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Jane returns to Lawndale to talk to the Morgendorffers -- surprises all around!
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Daria’s Adult Career-06
Back to Lawndale & Letters
August 14
Jane’s plane had arrived just after midnight, so she didn’t get back to her apartment until nearly 2:00 am. She had dragged herself out of bed a little after 9:00 and had spent nearly an hour on the phone, arguing with Marianne and being placed on hold three times trying to get through to Helen Morgendorffer. When she finally had spoken to her, Jane had an appointment that evening at 6:00 – Helen obviously kept her old overtime hours even as a partner.
Jane managed to get enough coffee and sugar into her system to make the drive to Lawndale, where she found to her surprise that Trent was still there. He would, however, be leaving that evening – the band had two weeks of gigs starting in Windsor, Ontario, and ending in Chicago.
“So,” Trent drawled, “since you were gone so long, I guess Daria was willing to talk with you.”
“True,” Jane agreed, flushing at the thoughts of all she had done with DeeDee and Fran.
Seeing that, Trent felt a bit conflicted. Jane had obviously rekindled, or at least relived, her physical relationship with Daria, and perhaps with her partner as well. He was glad for her, and a bit envious. “Was this a one-time thing, or will you be going back?”
“Going back,” Jane acknowledged. “I should graduate in December. It’ll be close, but I might make it back in time for the birth of my god daughter.”
That got Trent to open his eyes wide – an extreme reaction from him, and he could only say, “Whoa!”
Jane nodded. “I was surprised, too. And yes, they have retired from videos. Daria did say that list Upchuck or whoever sent was accurate of her videos, except for most of the videos where she was really just in the background. On the other hand, she apparently did a lot more writing than she got full credit for.” Jane smirked. “She said she would send me a complete set for you if you wanted.”
Now it was Trent who blushed, something Jane had never really seen before. “Really?” he finally managed to say. “She…she wouldn’t…doesn’t….”
“Trent, she said she’d rather know you were jerking off to her than all the strangers who already do, not to mention better you, who she liked, than assholes like Tom and Upchuck. If you want, she’ll include all of Nikki’s as well.” ‘Just like I’m getting,’ she mentally added.
Trent turned redder. “Sounds good.” He backed away, saying, “I gotta finish packing.”
“I’ll tell Daria to send the videos to me. Let me know when you’ll be home to get them and I’ll send your set over!” Jane had to really raise her voice to call out by the end of that, as Trent was rushing away. ‘After all, she already promised me a full set, as well some other goodies.’
*
Jane showed up a bit early at the building housing what she always thought of as ‘that bunch of lawyers,’ since she couldn’t bother remembering all the partners’ names. A few of the associates and paralegals worked until at least 7:00, so there was always a free secretary or security person to act as an escort. From the way people looked when she mentioned the name ‘Morgendorffer,’ Jane suspected that Helen was one of the more feared, or at least respected, of the partners.
Helen’s office was much larger, and neater, than the one she had had as an associate. Jane glanced around, and saw there were no photos on the walls or on the desk. Helen, seated at her computer, waved Jane into a chair while her escorts (two paralegals and a security guard) shut the door behind them.
Helen pressed ‘send’ and swiveled to look at Jane. “Did you actually track down my wayward…Daria, or did she contact you?”
“I tracked her down, and no, I won’t tell you how,” Jane retorted.
“And why not?”
“So that you can’t,” Jane answered bluntly. “I have a very few things to tell you. I’m telling you, because I don’t like you, or how you treated Daria. I can and will tell you to go to hell at any point where you annoy me too much, and I couldn’t do that to your husband.”
Helen was about to explode, but managed to calm herself down after a few moments.
“If you ever have a child, I hope you make fewer mistakes,” Helen told Jane after a few minutes, “and, if you do as many, hopefully you’ll realize that you did before it’s too late.”
“Fair enough.” Jane figured that was about as close to an apology as Helen would make, at least at this point.
“What are you willing to tell me?”
“First, will you tell your husband?”
“Of course, and Quinn.”
Jane looked Helen in the eye. “Do you really think Quinn will really care, or do you just hope she will.”
Nearly anyone else would have gotten a very different answer, but Helen decided to be honest. “A bit of both.”
Jane nodded. “Okay, first of all, Daria is healthy and happy.” She gave Helen a twisted smile. “And I mean obviously happy. I spent over two weeks with her, and she smiled more then than over the two plus years I knew her here.”
Helen stared at Jane, and then crumpled slightly, her head in her hands, as she cried softly, and then finally looked at Jane, saying, “Thank goodness for both.”
“I won’t give details, but she’s managed to already earn her bachelor’s degree. She’s made out well materially, and she didn’t have to do, or be associated with” (‘at least as far as she and Fran are directly concerned, that I know of,’ she mentally added) “anything illegal.”
Helen blew her nose and tossed the tissue.
“All that, and with a name change I couldn’t get traced?”
“Think about that.”
Helen winced. “I hope she didn’t really consider us abusive, and just claimed it to make her harder to trace.”
“No, Tom was apparently close to coercing her into things she wouldn’t consider after convincing her to go further than she expected. She wanted to get away from lots of things, and people, but especially him.”
“I didn’t think it was that bad,” Helen admitted. “And she must have gotten it all done in an amazingly short time.”
“Daria’s a planner; she had us all ignoring the signals,” Jane agreed.
“Well, that’s not much information, but it’s very gratifying,” Helen admitted.
Jane decided to drop the first bombshell. “Daria’s married.”
Helen was, to say the least, shocked.
Jane added to it. “She’s also pregnant.” Jane stood, opened the backpack she had brought with her, and slid a manila envelope across the desk towards Helen.
