I struggle a little with what to wear today. I’ve realized that most of my clothes are only fit to wear under an apron at the bakery because they’re so raggedy and baggy at once. So I pull out the big guns.
I decide on a pair of shiny black pants that I bought for a night out with girlfriends that never happened. It’s hard staying out past nine o’clock when you have to be at the bakery by four a.m. I have a pair of super cute black stilettos that I don’t wear because they hurt my feet after standing in them for thirty minutes but hey, I bet they’ll be just fine to wear sitting on my bed. I put on a flowing purple top with an empire waist and pretty silver buttons. It’s a little bit sheer but I’ve got a purple bra that matches perfectly.
I light candles to complete my sexy mood and then go live. To my surprise and amazement, PeterC is already logged in and waiting.
“Hi Pete! I’m so glad to see you back today.”
“Hi Whitney, your smile brightened my mood yesterday. I wanted to see if it was a one-time phenomenon or if you could do it again,” the message from Pete reads.
“My mom always called me her sunshine. I guess that’s why I was able to brighten your day.”
“Tell me about your family,” PeterC requests and sends me $50.
The cash makes my heart start racing again, but I force myself to slow down. Money isn’t everything, and I weigh what I’m willing to reveal to this strange man. I need to be careful, but then again, I don’t see how describing my parents in a general fashion could hurt.
“My mom and dad were older when they had me so they’re in their late fifties. Just to be clear, they’re not Michelle Pfeiffer and John Stamos fifties, they are Santa and Mrs. Claus fifties.”
PeterC sends me lols and I continue.
“My parents are kind and selfless and they worry about me too much. They paid for my tuition, which wasn’t cheap and they worry that I work to0 hard.”
Peter types.
“You said you worked in food service. What do you do in the food service industry?”
More personal questions from PeterC; he’s the only one on my show so I roll the dice and give him a bit more information.
“I’m a pastry chef. I studied at Le Cordon Bleu, and got to spend one semester in Paris. I worked in several five star restaurants in New Jersey and New York, but I really wanted to be able to just bake. It was interesting doing all the fancy three bite desserts at those places, but I really just wanted to make down-home everyday treats. So, I opened my own little bakery in New York City. I love making cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, and cookies.”
“Wow, Whitney, that’s impressive,” Peter types. “I’m guessing your bakery is relatively new and my guess is that you haven’t had time to build up a huge savings to ride out crazy, apocalyptic viruses?”
I smile wryly.
“I’ve been open a little over a year. I was getting some really good restaurant customers, so I invested the savings I had on equipment to make my bakery more productive and efficient.”
I feel sad and defeated again and I think it shows on my face because Pete tells me he didn’t mean to upset me. I smile again.
“You didn’t upset me. I’m just afraid I’m going to lose my business because of this virus. I can always go back to being a pastry chef in someone else’s shop, but I have employees to think about. Peoples’ livelihoods are my responsibility, and it’s not just that either. My parents sacrificed so much for me, and I want to be able to take care of them now that they’re older.”
I see three dots appear on screen, and then Peter’s message comes through.
“Chin up, Whitney. You are obviously creative and determined to succeed. Something tells me you’re going to be fine. I hope to see you again soon.”
PeterC signs off and another $100 appears in my account. I immediately transfer the money to my parents.
5
Whitney
I call my mom the next morning to make sure she got the money I sent her. We video chat because I miss seeing her face, and also because need to get more comfortable in front of the camera.
“Hi Mom. Did you get the money I sent?”
Maeve’s face lights up.
“Yes, Whitney. We appreciate it so much, but you shouldn’t have done that. How are you going to pay your bills?”
I hate lying to her but I can’t tell her the truth. Even though my cam shows are very tame, Maeve Porter is very old fashioned. She was a virgin when she married my dad. Sex was never something we discussed in my house, other than to say that it was something private done between a married couple who love each other very much.