by Alice Dee
“Home,” Tristan said, trying to sound sexy.
They’d only been at the flamingo an hour or so and Tristan had been drinking nonstop. She was already in that swaying from side to side drunk stage. She wrapped an arm around Dominic’s broad shoulders and nibbled his ear. He was a little irritated with her too because he didn’t like sloppy drunks, especially females, especially his girlfriend.
“I think we’re going to hit up some spots. We’ve only been out an hour.”
Tristan moved her mouth to his ear and caught Hope staring. She smiled realizing it wasn’t just in her head. Hope wanted her man. Tristan licked Dominic’s earlobe, watching the burn melt over Hope. Hope blinked a couple times and looked elsewhere. Tristan walked around Dominic and wrapped her other arm around him, started kissing his neck.
“Come babe, stop,” he said, trying to get her arms from around his neck.
“Let’s go home,” she said again.
“I don’t want to go home yet.”
“Come on baby. Let’s go-”
“Tristan!” He shouted.
She backed up and stared at him in a bit of surprise.
“You’re choking me,” he loudly whispered.
Her expression changed.
“Take me home.”
“Don’t do this.”
“If you’re gonna be an asshole, take me home.”
Hope swung her hair around her shoulder and looked in Dominic’s direction again. She could see them arguing, Tristan’s mouth moving fast, Dominic trying to calm her down. Hope sipped from her straw and kept her eyes on them. Tristan angrily pulled away from Dominic and stumbled to the exit, pulling out her phone and putting it to her ear. Dominic got up and went after her.
“Trouble in paradise,” Justin said to Shamayla. “Go get your friend. I think it’s time to get outta here.”
Hope simply dropped her cards face down and walked away from the table mid game. Out on the sidewalk there weren’t as many people anymore. Tristan held her hand up in front of Dominic’s face like she was hearing nothing he had to say, while everyone stared at them. Dominic was humiliated and everyone tried to act like they weren’t paying attention the two but it was hard not to. After Tristan hung up she crossed her arms and ignored Dominic and everyone else for that matter. After twenty minutes of this and another round of drinks for everyone, a car rolled up.
“Don’t bother calling me.” Tristan got into Charla’s car and slammed the door. Charla sped off.
Dominic shook his head, turned around and saw Shane smoking a cigarette, picking something off of Hope’s shoulder. Shane kept his cigarette between his lips as he got out of his jacket and draped it over Hope.
“Go on guys, I’m going home.”
“Come on,” Justin said. “Forget her, man. She’ll be over it by the morning.”
“I’m just not in the mood after that.” Dominic walked off, Hope’s eyes followed. Shane was cute and all, there was something about his mouth she couldn’t stop gazing at, but she was more interested in Dominic. She debated going after Dominic but what was the point? His girlfriend just upset him and now wasn’t the time. She rolled her eyes back to the man in front of her who was trying his best to impress her. For tonight she would play along.
11… Hammer’s proposition
Shamayla sprayed her hair from root to tip with a water filled plastic spray bottle and unwound her braids one by one. It took her about ten minutes to unbraid her entire head. When she was through her hair was left in skinny waves like silk ramen noodles. Hope was sitting a few feet away from Shamayla who was sitting at her vanity mirror, getting ready for the night’s work. Hope was dressed but hadn’t started styling her hair or putting on makeup yet.
Shamayla noticed Hope was quieter than usual but didn’t want to pry. She figured it was Michael, Hope’s last boyfriend, or whatever he was, that was the reason for Hope’s reticence. Or maybe it was her brother and his issues on her mind. Shamayla made up her mind that it had to be that because Hope never displayed any emotion when it came to boyfriends. Shamayla never knew whether things between Hope and a guy were going good or bad because Hope never talked about it and never let on that she was sad or happy.
Shamayla sipped her cocktail and looked at Hope through the mirror. She was in deep thought staring right at Shamayla’s ebony hair but millions of miles away. The door opened and Hammer, the manager of Lounge 101 walked in with a yellow envelope in hand. They didn’t know how the other girls felt about it, but Hope and Shamayla hated the way Hammer would barge in without knocking to at least warn them. They were sure everyone felt that same way they did about it, but no one said anything.
Shamayla turned her head.
“I got a proposition for you ladies,” Hammer said.
Hope snapped out of it and rolled her eyes to Hammer. He was such a sleaze in her eyes, and probably everyone else’s. He wore shirts with cut off sleeves but he wasn’t muscular or tough, he was just plain flabby and out of shape. He had an awful 80’s mullet and always smelled like sweat and cheap cologne.
“Mmmm,” Shamayla said, taking in a long, deep whiff of air. “What’re you wearing, Jordache Signature?”
“Are you interested or not?” He snapped.
Hope bit the tip of her pinky nail and stared back at him waiting for the scum bag to get to it.
“There’s a private party goin’ on tonight at The Mirage. It’s kind of a personal favor you know, for a business associate of sorts…”
“Private party? We’re not hoes,” Hope said, turning her hand over and examining her nails.
“Five hundred a piece, you don’t gotta do nothing but a little dancing, no different from what you do here. You’ll be in a private setting is all.”
