Chapter 6

Abigail’s Wednesday was just like any day of the week. It was hectic, tiring and long. Still, it wasn’t over yet.

She had just gotten home from her evening classes, feeling exhausted but still willing to do what she has to do to get by.

Grabbing a cup of coffee from the kitchen island, Abigail shrugged on a trench coat, fished for her house keys from her purse and rushed for the door. It was almost 9 p.m., and she had to be in her dressing room to get ready for the 10 o’clock opening of the nightclub.

She had barely caught a breath after being in New York’s terrible traffic on her way home from her classes, but she had no choice but to enter it yet again.

“Stay home and watch ‘Home Alone’ with me,” Najay whined as Abigail grabbed her phone from the coffee table.

“Najay, I have to go,” she responded like a responsible parent. “The bills have to be paid somehow.”

“You’re tired, Abi. You know you can take a night off, right? You aren’t under a contract.”

Abigail sighed, feeling a bit annoyed that she had to be explaining something so important to her roommate, who knew how life went.

“I know, but I need the money, Naj. You know this. I’ll be back by midnight, okay?” Without any room for protest, Abigail quickly kissed her friend’s cheek and bolted for the door.

Najay had been the closest thing she had to a friend for the past years. Of course, she had acquaintances from school and co-workers from both her jobs, but they didn’t know her like Najay does. Still, her roommate can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Najay works full time at a salon, so she often forgot that Abigail wasn’t as fortunate as her to have nights off.

With a yawn, Abigail switched on the torch on her phone as she arrived at the dark staircase. They still hadn’t fixed the elevator, and the stairs were as dark as night itself. She mumbled a curse under her breath as she carefully took each step, praising God when she was at the safety of the bottom floor. The last thing she wanted was to fall down a flight of stairs and break her neck.

The coffee was cold when she took a sip, but she had no choice but drink it still. She needed the energy booster, especially after going back to the club after being absent for so many days.

After her talk with Theodore on Saturday, she found that they spent the entire day together. Hence she couldn’t go to Vanx that night, as she had to catch up on her studies. Still, with over a week away from the club, she hoped that it wouldn’t be too hard going back there after what nearly happened to her.

It’s not like she had a choice either way.

She had considered Theodore’s proposal. In fact, it has been on her mind for the past five days. Yet even though she spent a whole day with him and found him to be a decent, respectful man, she couldn’t see herself dancing for him…privately.

In fact, the very thought of going to his house three days a night to perform an exotic, sometimes erotic dance would make her cringe. What if one day he has a bad day and feels like he needs to relieve himself? Will his decency last then?

As successful as he is, Abigail was sure that he had highly stressful days and weeks. She might’ve trusted him to take her for coffee, but being alone with him for three nights a week is a different level of trust that she didn’t have.

She could, however, see herself taking up his offer of friendship. It didn’t have to be anything close. They could simply meet for coffee or lunch once a month to retain the friendship. She liked the way he talked and could see herself having decent conversations with him sometime in the future again.

This was a huge step for her. She hadn’t been associated with a man in this manner in years. Unless it was professional or situational, she doesn’t really find herself conversing with a man.

But Theodore made it easy. He spoke as if they were business partners, siblings, old friends and even sometimes lovers, and she had only had one day to talk to him. The way he spoke of business as if it was a hobby was intriguing. The way he would randomly compliment her about something would drop a hint of comfort and appreciation in their interaction.

He was a people person. He knew how to get around with words.

But as for being a personal stripper? She couldn’t do it.

They haven’t talked since Saturday. He hadn’t called, and neither had her. She didn’t feel bad, though. He’s the freaking CEO of a business, for crying out loud. Abigail was sure he had better things to do than call her every passing second. Besides, she didn’t want to come off as too pushy either. The last thing she wanted was for him to believe she wants more than just friendship from him— like money.

Abigail never wants to be a burden or menace to anyone. Ever.

“Taxi!” She bellowed as she waved down a yellow cab but huffed in annoyance when it sped past her.

The night was cold, and her fingers felt as if they were going to fall off. The cold coffee wasn’t helping either, and the three-minute walk from her apartment to the main streets was more than enough time to torture her with the frosty bite of the night.

The coat she wore was a bit worn and old, but it was the warmest she had. Abigail hugged her arms tighter around her when another rush of wind appeared out of nowhere and sent her freezing even more.

She rechecked the time. 9:15. At this rate, she’ll lose a good chunk of money if she’s not there and ready to go on stage by 10. The thought worried her. She already lost a week’s worth of cash. She couldn’t afford to lose a minute more.

“Taxi!” She waved frantically again as another cab pulled up, and to her delight, it stopped at her feet as she shuffled in.

“Hello there,” the old man greeted, beaming through the mirror at her.

Abigail shivered but forced a smile anyway. “Goodnight. Vanx Club, please.”

“Let me give you some heat.” The man chuckled, almost sending Abigail in a panic attack by the misinterpretation of his words. But then she felt the warm air from the heater melting away the cold from her veins, and she almost moaned in delight.

“Thank you,” she murmured, leaning back in the seat.

She found herself dozing off before she arrived at her destination, and she was jerked awake when the car came to a sudden stop. The driver peered over his shoulder in sympathy for the petite woman in the back of his cab as he watched her eyes flutter open.

“You seem a bit tired,” he pointed out as she stirred fully awake.

Abigail chuckled humourlessly as she fished a bill from her purse. “A bit? Not even close.”

