But even as I think this, I feel baffled. They all appear to have some freedom. As if they can come and go at will. But then I remember those bars and locks and am not so sure.
The last room up here is Ruby’s, and to my surprise, it looks very much like a child’s bedroom. There are stuffed animals everywhere, and the bedspread on the twin-sized bed is a juvenile animal print I would’ve thought she’d find too childish. And yet she seems perfectly comfortable and at home as she shows me around. She seems to be most proud of the bookshelf next to her bed.
“I love to read.” She holds up the book that was facedown on her bed. “If you ever want to borrow something, feel free.”
“I’d love to borrow a couple books.” I eagerly examine the titles. “It would help to pass the time.”
She makes some suggestions and I leave with three paperbacks under my arm. I cannot believe how excited I am to have something to do if I get locked in my barren room again.
“So, what do you think?” Jimmy asks when we’re downstairs again.
“I’m pleasantly surprised,” I lie. “I hope you’ll consider letting me stay with you.” Hoping my eyes don’t betray me, I glance out the front window. “This neighborhood is way better than where I used to live. And this house is lots nicer too.” I turn and smile. “What’s not to like?”
He grins. “I was hoping you’d see it that way.”
“Where’s your room?” I ask and suddenly wish I hadn’t. Except that I’m trying to get the lay of the land, hoping I can figure out a way to escape. There has to be one room or window or door that’s not locked tight.
“It’s right down here. Down the hall from yours. Want to see?”
I really don’t, but I simply nod, pretending I’m interested, and soon I’m in a big master suite decorated in masculine shades of brown and gray and black. “Very nice,” I say as I peek into the attached bath, which is cleaner than the one I showered in this morning. “And you’re a pretty good housekeeper, too.”
He nods. “Yeah, my clients expect that.”
“Oh?” I try not to look surprised. “So you work too? Like the girls?”
“There are no free rides here. I mean, sure, I get some breaks and privileges because I manage the house. But Tom expects me to pay my dues. Just like he’ll expect you to do … if you join us.”
Now I notice some bags and paraphernalia on the bureau, and although I’ve never really been around illegal drugs before, I can tell that’s what I’m seeing. “Well, I hope Tom decides I’m worth it.” I quickly look away, trying to act like I observed nothing. “I hope he’ll give me a chance.”
“Oh, I think he will. He knows a good thing when he sees it. And he keeps telling me how he wants to have the most successful business in town. He’s got a lot of houses now, but this one is by far his best. And by best, I mean he’s got his most profitable workers here.” He holds his head high like this is something to be proud of.
I’m feeling really sick to my stomach now. As well as light-headed. “I, uh, I don’t feel too good,” I say in a shaky voice.
“Have you had anything to eat?”
“Not for a while.” I feel myself weaving and he takes me by the arm, leading me out into the main room where he helps me sit on one of the couches.
“Take some deep breaths and I’ll get you some soda. You probably have low blood sugar.”
I lean over, feeling the blood rushing to my head and hoping I’m not about to throw up. But suddenly I’m so overwhelmed by all this. So saddened and sickened. How can all these young people act so nonchalant and complacent? They all act perfectly normal, as if there’s nothing wrong with living like this. How is that even possible?
“Here you go,” he says gently as he hands me a can of Sprite. “Drink up.”
I gladly drink the cold soda, and whether it’s the unexpected kindness or the sugar, I almost immediately feel better. “Thank you.”
“Hasn’t Tatiana been taking care of you?” He frowns. “Giving you food and stuff?”
I shrug. “She gave me a box of cereal and a jug of water the other day, and I’ve been trying to make it last. Also some pizza and a McMuffin a few days ago.”
He swears now. “Tatiana is really pushing me lately. I need to talk to that girl.”
“She’s upset that I took her room. You shouldn’t be too hard on her.”
He studies me. “Are you really as nice as you seem? Or is Tatiana right? Are you just taking us all for a big fat ride?”
