Gutter Princess

by Kimmie Easley

  After the hour was up, Baby got off the bike and took a large swig from the wine glass. She loved the flavor of Moscato; savoring it, letting it calm her nerves. She checked the window one last time and was comforted to find the street filled with nothing but the regular beaters. No Jeep.

  It would be back. She was sure of it.

  She refilled her glass and changed the playlist to Brandi Carlisle before heading to the tiny bathroom to take a shower. She stepped out of her spandex boy shorts and pulled the sports bra over her head. Catching a glimpse of herself in the full-length mirror, she was pleased to see the definition and muscles in her long, dark legs. Her arms were toned and her tummy flat. The slim sides of her waist dipped in and the small of her back had a smooth indention leading to her round, but firm backside.

  Baby Jade beamed at the reflection, happy that her hard work was paying off. It wasn’t easy, but she refused to let the lifestyle eat away at her until there was nothing left. She refused to let it turn her into an empty shell of a woman. She refused to turn into Jewella.

  Baby Jade twisted her hair and pinned it up with an old clip. She didn’t bother with the cold water since the hot water heater had a mind of its own and rarely worked. She washed her body in the lukewarm drizzle from the shower nozzle, serving yet as another reminder of why she hated this place.

  The apartment only had two temperatures, arctic and swampy. On a night like this, Baby threw on nothing but a t-shirt and crawled into bed with her book. Not in a hurry to start a new day, she planned to read as long as her tired eyes would allow.

  Her life outside the club was a quiet one. Few people and definitely fewer friends. It’s not that she liked it that way; she preferred to be on her own. It was easier, less drama. When people asked why she didn’t have a man in her life, her response was always the same—she didn’t want to be responsible for screwing up some poor soul for a couple nights of cheap sex.

  Baby Jade was content falling asleep next to a book, at least that’s what she told herself.

  After tossing and turning all night, morning came entirely too early. She thought it might be from Slade’s recent stalking appearance. On the other hand, it could have been the crazy dreams she had about a certain tattooed biker. Her mind drifted thinking about the dreams and how they awakened places in her that she assumed had shriveled up and died off a long time ago. Her early morning music choice of Prince’s “When Doves Cry” couldn’t shake the steamy thoughts.

  Either way, Baby decided to get a head start on her day, hoping to fit in a few extra errands.

  ***

  The Louisiana humidity slapped Baby in the face as soon as she stepped out the front door.

  She placed a bag of tomatoes on Ma’Linn doorstep, thinking they would go nicely in her next pot of gumbo. It was obvious that she had been up most of the night lighting candles, probably for Phillipe. A silver platter filled with white candles in various sizes sat on the stoop. A poppet resembling her son rested on top of an upside down clay pot and she had spread ash across the entryway. Baby’s heart ached for her friend.

  Deciding on the first stop of the day was easy. She craved a chicory from Café Du Monde. She thought about indulging in a beignet, but only for a split second before ruling against it. Her second stop was the pharmacy, and since it was next door to Pecan Grove, she wanted to check in on Rozalie and drop off another root beer.

  “Good morning, hon. I’m surprised to see you.” Ang smiled, her head barely visible over the tall counter.

  “I was in the neighborhood. How is she today?”

  “Well, it was a rough night. She’s still asleep.” Ang popped a stick of gum into her mouth.

  Baby Jade leaned onto the counter, placing her bag to the side. “Damn, what happened now?”

  Ang punched at the computer. “The night nurse made a note. Apparently she might be getting a roommate.” She smacked on her gum.

  Lines formed across Baby’s forehead. “No wonder she’s pissed off. Why would she be getting a roommate?”

  “I’m not sure. They mentioned the meds at the morning meeting when we switched off. When I asked why she was upset, that’s all I was told. I’ve already put a call into Dr. Goodwin to try and get to the bottom of it.”

  “Shit. This is bad. You know how she can be about her belongings.” Baby fidgeted with her bag.

  Ang took Baby’s hand, squeezing it gently. “I’ll check into it, sweetie. Don’t get yourself worked up.”

