Research

Your sister glances nervously back and forth between you and Fantasia. "Uh...would you believe...research."

"Research?" You exclaim. "You have to be kidding me right now."

"I...just needed to know some things. For my writing."

You face palm before glowering down at her. "You brought a stranger, a hooker, out here? Alone!? For research? Are you crazy? She could have robbed you, hurt you..." You look toward where the knife lay. Walking up to it you pick it up and pocket it. "She could have killed you Grace."

"Sh-she wasn't...she seemed nice."

"Seemed nice!?" You say loudly. "God Grace, for such a smart woman...you sure can be dumb sometimes."

Watching you and your sister have this genuine exchange of anger and worry calmed the young street walker. Her fists uncurl and she says. "I wasn't goin ta hurt noone. She offered me good money for...research. I ain't no thief. I ain't no murderer or nothin." You shoot Fantasia a sharp stare. Your annoyance only seems to calm her further. It was clear as day now that you were simply a concerned brother, this wasn't a set up and you weren't just some random trucker come in off the highway. She actually smiles at you, her fear disappearing and brightening into quite a pretty face...had it not been caked in cheap make up. Holding out her hand she asks. "Can I have my knife back?"

"No!" You say. "Not yet."

"Don't be angry Andy." Grace says sheepishly. "Don't tell Mom and Dad...or anyone...please?"

"I'm not angry." You lie. "Just worried about you. And yeah, I won't say anything. This is between us."

She lowers her head and pouts like a kid with their hand caught in the cookie jar. "I'm so stupid sometimes, you're right."

You sigh. Reaching out you take her shoulders and pull her into another big hug. "You aren't stupid. Just...well...okay, this time you were stupid." You feel her hands slide around your waist to hug you back.

You could see Fantasia grinning at this show of sibling affection but you ignore her.

"So tell me, what kind of research were you two doing?"

Before your sister can respond a much more at ease Fantasia answers first. "Gracey just wanted ta look at me. Touch me. Hear some of my stories. Sleep in the same bed together. Everythin but sex seemed like, but she paid for everything so..." She then chuckles. "She calls me a...lady of the night. Isn't that nice? Almost sounds classy."

"Er...yeah." You step back from Grace and look down at her. "What's going on?"

Your sister fidgets then lets out a long sigh. "Andy...I'm...hitting roadblocks. In my writing." She swallows hard and I can see her whole body start to tense up, revealing a deep frustration. "I...I...I don't...I've never...been with...people. You know how shy I am. My editor is telling me my intimate scenes are...unconvincing. Shallow. Dead. And I know she's right." Her small fists tremble at her sides in impotent anger. "How can I write about things I've never..." She looks up at you. "Do you remember how scared I was after seeing The Exorcist?"

You nod. "Sure. You were terrified, you were only 12 at the time. You asked if you could sleep in my bed. We joked around half the night."

She huffs angrily. "That was the last time I shared a bed with anyone!"

This surprises Fantasia but not you. You lay a hand over her shoulder. "You said you didn't want a relationship. You said it would be too much trouble."

"And I don't. I don't need relationships, I don't want them, but I do need...experiences. My writing is everything to me, you know that." She spins and stares at her old Olivetti typewriter set up on her desk in the corner of the cozy and tidy living room. "I'm drawing on a dry well Andy. I can only get so much from books. I need to...feel things. Smell them, touch them...taste them."

"So you hired a hooker?" You glance to the girl. "No offense." She just shrugs.

"Yeah, why not? What better way? A nice simple transaction. You've never hired one out there on those long trips?"

You clear your throat and awkwardly brush aside the question. "Nevermind mind me, we're talking about you."

"Isn't that why Mary left you? Hm? It is, isn't it?"

You roll your eyes. "Yeah, you know that. This isn't about me, it's different."

Grace turns back to you and straightens up to her full height and puffs out her chest, you had never seen her so agitated before. "Why sh-shouldn't I hire an escort? Wh-why shouldn't I? Women aren't allowed? Huh? Is that it? It's 1993 Andy, women can do anything men can. I-I w-wanted to feel things...and I was willing to pay. There's no-nothing wrong with what I'm doing. Women can...do it too."

You wave your hands. "No, no. It's nothing like that. You're just not..." You sigh. "...you could get into trouble Grace. The cops or worse. You are too trusting and too naive. Did you know this girl had a knife on her?"

Grace looks over to Fantasia. "No...but she wouldn't have drawn it had you not arrived."

"Are you sure about that?" You press, deflating your sister's confidence. "She might be a druggie or worse. She could have robbed you for your jeep and another hit."

"I ain't no crackhead mother fucker!"

You raise a hand to stop her. "Never said you were Fantasia. But she doesn't know you, that's my point."

"Sorry I didn't bring my resume and provide references. Thought I was just turnin a trick."

You shake your head, the last thing you wanted was to argue with a feisty hooker. "Grace..."

"Andy." Grace steps forward and puts her hands in yours, her voice softens. "Andy...don't think bad of me."

You squeeze her hands. "I don't. Really I don't. I understand, sort of." Staring at her as she gazes up at you with those rich brown eyes peeking over her glasses...you couldn't stay mad at her. "You know...I'm actually kind of proud. It must have taken a lot for you to do this."

She lets out a hard breath and a laugh. "Ohhh yeah. I was so scared. I've been thinking about it for months. I was in town and I saw her and...ohh dear..."

Behind you Fantasia giggles. "She must have circled the block a dozen times at least."

You lean down and whisper the question that had been niggling at you. "Why a woman Grace? Are you...ya know?"

She shakes her head. "I thought it would be safer. Besides, straight male escorts aren't as easy to find. Next time I was thinking..."

"Next time?" Your eyes widen. "Oh Jesus Grace, don't bring a man you don't know back out here."

Even Fantasia agrees with that. "Yeah, listen to your brother Gracey. Get a hotel or somethin, stay in the city near other folks."

"Or don't do it at all." You bring her hands up to your mouth and kiss them. "You're a beautiful woman Grace. You don't need to hire...company. Any man would be lucky to be with you."

She blushes slightly and peeks up at you. "You shaved your beard."

"Ha! Yeah, I did." You kiss her fingers again then let go of her hands. "Listen, I obviously interrupted something here. Something that is none of my business. I'll go sleep in the truck...but I'll stick around. If you have any trouble you come and let me know." You nod at Fantasia. "In the morning I can give you a lift back to the city."

She smirks and blows you a kiss with glossy pink lips. "You bet Sugar. I'll want my knife back."

You nod. "When we get back to town."

You turn to leave, this had already been incredibly uncomfortable and you didn't want to drag it out further. There was a longer conversation to be had with Grace but that would wait for another time.

Just as you take a step away from your sister you feel her hands grab your arm. "Andy...wait."

You look back over your shoulder. "Hm?"

She blinks and draws in a trembling breath.