About a week after our third visit, Terry came trotting into my office one morning. She looked excited. She said, "Dude, fuck, there's no other way to put this, I need to borrow $4500 from you."
"What's up?" I asked.
"There's a swab selling an '85 Low Glide that is in great condition. This thing is straight, runs awesome. Him and his wife are being transferred to the Philippines, and he's dumping all his shit. He said he'd sit on it
I blinked, and held off answering for three seconds, just long enough to build drama. I said, "We'll go to the bank at lunch. We'll make it an even five, so you can pay for taxes and transfer of title, plus an oil change. And you're insuring it. I know Bekka is doing nothing this afternoon, you two can ride out to this swab's place and pick up the bike, she'll drive the Nova when you take off. Go straight to DMV, get the paperwork all settled. Then you ride it up to our place so I can see the damn thing. I know where you work, so I'm not worried about the money."
Terry launched herself at me so hard she nearly knocked me out of my chair backwards. "Dude! You are so fuckin' awesome! Um.... Lemme suck your dick!"
"A simple thank you will suffice," I said, kissing her cheek.
"Thank you, Lenny!" Terry squealed and kissed me on the mouth. I didn't think Terry was capable of squealing.
I looked at the clock. "Tell you what, let me tell Gina I'm leaving, and we can take off. We'll stop by the bank, then go to my house and tell Bekka she's been drafted into service this afternoon. Will this swab be home?"
"His wife thinks she's fuckin' June Cleaver, she'll be there, and they're expecting me. The swab said he'd leave the paperwork and shit with her, I just pay 'em, sign the fuckin' bullshit for DMV and the putt is mine. Dude, this will be so sweet!"
"Let me call Bekka and let her know we're on our way. Are you going to hold onto the Nova?"
Terry nodded. "Oh, fuck yeah. That thing is awesome, and I hate riding in shit weather. 'Sides, now that I got ducats coming in, I like being able to go grocery shopping, and buy more than one bag of stuff at a time, I actually go to the Safeway in Point Loma now. Ever try to go grocery shopping on a putt? You're kinda fucked, even with saddlebags and a backpack you can't carry much. You realize you're not buying things you want because they'd be a pain in the ass to pack."
I called Bekka and gave her the news and the plan. She was happy for Terry, and said she'd be dressed and waiting, and why didn't I come with?
"Sure, why not," I said. "Nothing pending around here, I spent the morning calling duplication plants and warning them to stock up on blanks for 'Succubus.' The promo copies are already at the warehouse in Van Nuys, Angel is sending them out to the magazines. It's not just the usual suspects getting them this time, either. Playboy, Esquire, Time, Newsweek, People, everybody's getting promos this time around. Okay, we're gonna hit the bank, then we'll be home. See you in a bit, love."
We hit the bank, where I pulled out seven grand: $5,000 for Terry, and some cash for me and Bekka. We were spoiled at this point. If we left the house with less than $1,500 in cash on us, we felt like we weren't prepared for anything that might happen. I counted out fifty hundreds for Terry sitting in the car, she tucked five of them in her wallet and stuffed the rest in her front pocket. "Fuckin' wad," she commented.
Rolling in Terry's Nova, we picked up Bekka and headed to the swab's house in Allied Gardens. There was a FOR RENT sign staked into the lawn. We rang the bell, and the door was answered by a slightly pudgy brunette wearing an apron. She blinked at the sight of the three of us. "Terry, right?" she said. "You were able to raise the money, I take it. Please come in."
We stepped inside and I swear she's glaring at Bekka. June Cleaver finally said, "Excuse me, are you in show business?"
Bekka smiled and said, "Yes, I am."
Now I know June Cleaver is glaring. "Yes. I see you nearly naked every time I step into our garage. You are Becky something...."
"Becky Page is my stage name, yes. My real name is Bekka Schneider, this is my husband Lenny Schneider, and you have met our friend Terry Patton. Terry also functions as my bodyguard."
June Cleaver gave a haughty look and said, "I am June Baxter." (Wow, Terry had gotten the 'June' part right.)
Terry said, "I have the money, cash. I'd like to show them the putt."
June looked at me and Bekka. Then she shook her head and said, "Of course. This way."
