Jimmy Lawrence occupied nearly every one of Zelda's thoughts, whether he was with her or whether he wasn't. It didn't particularly matter what time of day it was or who she was with; something would always remind her of something he said, or the overcast sky would remind her of his eyes. Her thoughts would be occupied by him, and every time someone at the nightclub spoke his name, her heart would flutter in sheer delight. Customers were notorious for having favorite dancers, and one had to be blind not to see that Jimmy was partial to Zelda.
"I would be careful," one of Zelda's fellow taxi dancer's, Velma, said to her friend one night. "Orval doesn't know about this little fling between you and Jimmy Lawrence, but he's going to come in sooner or later. I know how he likes to snag your free drinks at the bar, and it doesn't help that Jay's his buddy."
"There's no fling between me and Jimmy," Zelda said surely. The idea itself was nothing short of preposterous, and yet, Zelda would be a fool not to acknowledge the warm sensation currently taking over her body. "We're just dance partners."
"Says your mouth," Velma said with a smirk. She took a long drag of her cigarette before continuing. "But your eyes say otherwise, kid. I'd be careful if I were you."
The next evening, once Zelda had gotten off work, she drove home in Orval's second (and very much broken down) car. There were times when it took her two hours to get home despite the fact that her home was fifteen minutes away. There were times when Zelda considered walking to save herself the hassle of waiting for the car to decide when to start and when to stop, but St. Paul wasn't exactly the best neighborhood to be walking home from at three o'clock in the morning.
However, that evening, the car got her from the club to her house in a half an hour, which was a record in her experience, and she walked in the house with a smile Jimmy had given her still etched out on her face. Orval glanced up from the newspaper he was reading, and his eyes narrowed at the form her lips were taking. It wasn't as though Zelda was an unhappy person, but she hadn't been this smiley since... Well, the only time Zelda was smiley was when she was dancing. And following that logic, since she had just gotten home from work, it was no wonder that she was smiling. But this time... there was something different about her eyes. They were more... sparkly than normal.
Which meant that what she was happy about not only the dancing but something visual – something pleasing to her eyes. And then he knew. How could he not have known for this long? There was a man she was interested in, a man she danced with. No wonder she was happier than normal.
"Who is he?" Orval demanded, standing up. His broad shoulders hunched over and he looked at his wife with the same narrowed gaze.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Zelda replied.
But it was those eyes. It was those eyes that caused him to get so upset, to yell at her, accuse her of things he really didn't know one way or the other if it was true or not. He didn't care. There was no reason why she should be so happy when he was so... unhappy. Orval had always been an angry person, but temporarily, Zelda's presence had calmed him down. She had a sunny disposition that was contagious. But even Orval, now, wouldn't deny that he was jealous that one woman could be happy when the world was falling apart. Everyone was poor, he had lost his job... And the reason for Zelda's happiness was no doubt another man.
And then, amidst all the shouting and yelling, Orval raised his arm up and slapped her across her face. For a long moment, Zelda was frozen in place. She wasn't crying and she didn't feel any pain; she was simply numb with surprise that Orval would actually slap her across the face. And when that realization hit her, she clenched her jaw and slapped him across the face in return.
Before he could react, Zelda left the house in the car with no intention of ever coming back. But where to go? There was only one place – and she knew that her boss Alvin wouldn't mind if she pulled a double-shift. She needed to dance, to lose her senses into the music and hope that she would find some kind of solution. Maybe Velma had an extra couch she could sleep on until she saved enough money for her own apartment. But who knew? She would just have to take her chances.
Walking through the doors and into the hazy room, Zelda felt her nerves calm down a bit. She was safe here, safe in this room. She had friends who would protect her, and maybe Alvin would let her crash here until she got back on her feet.
At that moment, someone placed a gentle hand on the small of her back, and she jumped, her mind automatically assuming that it was - But after turning her head, her eyes came in contact with familiar pale grey eyes. She wasn't sure just how one person could be so calming, how her whole world could be in complete disarray, and he could simply touch her, and everything would be all right, especially since she knew him for only two weeks, but things happened fast, and that was exactly how she felt when it came to Jimmy Lawrence.
