Chapter Twelve
The next week seemed to fly by. Rosalie and Kandace had gotten into a massive argument over me. I’d feared it would come to blows. Harsh words had been shared on both sides, and still they weren’t speaking.
Kandace had delved into her role as teacher, and I quickly found myself enrolled in escort 101. I was caught in a whirlwind of information about the life I was choosing.
As Saturday neared, Rosalie broke down and took me to her doctor.
“Since you’re so set on this, I want you to at least be safe. It’s not all parties and conversation, Ashley. Sometimes its kissing and sex.” Her eyes burned into mine, her hands tight on the steering wheel of her trim little Civic.
“You need to understand, we pose as our clients girlfriend. Some have high expectations.”
I winced, my eyes drawn to the dark bruise on her shoulder. Yet another gift from Armand. I knew she had other clients, but Armand was her regular.
“Kandace told me all that.” I sighed, sounding whiney and petulant, even to myself. Granted, she’d made it all sound a lot more glamorous than Rosalie’s reality.
“Did she? Did she take into consideration what happened to you? The molestation, the rape. Damn it querida! I don’t think you’re ready for this. I want more for you than this.”
I gaped at her, tears sliding down my cheeks, my chest heaving with emotion. I felt as if my chest had been ripped open, leaving me bare and raw for all to see.
“Ashley,” Rosalie’s voice hitched as she parked the car. “I love you, I feel as if you’re my little sister. I want to protect you. This life, it seems glamorous, but…” She shook her head, her chocolate eyes watery on mine.
“I want to be something more than a lost, broken little doll. I want to contribute to the house. I’m done hiding. I need to live, Rosalie.” My voice was soft, determined. I felt resolve stiffening my spine.
Rosalie closed her eyes, murmuring in Spanish. I stared at her for a moment before I realized she was praying. A weird cold feeling lined my stomach as I watched her. She nodded once, reaching out to caress my cheek.
“Let’s go get you checked out.”
Doctor Choy was a Korean woman in her thirties, with short black hair and eyes to match. Rosalie and I were escorted to a room in the back and told Doctor Choy would be with us shortly.
As far as doctor appointments went, Doctor Choy was by far the most efficient with her time. She quickly gave me a physical, deemed me in perfect health and gave me enough reading material on STD’s to make anyone rethink having sex. She prescribed me birth control, and handed me a bag of condoms.
“Did you and Kandace have to do that too?” I asked, tucking Doctor Choy’s business card into my back pocket. I threw the condoms and pamphlets into the back seat and slid in. Kandace had promised to take me shopping, and I couldn’t help but be excited. The truth was I needed new clothes. I still had six years until I could touch my inheritance, so I had to depend on others. And Kandace had style with a capitol S.
“Are you hungry?” We could stop somewhere and grab a bite.” Rosalie’s voice trailed off as her phone rang. Her eyes darkened as she read the caller ID. Though she tried, she couldn’t hide the tightening of her throat.
“Rosalie?” Just the fact that she looked scared had my skin crawling. Rosalie was strong, independent, beautiful, everything I wanted to be. It was sometimes easy to forget she was human too.
“Everything’s fine Niña. It’s just Armand. I told him I felt we needed to take a short break and he’s not taking it too well.”
I watched as she absently ran her fingers over her bruised neck. Silence reigned as Rosalie steered the car toward the apartment, food forgotten. I didn’t object. How long would she allow this to go on? Armand was one of her bigger clients, and she’d been with him for years. But he wasn’t her only client, and his ‘needs’ were starting to affect her other jobs.
We’d barely stepped into the apartment when Rosalie murmured something about a headache and rushed off toward her room. Though she tried to hide it, I saw her lift her phone to her ear as she disappeared down the hall.
I stood there for a moment, then moved into the kitchen to answer the urgent call of my stomach. I was halfway through my sandwich, absently flipping through a magazine when Kandace breezed in.
Her smile was radiant as she spun in a little circle. Diamonds glittered at her ears and neck. My mouth dropped at the size of the rock on her finger. I nearly choked on my bite as I scurried off the bar stool.
“Oh my God!! Are those real?” yanking up her hand I took a closer look at the rock on her finger.
“You better believe it.” Kandace tucked her hair behind her ear, causing the studs to fire in the light.
“Holy shit! Who are they from? Charles?”
Kandace snorted, sashaying into the kitchen. “Charles can barely afford me, let alone rocks like these.”
“Who then?” I watched in muted jealousy as she retrieved a diet Snapple from the fridge. Kandace had such a power over men, so much so that they would give her anything she asked. I couldn’t help but be envious. She was confident enough in herself to flaunt what she had.
“If you must know, they’re from Benjamin.”
“But, you just met him!”
“And I’ve already charmed him with my scintillating intellect.” She beamed at me, taking a delicate sip of her Snapple. I snorted and shook my head, moving back over to the bar.
“Yeah, your intellect, I’m sure that’s what charmed him. Ugh, I’m so jealous.” I picked up my sandwich and bit out a huge chunk. Dainty, that was me.
“I know. Sometimes you just get lucky.”
I sneered at her and she stuck her tongue out at me, stealing a chip from my plate.
“And sometimes you get a sledge hammer to the face. Don’t be a bitch, Kandace.”
I glanced over my shoulder to see Rosalie step into the room, a smile on her face. She looked tired, worn out. Kandace and I both knew it was a front, but neither one of us wanted to say anything.
