Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten


A month seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Rosalie was easy to live with. She didn’t ask questions about where I came from or why I’d been living on the streets. I knew she wanted to know, I could see countless questions burning in her soft brown eyes. I had all the freedoms a girl my age could possibly want. I was allowed to come and go as I pleased, as long as I didn’t bring trouble home with me.
I came and went, but only during the day and never far from home. I was a little worried about running into the man Rosalie called Papa and without her to protect me I wasn’t sure what he would do if we met again.
Kandace was a different story. She was cold and short with me, never saying more than a word or two to me whenever we were in the same room. In a lot of ways she was like Jessica. Never giving me more than an inch and never friendly. She never acted this way in front of Rosalie; I think she knew Rosalie wouldn’t approve of her behavior.
The pair of them kept pretty odd hours. It was a daily surprise each morning when I woke up. It was like playing the lottery. I could either wake up to a breakfast of piping hot scrambled eggs and buttered toast – the scent of which would make my mouth water like garden hose. The alternative to scrambled eggs was a sweet little note propped against the salt shaker. The first time I woke to an empty apartment, I found the note propped against a box of Fruit Loops, my favorite cereal. I picked it up and read it, the scent of Rosalie’s perfume, overly sweet, clung to the thin scrap of paper.
It seemed like they were always coming and going, and the phone, it never stopped ringing. My first day here Rosalie gave me strict rules to never, under any circumstances answer the phone. I admit I was curious, curious about who was calling, and even more curious about how they earned a living; but if that was all she was going ask of me then it was the least I could do for her.
I asked Rosalie about it once, she patted my head like I was an adorable puppy, then flashed me her million dollar smile and sweetly said, “Don’t you worry your gorgeous little head about that.”
So I let it go. I was curious, but figured like all things, I’d figure it out eventually and that satisfied my curiosity. Not to mention I had a good thing going here. I had food in my stomach, clothes on my back and a roof that was made up of more than just a piece of flimsy cardboard, over my head.
Rosalie had even gotten me signed up to take my GED, and was helping me study for it. School had been the furthest thing on my mind when I decided to run away. Apparently, not much of anything had been, but that didn’t matter now. I wanted to finish high school, not finishing was not an option I wanted to consider and now it wouldn’t be. I would finish high school, maybe even go on to college. And it was all because of Rosalie.
I looked up from the book I was studying, glancing out the window at the grey November day. Below, the wind whipped leaves into a frenzy, chasing them down the side walk. I was thankful to be inside, comfortable in a sweatshirt and jeans. My stomach rumbled, causing me to glance at the clock. It was past lunch time. Setting the book down, I moved into the kitchen, building the sandwich of all sandwiches in my head. I’d just completed my masterpiece when a knock sounded at the door.
My stomach dropped like a stone, my hand frozen above the sink. The knock sounded again. My pulse rushed in my ears as I quietly set the knife into the sink. Chewing my lower lip I stepped into the living room. Rosalie had made it understood I was not to answer the phone, but she’d said nothing about the door. Of course, if I couldn’t answer the phone, then answering the door should have been obvious. The knocker tried again, making it apparent they weren’t backing down easily. What if it was something important? What if Rosalie was expecting something and forgot to tell me?
I moved toward the door before I could second guess myself, disengaged the deadbolt and pulled the door open slowly. The chain lock caught and I peered out.
“Hello?”
“Oh, hello.” A man’s voice answered. He looked to be in his middle years, with dark brown hair and blue eyes set in tanned skin. His teeth were too white and his suit pressed. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as his eyes moved over my face through the small opening.
“You must be new. I’ve not seen you before.” His voice was soft, cautious, that of someone speaking to a small and frightened animal. “Kandace around?”
“She’s unavailable at the moment, can I take a message?” My voice sounded strong, controlled, even though the rest of me was shaking under his scrutiny.
“Damn, I was hoping to catch her. I’m a regular. Brice Hayward.” He flashed a smile at me, as if that explained everything. “Are you taking clients? You have amazing eyes.”
My heart stuttered in my chest. It took every ounce of control I had not to slam the door in his face. I didn’t know what the hell he was talking about, but I knew I wanted him gone. I’d seen that raw hunger in the eyes of too many men in my life.
“I’ll tell Kandace you stopped by.” I slammed the door on his objection. The deadbolt slid home with a satisfying click.
I’d done it. I’d talked to a man. Yes, my hands were shaking and I wanted to throw up, but I’d held my own. I hadn’t crumpled. Something inside of me flared to life, glowing warm and bright, a feeling of…could it be pride?
I skipped back into the kitchen, collecting my sandwich. I ate by the window, watching the world pass by below me.