"You look troubled," Jimmy pointed out, furrowing his brow. "Let's dance." He dropped his hand from her back, and instead, interlaced his fingers with hers as he led her out onto the dance floor. "Tell me what the matter is, darling."
Zelda forced a smile and shook her head. When she had problems, she really didn't like discussing them with people, only because she didn't want strangers or even friends to know her business, to feel sorry for her, or anything of the like. "It's okay," she told him, turning her head downward as a light blush tainted her cheeks. "I'm okay."
Jimmy opened his mouth to say something, but shut it after a moment and, for the time being, decided against it. His eyes scanned Zelda's face, hoping for some kind of clue at why she was distressed. Upon first glance, he noticed nothing out of the ordinary only because the club's atmosphere was hazy and it was hard to see the small detail's that made up somebody's person. However, Jimmy's eyes were sharper than other's – they had to be – and another inspection brought actual results. A bruise, small now but no doubt would be bigger, was resting upon her cheek.
Somebody had hit her.
For whatever reason, Jimmy's entire body tensed and he stopped dancing. "Tell me about the bruise, doll," he said in a hushed but firm voice. "Who hit you? You don't even have to tell me why – no man should hit a woman. I don't care what you did to provoke him. Tell me."
"It's okay, Jimmy," Zelda said quietly. She could tell he was getting upset, and it was important that she keep him as calm as possible. "I can... I can take care of myself. I'll figure it all out. You don't have to worry about anything."
Jimmy looked at her as though he didn't believe her. He simply stared at her for minutes – the two of them must have been an interesting sight to see being the only couple not dancing – but Jimmy didn't care. After some time, he reached out and gently brushed an errant strand of hair that had fallen into her face, and curled it around her ear. He dropped his hand so his fingertips were caressing the bruise, and Zelda, without fully knowing what she was doing, leaned into his touch.
"You're my girl, now," he told her in a husky voice. "Tell me who did this to you, so I can take care of you."
The moment Zelda told him, Orval walked in, drunk off his feet, and shouting obscenities that were drowned out by the music. But when he saw Zelda, he walked over to them. Before he could get a word out, Jimmy stepped in front of his dance partner and curled his fingers into a fist before hitting Orval directly in the jaw. Instantly, Orval collapsed, and Jimmy had a feeling it was only due to how drunk he was. Soon, he'd be getting up, and Jimmy hoped to be out of the Viper Room by then.
"Darling," he said, his voice holding a small tone of urgency as he turned to look at Zelda. "I'm thinking about leaving St. Paul for a while." His lips curled into a charming smile and he offered her his hand. "Do you want to come away with me?"
Zelda felt a smile crawl onto her face, and surprisingly enough, her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Yeah," she said softly, nodding her head. "Yeah, I do."
Chapter 3
From the moment Jimmy opened the door of the car and Zelda slid in the passenger seat, she knew that no matter what hap
pened, if she was with Jimmy, she would be safe. He quickly joined her in the driver's seat, and soon, the two were off.
"Now, darling," Jimmy said, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes before focusing his attention back on the road, "the drive's going to be a bit. I've got a place in Ohio. So if you nod off and fall asleep, I won't take any offense to it."
Zelda opened her mouth, wanting nothing more than to convey the gratitude she felt for him literally rescuing her, and wanted to tell him that wherever he took her, she would pay rent or cook food, wash his clothes – whatever he needed, she would do for him. But she shut it, knowing full well that words couldn't describe her sincere gratitude at everything he had done for her. She wasn't above saying thank you, and so she said it, lacing it with obvious affection before relaxing into the seat as best as she could. Closing her eyes, she decided to try and get some sleep, as Jimmy had suggested, but found that her mind was too rampant with thought.
