“He means it this time”, Sash says, “I can tell.”
“So that’s what you’ve been doing all week”, Abbey says. “Testing the facilities.”
“I wish”, Sash says. “He’s away on a business trip.”
“A business trip?”
Abbey comes over to the sofa now, the dress still in her hands. Sash sits up to give her space, and the two girls sit side by side.
“He’s got a tech conference in California”, Sash says.
“For how long?” Abbey asks.
Sash shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t know”, she says. “As long as it takes.”
“I thought you said he was serious.”
“He is”, Sash says, quick to defend him.
“Come on, Sash, seriously. I know you like him, but he’s playing you again. Don’t let him do that.”
“He’s not playing me”, Sash says. “He’s working. And when he comes back, we’ll be together.”
Abbey is concerned for her friend. “How is this any different to what happened last time?” she asks.
“It’s totally different”, Sash says. “I know where he is for one.”
Abbey isn’t convinced. “Don’t get hurt, Sash”, she says. “I saw you last week. I saw what he did to you and I know what kind of a hold he seems to have on you.”
“I can’t help it Abbey, I’m in love.”
“Yeah but that doesn’t mean you can let him walk all over you.”
“I’m not.”
“And what happens if he’s lying?”
“He’s not.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I trust him. Because I saw it in his eyes when we made love.”
“See”, Abbey says quickly, “I knew you were a slut!”
“It was incredible, Abbey”, Sash says, melting away into the memory. “Even better than the first time.”
Abbey regards her for a moment. Compared to last week, she’s a completely different person. Even if she has her reservations, it’s not fair for her to burst Sash’s bubble.
“Just be careful”, Abbey settles on.
“Don’t worry”, Sash says. “It’s all under control.”
“I’m so happy for you”, she says.
“I know right? I’m so excited. I don’t think I’ve ever loved anyone like this before. I haven’t even come anywhere close. He’s just, you know, so incredible.”
Abbey is already pretending to vomit into a big bucket. Sash reaches over and pushes her playfully on the shoulder.
“You know what you should totally do”, Abbey says, a mischievous glint in her eye.
“What?”
“You should go to California and surprise him.”
“What? No. I can’t do that”, Sash says.
“Yes you can, you totally can. Go to the airport get a flight, turn up at his hotel, surprise him and fuck his brains out. It’s exactly what you should do. It’s not like you haven’t got the money.”
Sash thinks on it for a moment and then pushes the idea away. “He said he wanted me to show him I could trust him. If I turn up at the hotel, it’ll look like I don’t”
“Yeah but that’s not why your going”, Abbey insists. “You’re going to surprise him, not to catch him out. And if he’s not doing anything wrong, then there’s nothing for him to get worried about.”
“I don’t know.”
“Think about it, Sash. Your on a boring business conference without the girl you’re supposed to be hot for. What’s better than having that girl turn up unannounced to fuck your brains out! I’d totally do it. It’s so romantic. He’ll love you for it too.”
“Do you think?”
“Uh-huh, like totally. He’d be so hard for that.”
Sash shifts her position again, so she’s lying on her back with her head rested on Abbey’s thigh.
“It has been almost too weeks”, Sash says.
“And you don’t know when he’s coming back?”
“He hasn’t called”, Sash says.
“Sash!” Abbey remonstrates.
“I know, it’s not normal, I’ve left messages, but I guess he’s busy working.”
“Too busy to take a moment to call? You should definitely go”, Abbey says. “A weekend is one thing, but two weeks without calling. You need to go claim him and show him who he belongs to.”
“Maybe you’re right”, Sash says.
“Of course I’m right”, Abbey agrees, “I’m always right. If you don’t show men who’s in control, they’ll try and take that control for themselves. Jack and I worked that out a long time ago.”
“I’ll think about it”, Sash says.
“You do that”, Abbey agrees.
Sash pulls herself upright. “In the meantime, how do you feel about going shopping, and spending some of Dante’s hard earned cash?”
Abbey grins, her face splitting into a wide smile. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Chapter 5
The private consultation room looks more like a campus study retreat, where a senior lecturer might compose his thesis, rather than the office of a world class surgeon. There is a beautiful, Georgian mahogany writing desk with a red leather inlay at which Dr Chaudrey is sat, wooden paneling across the bottom third of all of the walls, a rectangular cross beamed window, more books than a small library stacked in every available space, half of which look like they have never been read, and the most striking feature of all, a huge, splay fronted open fire that can’t help but dominate the room.
“We have two options”, Dr Chaudrey explains. “We can offer an artificial solution, which some couples prefer, or we can operate. The operation itself is a relatively non -invasive procedure that in most cases can be done with a local anesthetic. The artificial solution is a little less complicated, although doesn’t offer quite the same effect. It is a special cellulose pouch that requires insertion into the vagina a short time before intercourse, to create the required effect.”
“We’re not interested in an artificial solution”, Dante says. “This is very important to us. My partner’s virginity was stolen, and we need it back for her to feel whole again. We need you to make her as perfect as she was. Money, of course, is no object.”
“Yes”, Dr Chaudrey agrees. “I understand completely. An operation is always my preferred course of action too. It is the only way we can be certain of returning the body to its initial stage.”
“Can you guarantee that the operation will work?”
“Yes”, Dr Chaudrey says confidently. “Absolutely, one hundred percent. I have been performing this operation for most of career. It’s a very simple procedure that takes less than two hours to complete. Afterwards the vagina is as good as new.”
He smiles when he says this, aware than the phrase when used in this context seems a little out of place.
“I must warn you, however, that penetrative sex immediately after the operation is not advised.”
“Isn’t that precisely what the operation is for?” Dante asks.
“Absolutely”, Dr Chaudrey says, shaking his head somewhat contradictorily from side to side. “But in this case, general consensus in this industry is three months, personal advise directly from me, the surgeon, is to wait at least three weeks to a month for the skin to heal and strengthen.”
“And if someone decided not to follow your advise?” Dante asks.
“Then the experience might not be as authentic as it should be”, Dr Chaudrey says.
“How different would the experience be?” Dante asks.
“It’s impossible to say.”