Free After Hours by Dara Girard

of The Black Stockings Society, I swear I will not reveal club secrets, I will accept nothing but the best and I will no longer settle for less. She signed the application, gave her credit card information for the nominal membership fee, then hurried back into the hallway to put the application in the outgoing mailbox.
    She called in sick the next day too. Her phone rang, but she didn’t answer it. Curtis would be upset, but there was nothing he could do about it. She secretly hoped something disastrous happened forcing him to realize how much he needed her. Her mouth spread into a satisfied grin as she imagined him knocking on her door...
    “Curtis? What are you doing here?” she said, surprised by his disheveled appearance.
    “You didn’t answer your phone.”
    “I’m taking a sick day.”
    He frowned. “You don’t look sick.”
    “I’m taking the day anyway.” She started to close the door.
    “Wait,” he said grabbing the handle, his voice cracking with panic. “Don’t do that.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because I need you.”
    She stared at him stunned. “What?”
    “I need your help.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, his tone heavy with regret. “I was wrong. Nothing is going right without you by my side. I didn’t realize it until now. Letting you go was the biggest mistake of my life.”
    “I don’t care. I’ve already gotten another job offer.”
    “Tell me who. I’ll triple whatever they say.”
    “No.”
    He fell to his knees. “Please. Please come back to me, Em. Give me another chance. I’ll give you whatever you want...”
    Amera replayed her fantasy throughout the day, sometimes changing the details--once she even imagined him crying, but that was so unlike Curtis she found herself laughing instead. It put her in a good enough mood that she didn’t mind her job search and even sketched out a way she could anonymously send Bill money if he needed it.
    That Saturday, a medium sized package arrived. Inside the box, encased in a purple satin cloth, were four pairs of different types of stockings, a membership card that read America (Amera) Blessings Thurston, Member, The Black Stockings Society , and strict instructions. She read the instructions with particular care.
    Welcome to The Black Stockings Society. Your first assignment is to take your membership card to Rejuvenation Spa, where you will ask for the deluxe special. Please set aside plenty of time for this appointment. Once you have gone to the spa you will select and wear one of your stockings to work.
    How odd? Why would she need to wear her stockings to work? What did that have to do with meeting the man of her dreams? She glanced down at her watch and decided to call the number provided and make an appointment at the spa. The receptionist answered on the first ring.
    “Hello, I’d like to make an appointment for the deluxe special.”
    “We’re really busy due to the holidays, but I can squeeze you in if you’d like.”
    “Sure.”
    “Can you get here in an hour?”
    “What? You want me to come today ?”
    “Yep, otherwise you’ll have to wait until the New Year.”
    Amera rubbed her forehead. She hadn’t planned on doing something like this so soon. Maybe she should just wait.
    “Ma’am?”
    “Okay, yes,” Amera said in a rush. “I’ll be there.” She gave the receptionist her name then plugged the address in her phone and grabbed her car keys.
    She couldn’t believe where the spa was located, in a suburb on the opposite side of the city from where she lived. She parked her car then glanced up at the large mansion which had been converted into a total service spa retreat. How did the Society expect her to pay for this? Was she going to get a special discount? She looked at the clock, her hour was almost up. She didn’t have time to wonder. She hurried inside then skidded to a stop when she saw Crystal. What was she doing here? Or better yet, why did she have to be here now? She didn’t want to see her.