Tessa's Vision

***Tessa's Vision*** is the eleventh book in the Free Spirits series. The book follows the opening of an erotic entertainment venue by a co-operative of strippers and performers, with help from the Free Spirit community in the city of Stallbrook.

## Plot Synopsis

In a peaceful park, a memorial service is held for Sarah Chesterfield, who died during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Bridget Torjesen reads a poem in Sarah's memory, and Sarah's widower Eric provides twelve small containers of Sarah's ashes for her friends to disperse in different areas of the park. Bridget walks with Eric out of the park to his car, talking with him about their memories of Sarah and how he will go on without her, as well as Bridget's work as an escort. They then go to Eric's home in Glen Hills, have dinner, and make love.

Tessa Cabrera arrives at the Foxy Ladies Gentlemen's Club, just outside Duquesne County. The club's owner, Todd Renard, has persuaded the owners of two closed strip clubs (Howler's run by Harry "Howler" Houlihan, and Tropical Paradise run by Waldo Stiles) to pool their resources with him to re-open and expand Foxy Ladies now that the pandemic is over. They want Tessa - a veteran exotic dancer - to manage the other dancers. Tessa reviews the sample contract provided for the dancers, and leaves the meeting without making any firm commitments. Later, she meets with Bridget, seasoned organizer Ben Rosen and attorney Tom Ramey to discuss the proposed contract and the options for her and other exotic dancers in the area. One of those options is to open a new club, run by the dancers themselves, preferably in the city itself. The two biggest obstacles is that Tessa does not have the capital to start such an enterprise, and permits for adult entertainment businesses issued by the Duquesne County Council prohibit alcohol sales on their premises. Bridget and her friends discuss how such a club could be started, modeled on the Lusty Lady worker-owned peep shows on the West Coast. Tom mentions that Mickey Braddock, the owner of the Diamond Adult Emporium on Creston Street, is thinking of closing his store, and that he might be persuaded to sell his adult entertainment license to another party.

Outside the Diamond Adult Emporium, Mickey finds sex worker Zoe Morton waiting at the front door. He lets her in and pays her fee so they can act out a fantasy sex scene in the store before it opens. They then talk about his plans to close the shop for good in the near future, and Zoe offers to help him with getting ready for the day. Soon after Mickey opens the store, Sergeant Guzman comes in with a bulletin about counterfeit bills being circulated in the area; Zoe also takes the information to share with other sex workers in the area. After Zoe leaves the store, Bridget comes in and discusses with Mickey the idea of his selling his adult entertainment license to a worker-owned enterprise. Knowing how Renard and the other strip club owners operate, he is intrigued by the idea and provides his email address to be included in ongoing discussions.

Later on, Tessa and several other exotic dancers meet with Bridget and others about a plan to open and run a worker-owned erotic entertainment business in the downtown area of Stallbrook. Along with Tom, Ben and Eric, they are joined by real estate developer Aurora Casagrande and tech specialist Lauren Tang. The group discusses possible funding to start the enterprise, a building which could be purchased to provide space not only for the club but the non-profit Jezebel Project which assists street-based sex workers on Creston Street, and technological innovations for presenting images of dancers in an alcohol-free café as well as running peep show booths in a store. The ideas discussed intrigue and encourage Tessa and the other dancers; they come up with the name "Stallbrook Erotic Entertainers for Mutual Aid" for the workers' co-operative, and "Blue Jewel" for the club itself. They also decide to provide outcall exotic dancing for parties under the Blue Jewel name, while Bridget and Eric work on obtaining capital for the larger enterprise.

When an ad for the Blue Jewel Dancers is found in the area's alternative weekly paper, Waldo Stiles brings it to the attention of Todd Renard. While Stiles sees this as a threat to the Foxy Ladies club, Renard argues that Blue Jewel is likely appealing to a different clientele, much as caterers appeal to different clients as opposed to restaurants. Renard is against taking action against another business, and encourages a "wait-and-see" approach.

