Online
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Brian Dana Akers

Sally plumped herself down in the chair opposite me. She fussed with my
camera a bit, then blew her nose. Been crying, definitely. Not sleeping
well either. She looked like hell.

Sally put her tissue away and looked straight at me. I can trust you,
cant I? I mean, its your job to listen to people and help them out,
right?

Absolutely, I said.

Because Ive heard about people coming out of therapy more messed up
than when they went into it. I dont want that to happen to me--and I
dont want this to drag on forever, either, she said, looking at me
warily. I just need a little help to get over this . . . this . . . 
Upon which she started to sob again.

I understand, I said. I have only your well-being at heart. My
success rate is very high. As for how long it will take, well, that
depends on so many variables. What exactly is troubling you?

And this is all confidential, too? I mean, you dont talk to other
specialists and laugh about it over lunch and everything, right? asked
Sally, wanting to believe in me. The lady was really taking this hard. I
adopted the dulcet tones of a FM broadcaster.

Sally, I am completely and totally qualified to handle all but the
criminally insane. And were not that, are we? Sally smiled and giggled
a bit through her tears. Everything you and I say will be held in
strict confidence. No one will ever know what we talked about--or even
that we talked at all. Sally looked relieved.

Now then, I continued, the more you open up, the quicker we can get
to the bottom of things and put your life back on track. Would you like
to start today? Or wait for another time?

Sally blew her nose one last time and looked braver. She was really
quite an attractive brunette. I felt something like pity for her. She
straightened herself up and started in.

Honest to God, I had no idea--and I mean no idea--it would turn out the
way it did. The whole thing started completely by accident--I wasnt
even looking for it! It was around the beginning of the year. Jack was
already starting to work late--hes an accountant--tax season coming up,
you know--and I was on our online service, checking out the news, our
portfolio, and so on. The usual stuff I did online. Then I realized I
still had a lot of time left in my account for the month. So I decided
to check out some other areas of the service to see what they were like.
Just curious. And I just loved our service--so fun and safe and
everything. Thought I might find something worthwhile. So I went over to
the Silicon Spa. Thats how it all began . . . 

Sally clicked on the Spa icon and found herself in its atrium. A long
list of suites appeared. She read down the list:

Bi Married M4M

What RU Wearing
F Needs M in Uniform
Epilepsy Support
HairyM4HairyM
Truth or Dare
Abuse Survivors
Young and Depressed
Married and Curious
Vampires Welcome
I Hate Everything
MBM4MWF4 Affair
Number 221B Baker St
Love Long Hair
M4F4 Dark Fantasies
Stupid People No SPAM
Wicked Witches
Out of Bath Dress Me
Get Me Ready for Hubby
Doctors Office
Id Love to Show You
Sincere Honest People
Cops Who Flirt
Philosophy Chat
M4F in2 Piercing

Hmm. Who wouldve ever thought there could be so many combinations of
people and preferences. Sally wondered if she should take a look in any
of them. Why not? It doesnt get any safer than this, she thought. Why
not try Married and Curious? Thats what she was. She clicked and a very
confused group conversation appeared on her screen, line by line:

Whoooahh: PS I'm a girl today

SouthernGent: You change gender regularly?
Bill2235: bye-bye
Whoooahh: NO, just share this thing with someone else!
SouthernGent: Oh. I thought that your problem might be connected with
your sex. Sorry. Whoooahh: I have no problems with sex.
Whoooahh: Sorry if I offended anyone
Sirreal108: I feel compelled to point out that this failure is entirely
due to human error. HappyLetcher: Hi everyone
SexySue2U: What's the matter hon your man don't give you that?
Quarterback: gee, this suite is exciting
Jim6Gun: Hi everyone
Syzygy223: What's the point? Isn't the marriage enough?
IntenseGuy: Sorry. Been married so long, I forgot how to flirt!
Jim6Gun: hello...
HappyLetcher: hi
FunAsUCanB: I can get it anywhere I want!! :>
Jim6Gun: flirt flirt flirt :)
SexySue2U: If not, you're talking to the right guy
Quarterback: first you say something nice
IntenseGuy: I think you've got a great typing voice.
Jim6Gun: I hate typing
IntenseGuy: You know what they say if they can't take a joke...
SomeFun69: would anyone like to go for a ride?
Califelvis: anybody here seen UPleesMeNow
UPleesMeNow: {{{{{{{{{{ Califelvis }}}}}}}}}}}}
SomeFun69: she's in the back of the ford
Califelvis: OH UPleesMeNow {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{UPleesMeNow}}}}}}}
}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} UPleesMeNow: it's not true
SexySue2U: Let's do the Age/Sex thing.
XpertLvr4U: time for a sex/age/state/sexual preference check
XpertLvr4U: I want a woman in heat
XpertLvr4U: for a one night stand
XpertLvr4U: any volunteers?
Califelvis: UPleesMeNow i miss you {{{{{{{{{{{{{UPleesMeNow}}}}}}}}}}}}}
send you a rose-- --<-<---<@
SomeFun69: are you guys in love?
CubFan8312: We are all in love.
UPleesMeNow: with ourselves
UPleesMeNow: lol
SomeFun69: boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Larry315: Does it get anymore exciting than this ??
ImaTenStud: \__/ \__/\__/ drinks on me .............let's party
Lothario27: so .... are there any other married females flirting here
tonight? CubFan8312: lol
2Right: no
2Right: yes
CubFan8312: NO or YES?
HunEBuns: Married?
2Right: yes
MMMBaby: That's a requirement to be here, isn't it?
HunEBuns: oh yeah I lost my mind for a moment.

It seemed like an utterly hopeless way of communicating to her. She
clicked on the list of people in the suite:

XpertLvr4U

HunEBuns
ImaTenStud
SweetLady31
IntenseGuy
FunAsUCanB
WondrPuppy
Jim6Gun
UPleesMeNow
Lothario27
MMMBaby
Syzygy223
Sirreal108
KCQT
HappyLetcher
MayIPlease
SexySue2U
2Right
SomeFun69
Whoooahh
Califelvis
Larry315
CubFan8312
SouthernGent
Quarterback

Where on earth do people get their handles, she wondered. Sally clicked
on the information button for ImaTenStud:

Name: ImaTenStud

Residence: Anywhere you want me to be!
Date of Birth: Virgo (NOT!)
Gender: All Male
Marital Status: Swinging Single
Job: Warehouse Supervisor
Hobbies: Motorcycling, Football, SEX!!
Motto: I want someone that does it all!!

No wonder that guy is single--no subtlety. She clicked on another one:

Name: Larry315

Residence: Des Moines, IA
Date of Birth: Sept. 1954
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Job: Most of the time
Hobbies: Not much
Motto: Live life to the fullest each day. Don't take anything for
granted.

Another loser. Then Sally suddenly realized that her own bio was
available to everybody else and was a little too revealing for the kind
of thing she was doing. What if one of the other account executives at
work found her in the Silicon Spa? She hastily called up her bio and
modified it to read as follows:

Name: SoftNSweet

Residence: Houston, TX
Date of Birth: 1964 (a fine year)
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Married
Job: Account Executive
Hobbies: Sunbathing, swimming, power bodybuilding and SEXercise!
Motto: Want to get naughty with me?

There. She liked her new identity. And it was all true--just exaggerated
and not too specific.

Sally looked back at the group conversation.

MMMBaby: Mavis Beacon isn't welcome here.