It came to no surprise to her that the scene of Orval slapping her replayed in her mind. Zelda had never been afraid of him – she had a temper that could match his – and Orval never actually abused her physically as some of her friends had been through. However, every once in a while, he would slap her, and then, upon realizing just what he had done, would apologize for it. It wasn't as though Zelda was apt to make excuses for him, but she stayed because it was convenient and because she didn't want to put any of her friends out. And he had never furthered the abuse.
There was just something different now. Maybe it was because of Jimmy's presence in her life or maybe it was because he had tried to steal her happiness, but whatever it was, it angered Zelda to the point of slapping him back. There had been a flicker in his eyes then, as though he would cross the line of hindering his anger into just slaps, but she had escaped before her theory was proven one way or the other.
And then being in Jimmy's arms after such an occurrence... it calmed her down and straightened out a select group of her senses. His touch comforted her, his presence reassured her that she was safe. But his eyes – those sharp, pale grey eyes that seemed to know everything – had caught sight of what she didn't want him to see. It was true, women were supposed to be weaker than men, needed to depend on them, but Zelda had been depending on herself for a few years. She didn't need a man to provide for her and she could do without. Zelda liked that as well; she adored her independence. And she wanted men to admire her because she was independent. But how was Zelda supposed to maintain her claim to independence when –
But that was done and nearly forgotten, and, truth be told, she was still amused that Jimmy had actually cracked a punch on Orval's face, knocking him clear off his feet. It also delighted her for other reasons; her eyes clouded over watching it replay in her head. The aggression Jimmy displayed was unmatched by every other man she had known, and it excited her to an end she really didn't want to tread at this moment – not when he was so close to her.
She had never had a man fight for her honor before, and to be honest, it felt... nice.
It's a good thing this happened, a voice that sounded suspiciously like her late grandmother said, whether or not you think it so. This way, you're out of that disastrous relationship with that man, you're with a man you've known for nearly two weeks and he's already fighting for you, and you finally realize that you deserve something more than what you had.
And it was with that thought did Zelda finally drift off to sleep.
--
It was only when she felt somebody leaning over her did Zelda finally wake up. When her eyes opened, she realized it was early in the afternoon during the next day. It surprised her that she had slept the entire way, but her sleep was deep and comforting – better than anything of late – and she woke up feeling refreshed and spirited.
"Well, well," Jimmy said, flashing her what she believed to be his infamous crooked smirk, and straightened. "'Morning, Sunshine. Here, let me help you." He offered Zelda his hand and she took it, stretching once she got out of the vehicle. "All right now, you see up there?" He pointed to a window on the second floor of the apartment complex. "That is where you'll be staying. That is my apartment. Here." He grabbed her hand once more and began to lead her up the nearby staircase. "I want you to meet somebody."
With his free hand, he reached into his pocket and grabbed his keys. It took him a moment before he found the one he was looking for, slid it into the lock, and unlocked it, before opening the door and allowing Zelda to enter before he followed her inside.
The first thing that Zelda noticed was a woman who immediately ran into Jimmy's arms upon seeing him. In fact, Zelda highly doubted the woman even saw her. Though disappointment pitted itself in Zelda's stomach, she couldn't exactly blame the woman; if Jimmy had been away from her for a fortnight or longer and just returned, she probably wouldn't see anything else either.
"Mary, Mary," he whispered, gently breaking apart from her embrace so she could introduce her to Zelda. "This is my friend, Zelda. She's a taxi dancer from St. Paul, near Chicago, and she'll be staying with us for a while. Zelda, this is my girlfriend, Mary Todd."
Whenever a woman who had hopes for a particular man and was introduced to said man's girlfriend, it was naturally assumed that, as in the wild, the woman studied her competition and then compared her findings with herself. Though Zelda felt she wasn't exactly the jealous type, she soon realized she was incapable of going against nature. Apparently, Mary felt the same way because once Zelda was in Mary's sight, her whole demeanor changed, and her cool, dark eyes looked at the stranger with reasonable suspicion. As Mary studied her, Zelda did the same.