Bridget's client Leonardo Baldasarre arrives in Stallbrook, both to enjoy her intimate company, and to discuss providing capital on loan for Blue Jewel. After an evening in his suite, Bridget and Leo join Eric for dinner at the Regency Hotel's restaurant, where they go over the business proposal. Leo is in favor of providing a sizable amount of capital for the loan agreement, having supported co-operatives and worker-owned companies before.

On Sunday, Tessa goes to Bethany Christian Disciples Church, which is hosting a presentation by Stallbrook's Chief of Police regarding the course of reform that he has followed for the city's police force. During the question-and-answer period, a man in the audience raises concern about the emergence of the Blue Jewel Dancers in the city; Chief Graham responds that it is not the job of police to impose moral judgments, and so long as there is no violence or coercion involved, his department would not be trying to shut Blue Jewel down. When Tessa raises the possibility of Blue Jewel becoming a "brick-and-mortar" strip club, he reiterates that so long as such an enterprise follows local and state laws, Stallbrook's police would not interfere with their business operations. Later, Graham asks to speak with Tessa privately along with City Council member Rhonda Carver. They discuss the plan for Blue Jewel to open as a club on Creston Street, and Graham encourages Tessa to talk with Captain Andi Hunter of the Creston Street Special District for guidance.

Later one evening, Jerry Kirk is arranging a bachelor party for his friend Greg Noel. Sean O'Rourke is the first to arrive, followed by Rich Weber, Tim Graves and Charlie Pak. They are soon joined by Miko, a dancer from Blue Jewel, and Sean leads the way to one of the bedrooms in the apartment where she can set up. After asking how things would proceed, Sean identifies himself as the designated driver for the group, and offers to watch her back if so needed. When Greg finally arrives, the party begins and Miko performs her first set. During her break, her stomachache becomes much worse, and Sean also notices that she has a fever. Suspecting appendicitis, he offers to drive her to the hospital, and calls 911 en route so Stallbrook General's emergency room can be ready. Miko also contacts Tessa, who arranges for another dancer to meet them at the hospital. The doctor at the hospital confirms that Miko has appendicitis, and begins prepping her for surgery. Seeing that Miko is in good hands, Sean leaves a note with his contact information with Miko's friend, then leaves the hospital.

With construction of the new club under way, Tessa interviews a shy young woman for a dancer position. After explaining how performances are projected into the café from another location in the building, she reviews the woman's video audition and is impressed. They strike an agreement for the woman to work at Blue Jewel, using the stage name "Luna" based on her mothlike costume.

At the BDSM dungeon for Mistress Lamia, her assistant buzzes in one of her clients for a prearranged session. After sufficient humiliation and impact play, the client showers and changes back into his street clothes. On the way out, he notices a brochure for Blue Jewel; Gwen explains that the emporium will also have special booths where professional dominants like Mistress Lamia can perform "mini-sessions" with clientele. The client - who is a conservative Republican member of the County Council - leaves wondering how voters and politicians will react.

Construction on Blue Jewel is completed ahead of schedule, and the business opens with about two dozen clients. In the café, customers enjoy both healthy meals and a stunning performance by Luna. Several men are browsing in the store, and one young man arranges to see Tigger in a peep show booth. After a fantasy session, the young man is impressed and expresses his hope that he can be a regular client.

Soon after Blue Jewel's opening, a group of radical feminists begin picketing the location and harassing customers going in. Tessa calls over two police officers, but they respond that the protesters have not yet done anything to warrant having them dispersed. One of the protest leaders gets into a heated exchange with Tessa, and when a couple of protesters actually try blocking someone from going in, the officers first warn them to stop, then call on them to disperse when they refuse. Tessa goes back inside, and resolves to contact Bridget and other leaders of the Stallbrook Alliance for Sex Worker Rights about what to do if and when the protesters come back.

Blue Jewel's opening and the protest have both raised concerns with the Duquesne County Council. Mark Vogler, the County Executive, meets with a select group of Council members to discuss the issue. Since the club is conforming to all municipal and county ordinances, and any attempt to retroactively change the ordinance around licensing adult businesses could face a court challenge, there is not much they can do. Even efforts by private groups or individuals to find code violations at the club would need to be handled carefully. The consensus of this informal meeting is to keep monitoring the situation, but not take any action until and unless there are more developments.

