As the saying goes, the truth will set you free.

I finally understood that even someone like Jarrod had to hide behind a façade; the same way I did with Bette, my family and those who were closest to me.

As I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, I wondered when I would ever find enough the courage to set my own truth free.

***

Bette and I met at our favorite Italian restaurant a couple of blocks from our apartment, after we had ordered our food, Bette’s eyes focused on a girl who were standing outside the restaurant. The woman was very obviously an escort, we could tell by the way she was dressed and how subtly walked towards the open windows of some vehicles and leaned forward to bare her cleavage.

Just to make things clear to everyone, I am not a Street Walker, which is my term for girls who pick up men along the streets. The service Madame provides is an exclusive one and our clients are filtered through to us. Men and women pay premium prices for our services, and for our secrecy.

“What you looking at?” I asked, trying to divert Bette’s attention.

Bette turned back towards me and smiled, “Nothing, just that girl outside.”

“What about her?”

“I’m just amused by the lengths that women would go for money.”

“Why do you assume that she’s doing it for money?”

“Well, what other reasons could she be possibly doing it for? Selling your body is possibly the most degrading thing a woman could do.”

Under the table, my hands were clenched together from nervousness. I let out a bolt of forced laughter, “Ah well, Bette, have you ever considered that maybe some girls like what they do?”

Bette threw me a pointed look, “What kind of psychologically unstable girl would enjoy having strangers do what they will with her body? How can you have intimacy without emotion? I find all this pretty ridiculous.”

I didn’t quite know how to reply, “I guess everyone has different opinions,” I finally managed to say, “But we can’t just pass a judgment like that. What would happen if you found out that one of your friends was working as an escort?”