Curt left early, before Kim awoke. She felt all aglow, full of love, as if life were hers forever. Curt had done it, given her emotional as well as physical fulfilment as no one else possibly could. He was all she needed, poor or rich, moody or loving, he was her everything. It was then that the phone rang.
She was there by the sixth ring, wearing nothing but her slippers. "Good morning," she said cheerfully. "Curt Stevens residence."
"Hello, Mrs. Stevens. This is Ike Harvey."
Kim said nothing, afraid her feelings would show in her
voice.
Ike gave a good natured chuckle. "How's my special public relations girl this morning?"
"All right, I guess, but I've got to go to the doctor today. I-I can't come to the office."
"Oh?" He paused ominously, but his voice never lost its jovial tone. "That's too bad. I had something I wanted to show you. You simply must see it."
"Well, can't it wait? Please?" Kim begged. "I've got to get to the doctor so he can put me on the pill. So I don't get pregnant. I won't be safe for a month, so."
"I understand, my dear. Do you have a video tape machine? You've got to see this right away. I'll send it over by messenger."
"Okay, Ike, that's fine, but I've got to leave in a half-hour," she lied.
"Don't worry. It'll be there before that." And Ike hung up without another word.
Something made Kim apprehensive about his attitude, the way his voice hadn't changed when she told him she had to have a month's hiatus. But he must understand her need to see a doctor. And she surely didn't want to make love to any more men, not now that Curt was all right and their relationship was on the upswing. Surely Ike must understand that she had to be careful and that she still considered herself a married woman, in spite of her indiscretions.
Kim phoned her gynecologist and made an appointment, then set about straightening up the house. A short time later there was a knock on the door. Kim answered it and a delivery boy gave her a large envelope. He was just a short lad a bit younger than Kim herself. He smiled and turned away immediately, going down the stairs and leaving her to open it alone. It turned out to be a simple, unlabeled VHS tape with a note which read:
This is your copy. You really should see it right away. Please be at 812 Silver Towers apartments at five this afternoon.
Ike
Kim could only wonder what it was on the tape, and why it was so important to see "right away." But she didn't stop to question. She picked up the phone and dialled Sue.
Sue picked it up on the third ring.
"Hi, Kimmy-loo," Sue said cheerfully.
"How did you know it was me?"
"It's usually you that calls during the day. What's up?"
"Can I use your video machine? I've got a tape here I'm supposed to see."
"Sure, baby. Come right over."
For some reason, Kim ran all the way to Sue's apartment, as if she felt something was coming and she dared not wait to find out what it was. She was out of breath when she stumbled through Sue's door.
"Must be some big deal," Sue commented.
"I don't know what it is," Kim panted. "But I've got a bad feeling about it."
Sue turned on the TV, took the tape from Kim, and put it into her machine. There was a period of grey-black video noise, and then the picture flashed onto the screen.
Kim screamed and covered her face with her hands. "Turn it off! Please, Sue, please turn it off!"
Sue didn't turn it off, though. She kept on watching, her mouth hanging open, her cheeks burning, her eyes wide. The period of foreplay and pre-stimulation had been left out of the copy. The scene began at the most frenzied moments of her session with Bernard Khumalo the day before. Kim was poised on her hands and knees, her face painted with passion, switching from a contorted expression of urgency to a dreamy one of deep pleasure. Then back again to one of animalism. Her round, spongy buttocks bounced back against Khumalo's black loins, her firm, round tits jiggling beneath her with each backward thrust of her hips. Sue's eyes stayed glued to the huge, black cock that stabbed repeatedly into Kim's glistening wet vagina between her widely spread thighs. Everything was visible from this angle and it appeared to be a professional quality camera for every tiniest detail was easy to see, from Kim's innocent twitching anus to the fine, blonde hairs covering the widely split labia.
It was a long time before Sue could say anything. "And to think I thought you needed help with men. Baby, you sure can fuck!"
"Stop it, Sue," Kim moaned. "This is awful. It just couldn't be worse."
Sue seemed to ignore her. "Look at that cock. Kim, I've got to meet this Bernard guy."
Kim was silent for a moment. Then she looked up hopefully. "Maybe he'll like you better than me."
"I said I'd like to meet him."
"He tells me he wants me at the Silver Towers today. I guess the video tape is supposed to be a threat. I don't want Curt to see this."
