Champagne Romance (Romance Novel)

by Suellen Smith

  Platinum was in the process of packing her old, but reliable, gray two-door Chevy for her Las Vegas adventure. She was leaving this quiet retirement community of rambling hills where she had lived with her elderly grandma for over fourteen years and whom she dearly loved. Grams had taken her in after her train wreck of a mom killed herself in a car accident. She’d never been much of a mother as she was too busy downing pills, booze, and looking for loser boyfriends. Sadly, she wasn’t much of a loss.

  Platinum had worked at the boring local drug store for the past four years after graduation. She had saved her money and it was past time that she flew the coop of this Ozark community to make a more glamorous life for her future close to a university. The University of Las Vegas was the ideal place of choice for her ambitious adventures and future degree.

  Grandma Ruby watched with sadness as Platinum packed her car, gathered up her cat, Boo, and got ready to embark on her new chapter of life. She understood Platinum’s boredom and restlessness. She knew she had to let go and give her a chance to find own her way, but LAS VEGAS – known for its sinfulness and trash! She shook her head.

  Platinum hugged her Gram, “Love you! See you at Christmas.”

  Gram hugged her back. “Love you, too.” She watched mournfully as Platinum’s old gray Chevy roared to life and left with a belch of smoke, disappearing from view among the indigenous green foliage and native wild flowers. Grandma Ruby immediately went into her bedroom, grabbed a scarf, and walked across the street to a white steeple church. There, she lit a candle for her granddaughter’s soul. Sadly, it would be the last time they would see each other.

  CHAPTER 2

  Platinum meandered her way across the beautiful state of Missouri, being entertained by the panorama of the lush Ozarks. It was a typical Ozarky sunshiny day. But, entertainment was not just in the surrounding nature. There was also plenty of trailer trash, yard art, billboards advertising fireworks, Branson shows, and Ozark boating. Strip and gentlemen clubs seemed to be in abundance. She thought about stopping to gather some much needed experience, but nixed that illusion almost immediately. Too risky – might just end up there for the rest of her life. She was probably right.

  Half way to Kansas City, Platinum dodged a line of tourist cars waiting to enter Bridal Cave, a few wave runners attached to the backs of pick-up trucks, and an occasional TV dinner splattered in the middle of the road that awaited the anxious turkey vultures circling overhead in the clear blue sky and beyond. Other than that, it was a relaxing drive. The only stop she made was at a roadside stand for a sack of peaches.

  While Platinum drove, she thought briefly about her life in high school when her glorious hair became a detriment rather than an asset. Platinum didn’t like the attention that the boys gave her with their silly hoots and hollers; neither did the other girls around town. For Platinum, the boys were annoying and the girls plain jealous and hateful. So, she cut and dyed her hair black, wore baggie pants and shirts to hide her lush growing figure, bought dark purple lipstick, pierced an eyebrow, and gave the appearance of Goth. The boys in this clean cut small “Ozarky” town soon began to lose interest with her and so did the girls. It suited Platinum just fine. Her best buddies became her computer and a stray black cat, named Boo.

  Evening was approaching when Platinum finally reached her first destination – Kansas City. She stopped at a nearby Motel 6, spent the night, and started out fresh the next morning as she zoomed across the state of Kansas on I-70. By nightfall, after avoiding a few stray antelope jumping across the interstate, she saw the Rocky Mountains.

  CHAPTER 3

  Twenty-four hours later, it was getting late and the sun had long disappeared from behind the violet desert plains. Platinum was driving in the cool desolate sandbox sprinkled with sparse vegetation and the dry breeze blowing through her hair when at the bottom of the skyline a glow began to appear. Her excitement began to escalate when she saw the faint soft illumination of glamorous purple, bright orange, and hot pink lights in the distance as they appeared in rainbow colors on the midnight horizon. It seemed forever before she finally reached the heart of the city with all its razzle, dazzle, glitz, and glamor of blinking colorful neon lights. She was not disappointed by what she saw.

  Holy shit, the Las Vegas Strip was magnificent! Platinum thought. Flashing signs were everywhere, trying to catch the eye of any weary tourist or gambler, mesmerizing and beckoning. They were usually extremely successful with their titillating and teasing tactics. Advertising agencies were paid the big bucks to make them so.

  Platinum was not immune to the hypnotic lure of the Las Vegas blinking lights either. She was just as captivated by the flashing “blinging” signage as everyone else. In fact, she could hardly contain her excitement that was bottled in anticipation as she immediately found the nearest parking lot. After feeding Boo, she locked him in the car, cracked a window for cool desert air, and began her tour of the sandy city as she ate a fresh bagel from a street vendor along with her last peach from the Ozark stand.

  Platinum wandered in and out of casinos until the morning sun rays began peeking over the eastern horizon, fading from the land of Tinsel Town, the biggest amusement park for adults in the world. It left behind not quite such a glamorous early morning daytime city, but it was not a detraction for Platinum with her rose colored glasses perched on the end of her nose. It was also easy to ignore Grams prediction of doom. That's why the sights and sounds combined together as they entangled themselves around her soul, hoping to own this beautiful new woman and make her one of their own. It was as if it were their job to prey upon the innocent and unsuspecting.