I look directly at him. “I’m sorry, but I just happen to really care about people. I care about you, and I care about Ruby, and even though she hates me, I care about Tatiana. I expect that I’ll care about Kandy and Desiree too … once I get to know them. Is there something wrong with that?”
He gives a reassuring smile. “No. Not at all. I think Tom’s gonna like you a lot, Serena.”
Then Jimmy asks me what my favorite pizza is and, although I haven’t liked Hawaiian since I was a kid, I ask for pineapple and ham. I listen as he calls out for delivery. Now I am literally salivating as I wait for the fresh, hot food to arrive.
Even though my plan to make friends seems to be working, and I can tell that Jimmy is slowly buying into my charade, I still feel sickened and compromised just the same. Yet what can I do differently? It honestly feels like the only way to survive and eventually escape this hellhole is to play along and wait for the big moment when I can make my getaway. I just have no idea exactly how and when I will pull it off. But I am studying everything and everyone, trying to come up with a viable plan.
I’m relieved to see that Jimmy didn’t order only one pizza. And when he yells up the stairs, inviting the others to come down for food, I’m actually excited to see everyone trek down. And just like that — almost like we really are a family — we’re all sitting around the dining room table, pigging out on pizza.
Desiree is still in her nightie, but everyone else is dressed fairly normal. And really, if someone looked in on us just now, they wouldn’t suspect anything out of the norm was going on in this house. For a moment, I wonder if I haven’t just imagined everything.
But then Jimmy is looking at his iPhone and suddenly he’s telling the girls the plans for the evening. “Kandy, Desiree, and Tatiana are invited to a private party at the Birmingham Inn.” They seem happy to hear this. Although Tatiana, as usual, is scowling. Again, this gives me hope.
“What about me?” Ruby asks. “Wasn’t I invited to the party?”
“You and me will go downtown together,” he tells her.
She just nods, looking sadly down at her pizza.
That’s when it all feels real again. Painfully real. I almost lose my appetite, but then remember that if I’m going to escape, I will need my strength. And if they’re all going out tonight, it might be my big chance. My plan is to remain on my best behavior and to quietly retire to my room to read and hope I’m forgotten and no one shows up to dead-bolt me in.
I have no doubts that the house will be in lockdown, but I also feel like there should be a way out. And at the very least, I will break out a front window and start screaming for help from across the street.
… [CHAPTER 11]………………
It’s weird how much improved my life feels with this new freedom to wander around the spacious house. It’s exhilarating. And I can almost imagine how a girl could get sucked into this degenerate lifestyle — especially if she’d been locked up or barely surviving on the streets. Although I know about Ruby, I’m curious to hear the other girls’ stories and what possible reasons they might have for being a willing part of this.
At the same time, it’s tempting to try to hide from everything. I could just lose myself in the books Ruby loaned me, and I’m sure they’ll be a comfort at night when I’m locked back in my room, if that happens. But in the meantime, the only way I’ll get out of here is to figure it out myself.
I remain in the kitchen after we’re finished with the pizza. My goal i
s to clean up in here and try to think of a way out. At the very least I could use something heavy, like a pan, and bash out the front window and scream for help. But only if I saw a neighbor outside. So far, although I’ve noticed a few cars, I haven’t seen a single person out there.
It’s weird, though, as badly as I want out of this creepy place, I’d like to help these girls, too. I know they’re trying to act like they’re okay with this disgusting lifestyle, but I can tell they’re not happy. And Ruby … she’s so young. It’s all so disturbing.
As I’m scrubbing the grubby granite countertop, I know I can’t just escape and forget all about them. So I feel like I’m a spy, like I need to gather their stories without letting them discover my reasons for wanting to know. They would clam up if they knew my real motives.
“You don’t have to do that,” Kandy tells me as I’m loading the dishwasher with dishes that seem to have been sitting out for days. “We have a cleaning lady who comes on Monday mornings. She’ll take care of everything.”
