Chapter 10

The pretty brunette descended from the city bus and walked the short block up the street to her apartment block. She paused at the entrance and took the two letters from her mailbox. One, a bill, she paid no attention to, but the other aroused her interest. It bore a California postmark, and she hadn't been on the West Coast in almost a year. Nor had she been in contact with anyone from there.

Glenda Simmons unlocked the door and went into the apartment building. She hurried up the stairs into her own place, tossing the bill aside onto the coffee table in the living room, and hurriedly opened the other letter.

She could hardly believe her eyes. It was from Jimmy.

Dear Miss Simmons, I never have been much good at letter writing, but I feel like I ought to say something to you after all this time. Kenny and I are in high school now. For some reason Superintendent Rathley decided not to expel us even after all that stuff I wrote on the blackboard about you. I'm really sorry that they found that and caused you this trouble, because it was really a rotten thing for me to do. I still don't know why he let us stay in school, but I guess I'm glad. We've both graduated to high school now and we are being bussed to San Francisco, but it's not too bad. I went out for the Varsity Football Team and am running second string halfback, and Kenny is at the top of the sophomore class scholastically. He its also getting me to hit the books enough to keep my grades up enough so I can play on the team.

Well, like I say, I'm not much for letter writing. But maybe you can figure out what I'm getting at if I don't put it in words very poetic. Thank you.

Yours truly,

Jimmy Russell

Glenda folded the letter slowly, hugging the smudged, scribbled sheet of paper warmly to her full breasts. She felt a lump rise in her throat and tears come to her eyes, but even at that she was able to smile.

It had been worth it. Everything she had gone through had been worthwhile, and she was finally redeemed even for her own misdeeds.

And there was one other thing for which she was really glad. Jimmy and Kenny had apparently never learned why they were not expelled from school at the same time she lost her job. She'd never known such a disgusting lecher as Superintendent Rathley, and her skin crawled at the thought of him pawing around at her helpless body. But she had made the bargain: let Jimmy and Kenny stay in school and she would do whatever he asked.

And now even that obscene act of prostitution was justified.