Chapter 3
"Sit down, Stanley!" Claire said, storming his office and slamming the door. "We have to talk!"
Stanley looked up from his desk and when he saw the irate little tart, he agreed.
"You're damn right we have to talk!" he shouted back. "What in hell are you trying to do to me? Margaret was pissed as shit yesterday! She thinks you and I are fooling around. She reamed my ass all last night about it."
"That is not what we have to talk about, Stanley." Claire said, shaking her finger at him.
"It sure as hell is! I can meet you anytime? What was that? Margaret is difficult enough, but now! You've really gone and done it, Claire. The woman won't leave me alone. She's convinced you and me are having sexual intercourse. Margaret takes things to heart. She believes everything she hears. You've really caused problems for me, girl. She told me to fire you, did you know that?" Stanley shouted.
"That's exactly what we have to talk about, Stanley. Firing someone. I insist you get rid of Duke Dillon!" Claire said, pounding her fist to his desk.
"Duke Dillon?" Stanley shouted. "What's he got to do with this? You're the one Margaret wants me to fire."
"I don't care what your wife wants, Stanley. She doesn't run this place, you do, and I want Duke Dillon fired. He broke into my apartment last night. He came in my window, can you believe that?"
Stanley calmed down. He could see Claire was furious, maybe just as furious as himself.
"What do you mean he broke in, why?"
"I don't know why, Stanley. He just did. I was in my bathroom taking a shower and Duke Dillon broke into my apartment and was waiting in there when I came out. He's nuts, Stanley. You don't know what I had to do to get him to leave." she said. Stanley didn't know, but he wanted to. He calmed down and sat in his chair. Stanley imagined Claire having to give head before Duke agreed to leave, or maybe she had to strip and dance for him. Stanley would like that himself.
"The boy is three bricks shy, Stanley, and I want you to fire him today, right this minute." Claire shouted again.
"Calm down, calm down, what did he do? What did he say to you?"
"He told me he had to kill a man."
"What?" Stanley said with disbelief.
"He was talking about Randall. He didn't mean literally, at least I don't think he did. The weirdo said if I wouldn't go out with him he'd have to eliminate all other men in the world so there would be no one left except himself and then I'd have to date him. Stanley, you have to get rid of him, he's crazy."
"What happened ? How did you get him to leave?"
"I said I'd go out with him, what the hell do you think I did?"
"Did you go, what did you do?"
"I told him I'd be glad to date him and finally he left, but Stanley, I'm not dating that weirdo, he can just forget it. He's lucky I don't turn him in to the cops!"
"Claire, Claire, Claire, calm down."
"You calm down, Stanley! How would you like it if some weirdo girl broke into your house and demanded you go out with her? You wouldn't like it, would you?"
"Hey, how would you like it if I told your boyfriend you and I were seeing one another on the sly, would you like that?" Stanley shouted.
"I don't have a boyfriend." Claire shouted right back.
Stanley calmed down again and tried to get Claire to do the same, but she was livid. She couldn't and wouldn't talk about any other option except firing Duke, and Stanley had no choice but to suggest she be the one to leave.
"Are you crazy?" Claire screamed. "Me? Why?"
"Maybe that's the best way. Margaret wants you out and if you're not here then Duke Dillon won't be bothering you anymore either."
"I don't give a damn what Margaret wants, Stanley. She's not my boss. She has no say what goes on around here. You can't fire me, I won't go, and besides, if you try it I'll sue."
"Claire, calm ... "
"Don't tell me to calm down, Stanley." Claire shouted leaning in over his desk and shaking her finger at him. "You have no legal right to fire me. I do good work around here and I'm not leaving."
"Fine, so does Duke Dillon." Stanley shouted.
"He's a mad man, Stanley, how can you say that?"
"Why, because he's got the hots for you he's crazy? Please, Claire, give me a break. Every guy in this club must be crazy then. Every one of them is dying to get inside your pants, or haven't you noticed?" Stanley shouted.
Claire didn't answer. She just sat down.
"Look, you're upset, I understand that, but I can't fire Duke Dillon just because you don't like him."
