I got into the bus as I always do, picked a corner seat at the back and cried.
Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw when I got home.
A moving company loading our furniture, not just furniture I realized as I saw my stuff being taken into the truck.
I saw my sister crying silently sitting on the patio and went to her.
"What's going on Emma?"
I asked sitting next to her.
"She's selling the house." My little sister said between broken sobs.
"What?" I exclaimed angry and confused.
I got up and went into the house looking for my stepmother.
I found her putting down the house telephone after finishing a phone call.
"What do you think you're doing? He and mom built this house together and you think you can just sell it? You took everything away from us you can't sell this house." The words kept coming out of my mouth fueled by anger.
The calm demeanor she maintained only infuriated me further.
"Your mother and father built this house you say, tell me something Anne." She started to stroke my hair and I roughly shoved her hand away.
"Where was your mother when he landed himself in gambling debts to the extent where he went bankrupt? Oh that's right six feet under. But I'm here and I'm in charge. So talk to me with respect or better still don't talk at all."
She placed some papers on the desk and I read them hastily through blurry eyes. The proof in my father's signature was in front me but I couldn't believe it. I refused to.
"You're lying. He wouldn't do that. You did something. These are fake."
She put another paper on the table the name Blue Silver was written boldly on the top.
"What is this?"
"That is for you. I got you a job. You didn't think you'd get out of this scot free did you?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Starting this night you'll be working in a gentle men's club as a stripper. Don't worry it won't affect your education unless you let it."
"You're crazy if you think I'll ever sleep with men for money."
"Having sex with them is your choice."
"You really think I'm going to do it."
"Have you ever heard of human trafficking, Anna? Do you know the hefty price they'll pay for a thirteen year old?" She asked referring to Emmy.
"You wouldn't." I could barely hear myself.
"They'll pay more than enough to clear your father's debt without me having to sell your dear mother's house. And yes, I would."
I couldn't help the tears that fell down my face as I signed where she told me to.
That night I arrived at Blue Silver wearing so much makeup I couldn't recognize myself after explaining to my sister that I was going to be doing night shifts at a nearby place. No need for her to know the gruesome details.
I entered through the servants entrance and even through my hate I couldn't help but admire the club, it was... exquisite.
It was fitted with exclusive Jacuzzis and pools, twelve individually themed nightclub rooms for people with.... different tastes.
Six VIP Luxury rooms. Three super Restaurants seating 410 and a midnight cafe. A Sports Central Game room with over 102 TVs with various world sporting events and over 198 Gaming devices for customer entertainment. About eighteen rooms for entertainment, which were all no doubt sophisticated. Exterior beach pool with mountains and waterfalls for conducting summer parties.
A parking lot for fifty five thousand people including six helicopter landing pads to accommodate high-profile business executive travellers and the high class members. And a different area for executive members.
I opened the first door I saw and was engulfed into a cacophony of barked orders sometimes in French and people in white aprons nearly tripping over themselves in the massive area. The sizzling sounds were nearly drowned out by the sound of dough being manually kneaded. Someone was operating and an electrical blender and I saw a blob of pizza dough being tossed in the air. The smell that wafted out of the ovens was divine and I'm sure I would have lost myself if the person I assumed to be the cook didn't suddenly pin me down with a glare.
"You the replacement? Wash, wear apron the things useful or I knife you."
The person who I assume to be the head chef spoke the english with a heavy accent pointing a rather scary looking steak knife at my direction.
Looking down at my large over coat I started to panic as I wondered what to say.
I didn't come to cook I came to take my clothes off?
"She's with me Mr Lavingne. You raise your voice far too much for a handsome man."
A pretty woman who looked to be thirty or so said on my behalf making the fifty something year old man involuntarily blush.
"She no cook, she go out."
Mr. Lavinge man insisted.
"As his majesty wishes."
My guardian angel said good naturedly and lead me away from the kitchen.
As we left I silently wished I had come here to work as a cook not a stripper.
After she closed the door when we entered what seemed to be the powder room /back stage she addressed me for the first time.
"You must be the new girl they sent. I'm Garcia and I`m a prostitute."
Great my guardian angel was a prostitute.
3 weeks later.
I strain my eyes and try to read my horrible handwriting in the dim light, hating myself for not writing well.
"You keep that up Cathy and you'll get blind before my hip bones stop working." I look up at Garcia who was already looking down at me and my pathetic organic chemistry note.
"Gar, I need to study, I'm having tests and exams and I have no idea what they've been teaching and my head feels blocked." My voices choked at the end I hate how weak I sound.
"Attempting to blind yourself in the dark isn't going to help, come on now, keep those books or get a day off." Garcia scolded but I can tell she was being caring.