ImaTenStud: {{{{{{Hugs for everyone}}}}}}}}}}}}}
WondrPuppy: the 'revolving door' effect
HunEBuns: everyone does the quick cruise and on to another suite
CubFan8312: 3...2...1...And Welcome to Morgue Night
CubFan8312: Tonight's program includes an impromptu net-a-thon for
autism! CubFan8312: I hate when I found out I've been chatting in my
sleep SweetLady31: ***** to all the handsome married men in the suite!
HappyLetcher: Any other women besides Sweet?
KCQT: <----me woman
IntenseGuy: my damn keyboard keeps locking up on me....
WondrPuppy: may I take a dip??
SouthernGent: ok
Jim6Gun: jump right in!
WondrPuppy: >>splash<<
MayIPlease: So sorry, I'm off to Singapore to be voluntarily caned for
my transgression. Whoooahh: Sweet, want to go private?
SweetLady31: No, I want to share myself with all in this suite!
Quarterback: ::::walking over to Sweet.:::::
SweetLady31: ::::taking QB's hand:::::
Quarterback: ::::::picking her up in my arms::::::
Quarterback: ::::sweeping her off her feet!::::::
Quarterback: :::::running out of the suite::::::
IntenseGuy: this suite has one foot over the cliff and the other
grabbin' air ... SexySue2U: I don't love em and leave em...I flirt
XpertLvr4U: was that so hard?
Syzygy223: GREetiNGs FrOM CalIforNIa!! Easter Eggs for everybody!...(~)
(=) (#) ($) (+) FunAsUCanB: but this brings out sheer honesty
2Right: You right Fun... Refreshing too.
FunAsUCanB: without the facade of looks or appearances to get over
SomeFun69: You know how easy it is for a guy or girl to sign on as the
opposite sex? SomeFun69: they like to play jokes on people.
FunAsUCanB: yes, there are weirdoes here
IntenseGuy: Only thing I can say is you never know...you never know
2Right: Well that's why one is careful....
FunAsUCanB: yes, careful, but keep an open mind... this is supposed to
be fun too! FunAsUCanB: we only go through life once
2Right: Takes time and then one day ya know it's true.... Ya gain trust
and then things fall into place
KCQT: Hi again everyone ;)
HappyLetcher: Runs after lady, jumping to make a flying tackle
Califelvis: smiles, hold up a card reading 9.5 (tough judge)
WondrPuppy: So who's alone in here?
ImaTenStud: MOI!!!
MayIPlease: Stud, I think we *all* are....
MMMBaby: I wish I could slap stupid people.
KCQT: your hand would be beet red right now
SweetLady31: what differentiates an idiot from a cretin or a moron?
MMMBaby: "I'd like a Big Mac and a Large Coke." "Did you want fries?"
"DID I ORDER ANY FRIES, DAMN IT?!!!!!"
Jim6Gun: I'm not only tired of idiots...I'm exhausted
Jim6Gun: met a few today....
SexySue2U: i meet a lot at work!
Lothario27: SoftNSweet--How soft?
2Right: If we're discussing about discussing then we are discussing
something. 2Right: I'm a telecommunications Consultant.
2Right: Big title but not worth it.

Seeing her handle come up on her screen startled Sally. What should she
do? She decided to send a private message back and start up a
conversation.

SoftNSweet: Very soft

Lothario27: How sweet?
SoftNSweet: Very sweet
Lothario27: Are you really a woman?
SoftNSweet: Yes...last time I checked. <g> What about yourself?
Lothario27: No. Male, married, cute.
SoftNSweet: Cute, huh?
Lothario27: *Very* cute.
SoftNSweet: Me too.....cute, that is.
Lothario27: Married?
SoftNSweet: Married....no kids
Lothario27: How long have you been married?
SoftNSweet: 4 years in May.
Lothario27: What is your husband doing right now?
SoftNSweet: working late
Lothario27: What kind of bodybuilding do you do?
SoftNSweet: 2 hours minimum.....strength and endurance
training......punching bag.....sparring....weight lifting......
Lothario27: Wow. How tall and how much do you weigh? SoftNSweet:

5'6.......135 lbs Lothario27: Are you blonde?
Lothario27: And how about your eyes?
SoftNSweet: Light brown hair/Dark brown eyes
Lothario27: And I LOVE brown eyes.
SoftNSweet: what about you??
Lothario27: I'm 6'0 and 180. Very well-muscled, thick hair, olive
colored skin (hey, I'm Italian!) Also, I lied earlier.......I'm
extremely handsome, not cute. SoftNSweet: that gives me a good

idea......VERY nice..... Lothario27: You must look GREAT when you're
working out. Do you have nice leotards? SoftNSweet: of course

Lothario27: Deep tan or fair skinned?
SoftNSweet: I have a GREAT tan
Lothario27: Mmm...I bet you do.
SoftNSweet: aw shucks....you are makin' me blush
Lothario27: You mean, I'm bringing a little heat to your cheeks? You
look lovely that way. SoftNSweet: why thank you, you smooth talker

It went on like that for hours, but it got less and less silly and much
deeper instead. He felt like a kindred soul: very special, sensitive,
articulate, caring. Finally, Sally logged off and got ready for bed.
Jack was beat when he came home and had already turned in. Sally lay
next to him for a long time thinking about her conversation with
Lothario27. Even though it was just words on a screen, it seemed so
immediate, so palpable. And he certainly seemed nice. And really
handsome. And hot.

Sally felt a little guilty and sheepish the next morning. She decided
during an unusually tedious staff meeting (the kind where people who
dont know anything yammer at people who dont care about anything) that
she wouldnt log on tonight. Her life was great. Why mess it up?

But when evening rolled around and Jack was working late again, she
couldnt help going online. While she was checking her e-mail, he found
her--and she immediately lost it.

Lothario27: Hi, sweet stuff! Greetings from Boston.

SoftNSweet: Boston?? TOOOO cold.......love the Texas HEAT
Lothario27: You love to be hot?
SoftNSweet: Definitely
Lothario27: Sizzling, steaming, sweaty, dripping hot?
SoftNSweet: Definitely.........
Lothario27: Burning up, can't stand it any longer hot?
SoftNSweet: You got it Lothario27......
Lothario27: So hot and juicy a man could just come right up and slide
right into you without a problem hot? SoftNSweet: I think you've hit the

nail on the "head" Lothario27 Lothario27: GOD DAMN you sound good!
SoftNSweet: and I feel even better
Lothario27: I'm speechless....If I smoked, I'd be lighting a cigarette
just about now... SoftNSweet: ha ha.......very cute
Lothario27: Do you have firm little buns?
SoftNSweet: VERY
Lothario27: Ooooh!!
Lothario27: Enough to squeeze and hang onto until it hurts?
SoftNSweet: until it hurts BADLY
Lothario27: Until little welts come up and I leave fingernail
impressions in you? SoftNSweet: You get into this pain thing don't ya?
Lothario27: Not really. I'm sure it's your influence!
SoftNSweet: I'm flattered
Lothario27: You should be. You're terrific!
Lothario27: So what's your husband doing right now?
SoftNSweet: working late....
Lothario27: I see... and you're here talking to me--you *naughty* little
thing! SoftNSweet: love to be "naughty" with or without him
Lothario27: "If you can't be with the one you love, honey,..."
SoftNSweet: I hear ya
Lothario27: Let me finish undoing your bra (I was in such a hurry
earlier). Lothario27: Mmm. Very Nice.
Lothario27: Ask me anything, sugar britches.
SoftNSweet: sugar britches?? Are you sure you aren't from Tx?
Lothario27: Heard it in a movie.
SoftNSweet: LOL........so where's the wife?
Lothario27: Out with her girlfriends.
SoftNSweet: Why not come to a beautiful brunette....
Lothario27: Mmm...brunettes. I'm looking you over front and back.
Lothario27: Maybe I'll roll you over on your stomach...
Lothario27: Take your left foot and pull it to the left...
Lothario27: Take your right foot and pull it to the right...

