Chapter 3

“So, why are you dancing?” Amber asked as Deanna rubbed Christina’s back, Deanna’s other arm across the back of the couch, across Amber’s shoulders.

“College ain’t cheap,” Deanna said.

“Amber looked pointedly around at their surroundings. The home was a large home among other large, expensive homes. The furniture was of good quality. The television on the wall was a large one. The art on another wall was an original Carrie Hebert. Because of the open floor plan, Amber could see the kitchen, could see the copper pans suspended from hooks in the ceiling.

Deanna then asked, “And you? Why you dancing?”

“Babies ain’t cheap,” Amber smiled, kissing her child’s messy face.

Amber then admitted that Danny had used her credit to obtain credit cards and ruined her credit ratings. Just to pay down the debt, as well as the hospital and other bills she’d incurred because of Danny and because of Christina, Amber had seen few opportunities.

“I mean, working at the brewery? Most of my money was just going to the day care,” Amber admitted. “Anything left over, rent, food, my paycheck was gone before I even seen it.”

“Home? What, Lowenburg?” Deanna asked.

“Told you, told you don’t be running off with that boy, told you,” Amber said, adopting a deep voice. “Look, I’d rather be a whore than bring Christina around that.”

“Are you a whore?” Deanna asked softly, kissing Amber.

“Shit, you ain’t?” Amber asked.

“Venus is. Me? No. I’m a college student,” Deanna smiled.

At five thirty, Deanna made a quick chicken cacciatore. Christina surprised her mommy; she actually ate some of the food.

“Anything is good if you put it on elbow noodles, right?” Deanna smiled, kissing Christina’s forehead.

Amber and Deanna practiced a few more wrestling moves. Then Deanna helped Amber pack Christina’s playpen into the trunk of Amber’s Hyundai. Deanna did wonder how Amber ever found her daughter or her daughter’s car seat among the cluttered interior of the car.

“Yeah, I know, I need to clean it out,” Amber laughed. “Tell me when I got time, huh?”

“What time you go in tomorrow?” Deanna asked.

“Someone has an appointment with Dr. Davendorf,” Amber smiled.

Inside of the silent home, Deanna picked up the sheet and brought it to the garage. She dumped the sheet into the washing machine and dropped a capful of detergent into the rapidly filling drum. In her home again, Deanna felt the empty loneliness descend. Sitting on her couch, Deanna gave the air a sniff. She imagined she could still smell Amber’s sheen of sweat. With a sigh, Deanna worked on her Statistics 410 assignment.

Monday, Deanna asked Amber how Christina’s doctor’s appointment had gone. Amber’s eyes teared up; Christina had been given a shot and had, of course, cried when she was jabbed with the needle.

“Aw yeah, rock my world, here’s Venus,” Daniel announced and Deanna gave Amber’s hand an affectionate squeeze before striding toward the curtain that separated dressing room from stage.

“I, you friends? With that bitch?” Deanna heard Britney snarl at Amber just before Venus stepped onto the lighted stage.

Deanna did not hear Amber’s response. She knew most of the girls at Little Vixens did not like her, and until now, that had not bothered Deanna in the least. A girl that was used to keeping secrets was used to being without friends.

“Fuck, I, I don’t need…” Deanna thought as she whipped around, causing her short skirt to rise up, exposing her cardinal red satin panties to the seven fraternity brothers that crowded around the stage.

“I don’t need…fuck!” Deanna thought as she squatted, legs spread to show the young men the crotch of her panties.

Deanna refused to think of Amber’s soft lips and sweet kiss as she ran her finger along the satin material of her panties. Deanna refused to think of Amber’s sweet breasts, Amber’s silky soft skin under Deanna’s fingertips as Venus gave the seven young men a sassy smile.

Coming off the stage, dressed in thigh high bright red vinyl boots that reached to her crotch, miniscule red thong and red tasseled pasties, Deanna grabbed Amber and gave the startled girl a passionate kiss. Deanna then held Amber tightly.

“I, I don’t need this shit,” Deanna whispered hoarsely into Amber’s ear. “You hear? I, I just do not need this fucking drama.”

“Then what are you doing?” Amber asked, gently raking her fingernails over Deanna’s soft skin.

“Fuck if I know,” Deanna giggled.

“Sasha!” Daniel announced and a tall blonde strode out onto the stage.

“Venus, got one in Champagne three,” Baldy called into the backstage area. “Said leave the boots on, hear?”

“I just do not need…” Deanna said, releasing Amber.

“How ’bout what you want?” Amber asked, squeezing Deanna’s hand.

“What, what’s that got to do with, all right, Baldy, I heard you,” Deanna asked Amber, then called out as Baldy waved to get Deanna’s attention.

