Chapter 07

The sun threw a warm glow over a glistening blue ocean. The swell was up and waves up to two metres were breaking out the back of the surf. A few children played and skipped through the shoreline. Others were building sandcastles. On the beach itself, there were quite a few sunbathers. The beach stretched along a broad curve with a pile of rocks at both ends and was about 800 metres long. The busier end was near the local shops and attracted families, whereas the southern end was much quieter. It attracted most of the guys, as it was just over the road from the Coogee Bay Hotel where they had a drink after they had a swim or visa versa.

The girls found a fairly quiet spot, at the southern end, spread their towels and took their clothes off. Upon undressing they ran carefree into the sparkling ocean. The water was cool and yet not too cold, as it tingled when the girls dived into it. Sharon swam out first with Joanne following close behind. Sharon, being a stronger swimmer, reached the breakers first, turned, then waited for Joanne.

They then swam way up the beach exercising muscles and stretching them as athletes do before a race. The water on their naked bodies soothed them and released the tensions of the week.

After their workout and feeling spent, the girls swam to the edge of the shore and walked up onto the beach dripping water, letting the light breeze cool their skin further. The air blowing across their wet bodies was both exhilarating and invigorating and the girls didn�t even remember they were naked, until they received a whistle.

They returned to their towels and instead of wiping themselves, lay face down leaving the droplets of water to evaporate.

"That was wonderful," Sharon said as she shook some water from her long hair.

"Sure was. Ha, Ha," Joanne began to laugh. She poked a face.

"What?"

"Oh a couple of guys are gorking. I thought I�d poke a face."

"Joanne!"

"Haven�t they seen naked girls before?" She screwed her face up again.

"You�re incredible" Sharon looked over to see three guys arguing amongst themselves. She laughed, "You�re turning them on Joanne."

"They don�t need me. Just our bodies are enough. They�re just worried about saving face with their mates."

"You meany"

"Me?" Joanne asked incredulously.

"Yeah you. Poking faces at them is leading them on. They�re getting all excited for nothing."

"I don�t know if it�s all for nothin. That one in the middle with the dark hair is a bit of a spunk."

Sharon looked over to the guys again. "Hmm, yeah his a honey isn�t he." She waved at him.

"Shit. What did you do that for?"

"Well his coming over now. You can introduce yourself."

"Sharon!"

"Well you started it."

"Yeah but�"

"But what, Sharon grinned. Now be nice Joanne. At least his going to get a nice close up perve. Just be nice!"

"Yeah okay. But what am I going to say?"

"What? Come on you talk to strange guys every day. Come on. Here he is."

Sharon smiled as the guy approached. She noticed he had a hard time looking her in the eyes.

"How are you?" Sharon asked.

"Fine," the young guy mumbled

"My friend wanted to have a chat. Here sit down on part of my towel. Sharon shifted and sat up. She noticed the guys� eyes follow. He was lost. Out of his depth completely. "Here sit down."

He sat.

"I know you�re a little nervous. So I�ll get out of your hair for a while Joanne." Sharon got up. "Good to meet you. Make sure you enjoy yourselves you two.� She winked, and saw Joanne�s pleading eyes. "You�ll be okay." She laughed and ran down to the surf.

Suddenly the two other guys decided they wanted a dip too. They quickly followed Sharon into the surf. But they were no match for Sharon as she swam out through the breakers.

*******

Peter, was excited and weaving through traffic approaching Strathfield. The lights turned red and he slowed the car down to a stop. A police car pulled up next to him and motioned for him to pull over.

 

*******

 

Tracy was beside herself. Her man had returned and although fairly quiet, he had some good news.

"So you met this girl Sharon and she�s letting you stay at her place?"

"Yeah, it�s good isn�t it?"

"It is good, I guess. I was going to rent an apartment for the two of us. But it probably would be best if you stayed with her."

"I�ve been lucky in a way. I should ask if you can stay with us." Tony said.

"No, don�t wreck it honey, it�s okay, as long as you help me find a unit to live in. I want to get away from those street kids."

"I don�t blame you" Tony said, anger visible in his tone.

"Have you heard what happened to Rodney and Geoff?" Tracy asked, excited at the thought of telling her boyfriend.