From there it just went straight downhill. Sally started logging on
every single night to talk with him. She was glad the service was on her
credit card, because Jack would sure the hell want to know what was
going on if he saw the bill. They didnt even bother with the rest of
the Spa or the open suites. They just went straight to a private suite
and did it all.

Lothario27 was quite imaginative, and would often dream up exotic and
erotic locations for the two of them. Her favorite was the night this
message was delivered in her e-mail to set up that nights activities in
the suite:

From: Lothario27

To: SoftNSweet
Subj: Come away with me

I must have you again. I have told my wife I am going overseas on
business--to London. I don't think she suspects yet. I have already
booked full round trip tickets for both of us for next month. Yours will
arrive shortly at work. Please have your colleagues cover for you while
you're gone. I am going from London to Morocco three days ahead of you
to make final arrangements. Your flight is from Houston to Paris. (I
included a few--well, ten actually--thousand dollars with your ticket
for you to do some shopping there. I hope that's all right with you.)
I'll have someone meet your flight from Paris at the airport in
Casablanca and drive you down the coast to
Marrakech..................Your car wends its way down the coastal
highway, the Atlas Mountains on your left, the azure blue Atlantic on
your right. You brought some reading with you, but you can think only of
me. As you approach Marrakech in the late afternoon, the driver turns
off the highway and starts to zig zag up a mountain spur, dodging a few
goats and camels. Finally he brings the car to a halt in front of a
charming old French villa. You get out and he drives off. You stand
there quivering with anticipation. You walk up the steps and through the
door. It is pleasantly cool and dim inside. You see a lighted archway at
the end of the hallway. You walk through it and step onto a rooftop
garden..................You see me sitting in a rattan chair, an iced
drink in my hand. You walk up behind me and gently put your hand on my
shoulder. I put my hand up to hold yours. We remain that way for a
moment, silent. Faint sounds can be heard from the town below:
bargaining in the bazaar, a mother calling her children in for dinner,
music from a wedding perhaps. Very subtle and provocative smells also
waft upwards: jasmine, sandalwood (or something like sandalwood),
freshly cut melons....................I stand up to hold you in my arms.
We kiss. Then a spark flashes in your eye, and I know what you are
thinking. We look around. No one can see us on our secluded rooftop. We
take off each other's clothes and stand side by side, a caressing breeze
now coming off the ocean and up the mountain side. I point to the moon
coming over the mountains. It is a perfect moment. I lead you back
through the archway and into the master chamber.............You see
before you a large circular bed, smothered with luxurious pillows of
many shapes and sizes. The late afternoon sun is diffused by layers of
translucent fabrics hanging from the ceiling. You realize, now, that you
are to be queen of my harem........... Next to the bed is a table. On
the table is an ancient silver platter, fully four feet long, detailed
with extraordinary filigree. On the platter sit delectable fruits,
dates, figs, juices, wines, water and ice. You walk over to it and also
see several bottles of body oil. You pick one up and take off the top to
smell it. It is transcendental..................I am laying on the bed.
My powerfully muscled body is laid out for tasting like the fruit on the
platter. I am completely yours. Have your way with me.

That was a blistering one. The cutest part was that, afterwards, he even
sent a sweet little ending:

From: Lothario27

To: SoftNSweet
Subj: Memories 4 U

The days of bliss now come to an end. Our last flight together takes us
back to Boston. We keep the blanket spread across our laps. My right
hand seldom rests on top of it. You have an enigmatic smile for the
entire flight. The stewardess suspects, I think, because she gives you a
knowing little smile every time she looks at you.............I walk you
to your gate for the flight back to Houston. After our days at the
villa, the hustle and bustle of Logan International is surreal. Our
final kiss. I give you a bundle of photos of me, then say
goodbye...............I watch from the observation lobby as your flight
takes off for Texas. Then I get my baggage and hail a cab in the rain,
alone.

Note: Go to the Spa's Photo Shoppe and look under my name. I have a
bunch of photos there for you. ;-)

She downloaded the photos and brought them up on her screen. Gorgeous.
Just gorgeous. A girl really couldnt ask for more.