With slightly shaky hands, Helen picked it up and opened it, sliding the 5x7 black & white photo out. Jane had taken it just before they’d highlighted Daria’s hair for the video shoot. Daria wore the first pair of glasses she had had when she arrived in LA – oval frames, different than her current ones and much smaller than her old ones. It showed Daria from the knees up, her face and body slightly averted to the left. She was only wearing a thong, actually more of a G-string. Her right arm covered her nipples, her left curved under her pregnant belly. Her left hand, on her hip, showed her plain white-gold wedding ring.
“I understand she was about four months along there,” Jane said, unwilling to let Helen know how far along she currently was. “Since she also still eats meat, Quinn will have a lot to complain about.”
Helen just stared at the image of her pregnant, married daughter – who had a very lovely, even contented if small, smile.
Helen finally looked at Jane.
“There is one more surprising thing I need to tell you tonight,” Jane stated.
“Go on.”
“Daria’s partner is obviously responsible for her condition,” she said, gesturing at the photo.
‘Odd way to put it,’ Helen thought.
“You wouldn’t know it to see them. You see, her partner has partially transitioned.”
Helen was obviously puzzled.
“If he had been born with the name Michael or Patrick, she would now be passing for Michelle or Patricia, or Donald to Donna. You get the idea.”
“Oh, my,” Helen stated softly.
“Anthony and Antonia; Matthew and Matilda….”
“I get it, Jane,” Helen stated. “She loves him…or her?”
“Her, and she loves Daria very much.”
“Partially?”
“Unless you see her without panties or look at her driver’s license, she’s a woman. She won’t even think about finishing transitioning and changing her records until such time as same-sex marriage is legalized.”
“Ah.” Helen looked at Jane and nodded. “So, in that next envelope I saw in your bag?”
Jane thought for a moment, and handed it over. There was another 5x7 photo, this one a color photo from the summer of 2000 – DeeDee and Fran were in bikini tops and short shorts on a beach. Fran’s right arm was over DeeDee’s shoulders, DeeDee’s left was around Fran’s waist, both were smiling happily – DeeDee’s genuine smile larger than Helen had ever seen on Daria. DeeDee’s hair was pulled back so you couldn’t really see the highlights in her hair, and she was wearing the same glasses as in the other photo.
“She’s a bit bustier now than she was three years ago,” Jane pointed out.
“I know; I grew a size when I was pregnant,” Helen retorted. Jane did not correct her, DeeDee had grown a cup-size that first spring and summer in LA.
Jane slid a regular envelope to Helen and closed the backpack. “That’s the address of a remailing service – not the one Daria uses to mail Jake.” Actually, the business had three branches, for quicker remailings – LA, the one Daria used in New York, and this one, in Chicago.
“Thank you,” Helen said quietly.
“If you want, I can go back with you and explain this to Daria’s dad, and if you want and she’s there, Quinn.”
Helen thought a moment. “Have you eaten?”
“No,” Jane admitted, she’d been too nervous.
“Jake won’t be home until after 7:30.” She picked up her phone. “Coffee and a chicken salad sandwich tide you over?” The firm’s breakroom had vending machines of all sorts.
“Sure.”
*
Jane followed Helen home, where they found Jake relaxing. When asked, he told Helen that Quinn and Stacy were up in her room. Quinn and Stacy came down when Helen called, and she told Stacy that there was some private family business to be discussed.
Quinn glanced at Jane and then her mother. “Jane, have you been in contact with Daria?”
Jane spoke before Helen could seize control of the conversation. “Yes.”
“Will you be talking with her?”
“Yes.”
Quinn took Stacy’s hand. “Mom, Dad…Jane. I’m…I’m not sure of certain things about me or my life. I do know that I love Stacy, and we’re together. Jane, please let Daria know, that and that I miss her these days. Please tell her…I’m sorry for how I treated here.” She glanced at her mother. “Please, let Stacy stay.”
Helen’s jaw was moving as she tried to take this in. She had long wondered about Quinn’s sexuality, and had thought she was something of a prudish, flirtatious, asexual.
“Of course Stacy can stay, if Jane doesn’t mind,” Jake said quietly. “Welcome to the family.” Stacy blushed and Quinn led her over to the sofa, where they sat, still holding hands.
“Alright, let me explain what little I can,” Jane spoke up. She told the three basically the same story she had told Helen. She had another photo of DeeDee and Fran to give Jake, and Helen showed them the photo of pregnant DeeDee.
Somehow, Jane thought, these three were not nearly as shocked as Helen had been.
When Jane got up to leave, Stacy asked if she could get a ride home. Jane smiled when Stacy gave Quinn a soft kiss before leaving. The three Morgendorffers might have a lot to say to each other.
Perhaps surprisingly, Quinn had very little to say. She had already stated that Daria’s partner was cute, and that Daria looked great in both photos. She also hoped that her future nibling would inherit her mother’s looks and brains – but not her eyesight.
Jake and Helen had a lot more to talk about, including: “Jake, you’re exaggerating as usual.”
Jake glared at his wife. “I believe Jane when she said Daria did nothing illegal, but also that she’s done materially very well. How? Obviously not as something like a drug dealer, con artist, or anything similar. Face it Helen, that likely means something in the sex trade, other than being an outright prostitute. Phone sex? Escort? Stripper? Porn?”
“Porn writer, maybe,” Helen muttered.
“Let’s hope so. Unless she’s someplace like LA or San Franscisco, is she likely to have met a trans person right off the bat?”
“I don’t know, and we don’t know exactly when she met this…person.”
Jake sighed. “I guess not.” He glared at his wife. “If you don’t tell her, I will. At the least, it would show her that we will forgive nearly anything.”
Helen sighed.
*
“Hi, Jane; how’d things go?” Jane had called DeeDee at 9:15 pm Lawndale time.
“Amazing well,” Jane admitted. “Your mother was rather shocked, but overall she seemed happy if a bit uncertain about Fran.”
