Split Black /#Wattys 2021

Chapter Twenty-one

John skipped ahead to where the readers logged in to comment on the installment. Among the missives praising Messalina's writing ability and demanding another installment soon, one caught his eye. Someone named Cottingley Fairy had posted, Ooh! Ooh! It's up! I've got to tell YoungQueen when I see her today.

John bent toward the screen. Someone else had posted, So ... wait a minute. You, Sister Satsu, The Divine Sarah, and YoungQueen all know each other in RL? How did you ladies meet? Did you know each other before you came on here, or did you meet through this board?

Cottingley Fairy didn't want to disrupt the story by explaining there, so she redirected her questioner—and John—to another old message topic: RL Sucks!!

Sister Satsu had answered, Cottingley Fairy, The Divine Sarah, YoungQueen, and I were all in this bullshit treatment at the same place. It's OK that I wrote that BTW—everybody knows. We got stuck in this stupid DBT group being run out of this place north of Ashland. It was really lame & we decided to drop out.

Someone else posted, What were you ladies in treatment for? If you don't mind my asking.

Satsu had written, Behaviors our parents didn't like!

John pulled out his notepad. Place north of Ashland? he wrote—was it a hospital, a mental health clinic, or what?—and, DBT?

He glanced at his watch and hit the "back" button, returning to Josym's and Palai's declarations of forbidden love.

"Tell me you want something more than we're allowed by law." What an odd plea, in the midst of already jumbled circumstances. Yet, not really ... not shocking, since I understand the depth of his nobility, that gentle righteousness which could inspire a great wave of reforms on this world if he decides to chase down a Council seat. Should he ever reach the lofty perch of Second or First, the opportunities for change will be astounding.

"I want anything that will make you happy."

"Funny, that's what I want for us."

"What sort of union shall we undertake?"

"As I said, something that isn't legal on Deiu."

The story's readers, ecstatic that the characters' bond was finally emotional as well as physical, posted their approval as well as their suggestions for how the two could marry despite Palai's social standing and the disapproval of Josym's stern—and insane—father.

John checked his watch and was just about to end his computer session when he saw it. A post by YoungQueen: Why can't I meet a guy like this? The guys at school are just so gross. I can tell all they want is bragging rights because I look "hot" and I model. They want to score and brag. It doesn't matter who I am, just what I look like. Fuck that. I'm looking for a MAN, not a boy, and I'm saving it for him! And I hate to say it, but I don't know anybody married who really loves each other like this. And this includes MY FOLKS!

Below this Messalina had written, A lot of times relationships between escorts and clients are more like this than a lot of marriages I know. Not that people are running off and getting married, I only know of one time a client married an escort, but if you work in a high-class escort business like I do, not cheap street-level prostitution but a real classy service, the clients can become friends, and there's a love there. There really is.