
story to anyone at the bank, nor, indeed, to anyone else in the
United States.  Cindy and April thought she was from Hong Kong
and indeed that was where she had been when she was able to get
an entry visa for the United States.  Actually, she was a native
of Shanghai where her mother had been a prostitute.  She had
taken her small daughter south and later died in Vietnam.

Kathy, while only ten years old and an orphan, had her first
sexual experience.  She was enslaved by the North Vietnamese and
was used with a prisoner.  She still remembered him vividly: an
American who they believed had information of value to them.  He
had been hideously tortured, and the Vietnamese used Kathy
against him.  She was made to fondle him and sexually arouse him
without allowing him release.  Several times she was beaten
bloody when she gave him the release he needed so desperately. 
And finally she managed to take him inside her just enough to
lose her virginity.  It was the closest she ever came to cuming
and was the last time she had ever been close to a man. 
Remarkably, she had never used her body since, even on occasions
when she was starving.  She was amused because she knew she was
physically incapable of achieving orgasm.

Dan's fingers continued to move lightly over her body.  It felt
so good!  She was kneeling in the bright sunlight with people she
really liked.  Dan and Cindy were talking quietly about the
apartment Cindy was working on; he seemed totally unaware of what
he was doing.  At his request she spread her knees farther apart
making her slit more available to him.  But he seemed to ignore
it.  To the extent he was concentrating on anything, it was her
breasts.  His touch was so gentle and soothing!  She found she
loved it.  Once in a while, his fingers would move to her slit
and fondle her.  It was like the touch of flower petals: It was
so soft and light; it was as if she was imagining rather than
feeling.

Strangely, she found that she was breathing faster.  Her nipples
had hardened and she heard herself making small noises she was
completely unaware of.  Dan was returning to her cunt with
increasing frequency now and she was amazed to find she was now
wet there.  When his fingers entered her cunt now, she made soft
welcoming noises and tried to move her loins to take him into her
even deeper. _What's happening?_  she wondered. _This feels so
good!_  She could feel a strange sensation in her loins she had
never felt before.  She felt as if he were taking her up a
wonderful mountain; she desperately wanted to reach its crest. 
Glancing over at April, she saw the girl with her eyes closed and
her back arched causing her magnificent breasts to protrude still
more.  Her nipples were engorged and she was moaning softly.

Kathy could feel herself reach the crest.  She screamed as she
achieved release.  But she hadn't.  Dan had stopped.  She
realized her eyes were closed, and she opened them with a start.
She looked at Cindy who was propped up on her elbows, watching. 

Her friend just shook her head sadly and murmured, "Fun, isn't
it?"

Kathy tried to return the smile but couldn't.  It hurt too much.
Dan began to move his fingers again.  This time it was much
faster climbing the mountain.  To her astonishment, when he
touched her nipple, she screamed in pain and ecstasy.  She
couldn't believe it could have become so sensitive!  He continued
to work on her with unbelievable gentleness.  Now she realized
she had truly become a sexual plaything.  He was just playing
with her!  Yet he somehow seemed to know exactly what she was
feeling.  She lost count of the number of times she reached her
crest.  She tried to look at April, but couldn't bring the girl's
face into focus.  Her whole being was concentrated in her loins.

Astonishingly, she realized she was weeping.  Although she was
still upright on her knees, tears were flowing from her eyes in a
continuous stream.  She was sobbing and didn't know it!  She was
saying things but she didn't know what.  Finally, at her highest
crest, Dan stopped again.

It was the end!  She screamed, "Please release me, Dan!  Oh God,
please!  You must."  She collapsed face down on the mat with her
knees under her body.  Now she was crying like her heart would
break.  She didn't know what she was saying or doing.  All she
could do now was feel and all feeling was in her cunt.

Again, he touched her nipples and again she screamed.  Her scream
rose to a wail as she cried, "Don't Dan!  Oh, please don't!  It
hurts so much."  She could feel her tears pouring down on the mat
as he took her back up her mountain.  She was just babbling now.
Again she was at the crest but this time he took her over!  Her
loins started to shake and fluid started to pour out of her poor
cunt in an increasing flood.  She didn't know what she was doing.
 She even forgot where she was.  All she knew was she was feeling
an exquisite sensation in her loins that didn't stop.

Moments after Kathy started to spend, Pete had April over the
edge.  Both girls were in the same position.  Cindy and Jan could
see the sexual juices pouring out of the two girls' cunts in a
flood.  Cindy winked at Jan and said softly, "I win!  That's
fifty dollars and all it cost me this time was a belly chafed by
Dan's whiskers.  It was a lot easier than the last time!"