"He broke into my apartment, Stanley."
"And you agreed to go out with him! I know how you feel Claire, but if you didn't want to date him you should have called the police or somebody. What he did has nothing to do with his work here at the club. I can't fire him just because you and he had an episode."
"Stanley!"
"Claire!" he shouted right back. "Be reasonable. The man did nothing wrong. If you have a problem with him you need to handle it on your own."
"Oh, so you're saying it doesn't matter what your male employee's do in their spare time so long as it's not connected with the job. Like, Duke Dillon could have busted in my window, raped me, sodomized me and it would be my problem alone, he'd still have a job next day, right?"
"Claire, did Duke Dillon rape you?"
"No."
"Did he sodomize you?" Stanley asked with a deep sigh. Claire was quiet for a second or two. She felt the frustration in her body.
"No." she said hatefully, "but he broke in and forced me to say I'd go out with him."
"How, did he twist an arm? Did he hold a gun to your head? How did he force you, you tell me."
"He told me if I didn't go out with him he'd die, that's how."
"Some threat."
"It's the way he said it, Stanley, he scared me. I thought he'd hurt me if I said no."
"Why, did he threaten to beat you up, Claire."
"No, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't have."
"I think you're just bent out of shape because he came into your apartment without permission. If Duke had knocked on the door, you would have let him inside and we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"No, I wouldn't have either!"
"Come on, Claire, yes you would."
"He didn't knock on my door, Stanley. The man came through my window for God sake."
"So, you should be flattered."
"Have you lost your mind?"
"Claire, it's over with. Tell him you're angry about what he did. Tell him not to do it again. He'll listen to you. Duke is a reasonable guy."
"Stanley!"
"What?"
"How can you ignore this? The man is dangerous. I'm not working here with him, Stanley, you have to get rid of him."
"Claire, you're putting me in a very difficult position here. My wife is extremely upset about you. Margaret told me to get rid of you or she'd take care of it herself. Don't give me an ultimatum this way because you'll lose."
Claire couldn't believe her ears. She had worked there for a year and Duke Dillon had been there a few days and Stanley was willing to drop her to keep him.
"I don't believe you'd do it, Stanley. I'm one of the best workers you have."
"Margaret, Claire. What you said in here yesterday really angered Margaret."
"Piss on Margaret, Stanley! She's your wife. She doesn't work here and she can't tell you what to do!"
"She may not work here, Claire, but believe it, Margaret can, and does, tell me what to do. Do you have any idea what it's like to live with a person like Margaret? She can make life so unbearable it isn't funny. The woman torments me, Claire and I don't wish to be tormented."
"Are you saying you'd keep Dillon over me?" she asked.
Stanley pursed his lips and shrugged his shoulders.
"I can't believe this."
"Margaret is serious, Claire. She'll make my life miserable if I don't get rid of you."
"If you let me go I'll sue, Stanley. I'm going to the head of the club and I'm going to tell him about this. I'll tell him about what Margaret said. She can't do this, Stanley, it isn't fair."
"Do what you must, Claire, I'll deny everything. I'll even deny this conversation."
"Stanley, I thought we were friends?" Claire asked, lowering her voice.
"Friends?" he questioned.
"Yes, I thought you liked me. We've always gotten along fine."
"Claire, if I had the courage I'd bust through your window and force you to do more than just go out with me. I'd strip you naked and fuck you until my cock fell off. I rather envy Duke Dillon's nerve. For the past year I've suffered watching you parade your little ass up and down these halls. I'd get worked up and break out in a sweat then at the end of the day I'd have to go home to cold fish Margaret. That woman could freeze the balls off a bull, Claire. She just lays there with her legs open. She never moves with me. It's like humping a corpse. At times, it took every ounce of strength I had just to keep my hands in my pockets when you and I were together. I've wanted to fuck that sweet little cunt of yours for months, so don't talk to me about friendship, okay."
Claire was stunned. She had no idea Stanley was that hot for her. He joked around, sure, but struggling to keep control? Claire saw there was no hope. She would lose her job while Duke kept his and Stanley would be keeping himself out of the dog house in the process. She got up to leave, tears in her eyes.