“That’s okay,” I say as I tear off a paper towel. “I want to.” I squirt some cleaner on the microwave, wiping off the grimy glass surface. “This is such a pretty kitchen. I’ve never been in a house this nice before. It’s kind of fun to clean it.”
“Seriously?” She frowns at me like I’m some sort of anomaly, then reaches for one of the liquor bottles. She finds a clean glass and fills it with something amber. Then, after taking a long swig, she lets out a deep sigh. “Ahh … just what the doctor ordered.” She takes another long gulp. “At least until Jimmy gets me what I really need.”
She empties the glass, then clanks it down on the counter with a bang, swearing. “Sometimes that lazy dude makes me really want to scream and pull my hair out.” She looks around. “Where is he anyway?”
“I don’t know.” I continue scrubbing something sticky from the stove top.
She leans over, peering curiously at me. “What are you doing here anyway? What’s your game, Pollyanna?”
“Pollyanna?”
She nods. “Yeah, that’s what you remind me of. The girl who’s trying to pretend this is a good place to be. Like you’re playing the glad game.”
I look back evenly at her. “I’m just trying to get by. No different than you. Surviving the best way I can.”
She laughs and I’m reminded of Michelle’s sometimes-sarcastic laugh. “Yeah, right. You’re just like me. Well, excuse me for sayin’ so, but you don’t look like no junkie to me.”
“Is that how you do this?”
She slaps her palm on the counter so loudly it makes me jump. “It is why I do this,” she seethes at me. “Don’t you get that?”
I slowly nod, stunned at how Kandy can be sweeter than sugar one minute and meaner than the devil the next. Probably the drugs. “Yeah, I get it. You do what you do to get what you need.”
“You got that right, Pollyanna.” She yells for Jimmy now, and without saying another word to me, she goes off in search of him, eventually pounding on his bedroom door and yelling for him to answer.
After several minutes, he opens it and she goes inside and the whole time I’m cleaning the kitchen, she doesn’t come back out. A chill runs through me as I realize that they’re probably both getting high in there together. Who else in this house depends on drugs to get by?
I’m just finishing in the kitchen, which looks impressive if I do say so myself, when Ruby comes back. She’s digging through the fridge, which I discovered was mostly empty except for sodas and a few random condiments, a jar of olives, and some nasty-smelling lunch meat, which I threw out.
“The housekeeper will be here tomorrow.” Ruby pops open a Mountain Dew, pouring it into a glass with ice.
“So I’ve heard.” I return the broom to the closet where I found it. “I just felt like doing this. Okay?”
She nods with a slightly apologetic expression. “Sure … yeah … okay.”
I give a partial smile. “Sorry to be so grouchy. I guess I’m just trying to figure stuff out.”
“What kind of stuff?”
“Oh, you know, what keeps you guys all going. I know that Kandy and Jimmy rely on drugs.” I tip my head toward the hallway.
“Yeah. Desiree and Tatiana do too. Except they mostly smoke weed. Kandy and Jimmy are into the hard stuff. I tried it, but it made me so sick I decided never again. And Jimmy respects that.” She reaches for a bottle of vodka, pouring a generous portion into her greenish yellow soda.
“You really like that?” As usual, I try to conceal my shock. For some reason I had assumed that Ruby, maybe because of her juvenile room or her age, was the one who might not be abusing a substance.
She takes a sip and wrinkles her nose. “It helps to numb me.” She points to the clock on the microwave and I see that it’s already past five. “I usually start drinking around this time of day. That way I’m feeling good by the time we’re out there, you know, drumming up business.” She makes a sad little laugh and takes another big sip.
“What if you could get out of this life?” I ask quietly. “Would you want to?”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, and I’d want a million dollars, too. Are you the good fairy, handing out wishes?”
I shrug. “Just curious. Like I said, I’m trying to figure this stuff out.”
She studies me. “Some people don’t have a choice. We just take what we get, and like I said, we hope things’ll get better … someday.”