“Not surprising,” Fran stated, as DeeDee had turned on the speaker phone.
“Three things before I tell you some extra important things. First, for whatever reason, your Dad was more focused than usual, and supportive of you. Second, Stacy was there with Quinn, and Quinn came out, claiming to love Stacy.”
“Wow, I guess I was wrong about her general non-interest.”
“Well, the vibe I got was Stacy is really in to Quinn, and Quinn might only be into Stacy.”
“Possible,” DeeDee agreed. “Third?”
“Everyone thought your photos were great.”
“And what’s the ‘important’ thing, since I am apparently not going to be drummed out of the family?”
“Stacy and Quinn already knew about Louisa and Nikki.”
“WHAT!” the two in California shouted.
“Apparently Stacy was confused about her interests, and had unfettered access to the internet since eighth grade. She found straight and lesbian porn okay, but what really took her fancy was lesbian pegging and t-girl/girl.”
“Ah….”
“Yep. She said she first found photos of Nikki in early Two-thousand, and managed to subscribe to a site that had three-to-five minute video clips a short time after, and found your and Nikki’s videos, and the few others you did together over the years. She recognized you immediately, and was thrilled when she found out you did lesbian porn.” Jane smirked. “She said she especially liked three where you made it with this brunette in pig-tails – she could imagine it was actually her and Quinn, especially since you used a dildo on the gal in one and you peg her front and back in an other.”
“Oh, goddess,” Daria complained.
“Stacy finally managed to seduce Quinn in the fall of Two-thousand and one. She confessed about your videos a few days later.” Jane really smirked now. “Stacy said that when Quinn watched that one video with her, it inspired Quinn to buy a strap-on, and it’s generally how they make it.”
“Eww,” DeeDee stated at the thought of Quinn watching her have sex.
“Wow, there’s someone you would prefer not seeing you have sex,” Jane teased. “Me watching, Trent, apparently Stacy, or even Upchuck, fine; Quinn, ‘eww’?”
“I don’t think family members should see each other having sex in real life,” DeeDee retorted. “Or are you going to show Trent our tape?”
“Okay, good point,” Jane admitted. The three chatted a bit longer, with Jane adding details. Overall, all three were satisfied with how things had gone.
A few days later, DeeDee received a smallish box from the remailers. In it were three letters and a manila envelope. The letters were from her father, her Aunt Amy, and surprisingly Stacy. The larger envelope was from her mother.
Inside, there was another envelope and a letter. Fran gave her partner a glass of juice and sat beside her. Daria thought a moment, and decided to open the letter from Amy to read to Fran first. DeeDee had sent her a letter and the same photos Jane had given Helen.
Dear Daria/DeeDee
First of all, this was a lot to take in, so I will think about it before I write more. For now, know this: you are still not only my favorite niece but my favorite relative. I am so relieved to hear from you, and no, I will not pass on any details to anyone until you say it’s okay. I will let you know in the unlikely event that Helen tells me anything.
Second, you look happy and beautiful, both with Fran and pregnant. I have a conference in early January in Frisco, and would love to meet all three of you.
Third, I dare you to send me the titles of your and Fran’s video work – that’ll save me the effort of researching them. I admit I already had your two Marie Morgan novels and loved them. I look forward to the third and have your other novel on order from Amazon.
DeeDee, as I guess I must think of you now, take care of yourself, Fran, and the baby. I’m glad you’re reconnecting with Jane.
Love
Amy
“Considering how you reacted to Quinn’s seeing you, are you going to send the list to your Aunt Amy?” Fran teased.
“Maybe we should send her a tape with some of the milder scenes?” a very red-faced DeeDee conceded.
“What’s your Mom have to say?”
“Probably not much, since it’s kind of short.”
Dear Daria:
There is a lot I would like to say, but most likely I would regret saying at some point. I would have said most of what I am not saying now had I located you on my own. However, you are holding out something of an olive branch, so I will refrain from recriminations….
“Notice how she’s trying to guilt me,” DeeDee growled. Fran took DeeDee’s free hand and kissed it.
…I am glad that, at least in the photo, you look happy and well, or perhaps I should say ‘contented.’ I hope you, your partner, and the baby are all that.
Daria then read out two paragraphs explaining the general family situation, before continuing:
While Jane assured us that you are doing well financially, and have not been engaging with anything illegal (and I hope that this applies to your partner as well), your father made one of his leaps into assuming you must be involved in the legal side of the sex trade….
The pair exchanged looks.
….Your father has his own story to tell, but it does involve me as well. Hopefully he will not mention it, or go into detail, but he might. I will just say that by early 1973, we had become disillusioned with life in the commune. We knew we wanted to go back to graduate school, but were broke. What to do? How to make money with no job references and one bust your father had when we were driving out to California to join the commune after we graduated in 1970?
I got your father and myself jobs at a club in San Francisco. Your father was a bartender, I was a waitress. So what, you might ask? For just over three years, my ‘uniform’ was heels, a G-string, pasties, a necklace that claimed I was named Rita, and a smile. Your father’s was sandals, shorts with suspenders, and a smile.
The patrons were wealthy, and many tipped me very well. Some of them preferred tipping your father. We earned enough that we really did not have to take out many loans. If you did do similar work, we will understand.
Finally, just so you know, we did not liquidate your college fund. There is currently just over $100,000 in it; it is yours. I thought most of the night trying to think of a way to send it to you but wouldn’t allow you to be traced, and haven’t come up with one yet. Although I grant you some would be difficult to trace, but ‘difficult’ is nowhere near ‘unlikely’ let alone impossible. If you think of one, let your father or me know.
You will make many errors of commission and omission with your child. I hope you make far fewer of both than I have.
Your loving mother
“Well, there was almost always some sort of bribe involved in our dealings,” DeeDee sighed. “But she is right, we will make mistakes; hopefully just not major ones.
