There was a knock on my door. “Jenna. How are you going?” It was Mum. I looked at the phone it was 7am.
“Good morning Mum. I had forgotten to put my alarm on” I got out of bed and opened the door.
“Take the turban off and show me that bump” I did as she bade. “The swelling has settled. How do you feel?”
“Ok at the moment”
“Well I suggest you get ready for work. Let me know if you feel dizzy”
I went to the toilet, then put a gown on and had breakfast. As was now my habit I took my contraceptive when I cleaned my teeth after breakfast. No need for a shower as I had washed last night. I wore my trench dress again. This time with my white jacket. Once make-up and earrings were applied I was ready.
Mum asked me whether I had a supply of Aspirin in my bag. She gave me a small packet. I said goodbye to her and Dad and drove to work.
We were busy again. Maria and Evelyn had spotted a bag they thought might be a suitable gift for Linda’s 21st but had wanted a third opinion. They dragged me over to the shopping center at lunchtime. I followed them into a handbag store and they showed me what they had in mind. Evidently they considered me some sort of fashion guru. It was an embossed leather bag with lots of zips and pockets. I didn’t have a clue about what was in fashion. It looked nice. I slung it over my shoulder and looked in the mirror. I thought it went with what I was wearing so said yes. Linda purchased it with a grin on her face. She said she would wrap it and bring it along on Saturday. On the way back to work we stopped at a newsagency and purchased a card.
During the afternoon I was minding a 12 month old while her Mum was being looked at. She soiled her nappy. No help was forthcoming from Maria or Linda. I had to clean and change her. It was disgusting. Fortunately we had a private area near the toilet that had a suitable bench. I ended up applying some of the sample perfume I had in my bag over myself to mask the stench. Which I was sure must have permeated into my clothes.
I was feeling tired by the time 5 O’clock came around and could leave. I was walking back to the car when Sarah rang to see how I was. I told her I was fine. Nothing that the Aspirin couldn’t handle. She invited me around for dinner but I declined reminding her I had a dancing lesson. I said I would call around afterwards.
When I got home Mum and Dad were leaving they were heading out to meet their cruising companions the Naismiths at a pub for dinner. Mum asked how I was feeling and suggested I help myself to leftover stir-fry for dinner. I told her I was fine, that I would be going out myself and might be home late.
I ate dinner then went to my room and contemplate what to wear to the dance lesson. Katie had said wear clubbing gear so I picked out the black and white dress I had seen Jenna wearing in a Facebook post. Indeed I found the post and copied the look as much as I could, including earrings and shoes. The dress was form fitting so I decided I would need to wear a G-string underneath. I had found G-strings quite comfortable.
I drove to the dance studio it still seemed dark and dingy but there were 3 other cars in the carpark. As I was getting out of the car another car pulled in. I started walking towards the door when a female voice called out “Hi Jenna wait for us”
I waited under the light outside the door. Two attractive women in their early 20’s also in high heels and short dresses approached. The both came and greeted me with a cheek kiss. I recognized their faces from somewhere, but could not place them. I would just have to bluff my way along.
They asked where had I been they had not seen me for several weeks. I told them my brother-in-law had been killed in an accident and I been occupied. I followed them into the building and down to the studio. I could see unlike me they had gone all the way with the clubbing look including lip-gloss and eye makeup. I felt dowdy by comparison having not reapplied make-up since the morning. There were two other girls in the studio both looked to be teenagers and were also dressed up. Katie was in the same outfit as my previous lesson. I followed my companions into the change room where they deposited their handbags. I put mine down as well. We then all returned to the studio.
Katie introduced me “Emma, this is Sally and Cindy. I guess you have already know Kim and Courtney. Sasha should be here soon”
I corrected her saying “My name is actually Jenna”
She said “Best to use your stage name Emma”
I heard another car pull up outside and a tall, tattooed, blonde walked in. I guessed this was Sasha.
Sasha looked at me and said ‘Hi Jenna, then at my two other colleagues Hi Anna, Lauren”
Katie said “Stage names Sasha”
“Oops I keep forgetting” Thank god I thought. Now I could place Anna and Lauren they were Jenna’s Facebook friends”
“Right” said Katie “We are all here. Let’s get started. Emma you missed the 2nd lesson. Watch and copy what I do. The rest of you let’s start with the routine we learnt last week. Tonight we are going to do it in skirts and heels. Grab a chair each and let’s get going”
I copied what everyone else was doing putting a chair on the floor, we were spaced about 2 meters apart. Katie put some music on and all the girls started doing the sexy walk around their chair. It was a routine much like I had learned in my 1st lesson. Fortunately my dress had a slit and it was easy to step in. I would not have wanted to try this dance in my pencil skirt. We ended up sitting on the chairs and pouting. We did the routine 4 times. Katie demonstrated on the 1st occasion but then just watched and offered suggestions to me and the others subsequently.
