Transition Plan Chapter 119 - Searching for Jeanne Part 37
Authors Notes: Rated very T for some very steamy scenes with Jeanne and Jack. I was going to make this two parts but would rather you get the entire chapter arc all at once. One more chapter to go and the epilogue! :)
…
After a second, unforeseen, shocking near-death experience at the hands of the same man who nearly killed her before, Jeanne became emotionally very fragile again despite every precaution by four seasoned fighters to prevent Farnsworth's attack. Once Jack and the fathers had revived Jeanne and got her safely to the hotel, Jack and Jeanne immediately restarted their twice-daily litany of confidence-building for Jeanne along with Jack's constant presence and touch, constant quiet conversation and reassurance of her, and a lot of praying together. She rarely left his embrace and hardly let go of his hands the entire day, and refused to go the hospital for any kind of treatment. The rest of the family observed Jack's tender care of his wife, but kept their distance for their private therapy the first day. She managed to eat a little food brought by room service. No one wanted to interfere with the successful discipline that healed her over the year they were in the wild.
But after a mostly restful night in Jack's comforting arms, the next day, at Jack's request and with Jeanne's desire, every family member tended to her and gave her encouragement too. Both parents and families got a much closer look at how broken Jeanne had been and how uncertain life had been for the young couple immediately following the early months after the escape from the slave market, and how Jack had restored Jeanne's mental health. Everyone did everything they could to help buoy her spirits. Tarzan read a number of very uplifting scripture readings to her while she held her father-in-law's hand. The mothers bought her favorite flowers for the dresser in their bedroom suite at the hotel, which made her smile. Lily and the other younger children were very kind to her, hugged her, and did everything they could to build her up emotionally.
Lily helped the others make her a big greeting card and decorated it with lots of cute pictures of animals and flowers and Jack and Jeanne walking as a Mangani couple hand in hand in the jungle, which brought her a lot of happy tears, but she looked with a little more scrutiny at the rendering of them.
"Lily, dear sister, I hate to complain because this is so lovely, but I must say my butt is not really that big."
Lily was at a quandary because Jeanne was wrong, and stammered, "Uh... well, sis..."
Not happy with the response she was getting, Jeanne immediately turned to Jack, "Tell her, dear."
Without thinking, Jack noted in admiration of the picture, "I think that she drew you just about perfect, cherie, and especially your brea..."
"You big jungle jerk!" Jeanne interjected, smacked her husband in jest, then snidely insulted him, "Well it just so happens dear, I think Lily was far too generous in drawing the size of your pen..."
He instantly stopped her and smothered her with kiss. She gave him a very mischievous giggle and grin. She knew that if anything, Lily hadn't drawn him big enough. Lily totally lost it in laughter. This whole teasing exchange helped raise her spirits. But this wasn't all.
Even the two youngest boys sensed something had made their big sister really sad, so Andrew and Etienne tried to read their favorite children's books to her and shared their toys with Jeanne, which really cheered her up because even the toddlers were trying to help her feel better.
One night after a week or so of constant care by everyone in both families, Jeanne felt confident enough in her second recovery to say, "You all have been so much help to me. Thank you. I want to do something special for you. This is my town, whether I like to admit it or not. The dance hall girls and I went a lot of places to get away from Karl-Heinz. I'm taking you all to dinner at my favorite place on my money. I want to treat you all for being so kind and loving to me."
Jack was worried, "Are you sure, cherie? Won't you have bad memories?"
Jeanne assured her husband, "No, Jack. Being with the girls was mostly good memories for me. We were just girl friends together and for awhile we could forget all the men."
Josephine was more cautious, "Honey, you don't have to do this. Save your money to do something nice for yourself and Jack."
Jeanne insisted, "No Mama, I have to do this for the entire family. I have to feel like I'm in charge of my life again and that I have some control. And to thank you all. I would have never recovered so fast this time without Jack and all of you helping me get better."
…Restaurant District Dar es Salaam…
They were all dining at one of the most popular restaurants in town. To start the evening, Jeanne ordered a fine champagne and gave everyone a toast of thanks and support, and they even let Lily have a taste, which made her feel really grown up, though Jeanne herself warned Lily to 'not like alcohol too much' as she had done. The younger children shared a sparkling cider to feel like they fit in with the grown-ups. The bubbles tickled the younger children's noses and they all giggled. Jack led them in a prayer of thanks.
The sea grouper fish dinner was incredibly good, which Jeanne had recommended. She'd personally caught hundreds of them years ago when she fished on the Russian boat, and everyone wanted to hear more stories about that good but completely missing period in her life with the Russian fishing family. It helped boost her confidence even more and she felt very good as the hostess of the table, suggesting appetizers, and desserts and wines as well as the main course. The actual waiter tending them felt really inadequate compared to Jeanne's talents, but she tipped him well to make him feel better. She was very proud of herself and was feeling very good, smiling constantly because the family really appreciated how nice her party was.
Once again her exceptional talent as an event organizer showed through. The family had seen that at the marriage rededication, and Jack and Tarzan had experienced her catering abilities as long ago at the violently-interrupted reception for them at Walvis Bay. Jack and Jeanne seriously discussed that she would start a real catering business back in Scotland and England under the Clayton Enterprises umbrella, because of the elderly woman's request and the fact that Lily insisted on her big sister doing her wedding and reception. She really didn't need the money, but she loved the socialization and happiness she could bring others. Just like now.
Jeanne sipped on her dessert wine, very satisfied with herself in a humble way, watching her families finish up having a great evening together. Jack appeared to have something to say in private, so he leaned in and clinked his wine glass with her, and she slid her spectacles down to the tip of her nose, revealing her incredible hazel eyes to her husband, put her forehead against his, flashed her eyelashes at him, and asked the handsome face in front of her softly, "Yes, sweetheart?"
He blinked in complete distraction with her amazing looks, finally remembered what he was going to actually say, smiled, and praised her, "'Noblewoman' is looking mighty good on you right now, dear."
With her eyes closed, Jeanne closed the short distance to his mouth and took a slow, tender drink of his lips, and simply smiled demurely at his compliment.
But it was time to go. The younger kids were getting fidgety. Jeanne called for and then paid the bill with her own cash. Being able to guide the night's social events for the family's enjoyment felt even better to her. The cost was over four figures.
As they prepared to leave dinner to take several taxis back to the Grand Hotel, however, a nice looking middle-aged man approached Jeanne politely and asked her, "Excuse me, ma'am. Weren't you a dancer?"
Jeanne turned suddenly nervous, not recognizing the man at all, and Jack had his hand on his knife to defend her if this was yet another attack. She asked tentatively, "Sir, um… what kind of dancer?"
Armand remembered where his concealed gun was and had a clear shot at the man talking to his daughter. Josephine knew that look, so she put her hand on his damaged hand for support and restraint.
