Thralldom

Chapter 11

Friday sneaks up on me with a coastal thunderstorm looming. I wake up early, at 4 am, to find the rain beating against the window, and trees throwing themselves back and forth outside. Not the way I wanted the day to start. I take some melatonin in an ill planned attempt to regress myself into a full sleep. 

It's no use. The banging outside and the portentous clouds invade my conscious. I toss and turn and finally give up. At around 5:30, I get up and slough down to the kitchen to make myself an extra strong cup of coffee. I habitually drink too much coffee. But, if I am going to be awake, I might as well try and fully rouse myself, so that I can get something done. 

In the kitchen, I make the coffee and then pour myself a bowl of cereal. I don't need to eat yet, but what else can you do at this early hour of the morning? I sit down and eat the corn flake cereal, that boasts lots of necessary vitamins and minerals, before heading over to the sink to rinse out the bowl. I stare out the kitchen window, as I scrub the bowl and spoon, mesmerized by the unrelenting rain and wind. 

I am hoping that the weather will improve soon. I have a shoot planned on Ethan's balcony and I do not want it to be hampered by the weather. Naturally, these storms don't usually tend to last very long, but you never know. Sometimes there is a torrent of rain that lasts several days. And, other times, the rain recedes in half an hour to reveal a canorous sunlit sky. 

Even though I have woken up early, I don't feel like I have time to waste. Not only do I have to get ready for work at the book store, I, also, need to prepare for going over to Ethan's condo later in the day. I already have the ensemble planned for the set I dreamed up with sundresses. I have an extra dress to carry along in case the one Jackie brings does not quite match up with the one I plan to wear. Also, we will probably do two secretaries tied up together. This is a popular theme that is easy to plan for. Usually, satin blouses, pencil skirts, stockings, and high heels will do just fine. 

But, when I try to come up with the wardrobe for the third set, I admit I am stuck. I settle on bright colored corsets, with matching satin panties and black stockings. 

One thing I really love about shooting with Jackie is that she is very stylish. She always brings the right clothes, makeup and shoes. She's one of those rare models that does her research and knows what the producer expects. Some of the models we have worked with, show up drunk, high, or with nothing other than stripper garb. Then, I have to supply apparel for them to use and wash it profusely afterward. Not to mention, if they are drunk or high, we have to find a way to send them back home without offending them. We can't use that sort of material.

Alternatively, we have had "ladies" show up with an escort that sits in the parking lot the whole time, forcing the neighbors to wonder what they are doing. Worse yet, the escort comes inside and tries to interject his opinion every 10 minutes. 

Seriously, I know some of these people travel a lot. However, some of them are not exactly clean or have their wits in tact. Jackie is the exact opposite. She is very professional, elegant and friendly. Sometimes she brings her husband with her. But, we have known him for years and he never gets in the way. We, actually, enjoy his company. 

After I have thrown everything on the bed that I plan on taking with me this afternoon, I pack it into a duffel bag. I do a mental checklist to make sure I have all the outfits, stockings, shoes, lingerie, makeup and hair care products I will need. I, also, pack some pajamas and makeup remover since I will most likely spend the night at Ethan's. 

By the time I am done with this arduous task, it is almost 7 am. The thunder storm is starting to recede. I can't see sunlight yet, but the darkness appears to have faded somewhat. I hop into the shower and go about the rest of my routine as I prepare for my shift at the store. I am intangibly encouraged by the storm's abatement. It could be howling outside again before I get done with the shower. I won't actually know how this afternoon or evening is going to turn out until it presents itself. Florida weather reports are notoriously inaccurate.