Turned Out Saga (10 page)

Champagne stood at the door of her new office and felt an overwhelming sense of pride, and fear. Pride because she was going out on her own and fulfilling a dream, making an idea a reality, fear because she had no idea how this would turn out. She knew she was more than capable of doing the job, or running her own business. She knew her skills were up to par and she also knew that if she didn't know what to do about something, she could figure it out. She knew she had the goods to deliver. It's not like she was a novice in her field, she was one of the best.

Unlocking the door and taking the first step was an emotional event. Personal Touch, Inc. was her very own place of business, and that's just what she planned on giving each and every one of her clients. She would treat each and every one of them like they were her only clients. She knew that's what everyone said, especially when they were starting a service-based business, and it often started that way, only to wear off. But she'd vowed to offer a service with integrity.

Because she had some money saved and Zyair had fronted her what was considered an investment, she would be able to hire a secretary/receptionist and an assistant. The secretary would be there to type letters, brochures, make appointments, things that could be done in-house. The assistant would be someone that could run errands and assist in the handling of clients, someone she could depend on.

Zyair asked her, “Are you looking for somebody with experience, or somebody new to this business?”

“I'm looking for someone new and hungry, someone eager to learn, someone willing to grow with me, not someone who thought they knew more than me.”

When Zyair wrote out the check to her, she kept thanking him for the loan. Finally, after going back and forth about the money she decided to listen when he said, “Just take the damn money, girl. It's an investment in our future together.”

After listening numerous times to Champagne talking about how she wanted to do this on her own, Alexis told her, “Girl, your man loves you. He worships the ground you walk on, and with him helping financially, you will have a leg up on other businesses just starting out. What you need to do is be thankful for his generosity and that you have a man that has the money to help you fund your dream. Shit, this will allow you to hire people and everything.”

When Alexis, the one who never cursed said, “Shit,” Champagne almost passed out. This was another sign of Khalil being a bad influence. Alexis had even started to dress sexier. Her clothes were getting a little tighter, and she even showed cleavage a little more now. Champagne knew that these changes had to do with him but that was neither here nor there. Now was not the time to concentrate and worry about what Alexis was doing. What she needed to do was get prepared for the interviews she had lined up.

There was a coffee shop right down stairs and the plan was to meet the prospective employees at the office and if she liked them, they would go downstairs and continue the interview. If the first impression was one she didn't like, she'd wrap it up and send them on their way.

Glancing at her watch, Champagne noticed she had about thirty minutes before her first interview. There would be four interviews. Zyair told her she was taking on a lot, but she knew that she could handle it. All she had to do was pace herself. Her first interview was scheduled for 10:00 a.m., and she had them scheduled an hour and a half apart, her last interview coming up at 2:30. Okay, maybe she did bite off more than she could chew.

Champagne walked into the office, which had three rooms to it, the reception area, a small office for her assistant, and a much larger office, her space. Her office faced the front of the building and when she looked out the window, she could see the goings-on on the street below.

Champagne couldn't wait to furnish her office. She'd already chosen her colors, different shades of blue. She even had one of her past artist clients coming to paint a mural of a sunset for her. Thankfully her career choice was a creative one, and it allowed her to not be stuffy or have a conservative work space.

Tomorrow she would go out and start looking for furniture. She'd concentrate on her office first because she anticipated it being her home away from home. For the reception and assistant areas she would get the basics. Maybe later down the road, when she was a little more established, she'd go splurge.

Today for the interviews she had two chairs facing one another and a table, where they could fill out a personality questionnaire. She wanted everyone that would be working with and for her to vibe. She wasn't sure if this personality test thing would work, but she was going to find out.

She'd already put the coffee shop on alert that she would be coming and going.

The interviewing in the coffee shop was Zyair's idea. He told her, “When you interview in a more relaxed and casual environment, people tend to let their guard down, and are more themselves.”

Not one to doubt a man with a successful business, she decided to take his word and was glad that she did.

Shanese, her first interviewee, although a college graduate, was as hood as they come.

Champagne thought,
You can take the girl out the hood, but you can't take the hood out of the girl.

Shanese twisted her neck and chewed gum when answering questions.

Not even ten minutes had gone by before Champagne made the decision to end the interview right then and there.

Shanese thanked her again before leaving.

None of the interviewees worked out. Either they didn't have the type of energy she was looking for, or they wanted too much money. After the last interview, Champagne decided she'd stop by Private Affairs and see what Zyair was up to, but not before going to this new furniture spot she'd heard about that was owned by two gay men. She'd overheard two women discussing how they could go broke in there, that the furniture was eclectic, yet natural.

