by JL Brooks
She was thrilled at the opportunity to be dressing me up like a window display at Saks. The other two were indeed nice, but she was right, I was smitten with the first one. She was smart enough to bring shoes and jewelry, leaving nothing to chance with her creation. It amazed me the perks someone in marketing managed to acquire. I could never imagine wearing something so sumptuous. I marveled in how the dress clung to my body in all the right places.
“That needs to come off, at least for tonight.” She was pointing at the coin necklace I only removed when having it professionally cleaned.
I held the coin hesitantly, and then unclasped the back. Setting it down on the top of my dresser, I suddenly felt very bare, even though she handed me a strand of black Swarovski crystals. Giving me a few more tweaks, then being satisfied with her handiwork, we slipped into the chauffeured town car that was arranged for tonight and immediately popped the cork on the chilled bottle of Veuve Clicquot waiting for us. The champagne bubbles danced lightly on my tongue, leaving a sweet aftertaste.
We were in the car for less than thirty minutes before arriving at the hotel where the dinner was being held. Asking the driver to take his time in order to enjoy our bottle and moments of peace before the chaos began, we toasted success, friendship, and of course, overpriced bottles of booze on the company dime. We were allowed to indulge tonight; at least, that is what I told myself to justify such excess.
The valet attendants interrupted my thoughts, pulling me back into the moment. They opened the doors and extended their hands to assist us out of the car. I held the front of my dress to prevent stepping on it and attempted to exit as gracefully as possible. Alessa laced her arm around mine and elbow to elbow, we descended upon the room full of impeccably dressed socialites ready to go.
We had intentionally missed most of the cocktail hour and were seated promptly for the dinner. A small podium had been erected next to the projection screen that illuminated the brand design Alessa created towards the back of the room. As the first course was being served, the company president, Michael Gladstone took the microphone and started the presentation. I sat next to Alessa and swapped remarks about how terrible some of the outfits were on the women in the room, how some of the creepy older investors whispered propositions before sitting down, and the boring tone of the evening.
During the second course, I heard my name called loudly over the booming system and blushed through the clapping while making my way forward. Gladstone had made sure a speech was typed out and given to me the previous week so I could remember the names of key investors. Although the financial details of the company were not my concern, I had taken a chance and invested early, keeping a keen eye on the decisions the board made.
My arrival created an upswing of revenue; no doubt to Gladstone touting that he now employed Doc’s protégé – another reason I was forced to play my part. The speech was straightforward and brief, thankfully not requiring any impromptu lines. Alessa magically had a fancy shot waiting for me on my dessert plate when I was done, much to the chagrin of those seated next to us.
“Love you!” I mouthed before swallowing the sweet liquid.
I felt my clutch vibrate in my lap as it had been for most of the evening. I had ignored it up until now, but excused myself to the ladies room. Heading out into the hallway, I checked to see what was so urgent. I had five missed calls from my sister.
“That’s weird,” I thought to myself.
She normally would call and wait for me to get back to her, rarely leaving a message. I called her back, not bothering to hear what she said.
She picked up instantly. “Vy, you need to get to Colorado, now!”
There was no hi or hello. I could tell she was crying. “What’s wrong, Vivienne?”
“Grandma’s gone. She passed a few hours ago and I can’t leave until tomorrow. Can you get there sooner?” I leaned my back against the wall and slid down the cold tile to the floor.
I knew this was coming. She was in her late eighties, which was surprising for a woman who smoked over a pack of cigarettes a day. My sister had been made executor of her estate and knew I was the only person who would be able to help her figure everything out and settle our grandmother’s affairs.
“I am leaving now. Have you started taking care of things?”
Her voice cracked with her response. “Yeah, the money has been moved, everyone has been called; we just need to meet with the bank and the lawyers.”
I breathed out deeply as my chin started to tremble. My eyes burned and I squeezed them tightly shut, trying to hold the tears at bay. “I’ll call you from the airport, okay, sis?”
She seemed to calm a little bit, knowing she was not alone. “See you in the morning, Violet. Thank you – I love you.”
My heart started to sink as I hung up the phone. I sent a text to Alessa, asking her to meet me in the bathroom. A short while later, she burst in frantically to see what could possibly be wrong. Rushing over to me still curled on the floor, her arms wrapped around me tightly.
“What’s wrong? What the hell happened?”
I looked up, mascara now running down my face. “My grandma died. I need to go home now.”
She used her fingers to wipe my cheeks. “Go, I will take care of everything here. The car is still outside; just tell him to come back for me, okay?” I stood up and tried my best to gain composure. “You sure you don’t need me to come with you, Violet?”
“No, no, I will be okay. You know the code to my place and have a key. I will leave the dress and stuff.”
An annoyed expression crossed her face. “V, I am not worried about the dress. I am worried about you. Do what you need to; let me know how I can help.”
I looked to the side, still holding back tears. “Gladstone is going to be so pissed. The initial launch is this week.” I started to chew my thumbnail, deliberating how I could possibly take care of everything, knowing it was impossible.