“True. So, your Dad or this Stacy?”
“We need a break. Stacy.”
“Open the envelope first,” Fran reminder her.
DeeDee complied, and pulled out a photo of her parents, dressed in their club ‘uniforms.’
“Wow,” Fran said. “Your father looked good, and your mom was hot. No wonder you’re so gorgeous.”
Blushing, DeeDee handed over Stacy’s letter for Fran to read.
Dear Louisa and Nikki:
I hope you don’t mind that I used your stage names, but I don’t know Nikki’s real one. I’m sure Jane would have told you about how confused I was as I finished my tween years. I liked boys, was attracted to boys, but I also had two serious crushes on girls at the same time. The first was on Sandi, and she took advantage of it and me without really returning any affection. I was only able to break away from her during the end of my junior year, thanks to you.
“Me? But that would have been after I left.”
“Hush, dear. Let me finish.”
…My second major crush was you….
DeeDee’s eyes went wide at that.
…Unlike a lot of people, I remembered from that day you and Jane gave those speeches that you are Quinn’s sister. I always felt and still think you were one of the four most beautiful girls I ever saw at Lawndale High. Quinn is cuter, but you are more beautiful. And on one hand, you were able to stand up to the bullies, the teasing, the teachers, Ms Li, and even Quinn and Sandi, while on the other there was something about you that made me want to cuddle and protect you….
Fran looked up. “Aww.”
“Shut it, Brown.”
“But then how can I finish reading you the letter, Missus Brown?” DeeDee sighed.
…When you left, and I saw how devastated Quinn was when we weren’t in public, and how mean Sandi was to her about it, I broke away from her, and Quinn and I broke up the Fashion Club. That eventually got Quinn and me together over the next summer.
I had already seen Nikki for the first time, and even if she was with a guy, I thought she was fantastic looking. I was shocked when I first saw you in a Sisters of Sigma Epsilon Xi movie (and I loved you in the Pledges sequel – I wished I was your pledge in a lot of fantasies). I was so glad I saw the two of you together. The UseNet groups have claimed that you have both retired; I understand, even if I wish I could watch you more. Watching you peg inspired Quinn to do the same for me; we had really mostly been cuddlers before that. I hope it doesn’t weird you out too much, but our favorite strap-on is an official ‘Nikki!’
So, I hope you don’t mind my writing. Quinn, despite being very turned on by watching you, is still very shy about sex things, so she’s still trying to figure out what to say. She did say to tell you that she loves you, misses you, hopes you’ll forgive the way she treated you, and we both hope you’re eating healthily, for your and the baby’s sake.
Stacy
“Please,” the very red-faced DeeDee pleaded, “I don’t want to think of my own sister getting aroused by seeing me perform, or of her using your likeness to peg her lover.”
“Okay, at least not tonight.” Fran grinned. “I wonder if your father can top all this.”
“Them showing off in a topless club with a bisexual clientele, my sister’s girlfriend having a crush and getting off on my porn, and worst, my sister doing the same and the two of them imitating me and using the model of your cock to have sex? I hope not.”
Hey Kiddo!
First of all, thank you for the cards, so that I knew you were okay and that whatever drove you away, it wasn’t me, despite my anger problems. I hope you know how much I love you.
Second, and probably equally important, in the late spring of 2001, an old friend stopped by my office. He was meeting with a group of video distributors….”
Fran looked up from the letter. “Uh oh.”
DeeDee’s head dropped. “Oh, goddess.”
We talked awhile, and he left me some ads and a promo video, asking if I could suggest improvements, which I eventually did. You were in one of the scenes of the promo video, your image, although small, was clear enough on the covers of three of the titles, and your nom de plume was in the descriptions of some others. I later found out that ‘Louisa’ was married to a trans-actress named ‘Nikki’. I bought just one of her tapes, and none of yours. I will say you were both fantastic, as both actors and performers, especially you.
DeeDee’s head was in both her hands.
Now, I know your mother told you about our job at the adult club, but I also know she did not tell you the rest. We really wanted to raise as much money as possible, and we were both offered jobs making what were called ‘loops.’
The two exchanged glances – loops were one reel sex movies, popular from the first porn film through at least the ‘70s – so generally about ten minutes at most.
We wanted the money, but didn’t want to cheat on each other. In the end, I made 15 loops, your mother, 6. 12 of mine were gay loops (if you know the industry history, maybe Johnny Wadd* is still known, I did one loop with him and he was famous at the time). The other three were loops where two couples exchange partners. Your mother acted in those three with me, and the other three she did she was only with women.
So, if the reason you aren’t in contact with us is your career choice, your mother and I certainly can’t object! Please, let me know if we can at least communicate better!
Love
Dad
PS I will only tell your mother about your film career when you say I can.
PPS, Louisa and Nikki Darling are much better names than ours were: Jake the Snake and Raunchy Rita!
“I saw that short with your Dad and John Holmes! He was great!”
“Oh, just kill me now!”
“You know, Bobby has well over two thousand loops, maybe even three; I bet he has the ones with your parents. They might like a copy.”
DeeDee gave her a dirty look.
“That look means you don’t like something about the idea, not that I shouldn’t,” Fran pointed out.
“Fine,” DeeDee spat. “Get all eighteen! We’ll rent out a theater and show the best of two generations of porn actors! Maybe we can get Quinn and Stacy to do one, too! Maybe Mom and Dad can come out of retirement! Maybe some of your family can contribute!”
“Your family is far cuter.” Fran kissed her pouting wife and went to call a collector friend of theirs.
DeeDee sat and stewed for a while, but finally smiled. “At least I know now why Mom and Dad were so active! Raunchy Rita and the Snake?” DeeDee shuddered at the thought. Still, she reached for the phone.
Johnny Wadd=John Holmes, 1944-1988, prolific porn actor; the movies ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘Wonderland’ were based on his life to a degree.