She definitely didn't want to go broke, but she was prepared to spend a little money. Champagne wanted a different feel to her office. She didn't want the typical desk, chair, and loveseat but was aiming for comfort and relaxation. She wanted her clients to come in and feel at home, not feel like they were being interviewed or put on display. After all, her business dealt with personalities, and she wanted her surroundings to reflect that.

* * *

When Champagne pulled into the parking lot, she noticed Thomas standing by a Lexus convertible. He appeared to be in a heated conversation with some guy. She had to look twice because the guy looked very familiar, but she couldn't place him.

Climbing out of her car, she grabbed her purse and locked the door behind her. She wanted to get into the store without Thomas seeing her, but just as she was opening the door, she heard her name being called.

“Champagne, hold up!”

Damn!
She turned around and saw Thomas walking her way.

“What are you doing on this side of town?”

“Shopping for my new office.”

“Oh, congratulations! Zyair told me all about it. He's so proud of you.”

“Thanks.”

“So how's your friend, Alexis?”

Champagne tried her best not to roll her eyes.

Thomas was always asking about her. She'd already told him she wasn't hooking them up. Plus, he wasn't Alexis' type anyway. But now, with her dating Khalil, Champagne didn't know what or who she would be attracted to. “Thomas, you need to give that fantasy up. Alexis has a man now, and I think they're serious.”

Thomas frowned. “She has a what?” His attraction to Alexis was serious. He wondered how he could convince Champagne that he was ready to let go of his doggish ways to be with Alexis. He wanted her to know that he was aware of the fact that Alexis was a dime and deserved to be treated as such. Now here Champagne stood, crushing his heart with the information that Alexis had a man. Oh, hell no, he needed to find out more information.

“A man. I didn't stutter.” Champagne was amused by the look on Thomas' face. He looked as though his feelings were hurt for real.

“Who? What's his name?”

“Khalil.”

“Who the hell is he? Where's he from?”

“He's new in town.” Champagne was ready to wrap up this conversation. She glanced at her watch. “Other than that, I don't know much about him.”

“What do you mean, you don't know much about him? That's your girl. You need to find out more information.”

When he said that, Champagne knew she'd found the right one to look into Khalil's background, but would he do it without Zyair finding out? She needed to think on that one before saying anything to him.

“That's what I'm trying to do, Thomas.” She glanced at her watch once more. “Listen, I've got to go, but we'll talk more later.” She just turned and walked away without even waiting for him to say good-bye.

Thomas watched her as she swayed her way into the building. He couldn't help recalling the conversation he and Zyair had. “Uh-huh-huh,” he said to himself, you just never know which ones are turned out.”

Champagne sat in Zyair's office as she waited for him to finish talking to his cook. After leaving the furniture store, she'd called him up and told him she felt like doing something, hanging out. He agreed. They hadn't made a decision where they would be going. The only thing they knew was that they would do something out of the ordinary, something different.

Champagne knew that they weren't really into the club scene but a dance or two might be nice. Shit, it'd been a while since she shook her ass but then again, after taking into consideration the way women danced now, especially in videos, ass popping, titties shaking, maybe that was a good thing.

“Do you have anything in particular you'd like to do?” she asked Zyair, before he left the office.

“Nothing comes to mind. You decide, and when I come back, let me know.”

Well, he'd been gone now for a full fifteen minutes and she was getting anxious. Especially since she'd made the decision where she wanted to go. Boy, would he be surprised. How was she going to tell him that she wanted to go to a strip club to see some naked ass? He'd probably think,
Here we go again.
How was she going to tell him that even though she was pissed at him for getting a lap dance? After thinking about it, not only did it turn her on but now she found herself wanting one. Champagne knew that sounded hypocritical but it was what it was.

When Zyair finally returned, Champagne blurted out, “Let's go to a strip club tonight.”

Zyair hadn't even made it in his office good. “Did you say a strip club?”

The look on Zyair's face caused Champagne to laugh, “Why are you looking at me like that? We both said we would try new things. Well, let's start tonight.” Champagne knew she wouldn't have to wait long for Zyair's response, because, being a man, this was one offer he couldn't pass up. She wasn't one to bad-mouth strip clubs. She just wondered why men frequented them. What was the point? After a couple of hours, didn't they get tired of seeing naked ass? Well, tonight she was going to find out what the hoopla was about.

“You want to go now?”

“Well, I was thinking we'd go home and change clothes first.”

“Fine with me.” Zyair couldn't get out the door fast enough.

