can’t find a way out. Her eyes are wide with shock and curiosity, her hands pawing at the ends of her sleeves as she worries the fabric incessantly. She’s young, probably fifteen or so, and absolutely gorgeous. Her skin is ebony in color and pure perfection, smooth as silk. Her hair is pinned expertly on top of her head with not a strand out of place, and her dress – though nothing but a cheap, thin cotton – is well maintained and perfectly pressed. I glance at Clara and a couple of the other girls where they stand slouching, snapping gum in their mouths like cows in the fields slathering over a chunk of cud, and I think in comparison this kid looks elegant as Cleopatra.
“What’s your name?” I call to her, coming down off the stage.
She meets my eyes without an ounce of fear or hesitation, a level of self-assurance that startles me. I get down to floor level with her, and in better light I’m struck by how familiar she looks. Maybe she’s a regular performer somewhere else that Tommy has sweet talked away.
“Elisha,” she answers quietly, though not timidly.
“Can you dance?”
“Would I give you a chorus girl who couldn’t dance?” Tommy demands.
“Yes, you would and you have.”
“Who?”
“Bethany, for one.”
“Hey!” Bethany shouts from the stage.
“She still works here?” Tommy mutters, looking her up and down with sudden interest.
“They don’t stop working here just because you stop working them.”
He returns his eyes to me, grinning. “This girl can dance, I promise. Train her up, get her in the show.”
“As what and when?”
“I told you, as a chorus girl, and immediately.”
“The chorus line is full. You want me to use her as an understudy?”
“Only if you don’t want her to get paid, and then I’d wonder why we’re doin’ any of this.”
I frown. “What are you talking about?”
“She’s Eddie’s daughter.”
“She’s what?!” I take his arm and walk away from the girl with him, out of earshot. “You can’t put Eddie’s daughter in one of these outfits to dance in front of this crowd,” I hiss. “Are you crazy?”
“You asked me to take care of that family. That’s what I’m doin’.”
“I thought you’d give them some money. Help them get by until Eddie is better and able to work again.”
Tommy shakes his head, lighting a cigarette that he pulls from behind his ear. “This ain’t a charity, Adrian. I’m not givin’ away anything for free, you got that? This is the solution. Take it or leave it.”
I hate it, but I have to take it. Eddie can’t work right now, his wife has to take care of their kids, and when I consider her other options for working in the club, being in the chorus isn’t that bad. She’ll get pawed at less up on stage than she would working the floor as a waitress or cigarette girl. Or in the kitchen. God help us if a pretty girl like her was working in the kitchen or anywhere else in this building with dark corners and lockable doors. Backstage is always swarming with people. She’s safer out front in the spotlight.
I sigh heavily. “How long?”
“Doc says he’ll be right as rain in a few weeks.”
“Fine,” I mutter. I turn toward the stage. “Clara! Christmas just came early after all! Clear out. You’re on vacation for the next month.”
“What?!” she screeches.
“You heard her,” Tommy tells her firmly, standing directly behind me. The smoke from his cigarette is blowing over my head and cascading in front of me like a waterfall. “Scram!”
I step away from him when he shouts, the sound like an ice pick in my temple.
“Come on,” I tell Elisha warily. “Come over here and sit down.”
“Don’t thank me or nothin’,” Tommy scolds.
I turn to him and give a theatrical curtsy, intentionally bowing forward to give him a good look down my sweater. Breasts – they can pacify the tiniest of babies and the biggest of men. “Thank you so much, Mr. Giordano. You’ve been a
“What’s your name?” I call to her, coming down off the stage.
She meets my eyes without an ounce of fear or hesitation, a level of self-assurance that startles me. I get down to floor level with her, and in better light I’m struck by how familiar she looks. Maybe she’s a regular performer somewhere else that Tommy has sweet talked away.
“Elisha,” she answers quietly, though not timidly.
“Can you dance?”
“Would I give you a chorus girl who couldn’t dance?” Tommy demands.
“Yes, you would and you have.”
“Who?”
“Bethany, for one.”
“Hey!” Bethany shouts from the stage.
“She still works here?” Tommy mutters, looking her up and down with sudden interest.
“They don’t stop working here just because you stop working them.”
He returns his eyes to me, grinning. “This girl can dance, I promise. Train her up, get her in the show.”
“As what and when?”
“I told you, as a chorus girl, and immediately.”
“The chorus line is full. You want me to use her as an understudy?”
“Only if you don’t want her to get paid, and then I’d wonder why we’re doin’ any of this.”
I frown. “What are you talking about?”
“She’s Eddie’s daughter.”
“She’s what?!” I take his arm and walk away from the girl with him, out of earshot. “You can’t put Eddie’s daughter in one of these outfits to dance in front of this crowd,” I hiss. “Are you crazy?”
“You asked me to take care of that family. That’s what I’m doin’.”
“I thought you’d give them some money. Help them get by until Eddie is better and able to work again.”
Tommy shakes his head, lighting a cigarette that he pulls from behind his ear. “This ain’t a charity, Adrian. I’m not givin’ away anything for free, you got that? This is the solution. Take it or leave it.”
I hate it, but I have to take it. Eddie can’t work right now, his wife has to take care of their kids, and when I consider her other options for working in the club, being in the chorus isn’t that bad. She’ll get pawed at less up on stage than she would working the floor as a waitress or cigarette girl. Or in the kitchen. God help us if a pretty girl like her was working in the kitchen or anywhere else in this building with dark corners and lockable doors. Backstage is always swarming with people. She’s safer out front in the spotlight.
I sigh heavily. “How long?”
“Doc says he’ll be right as rain in a few weeks.”
“Fine,” I mutter. I turn toward the stage. “Clara! Christmas just came early after all! Clear out. You’re on vacation for the next month.”
“What?!” she screeches.
“You heard her,” Tommy tells her firmly, standing directly behind me. The smoke from his cigarette is blowing over my head and cascading in front of me like a waterfall. “Scram!”
I step away from him when he shouts, the sound like an ice pick in my temple.
“Come on,” I tell Elisha warily. “Come over here and sit down.”
“Don’t thank me or nothin’,” Tommy scolds.
I turn to him and give a theatrical curtsy, intentionally bowing forward to give him a good look down my sweater. Breasts – they can pacify the tiniest of babies and the biggest of men. “Thank you so much, Mr. Giordano. You’ve been a
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