A Gift in Disguise Ch. 13

"Don't worry about it, Tom. I'll expect a full report on your date with Risa next time I'm over there at my apartment. I'll look at the book then. From what Bethany has told me about her own reaction to it, I imagine I'll be paid in full — and then some!"

"That's a promise," I assured her. "In the meantime, I hope Leonard keeps getting better."

"He'll be just fine, Tom.

Have a great time tomorrow night. Bethany suggested you get there by 4 p.m. to give you and Risa time to get acquainted before the social hour at 5 p.m. But honestly, Tom, she's as warm and friendly and personable as Misako. I think you and she are really going to hit it off and have a lot of fun, especially if you both get into the spirit of The Club."

After my conversation with Sharon, I was feeling reassured about going to The Club even though Sharon wouldn't be there. Having met and gotten to know Misako, I was getting more and more curious about her sister Risa.

I spent Saturday morning reviewing another stack of the medical literature Kim had provided to help me prepare for the inquisition by my Master's Thesis Committee. Right after a light lunch, I napped, then showered, dressed, put my overnight bag and the photo book in my car, and headed out on the 90-minute drive to The Club.

At exactly 3:55 p.m. I arrived at The Club's front gate. After presenting my driver's license to the front gate security officer, a woman this time, I sat patiently while she checked my license against the guest list. Then she called Bethany.

When she handed the license back to me, she smiled politely and asked me to drive up to the east door rather than the main door. She said Bethany and a valet parking attendant would meet me there.

Fortunately there were tasteful arrow signs at the Y in the road. I followed the 'East Entrance' sign around through a grove of trees that obscured any view of the entrance from prying eyes either on or off the property. Bethany and a young man were standing there waiting for me.

"Welcome back, Tom. It's nice to have you with us again," she said rather formally and professionally but with a welcoming smile. "Mitch will take your car and park it for you. Do you have luggage in the trunk?"

"Yes, and a photo album, too."

When I mentioned the photo album, Bethany gave me an approving look.

"Mitch, will you please see that Tom's luggage and photo album are taken to the VIP Guest Suite? His companion is still in the room getting ready for dinner, so knock first, please."

"Yes, ma'am," the young man responded obediently.

"Shall we go in, Tom?" Bethany asked. We walked through the side door into a slightly larger than normal but warm and inviting elevator foyer. The only pieces of furniture in the carpeted foyer was a nicely upholstered foyer sofa with an umbrella stand containing several umbrellas. I did notice a discreet but visible security camera inside a small transparent dome. The other door in the foyer was labeled "Lobby."

Once inside and alone with me, Bethany became more informal.

"This is a private, VIP entrance, Tom. It's how we get special guests and performers in and out without being seen by the other members and guests.

I'm taking you up to Risa's suite, the VIP Guest Suite. She's already dressed, but you and she should talk before you come down to dinner. You'll need to get your stories straight and decide how you want to behave among the other members and guests."

"What do you mean 'get our stories straight?' And how exactly should we 'behave' differently?" I asked. I hadn't exactly been irritated by Bethany's suggestion, but the way it came out sounding, she would have every right to assume I had been. Fortunately, Bethany's ability to hear things differently from other people seemed to work in my favor — this time.

"Ah, I see Sharon didn't fill you in completely. Let's sit down here and I'll explain it before we take the elevator up to the suite."

We sat suitably separated on the sofa.

"The usual rules of The Club still apply," she said. "I know Sharon has already explained them to you before you visited the first time."

I nodded my agreement and said, "Yes, she was very clear."

"Good. Incidentally, Tom, I've already had this same discussion with Risa.

Since you've never been here on Family Night, you've had very little direct and personal interaction with other members and guests. You've seen them in the dining room during dinner service, of course, and they've seen you, but your contact has probably been little more than introductions guided by Sharon.

Family Night is different.

When you were here with Sharon, members and their guests each had a personal dinner table to allow personal intimacy. Family Night is the one special event night when members and guests are actually encouraged to introduce themselves and exchange light conversation.

