A Family Shattered: Book Two in the Michal's Destiny Series

by Roberta Kagan

  Ugo never talked about how much he missed his daughter and Alina didn’t pry. He was not the kind of man to cry on her shoulder. No, Ugo was the type of man to suffer in silence and alone. Alina knew that much about him and sometimes she wished he were able to talk to her. She couldn’t give him the love she knew he needed, but she could be there for him as a best friend and confidant if he would only let her. He’d bottled up so much pain that she worried about his sanity.

  One afternoon Alina heard that the butcher needed an employee. Immediately she got dressed and went to apply for the job. She assumed that the butcher would probably want to hire a man, but she had to try. The idea of working with meat, killing animals, and cleaning up blood made her sick to her stomach. But if by some miracle he hired her, she would find a way to do what had to be done. She needed a job, any job.

  “I’ve come here looking for work,” Alina said when the butcher asked her what she wanted.

  “Wait until all the customers are gone and then we can talk about employment,” the butcher told Alina. She saw the lecherous look in his eyes and a feeling of depression came over her. What was the difference in having a demanding old boss who was groping at her or a terrible husband? Not much. It would take a constant effort to keep his hands off of her. She dreaded the idea of working every day with a man like this. Well, at least Joey wouldn’t have to have any contact with him. .

  She stood outside the butcher shop and waited as the owner had told her to do. It began to drizzle, and then the drizzle turned to heavier rain. It was early March and the rain was like a cold shower as the wind blew a chill through her wet hair.

  “Are you Alina?” The voice was familiar, the face was too, but Alina didn’t recognize the woman at first.

  “I’m Klara, Ugo’s ex-wife.” Klara was not dressed up the way she’d been when Alina saw her at the classroom and the brothel. In fact today, Klara looked like an average woman going shopping for food. That glorious red hair was covered with a scarf and she wore a shapeless wool coat.

  Oh dear. What did Klara think of her? Was this going to be a problem? Did Klara think she’d stolen her husband? Please don’t start yelling, not now. Not when I am trying so hard to find work.

  “Yes, I do remember you,” Alina said. Then hesitating just a little, but with honest sympathy she said, “I’m sorry about your daughter.”

  Klara shrugged. But Alina saw the sadness cross Klara’s face. Then maybe it was the sorrow, but Klara seemed to soften. “I am going into the butcher shop. Do you want to come in and get out of the rain? It’s cold as hell out here.”

  “Yes, it is. I’m freezing. But I can’t come in.” There was something soft and warm in Klara’s eyes that made Alina feel that she could talk to her. This was strange because there should have been a discord between them because of Ugo. And yet, Alina felt connected to Klara in a way she couldn’t explain. Maybe it was because both of them had children who had been struck with that terrible disease. “I’m applying for a job here and the butcher told me to wait outside.”

  “Are you a butcher?” Klara looked at Alina, her eyebrows raised in disbelief.

  “No, I am a desperate woman. I left my husband and I need work to earn money to take care of my son,” Alina said, and as soon as she said it she wished she hadn’t. She wondered what Klara was thinking about her and Ugo.

  There were a few minutes of silence. Then Klara said, “Come on, let me buy you a cup of the rotten stuff that we call coffee these days.”

  “But I have to wait here and see about this job.”

  “Come with me. I know this butcher. This is a man who doesn’t want an employee. He wants a little fun with a woman and he knows how desperate you are. He isn’t going to hire you. All he’ll do is put his hands all over you. Believe me, when it comes to men, I’m an expert.”

  For some reason Alina knew Klara was right.

  Alina shrugged. “Why not? Let’s go and have a coffee.”

  The coffee was made from grains, but at least it was hot.

  “You know what I do for a living? I am sure Ugo has told you.”

  Alina blushed. “Yes, I do know.”

