The man tucked my bag into an overhead compartment and told me to sit where ever I would like. I was speechless. This was the last thing I expected and I wanted to savor every second.
When would I ever have the chance again to fly in a private jet? Never.
The seat formed to my body as I sat down. Staring out the window, I watched the large commercial planes line the runway. The roar of the engine rumbled through my bones as the plane reversed and headed for departure. I noticed we had a completely different runway to use. One set off to the side, just for us.
“Would you like some wine, Miss?” the steward asked.
“Yes, please.” I wasn't really much of a drinker, but this occasion called for it.
If this was how my weekend was going to start, I couldn't imagine what else was to come.
“Here you go. My name is Jeff, and if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask,” he said, handing me a glass and filling it with wine.
Staring at the bottle, I noticed the crystal glass was adorned in gold designs. “Wow, this looks expensive. What kind of wine is this?”
His lips pulled back in a thin line. “It's Thistle Gold, Miss. And yes it's not cheap.” Placing the bottle inside a bucket filled with ice, he said: “Mr. Alexander requested the best for you.”
Mr. Alexander, so that's the name of the man who hired me. Where does Mr. H come in? Maybe I was hired by a couple of guys, setting up a bachelor party for a friend.
When I asked Gloria if she knew anything about the party or who hired me, she would only say, 'All you need to know is you'll be making a shit load of money. The rest are minor details that don't matter.'
A piece of me had found it strange that she didn't give me more information, no guidelines to follow, no list of instructions.
Every party had some sort of requests or priorities that the guys wanted done. I'd been asked to sing like Cher, wear a pink wig and do the chicken dance- that time was weird- And once, I was at a bachelor party where the groom genuinely loved Miss Piggy.
You can imagine how that one went.
But this time there was nothing. Maybe, this was a first time hire? I had thought. It was possible that they'd never hired a stripper before, so maybe they didn't know what to expect.
I didn't recognize the name and frankly, I didn't care. This was fucking awesome. I was sipping gold wine on a jet sent just for me, a temporary star.
The engine turned into a high pitched thunder. Buckling my seat belt, I watched the ground around me shrink. The world below disappeared as the dimming blue sky and puffy white clouds lifted me into a high I had never felt before.
My nerves were running wild with anticipation; my mind was blistering with wonder of what else I should expect from this weekend.
Already I had been treated like a fucking queen.
I'd spent my entire life working my ass off for everything I had. I wasn't given handouts; if I wanted something, I had to earn it.
My family had lived your typical blue collar life. Both my parents worked full-time, my dad drove a beat up old minivan- which I hated- and in the chaos of our day to day existence, we were blind-sided by my mom's cancer.
Her getting sick, that put a wrench in our ordinary lives.
Looking around the cabin, a piece of me felt sorry that my mother had never been able to experience anything this nice before. The struggles she had gone through in life to give me and my two sisters everything she could; it was worth so much more than what she gave herself.
It's something you can very easily take for granted. Have you ever sat back and thought about what it takes to provide for someone else? To give to them and never yourself, because they needed it more?
I didn't, not until life was something my mother had to work for now.
That's a tough pill to swallow.
The realization that her entire existence had been spent giving to us, and we only took from her. It was that idea, that thought that made me want to do anything I could to help her.
She deserved it. For everything she had gone through.
A twinge of jealousy seeped into my gut. To see how some people had it so easy made me cringe. I bet this man never had to once go without or have to choose between paying the mortgage or a hospital bill.
As the jet leveled out, I unclasped my belt. Resting my head back, I sipped the glass of alcohol, and let myself embrace this feeling of a lavished lifestyle.
I wasn't going to fall into any self-pity. My world was mine, regardless.
And if I hadn't been through some of the things thrown my way, I wouldn't be me.
But this weekend wasn't for any of that. This weekend I was going to enjoy being my alter ego.
Copper.
Chapter Four
Hegan
It's almost time, I thought, checking the clock. The plane was set to land at eight. I had a limo sent to pick up Copper at the airport, let her experience a bit of my life, a little tease of what I had to offer her. I even went as far as to call every taxi company in the state to make sure that if a young woman called to be brought to the airport, I was going to pay her fare.