For the whole month !

"Maybe it's for the better that you remember bits by bits. It hurts more if you repress your memory. Let it come; let it flow gently. Do not be afraid." She said.

"But I am afraid of the unknown because it is going to be bad. I can tell." I said.

"Then you can come and talk to me, okay? I am here for you." Penelope said.

Her voice reassured me that she meant what she said, and I was grateful.

"Thank you, Penelope." I said.

I never felt as close as I did with Penelope until this moment.

"Can you tell me a little of what he did say to you?" She asked.

"He had no one to talk to. He said that he talked to me because he said I was a call girl and did not pretend to be anything else." I said.

"Did that upset you?" She asked.

I shook my head vehemently.

"Are you alright with playing therapist? It's not your responsibility to see that his state of mind improves. " Penelope said.

"I know that but I felt that I could actually help, although I am affected by it." I said.

"He has requested for you for the whole month. Daily night meetings at his penthouse suite." Penelope said.

"Oh." I said, not expecting that he would actually hire me again after saying the direct opposite.

Perhaps he needed someone to accompany him to bed.

"You must have really impressed him. He was willing to pay in advance for your company exclusively for the next one month." Penelope said.

"One month?" I repeated.

That was a long time. I preferred one night stands, to be honest. Less opportunities for complications.

"I will decline. He is not worth your suffering." Penelope said.

I pondered over it for a while, and an inner voice told me to accept his offer.

"Looks like I won't be going anywhere far this month." I said, not looking directly at Penelope.

"So you have made up your mind then? Listen, you cannot be affected by him. You must be sure of that. Treat him no differently from your other clients. Remember that you are doing your job for the good money he is paying you." Penelope said.

I listened to Penelope, and suddenly I thought about Lucas, the closest that I have ever got to having a father. He used to bash out advice like this too. I had missed him.

"How good is his offer?" I asked, turning my attention back to the present for it is the only time which matters now.

"Substantial. Your highest yet. And since he was so keen, I raised your rate even more. You deserve it after the trouble he brought you." Penelope said, showing me some calculations on her cell phone.

I never dealt with the financial aspects of my profession as I felt uncomfortable setting a price. I knew many high-society call girls had gone solo and set up their own business. Not me, I felt protected when I had an agency dealing with financial aspects, advertising and the procurement of new clients for me. I did not like to advertise myself, never liked all the exaggeration.

Penelope had a lot of faith in me when it came to my work. I must have been doing something right then.

"Don't you think it's rather exorbitant?" I asked, astonished.

"Not when I get a 35% cut from it. Look, the guy can afford it." Penelope replied, grinning sheepishly.

"But the first night he mentioned something about going bankrupt soon." I said.

"Lila, don't let it concern you. You're too soft on him. What he does with his money is his choice. Men lie, you know. Don't take everything so literally." Penelope said, looking at me a little sternly.

I nodded and made my decision that Mr. Boardmann was going to be my last client. I could retire with that amount of money.

"Well, I'm going to scout for a piano and painters to repaint my walls." I said.

"Any luck with painters?" Penelope asked.

She had earlier noticed the ingenuity of lilac shade swirls at the corner of the living room.

"It looks like a puffy cloud, so cuddly, feminine and soft." She had said.

I shook my head.

"Is it really difficult to paint like that?" I asked.

She nodded zealously.

"I don't even know how to get started. To be honest, Lila, have you been to any house where the wall colours blend in magically like that?" She asked.

"I guess you have a point there. I am an eccentric when it comes to my walls." I said, with a twinkle in my eyes.

The atmosphere had lightened up. We both laughed and enjoyed two huge mugs of coffee each. I felt that I was going to be alright. Penelope said that she would be there for me.

After she left though, I felt uneasy.