Authors Note: If only I owned them! The lyrics are Bon Jovis. The characters and direct quotes from OftM & 'TftD' are JEs. The quotes are in italics. The idea is mine! A one-shot from Lulas POV. Thanks so much for playing with my challenge this week, heres the reward:

Someday

Hey man I'm alive I'm takin' each day and night at a time
I'm feelin' like a Monday but someday I'll be Saturday night

"You know Jackie, one of these days, I'm gonna maybe change my profession. There is lots of things I could do 'sides bein' a 'ho."

"Girl, you best stop that talk and start lookin' like you wanna give it up. You know Maggot don't like it when you start talkin' that shit. I don't wanna hear it no more. You gonna git me in trouble."

Jackie just don't understand. There be lots of things a full figured black woman like me could do, and I'm gonna do it too. One of these days. I could do it today if I wanted to. It's just too damn hot. August ain't no time to be makin' big changes like I'm thinkin' of doin'.

Hey, my name is Jim, where did I go wrong
My life's a bargain basement, all the good shit's gone
I just can't hold a job, where do I belong
I'm sleeping in my car, my dreams move on

"Hey there Jimbo, how you doin' today?" This here is what I'm talkin' about. Man's been on the street here for a couple years now. Don't know where he wants to be or where he's goin'. I ain't gonna be like that. I be movin' on up. That's right, this fine assed black woman is gonna find something to do with her life, gotta be better than this shit.

"Hiya Lula, you know. Same shit, different day." I don't think he even wants anything better anymore. "You know where I might find some cans and stuff?"

"Did you check behind the Grand Hotel, maybe the gym? How's you car holding up? You need a place to stay?" Don't know how that skinny assed white man sleeps in that POS. I hope he don't think I want him stayin' with me. I'm gonna get him a bed in the shelter.

"Lula, don't be offerin' him a place to stay. What are you thinkin' you dumb ass, black 'ho?"

"It's OK Jackie, I'm fine. Thanks for askin' Lula. My car is fine. If I don't sleep in it, it'll come up missin'."

My name is Billy Jean, my love was bought and sold
I'm only sixteen, I feel a hundred years old
My foster daddy went, took my innocence away
The street life aint much better, but at least I get paid

"Oh, look at this girl here." I don't know why kids think the street's better than what they got goin' on at home. It don't make no sense to me. She can't be no more than 16 and she a 'ho for Maggot same as me and Jackie. "BJ, come on. I'll get you home."

"I don't wanna go home. I'm fine." If she was fine, she wouldn't practically be passed out at 3:00 in the afternoon. Where she be gettin' booze I don't know.

"Jackie, come here and give me a hand. We can't leave her here like this. She be in a world of hurt if we do."

"I ain't helpin' her. I got better things to do than take care of some drunk assed 'ho, and you do too. If Maggot finds you, he gonna beat you black and blue and you know it. Better to just leave her be and get yourself back on your corner."

"I don' need yer help. You think your s'much better 'an me you don' know sheee-it." I may be a street corner 'ho, but at least I'm a clean one. BJ smells like the bathroom floor of the corner bar and her breath oh my gawd, it's enough to stop an elephant. "Miz. All High and Mighty, you think you so sp'cial. You don' know what my... life is like. I can take care of m'shelf." I catch her before she can fall on top of me. Yup she sho 'nuff can take care of herself. I can see that. That's why she's passed out in the middle of the sidewalk. My girl Shanequa works at the local teen shelter. I'll give her a call to pick up little Miss. Thang here.

"One of these days Lula, you gonna git yo' ass in a heap load a trouble. I don't see why you can't jes mind your own business." Jackie just don't get it. Maybe she never will, I hope that ain't so. She don't understand, I do this stuff fo' myself not anybody else.

And Tuesday just might go my way
It can't get worse than yesterday
Thursdays, Fridays ain't been kind
But somehow I'll survive

Now there is one fine lookin' man dressed in black. All that smooth mahogany skin and lookit those muscles. My my my. I don't know what his name is but his boss goes by the street name Ranger. They be bounty hunters or some shit. I see 'em coast down the street in them bad ass black cars they have. One of these days I'll have me a man like that. One who 'preciates a fine lookin' full figured woman such as myself. Yes indeed.

"Excuse me," Oh Lord, he's talkin' to me. "Have you seen this man?"

"Now what's a fine specimen of a man like you want with a piece of shit like him?" Sweet Jesus, that man's got a smile that light up the sky. I think I done just ruined my panties. Hunh, been a while since that happened. "What's your name big guy?"

"Tank, Ma'am. Have you seen him?" Now this here is a case of the name fitting the man. I wonder if he is built like a tank all over the place. He's got the feet and he's got the hands. If I play my cards right I just might git me some Tank sized lovin' tonight.

"Well, maybe I have and maybe I haven't. It's hard to say."