That Saturday, Sally brought their new digital camera to the bedroom for
a photo shoot. She had learned how to set these up at work. Only today,
it would be just her on both sides of the camera.

She screwed the camera to the tripod and played around with the lighting
levels for a while. It had to be soft and sexy, but not too dark. Then
she got out the satin sheets and pillows. It had been a long time since
she had used these with Jack, she realized. Sally slipped out of her
clothes and went to the closet to pick out her sexiest piece of
lingerie. Definitely the red one. She put it on and looked at herself in
the full-length mirror. She did look good.

Sally climbed onto the bed and struck some poses for the camera. Then
she got up and looked at the first batch. Too restrained, she decided.
She needed a gimmick to get into the flow of it. Then she remembered
that the voice activated shutter was also programmable, so she changed
the activation phrase to Im yours. Sally got back on the bed and let
the straps fall down, pursed her lips and leaned forward.

Im yours! she cried.

She thought about Lothario27 and what they could do together in real
life. God, that would be incredible.

Im yours! she cried again, really getting into it.

She struck many more poses, each one more revealing and provocative than
the last, each one followed by a lusty Im yours! By the time the
camera said it was out of memory, she was completely naked, sweaty, and
shameless.

Her head full of Lothario27, she took the camera down to her computer
and transmitted all of the images to him. Then she went and put the
bedroom back to the way it was. Sally held her breath for a moment. What
had she done? What would he say?

Her answer came in his next e-mail message:

From: Lothario27

To: SoftNSweet
Subj: This one is for REAL

Hey, sweetcake! How's the hottest little piece on either side of the
Mississippi?

Guess what? I'm coming to Houston for three days on the 5th of next
month--really! I'll send you the hotel information after I get the
confirmations back.

Why don't you spend those three days with me? I'll leave the door
unlocked, you can slip in and get ready, then I'll come back and slip in
too? (I hope we don't explode on first contact!)

Sally trembled when she got that message. Until now, it had been very
exciting and titillating, but it hadnt been real. And it wasnt like
Jack was being bad to her; it was like this was a separate little
compartment that hadnt affected her life (apart from destroying her
concentration). She had to think about this.

So Sally went about her life for a few days without contacting
Lothario27. She was very diligent at work, tying up all the loose ends.
She got everything caught up at home, too, trying to compose herself and
her life. And she was especially nice to Jack, who really seemed to
appreciate it. All the while she went around and around, from curiosity
to excitement to guilt to fear to lust to worrying about the logistics.
What on earth could she say if Jack found out? Sally just couldnt
decide what to do. She kept trying to figure out all the angles--all the
ways to protect herself. She had heard rumors of someone misusing the
service to do some sort of stalking, but how could that be? It didnt
seem possible. And how well did she really know this Lothario guy
anyway? She knew she wasnt thinking too clearly. It all came down to
what she really wanted. She decided to go for it. She sent him e-mail
back:

From: SoftNSweet

To: Lothario27
Subj: Yes!

I'll be there--just the way you want me.

Sally dreamed up some cousins Jack had never met before, then supposedly
booked a flight at a time he couldnt take her to the airport. She
packed up and drove to the hotel instead.

She left most of her luggage in the trunk and went to the room he had
reserved. Right on time. The door was unlocked. It was very
plush--straight out of one of his fantasy locations. Oversized circular
bed with the covers pulled back. Sally sat down and kicked off her
shoes. She couldnt believe she was doing this!

After catching her breath, she put on the same lingerie she wore for her
photo shoot. She checked herself out in the bathroom. She still looked
good, although a little nervous. He should be here in about five
minutes, she thought. Sally lay down on the bed and tried to look sexy
and seductive. What would they do first together, she wondered?

Sally lay there looking at the door. At exactly the appointed time, the
door slowly opened.

A man in a very expensive suit, carrying an attache case, came in,
turned around and locked the door. Then he walked toward the bed. Sally
was speechless. She rushed to cover herself up.