“What if you were out working, I mean, like you’ll be doing tonight,” I persist, “and what if someone came along and promised to take you away from all this? Would you go?”
She laughs. “Sure. That happens all the time. Every guy has a line.”
“Not like that. What if someone wanted to rescue you?”
She frowns. “You better watch what you say, Serena. I like you, but you could get in trouble talking like that. Tom has friends everywhere. No one can run away from him. Not and live to talk about it.”
“What about the police?” I whisper.
She scowls. “Okay, that just shows how totally ignorant you really are.”
“What do you mean?”
“The last girl who talked to the police was returned in a bloody heap. That happened just before I came here. Britney was my best friend in the other house. But her face was so messed up that she couldn’t work anymore. Jimmy had to let her go.”
“Free?”
“No.” She shakes her head and lowers her voice. “No one goes free. The sooner you get that, the better. I don’t know what happened to Britney, but I know it wasn’t good.” She finishes off her drink and starts to mix another. “I’m not the smartest thing around, but I do know better than to run to the police.”
Someone is coming down the stairs. As Tatiana enters the room, Ruby is rattling on about her favorite reality shows. “I told Jimmy we should do a reality show here,” she says lightly. I can tell the alcohol is already taking effect.
“Here in this house?” I ask in disbelief.
“Yeah, don’t you think it’d be a good show?” she asks me. “Desperate Runaways of the Great Northwest. We could have cameras in every room.”
Tatiana lets out a laugh. “That’s not a bad idea, Ruby.”
“Yeah, I know.” Ruby takes her drink over to where Tatiana is now cruising through the TV channels. “Don’t you think people would be interested in knowing how the other half lives?”
“For sure.” Tatiana nods. “We could all get rich and famous.”
“Except that Tom would never allow it.” Ruby flops down on a sofa.
Tatiana is clicking away on the remote and, to my surprise, she stops on the TV Land channel and The Andy Griffith Show is just starting.
I sit on the couch next to Ruby, and the three of us quietly watch as Aunt Bee tells Opie how important it is to honor his word and keep his promises. Incongruous, yes? But it feels even stranger when Tatiana lights up a joint and starts puffing. I can’t help but cough and, excusing
myself, I slowly stand.
Tatiana just laughs at me. “Yeah, I figured that would get rid of you.”
“Sorry,” I say as I wave the air. “But I’m actually pretty tired.”
“Yeah, well, enjoy my room,” she says bitterly.
As I go into her barren room, I wonder what there is to enjoy. But I close the door, still hoping they’ll all forget about locking me up when they leave tonight. I open one of Ruby’s paperbacks and get lost in a happy story for a while. Eventually, I hear someone at my door and the familiar clank of the dead bolt as it is snapped into place.
“Wait!” I leap up to pound on the door. “I still need to use the bathroom and fill my water bottle first.”
“Should’ve thought of that earlier,” Tatiana says dully.
I call out to her, pleading with her to come back and give me a second chance, but as I press my ear to the door, I can only hear the sound of girls’ voices and eventually the bang of what must be the front door slamming. After that it’s just silence.
It’s obvious no one here really cares about me. How could I expect them to? Especially when their own lives are so messed up — everything is pretty much out of their control too. As I go back to the mattress, I suppress my tears. I have to toughen up. And smarten up. But as I pick up my book, I’m somewhat amazed that those people in their various inebriated states could still remember to lock me up in here. I wouldn’t have thought they’d be that functional.
As I look around the room, I wish I’d thought to sneak one of the pans from the kitchen, something I could use to break this window. Now that I know this house is in a somewhat normal neighborhood, I am ready to give that a try. But maybe I should pace myself since that’s not exactly a foolproof idea.
What I really want to do is find myself sort of alone in the house. Like I almost was while cleaning the kitchen this afternoon. And then, God willing and with his help, I will break out of this prison. And I’ll do what I can to help the others. If they’ll allow themselves to be helped.
Enticed:A Dangerous Connection (Secrets) Page 9
