Chapter 5 "Oh Sherry!"

Listening to the rain,

outside, on my patio, in a hammock.

Hell, the world could be ending for all I know!

Doc,

  After last week's easy topic, I was hoping we could stick with them for a little bit longer. But, I guess that's not the purpose of your job, is it? No, I guess it's not.

  Plus, how easy can a topic really be, when you're having to relive and remember a certain person, or things that happened between them while doing it? They aren't I can assure you!

That's why this week I am taking it upon myself to do things a little different than what you asked for. Today in our session you said you want to know what my friends think about the way I've been acting recently.

Except that sounds like the last thing I want to think about right now!

Because, you see Doc, contrary to the image I put out to the rest of the world, Joe Black doesn't have friends. I have one very best friend. A person so dear to me I wouldn't hesitate to give them a kidney anytime they needed it!

And, it absolutely fucking kills me each day that I'm here that she doesn't even want to talk to me anymore!

So, no Doc, instead I'm going to tell you the story about how I met my best friend.

                   Joe

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It's been three years since the club, Sinful Delight, opened its doors. The club quickly became an underground sinsation strictly by word of mouth. There was already a waiting list to become clients, and fights breaking out over positions to work here. Which also meant I didn't have to worry about coming up with ways to pay Tiffany back each month.

Hell, thanks to Rodney, I was able to give her a nice lump sum before the club even opened its doors. Rodney came to me one afternoon a few weeks before everything was finished, and asked if he could become a silent partner, and of course I agreed. He's my brother after all.

I haven't missed a single payment since. Even coming up with new and different theme nights each month to try and find ways to bring in more money. Last night was our first, and most definitely not last, ever Valentines Day Auction at the club. Thanks to the donations from the room full of horny rich people I finally had enough to finish paying off the loan I owed Tiffany.

For two years I've put up with Tiffany's snide remarks, and overwhelming need to put me down whenever the loan comes up, so I couldn't wait to throw the rest of the money in her face, and maybe even walk away. But, those plans all changed when I pulled up that morning outside of the club.

*~*~*~*FLASHBACK*~*~*~*

Before I even opened my eyes that morning I felt incredible. The smile on my face went from ear to ear, and nothing was going to change that! Not waking up in the bed this morning alone, spilling coffee on my designer shirt, or getting stuck for over an hour in bumper to bumper traffic. I just had this feeling today was going to be a life changing day, and I was excited for the change.

When I finally made it to the brick warehouse along the Hudson River I pulled my car around to the back, cut the engine, and jumped from the passenger seat. With a spring in my step, and whistling some unknown tune as I walked towards the back entrance. The keys in my hand jingled for a moment as I slid the key into the deadbolt and went to turn the lock, but a rustling noise from below caused me to stop immediately.

I spun around as quietly as I could, and placed my back against the metal door. As I scanned my eyes around the exterior of the building and the surrounding parking lot skeptically. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary at first, so I checked everywhere over again. Before slowly turning back around to face the door, and that's when I saw it.

At the bottom of the basement steps was a pretty large, but flimsy, cardboard box closed up, and folded over obviously concealing some homeless person inside. I looked at the shaking, semi wet box with both regret for the poor soul inside, and pity because whoever was inside couldn't stay here any longer.

I didn't care about the noise level anymore as I marched back down the stairs towards the basement. I wanted to give whoever was down there plenty of warning I was coming. Before stopping a few feet away from the cardboard box. I stood there a few minutes expecting the person to come out and see what all the noise was, but they stayed hoveld inside.

"Hello?" I growl out eventually before my good mood has a chance to evaporate completely.

The sides of the make-shift shelter begin to shake even worse,  because of the person inside sudden movement at the sound of my voice, but they don't seem to move any more than that. After a few more moments of silence I close my eyes, shake my head, and blow out a frustrated breath.

'Fine then. Have it your way.' I say to myself as I look all around me for a stick, or something I can poke the box with. 'That's one lesson I learned the hard way! After trying to help the last guy I found down here up the steps. Only for him to pull a knife on me, and run away with my wallet!'

Finally I find just the thing, and gently poke it into the side of the cardboard box. "Hey. Look I know you're in there, so just come on out. I swear I won't hurt ya." I say as gently as I can, and then wait.

Another ten uncomfortable minutes later my good mood and patience has run their course. "Okay then. We'll play this your way. You're currently on private property, so unless you get up and leave now I'll be forced to call the cops, and they can handle removing you. It's your choic.."

The words haven't even finished coming from my mouth before the sides of the flimsy cardboard walls are being pushed down from the inside, and the person comes hurrying out. Frantically reaching around them to gather a ratty backpack and a thread-bare blanket. Before racing up the rest of the stairs, and coming to a stop a foot away from me.

"Wait! Please wait! I'm sorry. I thought all of these buildings were empty, and would keep me safe for a few hours, so I could get some sleep finally. But, I swear I'll leave right now, and you'll never see my face around here again." The person screams, and looks me straight in the eyes, so I can see all their fear.

"Well fuck me.." Falls from my lips before I can stop them. Then followed closely by a whisper. "Running." I say completely caught off guard, because the last time I found a homeless person around the club it was a man, but not this time.

This time it was a woman under that cardboard box, and what a woman she is! Even though she looks dirty, and unkept, her utterly devastating pin-up girl/ teenage wet dream good looks are still right there! All rolled into one dirty little curvaceous package.

From the looks of it, she can't be any taller than maybe five foot six inches, and nothing but skin and bones underneath the few dismal layers of clothes draped over her body. Her inky black hair is ratted up around her shoulders, and did little to hide the clear porcelain skin of a goddess behind the strands.