"Yes, I was part of it."

"What?" Tracy looked up with a curious look in her emerald green eyes.

"I helped Slater punch them out. I don�t think they�ll be feeling too healthy."

"No, I didn�t mean that". She rubbed his back and added; "Though I�m pleased you walloped them. I mean Geoff and Rodney got arrested for trying to rob McDonalds."

"Really? What happened? "

"Well, apparently they stole a gun from somewhere and went in and tried to rob the local store. One of the other kids was walking past when he saw the police arrive. He saw both of them walking out in cuffs. They were bucking and swearing at the cops. They�ll probably be put away in a youth correctional centre."

"Serves them right. Cyril will be furious though," Tony added.

"What! Because they went to jail?"

"Yeah, and the fact Slater belted them. He�s supposed to be in charge of them. He let them go and try a stupid thing like that. The fat man will want to know why Slater let them out of his sight. He�ll be so angry now that he has lost a couple of workers. He may give Slater a bit of a knock about."

"Do you think so?"

"Yeah, the weak bastard. He�s a wimp. They all are. They prey on young guys who haven�t any choices. I hope he gets busted." Tony said, clenching his fist.

 

*******

 

"Yes Officer?" Peter asked.

"We noticed you changed lanes back there without an indicator. Is there any reason for that?" a young constable asked.

"No, nothing except excitement Officer. I am going to see my stepdaughter. I haven�t seen her for a number of years. I must get there before she leaves, I�m late" Peter looked nervous as he portrayed a distressed stepfather.

"Okay, I�ll let you go this time! But make sure you obey the road rules in future."

"Yes Officer thank you." Peter said as he indicated and left the curb to join the traffic.

*******

Sharon returned from the swim about twenty minutes later. As she came up to Joanne, she was curious to know how things went.

"Okay. Come on what happened?" She asked as she lay down on her towel.

"Well we had a little chat. He asked me out. He couldn�t keep his eyes off me. He wanted to meet me again."

"So?"

"So what. I didn�t tell him nothing."

Sharon smiled. "Why do I know that�s not true Joanne?" As she said it Joanne smiled.

"Well. He wouldn�t give in. I told him we come down here regularly."

"Hmm?"

"That�s not all is it." Sharon laughed guessing herself. You gave him you�re work number didn�t you?

Joanne bowed her head.

"You did didn�t you. You silly girl."

"I like him."

"But that�s work. Why didn�t you get his number?"

"I asked for that."

Sharon waved her head from side to side.

"I did ask. He said he wanted mine but. He wouldn�t give up Shaz. He wouldn�t. He was kind of strong about it,"

"You can�t have him as a client but."

"Why not?" Joanne said with a big grin. "He wants it. He told me so."

"What�s he going to say when you tell him you are a hooker?"

"I don�t know. But�"

"Sharon waved her head. You ninny. You know it doesn�t work. You have to keep it separate. You have to lie to him if he rings. Tell him you�re a barmaid or something." Sharon reached over and jabbed her fingers in Joanne�s side. They began to wrestle on the sand. Like little children, they were lost in laughter and wrestling with glee.

Soon they were covered in sand and chasing each other into the water. They jumped into the shallows to wash themselves. Within thirty seconds they were wrestling again. The two were in hysterics and oblivious to the male onlookers on the beach. Joanne stopped first pushing Sharon away and looking at her with laughter in her eyes.

"What would you have said to him?"

"I would have said we come here on Sundays."

"But we don�t always come."

"Well I�d definitely come with or without you the next couple of weeks."

"You�d do that for a guy?"

"Well I�d have to like him."

"Oh, Joanne sighed. That�s probably what I should have done. I shouldn�t of let him pressure me."

"He�ll probably forget your number anyway. Remember his a guy." She laughed and tackled Joanne. They fought on further and it was ten minutes before they collapsed on the beach. They lay down and relaxed.

The sun beat down on their exposed bodies and felt so warm and all encompassing. The closeness to nature lulled them as their minds floated off, with the heroin still holding them in a place above normality. The sounds of this busy society diminished in their hearing and the sweet sound of silence soothed their spirits.

