Private Dancer (24 page)

        
*  

        
Reece paced her whole apartment. It was Saturday. Tonight Faith would be dancing in that shit-awful place, and she wouldn't be there to protect her. It was churning her stomach. She looked at her watch again. Still eight hours until show time. This was going to be the longest day in her life. She started to pace again. How was she going to stop her? "I can't stop her," she said out loud. "What am I going to do? Forbid her again? People don't own people. Period. Stop acting like you own her, idiot."

        
It was so hard. She was conditioned in only one way for so long, it was the only way she knew how to act. Even if she herself knew it was wrong, things just flew out of her mouth and she couldn't stop them. She tried to learn respect, having tasted it so briefly with Frankie. She can't demand and expect; she has to explain and accept. That's what she has to keep remembering. She gathered her things, and had an incredible idea when she opened her coat closet. "Hmmm, I wonder if it will work?" She shook the idea away. Spying will never work. It's not like she would blend so easily. "Fuck." She set off to go to her club. Maybe she'd get so caught up in work, she'd forget all about it. "Ha!" It was a thought anyway.

        
*  

        
By 7 PM, Cori was getting anxiety attacks watching her friend walk back and forth in the living room. She had given up trying to comfort her nerves a long time ago.

        
"You wanna go over the rules again?"

        
"Sure, Cor, anything."

        
"Okay, Rule #1: Find a target. The shy ones are the safest bet."

        
"Because they won't maul me."

        
"Yeah, something like that. Faith, if you think of it that way..."

        
"Sorry, I'm nervous."

        
"#2: Cleavage. Make sure you tease them with as much covered tit as possible. Anticipation is key. They'll be throwing the money at you just to take it off."

        
"You'll be there right?" she pleaded.

        
"Of course. Rule #3: Let them do all the work. Let the customers take off your clothes. They'll feel obligated to tip you."

        
"Okay, I know rule #4: Look like you just had sex. Give them eye contact, pretend you want them."

        
"Yep! And rule #5: Be blank.
Never
get flustered over a customer. And never let them know if you do."

        
"Thanks, Cor. I know I'm being silly about this whole thing. It's just a titty club."

        
"Aw, you're not being silly. I threw up for an hour before my first show."

        
"Yeah well, if I did that, there would be some freak chain reaction in the locker room." She shuddered at the thought.

        
"That wouldn't be good. So, what do you want to do ‘til work?"

        
"I feel like I could run a marathon," Faith muttered, pacing around the room.

        
"Too cold…next."

        
"I actually think I'm hungry?"

        
"Ooo, big surprise. I bet you'll be eating while giving birth."

        
"Great image, Cor." She backhanded her friend in the stomach.

        
"Let's go eat. Grab your clothes; we'll separate from there. I promise I'll be there when you perform."

        
After eating and dropping Faith off at The Playhouse, Cori went to The Lounge, stopping to chat with Sam.

        
"Problem, Sarge."

        
"What kind? Need my help?"

        
"In a way. I have to get to The Playhouse at exactly 12:30.
Help
!"

        
"Oh! She's going through with it?"

        
"Yeah, I promised to be there. I
have
to be there. What am I going to do?"

        
"I can't believe I'm doing this, but I'll distract Reece. I'll think of something."

        
She threw her arms around Sam's neck and kissed her right on the mouth. "Thank you! I love you, Sarge. I owe you big time."

        
"Heh heh...how can I refuse?"

        
*  

        
Reece was almost effective at distracting herself. Every so often she would be reminded of the hour as her watch pinged.
11:00. Now what?
She contemplated what to eat for dinner, thinking Faith would be a delicious meal. Lost in that thought for a while, the next time she checked her watch, a half hour had passed. She stood and shook her head at herself. Figuring it would be a good idea to get out for a bit and get something, she grabbed her coat and split. Cori saw Reece and Sarge exchange words from her side stage waiting point. Sarge found Cori and made eating gestures at her after Reece had gone. "Yes!"
This was perfect!
She hoped the boss would be gone at least an hour.

