1698 Words

Chapter Two, Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties

Becker sat at the tea shop, a little perturbed. "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course! Why?"

"Why? Jess, you insisted on coming with me. You didn't need to."

She blushed. "I do trust you. I'm just...insecure. I guess I wanted...to stake my claim?"

He laughed. "OK. Honestly, there's no danger. I'm not interested in Ce Ce or any of the others."

"I'm sorry, Becker."

He leaned in and kissed her gently. "I forgive you."

"Hi!"

Jess looked up to see a young, beautiful woman with long red hair. She was older than Jess, maybe around Becker's age. She wore a long denim skirt, and a dark green button-down blouse.

'This is a stripper?' she thought.

"Hey, Ce Ce, good to see you," said Becker, standing up and hugging her. "How are Johnny and Claire?"

"Getting big. He's four now and she just turned two."

"You're a mom?" Jess blurted out.

Becker and Ce Ce laughed.

"Yeah, I am," said Ce Ce, sitting down with them. "I'm also a professional dance teacher. Stripping is just for fun, and a little extra money. Now, though, I pretty much only do it for people I know."

"Thanks for helping us out, Ce Ce."

"My pleasure. So..."

"I'm sorry. Ce Ce, this is Jess. Jess, Ce Ce."

The women shook hands, then Becker made Jess fall more in love with him.

"Jess is my girlfriend."

Ce Ce gasped. She smiled and clapped. "That's wonderful," she said, clasping Jess' hand. "He's been alone for too long. I'm so pleased!"

Jess was taken off guard by the reaction. "Thank you. We've just started dating. We work together."

"Really? That's nice. Don't screw it up," Ce Ce whispered to Becker.

Jess laughed. "What kind of dance do you teach?"

"All kinds, all ages. I even have my kids in classes now."

"That's nice."

"Now, if I can just get hubby dancing too."

"You're married?"

Ce Ce laughed. "For the past six years. Just after we met, I guess, Becker."

Becker nodded. "Yeah, I think so. I met him about a year, later?"

Ce Ce nodded. "I'd done like five military weddings, you were best man at a couple."

Becker nodded. "That's right, then at the last one, you confided in me that you were expecting."

"Yeah, and about a year later, you called me, wanting to know if I was still dancing. You were best man again!"

Becker shrugged. "I'm popular."

Jess laughed.

"That wedding was my first job back," said Ce Ce.

Becker nodded. "Yeah. And she brought pictures of Johnny. He was tub-o."

Ce Ce laughed. "He was! Thankfully, he's grown out of it."

"Wow. I owe you an apology," said Jess.

"I'm not what you expected,?"

Jess shook her head.

"Don't feel bad, Jess. Exotic dancers are often misunderstood. Lots of strippers do get caught up in drugs and violence, unfortunately, but some of us view it as just another type of dancing."

Jess nodded.

"So, how many dancers do you need? Debra, for sure, will be dancing with me. She's younger, but you'll like her, Jess. She's a psychiatry student, getting her masters. Stripping started out as part of a thesis on female sexuality, but she liked it and stayed with it."

"Is she still dancing at those...clubs?" asked Becker. Jess noticed his change of tone, and the tension in his muscles.

"Thankfully, no. She finally realized it wasn't safe. She's only stripping with me and my studio."

Becker grunted and relaxed. "Good."

"Wow," whispered Jess.

"Our work can be dangerous. Luckily, Debra learned that before anything horrible happened."

Becker nodded. "I'm glad."

"I have several dancers who do stripping, but it depends on what you want. So I should get some information. Tell me a little about your groom. Is there anything specific he's asked for?"

Becker and Jess snickered.

"You've seen Star Wars, right?" asked Becker.

Ce Ce laughed. "Let me guess, dancing girls from Jaba's palace."

"You get calls for those?" asked Becker. Jess laughed.

"You'd be surprised."

"I am."

Ce Ce smiled. "We can do the Star Wars girls for him. Generally, do you want something less risque or more tawdry?"

"Connor's not really into cheap and sleazy," said Jess.

"Good. I do cheap and sleazy, but not my favorite, and I can use more of my dancers now," said Ce Ce. "So...maybe a more classic striptease?"

Jess nodded.

"And Connor is cheesy, if that helps."

"Becker!" cried Jess, but he smirked.

"He's into Science Fiction?" asked Ce Ce.

"Definitely."

"And those stupid comic books," said Becker. "What are they, Chinese?"

"Japanese," said Jess.

"Manga?" asked Ce Ce. Jess nodded. Ce Ce said, "I have lots of Manga outfits."

"You do?" asked Jess with interest. "I have some too, I mean, costumes." She blushed.

Ce Ce smiled. "Manga's fun, and sexy."

"What's Manga?"

"A Japanese form of animation and comics, sometimes with older themes," said Jess. "I love it. I have a bunch."

"What kind of outfits?" asked Becker.

Ce Ce smirked. "Since Jess knows, I'll let her show you."

Jess blushed.