Alessa placed one hand on my shoulder and used the other to move my chin to face her. “You do not need to be here. You did your part. Now go to your family.” I slumped under her hands; she was right. Pulling me into a tight embrace, she whispered in my ear, “You so could have gotten laid tonight.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her way of lightening the mood. “Damn, maybe next time.”
She left me for a moment to get the car ready, allowing me a few moments to straighten up in case I ran into someone in the hall. Thankfully, I was able to escape unnoticed and return to my apartment to pack. It was for times like this that I always kept a suitcase full of things ready for travel. The chauffeur was nice enough to wait and offered to take me to the airport after seeing me in distress. He called in another car for Alessa, leaving me grateful for the kind gesture. I was able to book a flight leaving in a few hours, getting me into Colorado Springs Airport before dawn. I sent a message to my sister who I hoped was getting a little sleep.
“On my way out now, arrive at 4:30 am. Call me to come get you, love you.”
Chapter 12 - The Long Road Home
I boarded the red eye flight to Colorado Springs, feeling as if a bowling ball was in my stomach. I opened the pill bottle in my purse and cracked one of the small white circles in half. Flying itself did not make me anxious; however, everything else did. A low dose of Valium would be enough to get me through the four-hour flight, and perhaps the weekend of hell I was heading into. I curled into my seat and rested my head against the window, waiting for the medicine to kick in. Once it did, I floated in a void the entire time, except when the flight attendant woke me as we were preparing to land. I imagined it would be the only sleep that would come for the next few days.
The plains were dark as we arrived at the terminal; very few people were around, making it easy to navigate. Dawn was creeping up over the eastern horizon; thankfully, the car rental was a twenty-four hour place, so I did not have to wait for them to open. The roads were free of any snow, so after acquiring a large cup of coffee, I cho
se to indulge in one of my favorite past-times.
I had enough time to cross the city and watch the sunrise from Garden of the Gods Park. Although it was freezing, there was something transcendental about sitting on the crest of the hill, discovering the first slivers of gold breaking through. The sky blossomed in shades of purple, magenta, blues and oranges. Bright rays danced against the large stone outcroppings of rocks that towered all around me.
Vivienne would be arriving in a few hours. Not wanting to get caught in the morning traffic, I plotted my route around the city to check out some old haunts. First, I took a leisurely stroll through Manitou to taste from the natural springs that were scattered throughout the city. Then I went in search of some funky Native American jewelry and before I knew it, the time had flown by rather quickly.
Rushing to get to the airport, I crossed the street to get back to my car without paying attention. The loud sound of a car horn just a few feet from my body fully woke me up. All I could make out against the glare of the sun was the grill of a Jeep that just narrowly avoided hitting me. I probably scared the poor person to death. Unfortunately, mornings are not my friend and my middle finger went up before I could stop it. The driver raced off as soon as I was safely on the sidewalk. If my nerves were not already shot, it may have bothered me more. I decided not to tell Vivienne since I was okay and vowed to pay better attention. Not even three hours back and I was already courting harm.
I made it back to the airport in one piece to pick my sister up. She looked just as bad as I did and was in dire need of sleep, too. We called the hotel and gave them our sob story. They graciously allowed us to do an early check-in since it was the off-season and they had plenty of rooms. Although we agreed to no more than five hours of sleep, twelve had passed before I heard knocking on my door. Vivienne crawled into my bed and shut out the light once again.
A few hours later, we both awoke. She had contacted some of her friends to notify them she would be back in town and wanted to see them. I told no one, as there was no one I wanted to see. I wanted to get this done and get out as soon as possible. She headed for dinner, leaving me alone in the elegant room. It may have been beautiful, but it was claustrophobic. I had nowhere to go until the next afternoon, so I decided to take a drive past my old school, my old home, and old friend’s homes.
I was a ghost revisiting history. Everything looked different, but the same. Earlier in the morning, I had seen how progress spread across the Front Range like a disease. Subdivisions and shopping centers sprawled as far as the eye could see. Magazines consistently ranked it as one of the best places in the country to live, but I disagreed. I saw him everywhere I went. Every memory tainted by the asshole I spent years trying to forget. I needed a drink, or two or three. Before I knew it, neon lights reflected off the frost surrounding the edges of the windshield. Pulling up the club’s website on my phone, I confirmed what I had suspected. Some things never change.
Chapter 13 – A Seed is Planted
The engine of the small rental started to idle a little higher while sitting in the parking lot. The heat cranked up full blast as steam coated the inside of the windows, creating a visible barrier to the freezing world outside. The thermostat read fifteen degrees Fahrenheit; with the wind, it felt much worse – the kind of cold that sinks into your bones and only a hot bath can remedy.
“Some night for a bikini contest,” I thought to myself.
It was a night not unlike this one when I first took to that stage. However, it was humidity causing a fog on the windshield as the cold blasted from the air conditioner back then. It all started with my co-worker, Taylor, from the diner I worked at, telling me in a whisper while stacking heavy ceramic plates full of food on a tray that she made seven hundred dollars the previous Saturday. Waiting tables was good money for an eighteen year old; granted it was hard work and I smelled horrible at the end of each shift, but it was better than a drive thru.
