Bridget Torjesen

**Bridget Torjesen** (also known as **Bridget Stanton** in her work as an escort) is a major character in the Free Spirits series of books. She is the title character in the second book *Bridget's Calling* and a significant supporting character in eight other books.

## Description

Bridget is between 5'7" and 5'8" in height with green eyes and long red hair; in *Bridget's Calling* she is described as having "classic cheekbones, nose like Kate Middleton, lips like Scarlett Johansson, and strong yet lithe limbs." She is outgoing, intelligent, and very other-directed with an excellent ability to "read" people. She is a wine connoisseur, speaks three foreign languages fluently (French, Italian, Spanish) and has expertise in the martial arts (black belts in karate, judo and jujitsu). Bridget openly admits that she lacks any musical ability, even singing, so she lip syncs the lyrics to any songs during Free Spirit Sunday celebrations.

## Early life

Bridget was raised in the Midwest, the son of a Lutheran Church Missouri Synod pastor, with three brothers and a younger sister named Tess. At seventeen, she donated bone marrow to her sister, who was fighting leukemia at age twelve; her sister would then become a park ranger. While her father was conservative, he still encouraged Bridget and her sister to be assertive and successful. She had a constitutionally delayed puberty, her breasts and other secondary sex characteristics not coming about until late adolescence, and no awareness of sexual attraction until college. It was in college, due to participation in two philosophy classes, that she began to accept more liberal ideas about spirituality and sexuality, which led to her becoming estranged from her father, and looking for sources of income to pay for her education. Bridget's first sexual experience was a threesome with friends Anya and Paolo, which led to other "wonderful yet unconventional relationships" during the summer before her sophomore year. She then entered a sugar relationship with an older man named Cam, which lasted for two years. After this, she was encouraged to explore escorting, and worked for an agency under the name "Caitlyn" with some success. The beginning of her senior year in college, she entered another sugar relationship with a woman named Leslie, who also took her on trips to Europe and allowed her to have side relationships. After attaining a Master of Fine Arts in interior design, and landing a job with an architectural firm in Stallbrook, Bridget parted on good terms with Leslie, and they kept in touch as friends. Shortly after starting her new job, Bridget began to feel it was not as fulfilling as she thought it would be; she chose to begin escorting again part-time, and eventually transitioned to having independent escorting as her primary vocation and freelance design work on the side.

## *Peri's Bliss*

Bridget is in the same Wayfinding class as Peri Winger, and they soon become friends. Peri visits Bridget at her apartment, where she learns more about her early life, and has a brief sexual encounter with her. Bridget finds support for her profession among the Free Spirits, but is initially cautious because of the criminalization of sex work.

## *Bridget's Calling*

The second book in the Free Spirits series follows Bridget through several weeks as she sees clients in both her independent escorting and her freelance interior design business, as well as interacting with friends and acquaintances, and doing educational work advocating for sex workers' rights. Two memorable clients are Daniel Costas (a Marine Lieutenant who was badly wounded, physically and emotionally, during a tour of duty in Afghanistan) and Will Gentile (who endures emotional and physical abuse from his wife, until Bridget helps him escape with his young daughter)*.*

## *Hannah's Healing*

Bridget co-leads a group of people who provide Hannah Stutzman with sensate focus touch therapy, to help her overcome her aversion to physical contact. She and other Free Spirits provide Hannah with positive role models in embracing a more life-affirming spirituality and sexual ethic. When Hannah is ready to leave, Bridget is the first person she hugs in gratitude.

## *Amalia's Truth*

While Bridget does not attend the sixth Triennial Assembly, her name is mentioned many times in the context of her efforts on behalf of the Sex Worker Rights Nexus, including her presentation in New York City.

## *Laurie's Liberation*

Bridget first interacts with Laurie Franklin over the phone to negotiate a threesome with Clara Thomas; they later meet at Clara's house and enjoy an afternoon together. Later, Laurie meets Bridget at Chloe's Café, where Bridget assures confidentiality (as with all of her clients) and they quickly become friends. Bridget also works with Charlie, CeeCee and Eight-Ball on a plan to protect Laurie and her partner Tony Graham from Laurie's abusive ex Abbie Nolan, including arranging for Laurie and Tony to stay with a wealthy couple until Abbie is apprehended by police; Bridget also agrees to an overnight threesome with Sarah Chesterfield and Laurie.

## *Zoe's Quest*

Peri helps arrange for Zoe Morton to have a 24-hour session with Bridget at the Regency Hotel, and they bond emotionally as well as physically. Zoe then discloses her health condition, her plans to commit suicide, and her growing ambivalence about that decision. Bridget encourages her to consider how she might use what time she has to "create [her] place" in the world, leading Zoe to take up the cause of sex worker rights.

## *Adara's Apostasy*

Bridget first meets Adara Khan at a Sunday celebration service, and shares her contact information with her when she learns about Adara's research. She helps arrange for Adara to meet the leadership of the Jezebel Project and the Stallbrook Alliance for Sex Worker Rights, both of which she is involved with, and agrees to a one-on-one interview where she shares her own perspective on sex work, Chief Graham's policies, and the Swedish Model.

## *Priscilla's Transformation*

Bridget joins Sabine Moràn and Mike Tasso to engage in discussions with Priscilla Rhee. Later, Priscilla finds her helping with the vigil at Creston Street in remembrance of Jay Koenig and other sex workers lost to violence.

## *Moira's Covenant*

Bridget's name is mentioned when Wil Jackson calls Jane Hardesty to try to contact the hacker Charlie.

## *Tessa's Vision*

When exotic dancers in the area look to form their own club, run as a cooperative, Bridget uses her contacts and influence to help them achieve this goal. She also participates in the memorial service for Sarah Chesterfield, and becomes involved with Sarah's widower Eric. Near the end of this book, it is mentioned that Bridget is "semi-retired" from escorting.

## *Sophie's Wisdom*

Bridget introduces Sophie Giuliani to Ben Rosen, who later provides key information for the murder investigation that Sophie is a part of.

## *Elsa's Revelations*

Bridget represents the sex worker community as part of the "Ultra group" and contacts Bridie Chase about Chase's funds being used in a failed attempt by Burton Trumbull to discredit Chief Graham through slander.