She led us outside and opened the garage door. The Harley stood front and center, silver and grey, dead stock. I looked around. Posted over a weight bench were three of Bekka's posters, her nude in all of them, her positioning and arms the only things that kept them 'R' rated. June caught my look and said, "Yes, my husband is quite a fan of Becky Page. I'm sure you recognize those posters."
I smiled and said, "Recognize them? Hell, I took the photographs."
June gave me a look that was both confused and acidic and said, "I have also seen her movies. You two are married, and you don't mind her doing such things?"
"Nope. It's what she's done for as long as I've known her. It's only performance, it doesn't mean anything. I write and produce the movies she appears in, it's just business."
Terry had gone to the bike, adjusted the choke, and now fired it up. She let it run rich for a few moments, then killed the choke and let it idle on its own, giving the throttle a couple twists. June backed away, as though it might explode. Terry smiled and said, "I'm gonna take it around the block, just to make sure, okay?" She gunned out of the garage and went up the street.
We stepped out of the garage into the sun. Bekka and I smiled at June. She said, "So, you say that young lady functions as your bodyguard?"
Bekka said, "Part time, yes. She is with me when I go out, when I go shopping or to the mall, or other places. I briefly had a male bodyguard, full time. That didn't work at all, he wanted to ride around on my shoulders. I enjoy meeting my fans, and he would try to shoo them away. Terry isn't so over-protective as he was. Terry is tough as nails, fears nothing, and has the sensitivity and woman's intuition to spot creeps." Then Bekka's whole body twitched, ever so slightly, and she said with a familiar smile, "Or jealous wives."
I leaned over and whispered in Bekka/Becky's ear, "Fuck off, Becky. Let Bekka handle this."
June said, "Ye-ess, I can see you causing anger in quite a few wives and girlfriends. You are quite the enchanting performer. Your movies seem to transfix men, even your posters hold them spellbound. How did you do that with your posters?"
"Do what, ma'am?" asked Bekka (and it was Bekka).
"The eyes. They seem to follow you around, so no matter where you are, you look at the viewer. How did you do that?"
"To be frank, I have no idea. It's been commented on before. I was simply looking straight into the camera lens, and I have dark eyes, so that may have something to do with it."
June continued, "And in your movies, you seem to have the ability to truly seduce. It would seem as though the whole of the U.S. Navy is in love with Becky Page. Do you have an explanation?"
Bekka said, "Well, I'm flattered. I will admit that it's always been my intention to arouse, that's what I get paid for, and have been for years. So far as seduction goes, well, I was blessed with enough acting talent to make my scenes out of the ordinary, that what happens doesn't just look like the normal coupling you see in a porn video. I can't lie, I'm proud of that. There have been a couple occasions where I've made my own husband jealous, and we've worked together in the industry for years. I had to assure him, no, there's nothing going on, it was just me playing out a scene, I have no interest in the other performer. I am simultaneously pleased and shocked that my performances evoke such emotion in people."
June scowled, "That's performance, is it? I think---"
We were interrupted by a Chevy Citation pulling into the driveway. Out came a sailor wearing those unique Naval camouflage fatigues. He looked more muscular than I expected from swabs. He glanced at me and Bekka and said, "Are these people here to rent? Did you tell...." And he trailed off.
He stared at Bekka and said, "You're Becky Page. Are you really Becky Page? My God, Becky Page is standing in my driveway!"
Bekka looked at his sleeves and the bars on his collar, saluted, and said, "Captain Baxter, Ensign Page reporting, sir!"
I looked at Bekka's eyes. Bekka and Becky were co-piloting, as it were, taking advantage of both Becky's moxie and Bekka's rationale and manners. I relaxed.
If Captain Baxter smiled any harder he'd fracture something. He said, "At ease, Ensign. My God.... What are you doing here? You're not here about the house, are you?"
Bekka/Becky said, "No. You met our friend Terry yesterday, I believe. She's buying your Harley from you, my husband and I are loaning her the money. She just wanted to take it for a quick spin."
In a cool tone, June said, "Yes, the biker girl is Becky Page's bodyguard. This must be a truly unique experience for the both of you. Dear, you get to meet a woman you worship face to face, and Becky, you get to meet a man who idolizes you."