“How did you make that much money?” I was highly curious, and jealous.
She remained quiet the rest of the night until we were starting on our side work. Heading towards a booth in the back of the restaurant, we hauled racks of silverware and packets of napkins to roll for the next morning. Looking around to make sure no one was within earshot, she leaned forward to me and motioned with her eyes for me to pay attention.
“I went to the bikini contest at the Front Street Cabaret and I won, so they offered me a job. I got to keep all the bills that were given to me during the dance and my winnings were five hundred bucks.”
My eyes turned into saucers with my mouth gaping open at the same time. “You’re a stripper now?” I could not believe what came out of my mouth.
A slightly sour look came over her face. “It’s not what you think, Vy, and it’s a really nice place. No poles, there are security guards, and a killer sound system.”
I don’t know who she was trying to convince more about it, me or her. She went back to placing the forks and knives horizontally in the napkin before swiftly rolling it with her palm in one fell swoop.
“It’s so easy. You just dance, which we do every weekend at the clubs anyways. You just get paid a lot for it.”
My nose twisted up as my eyes squinted in thought. “Yeah, but what about the greasy dudes? I don’t think I could do it.”
Shaking my head, I reached over for another pack of napkins. I wasn’t in a hurry to finish like most nights, but I couldn’t believe Taylor and I were having this conversation. I knew a little bit about the place, Connor liked to go there occasionally with his buddies. His friends dated a few of the girls, who all happened to be idiots, in my opinion.
“You should do it, Vy. You are gorgeous, you can move, and I know you would be good at it. Besides, I really like working with you.”
A tinge of sadness crossed her eyes as she looked down at the pile of rolled silver.
“You’re quitting, aren’t you?” I said flatly.
Sucking in a deep breath and giving a pause, she finally brought her eyes back to mine. This time they were full of determination. “I told Gary this was my last shift. I start at the club Wednesday. I only have to work two nights now and I will be able to focus on school.” Summer had just started and here she was already thinking about the fall. “Think about it, Vy.” And just like that, the subject was changed to where we were going out that weekend. It didn’t matter, though. The seed had been planted.
The week had passed without much fanfare; it was actually a lot harder at work without Taylor there. We were swamped as impatient customers waited longer and longer for service. Gary tried his best to help keep everyone calm during the rush, but understanding staff shortages was not their concern. All I could do was keep a smile plastered on my face and haul ass as best as I could. My arms were starting to develop welts from the hot plates I stacked four deep.
Several hours later, I was by myself in the booth wrapping silverware. I had to pick up where Taylor had left us hanging, and it was too much. After counting my tips, I had made two hundred and thirty dollars. Under most circumstances, I would be thrilled, but I busted my ass for over twelve hours for that. It was only ten-thirty pm. My legs ached and I was covered in splattered food. Taylor had sent me a text that read.
“12:30, shower and shave. See you, hot stuff.”
I closed the cover on my phone and let out a deep breath. I reached for the edge of the table, sliding myself out of the booth. After a quick walk through and shutting off the lights, I knocked on the office door. Gary was inside, counting down the till while listening to talk radio. He was obviously frazzled. He waited until he was finished with the stack of bills in his hands before acknowledging me.
“Here’s my bank – it’s all there. I will see you tomorrow.”
Without even looking up, he reached his hand out and motioned for me to hand it to him. Setting it down next to him, he picked up another stack and started sliding the money from one hand quickly to the other. No “thanks”, or “good
job”, not even “okay”. Pausing for a moment, I waited. Finally speaking, all I got from him was, “Need something?”
Pursing my lips tightly together, I shook my head slightly. “No, I’m good.”
I turned and walked towards the back door. The jerk didn’t even make sure I was safe walking to my car. After scoping the parking lot to ensure no one was around, I ran quickly to my spot. Locking the doors, I opened up my phone to the last text. “See ya, doll face,” I replied.
Chapter 14 - Skeletons
I reckoned myself to what could possibly take place tonight if I walked in those doors after all these years. No one would recognize me, and if Frankie Pazaletto still ran the place, I could drink in relative peace. Last time I was here, women were generally prohibited from entering alone, but considering it was Friday night and the website said it was still the monthly bikini contest, I was not too worried.
The large security guard at the entrance gave me a smile as I walked past the door he opened for me. I could hear the bass pounding loudly as soon as my car door opened; now it was rattling my bones. The no smoking policy had a group of men sitting in a special lounge designed for them. Smart – give them what they want, but make it so they don’t wander off too far. As I approached the reception booth, the young girl with teased hair and an orange tan was playing on her smart phone and chewing gum.
She looked up at me briefly. “ID and twenty-five for cover.”
I smiled while reaching into my clutch. “I’m actually here to see Frankie. Is he around?”
Looking annoyed, she grabbed the walkie talkie off to her left. My eyes followed the hot pink acrylic nails that curled around the sides, pressing in the button which made a sharp pitched noise as she yelled, “Frankie, some one’s up front here to see you.”
Static sounded for a few moments before we heard his curt reply. “Who is it? I’m busy, Sam.”
Looking back at me, she waited for my answer. “Tell him it’s Starla.”
