The Price

Jenny awoke in the morning in a state of near-panic. Events of the night before were scattered through her brain like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. She shook her head, repeatedly trying to collect her thoughts and sort those pieces into a coherent image. The slight headache she had wasn't helping her at all.

Jenny remembered the early part of the evening, having a light dinner with Rose and Tania. And two--no, three--glasses of wine. One was usually her limit. Especially if she had to drive. Like last night. Especially in the rain... like last night.

But they had been having so much fun and no one wanted the night to end. So, against her better judgment, Jenny had ordered second and third drinks. They had been talking and laughing and enjoying their girls night out. God, it had been a long time since they had gotten together like that. Probably before any of them had had kids.

She wasn't entirely sure what time they had finally left or what time she had gotten home. Now, in her panic, she wasn't even sure exactly how she had gotten home. That is, she knew she had driven herself home, but she couldn't remember her exact route and that was causing her heart to skip and her panic to rise.

Somewhere along that only partially remembered journey, Jenny's car had struck something. She didn't know what or where. There had been a loud THUNK that had shaken the whole car. Jenny, in a moment of blind panic, hadn't stopped to see what she had hit. Fearful of consequences, she had hurried home, pulled the car into the garage and, once she stopped shaking, fallen asleep on the sofa.

In the morning the incident was like a vaguely remembered nightmare. But as events slowly came back to her, the panic started to build. It was almost an hour before she worked up the nerve to go out to the garage and inspect the car. Sure enough, the front right of the car was visibly damaged. Jenny stared at it for a moment before fleeing back into the house.

She had hit something... or somebody. A chill caused her whole body to shudder. What if it had been a person? And she had left them to die on the side of the road. Her head went swimmy and for a moment, she thought she was going to faint. She managed to sit down on the sofa before she fell over. Then the tears came and it was ten minutes before Jenny could get herself under control again.

Jenny was still shaking slightly when she got up off of the sofa. She headed into the office to check the local news on the internet. If someone had been hit by a car, surely there would be a news report.

In five minutes Jenny had her answer. Sure enough, a pedestrian had been struck and killed in a hit and run incident the night before. The road where it occurred wasn't one directly on Jenny's way home, but it wasn't that far out of the way either. It was quite possible that Jenny, driving in the rain and under the influence, had taken that road. She couldn't for the life of her remember her exact route, but all the facts were adding up against her.

She wished her husband, Drew, was home. Then thought that it was lucky that he wasn't. How could she explain this to him? What would he say to her? What would he think of her?

Drew was supposed to return from a business trip last night, but now had to stay at least another few days to finish things. The kids were spending the weekend at his parents' house so Jenny and Drew could have a weekend alone together. The plan had been for Friday to be Jenny's night out with the girls and Saturday to be spent with Drew. It was to be a long needed break for both of them. Jenny started to cry again as she thought about how wrong everything had gone.

When Jenny finally collected herself, she decided that she had to do something. What could she do? Turn herself in? No, that was too scary to even contemplate. She thought of calling Rose to ask her, but quickly decided against it. Rose was a great friend if you needed to get something off your chest, but this was a very different problem. Talking about it wouldn't make it go away. No, Jenny needed more than just a sympathetic ear. She needed someone who could help her hide what she had done.

None of her friends were particularly useful in this situation. They would be just as lost as her when it came to getting the car fixed. And not only did Jenny need to get the car fixed, she had to get it done quickly and discretely. She wracked her brain, but the only person she could think to call was her husband's friend Tom.

Tom wasn't someone Jenny was particularly fond of, and certainly not a person she wanted to turn to for help. He was too blue collar for Jenny's taste, and he seemed to know it. He surely knew that his unpolished behavior and off-color jokes irritated Jenny and that seemed only to encourage him. He had a shady side to him, too. Nothing too overt, but Jenny suspected he wasn't above bending a few laws for his own benefit. That was what made her think that he might know how to handle her current situation.

Tom and Drew had been friends since before high school, so Jenny did her best to tolerate him. Fortunately, Drew didn't see that much of Tom and when he did, it usually wasn't when Jenny was around. Not that Jenny was happy about that either. Tom had a reputation for being a womanizer and Jenny, much as she trusted Drew, didn't really want her husband around a guy like Tom.