Jan just shook her head but said, "I love you, darling Cindy."

Meanwhile the men had the two girls in continuous orgasm. 
Minutes passed and Dan could see Kathy was about to pass out. 
Her loins were still jerking involuntarily; the girl was shaking
herself to pieces.  Dan pinched the girl's clit, and that did it.
 She collapsed in a dead faint.  He turned, kissed Cindy softly,
and asked, "Do I get half?  I had to do all the work."

She raised an eyebrow and said, "Since when do you call that
work?  She's exquisite, isn't she?"

He just nodded and smiled.  Then he got up, went inside, and
returned with two light blankets.  April hadn't fainted.  Pete
had let her down slowly from her crest and was now gently
caressing her beautiful buns.  She was just making warm happy
noises.  She had carefully stretched out her legs and was now
lying face down on the mat.  The fact that she was lying in a
pool of her own juices didn't seem to bother her a bit.  Jan took
the light blanket and lay it over the girl.  Then she kissed her
softly on her cheek.  April just murmured happily and went to
sleep.

Cindy gently straightened Kathy's legs and covered her, too. 
Then the four went over to the tennis courts leaving the two
girls asleep.

When the wetness Kathy was feeling finally awakened her, all she
could remember was the most extraordinary set of sensations.  She
opened her eyes and realized where she was.  She saw April lying
nearby and got up to go to her... or tried to.  Her leg collapsed
under her.  It was as if the muscles in her groin wouldn't work
any longer.  She lightly rubbed her abdomen and found she hurt. 
Her muscles were so sore!  Finally, she got to her feet and went
over to April.

The girl was just awakening.  When Kathy's shadow came over her,
she looked up, smiled weakly, and asked, "Who won?"

Kathy sat down quickly and said, "I think Cindy did.  How do you
feel?"

"Like a truck ran over me."  April replied ruefully.  "How do you
feel?"

"Not that good," Kathy replied with a grin.  Then she said, "Just
remember, Assistant Vice President Jefferson, who got us into
this.  I just follow the lead of my seniors."

"Right!"  April grinned.  "And how many times has Cindy told you
to think for yourself?  You just followed me right over a cliff!
I hope you learned something.  I know I did."

Kathy became serious and asked, "What did you learn, April?  I
learned I'm still a woman.  That's worth a lot to me.  How about
you?"

"Pete made me cum.  I didn't think it was possible.  Believe it
or not, Kathy, the only other time I ever did was with Cindy
eating my cunt," April replied softly.  She looked up at the
girl's face and said, "Can you imagine?  A girl like Cindy eating
a black girl's cunt?  It was utterly unbelievable."

Kathy helped April up.  The girl rubbed her groin and said
woefully, "I'm not sure childbirth was this bad.  I think I was
in better shape an hour after Ronnie was born."  Then she grinned
and said, "But I feel great in a strange sort of way."  The two
girls hobbled over to the tennis court.

Jan saw them come over and said, "And what are you two slaves
doing?  The least you can do is wash off the pool deck.  Then go
to the slave quarters and take a shower.  You two are wrecks!" 
Kathy saw Jan's eyes dancing as she gave them the orders.

They washed off the deck and their mats and then went up to
Cindy's room.  Kathy was pensive and April asked her about it. 
The girl looked at her with her eyes bright.  "April, please
don't take it the wrong way, but could I find out what a black
girl tastes like?"

April looked at her and smiled softly.  "Provided I can find out
what an Asian cunt tastes like, too."

The girls grinned and climbed on Cindy's bed.  Kathy took April
in her arms and kissed her lips.  The girl was wonderful, and she
lightly stroked April's breasts and body, while April caressed
hers.  In no time the girls were licking each other's cunt.  They
were both surprised at the amount of vaginal juices they were
licking up.  When they finished, April said, "Why don't you taste
like soy sauce?  I thought everything Chinese did?"

Kathy grinned and said, "Why don't you taste like chocolate?  I
thought all black women did."

The two laughed and April told her it was the same thing Cindy
had said.  They shared a shower, washed their hair and went back
to the pool.  April set up the barbecue and began to cook
hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch.  Kathy went inside and brought
out beer in an insulated chest, as well as an Oriental salad she
had made.

She watched the two couples in utter amazement.  Here there were
six people, all naked.  The men just stroked their women who
purred like cats.  After lunch to her surprise, Dan took Cindy on
the lawn.  She watched as Cindy first took his magnificent sex in
her mouth, then spread her legs wide to welcome it inside her. 
It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

About two o'clock, there was a call from the house.  It was Don
Martin and Mary Thomas who had driven out from Chicago.  Don saw
that they were all nude.  Kathy turned beet red as she realized
she was naked in the presence of the president of the bank.  Don
just shrugged and began to undress Mary.  When he was finished,
she undressed him and they went over to the pool.