Sharon�s mind wandered into another world where love existed, a glimpse of heaven. She consoled herself inwardly wondering with her conscious mind whether maybe it did exist. The heroin was vibrating in waves, accentuated by the sun�s rays. A flood of joy and peacefulness invaded her consciousness. It seemed unfamiliar. She heard what she thought was an audible voice in the middle of this awesome feeling of peace saying, "I love you". Startled, she opened her eyes.

Upon looking at Joanne, whose eyes were closed and seeing there were no others around that could have said it, she wondered whether it may have had something to do with her simple prayer the night before. She decided to dismiss it, obviously her imagination was playing tricks and gradually she dazed back into dreamland.

She remembered only once in her life being at peace. It was when she was very young and her mother was combing her hair. Her mother had said that she was the best girl in the world and gave her a hug that she still remembered today. Yet, this feeling that was washing over her in waves, was something just so different and unexplainable. She leant her body into it and relaxed in peace.

Joanne too, was off in a world of her own. She felt lightened after the exercise. Her thoughts played and tempted fate with some scary themes. Foremost in her mind though, was a vivid recollection of the incident the night before. Never before could she remember feeling as repulsed as she did last night. She remembered the lingering smell of stale tobacco and alcohol on his breath as he tried to kiss her.

Although Joanne was a professional, none of her past clients had sickened her as much as her stepfather. No drug was strong enough to dull the memory. She forced herself to think of something pleasant and looked over at her friend sunbaking beside her. She was so lucky to have Sharon as her special mate. She understood, never presumed to have life�s answers, or give useless advice. She was such a good listener.

She loved Sharon more than anyone she knew She realized love was a word used very loosely. Sure, people had said they loved her. Even her stepfather had said it last night as he raped her!

As she thought, she wondered - what would life have been like if her mother and real father were still together? She pondered as to what her father was up to and, if somehow, her parents had worked things out, would she have grown up happy? She�d concluded that divorce isn�t the end of a bad marriage, but the wrong beginning for a child.

She felt, daily, the scars that her mother�s divorce had caused her, and heroin coursed through her veins as a result of its ramifications. She had heard the pathetic words that people used, as they tried to reassure her saying, that it was better for her in the long run to have her parents split up, rather than to continue fighting. She couldn�t fathom that decision when as a lost eight year old, her daddy left amid a barrage of curses and tears. Part of her had been ripped apart that day and had never come back. She thought of a poem she wrote in third class, when this event happened, and it still had a powerful message for her.

Daddy doesn�t love mummy any more

That�s what he said when he slammed the door

Does daddy love me? I want to know why

He left me when I needed his shoulder to cry.

Daddies little girl that�s who I am

And he�ll come back again to hold my hand

I know he loves me. He�ll come back.

And sit in his armchair where he�s always sat.

My daddy, do you love me? I�m waiting you see.

I�m doing well at school and you�ll be proud of me

I�m helping mum and we will be good.

Please daddy come back like mother says you should.

My days are grey and my eyes full of tears.

And my heart longs to see you and heal my fears.

Where are you Daddy? Please let me know.

�Cause I�ll meet you wherever you go.

It was the last poem she had ever written. Her desire to write vanished, at the same time as did her father, who was the only person she had ever truly loved.

She never did see her father again and at eight years of age she started wondering whether, perhaps, it was her fault that her father had left. Because she couldn�t ask her father the truth of the matter, she lived with this guilt from an early age. After her father left, her relationship with her mother had disintegrated to nothing, partly because Joanne blamed her mother also, for her father leaving.

 

*******

 

A red Camira pulled up in the parking space at Coogee Beach. After attaching a protective cover for the windscreen, Peter gathered up his things and looked across the beach. With sunglasses on and a hat pulled down shading half his face from view, he walked casually along the path parallel to the beach, until finally he spotted two girls whom resembled Joanne and Sharon. Putting down his towel and sunscreen, he raised the binoculars to his eyes. �Wow!� His daughter lay naked sprawled on the beach with her friend.

He found himself, without consciously being aware of it, searching with his feet for higher ground. His arms shook, as he moved the lens of the binoculars up and down. Nervously, he pulled himself away from his position, sighting the southern rocks where a better vantage-point would be realised.

Taking a wide berth, he maneuvered into position. When he found a place on the rocky headland, he placed his towel down and sat. He drank up the scenery before him, his mind captivated with the sight of his daughter.