“Very good. Let’s try a different move. Watch me. Sally can you stand where you are and pretend you’re the John. The rest of you clear the chairs and step back to the wall to give me room”
She kept one chair and began by sitting on it. There were lot’s of head and body and arm gyrations. She gave the impression of a woman desperate to disrobe and kiss her man. In this case Sally. After a two minute routine she was standing in front of Sally with her chest out and looking like she desperately wanted to be kissed.
She repeated the routine but this time broke it into sections explaining each move. We were asked to mimic each of these little sections, one at a time. She corrected us when appropriate. Until we had moved through all of the routine. Next we had to try to string the sections together. On my third attempt I think I had got it right. Katie kept us at it until everyone could put the routine together.
We were then told to pair up and do the routine for our partner. I was paired with Sasha. Initially I had to stand there while she danced for me ending up in my face. I found it very erotic. I then had to do it for her. It was fun. She gave me a seductive smile as I finished, pouting in front of her. I wondered if she was a lesbian. Katie made us repeat the dance 3 times each and made suggestions for improvement.
We were then told to have a break and get a drink. When we returned Katie was talking to another woman. A 40ish blonde whose hands were covered in rings. This woman took a seat in the corner and watched. Katie said “Time to put it all together but this time we will include a strip” She removed her wrap around skirt but then pulled a yellow dress over her leotard.
“I will demonstrate. Sally, where you were before” she turned some quiet dance music on.
She started with the dance around the chair but then apparently noticed Sally for the first time and progressed seamlessly from the 1st routine into the 2nd. However this time instead of just clutching at her dress she pulled it over her head and threw it onto the floor just before the final pout in front of Sally. We found ourselves all clapping her performance.
“Ok your turn now. Sally you can start. Cindy be the John”
Sally did the routine. She did it fairly well but without the grace of Katie. She was wearing a black dress which she pulled off to reveal a black bodysuit at the finale. We all gave her a clap.
Cindy then performed for Anna or I should say ‘Kim’ who in turn danced for ‘Courtney’ who in turn danced for Sasha. We clapped each time. Kim’s was probably the most accomplished performance. She looked totally at ease and as though she had done it many times before. Yet at the same time she was eerily seductive. All 3 had bodysuits on under their dresses. I began to fear I was the only one who wasn’t wearing a bodysuit. I wondered if I even had one. I must look.
It was my turn to be the John for Sasha. She began her routine by blowing me a kiss. That wasn’t in the script. Her eyes were constantly on me as she did the dance. I really had the feeling she was doing it for me. To seduce me. She must be gay. As she approached the finale I had a sense of anticipation. She stripped off her blue dress to reveal French knickers, lacy bra, and a big rose tattooed on her tummy. Everybody clapped.
It was my turn now. I was trying to figure out how best to take the dress off. I should be able to pull it off over my head. I couldn’t remember if it had buttons or a hook. I was in a bit of a panic. I asked Anna “Do I have a zip?”
She looked at my dress and said “No. It should just pull off”
I went over the starting position. Sasha had taken on the job of being my John. She gave me a wink. I concentrated on the music. I had to get into Jenna mode. I started moving my hips to the beat. Just go with the flow. I began the routine first the sexy walk, then the head shake and exaggerated arm movements now step on the chair, thrusting my chest, around the chair again, in time with the beat, let my hands stray over my body, feel my body, wiggle my bum, sit on the chair. Look up see the target, pout. Move into the 2nd part of the routine, wave my arms, get up slowly, sexy does it, shake my head, loosen those shoulders, circle the chair, feel my body, move forward, slow and sexy, feel the desire, hold the dress in time to the beat, peel it off, fling it away, pout.
Sasha was kissing me, on the mouth. “Enough” said Katie as she turned the music off. Sasha pulled away. Everyone was clapping me. Including the mystery blonde woman. She gave me a nod of approval.
“I think that is a fitting way to end the night. Well done everyone. I love the G-string Emma, I think it took everyone by surprise”
“Err thanks Katie” It dawned on me that I was clad only in a black satin bra, G-string and heels. I picked up my dress and pulled it over my head.
Sasha came across and whispered to me. “Sorry about the kiss, I couldn’t resist. Remember I am always available if you ever want to experiment” She walked into the change room.
I joined Anna and Lauren, they told me well done. We walked into the change room I had a drink and picked up my bag. As we were leaving, the mystery woman called out “Emma, Kim and Courtney. We have a job April 27th in Melbourne. I’ll send you the details” She got up and walked off.