Wearily walking out of the nightclub at one thirty in the morning, Deanna and Amber exchanged a few kisses. They made plans to meet at Lefty’s BBQ for lunch; Deanna was off and Amber worked the late shift Tuesday. With one final kiss, Deanna let Amber get into her Hyundai.

The next day, over pulled pork sandwiches, Deanna found out that Amber was paying four hundred a month to rent a room from a gay couple. The baby sitter was likewise renting a room in the house and only charged Amber fifteen dollars an hour.

“Janice feeds Christina, gives her a bath; she’s even teaching Christina Spanish,” Amber enthused. And she usually works the late shift at Clarkston County Hospital, so the hours are just right. But, shit, I, I been running my mouth whole time. Come on, tell me about you.”

“Not much to tell,” Deanna said. “Grew up with four brothers; I’m the only girl, had a bunch of cousins but I’m still the only girl. So, yeah, learned real quick how kick ass.”

Deanna’s eyes filled with tears. Amber looked into Deanna’s eyes and waited.

“I, I wish I could tell you,” Deanna whispered, bottom lip quivering.

“You will,” Amber soothed. “When it’s right, you will.”

After Deanna dabbed the tears from her eyes, Amber suggested they get ice cream from the little shop across the street. Christina had long lost interest in the soggy French fries on her tray so was ready when Mommy and Miss Dee put her into her stroller.

“So, how many girls you kissed before?” Amber quietly asked as they walked slowly along the quiet street, window shopping.

“You, you’re the first,” Deanna admitted. “I, it was just more of the secrets I had to keep. I mean, my brothers and my cousins? I, I didn’t feel any of it. I just, I just didn’t feel any of it. You?”

“You’re the first,” Amber confessed. “But even when I thought I loved Danny, I, it just didn’t feel right. And then when I started dancing? And seeing all them girls? It, something just clicked inside my head.”

A man ran up behind them and grabbed Deanna’s purse. He had not drawn abreast of the trio and Deanna struck out with a savage elbow. The mugger found himself caroming into an aluminum light pole. He had not even had time to suck in a breath and Deanna slammed him face first to the ground. Deanna ten turned and looked, face a bland mask as she faced the companion of the would-be purse snatcher. Deanna stood on her Brother Paul’s left hand, pinning the groaning man to the dirty sidewalk.

“Hi Jimmy. Think you want to try it?” Deanna asked her cousin.

The young man mutely shook his head. Deanna nodded her head and continued walking as if nothing had happened. A moment later, Amber decided this must be part of what Deanna could not, or would not share with her.

“The cookies and cream; it’s the best,” Deanna said as they crossed the street.

“What. Ever. Chocolate fudge brownie,” Amber said as Deanna held open the door for Amber and the stroller.

After cleaning Christina’s chocolate smeared face, the trio returned to Amber’s car. After Amber buckled Christina into her car seat, Deanna pinned Amber against her car. She softly kissed Amber’s willing lips and asked Amber if she’d move into her home. Before Amber could answer, Deanna offered to buy a bed for Christina; the girl would have her own room in Miss Dee’s house.

Wednesday night, Venus paid out two to one. Just before the last bout, the ‘championship’ match, Baldy nervously told Deanna that Little Al Babanetti was in the nightclub to watch the oil wrestling. Little Al owned and operated Cotton Blossoms Gentlemen’s Club. It was an ill-disguised fact that Cotton Blossoms was a whore house. The police looked the other way. The district attorney looked the other way. Once, and only once, a dancer had gone to the police, asking for protection. No one knew where Annette Strohm disappeared to.

“And…?” Deanna asked Baldy.

“I, he, he’s got a thousand on Sasha,” Baldy whispered urgently. “And you know he don’t like to lose.”

“Okay,” Deanna said.

Little Al did not like to lose. He was willing to shrug it off; accidents happen. Both girls were nice and oily; perhaps Sasha had slipped and Venus had taken advantage of Sasha’s mistake. But the satisfied little smirk Venus gave him as she stood and stepped out of the pool let Little Al know, it was not an accident. Her smirk turned to an outright laugh when Little Al scowled at her.

Amber and Deanna climbed into Deanna’s large walk-in shower and slowly, lovingly washed the oil from one another’s bodies. Afterward, Deanna slid open the drawer of her nightstand and produced an eight in dildo. She showed Amber how she liked to masturbate with the fat toy. Deanna squatted over it, lowering herself down until all of the toy was inside of herself, save for the flanged base. Then Deanna bounced up and down on the toy until she stiffened then barked out in orgasm. Amber kissed Deanna, easing Deanna against her mound of pillows. Then Amber leaned over and suckled on Deanna’s hard nipple. Amber gripped the base of the dong and slowly made love to Deanna.