 

*******

 

Mike had returned from the beach and confessed to Loran his prostitution assignment given to him by Peter and re-assured her that he had made up his mind not to contact Peter anymore.

"How could you do that Mike!"

" I didn�t know what I was getting into to start. I thought it was just an old guy with an infatuation. But, it took some time to find out that he was no good for the girls. I�m sorry."

"I suppose it was attractive to you. I can�t really blame you for doing it. It�s the sort of job most hot blooded males would jump at."

"Yeah it was. I approached it with enthusiasm I�ll admit. But. He was a bit of a crafty old man. I couldn�t seem to trust him. He was more than interested in the girls. There was something more to his perversion. It worried me, I mean, I don�t think he can be trusted. I think he may do them some harm".

"Well, it�s over now Mike. You�ve told him to get lost. Yet I can see your concern. It�s really worrying you isn�t it?"

"Yeah." Mike said softly, his eyes avoiding hers, his head bowed in shame. It had sounded exciting at the time. It seemed an adventure, rewarding and refreshing work. Yet now, as he contemplated what he might have set in motion, the thought sobered him somewhat. He couldn�t come to grips with the tape recorder and supplying Joanne with the heroin. His heart sank in fear. He felt responsible.

Loran noticed his sunken, withdrawn look. She ran her hands through his hair in soft reassuring strokes. "Do you think you should warn the two girls of what he is up to?"

"I dunno. Maybe." He went quiet again. Time passed.

Mike looked up, a smile on his face. Released from the emotional torment, he said, "I think I will warn them. We are going up to the Cross tonight. If we see them, I�ll tell them the whole story."

"That seems like the right thing to do. From the change in your mood, I�d say I�m convinced."

"Thanks Loran," he said as he reached up and gently pulled her lips to his. The worries of the day, over, he let himself go, happy in the embrace of his new girl�s arms.

"I�m going for a swim" Mike announced and playfully added, "I bet you can�t beat me in!"

The two of them stripped down to their swimmers and ran headlong into the water. Within minutes they were lost in the crowd of weekend bathers.

*******

 

"It�s just so good how things have turned out Tony. I mean with Sharon and all. Did she really ask for me to come around?" Tracy asked.

"Yeah. She did." He laughed remembering that she had said what a quick mover he had been.

"What�s so funny?" she asked, poking him in the side under his ribs.

"Sharon said I was a fast mover. Not even being in the Cross a week and I�ve got myself a girl already."

"Well, yeah! I haven�t thought of it that way before. You little flirt you!"

Her smile was so inviting. As Tony looked at her he smiled himself. Life in a few short days had taken a turnaround. He held his girl�s hand and they stood up from the table where they had been sitting. "Let�s go and do a little window shopping."

"I�ve got a better idea, let�s go buying." She opened her purse and flashed a number of fifty-dollar notes.

Tony smiled. He felt his heart tingle with joy. What a day he�d had so far. Ever since this morning, things were looking up. They walked out from the little coffee shop where they�d had a couple of milkshakes and the fresh, salt laden breeze, caught them as they stepped into the mall. Manly was such an attractive place to go to with its carnival atmosphere, bargains larger than life, ice creams bigger than your fist and people shouting into loudspeakers inviting you into their shop.

They approached one shop, with its front entrance designed to look like the jaws of a giant shark. Plenty of people were going into the open jaws, with only the occasional person coming out with their wallet intact. "Come on, come in here!" Tracy said, pulling him by the arm.

Straight away she led him to a rack of T-shirts and before long was putting them up against his chest. Red, yellow, blue. He figured she was looking for a colour that suited him. Purple, orange violet, brown. He followed her around the store and stood patiently as she picked shirt after shirt, laid them against his chest, then shook her head before putting it back.

"I reckon, you look good in this colour. What do you think?"