"Unfortunately, I get far too much idolization," said Bekka/Becky. "But I am always happy to meet fans. No harm has ever come to me in meeting fans. June, have you enjoyed any of my movies? As movies?"
June stared at the concrete briefly and said, "Yes. The comedy you did, the office comedy. That was truly funny.... And you kept your clothes on through much of it."
Captain Baxter said, "Aw, come on, you also liked 'Bewitched,' you loved that one. I know the sequel is out now, I can't wait to see it."
"I can," sniffed June. Captain Baxter ignored her.
"Hey you two, c'mon in, have a beer," said the Captain, gesturing into the garage. We followed him into the kitchen, where we were handed cold bottles of Stroh's. We sat down in the kitchenette, Bekka/Becky wedged between Captain Baxter and me. June set her beer down on the table, unopened.
"My God," reiterated the Captain, "Becky Page is sitting in my kitchen. Nobody at the base is gonna believe this. You've got quite the following, you know that, right?"
"Oh yes," said Bekka/Becky. "Lenny and I spend a bit of time at the UTC mall, which is close to Miramar. I go to the arcade, play pinball, and sign autographs for flight crew members. Tell me, where are you stationed?"
"I'm at NTC [Naval Training Center], adjacent to Point Loma. I wrangle DIs, basically, I train the trainers. Now they're transferring me to Subic Bay in the Philippines for a new job. I can't say what, though. It's not classified, but it is restricted."
The sound of a Harley-Davidson rumbling up the driveway interrupted us. The engine shut off, then a voice called from the door to the garage, "Hello?"
"In here," called the Captain. "Come on in, Terry, we're here in the kitchen. Grab a beer."
Terry walked into the kitchen with a look of delight on her face. She walked straight up to the kitchenette, stuck her hand in her pocket, pulled out the wad of bills, and said, "Dude. That fucker is mine. Here you go." She slapped the bills into Captain Baxter's hand.
The Captain said, "I'm glad you like it, I never spent as much time on it as I wanted to...." He gave his wife a pointed look. ".... But I'm happy it makes you happy. June, grab that paperwork so we can sign things. So Becky, what's new with you?"
June grudgingly slid out of the kitchenette. Bekka/Becky said, "Well, our most recent project is due for release in four or five weeks. It's called 'Succubus,' and if you liked 'Road Warrior,' you'll love what we did. It's post-apocalyptic adventure, complete with car chases. We shot it out in Imperial Valley, a month of merry hell. But we're overjoyed with what we made. Everyone at Inana was involved, including a few new girls. If you have a favorite at Inana, she has a good scene. It's by far the most ambitious thing we've ever done, probably the most ambitious thing any porn studio has ever done. We spared no expense, it must be seen to be be believed...."
June returned with the papers. She asked, "So what am I missing?"
Bekka/Becky said, "I was just telling the Captain about our new release...."
The Captain said, "Please, call me Mark."
".... I was telling Mark about our new release. Sort of a takeoff on 'Road Warrior.' I play the queen of a band of road pirates. My band steals goods and fuel, and men. My character, the pirate queen, is a succubus: if she sleeps with a man, she destroys his mind, so she cannot have a lover, not more than once. She finally meets---"
I elbowed Bekka/Becky and said, "Don't give away the plot. Let them see it on their own. Not long until the release."
June said, "But by then, we'll be in the Philippines, far out of the sphere of influence of Becky Page. Won't we, dear?"
"The Philippines is hardly the Third World. I'm sure you'll be able to find our releases there."
Bekka/Becky asked me, "Does Inana distribute to the Philippines?"
I said, "I'm not sure if we have a direct distributor there, I'd have to check with Angel, he'd know. I do know we have a Japanese distributor, so I'm sure plenty of copies make it that far. I know the Japanese distributor isn't bothered by having English-only releases, and the Philippines is fairly bilingual."
"You guys talking about 'Succubus?'" asked Terry. "Because that movie is gonna fuckin' rock. I can't wait to see the complete movie." She whacked the Captain on the arm. "I watched them making the fuckin' thing, there's chases with these wild-looking cars and shit. Hell, Lenny sold me one of the cars, this totally cool Nova.... Shit, that's what's parked out front, only I had it painted and cleaned it up and shit. I gotta get a cowl for the fuckin' blower, though.... Anyway, yeah, see 'Succubus,' it's gonna fuckin' rip."
