Yes dear, fifty thousand dollars, and there is more to come

Runway
Chapter 21: The Plot Thickens
by Arecee

The next day Brenda was at her desk when Melissa came in.

“Good morning Brenda,” she said.

“Good morning Melissa.”

“Is Tiffany here yet?”

“She came in a while ago. Shall I call her for you?”

“Please send her into my office, I have something for her.”

Brenda told Tiffany that Melissa wanted to see her. Tiffany then entered Melissa’s office.

“Tiffany dear, do you know that all of your hard work is finally paying off? I wanted to give you this myself, to let you know you are big time now.”

“What is it?” Tiffany asked, as she looked at the envelope in Melissa’s hand.

“This is your first check of your fees from the magazine spreads; it’s for fifty thousand dollars.”

“Fifty thousand dollars?”

“Yes dear, fifty thousand dollars, and there is more to come.”

“More?”

“Of course more, silly. This is just the beginning.”

“Do you mean I get this in addition to my regular hourly rates?”

“That’s right, and your hourly rates are going to go up too. You’re a gold mine Tiffany.”

“What am I going to do with all that money?”

“I’m sure you will think of something. You could move to a nicer neighborhood or buy more clothes, but the important thing is that you don’t screw this thing up.”

“How could I do that? I haven’t done anything except work so far.”

“That’s the point, you have to get out and be seen.”

“Be seen where?”

“At all the hot spots, the clubs. You’ve become known, but now we have to make you famous.”

“How do we do that?”

“Leave it to me girl friend. Just be ready to have the party of your life.”

“How am I supposed to work if I party all the time?”

“I’ll show you how. Trust me Tiffany; I’ll bring you to new heights.”

“Okay Melissa, I will. I have a show to do in a while so I have to go now. May I have my check now?”

“Of course, don’t lose it?”

“I’ll guard it with my life.”

Tiffany left Melissa’s office and went to Brenda with an excited expression on her face.

“Oh my God Brenda, you won’t believe what just happened. Melissa just gave me a check for fifty thousand dollars.”

“For what?”

“For being in the magazines and she said there will be more. God I’m so excited.”

“See. Didn’t I tell you this would work out?”

“Yes, you were right. I think being Tiffany just became a lot more fun.”

Later that afternoon, the phone rang. It was Bill Cline.

“Hi Brenda, do you have a few minutes to meet later?”

“Sure, where?”

“The restaurant on fifty-first, at six-thirty.”

“See you then.”

Brenda arrived at the restaurant at six and sat at the bar.

“Brenda, hey, what’s up?” Danny asked.

“Hi Danny, not much, how’ve you been?”

“Great, but I’ve missed you. What can I get for you, the usual?”

“No, I think I’ll just have a coke, I just don’t feel like drinking.”

“Did you finally come by yourself, or is that guy coming here again.”

“Danny, you sound jealous.”

“Of him, no way, I wanted to see you alone for a change.”

“I hate to break your heart, but he’ll be here later, I’m just early.”

“Damn the bad luck, but I might as well enjoy you while I can.”

Bill was also early and entered the restaurant as Danny handed Brenda her drink.

“Hi Brenda.”

“Oh, hi Bill, you’re early.”

“As are you, good that way we can finish this early. Let’s grab a table.”

“Would you like anything sir?” Danny asked Bill.

“Just a seven up, thanks.”

Brenda and Bill sat down at the nearest table and Bill took a paper out of his coat.

“This is the breakdown of the cocaine sample you gave me. This is a very popular mix of the drug and there is quite a bit of history here. Are you sure this is what that model was using?”

“Tiffany said she got it from Connie. Why, is there a problem?”

“The only problem is that this stuff has been around for years and we can’t seem to find a source for it. The first time we ran into the stuff was a drug bust that the New York police made two years ago and they confiscated five hundred pounds of it. It was one of the biggest drug busts in US history. That’s where Susan Marques comes in. When her boyfriend was busted, he had the same cocaine in his possession, but only four ounces of it. He refused to give up his source, so he was put away for the possession and the assault. From what we can figure out Susan must be supplying Melissa with the cocaine, but we still don’t know where the meth is coming from, whether from Susan or someone else.”

“I had dinner with Susan last night, she doesn’t seem to be the kind of person that would be a supplier like that.”

“What makes you think that?”

“I don’t know, it’s just a feeling. She might sell an ounce or two, but not the amount Melissa distributes.”

“Brenda, don’t be naíve or these people will eat you up. They will be as nice as they can be to your face, but be stabbing you in the back at the same time.”

“I don’t think Susan is like that. She may be a bit rough around the edges, but I think she is honest with me.”

“I’ll take your word on that for now, but be careful. When are you supposed to see Ron?”

“Tuesday, for dinner. Tiffany and I are meeting him.”

“Both you and Tiffany, lucky guy.”

“Actually I’m meeting him and Tiffany is meeting someone else, Tiffany say’s he’s too short for her.”

“Jesus, this isn’t a dating service.”

“Tiffany just didn’t want to look out of place, that’s all.”

“Is she doing alright? I worry about her.”

“She’s doing great. She just got her first check for the magazine layout.”

“Really, how much was it?”

“Fifty thousand dollars.”

“You know she can’t keep it?”

“Why not?”

“Because she’s working undercover. Any money she or you make, for that matter, belongs to the government.”

“That’s not fair, why should she have to give all that money to the government?”

“Because she’s already being paid for her work and it isn’t to be a model but an FBI agent. The only way for her to make that money is to quit her government job, and become a real model.”

“I don’t know, it doesn’t seem right, she’s doing all the work.”