Over the years Jenny had learned to be nice, if a little distant, toward Tom. On the occasions she had to endure his presence, she forced herself to be courteous, if not actually friendly. Tom was obviously aware of Jenny's polite-but-not-friendly demeanor. He made a point of saying and doing things around her that he knew would bother her. It wasn't that he was mean spirited, just that he enjoyed needling her. He probably had as much disdain for her manners as she had for his, and it was just his way of showing it.

Jenny was naturally loathe to call him and ask for his help. But she was also scared out of her mind and couldn't think of a single other person she could call. At the very least, Tom was one of her husband's oldest friends. He might not be particularly keen on helping Jenny, but he'd probably do just about anything for Drew's sake. It didn't matter. Jenny knew of no one else she could call.

It took Jenny another fifteen minutes to figure out exactly what she should say and how she should say it. She didn't know how much she should tell him over the phone. And she certainly didn't want to sound as desperate and vulnerable as she felt. When she finally had a conversation composed in her head, she reached for the phone and started to dial. Her hands started shaking half way through dialing and she hung up. It took her another ten minutes and three more tries before she managed to dial Tom's number.

"Hello?" Tom's voice had the leathery, groggy sound of someone just awakened.

"Tom?" Jenny asked. She realized that it was only 8am and that Tom was almost certainly still in bed.

"Yeah?"

"This is Jenny Cartwright. Drew's wife." That was dumb, she thought to herself. Of course he knew she was Drew's wife.

"Yeah?" Tom's voice was a papery croak. Jenny could picture him lying there with the phone to his ear, eyes closed, just waiting for this conversation to be over so he could go back to sleep.

"Well, Tom," Jenny's well-rehearsed dialog was deserting her. "I, uh... I... there's been, well, a problem with the car. And Drew isn't home. And I was, uh, wondering if you could, uh..."

"Can this wait till later?" There was no mistaking the gruffness in Tom's tone. Jenny was tempted to tell him to forget it, but knew there was nowhere else to turn.

"Um... It's kind of an emergency," Jenny said, almost apologetically.

"Mmm hmm," Tom rumbled. "Where are you?"

"I'm at home," Jenny answered, annoyed at herself for allowing him to intimidate her so easily.

"And where's the car?"

"Here," she answered. "In the garage."

"So what's the emergency?"

"Could you just come over and I'll show you?" Jenny asked, trying to keep her voice steady. Her hands were starting to shake again and she knew she had to end this conversation before she began crying. "It really is an emergency."

"Okay," he answered and hung up. Jenny sat there for a minute, phone still in her hand. Was he really going to come over or had he just rolled over and gone back to sleep? She wanted to call back and ask, but for some reason she was afraid to.

Jenny didn't know what she should do. Her nerves were frayed and she couldn't think clearly. She decided that she had better get a shower and get dressed, just in case Tom actually did come over. She didn't want to meet him at the door in her bathrobe. She felt far too vulnerable already.

Jenny stood in front of the mirror as she dried her shoulder length dark brown hair. She looked herself up and down with a critical eye. Her body wasn't too bad for a thirty-one year old woman who had had two children in the past five years. But she was not the hot little number she had been in college.

Her breasts were once perky C cups. Now they were D's and a bit on the saggy side. Her belly bore the stretch marks of two pregnancies and, despite her regular workouts, it was still far from the flat, tight stomach of her pre-baby days. Her hips and thighs were bigger than they had been, but at least her exercise routine kept them firm. Jenny was curvier now than she used to be, which Drew told her was a good thing. She wasn't sure she totally agreed, but she did agree that her figure was now more womanly.

Jenny's eyes wandered back up to her face. There were the beginnings of wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and mouth, but otherwise her complexion was still smooth. Her squarish jaw had always bothered her as not being very feminine. Her mouth too, always seemed to be too wide, revealing almost all of her teeth when she smiled. Fortunately, those teeth were straight and white, but Jenny still felt like she showed too much of them. Her nose, at least, was delicate and feminine. Her eyes too were soft brown and lady-like with long lashes and neatly kept eyebrows.