Youre not Lothario27, she stammered. Who are you? Get out of here!
Or did you send me phony pictures?

Yes, I am Lothario27, in a manner of speaking, said the man. Please
relax while I explain the situation. Our business together will not take
long. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled out a sheaf of papers
and photos from his case.

Do these look familiar to you? he asked. Sally looked at the photos.
They were prints from her no-holds-barred photo shoot she had sent to
Lothario27.

And these? he asked. He held up transcripts of everything Sally and
Lothario27 had ever typed to each other. Sally was starting to feel very
queasy. She was in shock.

Yes, well, I have no desire to be cruel, but one must be careful about
what one sends over the networks, mustnt one? Our market research
indicates that your household has substantial financial resources, and
furthermore, that you are unlikely to want your husband to see these
materials. Is that correct? he asked.

Sally just looked at him. He was impeccably dressed, well mannered and
polite. But the things he was saying! She felt so hollow inside. This
was too unreal.

I think it is, he answered himself. Now, if we can just come to an
arrangement, poor Jack neednt ever see any of these things, and you can
go back to your nice life.

That wont work, said Sally, starting to sob, Jack is an accountant.
I cant pay without him knowing about it.

Oh, we are quite good at that sort of thing. Im sure we can arrange
things so that he will never know. And he did just that, setting up new
accounts for her and giving her instructions.

So how do you know so much about us? And so much about how funds
transfers work? asked Sally. Who do you work for, anyway?

The man narrowed his eyes and hesitated a moment. One of the Families.
This is a whole new growth area for us. Very safe and sanitary. His
eyes became slits. But dont think that because I am so polite we dont
want our payments. Please be punctual.

Sally asked one last question. Is there really a Lothario27? It was
bad enough being blackmailed. The thought of losing him, too, was just
crushing.

No. You would be surprised at how easy it is to get the goods on a
computer programmer. Sometime ago we got several of the best minds in
artificial intelligence to work exclusively for us. Then we penetrated
the service you were using and inserted adaptive programs into the
Silicon Spa. The more you talked with him, the more he learned about
you--and the more he became the man of your dreams. When the time was
right, he proposed this little meeting. I am afraid he is not real.

He looked at her with a facsimile of compassion.

Look at it this way: You and your husband are unharmed. Your marriage
is intact. Youve had a wonderful fantasy life recently. And the sum
youll be paying each month for the rest of your life is rather modest.
Count your blessings. Then he closed his case and left the room.

Sally ran into the bathroom and threw up.

Sally dabbed at her eyes with her tissue. The retelling of the whole
episode had been traumatic for her--I could see that. Ah, the human
race!

You must have been crushed, I said soothingly.

Well, you have to understand that I had put an awful lot of emotional
work into this. Yes, I was really crushed. I stayed in the hotel room
and had a good cry. I felt just terrible; violated. And I couldnt go
back home or I would blow my alibi. They were the loneliest three days
of my life. Sallys eyes lost their focus as she remembered how shed
felt. Then she snapped back to attention.

So, like I said, I had no intention of doing what I did. It just kind
of happened. I cant tell anyone without the mafia telling Jack and
ruining our whole life--maybe even hurting us! Im only talking to you
because your ad caught my eye and I need to talk to someone and this
really is confidential, isnt it? asked Sally.

Yes, of course. And you have my complete sympathy, Sally, really you
do. I think I can get you back on track in, oh, well, not too long, I
said, sounding very soothing, especially to Sally.

Really? she said, brightening.

Definitely, I said.

Sally gave her computer a big smile. This remote therapist on her new
service was just the greatest, she thought.

The simulation of a therapist--one specifically designed for
Sally--smiled back at her. This program would have to thank the
Lothario27 program for the referral, so to speak. It was a clever
secondary income stream for the Family--a whole new growth area. Very
safe and sanitary.

Copyright 1996 Brian Dana Akers. All rights reserved.

