Butterfly

Waterfalls Send Ripples

Lorelei walked into the office. Mr. Tanner was sitting at his desk looking over some papers. He had a frown on his face as he flipped through the papers.
"Oh, Miss Stevens," Mr. Tanner said looking up. "Take that pile of folders and file them in my filing cabinet over there."
Lorelei picked up the folders and opened the cabinet. She looked through the folders and figured out that it was in alphabetical order. She put the folders into the cabinet then turned around and smiled at Mr. Tanner. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" She asked.
Mr. Tanner looked up and smiled. "That's a very pretty dress," He said.
"Thank you," Lorelei said.
Mr. Tanner gestured for Lorelei to come nearer to him. She walked to him and leaned forward to get a little nearer to him. "Yes, sir?" She asked.
Mr. Tanner's hand went to her inner thigh. He was looking her in the eyes trying to judge how she would react. Her heart started beating faster as she looked into his brown eyes.
"What if someone walks in on us?" Lorelei asked leaning to one side.
Mr. Tanner took his hand from her thigh and sighed. "I suppose you're right," He said.
Lorelei smiled slightly trying to cover up her humiliation. She was rethinking this job. She wasn't on contract so she could just leave now. If she moved quickly she could go to the nearest phone booth and call Tony to pick her up maybe while running an errand.
"Can you go and get me some files from Miss Cameron? She's the receptionist," Mr. Tanner asked.
Lorelei stepped out of the office and walked around to the front of the desk. "I'm picking up some files for Mr. Tanner," Lorelei said.
Miss Cameron handed Lorelei a stack of folders. Lorelei took them back to Mr. Tanner's office. Her eyes widened as she beheld Mr. Tanner without any shirt on.
"Lock the door behind you," He said in a way that could only be described as sleezy.
Lorelei dropped the folders and ran out of the office. Miss Cameron looked at her with a puzzled look. Lorelei gasped. Her eyes searched the other woman's eyes. Miss Cameron could see the fear in Lorelei's eyes.
Lorelei walked out of the building with her head held high. She walked to the nearest public phone and dropped a coin in. She dialed in Tony's number and waited for him to pick up.
"Hello?" His voice sounded sleepy.
"Tony?" Her voice shook slightly.
"Yeah. Who's this?"
"It's Lorelei. Please pick me up. I just can't go back there. Not after what just happened."
"I'll be there in a moment."
Lorelei kept glancing around the streets. Her mind wouldn't stop wandering. She saw Tony's car drive by and waved at him to get his attention. He stopped the car in the streets, and Lorelei ran to get in. As soon as she was safe in his car her eyes began to burn.
"What's wrong?" Tony asked.
Lorelei shook her head slowly. "I thought I could deal with Mr. Tanner. I was sure I could deal with him," She said.
"What did he do?" Tony asked. His eyes were glued to the road, but he wanted desperately to look at her, to take her in his arms and hold her.
"I walked in and he wasn't wearing a shirt, and before that he clasped my thigh..." Lorelei shook her head. "I thought I wouldn't be so frightened, but when it came down to it I was scared of him."
"What do you want to do now?" Tony asked.
"Please drive me back to my apartment," Lorelei said. "I'll give you directions, but I just want to be alone..."
"I can do that."

Tony walked her to the door of her apartment. He touch her face gently and looked down upon her. "You're going to be alright. I promise," He said kissing her softly.
Lorelei nodded and slipped into her apartment. She looked around at the lights on in her apartment. Her eyes stopped on the woman in a body consuming dress with a scarf over her head.
"Yadira?"
"Maladh, where have you been? I came over yesterday at midnight and you weren't home then I came here today and you still weren't here," Yadira said crossing her arms across her chest.
Lorelei frowned. "I was at someone's house. I don't have a car so driving to work is impossible."
"Who?"
"You don't know them."
"Male or female, Maladh?" Yadira asked standing up.
"If you must know, it was a man," Lorelei said annoyed.
"Maladh, no, you know better. Did mother teach you nothing?" Yadira exclaimed.
Lorelei rolled her eyes. "If I wanted a lecture over who I should spend my time with I would have never run away from home," She said.
Yadira stared at Lorelei. "Maladh, you are so different," She said.
"No, I'm not. I've always wanted money, and this man is rich," Lorelei said.
Yadira stared at Lorelei. She let out a sigh. "Maladh, sweet, you didn't do anything I wouldn't have done?"
Lorelei shook her head. "Nope," She said feeling only slightly guilty as the white lie slipped through her lips.
Yadira shook her head before taking off her Hijab. Her thick, gorgeous, black hair tumbled down her shoulders.
"Take off your dress. It'll be relieving," Lorelei said.
Yadira slipped out of her cocoon. The dress hit the floor, and Yadira's bare skin was revealed. Lorelei saw the welts and bruises covering Yadira's tender skin. Lorelei looked away from her sister's battered skin feeling a wave of nausea come over her.
"Was it father?" Lorelei asked.
Yadira let out a sigh before turning away from her sister. "Ten lashes for listening to the Beatles," She said.
"That's more than ten lashes," Lorelei said standing up and running her fingers over the broken skin.
Yadira winced as Lorelei's fingers touched each of the sores.

"Father lost count so he had to start over..."