Cindy went up to Mary and kissed her warmly saying, "You look
great, Mom.  I hope you don't mind our homemade nudist colony?"

Mary replied, "Honey, a few weeks ago I would have passed out in
shock.  If someone said I should take off my bra, let alone all
of my clothes, I would have died of shame.  Now I guess I'm proud
of my body.  Your father likes it and I hope you do, too."

"Mom, if my friends knew how beautiful my mother is they would
not believe it."  She grinned and said quietly, "But unless you
want to hear a grown man cry tonight -- and be unable to have you
touch him, let alone be able to enter you -- you better put some
sun protection on him.  For that matter, unless you really want a
fried ass and fried boobs, you better get him to put some on
yourself, too."  She grinned at Mary and said, "I wonder what
fried boobs would taste like, anyway?"

Mary returned the grin and replied, "Better than broiled buns, I
think.  Thanks for the tip."

A little later, Jennifer and Steve Chapman arrived.  The group
spent a lazy afternoon swimming.  At the end of the afternoon,
they had a series of swimming races.  To everyone's surprise and
Jan's chagrin, Cindy won at 1,000 meters.  Dan had used a
stopwatch and timed the race at a respectable time for an AAU
race.  Pete won among the men.

Jan said to Pete, "See what happens when you work my fingers to
the bone at the office?  I get beaten in my own pool!  By my own
slave!  What is the world coming to?  My God!  The next thing you
know, she'll be wanting her freedom."

Later, they served dinner cooked outside.  When Mary Thomas came
up to Kathy, she looked at her and began to laugh.  The girl was
wearing a light windbreaker... and nothing else.  She looked at
Mary with her eyes dancing, but with a rueful look on her face. 
"I can't help it.  I'm cold," she said.

"Did you ever think of clothing?" Mary asked.

The girl brightened and said, "My!  What an original idea!  I'll
have to think about that."  Then she said, "We've never met
before, ma'am.  I'm Kathy Chang."

Mary smiled warmly and took Don's arm saying, "Darling, there's
someone here you need to meet.  This is Katherine Chang."

Don put out his hand and Kathy took it in a firm grip.  He said,
"Kathy, I'm Don Martin.  I guess you work for me.  I hope you'll
pardon my... informal attire?  Anyway, it's a great pleasure to
welcome our newest assistant vice president.  Like April, you now
have personal lending authority of $500,000.  Recognizing her
experience, though, we're upping her to $1 million."  He smiled
warmly and said, "All I hear are truly outstanding reports about
you.  Thank you for joining us."

To his shock, Kathy's face crumpled and she ran to Cindy, sobbing
like her heart would break.  Cindy was shocked but took the girl
in her arms and held her while her shoulders shook with her
crying.  "Please help me, Cindy," she cried.  "I can't be an
officer.  I just can't."

Mary looked at Don meaningfully.  He retrieved his clothes and
slipped on his pants and a shirt.  As he did he saw Dan doing the
same thing.  They went over to where Cindy was sitting on the
grass still holding the girl in her arms.  When Dan took her in
his arms, Cindy ran to get dressed.  With one hand he zipped up
the jacket the girl was wearing and waited as her sobs faded. 
Then he asked softly, "What's wrong, honey?  Why can't you be an
officer of the bank?"

The girl looked up and there was a look of near-terror in her
eyes.  "Because an officer is a respectable person.  I'm a fraud!
 You think I'm from Hong Kong.  In one way, it's true.  But I'm
really from Shanghai.  My mother was a prostitute and I was a
whore.  I even worked for the North Vietnamese.  You can't want a
whore like me.  You just can't!"

Jan Stewart overheard what Kathy said.  She looked at the two men
meaningfully and they withdrew.  She took the girl in her arms
and held her.  Kathy looked up and saw great warmth in her eyes.
Jan said, "Kathy, I was a prostitute, too.  Only I didn't do it
to live; I did it just for the money.  You couldn't have been
very old.  How old were you when you were a prostitute?"

The girl ohispered, "I guess I was just a whore.  I had sex to
try to survive.  I never got any money.  Sometimes I would get a
few grains of rice."

"How old were you?" Jan persisted.

"I was almost ten when it began.  I guess it lasted until I was
thirteen.  Then I escaped.  I made my way north and finally I
swam to Hong Kong."