"A cinematic breakthrough, I'm sure," said June, rolling her eyes.
Terry frowned and said, "Actually, yeah, it is. I watched 'em making the fuckin' thing."
I said, "I've seen the very rough cut, no music and scratch audio. I'm happy with what we've accomplished. It's going to be a good movie, not just a good porn movie."
"And you can always get it through mail order," said Bekka/Becky. "Our new releases are always $32.95, plus four bucks for shipping. Want the address?" She rattled off the Van Nuys address to the Captain. "If you have your new address already, have it sent there, you and the video should probably arrive at around the same time. You can have a movie night with your new neighbors."
In her icy tone, June said, "Somehow I don't think showing pornography to our new neighbors will paint us in a positive light."
The Captain said, "But this is a Becky Page movie, they'll love it. Everybody loves her stuff."
"They really do," I said. "The damnedest thing, we make hardcore porn that women enjoy. We've gotten fan mail from people ranging from fifteen year old girls to couples in their seventies. Becky Page and Inana have broken a lot of barriers."
June sucked in air and said, "You have teenage girls watching your movies?
Bekka/Becky replied, "We do. It came as a bit of a surprise to us, too. An amazing number of girls of high school and college age are fans of both Inana Productions and Becky Page. I am seen as the face of post-feminist feminine sexual liberation, a libertine version of Wonder Woman. My roles in Inana's movies are always powerful, my characters are strong, really take charge. That has struck a chord with young women, they see a chick who proves you can be sexually aggressive without being a slut. And in interviews, I express my own admittedly progressive views on sexuality. Yes, I am bisexual in real life. And while I am happily married, I love and endorse the spirit and tenets of polyamory. Between my movie roles and my willingness to speak freely of love and sex, young women have championed me, seeing me as a positive role model, a proud woman who is sex-positive and unashamed of it."
I said, "I speak with these young women and realize the lesbian experimentation will pass, and they will probably settle down with a single person, but the self-confidence they are building will probably last a lifetime. The young women who are inspired by Becky Page are much more assured, have more self-esteem than their counterparts. These are girls who will set goals in their lives, and achieve them."
"Yes Mark, these are not girls who would be content serving as WACs," smiled Bekka/Becky.
Finally addressing me directly, the Captain said, "So you write and produce all of Becky's movies. Have you always wanted to do this for a living?"
"Nope. Believe it or not, I always thought porn was crap, I hated porn features. When I got promoted to C.O.O. of Inana, I realized there was no reason to not make porn I would actually enjoy watching. I talked the owner out of a budget, wrote a script that would be cheap to produce, and gave it a shot. That's how 'Lust Instructor' came into being. It did okay, so Angel, my boss, agreed to continue making features. I made 'Wedding Party' and 'Babysitter,' then got approval for a bigger budget for 'Bewitched.' As you're probably aware, 'Bewitched' really blew up...."
Bekka/Becky added, "And as well it should have. Not only did we have a budget for real special effects, Lenny wrote, like, seven drafts of the script, wanting to get it right. He created Ursula, who has proven to be the most popular mage since Gandalf."
"And you brought her to life, dear," I said. "Really, 'Bewitched' proved that you can make porn that works as a movie, something that is entertaining all the way through. I learned a lot making my first three features, and it carried over. And somehow I keep putting out movies everyone wants to see."
The captain asked me, "Something I'm curious about. You two are married? How does that work? Do you two have, um, I guess it's called an open relationship?"
Bekka/Becky and I looked at each other, then smirked. I answered, "Huh. Yeah, I guess we do. Never really thought about it that way. I do have lovers besides Becky, who she knows. Hell, they're friends."
"I realized it was horribly unfair of me to do what I do for a living, and insist on monogamy from Lenny," said Bekka/Becky. "There are days when I'll come home from work and be too, uh, sore to make love with my own husband. That is really unfair. I spend my days in the physical act of sex, why shouldn't my husband have the same opportunity? Our friend and roommate Jane has always had a crush on Lenny, so I gave my approval for them to get together. Then there's Sue, who we work with. She's an anal queen, so Lenny gets to fuck ass with her. And of course there's Terry here. That just started while we were making 'Succubus.' It's not a constant thing with any of them. But I like that Lenny has options."
