Savages

39

Threatened with eviction and/or a limit on her platinum card, O agrees to join a life coaching session with Paqu.

Eleanor comes to the house.

“Is she like Domino’s?” O asks Paqu. “If she doesn’t deliver a new life in twenty minutes, it’s free?”

“That will be enough of that.”

So O joins Paqu on the sofa as Eleanor, her silver hair set off beautifully by a deep-lavender silk blouse, passes out file cards as she says, “Three is a very powerful number in our culture and collective psyches, so we are going to use the power of three to enhance our personal power.”

“And there are three of us,” O observes.

“Very sharp, Ophelia,” Eleanor says.

O winces.

Eleanor continues, “The difference between a goal and a dream is a plan of action, so on these cards, I want you to write down three goals you have for yourself for today, and the three achievable steps you will take today to make each one happen.”

Paqu writes:

—Become physically stronger

—Progress toward becoming a life coach

—Prepare a meal that will nourish me physically and spiritually.

O writes:

—Have mind-blowing multiple orgasm.

“I asked for three things,” Eleanor says.

“If I get it right, it will be three things,” O answers.

Eleanor’s tough, though. She doesn’t pull two and a half bills an hour from a slough of jaded SOC trophy wives by being a wimp. She levels her gaze at O and asks, “And what three achievable steps will you take to move you toward your goal?”

O nods and reads:

—Put C batteries on Mom’s shopping list

—Find some time for myself

—Think about the pool boy