Back to Lawndale & Letters
August 14
Jane’s plane had arrived just after midnight, so she didn’t get back to her apartment until nearly 2:00 am. She had dragged herself out of bed a little after 9:00 and had spent nearly an hour on the phone, arguing with Marianne and being placed on hold three times trying to get through to Helen Morgendorffer. When she finally had spoken to her, Jane had an appointment that evening at 6:00 – Helen obviously kept her old overtime hours even as a partner.
Jane managed to get enough coffee and sugar into her system to make the drive to Lawndale, where she found to her surprise that Trent was still there. He would, however, be leaving that evening – the band had two weeks of gigs starting in Windsor, Ontario, and ending in Chicago.
“So,” Trent drawled, “since you were gone so long, I guess Daria was willing to talk with you.”
“True,” Jane agreed, flushing at the thoughts of all she had done with DeeDee and Fran.
Seeing that, Trent felt a bit conflicted. Jane had obviously rekindled, or at least relived, her physical relationship with Daria, and perhaps with her partner as well. He was glad for her, and a bit envious. “Was this a one-time thing, or will you be going back?”
“Going back,” Jane acknowledged. “I should graduate in December. It’ll be close, but I might make it back in time for the birth of my god daughter.”
That got Trent to open his eyes wide – an extreme reaction from him, and he could only say, “Whoa!”
Jane nodded. “I was surprised, too. And yes, they have retired from videos. Daria did say that list Upchuck or whoever sent was accurate of her videos, except for most of the videos where she was really just in the background. On the other hand, she apparently did a lot more writing than she got full credit for.” Jane smirked. “She said she would send me a complete set for you if you wanted.”
Now it was Trent who blushed, something Jane had never really seen before. “Really?” he finally managed to say. “She…she wouldn’t…doesn’t….”
“Trent, she said she’d rather know you were jerking off to her than all the strangers who already do, not to mention better you, who she liked, than assholes like Tom and Upchuck. If you want, she’ll include all of Nikki’s as well.” ‘Just like I’m getting,’ she mentally added.
Trent turned redder. “Sounds good.” He backed away, saying, “I gotta finish packing.”
“I’ll tell Daria to send the videos to me. Let me know when you’ll be home to get them and I’ll send your set over!” Jane had to really raise her voice to call out by the end of that, as Trent was rushing away. ‘After all, she already promised me a full set, as well some other goodies.’
*
Jane showed up a bit early at the building housing what she always thought of as ‘that bunch of lawyers,’ since she couldn’t bother remembering all the partners’ names. A few of the associates and paralegals worked until at least 7:00, so there was always a free secretary or security person to act as an escort. From the way people looked when she mentioned the name ‘Morgendorffer,’ Jane suspected that Helen was one of the more feared, or at least respected, of the partners.
Helen’s office was much larger, and neater, than the one she had had as an associate. Jane glanced around, and saw there were no photos on the walls or on the desk. Helen, seated at her computer, waved Jane into a chair while her escorts (two paralegals and a security guard) shut the door behind them.
Helen pressed ‘send’ and swiveled to look at Jane. “Did you actually track down my wayward…Daria, or did she contact you?”
“I tracked her down, and no, I won’t tell you how,” Jane retorted.
“And why not?”
“So that you can’t,” Jane answered bluntly. “I have a very few things to tell you. I’m telling you, because I don’t like you, or how you treated Daria. I can and will tell you to go to hell at any point where you annoy me too much, and I couldn’t do that to your husband.”
Helen was about to explode, but managed to calm herself down after a few moments.
“If you ever have a child, I hope you make fewer mistakes,” Helen told Jane after a few minutes, “and, if you do as many, hopefully you’ll realize that you did before it’s too late.”
“Fair enough.” Jane figured that was about as close to an apology as Helen would make, at least at this point.
“What are you willing to tell me?”
“First, will you tell your husband?”
“Of course, and Quinn.”
Jane looked Helen in the eye. “Do you really think Quinn will really care, or do you just hope she will.”
Nearly anyone else would have gotten a very different answer, but Helen decided to be honest. “A bit of both.”
Jane nodded. “Okay, first of all, Daria is healthy and happy.” She gave Helen a twisted smile. “And I mean obviously happy. I spent over two weeks with her, and she smiled more then than over the two plus years I knew her here.”
Helen stared at Jane, and then crumpled slightly, her head in her hands, as she cried softly, and then finally looked at Jane, saying, “Thank goodness for both.”
“I won’t give details, but she’s managed to already earn her bachelor’s degree. She’s made out well materially, and she didn’t have to do, or be associated with” (‘at least as far as she and Fran are directly concerned, that I know of,’ she mentally added) “anything illegal.”
Helen blew her nose and tossed the tissue.
“All that, and with a name change I couldn’t get traced?”
“Think about that.”
Helen winced. “I hope she didn’t really consider us abusive, and just claimed it to make her harder to trace.”
“No, Tom was apparently close to coercing her into things she wouldn’t consider after convincing her to go further than she expected. She wanted to get away from lots of things, and people, but especially him.”
“I didn’t think it was that bad,” Helen admitted. “And she must have gotten it all done in an amazingly short time.”
“Daria’s a planner; she had us all ignoring the signals,” Jane agreed.
“Well, that’s not much information, but it’s very gratifying,” Helen admitted.
Jane decided to drop the first bombshell. “Daria’s married.”
Helen was, to say the least, shocked.
Jane added to it. “She’s also pregnant.” Jane stood, opened the backpack she had brought with her, and slid a manila envelope across the desk towards Helen.
