Just as she started to walk away from the house a man, in a large car, pulled up and walked towards the door. She realised, with a sinking heart, that it was the nephew, Jack, early as promised.
At first he barely glanced at her and she hoped she might continue on her way, unimpeded. Then he looked again, closely, and she realised that he had recognised her.
“Where are you going?” he said. “I came early, as I told you, looking forward to an hour with you before you rose from your bed. If you come back there now with me, I will treat you right.”
Lizzie shook her head; she could not bear to talk to him.
He came and stood right next to her, looking into her face. He cupped her chin with his hand and turned it towards him. “You are a pretty little thing, and with such a young baby, how old did you say you are? “I am not sure you are of an age where they would let you keep a baby. I suggest you come back with me. Otherwise I will need to call the adoption people to see what right you have to this child.”
Lizzie felt panic rise in her; she did not know where she could go or what she could do. She could not even bring herself to think about whether someone would try to take her child. But her biggest terror was to return inside and give herself to this man.
While she was on the street she did not think he would try and take her by force. But once she was inside she knew she would have no choice left but to do as he wanted.
Summoning all her courage she pulled her face away from his hand and slipped out of his grasp. Then, gathering all the dignity she could find, she walked away down the street.
He laughed after her with an evil laugh. “Wait until I tell the nuns about you. They won’t wait to come and take your baby and give it to more deserving parents. They will want to make sure it does not grow up like you. Then you will wish you had done as I asked in the first place. With your baby gone it will seem that it was a small price to pay to give me some simple pleasure. And I promise you will not have to sell yourself to other men, not while you are with me.”
Lizzie tried to block his evil voice from her mind. At last she reached the corner and turned away, out of sight. She felt sick with dread at what might be, but going back was worse.
Chapter 8 - A Baby and a Pimp
Lizzie pushed the pram holding her child and all her worldly possessions down to the Esplanade. It was another cold winter’s morning, but at least today it was not raining. The sun was trying to shine weakly and the wind was light.
She and Catherine were both wrapped up warmly against the cold. She had twenty one pounds in her purse and, now that she knew her way around, maybe she could find a job in one of the beachside cafes that sold drinks and hot food. Hopefully that would give her enough money to rent a room at night and buy food.
She did not know how she would manage with a baby, but perhaps, while Catherine was little and mostly slept, she could leave her in the pram out the back, safe, but out of the way, and attend to and feed occasionally while doing her other work. She would offer to do extra hours in return for any time off and inconvenience.
She tried one place, no vacancies there and no interest in having a woman with a small baby, a second place was similar. A third place actually had a sign looking for casual workers, but when they saw the baby the man behind the counter shook his head.
She could see another shop at the far end of the beach, a bit away from town, along side a building next to the beach that looked like a club. She trudged there, not feeling hopeful. The lady who ran it seemed more sympathetic. She said she needed an extra pair of hands each afternoon, particularly from 3 to 7 pm, from after the schools came out until the dinner shift was finished.
She looked dubiously at the baby, so Lizzie said, “Could I just have a try for one night and then you can decide? I could come back at three and I will do the first day for nothing if you will only give me a go.”
So it was agreed, the regular pay was to be a pound a day, and if she sold more than an agreed amount, she would get ten percent of her extra takings to keep as a bonus.
So she went and found a bed in a boarding house for the night, using up one more of her precious pounds in the process. She woke Catherine just before she left for work, and made sure she had a good feed, and then settled her to sleep in the pram. Then she walked back to the cafe, in time for her shift.
It was a busy; a clear cold afternoon and night, with people out along the foreshore. There was a brisk sale of hot fish and chips, meat pies and hamburgers. The time flew by.
It was past seven before the Catherine stirred; Lizzie gave her a quick feed then helped finish cleaning before she packed to leave. The lady, Ruth, said “Well your baby is very good and there is no doubt you work hard so I am prepared to give it a go it for a month. She handed Lizzie two ten shilling notes, “That is your pay for the night, you have earned it. Help yourself to some left over hot food.”
Lizzie took a hot pie and some chips.
So, for the next month, she worked there most nights. On average she made twenty five to thirty shillings a night. She also got some work stacking shelves in a shop, most days they would offer her two or three hours in the morning. Between the two jobs she was making just enough money for a room and food. A month on, towards the end of winter, she came down with a bad flu and could not work for a week.
Now her savings were reduced to ten pounds. She was starting to feel her situation was precarious, not so much for herself but for her ability to support her child.
Catherine was also becoming harder to manage, as she grew she stayed awake longer, her cry was getting louder and she was starting to grizzle if she was awake and unattended. She tried to keep her awake in the night, once home, to help her sleep in the day, but it was hard. Lizzie was often tired and fell asleep herself after dinner.
She had started to make friends around the area, mostly young girls of a similar age to herself. She had particularly become friends with two girls who worked in a massage parlour that she walked past every day. Often they would sit out in the early afternoon as she walked to the beach café. One had a child a few months older than hers. First they said their greetings, then they started to talk about their children and soon they started to talk about their lives.
