Penultimate Hustle: L.A. - Chapter Seven

7 – Growth

Back
at the office, Janique leapt into Chris's arms and kissed him with
fervor. She reeked of sex and happiness.




“Someone
had a good day,” he said. “What did you do?”




“Bought
a print shop.”




“What
a coincidence. I bought you a computer store,” he said, smiling.




She
hugged him tighter. “Really?”




“Yep.
I had to offer him ten percent over market value, but it's between
the lawyers, now.”




“Wow.
It's all coming together.” She sighed. “Wait'll I tell the
girls.”




But
they had already discovered Natalia's completed bedroom set, and were
engaged in a giggling pillow fight. Laughter emanated from their room
as they began a second, happier childhood.




Chris
squeezed her hand. “Mommy,” he said.




“Oh,
daddy. Which reminds me. I want to talk to you about something. But
let's review this footage, first.”




He
threaded the projector, and they cuddled on their new couch, watching
each reel in turn.




“So
what do you think?” she asked him when they had finished.




“Well,
it's hot, I admit. Mostly because of you and the girls. But it's a
different sort of hot, in part. I like it, ultimately.”




She
beamed at his approval. “I only regret that it's so short. I know
we were talking about hour-long tapes.”




“Yeah,
but we have four different angles to work with. With a little
judicious editing, we can get forty-five minutes out of it.”




“Do
you really think so?” Both of them hated camera trickery, like
reusing shots or flipping them horizontally to double their length.




“I
can already see it in my head. To make up the difference, we'll use
previews, and we can film a disclaimer-type intro.”




“That
sounds like fun. Can we do do that now?”




“Of
course, angel.”




They
set up a camera, framed the shot, and then removed their shirts. Then
they ad-libbed on the spot.




“Hi,
this is Chris.”




“And
I'm Janique.”




“We
have a lot of wild sex.”




“Crazy,
rough, acrobatic sex.”




“But
we're also in love.”




“Madly
in love.”




“And
we're trained professionals.”




“Everything
we do is consensual.”




“Even
when it looks like it's not.”




“So
if you're going to try and do what we do.”




“Do
it with someone you love.”




“And
if you can't...”




“Please
wear a stupid condom.”




“Don't
hurt anyone.”




“Unless
they ask you to.”




“Most
of all.”




“Have
fun!”




Chris
grabbed Janique and kissed her with heartfelt passion, then shut off
the camera.




“That
was sweet,” Janique said. “But it's only a minute long.”




“We'll
pad it with legal stuff. Proof of age statement, custodian of
records. I have a feeling it will be mandatory in a few years,
anyway.”




“Cover
your ass.”




“Movie
title,” Chris replied, and she laughed. “We don't want another
Tokio situation.”




“That's
for sure. We should check on Payback's progress.”




“I'm
sure he'll let us know if something happens.”




They
got dressed with some reluctance, and went to talk to Janice.




“Hey,
kids,” she said. “You two look happy.”




“Really
happy,” Janique said. “I'm afraid we spent eight-hundred thousand
dollars, though.”




“Naughty,
naughty. Good investments?”




“The
best. They're both solvent, and ideal locations to run girls out of.”




“Let
me guess. The print shop?”




“Yes!”




“That
is shrewd, Janique. Beverly Hills runs on the backs of beautiful
young girls.”




“I
know, right?”




“On
a related note, I ran the ad. You should soon have more clients than
you can, uh-”




“Shake
your dick at?” Janique said.




“Well
said."




"You're the best, Janice.”




“Thank
you, ma'am. I know. I also took got the numbers of the three biggest
porn distributors in the world, as you asked. The best offers
sixty-thousand per finished hour. All three are waiting on footage.”




“Do
you mean to tell me that we made, what, almost a quarter million
dollars just goofing around this week?” Chris asked.




“Subject
to their approval, yes. Although I feel compelled to point out that
you spent three times that much on investments. Money well spent, in
my opinion. But don't lose sight of the bottom line.”




“Movie
title!” Janique said. Janice nearly blushed. “But I think we can
do better.”




“Oh?”




“I
want to work with Payback on the terms. I also want points.”




“Very
astute. I'll draft something and pass it along to him. I think we can
make that work.”




“The
money is obviously going to be a lot to deal with. Can you recommend
an accountant and financial planner?”




“I
wouldn't do this for anyone else, Janique, but I can give you a
referral to my own. They've been in business for over a hundred
years, and have never steered me wrong.”




“Are
you really that old?” Janique asked with a smirk.





“Janice,
I could kiss you,” Chris said.




“No,
sir, you cannot. But I'm glad to help. When you incorporate, I should
like stock options.”




“You
are just full of good advice,” Janique said.




“Anybody
here?” said a voice in the hall. Dana and Brad had arrived with the
computer delivery.




When
Chris entered the corridor, Dana dropped the box of cables he was
holding.




“Hey!
That's the guy who threatened to pistol-whip me!




“What?”
Brad said.




“Oh,
Dana. Chris was just playing around. Weren't you, Chris?”




“Oh,
sure,” he said.




“Chris
would never hurt anyone.”




He
tried to smile, but the thought of the people he'd killed, and the
arms and kneecaps he'd broken made it more of a pained and
unconvincing grimace. The moment was saved by the girls, who swarmed
the two computer salesman.




“Hey,
Brad and Dana,” said a chorus of voices.




“Girls,
I need to talk to Brad. Show Dana your new room,” Janique said
pointedly.




“Ooh,
come see,” Lateesha said, taking him by the hand.




“Brad,
we're buying the store. Would you like to work for us?”




“You
mean, at the store?”




“No,
silly. I mean here. You're too talented to be a mere shopkeeper.
Sure, you can oversee operations, there. But I'm talking about being
our technical consultant. And also developing hardware and software.”




Dana
walked back out as they were talking, looking flushed and disheveled.




“Janique,
I'd be a fool to say no.”




“Especially
once you learned that the position pays a quarter-million a year to
start...”




“Fuck
Brad, what about Dana?” Dana said.




“Not
to mention a generous R & D budget...”




“Fuck
Brad, what about Dana?” he repeated.




“Dana,
go unload the truck, please,” Brad said, annoyed.




When
he was out of earshot and into the elevator, Brad said, “Look, my
brother's sort of a screw-up. I can't just abandon him. I'm afraid I
can't accept if it means he'll lose his job at the store. And without
me, he'll never make it, there.”




“Well,
what can he do, besides run a cash register and be a goofball?”




“That's
the thing. Being a goofball is all he's really good at. He's a comedy
writer, and he does a little stand-up and improv.”




“I
may be able to use him, then. We'd still have to audition him.”




“Please
keep him off camera. No one wants to see that.”




Janique
laughed. “Not like that. I mean, he'd have to write a test script
for me.”




“Pornos
have scripts?”




“I
don't want to do bog-standard porn. I want funny, exciting art
pieces. At least occasionally.”




“Well,
dependent on how he does, I guess, I accept.”




Janique
kissed him on the cheek, and he looked nervously to Chris, who,
rather than being angry, betrayed a hint of a smile.




“Wonderful,”
she said. “Welcome aboard.”




“I'm
going to help him unload,” Brad said.




“Great.
I'll talk to him about it today. Or, Chris will, rather. They need to
be friends for it to work.”




Brad
joined Dana downstairs, and Janique said, “Well, can you work with
another writer?”




“Yeah,
I think I'd like that. Comedy is not my strong suit.”




“And
not pistol-whip him?”




Chris
smiled. “I'll do my best.”




“You
always do. Reason four-hundred and fifty-six of why I love you so
much.”