The middle-aged stranger said confidently, showing no sign of threats, "A burlesque dancer, dear. You look a lot like the Lovely La. The exotic dancing star at Siegfried's Burlesque."
Everyone was now completely on edge for some kind of revenge or awful thing to happen. Tarzan stood ready to strike. Lily gripped her knife in her clutch purse ready to help her sister-in-law. Armand searched for the telltale outline of a handgun underneath the man's suit coat, but saw nothing.
"Yes I was her. But I'm retired," Jeanne admitted calmly, with her hand on her own knife. She knew that by coming here she was deliberately in harm's way, but wondered when the unexpected dangers to her and her family would ever end.
She wasn't embarrassed, even though the family was extremely uncomfortable, especially Jack, on her behalf. Jack looked for best way to drive his knife up through the man's throat and chin, deep into his brain if he needed to.
But the man spoke kindly, as his wife joined him, not noticing the families were completely on guard for Jeanne's protection, "Pity that. I just have to say, young woman, how truly beautiful you were, and how elegantly you danced. You were different, Frau La. You were pure artistry expressed in your exquisite nude form. All the others were so blatantly and often grossly suggestive. You did it… differently, even though the dance was still very sexual and explicit. It was like you were making love to someone you loved dearly, not that you were just displaying yourself. I even took my wife to see you. She especially felt you were like poetry in motion. More like what a nude ballerina would be like if they could dance that way. You… um… inspired us that night."
Jeanne blushed with his wonderful compliments, "Thank you, kind sir."
It set the family more at ease over what she did, especially Jack.
"Do you still dance, sweetie?" asked the wife of the man with a gentle smile.
"Only for one man," Jeanne smiled back at the woman and took her husband's hand with their ring finger hands showing.
The man turned his attention to Jack, "You sir, are the luckiest husband in all of Africa. I don't know if you ever saw her dance at Siegfried's, but she wasn't really a dirty dancer. She just danced beautifully in a dirty place. Good luck to both of you in life. You seem very happy together."
The couple departed and you could hear the collective sigh of relief from the family members.
Jeanne started to apologize to Jack but got flustered in front of her family, "Sweetheart… I… uh…"
Jack took both her hands in his, and spoke for both families to hear, building Jeanne's confidence higher to defuse her rising embarrassment, "Don't apologize, cherie. It's all right. I liked hearing his compliments, and your dance was like a ballet, sweetheart. Remember, I know. I saw all of it the night before I rescued you. It's in the past now."
Her adoration soared for him in his non-judgmental support for her, but needed to say to him, as well as to the family, making sure the parents and the older children clearly understood her past and how she coped with the awful situation, "And I want you to remember, dear, that the man I danced to make love to every night was you, Jack. I never saw anyone else in the crowd but your face in my mind and heart."
The entire family realized how Jeanne made a terrible situation beautiful for them in her desperate daily battle to hang on to her love for Jack and her morals. Josephine loved her son-in-law even more, seeing another fine example of his commitment to Jeanne's well-being, no matter what happened to her in the past.
They made it back to the Grand Hotel, letting the young couple be by themselves for a quiet evening together. Their lovemaking was very gentle. That night's joining was not just about pleasure, but more about the soothing oneness the connection gave them at nearly every coupling now, from which she drew on his much-needed strength and assurance.
…
The families knew they were going to have to stay in Dar es Salaam awhile, for depositions, statements, and testimony with the trial for Farnsworth's attempted murder and embezzlement. Complicating matters worse, Farnsworth's lawyer was trying to make the case that although Jack's defense of Jeanne against Farnsworth's unprovoked attack was justified, emasculating his client was extreme, and that Jack also deserved punishment and imprisonment. The judge called for hearings over the accusation, but did in parallel with the prosecution of Farnsworth. Tarzan got his best lawyer there quickly by plane.
After many days in the courthouse, they were waiting for the judge's verdict on both the prosecution and hearing. It was a good thing Jack didn't kill Farnsworth. That would have taken months more, even with the self-defense argument. The other family members were otherwise under no suspicion of criminal wrongdoing. It was pretty clear that judge was leaning toward only punishing the assault and attempted murder perpetrated by Farnsworth and not the 'justified' violence by Jack. Tarzan's lawyer was doing a very good job of proving the case for Farnsworth's embezzlement and violations of international law as well. For the two attempted murder attacks on and solicitation of Jeanne, Jack was called as witness to that, and Jeanne was an expert witness about her attempted murderer's bookkeeping misconduct of company funds.
Mrs. Whiggins testified also that she was forced to 'cook the books' by her former employer, and witness to much of his conspiratorial plans and actions, and threats to her to remain silent, which was extremely damaging to Farnsworth.
While this was going on, Tarzan was actually feeling very uncertain of himself and his judgment as a corporate leader, especially after Sir Cedric's conspiracies. Farnsworth had been one of Tarzan's most highly trusted and successful men. All the family assured the Jungle Lord that despite his best judgment, bad things could still happen because people can make their own choices – good or bad. Jeanne was especially helpful in comforting Tarzan with all her business experience with Jaeger and how he dealt with his people.
Finally, the judge ruled in Jack's innocence and Farnsworth's conviction. The combined family could barely contain themselves with happiness. Jack's supposedly too-strident emasculation defense charges were dismissed as an 'appropriate defense' of Jeanne based on the prior attack on her. In contrast, the judge found Mr. Farnsworth guilty of all the charges of corporate embezzlement, racketeering, violations of international trade laws, bribery, attempted rape, solicitation, slavery and abetting human trafficking, and two counts attempted murder. The sentence for Farnsworth was for life imprisonment without parole, since this was his second attempt on the same woman's life and several egregious sexual crimes. The judge had considered execution by hanging, but Jeanne intervened for leniency, despite her father's and Jack's advice. This man was far worse than Jaeger.
After leaving the courtroom, Jeanne gave Jack a big hug and kiss to congratulate him being cleared of charges and Farnsworth getting true justice.
"Looks like I don't have to help you escape jail after all, jungle boy," she snickered.
The family was completely exhausted - but relieved - that Jack was exonerated, and needed to celebrate, so all the women went out on the town for a day of shopping and planned to join with the men for a great dinner together to cap off this part of the journey before moving on to their next destination. The women and girls all bought matching Indian saris from that part of the shopping district. For Jeanne, her mother and sister, their dark olive skins made them look much like Indian women in the saris. The girls knew the bare midriffs of those colorful gowns would turn their men's heads. Michelle couldn't wait to show hers to Paul.
When the men and women rejoined later in the day, causing all of them to swoon in their new outfits, including Paul, Tarzan asked his daughter-in-law with a smile, "So, where should we go for dinner tonight to celebrate – where money is no object? This one's on me, Jeanne, dear daughter."
"You are the best father-in-law I ever had, Dad Clayton," she quipped, rose up on her toes, and kissed his cheek with a very satisfying smack. Jane smiled at the father/daughter-in-law affection.
