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Author's note: the seven-part *quot;Trucker*quot; series precedes *quot;Hal and Cody,*quot; if you've not already read it.
Hal and Cody sat on opposite sides of the kitchen table. Between them lay Cody's pile of *quot;tip*quot; money from Hank, and Hal's envelope of cash from Blair. Cody was slumped over the table, resting her head in the crook of her arm dejectedly. Hal sat silently, avoiding Cody's gaze.
*quot;So that's the reward from this Hank guy for letting him feel you up,*quot; Hal finally said quietly.
*quot;I told you I didn't let him. He put his hand up my skirt without asking. That's sexual assault.*quot;
Hal nodded. *quot;Right, sorry, yeah. He crossed a big line. And you weren't wearing any panties underneath your uniform skirt.*quot;
*quot;Because I said your Blair buddy made me take off my pantyhose and you asked me not to wear any panties for you under my pantyhose. So yeah, I ended up going bare underneath. And so yeah that tip is my so-called reward money because Hank discovered my secret. And that envelope is your reward money from Blair.*quot;
Hal nodded silently. *quot;I'm sorry Princess. I thought it was a fee for finding him good staff. I had no idea he was going to go that far.*quot;
*quot;Go that far? If I heard you right, he was talking to you about whoring me out to him back at that motel in Sacramento when I was drunk.*quot;
*quot;No, not 'whoring you out,' no. No. I wanted to help you get a job Princess, but no, I swear, not that...*quot;
*quot;You knew this guy wanted me to waitress in my bare feet all along. He told you so.*quot;
*quot;Yeah, and I thought you'd totally be okay with it. Because you answered that foot photo guy on Model Mayhem saying you'd take his gig. So, I thought you'd be totally fine with it. I swear I didn't know it would be so crazy as it was.*quot;
*quot;What, waitressing in a short, short skirt with no panties? I've gone out in public without panties just for you Hal, but not for some pervert club owner who's surprise-guilting me into it on the spot and then taking photos up my skirt.*quot;
*quot;I meant going barefoot, he said nothing about a skirt.*quot;
*quot;Really? Really? And I suppose he said nothing about the tiny little crop top with no bra and half my breasts showing? Because it sounds like you had a little deal going there.*quot;
*quot;Nothing, I swear.*quot; Hal pushed the envelope of money across the table to her. *quot;I'm sorry Princess. I can't keep this money. It should be yours.*quot;
*quot;Oh really? So suddenly it's my money now and everything is better? Is it my whore money? Is that my whore money now Hal? Am I your little escort girl now? Are you my big daddy pimp now?*quot;
Hal had never seen Cody so angry. It unnerved him more that she was so quiet when she spoke.
They sat in silence for endless minutes.
*quot;I... I don't know what to say Princess. I fucked up. I took things too far. Let me help you find a normal job. A better job.*quot;
Cody didn't say anything for a while. Then she took both bundles of money off the table. *quot;No, it's fine,*quot; she said.
*quot;What?*quot;
*quot;I said it's fine. Can you give me a lift tomorrow to the Barefoot Bar and Grill?*quot;
*quot;What?*quot;
*quot;Did I fucking stutter?*quot;
Hal stared at Cody in astonishment. Cody shrugged. *quot;You're right. A normal job wouldn't pay nearly this much.*quot;
Cody got up and left the room but paused and looked back over her shoulder. *quot;Oh, and yes, I'll book a gig with that foot photographer guy. It's money too. I said I was going to become a successful model and I damn well will. If this is what it's going to take.*quot;
Hal stared at her, his mouth agape. Cody crossed her arms. *quot;Don't play all innocent-who-me. You're the one who got me to wear such short skirts for you so that I could keep getting a ride across the country with you. This is what you wanted. And you're the one who posted the racy pics of me on my Model Mayhem account, not me. You wanted me to be a professional show-off girl cuz you get off to that. Well, you got your wish.*quot;
*quot;But... Princess... I thought you didn't mind. And... we... those nights together... that we had...?*quot;
Cody didn't say anything for a moment. Then she looked down at the floor. *quot;It was okay when you were Evil Daddy sometimes. But you've gone from being Evil Daddy to... something different. And now this has happened to me.*quot; She choked up and left the room.
Hal sat alone in the kitchen staring numbly at the floor. He had a flashback to the sweet, innocent Cody he first met outside Lincoln, Nebraska. He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head slowly.
*quot;What have I done,*quot; he said.
Cody sat in her room with the door shut and sobbed quietly into her pillow for a long time. Long, choking, lonely sobs. Her tear-streaked face looked up into the small, full-length mirror leaning against the opposite wall.
*quot;This isn't me. This isn't me,*quot; she whispered to her reflection. *quot;I'll get back to the real me. I promise.*quot;
Cody brushed her tears away and opened her laptop before logging on to her Model Mayhem account. She scrolled through her message inbox, which was stuffed with unread entreaties for kocaeli escort photo shoots. She found the thread with *quot;Foot-oh*quot; and typed out a message.
Hey, sorry for taking so long to get back to you. I'm settled in LA now. Did you still want to hire me? - Cody
Cody scrolled through her other unread messages. There were too many. Most looked to be requests for trade shoots. Most of the photographers were hobbyists. Most were remarkably terrible at what they claimed to be good at.
*quot;How do I get discovered and paid,*quot; she thought to herself. *quot;Who can help me...*quot;
She was startled to see a response from Foot-oh within ten minutes. She raised an eyebrow and clicked on the response.
Heyyy Cody! Absolutely, I would love to set something up! Are you free this Sunday? We could shoot along the boardwalk at Venice Beach. 9 AM? Let me know if you need a lift there, I can pick you up. Also: can you make sure your feet are in great shape? Pedicured ideally, no polish. By the way, my name is Luke. My number is ... ... ....
Cody replied.
Sure, Sunday 9 AM. I've got a ride, it's alright. And what should I wear?
Luke bounced a reply right back.
I totally love the look you're doing in your photos by Hal the Trucker. Something like that? And do you have any swimwear? A bikini?
Cody realized she had no swimwear at all. And only the tiny skirts Hal had bought her. She wondered if there was time to buy stuff before the weekend. She eyed the stack of cash she had. She put her finger in her mouth, thinking for a moment and then responded.
Yah I have those same outfits, so I can wear one. I don't have any swimwear tho
She didn't expect Luke's next response, but she quickly realized it was to her advantage.
That's no problem, Cody. What's your swimwear size? I'll pick up a bikini for you that'll work for the shoot.
*quot;Holy free wardrobe,*quot; she thought. *quot;I wonder if it always goes like this.*quot;
Size 0, C cup thanks!
***

Hal hadn't slept well that night and so was feeling ragged as he got ready to drive Cody to the BB