With slightly shaky hands, Helen picked it up and opened it, sliding the 5x7 black & white photo out. Jane had taken it just before they’d highlighted Daria’s hair for the video shoot. Daria wore the first pair of glasses she had had when she arrived in LA – oval frames, different than her current ones and much smaller than her old ones. It showed Daria from the knees up, her face and body slightly averted to the left. She was only wearing a thong, actually more of a G-string. Her right arm covered her nipples, her left curved under her pregnant belly. Her left hand, on her hip, showed her plain white-gold wedding ring.
“I understand she was about four months along there,” Jane said, unwilling to let Helen know how far along she currently was. “Since she also still eats meat, Quinn will have a lot to complain about.”
Helen just stared at the image of her pregnant, married daughter – who had a very lovely, even contented if small, smile.
Helen finally looked at Jane.
“There is one more surprising thing I need to tell you tonight,” Jane stated.
“Go on.”
“Daria’s partner is obviously responsible for her condition,” she said, gesturing at the photo.
‘Odd way to put it,’ Helen thought.
“You wouldn’t know it to see them. You see, her partner has partially transitioned.”
Helen was obviously puzzled.
“If he had been born with the name Michael or Patrick, she would now be passing for Michelle or Patricia, or Donald to Donna. You get the idea.”
“Oh, my,” Helen stated softly.
“Anthony and Antonia; Matthew and Matilda….”
“I get it, Jane,” Helen stated. “She loves him…or her?”
“Her, and she loves Daria very much.”
“Partially?”
“Unless you see her without panties or look at her driver’s license, she’s a woman. She won’t even think about finishing transitioning and changing her records until such time as same-sex marriage is legalized.”
“Ah.” Helen looked at Jane and nodded. “So, in that next envelope I saw in your bag?”
Jane thought for a moment, and handed it over. There was another 5x7 photo, this one a color photo from the summer of 2000 – DeeDee and Fran were in bikini tops and short shorts on a beach. Fran’s right arm was over DeeDee’s shoulders, DeeDee’s left was around Fran’s waist, both were smiling happily – DeeDee’s genuine smile larger than Helen had ever seen on Daria. DeeDee’s hair was pulled back so you couldn’t really see the highlights in her hair, and she was wearing the same glasses as in the other photo.
“She’s a bit bustier now than she was three years ago,” Jane pointed out.
“I know; I grew a size when I was pregnant,” Helen retorted. Jane did not correct her, DeeDee had grown a cup-size that first spring and summer in LA.
Jane slid a regular envelope to Helen and closed the backpack. “That’s the address of a remailing service – not the one Daria uses to mail Jake.” Actually, the business had three branches, for quicker remailings – LA, the one Daria used in New York, and this one, in Chicago.
“Thank you,” Helen said quietly.
“If you want, I can go back with you and explain this to Daria’s dad, and if you want and she’s there, Quinn.”
Helen thought a moment. “Have you eaten?”
“No,” Jane admitted, she’d been too nervous.
“Jake won’t be home until after 7:30.” She picked up her phone. “Coffee and a chicken salad sandwich tide you over?” The firm’s breakroom had vending machines of all sorts.
“Sure.”
*
Jane followed Helen home, where they found Jake relaxing. When asked, he told Helen that Quinn and Stacy were up in her room. Quinn and Stacy came down when Helen called, and she told Stacy that there was some private family business to be discussed.
Quinn glanced at Jane and then her mother. “Jane, have you been in contact with Daria?”
Jane spoke before Helen could seize control of the conversation. “Yes.”
“Will you be talking with her?”
“Yes.”
Quinn took Stacy’s hand. “Mom, Dad…Jane. I’m…I’m not sure of certain things about me or my life. I do know that I love Stacy, and we’re together. Jane, please let Daria know, that and that I miss her these days. Please tell her…I’m sorry for how I treated here.” She glanced at her mother. “Please, let Stacy stay.”
Helen’s jaw was moving as she tried to take this in. She had long wondered about Quinn’s sexuality, and had thought she was something of a prudish, flirtatious, asexual.
“Of course Stacy can stay, if Jane doesn’t mind,” Jake said quietly. “Welcome to the family.” Stacy blushed and Quinn led her over to the sofa, where they sat, still holding hands.
“Alright, let me explain what little I can,” Jane spoke up. She told the three basically the same story she had told Helen. She had another photo of DeeDee and Fran to give Jake, and Helen showed them the photo of pregnant DeeDee.
Somehow, Jane thought, these three were not nearly as shocked as Helen had been.
When Jane got up to leave, Stacy asked if she could get a ride home. Jane smiled when Stacy gave Quinn a soft kiss before leaving. The three Morgendorffers might have a lot to say to each other.
Perhaps surprisingly, Quinn had very little to say. She had already stated that Daria’s partner was cute, and that Daria looked great in both photos. She also hoped that her future nibling would inherit her mother’s looks and brains – but not her eyesight.
Jake and Helen had a lot more to talk about, including: “Jake, you’re exaggerating as usual.”
Jake glared at his wife. “I believe Jane when she said Daria did nothing illegal, but also that she’s done materially very well. How? Obviously not as something like a drug dealer, con artist, or anything similar. Face it Helen, that likely means something in the sex trade, other than being an outright prostitute. Phone sex? Escort? Stripper? Porn?”
“Porn writer, maybe,” Helen muttered.
“Let’s hope so. Unless she’s someplace like LA or San Franscisco, is she likely to have met a trans person right off the bat?”
“I don’t know, and we don’t know exactly when she met this…person.”
Jake sighed. “I guess not.” He glared at his wife. “If you don’t tell her, I will. At the least, it would show her that we will forgive nearly anything.”
Helen sighed.
*
“Hi, Jane; how’d things go?” Jane had called DeeDee at 9:15 pm Lawndale time.
“Amazing well,” Jane admitted. “Your mother was rather shocked, but overall she seemed happy if a bit uncertain about Fran.”
“Not surprising,” Fran stated, as DeeDee had turned on the speaker phone.
