THE PRICE OF WORTHLESSNESS

Fortunately for Petra, the first request for a massage that morning was, unusually, from a woman. She was dressed in a business suit and explained to Nadine that she was in the area temporarily working on an important commission for a local company. The work had left her with a stiff and sore neck and shoulders, from which she needed relief before her long journey home. She was clearly unaware of the usual type of clientele that came into the shop for a massage, but Nadine smiled and allocated Petra to the job. Petra took a deep breath of relief that her first customer was a woman, and led her through the back curtain and into a massage room. She politely instructed the woman to remove her clothes and lay on the massage table face down, immediately covering her modesty with a towel.

“Are you warm enough, madam?”

“Yes, I’m fine thanks, but please call me Sandra.”

“Did I hear you say that you are having pain in your neck and shoulder area?”

“Yes, from working on a computer, so I’d appreciate you relieving the tension in those muscles. But I’d really like a full-body massage, if that’s okay.”

“Fine. Now just you relax and enjoy.” 

Petra began to put into practice all that Roxie had taught her, and before long she heard the woman gently purring in her sleep. She felt reticent to wake her but did so as kindly as possible and asked her to turn onto her back.

“You are really good at this, Petra,” said the woman as she settled on to her back and Petra placed a cushion beneath her head.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Is it helping your neck and shoulders?”

“It certainly is. I’m afraid I fell asleep with the relief of no pain and your amazing skill.” “Good. Don’t worry about falling asleep. I take it as a compliment.”

“And so you should. You are definitely the best masseuse I’ve ever been to.”

Petra could have burst with pride and sent up a small prayer of thanks that her first customer had miraculously turned out to be a woman, who would not require the extras that most men would. She felt even more elated after the massage was finished and Sandra spoke to Nadine within everyone’s hearing.

“I must compliment you on the skill of your masseuse. Petra gave me the best massage I’ve ever had. I shall recommend her to my colleagues who are often in this area.”

Petra blushed as both Nadine and the woman looked over and smiled at her.

“I’m so glad you were happy with the service,” said Nadine as the woman left the shop, giving Petra a little wave as she went.  

Petra looked at the other girls, and all but Andie gave her a smile and a thumbs up. However, Petra’s elation didn’t last long. She was just completing a manicure on a chubby man with a bright red face, which she was relieved didn’t include nail polish, when, as instructed, she asked him if he would require anything extra.

“How can I resist when the question comes from such a pretty young thing?” he replied, giving Petra a wink as he did so.

Petra felt the colour drain from her face as she stood up to lead the man to Nadine to pay, and then out of the shop and into a massage room. He didn’t wait to be asked to remove his clothes. He just got on with it, throwing the discarded items of clothing on to the chair provided for the purpose and virtually bouncing onto the massage table, laying on his back with his erection in full view.

“Please turn onto your front, Sir.”

“Not easy to do,” joked the man, struggling to turn over as Petra held a towel up, not so much to protect his modesty, which was clearly not required, but to hide the obscene sight from her own view.

Petra began the massage, hoping for a second miracle that the man would fall asleep, which he did for a short while, snoring loudly and passing wind. But as soon as Petra lifted the towel and gently requested that he turn over, he was wide awake, still with a large erection, and asking how much it would cost for oral sex. Petra told him, hoping that the amount would put him off, but he readily agreed. She disengaged her mind from her body as she performed the required task, before vomiting into the wash basin while he was still heaving for breath and unaware of what she was doing. 

“I’ll wait outside the door while you get dressed, Sir.”

“No need. I’m not shy if you’re not.”

Petra nodded and pretended to busy herself sorting out the towels on the shelf as the man dressed.

“If you’ll follow me, Sir, I’ll take you out to Nadine, should you require another appointment.”

When Petra was back at her manicure station, Chelsea turned to her and whispered. “Are you alright, Sweetie? You look a bit pale.”

Petra gave her friend a half-smile that didn’t reach her eyes and then a small nod.

At least it wasn’t as bad as some of the things I had to do for Thomas Cambourne’s customers.