“…and we’re opening a new office in Detroit. I’m splitting  the shares in equal thirds, one third for you guys in  Creative, one third in trust and the remainder to the  leader of this division. 

I’m very grateful that some of you have read and enjoyed  what is now the first book, ‘Orfeu do Tanque de Prato’.  Because of Penman’s attempt to use Stacie here to  fuck me over. But, like I always say, ‘If you fuck me, you  need to pay me to shut the fuck up. We have four million  dollars deep in reasons to Shut the Fuck Up.

Ain’t that  right Ms. Vellocet? Pendragon Hedgeman’s mom…” He  twitches and yaps, “…Goddamned Succubus! Phoebe  says he’ll be there when we get back to Detroit. You can  talk with him then.Now that the other six in the series are  almost complete, and Judy is almost done editing the real book one, ‘Coronation’. 

But, we’ve got a big problem here. There are a whole  bunch of your brand new readers that don’t trust us.  Because we tricked an audience into believing that they  were being sold some cotton candy, two bit raunchy,  pornographic romance pulp Mommy Porn. Something  they could just breeze through, comment on their social  network water coolers and be done with it. Instead of  working hard and going after the audience that is starving  for something with just a little more substance. I don’t  blame the creative people. In fact, I imagine there were  a few disagreements concerning the promotion of book  one.

I blame the person that crunches numbers.  And that’s why I am here. To get revenge! She’s going  to fix it.” Raising his coffee cup to me, “And we are  going to help her. Now here are the options. I’m from  Detroit, failure ain’t one of them. You only get one shot.  We can go on a massive global apology campaign. We  can explain what was done and how, but we know Miss  Vellocet doesn’t apologize. So…”

Still eyeballing me.  “Hey, you’ll be a star on……Oh, I don’t know…… TV or  something……or… 

Stacie, you sure you don’t want a cup. It’s the most  expensive coffee on Xchange and I bought a whole  harvest. I didn’t know it would push the price up so much.  But its really good. So, we can create a new product,  targeted at the already established new audience.” (that  sounds like something I’d say) “Seeing that we’ve already  got a motion picture offer with advances and product  sponsorships. Sucking up to the audience that’s in place  should be the easiest and most profitable route. (that  sounds like something I’d say) Advancing the cause of  nerdy freaks and making a whole fleet of idiots seema  little less stupid. Hunter, Ms. Vellocet, wouldn’t you agree?” 

Hunter is quick to say, yes. I’m hesitating, wondering  what the trap might be. All the members of the creative  team agreed with Periwinkle who’s saying, “So, I had  coffee service brought up, it’s a pretty special Kopi  Luwak, it’s raised on my friend Vishnu’s plantation in  Indonesia. I’ll let the people that make and sell it do the  whole presentation.” 

Judy’s standing on his feet, arms wrapped around his  waist, buried in his coat, “Yeah!” she mumbles, “Fuck that  airport airpot shit! Baba! We really need to walk soon.”  And falls into an adorable little purring snore. 

Periwinkle carries Judy to the little red love seat in her  tiny closet office and covers her with his jacket. Flips  through her wall of headphones and records. Puts an  album on her record player, comes out, closes the door,  then works his way over to Colm and Tyson, says, “Yo,  Hunter, dig, I set it up with the manager for you to talk  about putting a system in the coffee kiosk down stairs.  It’s simple, make a call or use the app, they roast your  beans, you pick ‘em up or someone on a bicycle hauls  ass crosstown, right here, where there’s this whole ritual  thing they do, hand grinding beans and then bring up a  fresh pot or French press to specs for everybody. 

The crystal cup is extra, but for a couple bucks more than  that crap you’re used to, you do get it served in china.  Snobbery can be beneficial to life.” 

They exchanged a few words, then came over to me while  I was savoring this most wonderful cup of coffee I’ve ever  had. I wanted to guzzle whole pots of the stuff.

Collins says, “Was that a collaring? I’ve never been to a  collaring. Being collared has always just been the prelude  to Rough Sex.” Dyson says, “That was a beautiful  ceremony. I wish I respected someone that much.”  Hunter says, “I was just like that for my Lovie.” 

Periwinkle turns to Hunter. Hunter for me who she was,  Hunter the cute little ghetto Indian dyke who’s daddy left  the business to her. “Hunter, I have a pet now, right?” Periwinkle offers me a yellowcard. “After you’ve read the  book, scan this. You’ll thank my new pet. I think I’ll name her Hu nu. 狐女 my little vixen. ”Then, facing me,says,  “So, after Judy wakes we’re going to take a walk and you think about moving to Detroit. 

Okay, Vellocet, since it was your idea to play to the  numbers, we want your input on the next project. Yeah,  Cupcake you gettin’ hustled. Seeing that book one was  only sixty some odd pages or so, which should take the  average reader less an hour to breeze through. 

I’m thinking we should create supplemental editions  comprised of Trulie Skrumshus’ diary and build a PPV  video series around her collection of experiences.” 