  “It’s not me you should worry about getting worked up. Momma is going to flip out.”

  Ang gave a forced smile. Everyone in Pecan Grove knew what it was like when Rozalie was unhappy. “I’ll take care of it. We’ll figure something out.”

  Baby Jade was upset that she didn’t know what was going on or how to make it better. “I hope she’s ok.” Tears sprang to her eyes.

  “Yeah, they gave her some meds to help her sleep it off through the day. She may have to be dosed again, but I won’t know until later.”

  “It’s been a while since she’s had to be sedated.”

  “Now you know we’ll take care of her. I promise.”

  Baby Jade tried to smile but struggled. Her insides were twisted in knots. “I know you will. Do you mind giving her this for me when she wakes up? That way she knows I came by today? I don’t know if that’ll make things worse or not, but I want her to know I’m thinking of her.” She dug into her shoulder bag and pulled out the plastic bottle of Barq’s.

  “Sure thing. I’ll give it to her myself,” Ang said with a wink.

  “Thanks, Ang. Have a good one!” Baby Jade hollered as she pushed open the heavy door.

  She headed back to her apartment and threw her dirty clothes into a mesh laundry bag. In her line of work, she didn’t have as much as most people. Thongs, corsets, robes, her favorite boy shorts, and a couple of t-shirts.

  With her bag in tow, thankful that the laundry mat was right around the corner, she set out to check the rest of her stuff off her to-do list. That was one of the only good things about her crappy apartment. It was nestled in the center of everything she needed, not that she needed much.

  The afternoon was quiet, which was always a good thing. No Slade. No Mickey. Ma’Linn must have been up and about because her tomatoes were gone and the clean stoop now smelled like herbs. She must have been purging again.

  Baby Jade had a small bowl of gumbo waiting for her on her own doorstep, along with a covered plate of beignets. She stifled a giggle, knowing what Ma’Linn had in mind. That woman’s determined to make me fat.

  Baby Jade poured herself a glass of wine and made a tomato sandwich. The gumbo would have to wait until she got home from work. She never ate anything heavy before a performance. There wasn’t hiding any extra indulgence when wearing a thong as work attire. She downed the first glass and got ready to hop on the treadmill, something she sometimes did before work to limber up.

  She snapped her iPod into the dock and slipped off her shoes. Korn blasted and she ran until the end of the playlist, leaving her primed for work. It was a good thing since Mickey had scheduled her to perform six sets. Not to mention Mr. Tats was starting tonight at Bottoms Up.

  It was sure to be an interesting evening.

  Baby Jade gathered up her shoulder bag and locked up the apartment tight. Her tummy clenched, still on edge after Slade’s brief appearance the night before. The light was on at Ma’Linn’s, and she could hear chanting coming from the apartment, more than likely for Phillipe.

  Other than the excessive humidity, it was a beautiful night. Baby used the time during the walk to prepare for the night by running over her dance routine in her head. She slapped in her ear buds and listened to her set music.

  A few cars lined the street in front of the club. She was relieved to see Slade’s Jeep was nowhere in sight. However, a certain Harley did catch her attention. It had been pulled up on the sidewalk right outside the entrance.

  She opened the front door and her eye
s tried to adjust to the dim light. She instantly noticed Mr. Tats standing directly to the left. He looked the same as the day before, clear down to another black t-shirt and a pair of worn-out Levi’s. She was flustered to find herself close to him. She didn’t like that he made her feel out of control.

  Giving him a quick nod, she marched toward the stairs leading to the dressing room. Lolli danced on stage to her favorite song, Christina Aguilera’s “Candyman.” The bar was full for a weeknight. The thought of making a few dollars gave her mood a slight edge. She took a quick survey of the room before heading down to the basement.

  Jewella sat a few feet from Mr. Tats getting her drool on and Mickey was in the DJ booth giving them both the evil eye. He jerked his head in Baby Jade’s direction, summoning her like an insignificant flunky. She turned from the stairwell and headed toward the booth.

