Henry's Punishment

I entered through the heavy wooden doors and was blinded by the contrast of the gloomy drinking lounge, which was emphasized by the neon lights of beer signs and jukebox in the corner. Terry was sitting at the small table in the back of the lounge, with a clear view of the front door. As soon as he saw me, he got up, threw a couple of banknotes on the table and walked towards me.

“You’re fucking late, Evie!” he hissed, catching me off guard for a moment. He grabbed my forearm and pulled me towards the exit. 

“Hey!” I almost yelled. “What’s your problem?”

Without an answer, he continued towards the door, pulling me after him. 

“I wanted a drink first,” I said, hoping to figure out what wrong before we got to the car.

“No drinking right now.” he said as we stepped out of the pub. “Henry has been waiting for over an hour now and you are FUCKING late!”

“So?” I cringed. “He always waits for me, it’s a part of the appeal.” I said sulkily.

“One of these days he’ll get sick and tired of your shit, lovey. I don’t know what he sees in you in the first place.” He measured me with his watery blue eyes. “Why do you always have to look like a bleedin’ slob, anyway?”

I couldn’t remember the last time I’ve seen him this pissed off before. Sure, all of my clothes were one or two sizes too big, but I didn’t want to restrain my body after it was aching after an hour or two of heavy physical strain. With Henry I always earned my money fair and square, you put a lot into it and you get a heck of a lot out of it. Money, that is. 

We reached Terry’s car and ever so gentleman-like he opened the door for me first. As we pulled off onto the Mile End Street I took a closer look of his face. He was unshaven, his eyes bloodshot and there were dark bags under his eyes. 

“What’s wrong, Terry?” I asked reproachfully. 

“Gina is gone.” He sighed heavily. “And Nicole.” 

Okay, now I could understand somewhat. The best two are gone. The two who didn’t mind taking anything and everything up their cunts, arses and mouths. The two who didn’t mind being taken to the self-made emergency room after being flogged half to death by sick old perverts who had no other means of venting. 

“What happened?” I asked. 

“Don’t worry about that right now, alright?” he said and looked at me. The old Terry smile crept on his face. “I still have you, and all is right with the world.”

I shrugged. “Why is he calling me today? He is the weekend guy, like a clockwork.” 

“He’s not alone this time.” That was a shock. “He’s got his wife with him.” 

I gasped. “I don’t do that, Terry! You know I don’t.” Terry ignored my protests. “Sometimes I just wished he had a good old wank like all the normal people.” I said and Terry brought the car to a screeching halt. Luckily, we stopped right in front of the red light. 

He looked at me thoughtfully. “I didn’t hear that, Evie. And I’d better never hear it again!”

“Yeah, alright,” I agreed. Of course it was stupid to wish it or even say it out loud. The amount of money that I made from one ‘session’ with Henry beat my mother’s 3-month income as a cashier at the local corner shop. I had nothing to complain about. 

“He didn’t explain in great detail, but I think he wants you to work on her. He wants YOU, Evie. Besides,” he shifted on the driver’s seat, “You ARE the only one I can entrust this to.” We were turning into the atrium parking lot of the bookstore that served as a front for Terry’s illegal business. 

He stopped the car and turned to me. There was this charming smile dancing on his ugly face: “Alright?” 

“Yeah,” I replied.

He bent towards me and his broad smile forced the smile on mine. “Yes, Terrence, al-bloody-right!”

“There’s a good girl,” he said and jumped out of a car.

We walked through the bookstore to the back, slipped through the curtains, down the claustrophobically narrow corridor to the staircase, entering the almost invisible gray metal door on the other side, usually unnoticed by the people who were not aware it was actually there. We entered into another corridor, this one wider with white washed walls, dotted by a string of metal doors painted electric blue. 

“Go change, he can’t see you like this.” He said and I continued down the corridor to the last door on the right. When I entered, the changing room was almost empty. Hillary was there, a bird I never got along with, who envied my capability of never having to do things that she had to. Another girl was there that I had never seen before, looking too young to be allowed in a place like Terry’s little love dungeon. 

Hillary was a tall, very pretty brunette, who made all the customers want to push things insider her meaty, puckered mouth. Dressed in a schoolgirl’s uniform was practically an oxymoron, as she could barely read and was stupid as a doorknob. The gray plaid mini skirt was so short that any movement clearly exposed the snow-white knickers, which were undoubtedly someone’s request. 

She rolled her eyes. “You’re late,” she said and tsk-ed. 

“Piss off Hillary,” I said and she tsk-ed again. 

“He almost had me do her, I think.” She said and rolling her eyes dramatically. I guess that eye rolling business must have been appealing to men, too. I decided I didn’t need the aggro and ignored her.

“Hi, I’m Evie,” I turned towards the new girl. 

“Oh, this is Tania, she’ll be with Henry while you’re doing his missus.” She said with an ugly grin. Nobody was ever with Henry but me. She was well aware of that. I knew, that as much as she was enjoyed the fact that he finally picked someone over me, she wanted to be that one. It was still a loss to her. 

“Alright, Tania?” I said, ignoring Hillary and walking over to the new girl, gently squeezing her shoulder. Tania was a short and skinny girl. Dirty blond hair was cut into a bob, big green eyes bulging out of her mouse-like face. She was also dressed in a schoolgirl uniform, with gray mini skirt, white shirt, wine red tie and matching red jacket. Her small feet rested in knee-high gray stockings and sturdy black flat shoes. With her though, I couldn’t tell whether she actually just came here straight from school or whether it was the customer’s wishes.

“Yeah,” she said. “I don’t know what to do all that well yet.” 

I could understand that, I would be horrified if someone told me what Henry was used to if it was one my first times. Just as I was about to offer her some advice Terry walked into the changing room and closed the door. 

‘I told you to bleedin’ change, Evie!” he said, looking at all three of us in rapid succession. “What are you waiting for Hill? Yours is waiting for you, too.” 

Hillary sniffed and demonstratively walked out, running her fingers through her hair. “Here comes Mama!” she turned at the door and grinned at us, and then she was gone. 

“EVIE!” hollered Terry and I hurriedly pulled off my jacket. 

“Alright, then. Alright,” I said and unzipped my jeans. 

“Here’s the deal,” he said, leaning against the gigantic closet that stood by the door. “You,” he nodded towards me as I took off all my clothes and stood stark naked in front of their prodding eyes (I was well beyond being embarrassed any longer), “will go into the big room and work on the missus.” I nodded, reaching into the bag that was stashed in the corner, no doubt by Terry, pulling on black crotchless leather pants. “And you,” he turned towards Tania who cringed back somewhat, “will go into the little room and watch with him. You’ll do anything he wants you to, but there’s not much that can be done, you know that. The room is too small, there’s only chairs.” Tania nodded and I frowned. There was plenty he could have done, why was Terry lying?