Meanwhile, Tessa goes with Bridget and Tom to meet with Captain Andi Hunter regarding the protests in front of the club. Hunter is sympathetic, but notes that First Amendment protections restrict what she and her officers can do. Tessa also notes that frivolous claims of code violations mean that inspectors are constantly being sent to Blue Jewel; again, the police cannot do much to stop these. The best advice that Hunter can give is for Tessa and the others at Blue Jewel to invoke their right to refuse entry and service to people suspected of being part of the protest group, and warn anyone told to leave that they can be charged with trespassing. Hunter also inquires about the "fetish booth" in the emporium; Tessa explains that it provides a way for kinky clients to have safe encounters with the professional dominants who work for Blue Jewel. Hunter assures Tessa that the job of her officers is to assure safety for all, including those working at the club.

Miko, who is also a student, is in the university library working on something when Sean stops by on his way to join a study group. He asks what she is working on - a design for a masturbation device to be used in Blue Jewel's peep show booths - and he offers some suggestions to make it work. They are then joined by Callie Cole, one of Sean's study group partners and an activist with the local branch of the Pirate Party. Callie tells them that there will be another protest in front of Blue Jewel in a couple of days, and that the Pirate Party and other groups are organizing a counter-protest, having touched base with Tessa on that. As Sean and Callie leave for their study group, Miko gathers her notes to move on to her next project.

On the day of the protest, Cherise and other sex workers watch as a large crowd gathers to prepare for their counter-demonstration. Some of the sex workers are not happy with the presence of Blue Jewel, but Cherise and Zoe remind them that they are not necessarily taking away business, and that they should stand in solidarity with one another. One by one, the sex workers join the counter-protesters, as cheap kazoos and headgear are distributed by the organizers. When the protesters themselves arrive, the counter-protesters surround them and blow their kazoos, drowing out the protesters and making it difficult for them to move in front of Blue Jewel. When the police refuse the protesters' demand to disperse their opponents - "Free speech goes both ways," one officer comments - the protesters leave and the counter-demonstrators rejoice and commit to organizing an even larger crowd for the next time. Cherise, speaking for the sex worker community, expresses appreciation for such a display of solidarity, and Tessa and others at Blue Jewel who have been watching are also heartened by this.

On a Sunday when Blue Jewel was closed, several SEEMA members have volunteered to assemble the "fifis" or masturbation sleeves to be used in the peep show booths. One of them is Luna, who learns from the peep show performers what it is like and what they get out of it. There is even a transgender male dominant who shares his perspective of working in the fetish booth. They also talk about how the atmosphere at Blue Jewel is much better than what they found in traditional strip clubs, mainly because they have more control over their work and lives. When Luna takes a bathroom break, she reflects on what she has heard, along with her own experience as an exotic dancer.

After a conversation with Sean, Miko is wondering if he's interested in seeing her romantically, and worries about how she will respond. She meets with Free Spirit celebrant Lucas Dixon, sharing with him that she is a survivor of sexual abuse and an intersex individual. Lucas asks her if she finds this difficult to share with prospective partners; she further discloses that she hasn't had any romantic partners, perhaps concerned about how they might react. Lucas reminds her that she still doesn't know whether Sean is truly interested in a romantic relationship, and he urges her to take the risk of forthrightly asking him herself. Miko goes away pondering their conversation, which has helped her reframe how she sees the matter.

Luna has now decided to become a peep show booth performer as well as a dancer, and her first client asks to enact a fantasy of a strict headmaster chastising and then fucking a "naughty" student. She acts out the fantasy with him, using a vibrator on herself and thoroughly enjoying it. After he climaxes, they both chat, even discussing a possible future session, and Luna later has sessions during the day with some other clients.