“Think of it this way, the government is paying for your apartment and clothes and whatever else you need. We get your wages in return and if I think about it we’re getting the raw end of the deal. Only now Tiffany is making money for us.”

“I see your point, but I still think it’s unfair.”

“Let me know how the dinner with Ron goes, I have to run.”

“Another date?”

“Uhh, yes, my lady friend and I kind of hit it off and I’m seeing her for dinner.”

“I’m glad for you Bill; you’re a nice man and deserve to be with someone.”

“Thanks Brenda.”

The weekend came and Mario brought Brenda to another basketball game. Only this one was a real season game and tended to be more entertaining that the preseason offering.

Sunday came and Brenda was back at Mario’s for Sunday dinner. These dinners had become pretty much a routine, which she liked very much. Brenda liked the feeling of family and being accepted as the girl she portrayed, she liked being one of the girls. There was one small incident though, that made Brenda think maybe this was starting to go much too far. Brenda was helping in the kitchen, as she did every time she came to dinner, when she was approached by a little girl.

“Aunt Brenda, would you read me a story?” little Sarah asked.

Aunt Brenda, Sarah had called her Aunt Brenda. Oh my God, she thought, she thinks I’m her aunt.

“Don’t bother Brenda, Sarah. Mommy will read to you.”

“No, I want Aunt Brenda to read to me.”

“I don’t mind, I’d be happy too,” Brenda replied.

Little Sarah led Brenda by the hand to a couch in the family room and Brenda sat down.

“Wait sweetheart; let me take off my shoes.”

Brenda removed her running shoes and placed them to the side of the couch. Brenda had become more like a girl her age, first she started with a skirt and blouse on her first visit and gradually grew more comfortable with the whole situation she had found herself in. Now she was dressed much like the mothers of the young children who were at the Sunday dinners, jeans, comfortable shoes and a blouse. Brenda was becoming a part of the family.

She tucked her feet under her rear, but not before she noticed that her polish was chipped on several toes, I’m getting lazy she thought, time to get a pedicure.

“What would you like me to read for you Sarah?”

“The rabbit book, please,” she pleaded.

“Why don’t you get it for me sweetheart.”

Sarah ran off and returned with, “The Velveteen Rabbit.”

“Read this please, it’s my favorite,” Sarah said.

“Sarah, don’t you ever get tired of that book?”

Sarah’s mother had entered the room and saw the book her daughter had picked out.

“I love this story mommy, and it will be different because Aunt Brenda is reading it to me.”

“I don’t mind, really,” Brenda said.

Brenda started reading the story and thought back to when her mother had done the very same thing. She too had loved this story and the closeness between her mother and herself when she read it. Some things never change she thought, a big girl reading to a little girl and the closeness was the same, Brenda felt serene.

The story was finished, dinner was served and soon Mario was driving Brenda home. It was mid-November and there was a chill in the air and Mario didn’t want his girlfriend to catch a chill waiting for a taxi.

“Did you have a nice time today?” Mario asked.

Brenda was cuddled next to her boyfriend and answered, “It was the most wonderful time I’ve had.”

“It was just dinner.”

“Not for me, when Sarah called me Aunt Brenda, I felt like I was part of the family.”

“You’ve always been part of the family.”

“It’s more than that Mario, little kids know when people are fake, and when Sarah called me Aunt, I knew that I had been accepted.”

Mario took his hand off the steering wheel and put it around Brenda’s shoulder.

“I love you Brenda, you have no idea of how happy you make me,” he said.

Brenda scrunched herself tighter to Mario and said, “I love you too.”

Mario walked Brenda to her door and kissed her goodnight. Their kisses had become ones of love and yet there was an undercurrent of a want a man and woman have when they finally find the person they want to live with for the rest of their lives.

Brenda went into her apartment and removed her clothes. She had left her bra on for most of the week and only removed it to bathe. She removed it and felt the weight of her breasts on her chest. She looked in the mirror and saw that the swelling had pretty much gone away, but there was still some bruising but it too was disappearing. Her breasts were beautiful, her nipples stood proud as the cold air touched them and her areolas had grown to a womanly size, Brenda was pleased, she was at peace with herself.

Brenda cupped her breasts and felt the weight and she reflected on how she had gotten here in the first place, it was only an assignment and a prank. No one would have thought it would have gotten this far, Tiffany was becoming a super model and Brenda wanted to become a woman, how could this have happened?

It was tiny steps, almost like making a stalactite, one drop of water at a time, drip, drip, a little mineral left behind, drip, drip, a little makeup, drip, drip, a lot of laughs, drip, drip, a little more mineral, a little growth, drip, drip, fix your hair, drip, drip. The hormones were the turning point for Brenda, they were a torrent of water depositing minerals, and the water went from a drip to a gurgle. The stalactite grew and soon it could be seen, it was no longer a drip of water, it was a deposit of minerals. Her body softened and became feminine, it could be seen, but it wasn’t what was seen that made her a woman, much like the hidden minerals that gave the stalactite strength. The training and living as a woman had changed Matt, he was no longer a person, but Brenda was. One drip at a time, you’re pretty miss, may I help you miss, come and see me Brenda, you look pretty today Brenda and finally one could see the stalactite, it was there, please read to me Aunt Brenda. It wasn’t the makeup or the hair, or the breasts, not even the hairless legs, no it was something else, Brenda had become a woman. Adults could be fooled, but children knew the minute an adult tried to deceive them. Oh, you can tell them something that’s a lie, there’s a man in the moon or there’s an Easter bunny, things that can’t be seen, but being a woman and pretending to be a woman are two different things and you don’t fool children. Brenda was now Aunt Brenda, and she wept.