Tarzan rolled his eyes and responded, "Last time I checked, I'm the only father-in-law you ever had, dear daughter…"
"Of that you can be sure, Daddy C!" she quipped.
They had a good laugh over that. Tarzan got a solid dose of Jeanne's wittiness with Jack. They seemed so comfortable around each other. She was very pleased that he'd offered a fancy dinner to celebrate together, and so she rattled off several great restaurants, holding Tarzan's hand sweetly like any daughter would hold their real father's hand in affection. Jack and Lily liked seeing that immensely, but no one more so than Tarzan. She did feel like a real daughter.
The family knew the trouble she'd had here, but everyone concluded that otherwise Dar es Salaam was nice city, especially for those 'of privilege' because of the wide varieties of shops, markets, restaurants, places to go see, and normal kinds of dancing and entertainment.
…On the edge of the Restaurant District near the Adult Entertainment District…
The family made the rounds of the city getting ready to go to dinner, they but ended up at the entrance of a long boulevard that was much darker than the rest of the area.
Jack asked his wife, "Is this where I think we are?"
"Yes. Right down the street. Take me there now, please, Jack. I have to see it," she requested as she held his hand firmly.
Jeanne said to her parents, "We'll be along shortly. We'll meet you for dinner. I need to see what happened to the old dance hall."
Josephine asked, "Honey, is that wise? What if someone sees you, like that man the other night? What if there is trouble this time?"
"That's where I come in," Jack assured his mother-in-law.
"Should one of us go with you? Armand asked, "There is always strength in numbers."
Jeanne assured him, "No Papa. It will be all right. We'll see you all at dinner."
The street seemed darker as they went past all the brothels and the competitors' dance halls, including some new places, and she shuddered for all the girls who remained trapped in this lifestyle. She was fortunate. She was rescued from all this squalor. She saw Siegfried's burlesque hall in the distance. But it was closed, boarded up, and in quite a state of disrepair as they stood in front of it.
"Is this far enough or do we go in and find out what happened?" Jack asked.
Jeanne was focused, "We go in. I have to know what happened here. For my peace of mind, Jack."
Jack kidded her, "So my dear, are you ready to add 'breaking and entering' and 'trespassing' to our list of offenses?"
Jeanne gave a nervous laugh, "Sure! Let's just pile our crimes on."
Jack picked his way through some random debris and made his way to the main entrance door which was nailed shut. He used his knife and his raw power to pry it open.
His concealed strength amazed her, even though she'd seen it before numerous times while they honeymooned in the jungle. At nine, his displays of strength were impressive. At 19, his power was simply unbelievable. He was stronger than a half dozen men.
The familiar bar, the stage, and the seating area were all in disarray and decaying. Siegfried's Burlesque had clearly been closed for some time. They made their way through the dance hall. Many tables were gone, or broken or upended, with chairs strewn about.
Jack looked around the chaotic scene of tables and chairs, "Jeanne. I was here somewhere, dear, the night of… of all the trouble."
Jeanne quietly walked over to a damaged table that had a metal sign with the number '17' on it, stood by it and said, "Jack. This was your table. You sat right here. You were the English businessman at Table 17. Rita said there was a handsome, very tall, broad-shouldered man with black dreads under your derby. That could only have been you. You impressed the heck out of her. If only I had agreed to sit with you… I just thought you were just another nasty man come to take advantage of me. We could have just quietly walked out of here together and vanished into the night before all the trouble started…"
They both instinctively sat together at the table and held hands across it like lovers would in a quiet setting for two, imagining a less gut-wrenching reunion. The connection gave them a vivid imaginary vision of them simply walking away that night with no one knowing and taking a Clayton freighter home.
"It doesn't matter now dear. What happened was what happened. I didn't care about her. I was only there to watch you."
"Jack!" she said in surprise and a blush.
Jack explained with a grin, "I didn't mean it that way."
She pecked his cheek, and held his hands tighter, "I know, sweetie. Of course you didn't. I know you were here figuring out how to save me."
"This feels so good sitting here with him. If only I had known…" she regretted further.
"And I was in total shock that you were 'the Lovely La'."
"Yeah… I guess so," she said sadly.
Jack took the table sign, and pocketed it, "For the good part of this memory, dear."
Jeanne smiled at the nostalgia he showed and squeezed his hand, "Yes dear, I agree."
They proceeded on to the stage and back stage to the dressing room. It was surprisingly undisturbed and locked.
"I can break it," Jack offered.
She stayed his hand, "No. Don't."
She knew where the hidden key was. It was still there.
They carefully opened the creaky door. It startled a rat into hiding. The room smelled musty and of perfume and the odor of sweaty old dancers' clothes.
Curiously, there were still a lot of the props and costumes hanging on racks or piled around, though most were knocked over or damaged. Her dressing cabinet was oddly still there, and seemed undisturbed compared to the others.
The 'Lovely La' paper bill with her image on it like the full sized poster Jack saw was still hanging there on her mirror but fading. He looked at it and commented, "I guess you were so beautiful and talented that you were irreplaceable, not to mention irresistible, cherie. No wonder no one took your dresser."
"You're sweet, dear. Thank you," she blushed with his praise, but she was suddenly overwhelmed by the world she was saved from, and clutched him in tears, "But I was a stripper, Jack. A stripper. You saw me show myself to men like I did hundreds of times. I had one of the most degrading jobs a girl can ever have. And yet you still love me."
"Every day of my life, dearest Jeanne," he whispered softly into her ear, giving her a world-class case of goosebumps. It would be awhile before they broke their gentle embrace.
Feeling better because of Jack's assurances, Jeanne continued to explore the dressing room. Nearly everything was indeed in place. She found the second hidden key to her dresser. Inside her makeup drawer was a sealed note signed by all her fellow dancers. It said:
Meriem—
We all hope you are OK wherever you are. We miss you, little sister.
You just disappeared overnight. There are rumors you were sold as a slave.
It's all over now. The police shut us down. We don't blame you. It was Farnsworth.
It's too late to think we'll ever be together again.
-Love,
Your big sisters
It shocked Jeanne how much that moved her and she was instantly in tears. She spent more than a year as a dancer with them and she did feel like their little sister. The girls were her only friends at the time. They were her only daily escape from the cruelness of Karl-Heinz and Gunter, no matter how flawed they all were. Especially given how flawed she was at the time. Jeanne clutched and kept the note, and put it in her purse. Jack knew how much she needed that boost.
Looking deeper in the dresser drawers, Jeanne was shocked. Untouched inside was her silver, black, and gray burlesque costume. She lifted it out. Its sequins sparkled in the dim lighting.
"It's beautiful, Jeanne. You were incredible in it," he admitted, but it made him nervous, and he didn't say that he thought she was more incredible out of it.
She admired the outfit, and smiled at him, "It's all here. I want to keep this, Jack."