  Anxious to begin her new life, Platinum checked her computer to make sure the duplex she spotted last week was still available. It was just right for her budget and about fifteen minutes from the black heart of the city. It was sparsely furnished, the perfect size for her needs and funds with a sleazy landlord anxious to rent as soon as she could move in, which was that afternoon. It did not take long to make it her own home.

  Exploring Las Vegas for the next few days was a blast. It was so full of all kinds of people, beginning with the bus loads of senior citizens in their white tennis shoes and fanny packs, tourists that came from a variety of different countries, families with children, and professional gamblers. A few prostitutes loitered somewhat discreetly on some of the disreputable side streets. Platinum vowed she'd go back home and work at K-Mart before she'd follow their lead.

  The entire town seemed to own a boat load of Elvis Presleys. They all wanted to be the impersonator of The King. Some actually worked at the casinos while others were just hoping to be discovered. After a while, Platinum decided most everyone in Tinsel Town wanted to live their dream. Who was she to pass judgment?

  Platinum wandered into a small casino called The Shining Star tuning out the noise of the humming and dinging of the slot machines that surrounded her. She grabbed a coke and sat down feeling discouraged before she devoted her attention to the middle-aged Elvis who was so over weight that he had to sit in a chair on the stage to sing, but boy could he sing.

  A couple of weeks had passed since Platinum had landed on the playground of Las Vegas. She had applied at various casinos for a showgirl audition. So far, disappointingly, she hadn't gotten a break. No one was beating down her door for a tryout.

  The city didn't seem quite so exciting any more. Platinum started to notice the trash in the streets, the women with too much makeup trying to disguise the years that had taken their youth, gamblers with empty pockets, mistresses on the arm of old guys, worn out carpeting, dusty chandeliers, burned out lights in blinking signage and so on.

  Elvis waddled over to Platinum's table with a lot difficulty. She always appreciated it when he did that as she knew he did so with much effort. That's how she knew the first time she met him that he was going to be a good friend.

  Platinum remembered her first encounter with Elvis was about the third time that
she'd popped into The Shining Star. She'd done so a couple of times to grab a bagel and listen to Elvis sing that first week she was in town. After a few visits, the bouncer from the Shining Star came strutting over to her, “You a hooker?”

  Mortified, Platinum just shook her head.

  “Well, move on anyway,” he replied with suspicion in his voice.

  That was the first time she'd met Elvis. He came over huffing and puffing. “She's a friend of mine, Ed.”

  “Then why haven't I seen her before?” Ed narrowed his eyes like he knew he was lying.

  “Because she just got in town, that's why,” Elvis said, ready to challenge him if necessary. Ed knew better than to press.

  Elvis had liked the little girl with the big green eyes the minute he saw her. When she listened to him sing, she really listened. He knew she came in to hear him croon. Most people just ignored him while they played their slot machines like he was a tape playing over the loud speaker.

  “I've heard some tryouts might be going on at Harrah's,” Elvis was anxious to tell Platinum. “You might give it a try. If you can't find any information, ask the bartenders, they know everything.”

  News and gossip travels fast among the underworld of entertainers trying to help each other out. Platinum knew she didn't have time to waste.

  Platinum immediately jumped up, hugging him, “Thanks, Elvis, I'll check it out.” she said as she headed down the street to Harrah's a few blocks away.

  Platinum went straight to the business office of the casino. Sure enough no one seemed to know a thing about showgirl tryouts. She asked the nearest bartender if he knew anything about tryouts like Elvis had told her to do if she wanted information. Elvis was right. The bartender suggested she checkout the bulletin board in the woman's restroom. Sure enough, she found a bulletin board in the woman's bathroom that was having a cattle call for all “wannabe” showgirls tomorrow morning. Finally, she got her first break.

  By the next day, Platinum was in her skin tight leotard at the showgirl studio of Harrah’s with a bevy of other hopefuls. The spots were limited. She observed that all the hopeful young woman seem to come from all walks of life – educated and not, wholesome middle class families and not, married and not, worldly and not, but all young, beautiful and wishful women. They shared a common denominator of the same dreams of excitement, enthusiasm, and adventure to the alluring thrill of what they imagined the city that never sleeps had to offer. Little did they realize that the city was built on shifting quick sand and was much too superficial and unreliable to ever build a dream upon – even little ones.

  Platinum was one of the lucky ones or so she thought. She got one of the opening spots. She was given three days to be trained the walk and dance routine with 8 lbs. of heavy costume head and ten pounds of costume body, which was totally inconceivable since it contained so little material. It was a good thing she was a quick learner, but she was beginning to wonder if she were being trained for desert commando as she strutted under the hot lights wearing heavy armory disguised in sequins, stays, and iron straps making the girls' boobs stand up and look perky.

  Platinum only saw Elvis a few times after that last afternoon. He died a few months later. They said it was a heart attack – ate too much, needed to lose weight. By the time she found out about his death, she'd missed his funeral. She never knew his real name. It made her sad. It truly would have broken her heart if she'd known he had died because he was her friend…..

  Here’s the link to instantly download “Platinum and Pearls” https://amzn.to/1GSPkbh

  About the Author

  Suellen received a degree in teaching with a minor in speech and English. She has taught grades 1-12. She is married and the mother of a boy and girl. Suellen's artistic talents can be found in the book, Cow Parade Kansas City under "Miss Liberty Moomorial". She shares the same revolutionary ancestor, Captain David Bowles, with Barack Obama.