“Three things before I tell you some extra important things. First, for whatever reason, your Dad was more focused than usual, and supportive of you. Second, Stacy was there with Quinn, and Quinn came out, claiming to love Stacy.”
“Wow, I guess I was wrong about her general non-interest.”
“Well, the vibe I got was Stacy is really in to Quinn, and Quinn might only be into Stacy.”
“Possible,” DeeDee agreed. “Third?”
“Everyone thought your photos were great.”
“And what’s the ‘important’ thing, since I am apparently not going to be drummed out of the family?”
“Stacy and Quinn already knew about Louisa and Nikki.”
“WHAT!” the two in California shouted.
“Apparently Stacy was confused about her interests, and had unfettered access to the internet since eighth grade. She found straight and lesbian porn okay, but what really took her fancy was lesbian pegging and t-girl/girl.”
“Ah….”
“Yep. She said she first found photos of Nikki in early Two-thousand, and managed to subscribe to a site that had three-to-five minute video clips a short time after, and found your and Nikki’s videos, and the few others you did together over the years. She recognized you immediately, and was thrilled when she found out you did lesbian porn.” Jane smirked. “She said she especially liked three where you made it with this brunette in pig-tails – she could imagine it was actually her and Quinn, especially since you used a dildo on the gal in one and you peg her front and back in an other.”
“Oh, goddess,” Daria complained.
“Stacy finally managed to seduce Quinn in the fall of Two-thousand and one. She confessed about your videos a few days later.” Jane really smirked now. “Stacy said that when Quinn watched that one video with her, it inspired Quinn to buy a strap-on, and it’s generally how they make it.”
“Eww,” DeeDee stated at the thought of Quinn watching her have sex.
“Wow, there’s someone you would prefer not seeing you have sex,” Jane teased. “Me watching, Trent, apparently Stacy, or even Upchuck, fine; Quinn, ‘eww’?”
“I don’t think family members should see each other having sex in real life,” DeeDee retorted. “Or are you going to show Trent our tape?”
“Okay, good point,” Jane admitted. The three chatted a bit longer, with Jane adding details. Overall, all three were satisfied with how things had gone.
A few days later, DeeDee received a smallish box from the remailers. In it were three letters and a manila envelope. The letters were from her father, her Aunt Amy, and surprisingly Stacy. The larger envelope was from her mother.
Inside, there was another envelope and a letter. Fran gave her partner a glass of juice and sat beside her. Daria thought a moment, and decided to open the letter from Amy to read to Fran first. DeeDee had sent her a letter and the same photos Jane had given Helen.
Dear Daria/DeeDee
First of all, this was a lot to take in, so I will think about it before I write more. For now, know this: you are still not only my favorite niece but my favorite relative. I am so relieved to hear from you, and no, I will not pass on any details to anyone until you say it’s okay. I will let you know in the unlikely event that Helen tells me anything.
Second, you look happy and beautiful, both with Fran and pregnant. I have a conference in early January in Frisco, and would love to meet all three of you.
Third, I dare you to send me the titles of your and Fran’s video work – that’ll save me the effort of researching them. I admit I already had your two Marie Morgan novels and loved them. I look forward to the third and have your other novel on order from Amazon.
DeeDee, as I guess I must think of you now, take care of yourself, Fran, and the baby. I’m glad you’re reconnecting with Jane.
Love
Amy
“Considering how you reacted to Quinn’s seeing you, are you going to send the list to your Aunt Amy?” Fran teased.
“Maybe we should send her a tape with some of the milder scenes?” a very red-faced DeeDee conceded.
“What’s your Mom have to say?”
“Probably not much, since it’s kind of short.”
Dear Daria:
There is a lot I would like to say, but most likely I would regret saying at some point. I would have said most of what I am not saying now had I located you on my own. However, you are holding out something of an olive branch, so I will refrain from recriminations….
“Notice how she’s trying to guilt me,” DeeDee growled. Fran took DeeDee’s free hand and kissed it.
…I am glad that, at least in the photo, you look happy and well, or perhaps I should say ‘contented.’ I hope you, your partner, and the baby are all that.
Daria then read out two paragraphs explaining the general family situation, before continuing:
While Jane assured us that you are doing well financially, and have not been engaging with anything illegal (and I hope that this applies to your partner as well), your father made one of his leaps into assuming you must be involved in the legal side of the sex trade….
The pair exchanged looks.
….Your father has his own story to tell, but it does involve me as well. Hopefully he will not mention it, or go into detail, but he might. I will just say that by early 1973, we had become disillusioned with life in the commune. We knew we wanted to go back to graduate school, but were broke. What to do? How to make money with no job references and one bust your father had when we were driving out to California to join the commune after we graduated in 1970?
I got your father and myself jobs at a club in San Francisco. Your father was a bartender, I was a waitress. So what, you might ask? For just over three years, my ‘uniform’ was heels, a G-string, pasties, a necklace that claimed I was named Rita, and a smile. Your father’s was sandals, shorts with suspenders, and a smile.
The patrons were wealthy, and many tipped me very well. Some of them preferred tipping your father. We earned enough that we really did not have to take out many loans. If you did do similar work, we will understand.
Finally, just so you know, we did not liquidate your college fund. There is currently just over $100,000 in it; it is yours. I thought most of the night trying to think of a way to send it to you but wouldn’t allow you to be traced, and haven’t come up with one yet. Although I grant you some would be difficult to trace, but ‘difficult’ is nowhere near ‘unlikely’ let alone impossible. If you think of one, let your father or me know.
You will make many errors of commission and omission with your child. I hope you make far fewer of both than I have.
Your loving mother
“Well, there was almost always some sort of bribe involved in our dealings,” DeeDee sighed. “But she is right, we will make mistakes; hopefully just not major ones.
“True. So, your Dad or this Stacy?”
