Hmmmm…Kenji will be going back to clear some things up…. this is a closure after all…
"Sashenka!" Anna exclaimed in a hoarse whisper as she saw Sashenka quietly slipping out of Kenji's room.
"It was not like anything you are thinking." Sashenka assured her.
"Who am I to judge you Sashenka?"
"Nothing. Nothing happened, I just…I just needed someone to let me talk without any ulterior motives."
"You don't have to explain anything to me Sashenka, but just don't forget who he is and what you are."
"I won't I know exactly what I am doing, but I am glad that there is someone who would just listen and care for my well being without wanting anything in return."
"Sashenka, I think you are walking down a dangerous path. Don't get illusioned with a child. Even if he is a man, he is still a child."
"I know. I know Anna. Don't worry about me. I know he is a child." Sashenka said sadly. She knew, but she couldn't help it. She knew she was walking down a dangerous path. Having someone free her heart gave her the opportunity to dream, but the person who freed her heart was a kid.
'Just don't get hurt.' Anna whispered as Sashenka left.
Sashenka was feeling more than a little confused and she needed time to think. In all her life nobody had shown any kind of affection for her, and when somebody did, it was a kid. Kenji had let her do something nobody had let her do, and one pain was gone but a new one was brewing in her heart.
"We are closing again tonight." Sashenka said.
"Again?" they all asked in unison.
"We need a break. Besides we have a pretty good selection of customers, they can wait."
"You are the boss."
Ninushka was worried about Sashenka and went up to her room to talk to her.
"When are we opening up again?" Ninushka asked her quietly.
"I don't know. If you want you can make house calls, I don't want to make you lose money, but right now I am not feeling well."
"Understood…um Sashenka?" Ninushka started.
"Yes?"
"Uh…no…nothing." She said before leaving.
Sashenka stayed staring at the spot Ninushka had just vacated.
Ninushka was one of those girls that really did not belong in a place like that. It was not that she believed any one deserved that life, but it was that Ninushka was too shy and meek to deal with the hardships of this type of life. Ninushka could not stand up for herself. With her humble demeanor she was one of the most solicited, yet the one Sashenka protected the most.
'Ninushka, why are you here?'
'I… I have no where else to go.'
'That is not a good enough excuse to stay in a life like this. This is not a life for somebody like you. You are young, you could still find a way out of it.'
'But I like it here.'
'You like to be used by men who only think of you as merchandise?' Sashenka asked sarcastically.
Ninushka had said nothing and lowered her gaze.
'Look this is not a life for you, but if you want to stay here then you are welcomed to stay.'
But Sashenka had a pretty good idea as to why Ninushka wanted to stay.
It probably had to do with a little word that was forbidden for them. Love.
For people like them love was like a faraway dream. Society did not permit them to love. They were not even allowed to be part of society. They were like shadows, just standing behind the rest of the world, waiting, hoping to one day be taken away from that life, but knowing it was not possible. Even if a man took them out of the brothel they would only still be his lover, always living in the shadow of someone else.
Sashenka knew that. She had been in love once before and she knew how much it hurt.
She knew and yet she couldn't ignore it.
She couldn't stop herself from dreaming even if she knew that it would only hurt her in the end.