  “Well, it’s a living. At least I have a roof over my head and food in my belly. And when my daughter was alive, God rest her precious soul, we had a warm place to live in the winter. I know that you are probably going to be offended, but you need a job, right?”

  Alina took a sip of the bitter hot water. Then she took a deep breath. Her mind was racing. She knew that Klara was suggesting she become a prostitute, but she had another idea. “How much money do you earn?” Alina asked.

  “It’s different all the time. It’s a percentage. Twenty percent of what I bring in. The room where I sleep is taken out of my earnings. I share it with three other girls. But the food and water to bathe and wash clothes once a week are all covered by my earnings as well. Still it’s not so bad. What I do at the brothel is nothing I haven’t done for free in the past, you know what I mean?”

  Alina took a moment and studied Klara’s beautiful gold-flecked eyes. They looked like the color of gemstones in the picture books Alina had seen as a child. “Are there a lot of girls in the house?”

  “About twenty. Give or take, they come and go. We can always use another one though.”

  “Yes. I am sure.” Alina chewed on her lower lip. She had an idea. “What would you and the other girls who work with you say to a thirty percent commission? And what if you only had to share your room with one other girl. And of course you would have food and water to bathe twice a week and wash your clothes, the same as now?”

  “I’d say that would be wonderful. But no one is offering that much.”

  “I am.”

  “You?”

  “Yes, me. If you and your friends will come to work for me, I will go today and buy a house. Then as soon as I can open it, I will give you everything I just promised,” Alina said, looking directly at Klara.

  “You have enough money?”

  “Yes, I think I do,” Alina said.

  “There is a big home with lots of rooms right down the street from here. It’s a little run down, but if you promised to give us girls a ten percent increase and all the other benefits, I am sure most of the girls will come and help you fix the house up. But, the repairs will cost you too. Where are you going to get all of this money?”

  “I already have it.”

  Klara tilted her head to one side. “You fooled me. I actually felt sorry for you. I thought you’re a naïve and pitiful thing. But you’re not….”

  “No, I certainly am not,” Alina said.

  Chapter 59

  Alina

  That very same day Alina went to look at the house that Klara told her about. It was large enough and the foundation seemed solid. All it needed was some cosmetic work, a little paint, some new curtains. When she was a child, Alina had watched her father bargain prices with customers. She had never done it, but she would now. In fact, she would dicker until she got the best possible price. Then she would go and see Klara and start her business. Alina had no plans of being a prostitute, but owning this house might just be the opportunity she’d been searching for. It didn’t matter what people thought of her. They didn’t pay her bills. If she owned a brothel, she would have a place that brought in enough money for her to raise her son. She and Joey would have a roof over their heads, and she would see to it that the girls who worked for her were treated well. Would her parents be ashamed? Probably. But they weren’t here to help her and she had to stand on her own. This house would give her the income she and Joey needed to survive.

  At first the man who was selling the house thought Alina was a pushover. He tried to overcharge her. But she was tougher than he realized, and in the end she got a better price than she’d originally anticipated.

  With some difficulty, Klara arranged a meeting at a coffee shop between Alina and several of her coworkers. Fifteen young girls showed up, and Alina bought coffee and pastries for
all of them. It was an investment, but worth the output to try to recruit these women, because each of them had an existing clientele. If they came to work for Alina, their customers would follow them. She would be earning money as soon as the doors opened. At first, the prostitutes were not interested in moving to a new brothel. They were afraid that if they left their current place of employment and Alina’s house failed, they would have no place to work. But with Klara’s influence, and the offer of a higher percentage and better working conditions, Alina finally convinced most of them.

  Twelve girls contracted to come to work for Alina.

  “You will be more than employees at my house,” Alina told them. “We will be like a family. I vow to treat all of you fairly. I will need your help to put the house together. But I promise you, that you will be happy working for me. And, I want you to know that this house will not fail, so you will never need to return to your former employer! I will treat you girls like sisters, not like employees. I want you to know that you come to me with any problems or needs you might have, and I will always do what I can for you.”