  “Look, I know it’s not your job, and blah … blah … blah. But I need you to hang out with the new guy.”

  “What?” She looked back at Mr. Tats and, of course, he was boring a hole right through her, again.

  “Don’t give me any shit, not tonight. You’re the only person I have to step up.”

  “I thought you had this covered? And you’re right. It sure as hell isn’t my job. I have six sets tonight.” Baby settled her hands onto her hips.

  Mickey stopped flipping through the music binder. “I’m not gonna feel sorry for you. I’m here day in and day out.”

  “It’s your club. I work for tips. Why does he need a babysitter?”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” he asked, his finger wagging toward the opposite side of the room, suggesting Baby Jade was stupid. Jewella had now pulled her stool up next to Mr. Tats. She held his hand in hers, palm up, and pretended to do a reading. She rambled to anyone who would listen that she was a witch. It was also her way of getting her hands on the new guy.

  “Oh, I see. It’s a babysitter for her, not for him.”

  “Call it what you want, you’re doing it,” Mickey said with defiance. It was clear she had no choice in the matter.

  “Fine, but I’m not giving up any of my sets. Not with this crowd. I’m not losing any money while keeping an eye on your skank of a girlfriend.”

  He huffed. “Deal.”

  Baby glanced around the room. “What’s with the crowd tonight anyway?”

  “What’s the matter? You were hoping to give Big Mickey here a private show?” A vulgar smirk spread across his face as he grabbed his crotch.

  “Don’t be such a dick.” She backed up a few inches. The man was repulsive.

  “It’s a bachelor party.”

  “On a Wednesday night?”

  “Turns out some guy’s leaving for deployment on Friday. He was supposed to get married in a couple months, but they don’t think he’ll be back until next year. They’re getting married tomorrow. And there you have a bachelor party.”

  “Wow, that sucks for the bride. Must be a bummer to have your husband leave the day after your wedding.”

  “Don’t care. Glad he picked Bottoms Up to spend his last free night. And brought twenty of his best buds. By the way, there’s also a few dudes I’ve never seen before on the other side of the pool tables. I wouldn’t let him know this, but I’m kinda glad the new guy started tonight. There’s a weird vibe in the air.”

  “Speaking of which, have you told the new guy about his ball and chain?” she asked.

  “Yup, he’s waiting on you. Oh, and Baby, don’t leave his side unless you’re dancing.”

  Baby Jade walked away after giving Mickey a sarcastic salute. She made her way to the dressing room and changed clothes. As the entertainment, Mickey made sure the girls knew they had to be entertaining on and off the stage.

  She slipped out of her street clothes and into a black lace teddy. Tossing her clothes in the drawer, she wrapped herself in a black silk robe that barely covered her rear. Baby Jade loved the way the black color showed off her skin. She piled her massive waves on top of her head and used an ivory clip to hold them in place, sweeping a few loose curls behind her ear. She slipped on a pair of black leather stilettos and headed back upstairs.

  Background music filled the room. The place was rowdy and packed. Everyone seemed to be in a celebratory mood while waiting for the next performance. Coral was downstairs getting ready for her set, excited by the big crowd. Lolli had gotten done and did a great job getting the crowd all worked up. The buzz was good for the place, maybe it was what the girls needed to turn around morale.

  Baby Jade scanned the room for Mickey. She found him behind the bar getting out a tray of hot wings, his famous party platter. It must be for the bachelor party. She mingled and talked to a few of the men in the crowd, making sure they had everything they needed as she helped hype up the next set. She hoped Coral had a good performance. The girl needed a win.

  Mickey found her in the crowd and shot her a glare, darting his gaze to Mr. Tats and his new sidekick, Jewella. She threw up her finger, giving him the one-minute signal. She didn’t want to piss off the large group of possible tippers. This could bring in a pretty penny for everyone, and unexpected penny was always appreciated.

  After checking on the bachelor party, she made her way around the room.

  “Hey honey, you gonna be on that pole tonight?” Baby Jade heard from a group of men surrounding a couple of pool tables, but she couldn’t make out where it was coming from.