Shamayla turned her head to face Hope.
“Why us?” Shamayla asked, looking from Hope to Hammer.
“You’re an interesting duo but look, I can ask someone else. If you don’t need the money-“
“I didn’t say we weren’t interested,” Shamayla said.
Hope frowned.
“Just dancing?”
Hammer tapped his inner palm with the envelope.
“Topless.”
“No way,” Hope said with no hesitation.
“I’ll send Fat Mike with you guys, Tony too if you want. It’s a safe environment, aint nobody gonnna touch you if you don’t want it.”
“If we don’t want it?” Hope scoffed. Her mind was already made up but Shamayla was on the fence.
“Really, Hammer, five-hundred, a piece?”
“One hour.”
“Shamayla,” Hope said, shooting her an unyielding look. “Forget it.”
“Fine,” Hammer said as if it was no sweat off his back. “Good luck matching this with all the lousy tips you make. If you’re lucky enough to hit the floor and serve drinks tonight.”
“Just give us a minute,” Shamayla said to Hammer.
“Hurry up, we aint got all night.”
Hammer slapped the dressing table with the envelope and slammed the door behind him.
“We don’t need the money that bad,” said Hope.
Shamayla debated for a second and then grabbed the envelope, carefully taking the bills out and counting them.
“There’s a thousand dollars right here.”
“I’m not going to go prancing around showing my tits for money. I actually have some dignity.”
“Wait a minute,” Shamayla said, getting out of her chair and stopping Hope from walking away. “It’s one hour, we’ll have bouncers-“
“You really want to do this?”
She licked her bright red lips.
“Not really but we could really use this money. Isn’t your rent due? And you know ever since that dick hired the new girls our hours are going to be cut.”
“Okay, he wants topless dancing tonight, prostitution tomorrow. Let him get someone else.”
“I really need this money,” Shamayla said as Hope turned to w
alk away from her. “We both do.”
“Not that bad,” Hope retorted. She felt herself already giving in. She didn’t want to look at her friend because she’d cave but she needed to, to give herself that final shove.
Hammer barged in again.
“So what’s it gonna be ladies?”
Hope kept her back to Hammer.
“I’ll do it.” Shamayla agreed.
“And you?”
Hope was pissed that Shamayla agreed to do this but still, she wasn’t about to. It wasn’t easy to stay headstrong in this environment. When you’re struggling to stay alive and large sums of monetary gain is being waved in your face, “no” isn’t always so easy. Hope knew if she was adamant about staying true to who she was, “no” wasn’t always hard, either.
“I’m not doing that.”
“I’ll get someone else, your loss.” He looked at Shamayla. “This is happening in forty minutes, it’s a thirty minute drive or so to Henderson.”
“Henderson?” Hope turned around now. “I thought you said The Mirage?”
“I lied. It’s a residence. Wear something slutty.” He smirked. “Sure that won’t be a problem for you.” He slammed the dressing room door.
“Oooooh,” Hope growled. “Don’t do it Shamayla.”
But Shamayla had already made up her mind.
“It’s not like I never did it before.” She moved passed Hope and gathered her stuff.
12… Set me off
“Tonight was really nice,” Tristan said as she buckled her seatbelt. “We made it through the night without fighting. Why do we even fight at all? It’s stupid when we just end up talking it out and the end.”
Dominic turned the key in the ignition.
“Yeah, there’s still some things we have to talk about.”
Tristan yawned.
“I know, I know. I want to apologize for the other night. I was drinking and…”
“Oh no, baby, it’s not even about that.”
She rolled her head to the side.
“Then what’s it about?” Tristan gave his knee a tight squeeze and yawned again.
“Are you tired?”
“Just a little.”
“We can order in tonight, I don’t mind,” Dominic said.
“No, no need for that. I just had a long day at work. The fax machine was screwing up, we had a power outage, and our computers were down for hours…”
“That sucks.” He glanced at his girlfriend who looked like she was falling asleep. It was barely seven-thirty.
“Come back to the apartment with me. I’ll go get us something. That way you can just kick off your shoes, relax, stay the night…”
Tristan opened her eyes suddenly.
“I would but it’s a work night.”
“So? We’ll go to bed early. I gotta be up at five.”
“I would baby, maybe tomorrow.”
“Why?”
Tristan shrugged.
“If I stay at your place I’ll have to wake up even earlier.”
“What, ten minutes?”
Dominic was starting to look irritated. Tristan rolled down her window and stared out at the black sky.
“This is what I want to talk about,” Dominic said. “You hardly ever want to stay at my place. Suddenly it’s rare you want to do anything with me.”
“What’re you talking about?” she said over her shoulder. “We just got back from the movies.”
“Tristan, dude, I moved out here to be with you.”
She took her earlobe between her forefinger and thumb.
“I know.”
“I mean, I thought that we were going to be living together, starting our life together. If you don’t want to live with me, fine. But you’re almost always spending time with your parents and I’m starting to think that’s kind of weird. Are you really out partying? I think you are.”
Tristan sighed.
“That’s not true.”