"I like it." As soon as he�d agreed she led him on, putting the shirt back. This went on through the dress shirts, to the T-shirts, to the casual shorts, socks, and slowly he began wondering if his girl had all her marbles. He laughed to himself. He�d heard guys joking about how women shop and how it�s more like a marathon than shopping expedition. They�d said, "ya can�t figure a woman out." Tony was about to agree with them, when suddenly Tracy turned to him and said.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes." He said, shaking his head and wondering what she meant. He�d been ready since they had walked into the shop. His thoughts were disturbed as she retraced all the steps they had come along since entering the shop. On this trip she selected items and kept them each time. They reached the front counter and miraculously; he had two pairs of shorts, three shirts and some socks. They were all interchangeable with each other, giving him quite a few combinations. After she paid and they were out on the street, she said, "How�s that?"

"A real learning experience," he mused. "Hey Tracy!"

"Yeah?"

"I think I might... Oh don�t worry," he said turning his head in embarrassment.

"You think you might...? She asked, putting her face an inch from his, her eyes glowing, putting him at ease. "Come on Tony" she encouraged and fell silent.

"I think I love you."

She grabbed him. Her mouth going for his, her arms giving him a squeeze.

"I love you too," she whispered into his ear.

 

*******

 

"Hey Joanne, let�s go for another swim!" Sharon exclaimed. Startled, Joanne opened her eyes and stood up. Her head became dizzy and her eyes took a while to focus. She then noticed another group of guys who had decided that it was a good day to lie in the sun. On the rocks, an elderly man adjusted his hat, put on his sunglasses and put his binoculars down.

They wandered leisurely down to the beach. Joanne danced, and jumped down the sand toward the water, giving the guys on the beach a little show. She marveled at the feeling of being on stage, even if it was a stage of nudity on a public beach.

Sharon started diving into the surf as it become waist high and Joanne followed. The heat of their sun soaked bodies dissipated as their body temperature adjusted to the water temperature. After a few minutes they started playing like a couple of children. They swam, they dived, and they held their breath under water and bodysurfed some waves.

Sharon�s body seemed to dart through the shimmering water like a fish. Her movements were fluid and seemed so natural as she swam. The blueness of the water contrasted with her deep brown skin and she looked rather like a shadow under the water.

When Sharon noticed that Joanne was beginning to free up and really enjoy herself she dove under the water to tackle her. A wave carried her toward Joanne�s legs like a shark approaching. Suddenly the water around Joanne erupted. Sharon emerged with Joanne on her shoulders. The sudden attack caused Joanne to loose her balance.

Hands and bodies tumbled under the water, as a bigger wave crashed against the fighting girls.

Simultaneously, both girls rose out of the water, brushing their hair out away from their eyes and stood facing each other, being only inches apart. Joanne leant over carefully brushing Sharon�s remaining hair from her face and suddenly kissed her on the cheek. Sharon responded by pulling Joanne close in a tight embrace.

Peter rose to his feet. He couldn�t believe it! Nervously he grabbed his binoculars, removed his sunglasses and stood watching the sight before him.

For a few precious moments the world was shut out, and the two-stood waist deep in water holding each other. When Joanne finally released her friend both girls became suddenly aware of the public location and the surprised faces surrounding them. They both walked up to the beach embarrassed, but happy.

Sharon said with a smile to Joanne as they walked up the beach, "That will give them something to talk about!"

"Sure will, Joanne laughed. "We should have given them a real lesbian scene. They love that!"

"I think we have caused ourselves enough trouble today."

Joanne laughed in agreement and smiled back at her friend. Amidst catcalls and whistles, the girls dried themselves and started to put their clothes on. The beach was fairly crowded now and the air carried a lot of humidity. As they were dressing, Joanne suggested they finish off their relaxation with a glass or two of wine and a spa at her luxury apartment. This sounded like a refreshing idea. Many a time, the girls enjoyed a spa together after a long week and this week it sounded as delightful as ever. The girls packed their things and strolled from the beach, fully aware they were the focus of attention. Their hair blew lightly across their faces, as an onshore wind was picking up. Turning to have a look at the beach as they left, they could see the ocean becoming choppy due to the wind, which also began to deposit sand on certain sunbathers.

Little did they know, an obsessed old man had witnessed the whole scene. Highly aroused, his head spinning, he resolved to go home and plan his next encounter. In all the excitement caused by the scene he�d just witnessed, something was bothering him.

As he picked up his things, he brought the thought captive. Sharon had stolen his stepdaughter�s love. She�d practically thrown her love onto his daughter, preying on her vulnerability. She had stolen Joanne�s heart. She deserved to pay. They both deserved to pay...