Jack dared to touch it as she offered him a look at it, "It looks like no one ever wore this after you."
"It's bad luck to wear someone's outfit who left under terrible circumstances. Jack… I want to wear it again - for your eyes only. Please?"
Jack cautioned her, wondering if coming here was a good idea after all, "Are you sure, dear? Won't this be a bad memory? I don't want you to… um… relapse again."
She smiled at Jack in assurance, "No, cheri. This is just for you. Just for us. You know I only thought of you when I danced. One night alone together in our bedroom, I want to see your real eyes staring at me when I dance only for you. And I want this because every good memory for me of these awful times started to happen the last day I wore this – not knowing at the time that I was dancing for you at Table 17 - and later in the gown they ripped off me in that awful place."
Jack was a bit hesitant, "I'm thinking…"
"Jack? Please? I need to dance for you, sweetheart," she wrung his hand anxiously and had a pleading look.
He realized this would be a catharsis for her. Despite everything they had done together to bring her back to normal, she was still in mental and emotional recovery. That was the purpose of this trip as much as a prolonged second honeymoon in civilization.
Jack smiled and held her, "You will look magnificent. I'll be your most appreciative audience ever."
She blushed in appreciation and then kidded him, "You are the only audience I ever wanted. They never let the men touch the dancers. For you, husband, I will make an exception."
"Can't wait, sweetheart."
He looked forward to that special date. He knew that at the end, he would get to make love to this beautiful dancer, and then she would have complete closure over this period of her life. He knew, after almost two years with her, how she worked through all the bad parts of her life – by reliving them with Jack close to her side - to make them right and to find forgiveness in his eyes, even though she had that many times over from him already.
She packed her show makeup, costume, shoes, hose and garter belt, show jewelry, feather head band, and gloves into a bag. She looked very confident clutching her bag full of the costume attire for him to see.
"I'm ready to go now. This helped me a lot, dear," and she stood up, smiled at him sweetly, and leaned in confidently for a loving kiss of thanks.
He put the playbill with her picture in the bag, too. She was happy he did that.
She grinned, "You're sweet, dear. But that's not something we want to share with the kids when we have them though…"
"Yeah," Jack chuckled, "'Mommy was a stripper' is not exactly 'show and tell' subject matter for school."
They both had a good laugh. She did seem to be in much better spirits now.
Jack rummaged through her other stuff to get a sense of the upside down world that she lived in really was like, and tried daily to keep herself together. He saw something black. He held it up. It was her full length one piece full body black leotard.
His eyes grew wide, "Is this yours, too? I want this!"
"You'll look lovely in it, dear husband," she snickered.
He gave her that fake nasty look she enjoyed so much when she yanked his chain. She giggled.
"Let me have that," she said as she reached for the garment, and she held it against her outfit and she modeled for him, intentionally seductively for him.
Jack's eyes bulged. It would cover everything, but would be so form-fitting and revealing that it would clearly look like it wasn't covering anything. He fought back some pangs of desire.
Jeanne was very pleased, "I always wanted to wear this again. I sent the rescue message to you in my leotard when I sneaked away from practicing my dances for the party a few minutes. It wasn't that long after the connection told me you were coming. But it took so long for you to get to me, Jack. I know now it was because of the broken airplane and the leopards and Akut. But not then. I was so afraid you'd never come. I felt something, but didn't really know you were here until the minute you actually bought me."
Jack smiled at her to cheer her up, "I'm sorry it took so long to find you dear, and you know already how much I regret not being able to tell you I was here. Now I wish the radio could have sent pictures as well as your voice. Seeing you in that, I would have been here in 3 days had I known you were wearing this then."
"You dirty minded Scotsman!" she scolded playfully and punched his arm.
"And proud of it!" he quipped, shrugging.
She noted in a sultry voice, "And by the way, it'll be perfect for cold nights at Greystoke."
"Especially when I take it off you," he teased.
She winked, "Assuming you can figure out how."
He pulled his blade and grinned, "When all else fails…"
Her eyes grew wide, "You'd never! I like wearing this leotard."
The leotard was quickly added to the bag. Both smiled.
"Can you wear it tonight?" he asked anxiously.
"It's hot at the hotel, Jack," she replied.
"This will make it hotter."
"You and your one track mind, Jonathan Robert Clayton IV", she smirked and poked his nose.
But she thought it would be fun to snuggle with him wearing it, even if just for a little while. Just to watch him get frustrated to try to get it off her. And to watch his eyeballs pop when she peeled it off for him, because she never wore anything else underneath it. It would be perfect for long, cold winter nights at Castle Greystoke.
"For as long as he would let me keep it on," she scoffed silently.
Sleeping in the nude with her husband in chilly nights under the mountain of covers in their bed was really all the warmth she needed. They already proved that.
They started to leave the place, locked the door and hid the key again, perhaps for some other dancer to come back, but heard a noise on the way out.
There was a derelict sitting at the bar on the one functional bar stool. They hadn't noticed him on the way in. He had a mostly empty bottle of peppermint schnapps.
She was shocked as she recognized the bum at the bar, "Ohmigosh. Siegfried? You look terrible."
"Thanks lady. I really need that reminder."
Jack knew that was mean but Siegfried was instrumental in her almost being a slave and was the man that originally forced her become a burlesque line dancer as well as a waitress. He abandoned her and fired her just because Farnsworth said so.
He squinted at the woman who insulted him, "You know you're trespassing, right? I should… oh… wait… I know you! Meriem!? God Almighty, you're even prettier than when you worked here."
His breath stunk terribly of liquor.
Jeanne said haughtily, "I got a better life. Much better than here."
"But weren't you were supposed to be sold at the slave market? Farnsworth demanded I get rid of you and Karl-Heinz had a plan for you."
"The highest bidder is now my husband," she said proudly.
"Oh… well… congratulations," he noted tentatively, not really sure her slave owner being her husband was a good thing.
"Thank you Siegfried. So the place went out of business after you got rid of me?" she wondered.
"Farnsworth wasn't done punishing us for you saying 'no' to him, Meriem. You're to blame for this… this disaster. All of this ruin is because you said 'no' to him. He hated anyone who denied him… and their friends. He got even many times over. You put everyone here out of work, Meriem. And I lost everything."
Jack pulled out his crossbow, "Be careful of the words you say to my wife, you broken down old man. Farnsworth is spending life in prison for all his crimes he did here, you bastard. You were a coward to not resist him. He tried to kill my wife a second time and we stopped him."
The crossbow threat didn't really cause any reaction in Siegfried. Jeanne made him put it away. She assured Jack that Siegfried's harsh words were having no effect on her.
He was very bitter, "Well, they shoulda executed the sonofabitch for all the damage he did to my place and my people. Obviously, including you. I was just following orders. I'm sorry, Meriem. If it makes you feel any better, the place went downhill fast right after I let you go. People loved you and it was you that they came to see. And word got around I sold you as a slave. People hated me for that and boycotted the place."