“It’s not?”
"Look Dominic, I just feel that we don’t know Josephine very well. If she were to leave my dad-“
Dominic scrunched up his face.
“Why would she leave your dad?”
“I’m just saying that if she were to just up and leave one day, my dad would fall apart. I don’t think he can handle another let down in his life. He’d be lonely.”
“He’s not lonely, he has a wife.”
“And honestly,” she went on, “I think it would break his heart if I moved out. I’m his little girl.”
Dominic scoffed.
“Julie is his little girl. She’s the baby.”
Tristan was trying to keep composure but Dominic was starting to get under her skin. She could feel a fight brewing. Why must he do this, why must he bring out the bitch inside of her? She wondered.
“Julie,” she laughed, “stayed with my mom. She’s my mom’s baby. My dad has always told me I’m his princess.”
“Dude, you’re twenty-four years old. You’re pushing twenty-five. You’re almost in your mid-twenties. You’re not a seven year old! Give me a break, a princess!”
“Well maybe not to you. I wouldn’t expect you to understand, you don’t even have a dad.”
Dominic stamped his heavy foot on the brake. It scared the crap out of Tristan who had to grip the door to keep her face from slamming into the glove compartment. Luckily there were no other cars on the road.
“You know what?” Dominic shook his head. “That was a low blow. I feel like I don’t even know you, like I never knew you.”
“Sure you do,” she said with an eye roll.
“You weren’t like this back home. I don’t know what got into you.”
Dominic deeply stared out the windshield, seemingly lost in thought.
“Did you ever want me to come out here?”
“Whip out the violin already,” Tristan said.
“Just shut up with your bullshit and tell me right now. Did you ever really want me to come out here, or should I have stayed behind?”
“Why do you act like I’m the only reason you came here? Like you’re not benefiting with your fighting crap?”
“I came here to be with you, that’s just a perk. Now answer the question.”
“Do what you want Dominic!” She shouted. “Of course I wanted you here. But it doesn’t mean that I have to move in with you. We didn’t live together in California and just because you followed me like some sad puppy dog doesn’t mean I’m obligated to move in with you.”
“Wow,” he said, still staring ahead at the road. “You cut deep.” He nodded his head. “All right. Okay.”
Tristan tensely waited for him to scream at her or punch the steering wheel. Instead he took the wheel and turned the truck around. She wanted to ask what he was doing but didn’t say anything. He was quiet so Tristan knew she had pissed him off enough. Opening her mouth would only exacerbate the situation and who knew what that would lead to?
They remained in silence the entire drive back to her house.
“Aren’t you going to say something?” she asked.
“Just get off the truck.”
Tristan unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for her purse off the floor. She shot him a glance but he wasn’t looking back at her. He looked pissed off, more than pissed than she’d ever seen him. She cracked the door, waited for a response from him that never came, hopped off the truck and stormed off inside while Dominic peeled out and sped away.
13… screw ups
When Tristan walked inside her house she saw her dad siting on the sofa with a bowl of ice cream, watching Cold Case Files. She took off her jacket and walked around the couch, flopped down and replayed everything Dominic said in her head. Her dad noticed she was quiet and looked miserable.
“How’s Dominic? We haven’t seen him much of him lately.”
Tristan shrugged.
“Dominic’s an asshole.”
“An asshole? Why, what did he do?"
“I don’t know,
Dad. He’s just always complaining about me not moving in with him.”
“Ah,” he nodded. “That’s a big step in any relationship. But then again, so is moving all this way to be with you. Actions like that speak volumes.”
Tristan sat up.
“Yeah but I didn’t ask him to come here.”
“You didn’t stop him, either.” He put his bowl on the coffee table. “What is it, you don’t have feelings for him anymore?”
“Sure I do. I love Dominic. But I don’t want to be pressured into anything. I know we’ve been together a while but there’s no rule that says we have to live together any specific time.”
“I don’t want this to rub you the wrong way or anything, but why didn’t you just tell him not to move out here?”
Tristan frowned.
“You’re on his side?”
“I’m not on anyone’s side. This isn’t even about sides. But now that you mention it I’m a little curious myself as to why you don’t want to move in with him?”
“I don’t know. I like having my privacy.”
“Have your feelings changed for him?”
“No, Dad,” she insisted.
“Are you sure? Frankly I think it’s a little strange.”
“What’s strange about it?”
“He moves all this way for what? Didn’t you two talk about it? Didn’t you discuss your living situation?”
“I wasn’t thinking that far ahead. I just thought he’d stay here with us for a while and maybe eventually get his own place which is exactly what happened. Like I said, I didn’t ask him to come.”
Daniel thought for sure this was rather bitchy of his daughter and her reasoning was making little sense to him.
“If you’re having doubts about him you should speak up now. Maybe it’s not too late for him to go back home. Not that it’s ever too late but you can’t lead him on.”
“I want to be with him. Just because I’m not ready to move in with him doesn’t mean I don’t love him. Why can’t anybody see that? I mean fuck, I stopped dancing for him!”
“Don’t get defensive.”
“Do you mind that I’m here?”