"You know, it's true what they say, Stanley." she sobbed. "Men rule the world." Claire walked to the door and opened it. She turned around for one last look at Stanley Lane. "Weasel." she said under her breath. Claire walked out. She dried her eyes and went to the employee lockers for her things. She couldn't believe it, she was unemployed. All those times she'd come in early and stayed late didn't amount to anything. As she rounded the corner she saw Duke coming up the pathway.
"Hey!" she shouted to him. Duke waved. Claire started toward him like a locomotive out of control and when she got up close she waved a finger in his face and glared.
"If you were the last man on earth I wouldn't go to the zoo with you, Duke Dillon. I'll never go out with you. Not tonight, not the next night, not ever!"
"We have a deal, baby."
"No, we don't have a deal, Duke. The deal's off!" Claire said, turning and walking briskly toward the locker room.
"Hey, wait a minute." Duke said, running after her. "You can't call it off, I won't let you. Wait a minute, slow down."
Claire kept walking. She was pissed. She wanted to get away from Duke and the club and the locker room and Stanley. She was more angry than she'd ever been in her life and the more Duke talked the angrier she became.
"You can't break a promise like that, Claire, a deal's a deal. I'm coming over after work and we're going out just like we agreed."
"I'm off now, Duke." Claire said, stopping in her tracks and swinging around almost knocking Duke off his feet. "I just got fired."
"Fired, why?"
"Because of you, that's why."
"Me, you're crazy, what did I do?"
"You broke into my apartment! You forced me to be nice to you just to get you the hell out of my apartment and when I told Stanley I wanted you fired, he fired me!" she screamed.
Duke laughed. He thought she was joking, but when Claire packed up her locker and started to leave he realized she was serious.
"Wait a minute, how come you told Stanley anyway? It's none of his business what I do in my off time." Duke said.
"Well, isn't that odd." Claire said, sarcastically. "That's the same crap Stanley gave me. Look, I don't like you. I didn't like you when you came to the club and I don't like you now."
"But what about those things you said last night, Claire? You said I was sexy. You said you liked me."
"I only said those things to get you out of my apartment. You disgust me!"
"You're lying, Claire, you're just making this up. You smiled at me the first day I came to work here, admit it. You like me and you know it. You're hot for me, babe. Hey, there's no shame in that. Plenty of chicks are hot for me."
"You're a scuz bucket, Dillon, and I wouldn't be seen in public with you, okay, now get out of my way." Claire said, walking away.
Duke grabbed her arm. He whipped her around and she swung at him hitting him in the face.
"Don't you ever touch me again, you sorry little bastard." Claire yelled.
"You little bitch!" Duke said angrily.
Duke rubbed his lip feeling for blood and Claire stormed off. When Duke looked around he saw two of the other instructors looking on. He felt humiliated. He'd let a girl strike him and get away with it. Duke turned and walked the other way into the woods behind the locker room. He was pissed.
Claire was heading for her car when she passed the main building, but when she saw Margaret's car in the drive she changed her mind. Randall and Ronnie were outside Stanley's office looking over the new schedules when Claire came in. She didn't speak to them and Randall wondered what the problem was.
"Claire, hey, what's the hurry?" he asked, seeing her rush toward Stanley's door. Claire didn't answer him, she just looked straight ahead and barged into Stanley's office leaving the door open.
"I'm going to give you one last chance, Stanley. If you promise never to do it again I'll change my mind and stay."
"Claire?" Stanley shrugged. He wanted her to know Margaret was standing in the corner of the office.
"I know you said it was Margaret's fault, Stanley, but having sexual intercourse with another man just isn't the answer." she said.
"What the hell are you talking about, Claire?" Stanley shouted. He felt his pulse racing and the sweat beads forming over his upper lip felt like tiny ants.
"This is all your fault, you frigid bitch." Claire said looking at Margaret. It you hadn't cut him off none of this would have happened."
"Stanley!" Margaret shouted. "Are going to sit there and let this little witch speak to me that way."