She appreciated Jack defending her but remained kind. She didn't need an argument, "So what happened after you got rid of me?"
"Selling you just started everything getting worse, although with the riot there, no one knew what happened to you, especially when Karl-Heinz and Gunter and Margrite all disappeared when you did. When the girls found out I fired you after you turned down Farnsworth and Karl-Heinz sold you, all the girls quit and went to the other dance halls because word got around that I couldn't be trusted. None of our clients liked the new girls I hired and our choreographer quit too - to go to my main competitor. The new girls were awful dancers and high maintenance and three of them got pregnant instantly with clients, but they were the only ones I could get to work for me. The place was empty. All our patrons went to see my girls at the other dance halls. Business wasn't good enough to sustain us. I watered the drinks to cut costs and people stopped buying them. Farnsworth stopped his patronage and gifts and gave the next harbor party to our competitor. Worse, he set up the police to close us for a million different trumped up violations of the liquor and prostitution laws."
She didn't really want to get into a big argument, but her famous temper flared again, "It serves you right, you arshloch."
For once Jack was happy she cussed out her former employer.
"Don't give me that, Meriem. You pretty much ruined us singlehandedly."
She wasn't taking any of his criticism, "You should have never put me in that situation, Siegfried. You knew I was only a hostess and a dancer. Not a whore. Not even a one-time whore. I told you that time and time again. I just gave in for the 2 million. I hate to say this, but I think anyone would have. I am ashamed that I did say 'yes' before I came to my senses and said 'no' before it was too late. But Siegfried, I can't say that I'm sorry all this happened. At least I'm glad the girls quit on you and got good jobs elsewhere. I only cared about them. I was your big moneymaker. I was your 'Josephine Baker'. Why weren't you happy leaving at just that? Why didn't you stand up to Farnsworth yourself?"
He was more apologetic and despondent than argumentative in tone, "I know. Please don't remind me. Why, Meriem? Because I was like you. I was dazzled by the 2 million, too. You wanted to be free and I wanted more profit. I wanted the money and the freedom it would bring me to run this place. You wanted to be done being Karl-Heinz' slave. I wanted that for you too. I thought I was doing you a huge favor. It was a good deal for everyone. I just didn't realize how much it would hurt you. I'm sorry, Meriem. Thank God at least it all worked out for you. Your husband looks like a good man and seems really rich. But look at me…"
He put his face down on the filthy bar top and sighed.
Jeanne genuinely felt sorry for the man who lost everything and had remorse for him. He actually apologized to her for what he did. Something she never thought possible.
"Siegfried… Umm… what can I do to help?" Jeanne unexpectedly asked. Jack was startled at her compassion when he thought she would unload on him in anger.
Still in his head down position, he muttered, "I'm a dead man living a dead dream, Meriem. Just let me die in peace…"
She held out a huge wad of cash from her account. There was at least three quarter million Pounds.
"Would this help you get back on your feet, Siegfried? Doing something legit?"
The man looked at it temptingly but waved her off, "I'd just drink it away, Meriem. Save it for you and your husband."
Jeanne insisted, "No really, Siegfried. I want you to have it. Surely you still have some dreams left?
She could see a glimmer of a fond recollection in his eyes, "Well… I started out long ago with a little German restaurant with some authentic costumed German dancers here in the city. I always dreamed of starting another one. There really isn't a good German restaurant in Dar es Salaam anymore, and the local German population wants one. Especially with everyone trying to cater to British tastes now."
She held out the stack of cash insistently, "Start it again. I think this would let you do it."
He took it gratefully, "You'd do this for me? After all I did to you?"
"Yes Siegfried. Because it's the right thing to do. I forgive you that you and Karl-Heinz forced me to be a dancer here instead of a hostess and how you treated me in the end."
With a tear in his eyes, he said, "Thank you."
There was a silence, but in a more confident state, Siegfried asked, "Meriem, you said this man is your new slave owner and husband. Who are you really, sir?"
The pair looked at each other, reminding themselves to not totally reveal their true identities beyond the minimum, to protect their families from future harm.
"I'm Jack, I'm the guy she always wanted to rescue her. I'm the reason why she wanted to stay a good girl in spite of you and her kidnappers Karl-Heinz and Gunter and Margrite."
"Ohmigod. Jack – you're the boyfriend we never saw but she always talked about? You're the mystery man that the rumors say you bought her before the riot at the final day of the slave market?"
Jack responded with restrained criticism, "One and the same. And I caused the riot at the slave market. I should hate you and beat the life out of you, Herr Siegfried. You forced her to strip in the first place. My beautiful wife - whose body is mine alone to have, you made a stripper in front of thousands of despicable men like you. But fortunately her beauty extends to her very soul too. She's given you a second chance to be a respectable business man. Don't squander it."
Jack made Jeanne very proud, and his compliments warmed her heart, but it was time to end this, "Jack, dearest. It's getting late. We don't want to keep our families waiting for dinner."
"I know," Jack answered. They exchanged farewells and Siegfried was alone again in his destroyed business.
After they left, Siegfried took a long, final swig of the schnapps bottle. He emptied it, looked at it as if it would fill itself up again, and tossed it aside. It shattered, scaring a feral cat in the shadows. Rats scurried.
Another figure emerged from the shadows who'd been listening the whole time. It was a somewhat disheveled-looking woman in her mid-twenties, but was still very pretty, and about five months pregnant. She sat beside Siegfried on a partially damaged bar stool next to his. They entwined hands and hugged. Her wedding ring caught a glint of the dim light in the hall.
Siegfried smiled for the first time in months, and showed her the stack of cash, "Rita… honey, did you see this? I think we have a new lease on life. Thank you for staying with me."
Rita stroked his arm fondly, "Yes I did. I couldn't ever leave you, Siegfried. I'm not like the others. I love you. Through thick or thin, right? And for our baby. Our 'little sister' came home, dearest. Meriem was incredibly generous and forgiving, liebchen. But that's the way she always was. I'm so pleased for Meriem. Or whatever her real name is. She found her happiness. Or rather, Meriem's happiness found her! That man was 'Table 17' on her last night here, Siegfried. That was Jack."
"So I learned. Fitting. Meriem showed up right at the last drop of the last bottle from the bar. Time to move on. You were right, Rita. I should have listened to Meriem more. She was a smart girl. She had a lot more than just a great body. Nothing was right after I fired her. She was truly my moneymaker. I was an idiot to let her go. Now she's our savior."
Rita kissed him and expressed in her thickest German accent, "You know, dear husband, I've always fancied myself as a 'beer wench' in a busty Bavarian outfit and blond pig tails."
He stood up, straightened self, walked hand in hand with Rita out of the ruin of the dance hall and didn't look back. He had a new dream of how to recreate his mother's favorite sauerbraten and schnitzel recipes for hundreds of hungry people while they were entertained by live accordion music. And Rita.