Terry said, "Hey, I wouldn't mind it being more constant. I'll get with Lenny any fuckin' time he wants."
"So your marriage has no sanctity," said June. "You two do what you want, with no commitment."
"We are very, very committed to each other," said Bekka/Becky in a slithering voice. "I am madly in love with Lenny, I can't imagine what my life would be like without him. He is the source of light in my world."
I said, "I'm hopelessly in love with Becky. I would collapse inwards without her. Don't get me wrong, I love Terry, and Jane, and Sue, but the focus of my romantic passion is Becky, she's the one who holds the keys to my heart. We are quite committed to each other. I think what it is, is that we don't equate sex with emotional commitment, at least not as a romantic commitment. Terry is wonderful, we're great friends, and I love her, but she knows Becky is the woman I'm in love with. Do you see where I'm coming from?"
"You have your cake and eat it, too, " June said with a sneer. "You have your wife's permission to run around on her."
"No, he doesn't," said Bekka/Becky. "I am the one who arranged for him to get together with Sue and Jane, it never occurred to him. In a way, they were a gift from me to Lenny. Terry had expressed her interest in him to the both of us, and I gave my blessing. They were working around each other very closely while we were busy making 'Succubus,' around each other constantly, and I didn't want the tension of unrequited passion interfering with their work. They've gotten together a few times since we returned, and that's fine with me."
Terry said, "On that subject, um Bekka, can I borrow him for the night in the near future? Don't worry, no dents or scratches. I miss him, and uh, I've been really horny lately."
"How about Tuesday?" suggested Bekka/Becky. "You and I can do our usual routine of grocery shopping, then browsing around La Jolla. We meet Lenny at home around five, and you two can take off from there. I'll see him in the morning, I'm sure Jane won't mind keeping me company in bed that night. Does that sound okay?"
June was now looking thoroughly scandalized. "So the three of you see nothing wrong with scheduling sex like.... Like a lunch date? And who is Jane?"
Terry, Bekka/Becky, and I looked at each other. "I ain't got a problem with it," said Terry to June. "Gives me something to look forward to."
"We have busy lives," I said. "Plenty of people schedule sex."
Bekka/Becky said, "In answer to your second question, Jane is our roommate. She's originally from Florida, which is where we met her. Due to circumstances, she found herself here in California with no place to go, so we invited her to live with us. She has always had a crush on Lenny, so when I decided that I wanted Lenny to have lovers besides me, she was the first person to come to mind. She confessed to also having a crush on me, and she's a sexy little thing, so me, her, and Lenny will share a bed on a semi-regular basis. As I said, I am bisexual in real life, not just in front of a camera. The three of us are quite happy with how things worked out."
Terry said, "And see, I couldn't hack that shit. It don't bug me if a chick is into other chicks, but that ain't me at all, I'm strictly straight."
"Which is totally cool," said Bekka/Becky, putting a hand on Terry's arm. "I'd never pressure you like that."
June had moved from scandalized to aghast. The Captain's eyebrows were jutting upwards, but he had a smile on his face that was more than just good manners. June said, "I've.... I've never been around people like you."
"I'm sure you have. You just didn't know it, because they're normal people, like us."
I said, "Well.... I don't think we really fit the bill when it comes to being normal people." Bekka/Becky and Terry laughed, the Captain chuckled.
Bekka/Becky continued, "We're not swingers, and we are no more absorbed with sex than anyone else. We just aren't coy about it, we gave up hiding things. Polyamory is not a new concept, but it's still considered scandalous. Lenny and I are constantly asked how we can have a successful marriage when I do what I do for a living. The answer is, quite easily. What happens on a sound stage has no meaning, it's very objective. It's just a very unusual acting job I hold, one that has made me rich and famous."
With her acid voice, June said, "Yes. Posters of you for sale everywhere, articles in Time and People, girls getting their hair cut like yours and copying your makeup.... You have quite the draw. You're a millennial Farrah Fawcett."