**********


Dusk crept across the sky, slowly claiming the last ounces of color from her breast. I’d been alone all day. I moved, ghost like, through the condo. It was rare for both Rosalie and Kandace to leave me alone all day, and I was beginning to feel lonely.
Loneliness and boredom lead to worry, the nagging feeling gnawing away at my gut. What if something happened to them, how would I know? No one would even think to notify me. I could sit here for days and never know. The police would be barreling down the front door, searching for clues into Rosalie and Kandace's life, and then I’d know for sure.
I stood before the fridge not really seeing the garish magnets or notes taped to it. In my head I saw macabre images, bloodied and broken body parts lying discarded in the gutter. I was so swept up with my grim musings that when the deadbolt clacked open, startling me. I whipped around in time to see Kandace storming through the door like a beautiful tornado.
She flew towards me, her eyes narrowed angrily. “Are you stealing my clients,” she shouted.
I stared stupidly at her. What the hell was she talking about? “Your clients?” I asked.
“Don’t play dumb with me you little…” She shoved her finger in my face, her long acrylic nails like a fancy talon waving before my nose.
“Look, Kandace I don’t know what you’re talking about. A man came by and asked for you, but I said you weren’t here and asked to take a message. I didn’t do anything other than that.”
She eyed me dubiously, expecting me to crack under her scrutiny. I stared back, defiant. I didn’t do anything wrong and I wasn’t going to admit otherwise. I think she saw that, the resilience in my stance, in my eyes and backed off.
“From now on,” she hissed, “Don’t answer the damn door.”
I watched Kandace turn on her heel and stalk off down the hall. Her bedroom door slammed shut, the framed photos on the walls bounced and slammed back then all was silent again.
I went back to the window and sat down, staring out at the street below. Harried people the size of ants rushed to and fro across the sidewalk in the twilight.
I wondered where Rosalie was, when she was coming home. The book I’d been studying earlier was still lying face up on the coffee table. I sank down, picking it up as I fell into the sofa.
The tiny print on the page blurred as I stared at it, my mind wandering. I glanced at the clock, then back down at the page, trying to concentrate. I re-read the same paragraph again for the fourth time then gave up, tossing the book back on the coffee table. It landed with a loud thump as the pages fluttered.
I clicked the television on, searching for something to watch. I stopped on what looked like an interesting movie. Lying down, I tucked a throw pillow under my head and lost myself in the movie wondering when Rosalie would be home.
The soft click of heels and whispered conversation woke me. I sat up, rubbing my eyes. My neck was stiff from sleeping on the couch, and my hand tingled from where it must have hung off the edge. I stood, stretching out most of the kinks. I could hear Rosalie and Kandace in the kitchen. I could just barely make out their conversation but it sounded heated. I crept over to the bar, keeping low.
“No! No. Not while she’s here.” Rosalie whispered fiercely.
“We have to! She’ll be fine, you can speak to her! Besides we don’t have a choice. It’s our job. I’ve already spoken to Mandi and Adelle. They’re good to go tomorrow night. I say we set it up.”
Rosalie and Kandace stared at each for a long moment, eyes flashing.
“Fine. Make the call.” Rosalie sighed, running her fingers through her hair as Kandace danced around her.
“What’s going on?” My voice sounded small, scared.
“Nothing, nina. Come, I need to talk to you.” Rosalie shot Kandace a look, moving toward me. Her arm wrapped around my shoulders as she led me to my bedroom. Her perfume washed over me, calming me.
“Sit, querida.” Rosalie clicked on my light and sat on the end of my bed. She looked tired, worn out even. I gasped in shock when I noticed the puffiness of her lips, the faint bruise at her neck.
“Rosalie?” My heart thumped in my chest as I hopped off the bed. I pointed at her neck, words leaving me. My finger shook as my eyes watered. I love this woman. She took care of me. This couldn’t be happening.
“Be calm, querida. It’s nothing. Armand got a little rough. I’m fine.” She placed her hand on my arm, guiding me back to the bed. Her brown eyes were warm and full of love as she looked at me.
“What’s going on, Rosalie?”
“Ashley, there’s nothing for you to worry about. Kandace and I need to throw a little party. It’s for our clients.” Her eyes were steady on mine as she brushed the hair from my face. There was something hidden in those chocolate depths.
“Your clients?” Confused, I lifted my hand to my head. I felt as if the world was spinning. Pieces were beginning to click together, though I didn’t want to believe them. The phone calls, the odd hours.
“Ashley, Kandace and I …We’re call escorts. And every so often we host a client mixer. It’s a way to bring in new clients and make our regulars feel important. You're too young to be exposed to this life. I want you to stay in your room. Can you do that for me?"
“I’m not a child, Rosalie. I think I’m old enough o go to a party!”
“That’s not it at all. These people, these men, they’re no good, querida.”
She took my hand, but I yanked it away, rising from the bed to pace. I shook my head, balling my fists as I turned back to her.
“If they’re so bad why are you with them?” I accused. I flinched as pain bloomed in her eyes. It made me realize I didn’t know as much about her as I wanted to believe.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you, hermana. Believe me, if I could change it, I would. But this is my life. And I have to make the best of it.” She rose, moving toward the door. “Do this for me, el amor.”
I watched her leave, anger and guilt warring in my heart. Who was she to tell me what I could and couldn’t do? Who was I to cut her so deeply? Groaning I threw myself onto the bed, burying my face into a pillow I let out a muffled scream. Feeling slightly better, I rested my head on my arms and stared at the clock on the wall. I would do as she asked, if only because she was my savior and deserved that much.
The seconds ticked away, and sleep crept in. Soft conversation lulled me, and I blinked into unconsciousness.