…
On the street again, and in a rush to get to dinner, Jack asked a hard question, "Jeanne, dear do you want to go anywhere else?"
She knew what Jack was alluding to and answered emphatically, "No cheri, that's the one place I can't go. I know I can't handle it, and don't want to know. Besides it's just a burned out hulk now, thanks to you, sweetheart. You not only freed me but saved hundreds of others the same fate."
They pressed on.
…
Jack and Jeanne joined the families at the restaurant she'd picked for her father-in-law to celebrate the judge's verdicts that exonerated them and put Farnsworth away forever. They had to hurry to be on time and were still overcome by their experience at the dance hall and with Siegfried.
Josephine saw their looks and asked, "What happened?"
Jeanne answered her mother, "An unexpected ghost from the past, Mama. Harmless but startling. It was the dance hall owner who made me a burlesque dancer, fired me after I refused Farnsworth, and caused me to be sold into real slavery after Farnsworth demanded it. The man called Siegfried."
"How terrible for you to see him, honey," observed Josephine.
"At first it was. I was hoping he was dead. But now, his dance hall is closed and in ruins and he's just a homeless destitute drunken old man all alone. It's not Christian, but I was glad to see him so broken. I got so angry I even wanted to beat him, Mama. I'm sorry, Mama. You raised me better than to wish ill on people."
Josephine soothed Jeanne, "It's all right dear. He's another of those truly terrible men that took advantage of you. I thank God every day you survived it all against all odds, and they deserve all the punishment they can get for hurting you."
Jeanne explained, "It's because God was with me - whether I knew it or not - and you raised me right, Mama. I started out being really angry at Siegfried, but what happened to him since was so awful that I felt sorry for him and forgave him. I gave him some money to start a restaurant. I think I'll really be OK now. I gave the man - who I never thought I could forgive - new hope. There's only one more place to go. And it will be different with her."
Both sets of families gave her a supportive hug and they sat down to eat. Tarzan led them all in the family's table grace they were all used to, and then raised a toast to their good fortune, their many blessings, to justice, and to forgiveness.
…
The chatter at the restaurant was excited, happy, and nonstop. During a quiet moment during dinner, fifteen year old Lily noticed something with a glint in Jeanne's new bag she came back with from the dance hall. She peeked inside and her blue eyes widened, "Whoa, big sister. What is this?"
She smirked, "My chorus line outfit. It was still undamaged at the ruin of the burlesque hall."
She snickered, "Wow, sis, my brother is going to love this on you. An audience for one?"
"I'm going to try. If I can work up the nerve to wear it again," Jeanne blushed. Being the closest in age, Lily and Jeanne shared a lot of sisterly secrets about the man they both loved – one as a sister, one as a wife.
That was the extent of their conversation, but Lily got a deliciously naughty idea and cornered her mother and Jeanne's mother secretly after dinner. Both mothers laughed at Lily's creativity. They were instantly in on the plot. Michelle and Elisabeth were old enough to be part of the planning too, and it afforded a good life's lesson for the pre-teens. It was a long but very productive discussion between the adult women with the eleven year old girls why women would want to show their bodies to anyone but their immediate family and closest friends. And be paid for it.
…
About a week later, it was total chaos in the Royal Suite at the hotel as the Clayton's and Jacot's were in a frenzy to get to the local ballet company in time for a performance. Everyone was getting 'dressed to the nines' to go. The men were already in their tuxedoes. But Jeanne was far behind in getting prepared, and Lily, Josephine, and Jane were all in the bathroom with her, trying to help her get ready. Elisabeth and Michelle watched and assisted where they could.
Jack looked at his watch in worry and tapped on the locked bathroom door, wondering what was going on. Jeanne never locked the door. He cautioned, "It's really late, cherie."
An exasperated-sounding voice came from the other side of the door, "My hair is a mess, sweetheart. I'm trying to look pretty for you."
"You always look pretty for me. C'mon sweetie, throw on any old dress, forget your hair, and let's get moving."
She shot back tepidly, "It's the ballet, Jack. We're nobility. We're sitting in the deluxe box. Everyone in the theater is going to be watching us. Besides, this is a special night. I want to look my best."
"Can I help?" he offered, hoping to move her along. He tried the bathroom door. It was locked.
"Go away, Jack. It's my new dress your mother bought for me. You can't see me yet. I want it to be a surprise," she lied, which disturbed her a bit how easy it was to do so again so convincingly, even though this was all for his enjoyment.
The womenfolk were in and out of the bathroom in a rush, and he tried to peek but they blocked his view every time.
"Shoo!" his mother ordered with a frown upon her exit, grabbed Jack around the shoulders, and steered him away from hovering at the bathroom door, "Go sit in the parlor with the men and the boys. And just be patient. When she's ready, she'll call you back."
Jack wondered silently, "How many females does it take to do Jeanne's hair and dress?"
Granted, with beyond waist length hair like when she was 8, it did take a lot of work to do anything more than just let Jeanne's hair go straight or simply braided.
The women were giggling and laughing behind the locked door. Jack just rolled his eyes.
"Women…" he thought.
Whenever all the Clayton and Jacot women were together it was always madness. Jack, like Armand and Tarzan, normally knew to just keep out of the way. The men were taking care of Andrew and Etienne, who were uncomfortable in their miniature tux's, and were looking at their watches, just as impatient as Jack was.
A voice came from Jack and Jeanne's master bedroom. Jeanne's deep French accent was very pronounced whenever she spoke English and it made Jack's heart race with every word she spoke, "All right Jack. I think I'm ready. Come see."
There were a lot more female giggles. Something was up. The lilt in Jeanne's voice betrayed her.
Jack opened the door to their hotel bedroom suite. His eyes just about fell out of his head.
Flanked by Josephine, Jane, Lily, Michelle, and Elisabeth, all grinning from ear to ear and dressed in their formal attire, Jeanne stood, but in something not even remotely resembling a long formal gown. Jeanne wore the full ensemble of her nearly-nonexistent, shiny, black and silver burlesque costume. She struck a sultry pose and winked one of her naturally long black eyelashes in mascara and heavy eyeliner stage makeup at her husband. The flash of her iridescent purple/blue eye shadow made his heart skip.
"Hey there, you big, strong, handsome jungle boy," she said in the most sexy French intonation she could muster with a sharp shift of her hips to jar his sensibilities further.
It worked. With her hip thrust, Jack nearly fell over but caught himself on a chair. Lily nearly exploded in laughter.
This elaborate 'set up' prank on Jack by all the Jacot and Clayton women was certainly not all that innocent, but the pair was so cute together. There was no problem with that. As publicly mated human children of the Western Mangani troop and their frequent relations in their nest, Lily, the twins and Michelle were now well aware of the committed, loving, married sexuality of Jack and Jeanne and their parents, as well as the mated gorilla pairs, and other animals mates in the jungle.