It starts with a mix-and-mingle for all members and guests starting at 5:00 p.m. in the dining room. As you know, we have no alcohol on the premises, so the hosted bar will serve a variety of fresh juices. Dinner will be announced promptly at 5:55 p.m., and dinner service will start at 6.

Unless a member has specifically requested a private table or other arrangements for him and his or her guest, we try to seat three couples together at a table for dinner. As you know, our members are carefully screened, so we use that information to try and seat members and guests together who we suspect will be very compatible. Based on what Sharon told us about you and Risa and on what we've observed about Risa during our meetings this week, you and she will be at table 12 with two other couples. I think you'll find dinner conversation to be very stimulating.

Because it is Family Night, members and guests will assume that couples are related. It should be obvious that their next logical assumption will be that a couple is at The Club intending to have sex with each other. Members know, and are expected to communicate with their guests in advance, that because of the sensitivity of incest or even the implication of incest, interaction both among and between couples needs to be tasteful and not too prying.

I assure you as I did Risa that you and she will draw some attention. I'd suggest that the information you give to other members and guests stick as close to the facts as possible. Keep in mind that the other members already know Sharon, so they're going to be reasonably curious about Risa's obvious Japanese lineage. They will accept any remotely plausible explanation but will not probe more deeply. That's the rule.

With that in mind, a few little white lies are acceptable for privacy protection. The more plausible and yet arousing and mysterious your answer, the more it adds to the excitement and adventure of the evening for everyone. I assure you that no one is going to even look for inconsistencies in your story, not even any members or guests who are attorneys. With their first look at Risa tonight, all the men and more than a few women are liable to be rendered incoherent.

Actually, the story of how you and Risa come to be here tonight, why she's here now but has never been seen here with Sharon, and Sharon's relationship with Risa's business associate Corinne all dovetail's pretty nicely. Risa's presence tonight is a perfect example of how her and your cover story can be almost completely truthful.

She can truthfully and comfortably tell other members and guests that she and her sister Misako have a small but thriving advertising agency in the Bay Area. Sharon's son, your former high school classmate Cody who transitioned to become Corinne after moving to the Bay Area, is in business with Risa and her newhalf sister Misako. The 'newhalf' part will really get the members' and guests' interest!

She can explain that Misako is both a commercial and artistic photographer. Risa can further explain that she designs and coordinates business events for clients and also coordinates special photo exhibits for Misako's erotic photography. Emphasis on 'erotic.'

She can properly tell them that Misako and she were here to discuss the possibility of The Club having a special event photo exhibit of Misako's work. Though Misako had to return to work on two urgent advertising projects, Risa stayed behind tonight to see for herself exactly what happens during The Club's events.

You and Risa will have to come up with a story about how Risa's come to be your step-sister, though. Since Risa is six years older than you and since Sharon's husband doesn't even know about Sharon's membership here, Risa could be his daughter from an earlier marriage to an exotic Japanese woman."

"And Risa's good with this story?" I asked.

"Yes, completely."

"Okay, as long as she's okay with it. Sorry I interrupted you."

"You didn't, Tom. It was a thoughtful question to ask. Anyway ...

Generally we don't encourage members and guests to exchange personal contact information with other members and guests at The Club. Because we absolutely forbid any sexual contact between couples while we're at The Club, you and Risa can be assured no one will suggest you and Risa come back to their room to play. That's a big no-no. Once dinner ends, all couples simply return to their respective rooms.

However, on Family Night we do relax the no information exchange rule very slightly. If a member or guest chooses to give a business card to another member or guest who has requested it, that's fine. Some people may not want to reveal even that much personal information here. And of course, not everyone has a business card or even a social card. For them, you'll see blank small white cards on the tables. If anyone does want to agree to outside contact, we suggest the person write his or her first name only and their telephone number on the card and give it to the requester. Agreeing to outside contact is not mandatory, of course. Just because someone gives you his or her name and number does not in any way obligate you to call. That applies to everyone, no questions asked and no offense should be taken.

