Dr. Elias Michaelson sat across the table from Renee, facing a wall entirely of windows so that he could watch the sun set over the Boston skyline. Renee was focusing on the papers in front of her, reading intently.
Dr. Michaelson was the one who had delivered her and who couldn’t keep her mother alive. The guilt over losing Elise ate at him every day and damn near killed him each time he looked Renee in the eye. Over the years he had watched Renee grow up, hoping she would be like the mother she would never know. Her mother was kind, beautiful, gentle, and caring. Dr. Michaelson often wondered what kind of person Renee would be had her mother lived.
At this moment, Elias saw Renee as a typical teenage girl, comfortably seated cross-legged in her chair, wearing a pair of faded jeans, a sweatshirt that was probably two sizes too big for her, and no shoes. Her long hair pulled up, her head bowed down, studying the papers that lay in front of her on the table while chewing on the end of a pencil and occasionally taking notes. She was calm and relaxed, soft and beautiful. Then, without looking up from the task in front of her, she spoke.
“You seem restless tonight, Doctor.”
Her tone was indifferent, the same as her father, which meant at the moment she didn’t care whether or not everything was okay, but he had obviously done something without speaking to let her know something was on his mind while they waited for Elias’s patient to join them. He couldn’t stand the pain of looking at Renee for much longer so he crossed the room to the bar to help himself to a finger or two, or three, of scotch. He kept his tone as casual as he could, keeping his focus on pouring his drink so he wouldn't have to look her in the face. “I’m beginning to wonder what is taking her so long.”
Renee glanced at her watch, gathered her papers into one stack, then began tapping them together on the table to make them neat and orderly. She set the papers down and looked at her friend with a smile. The smile told him that she did care he was in the room and she was happy to see him.
He took a sip of his drink and held it up in front of him. “Can I get you anything?”
She stretched her arms out behind her. “No, thank you. I feel like I haven’t seen you in so long. You’re doing well?”
Drink in hand, Elias sat across from Renee and relaxed. This was the Renee he loved, those rare and tiny moments when her mother shone through. “Life is fine. How’s school going?”
“Ugh. Midterms.” Like that was the only explanation to answer his question.
He smiled over his drink. “I’m sure you’ll do well. You are an excellent student.”
“I’ve been taking summer classes which will allow me to graduate a year early.”
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had not heard. “Really? And after graduation?”
Like stating the obvious, she said, “I’m staying here, of course.”
Keeping his face stoic, his heart deflated. He had been hoping she would have a life of her own. She had such a bright future ahead of her, but would never see it unless she got away from her father. He said the only thing he could say, even if it was a lie. “I’m glad to hear it. Things just wouldn’t be the same without you.”
“So,” Renee picked up the stack of papers, “she’s good?”
Elias changed gears from personal to professional and nodded. “She’s good. She may have the capacity to develop an addiction, but I say that because she’s a smoker.”
Renee raised an eyebrow at him. “Not for long.”
“That’s why I say she may have the capacity.”
Renee nodded in understanding as the conference room door opened and a thin, freckled girl poked her head through the door, her eyes searching the room. Elias knew what Renee was thinking as he walked the girl over to the table to stand in front of Renee, who simply stared at her, taking inventory of her possible new employee. Renee gave an accepting smile to Elias. He nodded to both Renee and Alice, and quietly left the room.
***
Renee knew her name was Alice Jenkins, barely eighteen years old. At first glance, Alice was acceptable—her skin wasn’t pocked or scared, and she seemed to be well nourished. Alice kept brushing her hair behind her ears, probably a nervous habit because, try as she might, Alice could not hide the fact that her legs were shaking. Dressed in a pair of denim cutoff shorts with a midriff t-shirt, Alice chewed on her lips and bit her nails. That would have to stop.
Renee tried to relax Alice with a smile and extended her arm in invitation. “Please. Come sit.”
Alice let out a nervous breath and slowly took the chair next to Renee. Renee, deciding she was uncomfortable, stretched out her legs, sat up in her chair, and straightened her back.
“Alice Jenkins?”
Alice nodded. When Renee raised an eyebrow at her, Alice spoke. “Yes, ma’am.”