Mary was slim and tall, nearly as tall as Jimmy himself which meant that Mary had incredibly long legs. Her hair was short and dark, with curls at the end, as was the fashion. Her complexion was pale, her face sallow-looking, and she was dressed in an expensive black dress. Maybe she had been expecting Jimmy's arrival, and if such a thing were true, Zelda had probably put a damper on any plans that she might have had with him.
She hoped she wasn't intruding. If Jimmy really was happy with Mary, then she wasn't going to stand in the way and was mature enough to not throw any kind of fit. Plus, Jimmy would make a remarkable friend – he really already was her friend – and she'd be damned before she threw her friendship with him away just because she had been hoping for something more. Of course Jimmy Lawrence would already be attached; it was foolish to think that he wasn't.
Friendship was perfectly... fine.
"Jimmy, honey," Mary said, turning to her boyfriend but keeping her eyes on Zelda. "May I talk to you for a second? Just in the bedroom?"
While they left, Zelda took a seat on the couch. The apartment was small, and she figured that the couch was where she'd be spending most of her time. Which was definitely all right. No problem. She was grateful for whatever they would give her. And if Mary wanted her to be on the floor, then she would be on the floor instead. That was fine. Whatever worked for everyone. Whatever made things easier.
And then she heard murmurings. The walls really must have been paper thin. However, Zelda couldn't exactly make out what they were saying, but if she was being honest, she felt that they were fighting, and she wasn't as naïve as to believe that it had nothing to with her presence. She winced at the thought. Well, if worse came to worse and Jimmy told her she needed to leave, she would look around for some kind of nightclub and ask for a job. Who knew what would happen?
But if she were to stay with Jimmy and Mary... Well, she thought with an enigmatic smile, whatever did happen, it was sure to be one hell of an adventure. And at that moment, adventure was exactly what Zelda Kelly needed in her life.
Chapter 4
"Here."
Zelda glanced up from her oatmeal to look at a rather impatient Mary Todd, who was looking at Zelda with her dark eyes. Obviously Mary wasn't happy at Zelda's presence in her apartment, even more upset with Jimmy's friendship with a beautiful woman. Zelda wanted to be upset with Ma
ry for how she was treating her, but to be honest, Zelda kind of understood where Mary was coming from. Her boyfriend suddenly demanded that some woman Mary didn't even know live with them without any explanation save for the fact that it was what he wanted. Yeah, Zelda would probably be pissed too.
"Well, stop starin' at me and put that away," Mary continued, looking at something she had dropped on the table. When Zelda followed Mary's gaze and found just what she was looking at, her mouth dropped open despite the fact that oatmeal still littered the inside of her mouth. It was a wad of cash.
"Are you slow or somethin'?" Mary continued, her impatience reaching its boiling point.
Zelda took another moment to compose herself which meant swallowing her food and looking back up at Mary. "Is this real?" she whispered, as though this was some sort of dream and if she spoke too loudly, she would wake up. In fact, Zelda didn't believe that she had ever laid eyes upon this much money in her entire life. Where could Mary have possibly gotten it, and more importantly, why was she giving it to Zelda?
Mary rolled her eyes at the naïve question and placed her hand on her jutted hip. "O'course it's real," she said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Jimmy doesn't get fake money. That would be downright silly. God, girlie, where did he find you?"
Zelda ignored the insults Mary was throwing at her, and instead, focused on the questions swimming around in her mind. "Wait," she said slowly, trying to reason everything. "Wait, this is Jimmy's? Why is he giving it to me?"
Mary scoffed at the question. "O'course it's Jimmy's," she said, shaking her head. "How would I ever obtain that amount of money? You know women can't get as good jobs as men can. And Jimmy has the best job." She smirked at that, her lips hiding a secret Zelda couldn't exactly decipher. "Anyway, listen, I have no idea why he's wastin' his money on you, but he wants me to take you to the shops and help get you some kind of clothes. Apparently, you have nothing save that thing you're wearing. He wants you to have more clothes."
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