At the Foxy Ladies club, Howler Houlihan expresses to Todd Renard his anger that the club is barely breaking even, ostensibly because Blue Jewel has been taking both talent and clientele away from them. Renard says that he is looking to find more dancers, and suggests that the partners and senior staff meet to discuss what else can be done. Houlihan suggests that they find a way to get Blue Jewel's license pulled, but Renard is against the idea, especially if it means doing anything illegal. Renard suggests that they find ways to improve the situation with their own enterprise, but Houlihan is clearly not happy with this.

Having had a long talk, Miko and Sean are now dating, and they proceed to his place for sex. Sean is worried he might push too far too fast, so Miko says she will tell him whether to stop, slow down or "keep going". After turning on some music and sipping some wine, they begin to make love for the first time. Later in the morning, Miko finds Sean making them French toast.

A county deputy sheriff arrives at Creston Street with orders to close the Blue Jewel, its license suspended pending an investigation. Captain Hunter asks Sergeant Guzman to accompany him; they also clarify that the offices of the Jezebel Project are not affected by this closure. Guzman and the deputy also discuss the city's policy of not enforcing laws against prostitution, with Guzman encouraging the deputy to come back when off-duty to talk with sex workers in the area and see how this policy has been for the better.

After SEEMA and the Alliance for Sex Worker Rights hold emergency meetings, the Free Spirits sponsor a community forum where Tessa, Tom and a prodomme address the concerns about Blue Jewel and the suspension of its license. Tom is confident that Tessa's meticulous record keeping will show the allegations against Blue Jewel to be unfounded, and that the club will be able to reopen. During the question-and-answer period, an angry young radical feminist denounces the two women for "fueling misogyny" by doing erotic performance, but all three panelists rebut her arguments and raise some important questions with her.

At an antiquarian bookstore, Thomas Price receives a call from Howler Houlihan, asking why he has not been back at the Foxy Ladies club, When Price tells him that he's been going to Blue Jewel, Houlihan not only mentions the license suspension, but the specific reasons behind it. Price manages to convince Houlihan to call back and record a message on his voicemail repeating this information. As luck would have it, Luna appears in the shop, and Price informs her of the conversation. She gives him an email address to forward the voicemail recording, after which he happily shows her some erotic ephemera (which was the original purpose of her visit).

Renard is discussing with a representative of the dancers at Foxy Ladies that they are not making enough money when the local police chief arrives with a detective from Stallbrook. The detective tells Renard and Waldo Stiles that their partner Houlihan had allegedly paid someone to make a false allegation against the Blue Jewel club, to which Renard replies that Houlihan did this completely on his own. The chief tells Renard that Houlihan is asking for his services as legal counsel; Renard clarifies that (although he did go to law school) he is not an attorney, but agrees to go with them to Stallbrook police headquarters. On the way there, Renard calls an attorney friend to meet them there, then berates Houlihan when they arrive. After the attorney arrives and talks with Houlihan, the detective lays out the evidence against him, including the statement from the woman who made the false allegation identifying him as the one who persuaded and paid her to do so. The attorney asks to speak with Houlihan in private again, and the detective leaves the interview room to call the District Attorney's office.

Soon after Houlihan is booked on charges, and the Blue Jewel is reopened, the situation at the Foxy Ladies club worsens. Renard is then met by Steve Monet and Tony Rice of Gentlemen's Exclusive Entertainment, a chain of strip clubs across North America. Renard expresses his reluctance to sell out to the corporation, but Rice and Monet reply that they merely want to purchase a controlling interest in Foxy Ladies, bringing in dancers and clients from across the continent while allowing Renard to manage the club as he sees fit. Renard states that he needs to talk with Stiles and the senior staff before making a decision. Rice and Monet leave confident that Renard will agree to the deal - and that they will eventually be able to buy out the club when Renard seeks to retire.

With the Blue Jewel open, and the free publicity around the scandal of Houlihan's machinations, business is better than ever. Miko is enjoying her relationship with Sean, and Luna has become a star as both a dancer and a peep show performer. Tessa is also pleased about the success and the atmosphere of the place, achieving her vision of a club run by the dancers and performers themselves.