I’m liking everything about it except something’s missing.  I can’t quite put my finger on. What would make me  wanna watch? 

That cute little Dyson says, “How about we make it a  reality game show. Contestants get to play the role of  you for a week. I mean, you’re the glamorous, self-made,  rich, woman executive with the lavish corner office in a  high powered firm and the decadent lifestyle to go with it.  The Strong Sister in the White man’s game. How about 

inviting readers to live out your life for a week? I mean  chicks wanna be you.” 

Bitches wanna be me. They do, don’t they? “Okay.” I  say, “And what’s the twist? Where’s the prestige? What  makes viewers tune in?” 

Tyson and Colm whispered and gestured between each  other for a moment. Hunter clears her throat and says,  “Well how about, the audience also competes to live out  their fantasies, and you Stacie live it out with them. I mean, my Lovie confessed she’d have loved to have  been Trulie on the balcony.” 

Tyson chimes in, “Yeah, me too! The visual of that scene  is so beautiful and you were so honest.” Periwinkle smirks and says, “Hunter, Tyson. Yo! Who  opened the Plexiglas Confessional? I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m being harshly judgemental today.  Love you but… Not yet.” 

I’m on my second cup when it hits me like a slap on the  ass. I feel the rush starting in my belly and filling me with  a warm deep relaxation. I moan aloud low and deep, then  say,”Ooh. I-I-I um.” 

Judy giggles, “See, Coffee orgasm. Hu Nu knew.” 

Periwinkle says, “The next time that happens,  Yellowcards. Okay. Now that experience was very  difficult for me to live out, the idea of you in that set  disturbs me in ways you can’t imagine. But since you’re a  Grinder, we might be able to accommodate you. Let that  go for now and we’ll talk about it later.

Nothing personal. But! Let’s call it “Safe Word.” 

Stacie, you do have a Safe Word, right? Let’s say  participants do your job for a week, then you live out their  fantasies with them. Survive living out someone else’s  fantasy without using your safe word and win a whole lot  of money for yourself, them and a charity. 

Palimpsest, I want Hunter as my Art Director, I’ll be  Creative Direct on this project, you will be the star of the show, and you’ll answer to My local Emissary, Nancy, and my Editor in Chief, Judy.” 

Judy comes out of the office, stands on his shoes,  snuggles him, yawns, turns and barks at me, “Hu Nu!  Oh my! I’m displaying dominance.” 

Gala: What’s a safe word? 

He goes on, “You are the new voice of Trulie Skrumshus.  Your blog installments will be the basis for the next, Orfeu  do Tanquede Prato book. 

I think Pendragon Hedgeman gave you the framework  with Zambia Syngh’s narratives. Some of this will be  her fantasy, a lot of it is based on her real experiences.  Zambia is my best friend. Truly Scrumptious is her  character. See, I can’t write sex or physical violence  without experiencing it. So, Penman usually gleans his  stories from my childhood traumas.I’ve been his only  friend since we were three. 

Can you sell it? Seeing that you sold the first one in a big  way, without even reading it. I’m confident that you can.  The whole series will be your experience.

Now you’ll be spending lots of time with Shantel’s mom.  She’s going to help you with my backstory. I mean, I am  an imaginary friend, living in a real place, with very real  

people. Ms. Vellocet, you get that, right? You need to  know who’s real and who is make-believe. 

Hunter, does this make me a unicorn with you and  Nancy? I’m really gonna miss her singing Sunshine on  the way up the stairs. I mean, I’m very fond of you both  holding my hand and guiding me about, but now there  are just so many things to imagine.” 

Hunter stops him, “This is the last time I ever play this  card. So, You know, Butterfly!”  

He stops cold, turns and kneels to Hunter, who says,  “Look at me! The first time I actually saw you was on the  corner of Joseph Campau and Holbrook. You walked past  us at the light playin’ this song. I couldn’t help it…”  She steps away from him and turns, “I hit a wall, I thought  that I would hurt myself…” She gets low in her baggy  pants and long tunic Her whole body waves against the  ticking movements of her hands and head “Oh I was  sure, your words would leave me unconscious And on the floor I’d be lying cold, lifeless 

But I hit a wall, I hit ‘em all, watch the fall”  

As the words pour out her pretty little body I feel another  one of them Coffee orgasms building up.  

She catches my eye and stares me down, Roaring,  “You’re just another brick and I’m a sledgehammer You’re just another brick and I’m a sledgehammer.’ 

He freezes, shutters and whispers, “Ooh shit. I remember  you. She was barking ‘Haram. haram. something. 

That’s why I’ve always felt strange ‘round your sexy little  Persian ass.” 

I moan, loud and deep, whisper, “Oh shit! I came, again.” 

Throwing her backpack over her shoulders, the butterflies  on her headphones leap into the air and dance. Judy  giggles, “Hu Nu knew.”  

Hunter says, “My aunt moaned just like that, then slapped  the taste buds out of my mouth.