Lily smiled that Jeanne had thrown herself so completely into this, but remembered that her big sister had been a little reluctant at first when first approached. Wearing her old burlesque costume and performing for Jack was far different than her simian mating dance for Jack in Akut's nest and the public coupling ritual for their Western Mangani family. While Jeanne joked with Jack about dancing the burlesque for him, and she did in fact take her costume from the dance hall, she was still carrying a lot of shame and guilt from her time there, despite Jack's help for her to work through it. Both mothers and Lily encouraged Jeanne about how therapeutic it would be for Jeanne to dance alone for her husband. Jeanne got enormous emotional support from the women about her talent and beauty and femininity. Slowly Jeanne warmed to the idea, and realized how much this would help her bury this part of the past. At that point Jane began the subterfuge to distract Jack and the men and boys about going to the ballet.
In all the preparation during the days before this arranged 'love play date' between Jack and Jeanne was a perfect lesson for Jeanne to emphasize with the eleven year old girls and fifteen year old Lily the differences between good and bad sexual behavior, when to say 'no', and only to say 'yes' when they were married. The mothers were very proud of Jeanne's dedication to use her terrible hardships and her resistance to many situations of extreme sexual immorality to teach her siblings, and they could see that make her stronger too.
It was all worth it now. Lily and the other girls were about to double over in laughter seeing their older sister pose seductively and throw their brother so totally off balance. The mothers were extremely amused, and while they wouldn't admit it, were hoping the special nature of this arranged night together might result in grandchildren. Jack's innocent reactions to his wife's incredible body reminded Jane of his father when he and Jane were newlyweds.
Lily made sure her idea completely played out. Right now, she knew that her brother could not even remember his own name. Lily was right. Jack could not breathe and felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest.
Jeanne was dressed from head to toe in her skimpy burlesque costume, and she modeled it suggestively for Jack to a lot of grins and snickering from all the other women. He hadn't seen her up close in her dance costume that night in the dance hall. She was absolutely ravishing in heavy show makeup, black hose and garters, shiny patent leather high heels, low cut top, and elbow length black gloves. Her very short costume skirt was puffed out and her white petticoats peeked out. Any movement at all by her and he could view her black panties underneath the white ruffles. Her legs went on forever covered in black hose, but her olive skin was exposed at the thigh to her skirt line and again through her uncovered shoulders and cleavage.
When Jeanne turned, Jack could see her shoulders were exposed and the bare back of her outfit plunged nearly all the way down to where her waist flared to her hips. Her jeweled headband and feathers topped her beautiful, heavily-curled and put-up hair. Her outfit was covered in sequins and metallic thread that sparkled, deliberately designed to draw attention to everything feminine about her. The hairdo all the women had worked on so diligently made her look like she had flapper-style short hair again, and extended slightly above her shoulders. Her wedding and engagement rings would have been covered by a black glove, so she prominently displayed them hanging from a simple silver necklace that matched her glasses and hung around her neck so that the rings intentionally fell right in the middle of her deep cleavage, so Jack would be forced to look there. All the 'peekaboo' areas were covered.
"For now…" she thought with a devious little grin.
Jack just stared. At everything. She watched with delight as her husband absorbed every part and feature of her into his eyes. It delighted her that her looks pleased him so much. His was indeed the face she had imagined dancing for every night for over a year. And that face was smiling back at her as joyful as she had ever seen him. His desire for her - born of his deep love and adoration for her - was completely different than the men who lasciviously ogled her night after night.
This was exactly what she needed.
"Are you ready for my version of the ballet, lover?" she cooed, after giving him plenty of time to appreciate her fantastic looks, with a finger touching her slightly open and pouting ruby red lips.
Michelle snickered at her sister. Jeanne was absolutely toying with Jack, and he was utterly dazzled by her. It was also funny to Lily, because Okpara often had the same bewildered look for her, especially when he visited her in the Mangani troop, when she got to enjoy being completely natural around him. Not that only wearing a couple of bracelets, necklaces, and her waist cord whenever she was in the old Nigerian village was actually any less naked.
Jack was finally brave enough to approach Jeanne and they held each other by the shoulders. Hers were bare. And warm. His hands trembled.
"Jeanne…" he gulped with great difficulty, "You're… You're gorgeous!"
He wanted to say 'hot' but not in front of both mothers and his younger sisters. Jeanne blushed.
Jack turned to all the women with a huge smile, "You guys all conspired. Lily, this was your doing!"
"Guilty, Jack, it's so much fun because you are so helpless around Jeanne, 'big bruver'," Lily replied proudly. Michelle and Elisabeth snickered with their mothers.
Jack looked back in bewilderment at his wife, and asked, "I thought we were going to the ballet, dear?"
"Well, the rest of the family is, but neither of you are," Josephine interrupted.
"Unless you want me to put something else on and go to the ballet," Jeanne teased. He gave her an urgent look 'no' and that was the only answer she needed.
"You have the suite to yourselves tonight, Jack," Jane added and explained further, "Remember this family cruise is your honeymoon, children. We've been on such a mission for weeks. When have we really given you any time alone?"
The families had actually given them plenty of 'alone time', but Jack wasn't going to quibble now. Not with this stunning beauty standing in front of him, ready to give him the personalized burlesque performance of his life.
"Ladies, I don't know what to say," he blushed about 13 shades of red.
Jane hugged him, "Jack dear. Just say 'thank you' to Lily and Jeanne. And have fun with your dear, sweet wife. These are special times for you and Jeanne now. After eight years waiting, life is as it should be for both of you."
"I love you Mom. And I love all of you, ladies. Especially you, Lily, for arranging this. This is really incredible. Thank you."
Always punctual Armand called from the main parlor with the very fidgety small boys and Tarzan, still unaware of all the commotion, "Come on, people. We'll be late."
The girls all left them alone and closed their bedroom door.
"Where are Jack and Jeanne?" Tarzan asked.
Josephine simply told the truth for them, "The newlyweds just want some time alone."
"Oh. Sure. OK," answered Armand. Both men were completely clueless to the women arranging their once-in-a-lifetime in-room date.
Both families departed and locked the door behind them. A dinner had been wheeled in by a porter for the couple. They never had to go anywhere tonight. And they didn't want to. But they were not interested in food right now.
Knowing there was no one else in the suite, Jeanne cleared her throat and gave Jack a 'come hither' look that caused Jack's heart to race, "Hungry?"
All the restraints around their family were off. They simply wanted each other now.
Jack's answer was prompt and direct now that they were completely alone, "Yeah. For you!"
Jeanne grinned mischievously, "Awww. I was kinda hoping you might say that, liebchen."
She kissed him firmly on the cheek. She left a bright red lipstick smudge mark which made her giggle because he didn't know it was there. It wouldn't be the first one of the night in various places. She took him by the hands into the main parlor and its huge fireplace with a parquet floor in front of it. She made him stand a moment.