We discourage providing any more personal information than first name and phone number on the card. The recipient of the card can write whatever he or she chooses on the card to remind them of who the provider was."

"It sounds to me like you and Risa have already worked out the story she and I might want to tell," I said with a laugh. "And I do appreciate your explaining everything to me. I don't want to mess anything up for you or The Club or for Risa and Misako.

Bethany's smile was assuring. "Well, given the circumstances of why Sharon isn't here tonight, I am not too surprised it slipped her mind to fill you in on the details of Family Night. But I'm not at all worried about you or Risa doing anything untoward.

In just the two days Risa and Misako have been here, I've become quite close to them, especially to Risa. She's very bright, very warm and engaging, and perfectly capable of holding her own in any conversation that's going to come up tonight.

My only regret is that Misako couldn't stay and participate tonight as well. She is every bit as vivacious as Risa. I am absolutely thrilled that we are very close to formalizing an agreement to have them come back to present Misako's photography."

I glanced at my watch.

"Shouldn't we get upstairs so I can meet and talk with Risa before we come down at 5:00?"

"Yes, thank you for watching the time, Tom.

One more thing. I hope that you and Risa will watch the stage show from her suite and that at least during the show's introduction you'll leave your room lights up enough to be seen from the stage. Once the show starts, you'll probably want to turn your room lights down so the onstage performers can't see you. Unless, of course, you want them to see."

"Why do you want us to be seen from the stage? And by whom?" I asked.

"You'll see. Just trust me," she said slyly. "And if you and she decide you want to close the suite's drapes and not watch or listen to the show on stage, I've put a special program just for you and Risa on channel 33. It's going to her suite only, nowhere else.

Now, we really should head upstairs."

Bethany inserted her right index finger into an opening in a small box on the wall. The elevator door opened. Once inside the elevator, she put her left thumb into a similar box, then withdrew it and pushed the only floor indicator button available.

"Biometric reader?" I asked.

Bethany smiled but didn't answer. I decided to play with her a bit.

"I assume that since you used your thumb inside the elevator car, using another finger would have sent a silent duress signal to your security officers."

Her smile was replaced by a brief but definite look of astonishment as the elevator silently and smoothly traveled upward. She still seemed to be trying to find a response to my comment when the elevator car stopped at the second floor, the only floor other than ground available to it.

The elevator door opened to reveal a carpeted foyer with another upholstered couch. This one had a tastefully framed full length dressing mirror. There were three doors for the foyer. One was a clearly marked and obviously latched fire stair access door. The second door, more decorative, had a tastefully discreet sign that said "Other guests." The third door, also decorative, had no signage but it was clearly the VIP Suite entry door.

Bethany paused briefly in front of the mirror and checked her own appearance. Then she stepped back from me slightly, looked me up and down, minimally adjusted my necktie knot, brushed some nonexistent lint from my suit's lapel, and then walked the short distance to the suite door. She knocked, then took a step back so she and I were standing side by side.

The beautiful Japanese woman with the radiant but somewhat demure smile who answered the door was surprisingly tall, but she looked almost exactly like Misako. I knew instantly it was Risa. Though in her five-inch heels she was about an inch shorter than I, she looked at me directly.

"Tom, hello. It's nice to meet you. I'm Risa Sato, Mikki's sister."

She extended her hand. It was soft and warm, and her handshake was comfortably firm, confident but not intimidating.

"It's very nice to finally meet you, Risa. Thanks to Mikki and Bethany and Sharon, I feel as if I've known you for years."

"Thank you," she said sincerely. "Would you and Bethany like to come in and visit for a few minutes?"

Bethany spoke up immediately. "Thank you, but I need to excuse myself to go back downstairs and attend to some of the details for tonight. I'll be looking forward to seeing you both in the dining room for social hour. Tom, I know you're almost obsessive about punctuality, but as a personal favor to me, will you and Risa come into the dining room at 5:10?" She laughed a bit. Then she concluded, "You'll see."