"Yo, Tank. We gotta go. Either she knows or she doesn't. We don't have time to waste."

"One minute, Rangeman. Have you seen this man or not? He's armed and dangerous, you don't want to be playin' with me now." Hmmm. So much for that idea. I seen him around and about so now that he's seen me I bet he'll be back for some Lula lovin'.

"No, can't rightly say I have. Not recently anyway, but I'll keep my eyes peeled."

"Now you be careful. Don't do anything if you see him. We'll be around, just let us know when and where you see him." You can bet your sweet ass. I ain't gonna pass by the chance to get a look at him again. No way, no how.

Hey man I'm alive I'm takin' each day and night at a time
Yeah I'm down, but I know I'll get by
Hey hey hey hey, man gotta live my life
Like I ain't got nothin' but this roll of the dice
I'm feelin' like a Monday, but someday I'll be Saturday night

"Jackie did you catch a look at that fine assed man I was just talkin' too. I tell you what, one of these days I'm gonna has me a piece o' dat."

"Lula, what makes you think dat man wants anything to do with your skanky ass? You a 'ho, you always gonna be a 'ho and you best not forget it."

"See now Jackie, that's where you is wrong. I ain't gonna be a 'ho forever. There be lots of things I could do. I ain't spendin' the rest of my life takin' care of nasty assed men, like Benito over at the gym, jes so's I can have a place to sleep. This ain't no way to get ahead, and that's what I aim to be doin'. I jes don't feel like it right this second." Jackie's problem is that shit she keeps puttin' in her veins. She keep thinkin' that will help and there ain't nuthin' I can say to change her mind. "You can do something else too, you know. If you quit usin' that shit we could maybe go into business or somthin'."

"You see, that's where we be different. I am in business, I'm a 'ho, and don't you start treatin' me like one o' your charity cases either. I ain't got time for that shit. You just mind your own business and I'll mind mine."

"Hunh, you think you in business girl? That shit don't fly with me and you know it. This here ain't a business this here is scraping by. You'd be doin' a whole lot better if you didn't spend every dime you got on drugs. Ain't you figured it out yet that it don't work? You ain't stupid, but you will be if you keep doin' that shit."

"Mind your own business Lula, and get back on your corner before Maggot sees you jawin' instead of workin'."

Now I can't say my name, and tell you where I am
I want to roll myself away, don't know if I can

I wish that I could be in some other time and place
With someone elses soul, someone elses face

It's been three days since I found Jackie on the floor of her bathroom with a needle in her arm. That stupid 'ho. She damn near died on me. She knows I don't like the police, and here I had to go down to the station and sit in that little room 'till they decided I didn't have nuthin' to do with her overdose. I just wished she would a talked to me. We's supposed to be friends. Now Maggot is all over me to be bringin' in my share plus hers 'cuz he don't think he should hafta be outta pocket. I signed some paper to try to get her into rehab. I hope it takes this time.

Well, damn. So much for that thought.

"Jackie, what are you doin' out here? You 'posed to be in rehab."

"I don't need no rehab. I just got a little carried away." Yeah, right. One of these days I won't be there to make sure she gets help. "'Sides, you need to just mind your own business. I didn't ask for your help. Leave me be."

"You could a died if I wasn't there, fact is you probably would have. What do you mean you don't need no help?"

"Lula, you just need to mind you own business. I done told you before I ain't one of your charity cases. You need to take care of yourself Little Miss I-Can-Do-Anything-I-Want, if you aint careful you'll be the one in the hospital, because your man will put you there." If I didn't know better I would almost say she wanted to die. Don't she know things will always get better you jes gots to hang in there?

"Jackie, you know it won't always be like this doncha?"

"I don't want no part of your delusions. You don't know nuthin'. You think maybe I didn't want no help? No of course not. Everybody needs Lula to help 'em. Well, maybe if Lula helped herself she wouldn't be in everybody else's business. I got to go to work and so do you."

Oh, Tuesday just might go my way
It can't get worse than yesterday
Thursdays, Fridays ain't been kind
But somehow I'll survive

Hey, man I'm alive I'm takin' each day and night at a time
Yeah I'm down, but I know I'll get by
Hey hey hey hey, man gotta live my life
I'm gonna pick up all the pieces and what's left of my pride
I'm feelin' like a Monday, but someday I'll be Saturday night

Well now lookit here. Just who does this skinny ass white girl think she is? Don't she know this is our spot? Hunh, if she thinks she is going to move in on my territory she got another thing comin'.

"Jackie, what do you think? Should we scare the skinny white girl?" What is with those ugly ass shorts and t-shirt?

"Well, she ain't got what it takes, that's for sure. I'll let you handle it since you always takin' in strays and shit."

"Hey, girl, what you think you doin' here? This here's our corner, you dig?"