Jenny finished towel drying her hair and went into the bedroom to dress. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a red sweated that was just baggy enough to conceal her belly. She pulled her hair back in a pony tail and took a look at herself in the mirror. Would her vulnerability seem as obvious to others as it did to her?

Jenny went downstairs, wondering if she should take another look at the car or if maybe she should call Tom again. She was still standing in the kitchen, her attention split between the door to the garage and the phone, when the doorbell rang.

The house was strangely quiet without the kids and Drew around and the stress of the moment combined with the sudden intrusion of the doorbell jolted Jenny, sending her heart racing. She had to take a few deep breaths to steady herself before going to the door.

Half way there, a thought occurred to her. What if, instead of Tom, the police were at the door? What if someone had seen her car and taken down her license plate number? The bottom dropped out of her stomach. Her head reeled. The door looked like it was a mile away, down a long, dimly-lit tunnel. As Jenny stood there, barely keeping her balance, the doorbell rang again.

"Jen?" It was Tom's voice. A little cough of relief escaped from her. She took another deep breath and went to open the door.

"Hi," Jen said, trying to smile and failing miserably. Part of it was the stress of the current circumstances. But part of it was also because she knew she wouldn't ordinarily offer Tom a big smile. It felt wrong to do it now, just because she needed his help. It smacked of insincerity and surely he would realize it. She waved him inside and closed the door.

"So what's so urgent that I had to get up before ten on a Saturday?" Tom looked around as he spoke, as if expecting to see something that would answer his question. "Where's Drew and the kids?"

"Drew's on a business trip. He was supposed to be home last night, but they need him there next week too, so..." Jenny shrugged. "The kids are spending the weekend with his folks."

"And your emergency?"

"The car," Jenny replied. "In the garage." She gestured in the appropriate direction, though it was hardly necessary. Tom knew where the garage was. He walked past her, through the kitchen and out to the garage. He came back in a few minutes later.

"Yeah, you hit something alright," he reported. "Looks like a couple grand worth of damage. But I wouldn't exactly call it an emergency." He gave her a look that under normal circumstances Jenny would have found unbearably condescending. "What did you hit?"

Jenny swallowed hard, unable to look in Tom's direction. She gave a weak shrug and shook her head. Suddenly, there was a lump in her throat making it impossible for her to talk. Wordlessly, she led him into the office and pointed at the computer screen, where the hit-and-run story was still displayed.

Tom sat at the PC and read the story. Then he got up and went back to the garage. Jenny heard him make a call on his cell phone, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. Everything was whirling around her and she felt like a tiny boat at the mercy of a tempest. Waves rolled through her brain, drowning out her thoughts, spinning her out of control.

When Tom came back in from the garage, his manner was very matter-of-fact. It had a calming effect on Jenny. He was taking charge and handling a situation that was clearly beyond her capacity. At that moment she felt a rush of gratitude toward him, followed by a smothering feeling of guilt for the way she had treated him all along. True, he was doing what he was doing out of loyalty to Drew. But he was going to help her and that was all that mattered.

"When does Drew get back?"

"Wednesday, maybe Thursday." Tom nodded.

"Okay, you can't get a car fixed that quickly, but we can at least hide the damage. Should be good enough for now." Tom stood stroking his chin, eyes focused on a distant point. "I'll take your car now and leave you my truck. Later, I'll bring back my wagon with your car seats so you can pick up the kids tomorrow."

He continued staring in the distance, figuring out the plan and relaying it to Jenny step by step. She didn't follow all the details, trusting him with that and saving her concentration for things she needed to do.

When Tom finished, Jenny realized she hadn't heard much of what he had said. He must have seen the glazed look in her eyes and he quickly went over the whole thing with her again. This time, most of it sank in. He had someone lined up to fix the car and have it back to her before Drew got home. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would be enough. Tom would bring it over and take his car back as soon as it was done and Jenny would be responsible for paying Tom's friend.

"How much will it cost to fix it?" Jenny asked, almost afraid to think about it.