She moved a table and chair from the parlor just outside wooden floor where the carpet started and placed the 'Table 17' placard on the table that they'd taken from the dance hall.
"Sir, your table is ready," she said in her best former waitress voice.
"Nice… Thank you, Fraulein," he grinned, playing along with her make-believe.
"Frau…" she corrected.
"Oh? Who's the lucky guy?" he grinned in fake puzzlement.
"You are, handsome," she giggled, jiggling her chain holding her rings practically in his face.
She sat him down in the chair, leaning over, deliberately enough close enough to his face that he got a great view down her cleavage while she removed his bow tie and put it on her own neck, "All right, dearest. Time to relax. Pretend I'm on the stage, and you're sitting in front row center. You already know that's the most expensive seat in the dance hall. Paid for by me as my personal guest."
"I like this 'make believe' game already," he grinned.
She gave him a very mischievous look, "I know you would, dear. It gets better. So. You've just chased everyone out of the dance hall – including Siegfried and all my dancer girlfriends - threatening them with your knife and crossbow. You've knocked all the body guards unconscious and you've locked and bolted them in the meat freezer room."
He laughed. Jeanne's imaginary scene was really fun. Even more so because it was believable.
"And it's just you and me alone in that dance hall except for the band. And you blindfolded the band and made them face the alley. OK?"
"OK!" he agreed enthusiastically. He would have walked a plank into the jaws of a crocodile for her at this point, and he added enthusiastically, "This is truly our best game ever."
"We haven't even begun the best part of the game yet, lover…" she winked.
She cued up a record of the relatively modest chorus line opening act music just to warm him up. And then she began her dancing. She threw herself into the best performance of her life for her husband. Just like she dreamed. Their eyes were focused on each other, except for the times he surveyed her body. Which was a lot.
The one man audience whistled and cheered, applauded, and begged her, "Take it off! Take it off!"
She responded in a very sultry voice, "No, dear husband, you take it off for me. Both parts. I'll show you how and when. Every fan of mine dreamed of doing this. You actually get to."
Jeanne was still feeling very good about this. It was him and only him watching her. And he was mesmerized.
She started the next record that had the music from her third act. It was a lot more primal than the first number.
And he did disrobe her, causing her - at just the right moment in the song - to dance first topless and then bottomless too. It had been a lot of fun to remove her top, and caress what was now fully exposed over the bodice. She had scolded him to let go but he wouldn't so she swatted his hands. And a few minutes later into the song, it was even more amazing to him that now he held her black panties firmly in his hands and then against his nose, and inhaled. They were still warm and smelled wonderfully of her, with the familiar delicious scent she always had just before making love to him. She winked at him and blew him a kiss, and then turned her bottom toward him for a perfect view as she danced.
Turning back around, she made sure he got an excellent look at her "Jeanne loves Jack" anchor-shaped tattoo and the delectable curly black and smooth olive expanse that was above it through the white petticoats with several really high leg kicks. He offered her money for a tip, and she let him stick it in the garter belt just, and by taking his hands, Jeanne let Jack raise her petticoats to savor the view of the tattoo and get an especially detailed look at everything higher. The sensual feeling between them was extremely intense, and all timed to the beat of the song, and she closed her eyes in ecstasy, letting his hands explore while she kept dancing. She couldn't suppress a number of happy sounds at his touch. Never once had she danced like this for anyone until now.
It was all she could do to just keep tempting her man with her increasingly provocative dance for him. She really wanted to give in to him, but it wasn't time yet for their 'finale' both wanted desperately at this point. She backed up and continued her dance. He wanted more, and reached, but she wagged a scolding finger at him, and he sat back and watched. He discovered pleasantly that his hands were scented just like her panties.
Once that dance was through and Jack gave her a standing ovation cheering, "Bravo! Bravo! Encore!" she tried something new, by improvising a way to artistically remove the entire chorus line outfit and dance her complete solo strip tease number with a couple of pillows from their bed, since the red dress and boa were gone forever. He whooped and cheered and offered her more money for tips, which made her giggle. The only problem this time he offered money was she had nothing left on her to tuck the money into. So he used an empty dish.
She bowed appreciatively to her one man 'audience' and leaned over him in his chair so that he had a close up view of her top, took his money, kissed his lips enthusiastically, and quipped, "Jack, you are just as awful as the rest of them. But I do like my best fan's complete attention."
For emphasis, she thrust forward and for a few tantalizing moments Jeanne closed the distance between his face and her bosom. It was clear to Jeanne from Jack's reactions to her dancing that they needed to move into the bedroom soon. He was sweating.
She was totally nude except for her ring necklace, glasses, and his bow tie around her neck, and he was still in his tux as she took him in her arms and they danced and swirled into their bedroom. In her finest sexy voice she cooed, "Now, dearest, you haven't missed a thing of how I danced the burlesque, and only you may touch the dancer, sir. The dancer might even let the patron make love to her. As long as you tip her very well."
He played with her, "I'm afraid, pretty lady, that I have run out of money tipping you for your other numbers. Besides I already bought you for a quarter million. I can order you to do anything I want."
"Uh-uh, jungle boy. Think again. Didn't the slave market people tell you that services are extra, lover?" she grinned mischievously.
Playing along with her cute creativity, he noted, "Darn… I never read the fine print on contracts."
"That's OK. I'll take IOUs from my best customer," she snickered.
"Wait? You have other customers?" he quipped with a raised eyebrow. It was the perfect comeback.
She winked and drank in a very deep kiss with him. As Jack's head spun, she teased, "'Just keeping you on your toes, Jonathan Robert Clayton IV."
They sprawled across the bed, and kissed passionately while she undressed Jack, both of them giggling and laughing as she did. She tossed his clothing parts everywhere, and quickly joined together in the heat of their attraction. It was a good thing no one was in the suite, as they could not suppress the sounds of the peak of their intimacy fully tangled together.
Jeanne just barely remembered to tiptoe out to the parlor after the climax of their torrid union to gather all the strewn-about parts of her costume left in the main room and to grab the table sign as her contented husband slept, spent from their wonderful encounter. She curled up into his grasp.
Jeanne sighed in joy and peace, purging all the demons in her head that caused her unpleasant memories of her burlesque dancing, because the only man she had ever wanted to dance for had just witnessed her dance of a lifetime, and enthusiastically appreciated every moment. She knew she'd dance for him again but never again would she fear doing it or be haunted by her days at the dance hall.
But Jeanne wasn't sleepy. It was still early. She had another idea. Another game he would thoroughly like before she treated him to a new position she'd been saving for just an occasion like this. It was at least another two hours before the families got home, and even if they did, no one would dare bother them.
She started to tickle him in his privates. That instantly got his attention as she got a better grip on her huge feather pillow, winding up - with no warning - to pummel him with her first swing.