This girl, Rebecca, was surprising open and upbeat about her life. She was eighteen and had been doing this work for over two years. She had got pregnant after a year but the parlour had been good and helped her. First they had offered that, if she wanted an abortion, they would arrange it. Instead she said she wanted to have the baby and keep it, and so once she could no longer work they gave her a room out the back, for no rent, provided she helped with domestic work and came back to her regular work as soon as she was able.
Rebecca told her about her work. Sure, she had to do the sex thing with a lot of men, but it was not so bad really, she treated it like an acting performance, as if someone else was doing it, not really her. Some of the men were really quite nice and kind and gave her good tips. There was also good security, with two men who were always around, to make sure that no-one hurt the girls; in return she had to give one a bit on the side but he was nice and fun to do it with.
It was also good money and fitted around minding the baby. Most nights, when she worked her baby slept through. In the daytime, they could do things and nap together. She said that, in the last six months since she had come back to work, she had managed to save well over a thousand pounds.
She was obviously angling to get Lizzie to give it a try. At first Lizzie politely declined, but as her money situation grew precarious she started to think about it seriously. Rebecca even offered to share her room with Lizzie; “Then we could share the child minding, and the room is large enough for two,” she said. This room was out the back of the parlour, separate from where they saw the gentlemen.
Finally, one day about a week after she got over being sick, when she had a really difficult day with Catherine, she saw Rebecca sitting outside one evening, playing with her bab
y. Except when she was sick, Lizzie had not had taken a day off since she began work. She sat down in the empty chair beside Rebecca, just to say hello and catch her breath, before the rest of the walk home; that is what she was intending.
She was finding herself getting very tired by the end of the day since she was sick. She told Rebecca this. Rebecca said it was because she was getting run down with working so hard, not getting enough rest and not having enough money to buy good food.
Rebecca told her she was having a night off tonight; each week she had at least one night for herself and her baby, when she booked no clients. All her regulars were booked for other nights and there were enough other girls to cover any newbies. So tonight was her night off and she was enjoying the early spring evening, in the sea air, with her baby.
It seemed so much better than the life Lizzie was leading, she had no real money, no days off and most importantly it was such a struggle, day after day, to care properly for her baby, buy the extra clothes Catherine needed, a better pram, all the other little things. She had a big list of all the things they both needed, but could not see how to get them; her wages only allowed living hand to mouth, they would not stretch to getting anything else.
Rebecca must have sensed the turmoil going on inside Lizzie. She put her arm around Lizzie’s shoulder and hugged her. “You poor thing, you are just a wee mite and working so hard,” she said. “Why don’t you give it a try; it is really not so bad.
“When I was little, I was only fifteen; then two boys forced me to do it with them. I hated it. But right then I thought; why not do it on my own terms, and get paid for it. It is much better to get paid and protected rather than have horrible men or boys trying to take it by force, and give you nothing, except perhaps, one of these,” Rebecca said pointing to their babies. “And these just use our money, not help pay the bills.”
Lizzie laughed with Rebecca at this flash of humour. It felt good.
Rebecca went on, “Our pimp is actually a nice man. His name is Robert though we all call him Robbie. You will have to do it with him first, so he can make sure you are OK for the customers, but you will find him kind and gentle; you may even get to enjoy it with him.”
The Rebecca took her hand and said, “He is in his room now, listening to music; relaxing before the night’s work starts, why don’t you come with me and I will introduce you. Then, if you like him enough to want to try, I will mind your baby while you go with him.
“After that, if you want to keep going, tomorrow you can bring your things round here and move in with me.”
Lizzie felt panicked, she wanted to pull back and run away. All she could think of was how those men had held her down and laughed at her nakedness, before they hurt her. She did not want to be hurt again. Thinking of someone, a man, looking at her body without clothes, made her cringe inside.
But Rebecca just held her hand. She did not push her any further, she let her relax again. She said, “I know you are scared. I was really terrified first time. But then, when it happened, I relaxed and thought, it is really not that bad after all, is that all there is to it. Now I find it is mostly good. I could not enjoy my life without that part, and the money it brings.
Lizzie took a deep breath; what was there to lose, her life could not continue like it was and, if she had to do this thing with her body to survive, it was better that it be on her own terms.
So she nodded, “Yes, you can bring me up to meet him, and if he likes me enough, and if I don’t think he is too awful, maybe I will try.”
Rebecca handed her baby to Lizzie and said, “Just hold Andy for a second, I will run up and check to see if now is suitable.”
As Rebecca disappeared Lizzie had another bout of panic. If not for her friend’s baby, that she was holding, she would have got up and run off. But she could not leave this child alone, so she stayed, sat still and trembled inside.
Suddenly Rebecca was back, “Yes he wants to meet you; he needs five minutes before he is ready. Come to my room. We will freshen you up and tie up your hair.”
That was it, the die was cast. Lizzie could feel her knees knocking as they walked to the back of the house and went into Rebecca’s room. It was a big room with a large wardrobe full of lots of beautiful dresses and with a basin, tap and large mirror in a corner.
Rebecca got a washer and lathered it with soap. She handed it to Lizzie, “Clothes off and sponge off your body with this,” she said.
