Eighteen Months

by Giulia Napoli

  He sat me on a bed, sat down next to me, pulled up my sleeve, gasped at the tracks mumbling “Goddamn little prick” under his breath, and proceeded to tie a hose around my arm.

  “I’ve got a bunch of stuff here, but I don’t know what you need.

  “What do you have?” I asked.

  “I have horse, China White, something called Easy X cocktail, and something called … Jesus Christ … something called ‘whore juice.’”

  “Cook up thirty migth of the China White.” I said.

  As he was doing it, he asked me, “How often do you have to do this, Alie?”

  “I do up five timeth a day, thometimeth thix or theven … all H or China White, plus one Eathy Xth cocktaiw with H or China White. Exthept when I’m whowe twaining. Then one ith whowe juithe.”

  “Goddamn, Alie. I am so fuckin’ sorry.”

  In a minute he said, “Ready?”

  “Yeth! Give it to me quick!”

  The needle slipped into my arm and I heard myself give a long, “Aaaahhhh,” as the China White took me to a happier place.

  I mellowed out, zoned out, for a while, as always. When my mind started working again, I heard two men talking. I thought I was lying on a bed, so I was probably still in one of the brothel rooms.

  “How many of my people are like her?” I thought that was Roger Senior.

  “Three others, Boss: Marlene, Crystal and Patti Cakes.” That was definitely Rocco. I tried to call out his name, but I was still too wasted to form words.

  “Were they all turnin’ tricks?”

  “They was all gonna - startin’ next weekend. None has yet – well, except for the trainin’ Glenda was givin’ ‘em. Junior had hired a couple goons for Glenda to use with ‘em durin’ training.”

  “That miserable little prick. This is ultimately my fault. I raised that little bastard. Or I thought I did.”

  Either they walked off or my mind shut down again. Eventually, I got up, found my cane, and tapped my way back upstairs.

  “Wocco?”

  “Over here, Alie,” the big guy called out. I could hear other people talking at tables in the theater. I didn’t think the Jolly Roger was open yet. I pushed the button on my watch, “Two-fifty-five,” It said.

  It turned out that all the employees had been called in. I wasn’t, because I was already there. Roger Senior was about to tell everyone what was going to happen next.

  “Have a seat, Alie,” Rocco said, “Roger’s ready to talk.” He took me over to a table and sat me down next to Marlene.

  “You high?” She whispered to me.”

  “Comin’ down,” I said.

  “Me too.”

  Roger started talking at that point. He explained that Rocco, fed up with Roger Junior for a hundred reasons, but most of all because he was planning to make some of the employees turn tricks for him, had contacted his old boss, the head of a Sicilian familia in another city. That boss had fronted the initial money to start the Jolly Roger fifteen years ago. Roger, Roger Junior and Rocco had wanted to buy out the loan and, because of Rocco, the boss had agreed and walked away.

  Roger Junior had no interest at the time in running the Jolly Roger, but agreed to be a silent, majority partner, holding 51%. Without Junior’s money, Roger Senior and Rocco didn’t have enough to buy the place, so they took Junior’s money and struck up an agreement among the three of them. That agreement – for Junior to remain silent – ended when Roger Senior had the stroke and couldn’t run the business.

  A fed-up Rocco had approached Roger Senior about coming back, which he agreed to do. At that point, they needed to get Junior out of the business. Rocco asked his old boss – who was his uncle – to help convince Junior to leave and become a silent partner again.

  Three men had arrived that morning and met with Junior, who was alone at the Jolly Roger, a few hours before Alie had arrived. Junior refused the offer, at which point one of the visitors “snapped his lower left arm like a twig,” in Rocco’s words.

  A screaming Roger Junior, infuriated beyond reason, still refused to cooperate. At that point one man grabbed him and another fastened a garrote around Junior’s neck and began to strangle him, while the third guy pulled some papers out of his pocket. The strangler loosened the garrote momentarily so Roger could listen. Since he didn’t want the offered deal, he was to sign over all his shares to his father and Rocco, for a total remuneration of $255,000, or $5000 per share. He had ten seconds to decide, before they would strangle him to death. He signed, the garrote still around his neck. Then he was told they would take him to the airport where a private plane would take him to his new cabin in some unheard-of village in Alaska.

  If he ever showed his face in the lower 48 states again …

  To emphasize the point, they shattered his nose.

  They waited for Glenda to arrive. They already had plans for her. Actually, they had a buyer for her.

  Roger was finishing. “… so we’re closin’ for a week, then openin’ next Friday under new management - actually, new old management. Minx will headline. Patti will be the other solo, and Marlene and Crystal have said they want to continue to dance together. You four stick around a couple minutes.

  “I’m payin’ for your unplanned vacation,” Roger told everyone. “Rocco has a check for each of yous,” he laughed at his own joke, “that totals your base pay plus your average tips. See you all next Friday.”

  I waited. It sounded like everyone else had left except Roger and the four top dancers.