I walked out to the carpark with Anna and Lauren. A black Mercedes was driving away as we left. “Alison is a strange woman” commented Anna. So that have been Alison I thought.
“What’s the latest with your court case Jenna?” asked Lauren.
“I should get a decision on the 23rd. The lawyer thinks I should get off with a fine”
“Well I hope for your sake you do or you will be fighting off more of the Sasha’s of the world”
“I’m curious. Did either of you do a bucks party at the Sheraton a couple of Saturdays ago?”
“Yeah I got called in late” said Anna “It was a good evening they paid well. The groom was a real stud. He was a bit shy though, looked like he was feeling guilty. It was up in the penthouse. Really nice”
“We should go Anna” said Lauren. “I find it a bit creepy around here at night. I’ll see you on the 27th Jenna”
“Yeah. OK. See you around”
The girls went and jumped in their car and drove off. I hurriedly did the same.
I drove around to Sarah’s house. “You look as though you are about to head out for the evening” she said as she let me in.
“We were told to wear clubbing gear so we could learn to dance in dresses and heels”
“How was it?”
“Interesting” I told her what we learnt omitting, the bit about me wearing a G-string.
“So are you going to do this ‘job’ with Alison?”
“I must admit I’m curious. I need to be in Melbourne on Saturday Morning to meet with Monique and James. Maybe I can get a lift”
“I would advise you to stay well clear, however you are a grown woman and can make your own choices. Oh by the way I had an interesting conversation at work today”
“Tell me”
“Margot told me you really caught Alan’s eye at the funeral. She was asking all about you ‘Were you the sister I used to complain about’ I told her you were, but that we had reconciled and were getting on really well. That our issues in the past were just a misunderstanding. I never saw you talking to Alan. Did you meet him secretly?”
“I think I had better come clean. It all started when I was you and went to the Motor show party. Alan and I were selected from the audience to assist a magician in his act”
“I heard about that. Evidently you made me look silly”
“Yeah well I think the magician Mr Illusio thought we were a couple and gave us a parting gift for helping him. I think he hypnotised both of us to feel a strong desire to kiss the other whenever we say thank you to each other”
“Yeah?”
“Unfortunately it seems to have transferred with my mind so I feel this desire whatever body I’m in. Remember I was Rod and picked you up at the Motor show on the Sunday. Well I said thank you to Alan a couple of times, once when he gave me a beer. I can’t remember what the other occasion was. But both times I had to restrain myself from running up and kissing him. It was most embarrassing”
“Then when we were at Karen’s party and I was you again. Remember how I almost drowned and Alan rescued me? Well I said thank-you to him again and puckered up to him. Fortunately he thought I was fainting. That’s when he took me into the couch”
“I think the same thing has happened to Alan. I remember the night of the cocktail party. He thanked me for coming, then gave me a not so chaste kiss on the lips. I put it down to too much alcohol at the time. But now looking back?”
“Then at the funeral I handed him a program and he thanked me. He went red with embarrassment. I knew immediately what was happening. I tried to avoid him for the rest of the day, but caught him looking at me more than once”
“It sounds a bit far-fetched” said Sarah
“Not as far-fetched as body-swapping”
“Good point” she replied. “Did he ever try to thank you when you were Rod? That would have funny to observe”
“Not that I ever noticed. But I tried to avoid him once I knew something strange was happening. I thought I was turning gay”
“So my boss is now obsessed with my sister. I could have a bit of fun with this”
“Please don’t. It could be most embarrassing. I’m hoping it will wear off with time.”
I stayed and had a cup of tea with Sarah. She told me she was meeting up with Zach and Amanda for drinks tomorrow night after work at the local pub. Why don’t I join them?
I agreed and arranged to come over to her place tomorrow after work we could go to the pub together.
I returned home. I went to see what was on TV but could hear Mum and Dad at it again in the bedroom. They certainly had a good sex life. I decided to go to bed and read instead.
I resumed reading Jenna’s journal from her 17th birthday. Someone must have spoken to her as she actually knuckled down and got her life back into some sense of normality for about 6 months. I suspect it may have been Mrs Jones the teacher and her former netball coach. She actually wrote of Mrs Jones with respect. She was getting special tutoring from Mrs Jones. However once school finished things deteriorated again. She went to schoolies at Rye, against Mum’s and Dad’s wishes and claimed to have had a different boy each night. That was an entry from November 2010.
There were no more entries until March 2011. Then she wrote of her first 3 weeks at art college. She made mention of becoming friends with a girl called Shaz who shared her liking for partying and guys. It sounded as if life at college was one continuous party. In July she failed all her subjects and left the college. She moved back home and started work as apprentice at a beauty Salon with Mum's stylist Madonna
That was enough for one night. I turned off the light and fell asleep.