On the way home, Champagne was tripping. She couldn't believe she was about to step in a strip club with Zyair. “What club are we going to go?” she asked him.

Zyair had to think about which one to take her to. He didn't know what would appeal to her. “It depends on what you're looking for.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, there are two types of strip clubs. You've got the ones in the hood, where any and everything goes and then—”

Champagne cut him off. “What do you mean, where any and everything goes?”

“Sex, drugs, and whatever else you can think of.”

“What's the other type?”

“Upscale, hands off, more attractive. There are two kinds of strip clubs crunk/upscale. Believe it or not, most people have a better time at the crunk clubs as opposed to the upscale clubs because the dancers at the crunk club refuse to let a brother leave out the club with a nickel. They want all the money and they work for that money. Whereas, the other type of club, most of the women think that Spike Lee or some director is about to cast their asses.”

Champagne looked at Zyair. “How do you know so much?”

Zyair laughed. “I'm quoting Thomas.”

That, Champagne could believe. “Why don't we go to both.”

“Are you sure?” Zyair was still in disbelief.

“I'm more than sure. We can stay maybe an hour or two at one, then go see another.”

Zyair was feeling like the man. “Your wish is my command.”

He couldn't believe any of this was happening. He was actually going to the strip club with his lady. He felt a little weird about it, knowing it wasn't going to be the same as if he was with his boys.

Then again, maybe it was a good thing, because then Champagne would see that when he's with Thomas and the crew, he's not the wild, off-the-chain guy that gropes on, proposes, and gets oral sex from a stripper. He hoped Champagne wasn't trying to set him up, see how he was going to be if they did this threesome thing. Maybe he needed to stop thinking about it so much.

They were definitely trying to take their relationship to the next level. Zyair wondered how he should act. Should he act calm and not look around? He definitely didn't want to appear uptight in any way. When he was with his boys, they just entered the club, found seats, and started passing out singles.

Zyair didn't feel like second-guessing his actions, so he told Champagne while they were getting dressed, “I have to be honest. I'm a little nervous about this.”

“What are you nervous about?”

“I don't know what to expect. I don't know what's acceptable and what's not. Do I tip? Do I just sit there? Do we call people over?”

“How about this . . . why don't we just go with the flow. Do what you normally do, and if I approve, I just might let you get a lap dance.”

Zyair looked at her like,
Yeah right.

Once in the car, they decided to go to Bottoms Up first. Zyair had never been there but he'd heard a lot about it. He'd heard that the dancers were shapely and that for most of them anything goes. Heck, a man can hope, and his hopes were high.

Champagne glanced over at Zyair and wondered what he was thinking. If she wasn't mistaken, he had a little smirk on his face. She could just imagine. She had to admit, she was a little nervous as well. What if she got there and was disgusted? Then again, what if she got there, was turned on and lost her damn mind.

She pulled out her lipstick case; touched up her lips. Her heart was racing but she was determined to see this through. After all, it was her idea.

Zyair decided to start from the bottom and work his way up. He couldn't wait to hear what her opinion would be of the spots.

When they pulled into Bottoms Up parking lot, Zyair looked at Champagne. “Are you ready?”

She opened the door and replied, “As ready as I'll ever be.”

When they entered the club, Champagne felt like she was on the set of a BET afterhours video. Not only were women walking around with nothing on but people were everywhere. She had to walk through a crowd and say excuse me numerous times just to get to where she was going.

Looking around, Champagne was surprised to see that there was an even number of men and women there. She told Zyair, “Damn, it's crowded as hell in here.”

Zyair noticed as they walked through, men and women checking Champagne out. They paid no attention to him.

Some guy had the audacity to come up to Champagne and ask her, “What time are you dancing?”

Zyair looked at him and said, “She's not.”

The dude looked Zyair up and down, decided he didn't want any trouble, and just walked away.

Zyair asked her, “Do you want to stay here?”

“I'm okay. Let's just stick together.”

After squeezing their way through the crowd, Zyair spotted an empty corner of a couch. He took Champagne's hand and pulled her toward it.

The second they sat down a young lady dressed in the smallest and tightest dress either of them had ever seen asked them if they wanted a drink.

Champagne ordered an apple martini, and Zyair ordered a Corona. Before their drinks arrived two women came over to them and asked them if they wanted a table dance or to go into the VIP room.

Champagne looked them both up and down. They were total opposites, one was real short with at least size D titties. Champagne wondered how she got those big-ass breasts on that little body. Her hips were small, and her breasts were the only curves she had, average in the face, with “weave of life.” Champagne knew she would not be the one.

The other girl was a little cuter but a bit too thick, borderline chubby. She also had the weave of life.