  “I got somethin’ for you four,” Roger said. “In these envelopes,” I felt him put something in my hand; he must have given the same thing to the others, “is a certificate for 6 percent ownership in the Jolly Roger for each of you. So together you’ll have 24 percent, Rocco will have 38 percent, and I’ll have 38 percent. It’s my way of tryin’ to compensate you for what my idiot son did to you.

  “You’ll also get new contracts. Only fifteen percent of your tips will go to the house now. As owners, you’ll get some of that back as annual profit too. Plus you can leave at any time without penalties. But I sure hope you’ll stay.

  “Here’s a package for each of you, with your fixes for the next week. I’ll keep you supplied until we can get each of you cleaned up. I’m sorry. For now, it’s the best I can do.”

  None of us had expected what happened there. I certainly didn’t. Apparently, there were some decent people in this naked-dancing business after all.

  I walked out into the cold afternoon, shivering from the brisk wind, using my cane to find my way. Like I used to. Like I would tomorrow. And every tomorrow to come. Cold, blind, and alone.

  And that was it. I could live with my body modifications, though I hated the way I had to talk now. All the other problems were solved, except for my Big Three: I was still blind – nothing was going to change that; I was still a junkie – I didn’t know if I could get clean without the tea I no longer had; and most painfully - I’d lost Rina.

  For once, the day had ended better than it had begun. Was it enough to keep me going?

  I wasn’t sure.

  Epilogue – By Your Side

  I stayed with Megan for a couple days to decompress. She’d just returned from a long-planned vacation that she finally took, after I recovered from having lost my eyes. Frankly, I was afraid to be alone right then. I didn’t trust myself. My depression and despair were frequently consuming me.

  I missed Rina.

  And I didn’t want to be blind for the rest of my life.

  Mostly … I missed Rina.

  Several days later, I walked the few blocks from Megan’s condo to my deserted house. The weather was still cold, but dry. I thought my mood had stabilized, but I was empty inside. I had money and I would make more – without whoring. I’d achieved some modicum of security, but I’d lost the important things.

  I went inside and smoked a cigarette. It was 5:00, a little early, but I went ahead and shot up the Easy X cocktail.

  I
sat down on the couch, pulled down my jeans, and started playing with my clit as the Easy X hit me. I came immediately.

  Maybe an hour later, there was a soft nock at the door. I pulled my jeans back up and went to find out who was there. I was pretty sure it would be Rocco. The big guy always nocked softly, and never used the doorbell.

  “Wocco?” I called out from my side of the door.

  At first there was no answer. Then I heard a small voice say, “Alie? It’s Rina.”

  I flung open the door and said, “Wina?”

  “Oh Alie … oh Alie. I … I …”

  “WINA!” I reached out for her and pulled her to me. I could smell her lilies-of-the-valley perfume, feel her warmth through the heavy coat.

  “Wina awe you … I mean, why awe you hewe? Oh Wina, I’ve mithed you tho!”

  “I can’t live without you, Alie. I’m back to stay, if you’ll let me. I called you a couple weeks ago and couldn’t get hold of you. Megan was gone and I couldn’t get her either. Then she came back and called me and told me what had happened. That was a few days ago. I came as soon as I could get off the island.”

  “The iwand?” I didn’t care, I was so glad she was back. Oh Rina!

  “Grand Cayman. I be staying with Shawnte, Mon.”

  “I thought I detected a thlight acthent.”

  “I hate to tell you this, Alie, but I don’t think I’m the one with the accent.” I felt her lips curl up in a smile as she kissed me again.

  I tried to laugh, but I could only cry sweet tears of joy. “My tongue ith fuww of thtuds and wireth now.”

  I pulled her into the house, tore off her coat, and put my arms around her neck, grabbed the back of her head, and pressed her lips to mine. She kissed me back passionately, holding me with all her might. Her cheeks were as wet as mine.

  Then it hit me. “Wina! What happened to youw haiw?” It felt kinky and springy like mine.

  “I visited Romania’s and traded up. It’s exactly like yours now. Oh Alie … I’m so sorry I left. If I hadn’t left, you might never have been attacked.”

  “You can’t thay that. It’th in the patht now. I’m tho happy to have you back! You awe thtaying, wight?”

  “Yes, I’m staying for as long as you’ll have me. I’m getting a job back at the River’s Edge Handicapped Services Center.”

  “You got youw old dob back? That’th gweat!” Now I really knew she planned to stay.

  “Not my old job. I can’t be a manager now – besides, someone else is in my old position and they can’t just fire him. I’ll be an O&M instructor – the job I really love.”

  “That’th wondewfuw newth!” I was so happy! Then I knew I needed to clear the slate.

  “Wina, you need to know … I had to go back. I needed a dob. Wogew hooked me again aftew I went back. I’m high wight now. But Duniow ith out now.”

  “Roger Junior is history?”

  “Yeth. Wogew Theniow ith back, but I’m an addict … again. I had quit wike I promithed you …”

  “It doesn’t matter anymore. I knew you’d cleaned up like you always said you would. Megan told me that Junior had shot you up and put you on the horse again. That’s why I rushed to Romania’s – out of the clear blue and past closing time. When I got there the sign said ‘closed.’ I tried the door anyway and it was open - Neculai looked up and said, ‘Alo Rina, we’ve been waiting for you.’ Believe it or not, they needed straight blonde hair again. They still had the magic or whatever to give me what you have, so I traded.”