“Keep it.” He raised his hands when she handed him the bill with a small simper on his lips. “You take care now, Little Missy.”

“Thank you. You too,” she said softly before leaving. It was good to remember now and then that good people still existed. The world isn’t all that evil.

‘Good people like Theodore?’

Avoiding the thought, Abigail quickly rushed inside to escape the bite of the cold air. She decided to go straight to the manager’s, Andrew, office to let him know she was in tonight.

Abigail noticed how she got weird looks from some of the workers on her way there but avoided them. There must be some new gossip going around this week like always. Too bad her name was involved.

“Come in!” the familiar voice of Andrew called when Abigail knocked on his door. She wasted no time in pushing it open, and as always, his nose was buried in his laptop, probably watching porn or actually dealing with the book records.

“My Kitten!” he cheered brightly as she stepped in. “I’ve missed you.” Andrew winked as she shuffled further in, leaving the door open. She always did. Her trust issues don’t surpass anyone.

“I know. I’ve been out for the past week. I felt a bit uncomfortable because of…something. But I just wanted to let you know that I’m back.”

Andrew’s face fell, and Abigail didn’t understand why. “Oh, mi nena,” he mumbled in his thick Spanish accent. “I was so happy to see you back that I almost forgot.”

“Forgot what?” She gulped, sensing his sadness towards her.

“The last night when you were here, something happened? No?”

Abigail’s body suddenly began to tremble as she gazed wearily around the man’s office. She anticipated ANYTHING. Andrew never gave her reason to doubt his morals, but she couldn’t be too careful with men. She could never be.

“Yes,” was all she said, not wishing to expound.

“I don’t know what happened, but I have bad news for you, my dearest.”

“What news?” She gulped again, sensing that it couldn’t be anything good.

“This man, he’s one of my top clients for my girls, Vino. After he requested your private dance, I believe it didn’t go well?” Andrew observed her. He didn’t know what happened, but he didn’t want to upset Abi. She was, after all, one of his favourites.

“Andrew, where are you getting?” she asked in frustration. What had been happening in the week she was away?

Andrew sighed deeply before meeting her eyes. “He claims that you stole his money and made a run for it. He’s been telling every man that comes in this place since that night.”

“What!” Abigail couldn’t believe her ears. The audacity! “I did no such thing!”

“I know, mi querida, I know. I’ve known you for a while, Kitten, and I know you didn’t do it.”

“So why do you tolerate it? And what does this have to do with the bad news you have for me?”

“I’m not tolerating it.” He sighed again before continuing. “I love you as one of my best dancers, Abigail; I do.”

“But?” she asked, sensing a ‘but’. He only ever called her Abigail on the night he accepted her as a dancer here. Since then, it’s been ‘Kitten’ or some Spanish nickname that she didn’t understand. This must be serious.

“But he’s a well-respected man here who comes a lot and spends good money. The other men will believe whatever nonsense he blabs, and having you here won’t be good for business until this passes over or until I-”

“So you’re just going to let him get away with-” Abi choked on her words as a sob threatened to break from her lips. Andrew felt his heart breaking at the very sight. He wanted to know what really happened that night to be sure it wouldn’t happen again.

“He won’t,” he tried to assure her as he rounded his desk to move close to her. But as expected, she moved back. “I want him out of my club because he’s obviously done something dishonourable to one of my girls. Abigail, what did he do?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she mumbled as she turned to leave. What more could he do if this Vino man had everyone believing that she was a sneaky thief? They wouldn’t want to watch her dance or request private dances from her. So her ‘career’ here was practically over. Andrew simply put it in much nicer terms.

“I’ve installed cameras in my private rooms, not to watch anything, but to have as a reference if something like this should happen to someone else.” He called after her as she made for the exit. “As for now, I can’t ban him or get him arrested without proof, but I’m terribly sorry it had to be you. I hope I can call you when this all blows over, and you can consider coming back?” he asked with hope dripping from his voice.

Still, Abigail felt betrayed, cheap, and most of all, scared. What will she do now?

With a single nod, she left Andrew Vanx’s office and his club.

She accepted the cold air as it struck her again, welcoming the warm tears in contrast as they rolled down her cheek.

Abigail still couldn’t believe what Andrew had just revealed to her. She wasn’t surprised, though. This was a man’s world, after all. It was a filthy rich man’s words over a tiny woman who strips for money. Who will they be more likely to believe?

With all hope and her largest source of income lost, Abigail strolled down the freezing streets, thinking about her next move as tears continued to roll from her eyes. She felt like walking home. She needed the walk so she could think.

She couldn’t drop out of school, and a full-time job at SHI wasn’t guaranteed even if she went on her knees and begged her boss. Najay could cover the rent until she found another job to gain enough money to pay her back, but even then, how will she continue school?

Her back was against the wall, and for the first time since she left Mark’s house, she felt hopeless.

A flicker of bright light blinded her temporarily through a building as she walked past it, and she noticed that it was a huge business place that was not foreign to her. She had passed it numerous times when travelling about the city, but she wasn’t giving it much thought until now.

Vintage Wines.

Theodore’s business.

The thought of his proposal resurfaced in her mind as she eyed the closed glass doors that showed the lobby of his business’ headquarters.

His offer had been a big one, but she had her doubts about accepting the proposal.

But as she stood there in the heart of the city with tear-streaked cheeks and a rising headache, logic spoke to her, and she knew what she had to do.

She didn’t have a choice.