“Close the
door, darling. There’s a terrible draught.” Xena turned her face towards
Caroline. She looked completely different with wet hair, her cheekbones prominent,
her lips even fuller wet with bathwater. The woman at the other end of the bath
giggled, slid down into the soapy water, and tickled Xena’s breasts with her
toes. “I’ve been telling Maude about the vagina spirit and the Orgatron
Training Centre. Everybody’s going there. I’m going to sign up for a month in
the Scottish centre as soon as I’ve cleared my overdraft.”
“I’m looking
for the coats,” said Caroline.
“You’re not
going already?” said Erik.
“Yes, I
think I will,” said Caroline, feeling like a fish out of water. “I was just
looking for my phone.”
“At least
stay and have something to eat,” said Erik. “Craig said it would be ready by
eleven.”
“Yes, you
must,” said Xena. “I haven’t had chance to talk to you properly. Maude, you
must be wrinkly by now. Get out and let Caroline get in. I want to know how she
got on at the Orgatron Centre. I’ll run some more hot.”
“I’m not
sure,” said Caroline. Caroline felt powerless to explain that for all the
scrapes she had got into a couple of years ago, climbing into used bathwater
with a relative stranger was a step too far. But the grass and the wine prevented her
mind from coming up with an objection acceptable in bohemian circles. Maude
stood up, a few rose petals sticking to her shiny body, and a gallant observer
passed her a large towel. Caroline peeled off her LBD, tights and thong, and
dived into the good end of the bath, away from the taps, Xena having generously
swapped ends when Maude got out. Xena swished the stream of new hot water to
that it circulated around Caroline, and she had to admit that the deep murky
water felt lovely.
“Now I want
to know more about you. Go away Erik, I want her to myself.” Erik did as he was
told and left the bathroom. Xena began her interrogation of Caroline, who told
her everything, even about the extremely bad things that happened in Croatia. Xena laughed and said it sounded incredible.
“You must
join us later in the top bedroom. You seem to have the right experience and attitude.”
“No, I don’t,”
said Caroline. “None of that was really me. One thing led to another. I am
enjoying this party, though. It reminds me of a different kind of life, a life
of freedom and possibilities. Unless you’re right at the top, management is
serfdom with responsibilities.”
“I wouldn’t
know, darling. I’ve always done my own thing. It gets me into trouble sometimes
but I couldn’t live any other way. Now, have you started the Orgatron training?
What do you think of the vagina spirit?”
“I’m afraid
I missed my appointment. I went to the wrong address. I went to Brompton Row
instead of Old Brompton Road and something very strange happened. I looked it
up afterwards on the Internet. It was a place called Gladstone’s, a Victorian
themed bordello. Officially it’s just actresses acting the part in big pants
and costume jewellery but the men are paying the girls to act out their sordid
fantasies. The maid didn’t speak much English and I had a misunderstanding with
a Chinese man.” Xena was amused by her story. Xena said she loved being taken by
surprise.
Not me; I don't like surprises. But putting together the notes for Shameless Exposure makes me realise that something that seems shocking at one time can appear mundane six months later. I was in for a number of shocks; before long I would be able to handle 240 volts without a twitch.
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