  “Absolutely, make sure you stay for the show.” She smiled although she didn’t know where to direct her attention.

  “Oh with an ass like that, I wouldn’t miss it. Give us a little pre-show.”

  At that moment, she saw one of the men move and in less than a second, he was standing so close she could smell the liquor dripping from his hot breath.

  “Yeah, a little something on the side. Come on, give us a peek.” The man’s hand snaked up the front of Baby Jade’s robe. She tried to step back out of his reach but backed right into another guy from the belligerent crowd.

  “Where ya goin’? No need to run off,” the one said from behind, reaching around the front, grasping at her breasts. Baby attempted to steady herself as fear crept in, making her legs shake. She tried to pull loose in case she needed to throw an elbow or a knee.

  “Yeah, we wanna have a little fun,” another said from the fast growing circle. Before she had time to gather her bearings, they had her surrounded.

  “Don’t touch …” She barely managed the words before hearing a crash come from behind her. Baby turned around, startled to see Mr. Tats. He had the grab happy man laid out on a table, his forearm across the man’s throat, the other arm drawn back ready to strike.

  Before she knew it, Mickey was at Mr. Tat’s side with one hand tucked behind his back. She knew he was palming the butt of a Colt 45.

  “What the hell’s going on here?” Mickey asked.

  “Hey, man. Your guy’s crazy. We weren’t doin’ nothing and he went all psycho on us.” All the surrounding idiots nodded in agreement. Mickey looked to Mr. Tats for clarification. He got nothing because Mr. Tats refused to take his gaze off the brute he still had pinned to the table.

  Mickey whipped his head back toward the group, “Baby?” he asked.

  “The new guy was doing his job. He was protecting me from these assholes. They cornered me and got all handsy. He’s legit, Mickey.” She doubted he would believe her.

  “Bitch, you need to shut the hell up! We were minding our own business and this dumbass went crazy. You need to do something about him or we’re callin’ the cops.”

  The pensive look on Mickey’s face said he was weighing his options. No one needed to have the cops in the club, not cops who were on duty anyway. Bottoms Up was a big hangout for law enforcement. Not knowing if the men were bluffing or not, Baby Jade thought for sure Mickey would be his usual rat bastard self and side with the customers.

  He took a step toward Mr. Tats and cautiously placed a hand on his shoulder. Baby could tell he w
as trying not to make any sudden movements. Mr. Tats looked like he would start swinging any second. The way his jaw flexed and the muscles in his arms tensed was a clear indication that he was waiting for the go ahead to pound on the man. It was also a major turn on.

  “All right, Lucky. Let’s back off and let the gentleman up,” Mickey said using a calm voice.

  Lucky? Seriously?

  Mr. Tats, or Lucky, did not move. “Come on now, we don’t wanna have to replace the table now do we?” Mickey asked. Mr. Tats lowered his arm and slowly stood upright, allowing the man some oxygen, still scowling. Baby Jade noticed he didn’t blink, not once.

  “There now. Mister, you might wanna get up off that table before he decides to have another go at you again. And let me tell ya, I won’t be stopping him next time.” Mickey turned to address the crowd. “And the rest of you piss poor sons of bitches can be on your way and don’t drag your sorry asses back in here,” he said, with his hand still tucked in his waistband.

  “You’re gonna kick us out? Your guy attacked us. We didn’t do nothing to him. He’s crazy,” Loudmouth protested.

  “Maybe, but you must have done something to our girl here and we don’t stand for that either. Read the rules on the wall. And if you can’t read, maybe you should bring a designated reader with you on your little kindergarten group field trips. Now get the hell outta my club.” Mickey stared the loudmouth down, daring him to make a move. The look said it all. Mickey might be fat and slow, but the gun he was now gripping at his side wasn’t.

  “Ain’t that some shit. Fine, we’re going. Ain’t nothing but skanks and whores here anyway.” The men sulked toward the door. Mr. Tats didn’t move out of their way, making them walk around him to get out. He stared until the man he’d had pinned was gone and the door slammed closed behind him.