(Sherry. Just a lot dirtier at the moment haha!)

'But even with all that, I wouldn't mind finding out EXACTLY what she looks like underneath all that!' Immediately, I feel bad for thinking the tantalizing thought as a picture of Tiffany flashes across my mind's eye. Instantly snapping me from my assessment of the stranger, and back to safer ground, but the same can't be said for the stranger.

I smirked. "Had enough? Or, should I turn around so you can get the complete picture?"

I startled her, but within moments she's crossing her arms over her chest, and sending me the iciest death glare I've ever had the misfortune of receiving. "Did you?" She bites back at me just as quickly.

We continue to glare at one another for a while. Neither of us even blinking. The silent challenge for me to give in to her clear as day in her eyes. While also calling out to a very primal part of my soul. I REALLY like the feeling, and have to fight with myself extra hard to keep the massive smile from taking over my lips.

But, within seconds I lose my internal struggle, and double over in a fit of hysterics. It take me several minutes to calm down. Once I'm under control I raise back up and look at the stranger in front of me. Who is currently looking at me with scared curiosity almost making me lose it again, but I can't stop the smile on my face from growing.

"Touche. Please excuse me for my unashamed wondering eyes. They should know better, but when someone as beautiful as you catches them by surprise they can't help themselves from starring." I say with a saucy wink. To which she rolls her eyes at, and moves her hands to her hips in a sign of frustration.

I chuckle. Which seems to make her even madder, so I have to hurry to try and save myself from this little hell cat. "Please forgive me for that too, Darling. It's just that I haven't had anyone challenge me like you are in a very long time, and the feeling is surprisingly refreshing."

"Don't fucking call me that!" The stranger spits venomously and jumps back a few steps away from me. Like she's scared of me all of a sudden.

The smile instantly drains from my face, and my eyes immediately fall to the floor. "Please forgive me." I have to bite my tongue from finishing the rest of that sentence with the word Mistress. Like Tiffany has trained me to respond after any type of infraction I might have caused. No matter how big or small.

Instead I close my eyes, take a few deep breaths, and then look back up at the stranger. While also extending my right hand slowly between us, so she won't jump again. "What would you like for me to call you then?"

The stranger doesn't move, speak, or even blink as she stares at my outstretched hand. As if she takes her eyes off of it for one second my hand might move. But, I can't stand seeing that scared look on her face any longer, and huff out a breath.

"Fine. I'll go first. My name is Joe Black. Owner of this here business at the root of our original dilemma. And, who might you be?" I ask, and then wait patiently for her to finally answer me.

The scared creature is still looking at my hand like it's a death sentence for her, but she doesn't leave me waiting this time.

"Sherry." She growls at me while tightening her hands around her hips.

I leave my hand out there, but smile. "Sherry?" I ask, searching for a last name.

She gives me a hard shake of her head no. "Just Sherry."

The smirk grows across my lips as I let my hand drop back down to my side. 'I absolutely love how bold this chick is to me!' And, with that thought I decide right then and there to do everything within my power to help this woman. But, I don't tell her that right away. Instead I slide my hands into my pants pockets, and look back at her.

"Well then, Just Sherry. Would you like to come up to the club for a little while, and keep me company while I work? I get lonely being stuck up there alone for so long. Plus, there are so many different bathrooms on each floor with tubs and showers inside. I bet you would just love to clean yourself up, and I have tons of leftover Chinese from the night before that needs to be eaten before it goes bad, so you're in luck. How does all that sound?" I ask, genuinely hopeful she will take me up on the offer.

Sherry doesn't answer me straight away. Instead she wraps one hand around the strap of the backpack hanging from her shoulder, and tries to straighten her blanket and clothes to make them look less dirty. Then she squares her shoulders before looking at me, but this time I can see in her eyes that she's dropped her guard somewhat for me to see.

"Thanks. I guess I could go for a shower, but." The loud monstrous growl from her stomach stops her from saying anything else, and makes her change her mind. "And, a small bite to eat, but I'll be on my way as soon as I'm done with that." She says with finality, while smiling weakly.

I just chuckle. "Whatever you say, Doll." I say, before turning around, and walking back up to the backdoor of the club without looking back.

*~*~*~*END OF FLASHBACK*~*~*~*

That day my heart immediately fell in love with Sherry, and once I had her inside the club I refused to let her leave. After she was clean and full from the leftovers I turned the empty room right next to my office into a make-shift studio apartment just for her. Filling it up with a new bed, sheets, fully stocked fridge, stove top, and utensils she could possibly need, but a complete wardrobe took me a full week!

For months I spent all of my time with Sherry trying to gain her trust. She refused to discuss anything referring to where she was from, or her past. I can respect that for the time being. As long as she continued to not cower in the corner each time I came into the room.

Over the years Sherry continued to blossom from her shell, and became more of an independent woman. Her stubbornness started to come out a lot more when she was dealing with me or anyone else.

Like the time we got into our first fight. Sherry wanted to help me out around the club any way she could, and I flat out refused to let her lift a hand! That also turned out to be our one and only fight!  Because, I learned how sharp of a tongue that little vixen has, and how hard each barb hurts when it hits the target!

She could be my new assistant as long as the pain that one fight caused to my chest would go away! But never her! Sherry became my therapist, confidant, and best friend. I couldn't see living my life for one day without her. And, when she finally opened up to me after five years I knew she actually felt the same.

******Author's Note*******

Hi my Loves!

I know this chapter is really short, but I will definitely make up for it with the next chapter! Now that all of the players have been introduced Joe's life, and story, are about to go through some shit! Haha!

Anywho, Don't forget to vote if you like it so far, and leave me a comment with what y'all think is going to happen next!

Until then,

Callie