The Strip - Max

37 / Party Girl

Fast forward a bit — three years into my career at The Strip, give or take a month or so. Melanie had come back on her eighteenth birthday, taking the name Brit. My talk about life working in the club didn't discourage her at all. She was on maternity leave. Mini was working the lounge but still not willing to show anyone any hidden talents in a private room.

A lot had changed for me in those years. I saw Marley less often but still found value in monthly visits. I was an aunt to Nat's beautiful little girl. Megan married Andrew, much to the displeasure of Talia. And, while I was still unwed, Dan and I lived together as if we were married. I was enjoying life and work, but still had some lingering anxiety that needed to be addressed.

Over those years, I had passed on several requests for privates that involved more than one client. Other girls took the opportunities that I had avoided with any excuse disguising the lingering impact of that night years earlier. On one such occasion, I sat in a conflicted state, letting anxiety hold me back. I had, once again, used a lie as a reason to take a pass, but that time, I hadn't convinced myself it was truth.

I decided at that moment that I needed to make a change. Soon, one client became two and then three. Tyler called me into his office and said, "Hey, Max, a group of guys wants you to be their Party Girl. It's a big group."

"How many?" I asked, feeling that strange nervous excitement. A part of me wanted to accept without knowing the details, but the rest of me wasn't quite as interested.

"Ten. The party is five hours—"

"Five hours with ten guys!?" That excited part was even more excited, and the rest was left cowering in the corner. My lips turned up into a smile; I knew exactly who had organized the party before I read the details of the request.

"You would do two hours, then take an hour break, then the last two hours. They want Madison for two hours in the middle. Thirty minutes overlap before and your break," Tyler explained.

"How much?"

"I want you to give it a good serious think before money clouds your judgement," he replied.

I gave my reply to Tyler the next day after speaking with Dan and Marley. I wasn't sure how one girl would be shared between ten men, but I figured I might be fun to find out.

After giving him my definitive, Tyler disclosed the pay. "You'll be paid for prep time and close out, plus the hour break. All on the usual scale. When you're done, you'll make a little over eight grand. Of course, the government will dig into your pockets for their share," he said. "Madison will see just shy of four thousand."

"Okay... let's do it!" I said. "I've got, what, nine or ten days to prepare myself. I'll be ready."

A week and a half later, Dan dropped me off at the club and leaned across the center console of the car to give me a kiss. I waited for words he would not say. "Marley told me all the things I should NOT say or ask. You know your options and any of those things you probably expect me to say will just feed your anxiety."

"Yeah. I know I can back out or a half dozen other things," I said. "I'll be okay. There's only one thing I need you to say."

"Oh, of course..." Dan smiled and gazed at me, "My mom's coming for dinner tomorrow."

"That's not it," I laughed. "Besides, she already told me."

"Hmmmm, I got nothing..." he almost managed to maintain character but his smile became a laugh, betraying him. "Oh, wait... there is one little thing. I love."

"You'd better! Your mom would be devastated if you didn't. She's expecting you to propose to me. I'm sure that's why she's invited herself to dinner."

Dan laughed then leaned in for another kiss before I stepped out of the car.