Lizzie felt her courage start to fail again, but Rebecca stepped up and, in a matter of fact way, undid her clothes so they fell to the floor. She critically appraised Lizzie’s body. “Not too bad, tummy still a bit saggy, but otherwise a good figure,” she said. “The men will love your soft milky skin and slender girl body.” Then she passed the washer and Lizzie dutifully cleaned herself all over, standing there in her panties.
“Everything off,” said Rebecca, “clean all the places, particularly there,” and she pointed. Lizzie blushed but complied. Now Rebecca handed her another clean rinsed washer. “Use this to finish off,” she said.
Then Rebecca went to the cupboard and pulled out a soft flowing purple dress. From her drawer, she took out some lacy underwear. She handed these clothes to Lizzie who put them on under Rebecca’s keen gaze. Now Rebecca brushed Lizzie’s hair until it glowed and tied a matching ribbon loosely around it. With a final flourish she found a pair of matching shoes.
She stood Lizzie in front of the mirror to let her admire herself. “Anyone who does not think you look gorgeous does not know what a beautiful women looks like.”
Lizzie could not help but agree; the transformation seemed miraculous; she could barely believe she was staring back at the same person. As Lizzie looked at this transformed woman, herself, but so different, she felt her confidence grow. It was not quite excitement, but an edge of anticipation for what was to happen.
“Now for a few finishing touches,” said Rebecca. She applied lipstick, eyeliner and skin blush, followed by a light spray of perfume.
She surveyed her finished work and smiled with smug satisfaction. “Robbie is bound to find you exciting now, he said he would only do it as a favour to me. I think he is expecting some plain Jane, but when he sees the gift I have brought him he will hardly be able to restrain himself, he loves beautiful women.
“My only advice to you is to try and make it all slow down, turn it into an act and imagine you are enjoying the act. Then it will be better for you both, perhaps real enjoyment will come.”
Rebecca placed Catherine on the floor and Andy in his cot. “Be good, I will be back in a jiffy,” she said to them. She took Lizzie’s hand and led her up the stairs. She knocked on a door at the back of the second level.
A surprisingly young man opened the door; he looked to be in his mid-twenties. He had broad powerful shoulders but was otherwise slim. He had a nice face, close to handsome but a little weather beaten. Most of all he had a warm smile, which Lizzie really liked.
Lizzie smiled back, it was involuntary. Then she blushed. What was she doing here?
Rebecca said, “Look what a lovely present Santa has brought you. Robert, this is Lizzie, I will leave you to get acquainted.” With that she skipped away down the stairs.
He gave a polite bow, “Actually I prefer if my good friends call me Robbie”, he said. He invited Lizzie inside. He indicated a sofa where there was space for two. She sat down, perched on the edge.
He looked at her, keenly but kindly. “First, we need you to relax. Rebecca has told me you have a baby but this is your first time with someone else. So we need to take it slow. We will have a drink and you can tell me a little about yourself. Then, when you feel less awkward, we will see what happens from there.
He poured a small glass of mineral water and handed it to her. She sipped slowly.
“Tell me about yourself, how you came to Melbourne?” Lizzie briefly outlined a story about wanting to keep the baby, which her mother and the church ladies wanted adopted and, as a result,
leaving Sydney. Now she needed to find a way to support herself.
He nodded understandingly. “Are you still breastfeeding your baby?”
She nodded.
“That is important and you must keep it going for now, because one of the most important things is to make sure you don’t have another baby, anytime soon. If you come and work with us we will also arrange other protection.”
Then he untied the ribbon from her hair and said, “Give it a shake, I love a woman with hair around her face. Now he came over and took her hands. He lifted her to standing, right next to him. He cupped her face and gave her a slow and lingering kiss on the lips.
At first she felt shy and awkward, but then remembered Rebecca’s advice about role playing. She responded, exploring his mouth back and enjoying the experience. It did something to her; it awakened a womanly part in her, giving her a warm feeling.
He walked her to the bed and indicated for her to stand just next to it. He reached down and lifted her dress over her head. Now she wore only lacy underwear. Again she felt self-conscious, starting to bring her hands to her front, as cover.
He took her hands and lifted them above her head, indicating he wanted her to stand that way for a minute. He unclipped her bra and looked at each breast, handling them gently and feeling their firmness.
It seemed strangely like a doctor’s examination. She supposed in a way it was, a check for soundness and defects. Then he pulled her panties to the floor and indicated for her to lie on the bed, on her back, with her legs apart. He looked at this part of her carefully; more gentle touching and probing.
Then, apparently satisfied, he said “All appears healthy, I am sorry to act like a doctor but I needed to check. We have to be careful to protect our customers.”
It was so clinical that she felt relieved; however she knew there was more to come.
He sat on the bed, and stroked her hair as she lay beside him. He said, “You are a lovely, sweet, innocent girl. While you obviously went with a man to get pregnant, I can see the rest of this is not something you have done before and it seems scary and foreign to you. However you are truly beautiful, with a lovely body and very sexy. Now you need to learn to use these things. I will try and help you.
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