"Becky is a much better actress," I said. "And while Becky's whole career is based on her sex appeal, she is not a sex object. She leveled the playing field, as you've probably noticed watching her movies."
The Captain said, "Watching her, y'know, perform in her movies, it was surprising. Becky wasn't there to just service the guys, like in most porn. She actively participates in what's going on. It's actually a bigger turn-on seeing that."
"I'd like to think my acting isn't as one-note as Farrah's was, that I can cover a wider variety of roles," said Bekka/Becky. "And I'll slap anyone who compares me to Bo Derek."
"Becky, could I ask a favor of you? Could I get your picture and autograph? If you don't want to, that's totally understandable...."
"I'd be delighted, Ca--- Mark. Tell you what, get your camera, and Lenny can take a picture of us together."
The Captain shooed June out of the way, trotted deeper into the house, and returned bearing a Canon. I stood to let Bekka/Becky out, then took the camera and quickly went over it. The sun was still high, so we went out in the backyard, where the Captain and Bekka/Becky stood with their backs to the fence. I took four good shots, changing my positioning slightly each time. I knew one would be getting blown up and put in Captain Mark Baxter's new office at Subic Bay. Terry helped by standing behind me and making silly faces, to encourage smiles. June took all this in with an icy glare.
"Would you like me to sign your posters?" asked Bekka/Becky. "I've got a marker in my purse."
This sounded boffo to the captain, so we went out in the garage and she wrote her usual "XXX Kisses, Becky Page" signature on each poster. She stood back, stared at them, then asked the Captain which one he would be most likely to hang in his office.
"The one on the right, with you leaning on the wall. There's something about the look on your face that is just, well...."
Bekka/Becky wrote "Hi, Captain Mark!" above her signature. "How's that?" she asked.
"That is just too much, thank you, this is incredible. Say, would you like to have dinner with us? Nothing fancy, there's a retro Fifties place on Mission Gorge...."
"That's very kind, but we wanted to get to DMV today, and Jane is making dinner tonight. We should probably be going before DMV turns into too much of a mess. But before we leave, could I get a hug from you and June? I believe we share ourselves more when we hug, much more than a handshake."
June said (icily), "You hug her, Mark. I am more than content with a handshake. I know you've wanted to put your hands on her since the moment you saw her in the driveway."
"Aw, June...." said the Captain.
Bekka/Becky went to June and said, "I hug many people, and almost all of them in a very platonic manner. I promise, I don't bite."
"Hug him first," said June.
Arms out, Bekka/Becky went to the Captain and they tightly embraced for about ten seconds, or eight seconds longer than June was happy with. They broke apart, and Bekka/Becky went to June. June attempted to give a quick loose grasp, but Bekka/Becky was having none of it. She squeezed June and held on. June loosely wrapped her arms around her for several seconds, then they parted.
"Do not be jealous of me, I'm just an actress with a strange job," said Bekka/Becky to June, looking in her eyes. "Your husband loves you. I can tell by his embrace, and I can tell by how he looks at you. Trust me on this, I know that look." And she kissed June's cheek.
"A-all right," said June, mouth open.
Terry said, "Okay, let's dangle to the Midtown DMV. See you there." She hopped on the Harley, fired it up, and swung it around.
The Baxters watched me and Bekka/Becky walk down to the Nova parked at the curb. The Captain suddenly jogged down to us as Bekka/Becky was opening the passenger door. "How would I get a hold of you, if I wanted to?" he asked.
"You own copies of my movies, yes? Just write to the address listed on the box, address it 'Becky Page, c/o Inana Productions.' I read all my mail. Remind me of who you are and how we met, I may write back. I'm pretty good about responding to military addresses. It's usually only when the guy is really crude or sends me a dick pic that I don't send a note back. So yeah, write me. You'd better get back up there, your wife is looking disgruntled." And Bekka/Becky saluted.
The Captain saluted back and trotted back up the driveway. We jumped in the Nova and took off down the street. Bekka --- just Bekka --- commented, "That was some up close and personal fan service we just did."
"Oh yeah," I answered. "With an angry wife present, too. He struck me as just a fan, though, not one of the obsessives. Think he'll write you when he's in the Philippines?"
Bekka smiled and said, "If not before."
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