  The twelve girls agreed to help her put the house together. They all pitched in and painted the walls. At the secondhand store, Alina bought a bed for Joey. Then she and Joey moved in before the house was even finished. He coughed from the smell of paint but never once complained. The following day, Alina stayed up well into the wee hours of the morning sewing curtains for each of the rooms. Then when she was so exhausted that she couldn’t keep her eyes open, she slept on an old blanket on the floor. Once she was finished with the painting and cleaning she would buy all of the rest of the furniture secondhand. If she bought it all at once she would be making a large purchase and therefore she would have bargaining power as far as the price. One of the girls knew someone selling a used piano. The price was right and so Alina bought it for the living room. It was important to be frugal in case it took some time for the business to start earning money.

  Ugo waited for Alina at the corner where he and Alina usually met to go to class, and for two weeks she didn’t show up. He was worried. Although he hated to go to Maria’s house uninvited, he was worried. All kinds of terrible scenarios played across his mind. Perhaps Trevor had done something to Alina, or maybe she was sick. It had gotten to the point where Ugo had trouble sleeping. His feelings had been growing for Alina and he couldn’t deny it; he knew he was in love. He’d never felt this way towards any woman before. Not even Klara, who he’d believed he loved when they were married. Now he knew the difference, and the love he felt for Alina was consuming him. She wouldn’t marry him, he’d asked her several times, but still it wasn’t like Alina to disappear like this. He had to go and find her in case she needed him.

  Finally, Ugo went to Maria’s apartment. She didn’t know that Alina was opening a whorehouse, but she did know that Alina had purchased a home and she knew where it was located. Alina had never told her not to disclose this information to Ugo so, not knowing that anything was wrong, she told him.

  Ugo thanked her and left. He walked over a mile to the house that Alina had purchased and rang the bell. Alina had been upstairs sewing a bedspread when one of the girls came into her room to tell her that she had a visitor.

  “Is it a man?”

  “Yes,” the girl said.

  Well, it was probably Trevor or Ugo. They could have gotten the address from Maria. Or, it might be the previous employer of the girls who were now working for her. Alina was sure he was angry that she’d taken his prostitutes. Either way, she was going to have to handle the situation. Sooner or later, both Trevor and Ugo would know what she had done. Alina walked down the stairs and saw Ugo’s broad back. He was sitting on a chair facing away from her. How was she ever going to make him understand why she had to do what she had done? It wasn’t as if she didn’t know how he felt about Klara becoming a prostitute. He’d told her. Once he knew that Klara worked for her, Ugo would probably hate Alina It was for these very reasons that she’d been avoiding him. Now, he’d come to find her. Well, hadn’t she expected this? Joey was sitting on the floor and playing quietly. He was such a good boy. Since his recovery from polio, he was a quiet, introspective child who played calmly for short periods of time then took long naps. Since they’d left Trevor’s house, Joey almost never cried. It was as if the little boy felt that he had no right to demand anything of life. His gratitude just to be alive and away from his terrible stepfather tore at Alina’s heart. Sometimes nightmares woke her at night. Nightmares that reminded her of the struggles Joey would have to face in his life.

  As she descended the last step she said, “Hello, Ugo.” Her heart was beating fast. She’d never wanted to disappoint him. And he looked so handsome and caring sitting there.

  He stood up and whirled around to face her.

  “Alina, are you all right? I’ve been waiting for you to come to class for the last two weeks. What’s going on here?” Ugo’s face was distraught. She saw the anguish and felt guilty for avoiding him and not being more straightforward.

  Dread settled in her chest as she looked into his eyes. This was not going to be easy, but she knew that she had to tell him the truth today.

  Since Alina knew that Klara might come in at any time, Alina thought it was best if she told Ugo before he saw Klara and realized what was happening on his own.