"Probably a couple grand," Tom told her. "But I don't know for sure. Since it's my buddy taking care of it, he might be able to cut you some slack. But I'd think you'd be less worried about money and more worried about secrecy." He shrugged. Jenny felt a chill go up her spine.

"Should I just give you a check?" Jenny asked. She felt the shakes starting in her hands again. How would she ever hide that kind of money from Drew?

"Nah, check's a bad idea. Cash only. No incriminating paper trail." Jenny nodded and gulped. Tom reached in his pocket and took out his keys. He pulled one off the ring and handed it to Jenny. She took it absently then went into the other room to get her own car key to give to Tom.

Tom pocketed her key but made no move to leave. He stood looking at Jenny in a way she found most disturbing. There was a slight smile on his lips, but it was neither warm nor reassuring.

"Just one thing left to seal the deal," Tom said finally. His hands reached for his belt and unbuckled it. Jenny watched with a strange detachment, unable either to believe her eyes or comprehend what they were telling her. He unsnapped his pants and started to unzip his fly. Still Jenny watched without reacting. It was surreal, almost like she was watching something on television. It wasn't until he pulled his pants down and she saw his cock that she snapped out of her trance-like state.

"Whu.. whu..." Even as it began to dawn on Jenny what was happening, she couldn't move. She was a deer in the headlights, staring at Tom's exposed cock, unable to react.

"Yeah," Tom said, kicking his pants off and stepping closer to her. "Just one last piece of business we need to take care of." His approach finally triggered a self-preservation response in her and Jenny began to back away, quivering. He watched her back away and slowly followed.

"Where are you going?" he asked. "You can run, but what's the point?" He looked at her and shrugged. "You wanna call the cops, do you? I don't think you want me to talk to them now, do ya?" Jenny's whole body went cold. Suddenly it hit her just how bad a position she was in.

Tom held Jenny's life as she knew it in his hands. He could fix everything or destroy her. It was entirely up to him. And he was standing in front of her, his semi-erect cock exposed telling her that she had to... had to what? She didn't even know exactly what he wanted. She was frightened to even think about it.

"Wha..." Jenny's mouth was dry, she could hardly speak. "What do you...?"

"What do I want?" Tom finished for her. Jenny nodded. "Something I've been waiting a long time for," he said with a wicked grin. "Yeah, you think I don't know what you think of me? How you think you're better than me? But that's okay," he said, winking at her. "You may think your shit don't stink, but you're going to suck my cock."

"I don't think so," Jenny retorted without thinking. Tom just stood there smiling at her.

"Yeah," he told her. "You are." He gestured toward the garage. "I don't have to take care of your dirty little secret for you, you know. I could just let you get found out on your own. Or," he said, his tone now menacing, "I could call the cops with an anonymous tip. I think vehicular homicide'll get you a minimum of six years." He shrugged.

Jenny stood there, she had backed into a wall and she leaned against it, shaking once again. She remembered how happy she had been, sitting there with her friends yesterday. How had that pleasant evening devolved into this nightmare? Then the tears came and all she could do was stand there sobbing.

After a while, she regained her self control, dried her eyes and looked up. Tom was still standing there, patiently waiting for her to realize that she had no other choice.

"Please," Jenny said at last. "Isn't there any other way?" Tom snorted and shook his head.

"Nope," he added. She looked up into his eyes. They were locked on hers with a gaze so intense she was forced to look away. There was no sign of pity in that gaze.

"Pleeease?" she whined. "I'm begging you, Tom. Please let's work this out some other way."

"Nope."

Jenny tried to think of something she could do or say, but her thoughts were completely jumbled. No coherent arguments or suggestions came to her. She looked at Tom's cock, hanging down between his legs. It was only partially erect, but it was enough for her to see that he was well-endowed.

Oh, my God, Jenny thought to herself. He really expects me to put that in my mouth! Up to this point, the deed itself had been more of an abstract concept. Jenny had been far more focused on the humiliation of it. Now the actual physical part, putting it in her mouth, was starting to sink in. She trembled slightly, then a little more. It took a supreme effort on her part to keep herself from relapsing into a shaking bundle of nerves again.