"I have good news."

"I'm decently confident I have a job at the Hopkins Clinic with Dr. Tony," Laura confided with a smile. "It won't be nearly what I was making, but it'll help."

"That's wonderful news," Amanda enthused. "I know Tony. He's a good man, if intense. He cares about his people and many of the women. Granted... well... he can be affectonante, but I've never heard of any complaints."

"He... sleeps with his patients?"

"He had a relationship with a receptionist a few years ago. That's how I met him. Tonia said that he treated her like a queen, so I had no moral issue with it. Others might not agree, but hey, they were both adults."

Laura mulled over the information and nodded. "I get that," she admitted. "I don't care what he does, honestly. Dan and I need the money. I'll continue looking for a better paying job, but right now, anything will work."

Amanda flashed her a dazzling smile. "Have you considered modeling?" she quipped with a raised eyebrow at her wall of photos.

Laura outright laughed at her neighbor. "Oh, please. No, I'd break someone's camera if I got even half as naked as you are in those. No way."

"It's called being nude," Amanda quipped with a smile. "Consider it. I might even pay you. You'd be worth the time and the shots. Now, I believe this chicken is done. Let's eat," she said and shooed Laura out of the kitchen.

Over lunch, they chatted about whatever came to mind. It surpised Laura that Amanda didn't watch much television, and the little she did watch were shows Laura was familiar with. Their preferences in music were a little different. Where Laura enjoyed a lot of the current hip-hop and pop chart listers, Amanda enjoyed classical and electronic music.

"I love that you went to school to be an accountant. I went to school to be a fashion designer. However, things didn't quite work out like I expected. I don't regret my decisions, as they were the best I could make at the time, but ending up a high-class escort was not where I expected to be five years ago," {cneigbor_name} admitted with a soft smile.

Laura blinked and took in the new information. "You're an escort?" she asked quietly. "I mean, that's not a bad thing. I just... I don't know. You look amazing enough to be one," she babbled. She didn't want to lose a potentially new friend that she was connecting so well with.

"Oh, your face," Amanda laughed. "I'm comfortable with what I am and what I do. I only have sex with those I want to these days. I did tricks for a while, but that's been a some time ago."

Laura felt her cheeks color. "I... understand that," she managed to get out. She didn't want to bring up her past if she could help it. "I guess I just didn't expect it."

"Oh, I didn't either. I got lucky when an older woman... collected me. We had a strange, yet beautiful, relationship for a while. She showed me how to be... well, me."

Laura didn't know what so say, so she smiled.

"Now, how about you and your son? What's your plan, and how can I help?"