With that, Bethany started to turn toward the door labeled "Other Guests." She stopped, quickly turned back to us, and said, "Listen, you've both been working very hard, and you're both really nice. Please do me a personal favor — please relax and just have some fun together tonight." Her smile was as sincere as her words as she turned, walked through the door, and left us alone together.

I looked back at Risa who, like me, had been genuinely touched by Bethany's closing words. I walked into her room. She closed the door behind me.

Once inside, we both sat on the large sofa in the sitting room.

"That's a beautiful dress," I said truthfully but a bit tongue-tied. Risa looked like a fashion model rather than an advertising executive and event organizer.

I estimated Risa would be about five feet seven inches tall without shoes, so with the black criss cross platform pump faux suede five-inch high heels, she was easily nearly six feet tall.

"Thank you, Tom. I have to confess that Bethany and I went shopping yesterday afternoon. Without her help, I would probably have been in a turtleneck pantsuit. She assured me several times this would be appropriate attire for Family Night at the Club."

The shimmery V-collar strapless navy blue dress with the showing-just-enough plunging neckline was perfect for Risa's slender figure and her long, perfectly formed legs. The dress's hem stopped four inches above the knees in the back and sides, but it was asymmetrically higher in the front middle drawing my eyes upward toward dreamland. Sadly, it stopped a bit below mid-thigh.

Where other dresses might have shoulder straps, on this one were just-right bright gold chains. The dress was backless except for the gold of the chains. Her earrings and delicate necklace perfectly complemented the dress.

"You and Bethany made a great choice, Risa."

"Thank you. I just hope it's not too daring."

I knew that from my previous visits at The Club with Sharon, most of the other women would probably be slutted up for Family Night. If anything, I was concerned that after seeing them, Risa might feel overdressed.

"You look absolutely elegant, Risa. It's the perfect dress for you. It's subtle. It's the kind of dress that really excites guys by hinting rather than flashing. Me included."

The healthy white skin on her face turned just slightly crimson.

"Now I know why Mikki likes you so much. She really does, you know. Your wanting to see her again and go on a date when she comes back is something she rarely hears from a man. Most of the men who know she's a newhalf are only interested in her anatomy."

"From what Bethany was saying, it seems likely both of you will be coming back for a formal exhibit of Mikki's photos."

"It's looking promising. Bethany and Michael and Paul are wonderful to work with. And I can't tell you how impressed I was with Bethany's suggestions about how to present Mikki's photos here. Bethany really understands the members and their guests. Mikki and I were astonished to hear that she's never planned a formal photo exhibit before. She had thought of things many very experienced gallery managers ignore until we're loading in the exhibit and then they spring what we call 'oh, by the ways' on us."

"Did Bethany tell you about her background? Especially her three years in Japan?"

"Learning the ins-and-outs of managing a love hotel? Yes, she did. And you can see clearly how much they've applied her experiences here. Her family's commitment to the comfort, convenience, and privacy of their customers is really remarkable. I'm glad I was able to stay for the event tonight to see if everything goes as smoothly as they said it would."

I looked at my watch, then said, "We should probably go over our game plan for tonight so we can be downstairs promptly at 5:10. I think Bethany probably gave you the same suggestions she gave me?"

Risa quickly recounted what Bethany had suggested to her. It was nearly identical to everything Bethany had told me in the elevator foyer.

"Are you comfortable with everything she suggested?" I asked.

"Oh, sure. Bethany has no way of knowing what kind of conversations Mikki and I have had with our clients when they raise concerns about the erotic nature of Mikki's artistic photos.

And although Sharon probably wasn't supposed to, she has told Corinne and Mikki and me about some of The Club's shows. You know Sharon when it comes to sex! But at the same time, she's also said that the people here are exceptionally careful and considerate to observe other members' and guests' personal boundaries.

I seriously doubt that I'll hear or see anything here tonight that Mikki and I haven't heard or seen at various clubs in San Francisco, so please, Tom, don't worry."

Risa's very down-to-earth answer was reassuring. We talked easily and comfortably about her and Mikki's business and my graduate studies until 5:05 p.m.