immediately picking up responsibilities for Shimmy as she escorted another man upstairs.
It was going to be one of those nights where all of Mama’s girls were irresistible, and all we could do was try to keep up.
They were Mama’s favorite nights.
Chapter 3
It had been perhaps a month after that magical night that everything went wrong.
After our good business — and the success of the girls — there were a ton of new movies and CDs circulating throughout the boarding house. Girls sprang for new colors of nail polish, new street clothes, and treats that we shared among ourselves. One girl’s success meant everyone benefited. It was just the way we operated.
I had slept with five customers in that shift, Mike included.
“There’s no avoiding it, Cocoa,” Mama had muttered to me. “It’s one of those nights and you’re the only girl I trust to take on this volume of customers and still give them a good experience.”
“Thanks, Mama,” I’d said. “I’ll do my best.”
The envelope I sent to Granny had been extra thick with cash.
It was jazz night, a lone pianist playing softly on the stage. Our clientele changed with the musical acts. Jazz and big band nights saw more of our classier customers — ones who were there for the entire experience and would be more likely to pay us more for our company.
“Cocoa, darling, I have a repeat customer here asking especially for you,” Mama said, a smile not quite reaching up to her eyes. “What an impression you must have made on this young man!”
It was the beginning of the shift when we were working to fill all the tables in our sections. The two tables I had were already sipping on drinks, dressed in suits and waiting on the chef’s special to be cooked to order for them.
This man was wearing a stained polo shirt only half tucked into equally unkempt khakis. He was also drunk and swayed on his feet. It was several long seconds before I recognized Mike, the man who’d wanted anal on the magical night at the nightclub when everyone had earned so much money.
“Mike, how wonderful to see you,” I exclaimed, taking his arm. “Let me get you settled into a table so you can enjoy this relaxing music. I’ll bring you water and a basket of our delicious bread.”
I saw Mama’s look of disgust as we walked away. She hated when people came in already drunk, but she didn’t want to discourage business.
“Did you miss me?” Mike slurred, weaving a little bit even though I had a strong grip on him.
“Of course I did!” I said, covering my heart. “You shouldn’t even have to ask that!”
“I just wanted to see what I lost everything for,” he said, plopping into the chair I held out for him. A couple of customers from nearby tables eyed him before going back to their conversations and drinks.
I puzzled over the meaning of his words before hurrying to the bar.
“Just water,” I told Blue before dashing over to the kitchen to fill a tray with bread and dipping oil. I swung back by the bar to pick up the full glass.
“Your Romeo’s looking a little worse for wear tonight,” Blue said. “It’s good that you’re giving him water.”
“I’m trying,” I said, walking back to where Mike was sitting.
I set everything on the table, chatting as I did so. Everything set out, I tucked the tray underneath my arm.
“Do you need anything else, sweetie?” I asked, cocking my head as I asked the question.
Mike slapped the water off the table with the back of his hand, where it broke with a crash on the floor. Conversations at the nearby tables stopped again as customers stared, open-mouthed.
“I want a beer instead of a fucking water,” he said shouted.
I laughed, just as loud. “You’re even clumsier than me!” I exclaimed, bending down to collect the larger pieces of glass to put on my tray. “Of course I’ll bring you a beer
It was going to be one of those nights where all of Mama’s girls were irresistible, and all we could do was try to keep up.
They were Mama’s favorite nights.
Chapter 3
It had been perhaps a month after that magical night that everything went wrong.
After our good business — and the success of the girls — there were a ton of new movies and CDs circulating throughout the boarding house. Girls sprang for new colors of nail polish, new street clothes, and treats that we shared among ourselves. One girl’s success meant everyone benefited. It was just the way we operated.
I had slept with five customers in that shift, Mike included.
“There’s no avoiding it, Cocoa,” Mama had muttered to me. “It’s one of those nights and you’re the only girl I trust to take on this volume of customers and still give them a good experience.”
“Thanks, Mama,” I’d said. “I’ll do my best.”
The envelope I sent to Granny had been extra thick with cash.
It was jazz night, a lone pianist playing softly on the stage. Our clientele changed with the musical acts. Jazz and big band nights saw more of our classier customers — ones who were there for the entire experience and would be more likely to pay us more for our company.
“Cocoa, darling, I have a repeat customer here asking especially for you,” Mama said, a smile not quite reaching up to her eyes. “What an impression you must have made on this young man!”
It was the beginning of the shift when we were working to fill all the tables in our sections. The two tables I had were already sipping on drinks, dressed in suits and waiting on the chef’s special to be cooked to order for them.
This man was wearing a stained polo shirt only half tucked into equally unkempt khakis. He was also drunk and swayed on his feet. It was several long seconds before I recognized Mike, the man who’d wanted anal on the magical night at the nightclub when everyone had earned so much money.
“Mike, how wonderful to see you,” I exclaimed, taking his arm. “Let me get you settled into a table so you can enjoy this relaxing music. I’ll bring you water and a basket of our delicious bread.”
I saw Mama’s look of disgust as we walked away. She hated when people came in already drunk, but she didn’t want to discourage business.
“Did you miss me?” Mike slurred, weaving a little bit even though I had a strong grip on him.
“Of course I did!” I said, covering my heart. “You shouldn’t even have to ask that!”
“I just wanted to see what I lost everything for,” he said, plopping into the chair I held out for him. A couple of customers from nearby tables eyed him before going back to their conversations and drinks.
I puzzled over the meaning of his words before hurrying to the bar.
“Just water,” I told Blue before dashing over to the kitchen to fill a tray with bread and dipping oil. I swung back by the bar to pick up the full glass.
“Your Romeo’s looking a little worse for wear tonight,” Blue said. “It’s good that you’re giving him water.”
“I’m trying,” I said, walking back to where Mike was sitting.
I set everything on the table, chatting as I did so. Everything set out, I tucked the tray underneath my arm.
“Do you need anything else, sweetie?” I asked, cocking my head as I asked the question.
Mike slapped the water off the table with the back of his hand, where it broke with a crash on the floor. Conversations at the nearby tables stopped again as customers stared, open-mouthed.
“I want a beer instead of a fucking water,” he said shouted.
I laughed, just as loud. “You’re even clumsier than me!” I exclaimed, bending down to collect the larger pieces of glass to put on my tray. “Of course I’ll bring you a beer
Similar Books
