Stacey's choice

It was about 2 PM when Stacey came home. She noticed that on the driveway there was both her parents’ cars. She tried to close the door as quietly as possible and went straight to her room. Hoping that no one had heard her come home.

She had no idea what to do. She had had quite a busy schedule today in the zoo. Just when she had begun shoveling all the shit out of the chimpanzee’s night enclosure the CEO had shown up. Usually the CEO stuck to the central office building. Whenever he was seen walking in the zoo, it was usually during a tour of some sort with other business people wearing suits, doing business-things – or something.

This time however, the CEO had been alone and appeared to have come for Stacey specifically, “Stacey, please stop with what you’re doing. We’ll find someone else to take over your schedule”, he had said. She wasn’t sure what it meant. Surely she wasn’t being fired, even though that thought had crossed her mind. The director must have seen her slightly distressed but above all wondering look in her face;

“No, nothing to worry about. I understand that your choice to become a zoo exhibit is a big one but we’ll make sure it’s gonna be as fun and enjoyable as possible”

He had really said it: “Your choice”. Stacey had kept contemplating those words. He said it as if it had been her suggestion, as if it had been her life-long dream or fantasy that was finally coming true. Though she was really hoping it was going to be enjoyable, it definitely wasn’t something that she had longed for all her life. Nor had it been her suggestion to become Bridget’s exhibit mate.

At first management had been upset that Mac had put a naked woman in an enclosure. But it became clear pretty quickly that the audience loved it. And if the audience loves something, that means there will be more patrons who pay more, and so management quickly became happy as well. Mac had been saying for years that the zoo also needed to have an exhibit with humans. So now that there was a naked woman in a cage and management somewhat satisfied, it appeared that Mac felt he should cease the opportunity, and had begun suggesting they should make it a permanent one.

The managers, including the CEO, had had a lot of objections but Mac had been able to refute almost all of them. Besides some legal stuff which Mac was only able to answer with “Well, don’t you usually hire some highly-paid lawyers to bend the law your way?”, there was one other point to which he didn’t have a satisfactorily answer. The answer to the question if a single zoo exhibit wouldn’t become lonely over time. If it wouldn’t be better to have an enclosure with at least two exhibits. The answer to that of course was ‘yes’, but the question was where they would find one. Also it would have to be one who really knew what he or she would be getting themselves into, also for the long run, and they had to be somewhat compatible with Bridget.

That was the one question that Mac hadn’t had an answer for. He had briefly suggested his usual partner-in-crime Liz, with whom he ran the aquatic shows (and, unbeknownst to management, with whom he sometimes fondled a willing visitor). However, Liz had very quickly turned down that idea and had made very, very clear that it simply was not going to happen – ever.

Then, when a video had appeared of that kiss between Stacey and Bridget, Mac had known how to resolve his problem. Stacey had to become Bridget’s exhibit mate! After all, Stacey knew how a zoo was run, so she sort of knew what to expect. Also, there clearly was a very large spark between Stacey and Bridget. He had run off to Stacey to propose that she’d join Bridget for the foreseeable future.

“Yeah, of course, you perv”, had been Stacey's initial reaction, sounding quite cynical. Mac had looked a bit dejectedly; this was going to be his one shot to getting this thing done, and Stacey was in no way as enthusiastic as he had hoped.

“I know some of you think I can be a little pervy, but that’s really not what this is about. Think about it, most of the staff – including you – have been saying for a very long time that we should also have a human exhibit. Also everybody has always agreed that it if we had such an exhibit, they shouldn’t wear clothing or some kind of costume. That just wouldn’t make any sense, none of our exhibits wear clothes, after all. Also, “ Mac had rambled on, “it’s the ultimate way to simply let go, let yourself loose so to speak!”

That last sentence had piqued her interest. Stacey had always been quite timid, a little bit prude and had always been very self-conscious. This would be the ultimate chance to really let go and not have to think about any of the consequences. She knew that her parents probably would not agree if she said yes. But being 22 years old and still living with her parents she had always done pretty much everything her parents had asked of her. Maybe it was time to finally do something that her parents disagreed with.

“On top of that all”, Mac continued, “you get to be with Bridget 24/7. From the videos I have seen online, you surely like her? Wouldn’t you want to be with her more often? And then there’s …”

“Okay okay!”, Stacey had interrupted Mac. “I’ll think about it!”. Stacey had been unsure if she really was into women. She did enjoy fantasizing about men, but those fantasies had also occasionally included some women. After that one kiss Stacey had been sure: she also liked women, Bridget in particular.

Her night had been largely sleepless. It was a big choice to make. This morning she had made up her mind and decided to go through with it. Basically Mac’s arguments had won her over. Of course, there also was the whole nudity part. But if Bridget could do it, then she could probably pull it off as well. Especially if it meant that they could be together all the time.

She had found Mac waiting near the main personnel entrance. He had pretended that it was purely coincidental that the two of them met there, but she was pretty sure that he had been waiting for her to arrive.

“And, have you thought about it?”, Mac had asked. It didn’t need any explanation what he was referring to.

“Yes, fine, you get your wish. I’ll do it”, were Stacey’s only words.

Mac had appeared to be ecstatic. He grabbed her hand and almost ran to the director’s office. He had barged inside without knocking or checking who was inside.

“I found someone! I’ve found an exhibit mate for the human exhibit!”, Mac had exclaimed. Stacey had stood about a half meter behind Mac, still holding his hand, not sure what to think of the scene she had become involved in.

“Well, well, well”, the director had said. Immediately stopping whatever he had been doing. “Stacey, is this true? Do you really want to become a permanent zoo exhibit? This must be a big decision, and I’d like to be certain that you’re entirely sure about it. Also, are you sure it’s fully voluntarily? Did no-one pressure you into this choice in any way?”, he had asked while he was clearly looking at Mac.

“Yes sir. I’ve made up my mind, this is what I want. It’s true that Mac tried to persuade me, but ultimately I did make my own decision. There was no undue pressure, I assure you, sir”, Stacey had said meekly.

“I see”, the director had replied. “Well, I’ll think it over. For now, I suggest the both of you go to work and we’ll discuss it later. I have to ask, did anybody already ask this girl, what's her name again, oh right, uhm, Bridget, already if she is even willing to become a permanent resident?”.

Stacey had realized that that could be a pretty large impediment if Bridget would say no. And as such, she decided she'd go directly to Bridget and ask her the question. She could not let Mac mess it up.

And so it happened that a few hours later, the director walked into the Chimpanzee’s night enclosure and had asked Stacey to stop what she was doing.