"Oh, Stanley, it could have been so good between us. You said yourself this cold fish wife of yours had to go. She fucks like a corpse, Stanley, don't you remember telling me that. We could have had a great time in Atlantic City." Claire went on.
"Stanley! What is she talking about?"
"Shut up, Margaret. The least you can do is allow Stanley and me a minute alone."
"You get away from him, you little bitch."
"Oh, that's what Stanley's boyfriend called me today. He's upset about all this too, Stanley. Duke's dying to make it up to you. He wants you to meet him later in the locker area, I can't keep you from your true feelings, Stanley. I know how you must feel. It isn't easy living with Ms. dead fish over there, I know."
"What are you accusing my husband of, you little witch?" Margaret shouted.
"Let me tell you something, moron breath." Claire said, pointing at Margaret. "Stanley and me were doing just fine together, weren't we sweetums." she said, puckering her lips and gesturing a kiss. "At least I participated. Stanley told me all about you and your sexual hang-ups." Claire turned back to Stanley and spoke again. "I'll miss you, Stanley, but you be careful with Duke. You can catch all sorts of ugly things by having sex with a man." Claire said convincingly.
Margaret's eyes got huge. They bugged out of her face like two giant marbles and she looked at her husband with disgust and disbelief. Randall and Ronnie could hear every word Claire spoke and they couldn't keep from laughing. They knew it was Claire's way of getting even.
"Just say the word, Stanley. One word from you and I'll stay. You can divorce Margaret and me and you can run off together, you can bring Duke too, Stanley, oh, let's do it, sweetums, just like you said we could."
Stanley couldn't believe it. Margaret was glaring daggers at him and Claire was making him sound like the sex pervert of the year. He felt sick to his stomach.
"Get out!" Stanley screamed.
"But, Stanley, you told me what a corpse Margaret is. Just dump the bitch. Let's do it together once more in your office, Stanley, just once more for old times sake. I promise I won't get mad at you again when Duke ass fucks you. Oh, please, Stanley." Claire moaned.
Randall and Ronnie were rolling. They knew Margaret, and they knew how she was. This was Stanley's last moment of life without complete misery and they couldn't stop laughing.
"Stanley! What is she talking about?" Margaret demanded.
"Get out, Claire, just get out of here right now." Stanley said.
Claire looked over at Margaret then back at Stanley. She had calmed considerably. It was obvious her ploy was working.
"Okay, Stanley, I'm going, but don't think you can call me up anymore in the middle of the night for sex over the phone because I won't let you have it. You'll have to go back to calling Stephanie." she said, looking at Margaret.
"Stephanie!" Margaret screamed. "Stanley Lane, you sick, sick, bastard! My sister Stephanie? You've been calling Stephanie for sex?"
Margaret chased him around the office with her pocket book swinging at his head and Claire walked out and slammed the door.
"We'll sure miss you around here, Claire." Ronnie said.
"Yeah, we will, Claire." Randall agreed.
"I'll miss you guys too. Take care, come see me." Claire said. She left the building and started for her car, but before she could get away, Randall ran up to her.
"Claire, hold up a minute." he said.
"Not your car again, Randall?"
"No, no, it's not my car, Claire, I just want to ask you something."
"What is it?"
Randall hesitated for a minute. He didn't want her to get away, not like this. He'd never see her again if he did.
"Claire, would you let me take you to a movie sometime?" he stammered.
"A movie?" she repeated with a smile.
"Yeah, maybe dinner first. I don't want to lose out on seeing you anymore, Claire. I'll miss you too much."
"Randall, it just so happens I'm free tonight."
"Seriously?" Randall said, a smile broad enough to trap elephants.
"Absolutely, pick me up at seven."
"Okay, sure, okay, you've got it, Claire, sure thing." Randall said. He was babbling like a school boy. Claire got into her car and sped away. Randall watched her drive off and his heart felt light. He mustered the courage to ask and she said yes. He was on top of the world. When he turned around, Duke was standing behind him.
"What do you want?" Randall asked angrily.
"Claire Banner." Duke sneered.