“Well, that was a lovely image, wasn’t it? Are you ready?” Kandace turned her blue eyes to me. “Time to shop!”
I called a hurried goodbye out to Rosalie and Kandace yanked me out the door.
The next few hours of my life were a blur of jeans and sweaters, dresses and tops. Jewelry and perfume shortly followed and before I knew it I was loaded down with bags, and grinning like a fool.
“Now, this will only last for about the next month, so we’ll have to plan another little foray. But I think you have enough now to get you started.” Kandace examined her perfectly manicured nails as I opened the door to the apartment.
“I can’t thank you enough, Kandace.” I dropped the bags behind the couch, staring at her in admiration. I felt like little orphan Annie, just picked up by Daddy Warbucks.
“It’s nothing, we all started somewhere.” She grinned, and then moved past me toward her room. “I’ve got to get ready for tonight; Ben’s taking me to the theater.”
I watched her walk away, then lifted my bags and carried them to my room. I stayed in my room for a while, trying on my clothes and listening to music. Hours passed and my stomach rumbling drew me from my room. The apartment was quiet, but I could see a light shining from Rosalie’s bedroom. I was worried about her, she’d been in her room most of the night, I decided to forget about my stomach for the moment and check on her.
“Rosalie?” I asked, stepping into Rosalie’s room. I loved her room. The warm homey colors and soft fluffy pillows made it so inviting. I’d been in there before, yet somehow I’d never noticed the small bench in the corner.
The bench was draped in a deep purple fabric; a cluster of votive candles held one corner, their flames casting dancing shadows against the wall. Opposite the candles was a simple framed image of the Virgin Mary; above the bench hung a simple wooden cross.
“What are you doing?”
“Praying, Niña.” Her voice was soft, reinvent, her eyes closed, lips moving silently.
“I didn’t know… I wasn’t aware that you…” Hesitantly I stepped farther into the room, sitting at the foot of her bed, watching her. She was dressed in an emerald green night gown, her hair left loose to fall down her back. The orange was growing out, and her natural deep brown was coming back.
Rosalie chuckled softly, finishing her prayer. “Si, Querida.”
“But, you never go to church!” My tone was sharper than I’d meant, colored by the sting of betrayal.
“You think a church would have me, Niña? Most only see me as a lowly whore, if they even look upon me. Besides, God knows my love for Him. Be it in a church or these four walls, He hears my words.”
“I thought all Spanish people were Catholics.” Boy did I sound dumb. Dumb, spoiled and insolent.
“Most are. I was raised Catholic until I was a teenager. I still hold to some of their traditions, hence the candles and image of Mary. But I know I can speak to God directly, and not have to leave messages with His Mother.” Her laugh was warm, a balm to my wounded soul. She sat beside me, silent for a moment.
“Does it bother you, Niña? My love for God?”
How could I respond? How could I say yes? That all he’d ever brought me was pain and torment? That no matter how hard I’d prayed, they were in fact just empty words.
“I don’t believe in God.”
“Ah, Niña, you are young yet. Me, I am not so young anymore. Now is my time to plan for my future.”
“Doesn’t God say something against our profession? Something about going to Hell?”
“Si, but I will not be in this profession forever, and I like knowing where I’m going when I’m done.” Rosalie reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. Her chocolate eyes were warm on mine.
“Life is short, Querida, shorter than any may know. Be careful not to stray too long. You never know when your time is up.”
I shivered, despite myself. “Have you always done this?” I whispered, looking down at my hands.
“No, I wanted a family once; A little house with a white fence, maybe a dog. I was in college when we met. Arturo.” Her voice trailed off as her eyes clouded over, lost in memories.
“What happened?”
“We got engaged. I knew he was the one for me, from the moment we met. We wasted no time. It was late summer, June, and we were coming back from the theater. Two stupid kids in love. It was a warm night, and Arturo suggested we walk a bit.” She pressed her eyes closed, twin tears sliding down her cheeks. I wanted to tell her to stop, that there was no need for her pain. I stayed silent.
“He didn’t stand a chance. There were six of them. They…they took me. He gave them money, his credit cards, my purse, everything we had. But it wasn’t enough. The killed him. They killed him while they violated me. He was still gasping when I came to. I could barely move, but somehow I crawled to him. I held his hand while he died. I could hear the sirens.”
I sat in shocked silence. I knew exactly how she felt. Knew what it was to watch someone you loved die and being powerless to stop it.
“But that was long ago.” Rosalie dashed her tears away, rising and moving to the window. She wrapped her arms around herself, watching the night.
“Why did you choose this life? Why not move on, find someone else?”
“Is it so easy, Ashley?” Her voice would have broken even the hardest of hearts. I said nothing, simply stood.
“What about Kandace? Does she believe?” Am I living in a house of lies?
“Kandace is Kandace. I don’t know what she believes; all I know is that I pray for her, as I pray for you.”
I wanted to tell her not to bother, that nothing would change. Again, I didn’t say a word.
“Does she want out too?”
“She thinks she does. She fancies herself a trophy wife. But she could never be happy with just one man. I think we’ve shared enough for tonight, Niña. I’m tired.”
“Goodnight,” I stopped when I reached the door, looking back. Rosalie was once more on her knees, hands together, eyes closed, lips moving. Something shifted inside of me, what I couldn’t say. I pulled the door closed, not wanting to disturb her anymore.