 

*******

 

Sharon smiled inwardly as they walked down a path leading to some shops. A guy was shouting for people to gather around as he started his own little sideshow, in which he would ask for payment from his audience. Sharon stopped and put her hand to her face to shield the sun from her eyes. She motioned for Joanne to stop also. She grabbed Joanne�s hand and gave it a squeeze. A crowd was gathering as the performance started. A busker was juggling whilst riding a unicycle in a circle. The audience that ranged in ages, from toddlers to 80 year olds intrigued Sharon. They all stood motionless, offering encouragement in claps and praise as instructed by the performer.

Sharon admired these buskers as they had such courage. They didn�t appear to be embarrassed in the slightest, as day after day, they confidently ignored their inhibitions, hiding any doubts or insecurities they may have, as they stepped out to perform.

The acts were captivating, the words humorous, the smiles infectious and the asking for money was so natural and polite. Yes, Sharon admired these people, because they were everything she wished she could be, more outgoing, more humorous, more light and entertaining and less intense.

She reflected and thought that is why she and Joanne were such good friends, as Joanne had everything she wished she had. They complimented each other and were a good team. A marriage counselor would probably say they were a good match, except for the fact that they were both female. Oh, why did Joanne have to be a woman? Ah well, Sharon reasoned, if she had been a male he wouldn�t have understood like a woman did anyway.

The show was drawing to a close and shouts of encore filled the airwaves. All around them, they could see happy families and they were glad in a way that they still existed. After throwing some change in the performer�s hat, they turned and continued on their way. The performer�s attention was back on his audience, yet his eyes glanced in the girl�s direction.

The girls approached the shops and pondered whether they were hungry or not. There was a take-away, a fish and chip shop and, up the road a bit, was a Yum Cha. Sharon looked at the Yum Cha a little longer, but decided she was not interested.

Upon Joanne�s insistence, they bought some hot chips and ate them as they sat at the bus stop. Buses were cheap and frequent and both girls preferred them to a cab. Apart from the extra expense, cab drivers were often notorious for their lingering eyes reflected in the overhead mirror, focusing on their female passenger�s breasts instead of the road ahead. Besides all that, the girls enjoyed the interaction with other people that often occurred on public transport.

After a ten-minute wait in which the girls had eaten their chips, a bus arrived that would take them into the city. They stepped on, paid their fare and sat close to the front. It was interesting to look at the different passengers. Every face displayed a story. Some were sombre, others happy. Some faces reflected the emotions within, yet others held a more composed look.

The bus soon entered George Street in the city and the girls pressed the button to get off. A couple of changes of lights later, the girls were able to alight into a less than peak hour congestion of people. The air had a warm, yet muggy feel to it as it vibrated between the high rise buildings and the pedestrians. The heat seemed to hang in the air, as the onshore wind of the beach was not evident in the city. Vehicular exhaust seemed to heat the city more and the shadows of the buildings diminished as the day moved closer to noon. The girls however, weren�t long in the heat for they quickly crossed a few streets and boarded a bus to Rose Bay.

After another fairly short bus ride, the girls arrived, within a short walk to Joanne�s high rise apartment. Joanne opened the door and both girls felt a cool draft of air coming from her open verandah. The apartment was huge, with the entrance having a slate floor. The contrast of flat grey slate and bright red shiny wallpaper, that was velvet to the touch, set the mood for each visitor that this would be money well spent.

From the expensive wallpaper, to the thick pile carpet that flowed like a river over the floors of the bedrooms and living areas to the gold plated handles and fittings, the place oozed money. The artwork on the walls of the hallway and the large open living area was modern, yet very much the style of the older impressionist�s era. The artists were moderately popular. One in particular in recent month was making inroads into the international marketplace.

The lounge room was big with a glass sliding door exposing a magnificent view northeastward towards the Harbour Bridge. The lounge itself consisted of a five separate pieces, made of soft leather. In the corner of the room, closest to the kitchen, was a mini bar with a selection of liquors, fortified wines and spirits.

And that�s where Sharon headed. She opened the bar and pulled out a wine cooler. She unscrewed the cup, flung the top in a little waste bin and upended the drink in one fluid movement. She flopped into one of the sofas and relaxed.