Scanning the papers in front of her, Renee spoke as if she were talking to herself. “Eighteen, grew up in Boston, and of good health. Except for the smoking. The women who work for us do not smoke.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Alice shifted uncomfortably in her chair and cleared her throat. “Sorry. I guess I’m a little nervous.”
“There’s nothing to be nervous about. You either take the job or you don’t. You can relax.” Renee sat back in her chair and decided that sitting cross-legged was more comfortable. “Why don’t you start by telling me what your understanding of this job is.”
“I need money and a place to live. I have no place else to go. I’d basically be a prostitute.”
“No.”
Alice was confused. “But that’s how he made it sound. The guy, the one I met at the club.”
“Miss Jenkins, let me be blunt. This job is client companionship, not prostitution. While both professions exchange money for sex, our clients are men, and sometimes women, who require prudence and secrecy. We provide them with both, along with clean, healthy, and discrete young women. In exchange, you will be paid generously and provided a room of your own in this hotel where you will live and work. You will do what is asked of you without question.”
“What if I don’t want this job?”
Renee asked a question she already knew the answer to. “Miss Jenkins, if you were under the impression that this job is that of a common prostitute, why are you here? There are ten other girls here who joined us for the exact same reason. Money.”
Alice’s eyes widened. “Ten? But how do they do it?”
“You mean emotionally?”
Alice nodded. “Well, yeah.”
Renee didn’t have the personal experience to correctly answer the question so she gave the speech she rehearsed after Sasha left. “Sex is not just physical. Take the emotion out of it and you’ll be fine. This job is a choice. However, if you choose not to accept this job, when you leave here tonight you will be expected to keep this interview secret. The best way to ensure that is to remember that not only do you know who we are, we know who you are and we have the resources to make sure you understand that fact. Should you choose to stay, you will have rules that must be followed or there will be consequences. You will report to me because I am your boss. My boss, and believe me when I tell you this, is not the person you want doling out punishment for breaking the rules.”
Alice’s eyes opened wide in both fear and curiosity. “Who is your boss?”
“My boss will be known to you should you accept the job. You will always be clean and presentable. What you’re wearing now,” Renee gestured at Alice’s outfit, “would be worn in your room, on your own time. When you are outside of your room, you are representing a Family and behaving accordingly. You will not drink alcohol to excess. You absolutely will not smoke. If a client asks you to do something that makes you uncomfortable, you immediately, and I do mean immediately, come to me.”
“What I find uncomfortable could be different for someone else.”
Smart girl after all. Alice pulled herself together quickly and Renee was beginning to like her. “Let’s start with drugs. If you are entertaining someone who smokes marijuana and they would like you to join them, you have a choice, but nothing will be to excess. You must be in control of your faculties at all times. If you are not comfortable and don’t want to do it, then you politely excuse yourself and you come to me. If you have a client who likes bondage, but that’s not your thing, you politely excuse yourself and you come to me. But most importantly, if you have a client who raises a hand to you, you immediately come and find me. Do not give them an opportunity to raise that hand twice. Understand?”
Alice nodded and Renee continued. “The clients have rules as well. One point that is made clear to them is that should their particular choice of recreation involve needles, that choice will not include you. Just like you, they receive consequences if they break the rules. You will not act like a giddy pre-teen child. You will be courteous and respectful. You will have a checkup with Dr. Michaelson once a month, but anytime you feel you need to see him, all you have to do is let me know. He is not a client, nor will he ever be, so you can be assured he will treat you with kindness and respect. Lastly, you will receive a tattoo.”
Alice furrowed her eyebrows. “A tattoo?”
“All of the people who work for us receive a tattoo. This is to let certain people know whom you work for. Yours will be on the back of your right shoulder. Some part of the tattoo must always be showing with the exception of certain social events that will require the tattoo to be covered. Do you have any questions?”
Renee watched Alice as she contemplatively nodded her head.
“What happens if I get pregnant?”
“We take measures to make sure you don’t. However, if you do, we have a doctor on staff. Something very important you should know is that there is no quitting this job. Should you accept and receive your mark, you will never be allowed to voluntarily leave.”