        
After finishing her act, Cori ran like a woman on fire to the dressing room, threw her clothes on, and bolted out the door, saluting Sam on the way out. She found Faith nervously waiting to go on. There were already a couple girls on various parts of the catwalk.

        
"Hey, honey! Look, with the others up there, it won't be as bad, huh?" she mentioned encouragingly.

        
"I guess. Thanks for being here. How'd you get out?"

        
"Reece went out to eat! Believe it?"

        
"Lucky you," Faith chuckled nervously.

        
"AND NOW…STRAIGHT FROM THE LOUNGE…THE LOVELY...THE JUICY...PEACHES!"

        
Faith turned green.

        
"Oh God, Cori..."

        
Cori pushed her friend out on the catwalk and prayed for the best. She hooted and hollered for all she was worth. Faith was very awkward at first, but being as attractive as she was, the men didn't seem to mind. She loosened up a bit with Cori's encouragement and did very well. She made a pretty penny, too.

        
"You go, girl!" Cori helped Faith off the stage and covered her with her coat. No sense in letting them see it for free.

        
"Woo! I did it Cori!" she laughed.

        
"Come on, woman, let's count your blessings. Then I have to jet." They laughed all the way to the dressing room.

        
*  

        
After eating a dinner of two devil dogs and coffee, Reece was turning the corner to her club when an annoying flyer person thrust a piece of paper at her. She was going to wad it up and stuff it in his mouth when she noticed what it said. It was a picture of Faith, under the words..."Come to The Playhouse 12:30, and 2:00 and see how ripe my peaches are."

        
Reece nearly had a stroke right there. Unfortunately the innocent man suffered her wrath and was digging paper out of very odd places for days after. She stormed into her club, directly to the dressing room. Flinging open the door she shouted, "Cori!" Sam fell in behind her, wondering what happened, and just a little worried for Cori. "Boss, she went to get something to eat. What's up?"

        
"This!" She threw a wadded up piece of paper at the bouncer. Sam opened it up and winced. When she looked up, Reece was gone, and the slam was inevitable.

        
Cori ran into the club a few moments later and saw the exchange.
Oh shit!

        
"Sarge? What happened?"

        
"Seems the boss doesn't appreciate this."

        
Cori's face turned sour. "Oh, Faith doesn't even know about this. How'd they get her picture?"

        
"They have a camera in the locker room. Keeps the girls on their toes. Musta took a still shot."

        
"Oh Jesus, Sarge! Reece is going to go in there and destroy the place!"

        
"You gonna stand in front of her?"

        
"No fucking way!"

        
"Then, let her do what she wants, Cori. It's not like they don't have it coming."

        
"This isn't good. I have to stop her." Cori chewed on her lower lip, her mind spinning with plans.

        
"Cori, you are a very lovely woman," Sam told her gravely. "I'd hate to have to weep by your grave."

        
"Yeah, right…" She went towards Reece's office and the door opened.

        
"Hey, boss! Wait up. Listen, don't do anything that you'll regret!"

        
The woman merely snarled.

        
"Please! Think of the implications."

        
Reece just kept walking.

        
"Think about this! For Faith's sake!"

        
Reece turned around and started toward Cori, who had possibly lost control of her mouth.

        
"Look, calm down." The dancer held her hands up defensively. "Do you really want to go back to jail?"

        
"What does it matter to you?" Reece growled.

        
"It matters
a lot
, Reece! Listen to me, you're not thinking clearly. I swear! This is the right thing!"

        
The club owner closed her eyes and took a few heaving breaths. "What do you suppose I do then?" she sneered.

        
"You want to go there? You'll ruin Faith's big night. If you embarrass her, Reece...." She tentatively touched the high-strung woman. Very angry blue eyes popped open.

        
"But Cori, I
want
to kill that
jerk off
! Not hurt Faith. I promise." She bit out the last words grudgingly.

        
"Okay. I do too, but it's not going to help any. Look, you're so angry you're shaking. Let's just go into the office and calm down. Okay?"

        
"She can't do this. She just can't.
They
can't do this to her..."

        
"She can do what she wants. Unless she is convinced that she shouldn't, she will. Talk to her like a person, tell her how you feel."