"I'm looking for a friend, Joe Morelli," Now what would this white girl want with a bad ass cop like Morelli. Word on the street is he done killed Ziggy. Not such a bad thing depending on your point of view. "Either of you seen him around?"

"What you want with this Morelli?"

"It's personal."

"I bet." Personal my ass. This chick is up to something.

"You know him?"

"Maybe." Why is she looking for a cop wanted for murder, and do I really want to get involved?

"Actually, we were more than friends."

"How much more?"

"The son of a bitch got me pregnant." Bullshit. Miss. Thang here can't lie to save her life. She is just asking for trouble.

"You don't look pregnant."

"Give me a month."

"There's things you can do."

"Yeah, and number one is find Joe Morelli. You know where he is?" She don't give up I'll give her that. I'm still not too sure I want to get involved. This whole situation stinks to high heaven.

"Nuh uh."

"You know someone named Carmen Sanchez? She worked at the Step In."

"She get you pregnant, too?"

"Thought Morelli might be with her." Blue Eyes here really needs to learn to lie a little better.

"Carmen's disappeared. Happens to women on Stark Street. Environmental Hazard."

"You want to elaborate on that?"

"She want to keep her mouth shut, is what she want to do," Jackie's impatient. "We don't know about any of that shit. And we don't got time to stand here talking to you. We got work to do."

Saturday night (here we go)
Someday I'll be Saturday night
I'll be back on my feet, I'll be doin' alright
It may not be tomorrow baby, that's OK
I ain't goin' down, gonna find a way, hey hey hey

Hey man I'm alive I'm takin' each day and night at a time
Yeah, I'm down, but I know I'll get by
Hey hey hey hey, man, gotta live my life
Like I ain't got nothin' but this roll of the dice
I'm feelin' like a Monday, but someday I'll be Saturday night
I'm feelin' like a Monday, but someday I'll be Saturday night
Saturday night, all right, all right
Saturday night

Last summer I had what people call an epiphany. It was probably the scariest time in my life I ever had. I almost died. I would have died if it wasn't for that while girl who was askin' about that cop. Stephanie. She may not be real street smart but she don't give up or back down. She be real cool. I thank the good Lord every day that she decided to ask around my and Jackie's corner. It's because of her I got this new job. I ain't a 'ho anymore. I done bettered myself. Too bad my boss Vinnie is a duck lovin pervert. Well Im used to dealing with perverts, he better not give me no shit or I just might have to sit on him. A full figured woman like me could do lots of damage to his skinny ass.

Today's my first day. Connie and I decided to surprise Stephanie. She usually don't come in till late so I should be ok.

"Lula, she just pulled up in big blue. Hurry and get down behind me so she can't see you."

"Connie, she gonna be surprised girl. I can just feel it." I'm gettin' all jittery and shit. I quieted down when I heard the bell over the door.

"Nice parking job," Connie said. "I was afraid you were going to run out of gas before you berthed the QE Two."

"I'm getting better. I only hit the car behind me twice, and I missed the parking meter totally." That better not have been my car. I don't care if that skinny white girl saved my life or not.

"Sheee-it, that better not have been my car you hit." I popped out from behind Connie trying to get a look at the parking spaces out front.

"Lula!" She's parked on the other side of the road, cross from the office so it's all good.

"Hey, girl. What you doing dragging your sad ass in here?"

"Came to pick up a paycheck. What are you doing here? Trying to make bail?"

"Hell no." Seeing as how she ain't heard the good news I'll cut her some slack." I just been hired to whip this office into shape. I'm gonna file my ass off."

"What about your previous profession?"

"I'm retired. I gave the corner over to Jackie. I couldn't go back to bein' a 'ho after I was cut so bad last summer." Them's one of those good news/bad news situations. Good news is I ain't a 'ho no more. Got me a respectable job now. Bad news is I wouldn't wish what I went through on my worst enemy. Nobody should have to go through that.

Connie was smiling ear to ear. "I figure she can handle Vinnie."

"Yeah, he try anything on me and I'll stomp on the motherfucker. He mess with a big woman like me, and he be nothin' more than a smelly spot on the carpet."

"So, do you still get around? You still hear things on the street?" I think this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

"What kinda things?"

"Four brothers tried to buy some guns last night and got busted."

"Hah. Everybody knows about that. That's the two Long boys, and Booger Brown and his dumber'n-cat-shit cousin, Freddie Johnson." This white girl don't give up. There be more to her than people think. She knows how to find things out if she don't know it.

"You know who they were buying the guns from?"

"Some white dude. Don't know more'n that."

"I'm trying to get a line on the white dude."

"Sure does feel funny being on this side of the law. Think this is gonna take some getting' used to." I'm gonna do it though. Maybe not the cops though, they always gonna give me the runs. But I could be on the right side of the law. Hell yeah, and I am finally gonna make something of myself. This here is it for me. What I been talking about all these years. My time has come. World you best watch out, Lula is here.

The End