  “You twaded fow what?”

  “Tea, Alie! I traded for tea! Enough for you, Marlene, Crystal and Patti to break the heroin habit. I drive a hard bargain.”

  “You twaded your bwonde haiw fow tea, fow me – fow all fouw of uth? Oh Wina! I wove you!”

  “I love you too Alie. I love you so much.”

  “Even though I tawk funny now?” I knew I sounded like an idiot.

  “I don’t care, I need to be with you. Always”

  “But how did you do it?” I asked. The sisters had said they’d only give it to me that one time.

  “Yeah, I could hardly believe they traded for the tea. Remember, they’d told us it was a one-time thing. I sort of had to persuade them. I was talking to Neculai and Miruna and I noticed another woman, dressed mostly like them, standing in the back of the store. She had these brilliant emerald eyes, but they had a vacant look about them. It turns out, she was another sister visiting there, and that’s what helped me convince them to trade. I finally closed the deal when I agreed to an additional trade with the sister.”

  “What additionaw twade, Wina?” I felt goose bumps. Something wasn’t right, but I didn’t know what it was.

  Rina kissed me again. “What mowe did you twade, Wina?”

  “It doesn’t matter what else I traded. I had to help you. I’d let you down, and I had to make it right. I had to get you off the smack.”

  “What did you twade, my Wove?” I started to cry as I continued to hug Rina and she kept holding me tightly.

  “Their sister’s eyes had been damaged. The doctors had to remove them. She had prosthetics. As soon as I found out, I knew I could help her.”

  “You twaded bwind twaining and youw bwonde haiw for the tea. That wath gweat!”

  “Not exactly, Alie.”

  “Wina, what did you twade?”

  “I had to do it for you, Alie. I had to get you off the heroin for the second and last time. Now I can truly promise that I’ll always be with you. I traded my eyes, Alie. The sisters’ magic made it possible. The blind sister has my eyes now and I have her prosthetics. I’m blind, love, exactly like you.”

  End

  Chapter Title Songs

  The chapter titles in Eighteen Months are all from songs: some older, some contemporary. In case you’re interested, here are the songs, and artists:

  Prologue – Breaking the Law: Judas Priest, 1980.

  Chapter 1 - Go Where You Wanna Go: Mamas and Papas, 1966.

  Chapter 2 - Blind: Korn, 1994.

  Chapter 3 - Hold On: Alabama Shakes, 2012.

  Chapter 4 - Starting a New Life: Tom Dice, 2012.

  Chapter 5 - Dancing in the Dark: Bruce Springsteen, 1984.

  Chapter 6 - I am Not My Hair: India.Arie & Akon, 2006.

  Chapter 7 - Need You Tonight: INXS, 1987.

  Chapter 8 - I Never Thought I’d See the Day: Sade, 1988.

  Chapter 9 - A Change Would Do You Good: Cheryl Crow, 1996.

  Chapter 10 - DD’s: Iggy & the Stooges, 2013.

  Chapter 11 – Dancing Machine: The Jackson 5, 1974.

  Chapter 12 - Let’s Get It On: Marvin Gaye, 1973.

  Chapter 13 – La La Land: Green Velvet, 2001.

  Chapter 14 – Stop Stop Stop: The Hollies, 1966.

  Chapter 15 – La Isla Bonita: Madonna, 1987.

  Chapter 16 – Gypsy: Lady Gaga, 2013.

  Chapter 17 – Needle and the Damage Done: Neil Young, 1971.

  Chapter 18 – If I were You: Jason Castro, 2010.

  Chapter 19 – It Must Have Been Love: Roxette, 1990

  Chapter 20 – After Dark: Tito and Tarantula, 1996.

  Chapter 21 – End of the Innocence: Don Henley, 1989.

  Epilogue – By Your Side: Sade, 1999.

  About the Author

  Thirty-something Giulia Napoli grew up in East Lansing, Michigan. She has a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Journalism from a prestigious Great Lakes area university. While an undergraduate, Giulia studied abroad for three years - a year each in London, Florence, and Brussels. Her interest in the many forms of erotica started and grew during her time in Europe. Giulia writes contemporary adult fantasy - romantic erotica - with themes of submission, fetishes, body modification, unusual bondage, and both M/F and F/F sexuality. Her stories have frequent surprising, unexpected, erotic twists thrown in. Her settings are often exotic and global in scope, reflecting the broad travel experiences of this creative author.

  Gi is marrie
d to a brilliant, totally non-nerdy (her words) industrial scientist and executive. She has a two-year-old daughter. She and her husband live in a major metropolitan area in the Great Lakes region of the USA.

  Liked Eighteen Months? Hated it? Just want to say hi? Don’t hesitate to Contact Giulia Napoli at:

  MsGuliaNapoli@live.com

  Giulia and the publisher hope you’ve enjoyed reading Eighteen Months. We would very much appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to return to the online store where you purchased Eighteen Months and leave a review for other potential readers. Our thanks in advance.

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