Shades of Shame (Semper Fi) by Laura Cooper, Christopher Cooper Page A

satisfied that she was now making progress.
     

 
    The Walk of Shame
    It had been almost a week since she’d last seen David alone.  She’d spoken with Logan every night on the phone; his sweetness hadn’t diminished in her thoughts.  But since David had taken her in his office she could think of nothing else.  The play of power drove her imagination wild.  She knew he’d be back in the office this afternoon, and she scrambled to find a reason to get near him.  She’d chosen spiked heels with black stockings and a garter today beneath her skirt, just to get his attention.  A few snap and bends throughout the afternoon would insure that she would be staying late tonight.
    Her plan was simple enough, and for the most part went off without a hitch.  She scribbled her note on a blank piece of paper and slid it into the brown folder.  With that she took a deep breath and made her way through the maze of office desks to his door.  His secretary asked if he was expecting her, which of course he wasn’t.  “Just need his signature on this petition from District 2.”
    “Just leave it, honey.  I’ll get him to sign it when he’s free.”
    Leila hesitated to give the folder to her, and scanned her brain for some excuse to keep it.  Just as she was sure her goose was cooked when her mother opened the door and came bursting out.
    “Leila!” she said, acting surprised.  “Perfect.  You’ll do.”
    “What?”
    “The Senator needs someone to take notes during his phone conference with the union presidents.”
    Leila looked inside the office and David’s eyes opened wide.  He waved them both in.  “Come on Patricia, the call is starting in five minutes!  Bring Leila!”
    Leila clutched the folder to her chest and followed her mother into the office.  Patricia handed her daughter a legal pad and a pen.  Just write down the key points, that’s all we need.  I don’t need anyone’s dissertation about what they think about how we’re handling this.
    Leila sat down in the leather chair across from the Senator, the same one she’d spread her legs for him in last week.  Again she teetered on danger as she crossed her legs exotically in front of him.  Her mother paced through the room as the call began.  Leila began jotting down the important points between the worker’s wishes and what the government was actually willing to offer them.  She was astounded again at the lackadaisical effort the government made to concede.  The less they offered, the more threatening the workers became.  By the time the call was finished even Leila was disgusted with politicians.  She debated giving the Senator her note at all.
    She stood and stretched her legs as the Senator finished up the call with the necessary niceties.  His eyes followed her every move as she pulled her hands above her head and stretched her arms.  Finally Leila stepped forward to the Senator’s desk as Patricia walked towards the windows and peered out into the street.  “Is there something else, Leila?”
    “Just need the Senator’s signature,” she said, leaning over the desk and opening the folder.
    He grabbed his pen and pulled his glasses down his nose, while still on the phone.  Reading the hand scribbled note carefully, before signing the document.  He smiled as he read the words silently:  Make me your slut tonight?  10:30 p.m. – The ‘Den of Sin’.  Big surprise!
    She quickly closed the folder and marched out of the room.  Patricia waved to his secretary to close the door.
    “Don’t even think about it, David,” Patricia started as he ended the phone call.
    “What?”
    “You know damn well what.  You may be fuckin’ around with these other interns, but you stay away from Leila!”
    David shook his head as he furrowed his eyebrows.  “Get real, Patricia.  Her father was my best friend!  I would never.”
    “Yes you would, you son of a bitch.  But I’m fucking warning you, stay away from her.”
    “Why