  “Can we go outside and talk?” Alina asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Let me get my coat.” Alina slipped her coat on and then asked one of the prostitutes who was sitting in the kitchen, “I hate to bother you, but can you keep an eye on Joey for a few minutes. I have to talk to Ugo. We’re going outside, but I won’t be long.”

  “Of course. Don’t worry about Joey. I’ll watch him,” the girl said.

  Ugo opened the door and Alina walked outside. The chilly air felt sobering.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t come and talk to you. It wasn’t fair of me.”

  “Alina, what is it? What’s wrong? Are you ill? Did I do something to offend you?” He was so sincere that she almost started to cry.

  She shook her head. “No, Ugo, no, it’s none of those things. It’s something that you aren’t going to approve of, and I’ve been avoiding this conversation because I knew how you would react.”

  “What conversation, Alina? Please tell me what you’re talking about.”

  “Ugo, I saw Klara at the butcher shop. And….”

  “What did she tell you about me? Whatever she might have said, it’s not true.”

  “Ugo, she didn’t tell me anything about you. In fact, we never talked about you.” Alina said.

  “I don’t understand….”

  “I needed a home for Joey. I couldn’t find a job. So, Klara helped me.” Even as the words left her lips she saw the horror on his face. “I’m not a prostitute. I’m not going to be one.”

  He looked in her eyes and she could see how confused he was.

  “I bought this house. I am going to be a madam. This will be a brothel.” There, she’d said the words, and instead of feeling better she felt worse.

  “You’re going to run a whorehouse?” Ugo glared at her in total disbelief.

  “Yes. I had a little money put away. But, I had to make the money last. You see, I had to make sure that somehow I invested it in a business that would thrive regardless of whether there was a good or bad economy. Believe me, Ugo. I gave this a lot of thought. I could have opened a laundry, but when money is tight people wash their own clothes. We are just coming out of a terrible depression. I don’t want to be penniless and homeless if another one strikes the country. Regardless of how scarce money becomes, men always go to brothels.”

  “Who are you, Alina? I feel like I don’t even know you. Like I never knew you at all.”

  “I am me, the same woman. Nothing has changed except that I can’t go on without financial security, especially for my son.” The more she explained, the worse she felt. Now she was sick to her stomach.

  �
�You want security? I’ll give you security and decency. Marry me, Alina. Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve always been in love with you. Maybe from that first day I saw you, when you were nursing Johan’s cut. I don’t know. All I know is that if you give me a chance I’ll take care of you and Joey.” He pulled her to him so he could look into her eyes, but she looked away.

  “Ugo, if I’ve learned anything in my life, it’s that marriage is not the answer. I have to have my own money to take care of Joey. I can’t depend on you or anyone else.”

  “You can depend on me, Alina. I won’t let you down,” Ugo said. His eyes were glassy and she was afraid he might cry.

  Please don’t cry, Ugo, she thought. If you do, I might give in.

  “I understand and I believe you. I care a lot about you, Ugo. But not enough to give up my freedom again. I will never be dependent on any man again,” she said.

  “This is a harsh world, Alina. In this country that is constantly changing, a woman needs a man to survive. You need a man to protect you. To become a madam of a whorehouse is not an answer. This is no life for a refined girl like you,” Ugo said.

  “I’m sorry, Ugo. But I’ve made my decision and I already bought the house. In fact, Joey and I are living here.”

  “Let me see if I understand this. You are telling me that you live with your child in the house that you are turning into a brothel?”

  “Yes, Ugo. I am renovating it, but Joey and I are moved in. I am hoping the brothel will be open by late spring.”

  “You already have girls hired?” He was angry. She could see it in his eyes, but she also saw something else. He was amazed that she’d done all of this without asking for anyone’s help. Without asking for my help? “You hired Klara, didn’t you?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “How could you do that?”

  “I had to. She was the only person I knew in the business. She has been very good to me. She is giving me advice so I can put the business together.”