"I don't blame you, Kim. He just wouldn't understand."
"Why should he? But what am I going to do?" Kim had a tormented look on her face, but she was beyond tears. She had cried so much lately and it had not helped. She had lived through some awful things and she would live through some more, she could now see. But still, she sought to avoid the inevitable or postpone it, at least. But now, tears wouldn't come and they didn't wash away the problem. She had to deal with it.
Kim picked up the phone and dialled Ike's number. Harriett put her through.
"Hello, Kim," came Ike's jovial voice. "What can I do for you?
"My girlfriend would like to meet Bernard. Is he going to be at the Silver Towers tonight?"
"He'll be at the party, yes."
"Could she possibly go in my place?"
"No," Ike said firmly. "But you can bring her along."
Kim sighed unhappily. "Okay. we'll be there." She hung up and turned to Sue. "You can come. But it's just a party, so there will a lot of people there. I hope. Nothing can happen at a party with a lot of people around. I'm glad I didn't just tell him to screw himself. This might not be so bad after all."
Sue nodded. "I've got to go get a new dress. These are rich people, I'll bet you anything they're loaded, and we want to look good. Don't we, Kimmy-loo?"
Kim thought of the thousand dollars in her purse. "Yes, I suppose so. You really think it will be fun?"
"With all that money around, free booze, and at the Silver Towers, it should be something to tell your grandchildren about."
Kim smiled lightheartedly, and put her arms around Sue.
"Then let's go get a new dress."
Sue squealed with glee and went into the bedroom for her shoes. She was rummaging through her purse when she came out, then held up her credit card with a smile. "Always got this in a pinch."
Kim said, "What am I going to tell Curt? I never go out at night."
"Tell him you're with me. My brother had a motorcycle accident and you had to go with me to the hospital to give me moral support."
"But I've never lied to Curt," Kim protested.
Sue looked at her and shook her head. "Then call up the boss and tell him you're not going. Better he see that video than you lie to him."
"All right, smart-ass," Kim said, giving Sue a soft punch in
the shoulder. "Let's go."
They took a cab downtown and spent the day shopping, laughing and trying on all the beautiful things Kim had never been able to buy before. She bought a lavender silk dress with spaghetti straps. The hem came above her knees. And she bought pastel pink stockings and garter belt and panties. Her new patent leather shoes matched the dress. She splurged and got herself some costume jewelry, earrings, necklace, bracelet, and a ring. Sue got herself a black mini-dress outfit and at about four o'clock they stopped for coffee.
"It's nice having money, isn't it, sweetie?" Sue said, lighting a cigarette. "How'd you like to be doing this every day? How'd you like a new sports car?"
Kim smiled sheepishly. "I've never had so much fun. Did you see that guy who was watching you at the last place? He was really nice."
Sue nodded. "He was watching you, Kimmy-loo. No girl has a chance beside you."
"Oh, Sue, you know that isn't true."
"It is true, and that's why I said it. You put movie stars to shame, and then you've got that innocent quality."
Kim shook her head sadly. "I wish I were ugly."
"If you were, you wouldn't have Curt. Just make the most of what you've got. Millions of girls would love to be able to attract men the way you do, to be able to get fucked whenever they want by whoever they want. Enjoy it."
"How can I? I'm married."
"We've been through all that before. What good does it do to talk about it?"
"I guess you're right. Do you like my new dress?"
"You look lovely in it. But anything you put on is a come-down to what you are naked. That's why they want you that way."
"Do you think I could get a car?"
"If old Ike keeps giving you money like that."
"How about a Porsche?"
"Whatever. Remember, you've got to explain it all to Curt.
If you can find a good excuse for being able to buy one. How is Curt, by the way?"
"Wonderful, since it looks as though he's getting a promotion. Last night he was fantastic. And I-I sucked his cock. I've never done that before."
"How was it?"
"Different," Kim confided. "But fun. I didn't think I could enjoy doing something like that. I read about it in the magazine, you know that one about how to make love."
"I've got a whole collection of them."
"He got real turned on, and I did too. Then I asked him to do it to me. Asked him to to fuck me." Kim covered her mouth and giggled. "Oh, I'm getting so bad."
Sue reached over and squeezed Kim's hand. "Kimmy-loo, you've got a long way to go to be bad."
They chatted for another half-hour about friends and family and then called a cab to take them to the Silver Towers.