Above the bar, brackets suspended a TV with speakers at various intervals around the room, creating either booming stereo clarity or soft background music. A video and stereo unit fit into a glass cabinet that doubled as the front of the bar�s bench. It was a client�s personal masterpiece, to create the ideal sound for her apartment. Joanne had made him feel appreciated in a special way. And he confessed he spent more time in her unit relaxing now then at home.

Besides the normal mirrored glass back, most bars have, there was a portrait set in glass of Joanne in a schoolgirl�s outfit. She stood there tastefully amongst the liquor with her hand beckoning the onlooker. Most clients, it they weren�t sufficiently aroused when they arrived, certainly were, after sitting at the bar looking at Joanne in her schoolgirl�s uniform.

Yes, the lounge room certainly served its purpose. It was a room for relaxation. All the creature comforts were there and if these couldn�t put you at ease, then Joanne surely could. Sharon kicked off her shoes as a second thought, then lay back again in her sofa chair, with her legs spread and arms draped lazily over armrests.

Joanne went over to the bar, switched on some music and worked on a bottle of wine. She screwed her face up in concentration as she maneuvered a cork from a bottle of chilled Cabernet Sauvignon. With a couple of glasses in her hand, she beckoned Sharon to her ensuite where her spa bath was steaming.

The water was quite hot, as Joanne had left the spa on, reasoning that as it was a business expense, the cost of the electricity was not a problem. The spa came to life, erupting with bubbles, as Joanne placed the glasses on the side of the tiled surrounds and took her clothes off. Sharon had already discarded her clothes and followed Joanne as she stepped into the tub. As Joanne lowered herself into the bubbly water you could see her taking a deep breath to absorb the transferred heat.

Sharon moved a little slower, taking each little step of progress down into the spa.

"It�s pretty hot eh?"

"It is rather! It could kill you this heat you know." Sharon laughed.

"Yeah, I know but it�s good for you, and it�s just so relaxing when it�s hot. It gets right into every part of you. When the bubbles pound into your skin, it just massages you with heat. That�s why I love it so much."

"I know what you mean. I really envy you in a way, but I�m glad we are friends and I can come around here." Sharon replied. Taking a glass in her hand, Joanne filled it with wine and passed it to her mate.

"It�s a good drop this one," She said as she twisted the label around admiring it, as she poured herself a glass. Both girls just laid in silence and stared absently into space.

Their naked bodies were soothed and the mood was set for light conversation or encouraging openness and frankness. As the water broke down and the wine further relaxed them, the walls of stress and pain that the girls endured on a daily basis, slowly subsided, allowing them to open up to each other.

They broke open a couple more bottles in a short time. They were getting a little sloshed. As the girls relaxed further barriers came down. It was refreshing to finally just let go and tell it like it was. However, this frankness was not the norm for the girls.

Joanne went silent all of a sudden. She started to relive details of her previous night with her stepfather. Sharon, concerned for her friend, put her arm around her to console her and Joanne responded by turning to her and started to weep openly. The sobs grew in intensity and Sharon stroked her hair. The maternal voice in her head told her to just comfort the girl and not to say a thing.

Joanne struggled to surface from the weight of the kaleidoscope of trauma that was her life. Her many clients had kept the pain fresh, and the wounds of sexual abuse kept her from moving out of prostitution�s cycle of abuse. Heroin and alcohol seemed to dull and relax her senses ordinarily, but today her normal vices were falling short. She clung to Sharon�s� love like a drowning person, and in still moments of thought, she felt herself being drawn down to the pit called death.

Joanne drained of energy and being both physically and emotionally spent from her tears, nuzzled up to Sharon. She looked into her friend�s eyes through a blurred haze of tears. Reflected back in Sharon�s eyes was love and compassion. Sharon�s actions were totally giving and her presence radiated a warm feeling of acceptance.

This genuine concern, Sharon displayed spoke louder than words. Joanne relaxed visibly and the two fell silent for quite a time. If their lives were different, and sex wasn�t work, they may have shared Joanne�s bed in an act of lovemaking; instead when the two entered Joanne�s bedroom hand in hand, they went to take a nap.