Her mind was made up.

She turned away from the mirror and checked the bus timetables. There was one at midnight, that was perfect, there was no sense in waiting. She crept down the stairs with her suitcase.

"Just off to see Jackie, Ma!" she called.

"Don't be late!"

Ten hours later, Cathy was in a state of highflying excitement as she arrived in New York. The skyline of Manhattan, the bubbling life, all infected her with energy despite the long bus journey. She asked a cop and got the directions, and soon she was heading up an elevator.

A beautiful, dark-haired woman of about twenty was polishing her nails behind a desk in a luxurious office.

"Yes?"

"I want to see my Uncle Conrad," Cathy said, putting her suitcase down.

"Your what?" the woman sneered.

"Conrad Williams is my uncle," Cathy said, standing her ground.

Very slowly the woman got up. Cathy noticed that her blouse was stretched tightly across her low-slung tits and her leather skirt was cut very short, almost revealing the tops of her black stockings.

She looked at Cathy over the desk. "What's your name?"

"Cathy. Cathy Harp."

"Yeah." The woman walked around the corner, disappearing from sight.

There was a knock, and a door clicked open and shut.

"Oh, she's here, is she?" said a man's voice, angry and loud. "I'll deal with it."

The door opened, and a tall, dark-haired man in a blue suit came around it, pacing as if he didn't have much time.

"Now look here!" he snapped. "Your fuckin' mother just called me and she wants you back right…" He tailed off, staring at Cathy. "Jesus! You grew up!"

"Yes," Cathy said slyly. She hung her head a little under his strong gaze.

"So you want to be an actress, huh?"

"Yes, Uncle," Cathy replied, blushing wildly. Behind him, the receptionist leaned against the wall, a sneer on her face.