"OK, so we'll do a sci-fi theme, specifically do the dancing girls from Star Wars, do some Manga characters, and maybe a few super heroes. How does that sound?"

"Like Connor," said Becker.

"Great. It'll be respectful but sexy. I'll have at least four dancers, maybe six. Good?"

Jess and Becker nodded.

"Thanks, Ce Ce," said Becker.

"Anytime," she said. "You do know that I'm charging you, right?" She winked.

Becker laughed and nodded.

Jess smiled. "It was nice to meet you, really," said Jess. "Do you have a card for your studio? I may come check out a couple classes."

Becker's eyebrows perked up. "Stripping?"

Jess blushed. "No! Not necessarily," she said with a smirk.

Ce Ce laughed, and gave Jess a card. "You can drop by the studio anytime and sit in. I'd love to have you. Call me, and we can go shopping or talk about Manga."

"Sounds fun," said Jess.

"It was wonderful to meet you, Jess," she said. "Seriously, Becker, she's great. Don't mess it up!"

Becker laughed.

"Bye," said Ce Ce, and she left.

"I think Ce Ce and I might be kindred spirits. She's really nice, and normal."

"Really?" asked Becker. "Imagine that."

"Oh, shut up. I was wrong, OK?"

Becker laughed. "Can I see your Manga outfits?"

She blushed. "Sometime. They're a little...provocative."

"Where do you wear them?"

"I don't. Not yet."

He smiled. "Good answer, girlfriend."

She giggled. "I thought so, boyfriend."

He laughed, and they sat, sipping tea and giggling.

Later that day, Jess and Connor were playing X-box at home.

"Guess who just called," said Abby.

"Don't know," said Jess, "but I am kicking your fiance's butt."

"You are not!"

"That's great, but I think this news trumps that."

"OK, Abby, who called?"

"The minister's wife."

"What?" asked Jess, dropping her controller.

"The minister's..." said Connor, his mouth dropping open.

Abby smiled. "Told you it was big news."

"What did she say?"

"She thanked me for the invitation, and said she'd be delighted to come to my bridal shower at the Season's Restaurant."

"Classy," said Connor.

"That's what we were going for," said Jess.

Abby smiled. "I think Lester will be pleased."

"Yeah," said Connor. "Wow. The minister's wife and my fiance. Cool. Hey, Jess, pick up your controller."

The girls laughed. "He didn't stay impressed long," said Abby.

"This is so exciting!" cried Jess. "Oh, but it's so much pressure! The shower has to be perfect!"

"It will be Jess. Your taste is great."

Jess smiled. "I'm a little intimidated though."

"Sorry."

"No! I can't wait! Sorry, Connor, can't play. Have to plan," said Jess.

She ran to her room, and came out with her notebooks, laptop, and mobile. "OK, we need to go over the menu again, and make sure it is delicious and high quality. Then, I'll re-check the decorations and make sure they're elegant and not silly. Oh, I should call the florist, and tell her to add more roses, and maybe some candles. Abby! What are we going to wear?"

"Jess! Calm down. I love everything. It's fine. Breathe."

Jess chuckled nervously. "Sorry. It's just...the minister's wife!"

Abby laughed. "I know, but we already planned like she was coming. Trust me, it's fine."

"Abby, I'm supposed to be reassuring you!"

Abby hugged her. "I'm so calm because you're doing all the work and the worrying. Thank you, by the way."

"My pleasure," said Jess. "Thank you for the perspective. It's your wedding, not the minister or his wife."

"Right," said Abby.

"And we can go shopping for appropriate shower wear."

Abby nodded.

Suddenly both their mobiles chimed. They had messages from Lester.

"He's having a hissy fit," said Abby, smiling.

"I guess he knows about our VIP guest," said Jess.

"Ooh, he doesn't sound pleased that we invited her."

"We probably should have told him," said Abby. She couldn't resist laughing, though.

She texted, "Calm down, Lester. I'm the bride, remember?"

Lester's response was, "I kept your $ coming for U while U were in dino time! Want 2 B polishing reptiles in a petting zoo? Can B arranged! Ur wedding? The cheekiness!"

"Ooh, he didn't like that, Abby," said Jess. She texted, "Shower will be fab. Leave it 2 me. "

Both girls giggled at the response.

"Better B or U R both #$%&* ing fired!"

"Such language," said Jess.

Abby shook her head. "I don't think you can fire someone over a bridal shower, can you?"

"Let's not find out, Abby."

"I'm impressed, Jess. I thought this would make you even more nervous."

Jess smiled. "No, for some reason, Lester having a tizzy calms me down. Don't know why."

Abby laughed. "Probably should go over things again, so we can present our plans to him."

"Definitely. Or...we could accidentally give him the details of the hen party by mistake-the strippers, the cocktails, the short tacky dresses, and of course the phallic pastries and candies."

Abby broke out laughing. "You are bad!"

Jess smirked. "No,on second thought, I don't want him to have a heart attack."

End of Chapter Two