“We need a break. Stacy.”
“Open the envelope first,” Fran reminder her.
DeeDee complied, and pulled out a photo of her parents, dressed in their club ‘uniforms.’
“Wow,” Fran said. “Your father looked good, and your mom was hot. No wonder you’re so gorgeous.”
Blushing, DeeDee handed over Stacy’s letter for Fran to read.
Dear Louisa and Nikki:
I hope you don’t mind that I used your stage names, but I don’t know Nikki’s real one. I’m sure Jane would have told you about how confused I was as I finished my tween years. I liked boys, was attracted to boys, but I also had two serious crushes on girls at the same time. The first was on Sandi, and she took advantage of it and me without really returning any affection. I was only able to break away from her during the end of my junior year, thanks to you.
“Me? But that would have been after I left.”
“Hush, dear. Let me finish.”
…My second major crush was you….
DeeDee’s eyes went wide at that.
…Unlike a lot of people, I remembered from that day you and Jane gave those speeches that you are Quinn’s sister. I always felt and still think you were one of the four most beautiful girls I ever saw at Lawndale High. Quinn is cuter, but you are more beautiful. And on one hand, you were able to stand up to the bullies, the teasing, the teachers, Ms Li, and even Quinn and Sandi, while on the other there was something about you that made me want to cuddle and protect you….
Fran looked up. “Aww.”
“Shut it, Brown.”
“But then how can I finish reading you the letter, Missus Brown?” DeeDee sighed.
…When you left, and I saw how devastated Quinn was when we weren’t in public, and how mean Sandi was to her about it, I broke away from her, and Quinn and I broke up the Fashion Club. That eventually got Quinn and me together over the next summer.
I had already seen Nikki for the first time, and even if she was with a guy, I thought she was fantastic looking. I was shocked when I first saw you in a Sisters of Sigma Epsilon Xi movie (and I loved you in the Pledges sequel – I wished I was your pledge in a lot of fantasies). I was so glad I saw the two of you together. The UseNet groups have claimed that you have both retired; I understand, even if I wish I could watch you more. Watching you peg inspired Quinn to do the same for me; we had really mostly been cuddlers before that. I hope it doesn’t weird you out too much, but our favorite strap-on is an official ‘Nikki!’
So, I hope you don’t mind my writing. Quinn, despite being very turned on by watching you, is still very shy about sex things, so she’s still trying to figure out what to say. She did say to tell you that she loves you, misses you, hopes you’ll forgive the way she treated you, and we both hope you’re eating healthily, for your and the baby’s sake.
Stacy
“Please,” the very red-faced DeeDee pleaded, “I don’t want to think of my own sister getting aroused by seeing me perform, or of her using your likeness to peg her lover.”
“Okay, at least not tonight.” Fran grinned. “I wonder if your father can top all this.”
“Them showing off in a topless club with a bisexual clientele, my sister’s girlfriend having a crush and getting off on my porn, and worst, my sister doing the same and the two of them imitating me and using the model of your cock to have sex? I hope not.”
Hey Kiddo!
First of all, thank you for the cards, so that I knew you were okay and that whatever drove you away, it wasn’t me, despite my anger problems. I hope you know how much I love you.
Second, and probably equally important, in the late spring of 2001, an old friend stopped by my office. He was meeting with a group of video distributors….”
Fran looked up from the letter. “Uh oh.”
DeeDee’s head dropped. “Oh, goddess.”
We talked awhile, and he left me some ads and a promo video, asking if I could suggest improvements, which I eventually did. You were in one of the scenes of the promo video, your image, although small, was clear enough on the covers of three of the titles, and your nom de plume was in the descriptions of some others. I later found out that ‘Louisa’ was married to a trans-actress named ‘Nikki’. I bought just one of her tapes, and none of yours. I will say you were both fantastic, as both actors and performers, especially you.
DeeDee’s head was in both her hands.
Now, I know your mother told you about our job at the adult club, but I also know she did not tell you the rest. We really wanted to raise as much money as possible, and we were both offered jobs making what were called ‘loops.’
The two exchanged glances – loops were one reel sex movies, popular from the first porn film through at least the ‘70s – so generally about ten minutes at most.
We wanted the money, but didn’t want to cheat on each other. In the end, I made 15 loops, your mother, 6. 12 of mine were gay loops (if you know the industry history, maybe Johnny Wadd* is still known, I did one loop with him and he was famous at the time). The other three were loops where two couples exchange partners. Your mother acted in those three with me, and the other three she did she was only with women.
So, if the reason you aren’t in contact with us is your career choice, your mother and I certainly can’t object! Please, let me know if we can at least communicate better!
Love
Dad
PS I will only tell your mother about your film career when you say I can.
PPS, Louisa and Nikki Darling are much better names than ours were: Jake the Snake and Raunchy Rita!
“I saw that short with your Dad and John Holmes! He was great!”
“Oh, just kill me now!”
“You know, Bobby has well over two thousand loops, maybe even three; I bet he has the ones with your parents. They might like a copy.”
DeeDee gave her a dirty look.
“That look means you don’t like something about the idea, not that I shouldn’t,” Fran pointed out.
“Fine,” DeeDee spat. “Get all eighteen! We’ll rent out a theater and show the best of two generations of porn actors! Maybe we can get Quinn and Stacy to do one, too! Maybe Mom and Dad can come out of retirement! Maybe some of your family can contribute!”
“Your family is far cuter.” Fran kissed her pouting wife and went to call a collector friend of theirs.
DeeDee sat and stewed for a while, but finally smiled. “At least I know now why Mom and Dad were so active! Raunchy Rita and the Snake?” DeeDee shuddered at the thought. Still, she reached for the phone.
Johnny Wadd=John Holmes, 1944-1988, prolific porn actor; the movies ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘Wonderland’ were based on his life to a degree.
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