What's up with all this fake-ass hair?
Champagne didn't really know what her type was but it definitely wasn't these two.

Zyair was watching Champagne, waiting to see how she would answer them.

“No, thank you.”

They looked over at Zyair. “You heard the lady.”

When the girls left, Champagne wanted to know what happens in the VIP room.

“Every and anything,” Zyair informed her.

When the drinks were brought over, they sat back on the couch, sipped and watched the dancers.

Champagne couldn't believe all that she was seeing. If she wasn't mistaken one of the dancers appeared to be pregnant. Men were putting their hands inside women's panties that is if they were wearing them. The women were bending over, opening their pussies up wide. It was a hot mess.

“See anybody you want to tip?” Zyair asked.

There actually was one girl that had gotten Champagne's attention. Champagne heard someone call her Chocolate.

That she was. Chocolate-complexioned, medium height, probably about five-four, size C breasts, a small waist, and an ass for days. When she turned around, Champagne noticed the butterfly tattoo on her ass, a wing on each cheek. When she made her booty clap, the butterfly appeared to be flying.

Before Champagne could get a chance to call her over, someone else did.

“You want a lap dance?” Champagne asked Zyair.

Before he could give her an answer, Champagne calls someone over and tells her, “Give my man a lap dance.”

Zyair looked at Champagne and asked her was she sure.

“Yes, I'm sure. I might get one after you.”

That was something Zyair couldn't wait to see. “Maybe you should go first.”

“No, you go first.”

The next thing you know, it was on. Zyair was sitting straight up, real tight. He kept telling himself, “Don't get hard. Don't make it seem like you are enjoying it too much.”

Champagne could tell what he was trying or more like trying not to do, so she grabbed his hands and told him, “Loosen up. We're here to have fun. You have my permission.” She placed his hands on the dancer's breasts.

Champagne then summoned over another dancer and told her she wanted a lap dance as well.

Zyair was in complete shock. He was too focused on what was going on with Champagne to really get into his own lap dance.

Champagne was allowing this woman full access to her body. Her hands were everywhere. It wasn't until the girl tried to expose Champagne's breasts that she put an end to it.

Zyair was a little relieved because although turned on, for a second there he was getting a little jealous.

When the dancers walked away, Zyair saw Champagne look up at Chocolate, the girl with the butterfly on her ass.

Champagne pointed her out to Zyair. “I think she's sexy.”

Little did she know, Zyair already noticed that Champagne had been peeping her.

The girl saw Champagne point her out and started coming in their direction.

On her way over to them, she was grabbed by another girl, who was just as sexy.

Zyair glanced at Champagne and thought to himself,
It's about to go down.

They both stood in front of Champagne, all eyes on her.

“I saw you watching me.”

“I was,” Champagne admitted.

“I'm Chocolate. This is my girl, Cinnamon. You want a private show?”

Zyair wanted to yell out, “Hell yeah!”

“What does a private show entail?” Champagne asked, pleased that Zyair was letting her take the lead.

Zyair wasn't crazy. He knew what he was doing. He knew to let everything be Champagne's idea.

“Well, you can get a private lap dance, you and your man, or just you and he can watch. For one hundred dollars, you can watch us do each other, and for a hundred dollars apiece we'd do you both.”

Zyair didn't open his mouth. His eyes said it all, “Just say yes to anything.”

Before Chocolate could continue on with her proposition, there was a ruckus two tables over. Two men were arguing. Champagne couldn't make out what they were saying but she could make out that one of the dudes had a gun.

Zyair spotted it the second she did. He grabbed her hand, pulled her up, and along with others, they ran out of the club.

After making it to the car, Champagne and Zyair looked at one another and burst out laughing.

“Can you believe that?” Champagne asked. “We could have gotten killed while trying to get our freak on.”

Zyair started the car up. “Where to next? Do you want to go home, or do you want to try the other place?”

“What's it called?”

“Fantasies.”

“Is that where you and Thomas go?”

“I've never been, but I heard it was upscale and that the quality of women is definitely of a higher class.”

“How much higher in class could they be if they're stripping?”

Zyair didn't have an answer.

“Let's go. I'm not ready to turn in yet.” Champagne had to admit, she wanted to see more. She was also glad things happened the way they did, because she wasn't sure what answer she was going to give the Chocolate girl, but she knew it was a yes to something. When they arrived at Fantasies, Champagne noticed the difference immediately. One, it cost twenty dollars per person to enter, two, the clientele was predominantly white businessmen. The dancers were more attractive and had better bodies than the other women at Bottoms Up.