"You poor thing," Jan cried.  "Katherine Chang, you're going to
be an officer of Chicago Trust Company, do you hear?  My God!  A
child survives in a war-torn land -- several, in fact -- and
manages to reach the United States.  She gets an education and
performs brilliantly.  She's one of the most exquisitely
beautiful women its ever been my fortune to lay eyes on.  Her
performance as a lending officer is outstanding."  She turned
Kathy's head and made the girl look at her.  She said,
"Katherine, what's it going to take to get you to accept the
promotion?  I will not accept no as an answer.  Do you
understand?  How about an immediate cash bonus of 100 percent of
salary?  Will that do it?"

A kaleidoscope of emotions passed over Kathy's face.  She said,
"Do you mean you want me in spite of all I have been?  I can't
believe it!"

"No, Kathy.  You misunderstand," Jan said with great warmth in
her eyes, "It's _because_ of everything.  What you achieved is
beyond human understanding.  The obstacles you have overcome... 
I can only stand in awe.  Isn't the bonus big enough?  I'll
double it."

Kathy just slowly shook her head.  Then she hugged Jan tightly
and said, "Oh God!  Mrs. Stewart, I can't thank you enough!  No
wonder Cindy is your slave.  May I be your slave, too?  I can't
tell you how honored I am to be offered such a position.  Of
course, a bonus is out of the question.  I'll accept the
position, though.  I won't pretend I understand why you're doing
this, but I'll take it.  Thank you."

Finally it was settled.  When the people started drifting home,
April gave Kathy her car to use.  She was staying overnight and
was going to the Bears' game the next day.

* * *

Sunday was also bright and clear but not as warm as the day
before.  A cold front had come through and the temperature was
only in the upper 70's.  Dan, April and Cindy all squeezed into
the little car and drove to Soldiers' Field and up to the special
clubhouse gate.  As a sort of joke, April and Cindy were wearing
their "uniforms."  The combination of the car and the girls'
dress caused them to be immediately recognized.  They were waved
into the special parking area and greeted by Jim Clancy.  He
escorted them up to the owner's box high above the field.

There, the three were warmly greeted by Mike McCaskey, owner of
the Bears.  When he was sure Cindy wasn't looking, he winked at
Dan with whom he served on a couple of civic committees.  The
girls sat down to watch the game.

To Clancy's surprise, the three guests were genuinely interested
in it.  Dan and April focused their binoculars on Ron whenever
the Bears defense was on the field.  Late in the second quarter,
Dan whispered something to April who nodded.  Then she said,
"pass," then "run," then "pass," then "pass."

Clancy had been watching with increasing interest and surprise. 
Finally he said, "Would you please tell me what you're doing?"

April put down her binoculars, smiled at him, and said, "I was
just calling the play Ron was set for.  He's tipping it every
time.  Jim, if Dan and I can see it from here, it's damned
certain the quarterback a couple of yards away can!"  She then
explained what Dan had picked up.  Jim watched for what she had
told him.  He didn't need binoculars.  The three started
announcing the play Ron was expecting in unison.

Then Jim went to Mike who was talking with Cindy and explained
what they had just found.  Jim then picked up the phone and
called the defensive spotter in the press box.  He relayed their
findings to the bench.

Jim just shook his head and asked April, "How much do we owe you?
 My God, how could we have missed it?  Maybe because it's so
damned obvious, I guess.  Now let's see what happens."

When the defense came off the field, they saw the defensive-back
coach take Ron aside and speak to him.  With the binoculars,
April could see the expression of amazement on Ron's face.  Then
she could see him get mad.  The second half was totally
different.  Ron had made the Pro Bowl two years earlier, but in
the second half he played even better than he had in his Pro Bowl
year.  He made six unassisted tackles and intercepted two passes.
 He was named the defensive player of the game.

April, Cindy, and Dan were waiting for him when he came out of
the locker room.  April went up to him and kissed him softly on
the lips.  When he tried to take her in his arms, she backed
away.  She smiled and said, "That's enough of a reward.  Hell, it
was only one decent half of football in the first game of the
season against a nothing opponent.  As a matter of fact, a kiss
is too much."

Ron just shook his head but took them out to dinner at a small
Italian place.  They had beer and spaghetti and then parted. 
April took a cab home while Cindy and Dan went back to Deerfield.
 Ron was left standing on the curb without even another kiss.

To be continued...

* * *

Comments and constructive criticism are sincerely welcome.  Let
me hear from you.  morg105829@aol.com

*Cynthia Martin* Copyright (c) 1991, 2001 by Morgan. 
<morg105829@aol.com>

All rights reserved.  No part may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any electronic means, including photocopying,
recording or by any information and retrieval system, without the
written permission of the author. <1st attachment end>


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