After another orgasm, Deanna and Amber rolled underneath the fluffy comforter. Deanna softly kissed the smaller red head and whispered her love for the girl. Amber smiled and drifted off to sleep, wrapped in Deanna’s embrace. Deanna heard her cell phone chime and quietly got out of bed. She looked at the sleeping red head and gave a soft smile.

“Yeah?” Deanna asked.

“Dee, what, what is this I’m hearing?” D.J, her oldest brother asked.

“Jesus fucking Christ, D.J; quit trying to sound like Al Pacino, you ignorant piece of shit,” Deanna hissed, looking into the bedroom she’d set up for Christina.

Deanna could see the child, the ‘Little Mermaid’ nightlight was fairly bright. The girl was sleeping soundly in her ‘big girl bed.’ Deanna ran a loving hand over the child’s back and left the bedroom.

“Look, you got Little Al pretty upset,” D.J. continued, not heeding Deanna’s earlier statement.

“Well, boo fucking hoo. Tell Little Al to suck it up,” Deanna said.

“I don’t think you understand, Dee,” D.J. said, voice menacing. “You either set this right, or something bad’s going happen, Capeesh?”?”

“I don’t think you need to worry about it. By the way, does Mary Lynn know about Mindy?” Deanna asked.

“Don’t you fucking threaten me, you little fucking bitch,” D.J. exploded, breaking character.

Little Frankie called ten minutes later. Uncle Frankie had suffered two massive heart attacks and several minor strokes. Since then, Little Frankie had taken over Frankie’s importing-exporting business. D.J. was Little Frankie’s right hand man, just as Dean had been Frankie’s right hand man, continuing the family tradition.

“Little Al ain’t happy. And when Little Al ain’t happy, I ain’t happy,” Little Frankie said.

“Your happiness means as much to me as a used tampon does,” Deanna smiled.

“What? What’s wrong?” Amber sleepily asked when Deanna slipped into bed.

“Nothing,” Deanna smiled. “Go to sleep my darling Amber.”

Thursday, Baldy was actually relieved when Deanna called in and said she needed some time off. Little Al Babanetti had not taken the loss of his one thousand dollars very well. She knew the man would not let the matter slide, but if Deanna, Venus was not on the premises, there would be little to no collateral damage when Little Al retaliated against Venus.

“Hey, hey, there’s my favorite niece,” Frankie wheezed and slurred when Deanna sauntered into his bedroom.

“And there’s the piece of shit raped his favorite niece,” Deanna smiled.

Frankie weakly flailed but Deanna had no trouble holding the pillow over his face. Right before she left the man’s bedroom, she saw a rosary sitting on the nightstand. The solid silver rosary had belonged to her father; she remembered seeing it casually draped over the statue of the Virgin Mary in Dean Sopopano’s office. Deanna took the rosary with her when she left her uncle’s bedroom.

“Uncle Frankie passed away in his sleep,” D.J. informed Deanna. “His services will be held at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church Monday.

“I’ve got finals next week,” Deanna said.

“Dee, family is family. Your teachers will understand,” D.J. ordered.

The next phone call came at ten o’clock Monday evening. Deanna stepped into a toilet stall so she could hear over the music.

“Little Frankie’s furious; this, Dee, this was a slap in the face to the family,” D.J. thundered.

“Oh, good. I was afraid it would be too subtle,” Deanna giggled.

“Dee, Dee, I, you don’t know what you’re playing with,” D.J. screamed. “I, can’t, I won’t protect you, you hear?”

“How’s Mindy doing?” Deanna asked.

Deanna smiled when there was no answer. She then sent a text message to Jeannie Childress with the simple word ‘Hi.’

Tuesday morning, Mary Lynn Sopopano was pushing her grocery cart around the Burns & Burns Grocers grocery store. She smiled, softly rubbing her seven month pregnant belly absently as she scanned the shelves, looking for D.J’s favorite St. Elizabeth’s Lager beer. Turning to push the buggy forward, Mary Lynne saw a plain brown envelope sitting on top of her purse.

Mary Lynn screamed when she saw the photograph of her husband and a beautiful Asian woman. D.J’s wedding ring was clearly visible as he thrust his slim erection into the smiling girl’s mouth. There were ten photographs in all, and all showed her husband with Mindy Cohen, his mistress.

Deanna smiled when she received the simple text ‘hi’ from Jeannie’s cell phone. She parked her BMW and went into the Zydeco’s Coffee shop. She gave a friendly wave to the three students she’d arranged to meet with and got in line to order.

“I’m going to fail, I know I’m going to fail, there’s no way,” one of the students wailed when Deanna pulled out the Statistics text book.