Chapter 7
The Sad Story Of Renee
The bench he slept on last night caused his back to ache, but Dean was convinced that the beds in prison were even less comfortable.
That morning the escaped criminal woke up with a huge pain in his back, but he knew that there were worse kinds of pain you'd experience in life. No, he was not going to let himself get arrested because of a painful spine; that would be possibly one of the most humiliating ways for a fugitive to get caught. The only thing that came close to sheltering Dean from the cold last night was his leather jacket, but that didn't help too much. He felt like a homeless, curled up on that bench and trying to get some sleep like that. Dean eventually did manage to get a couple of hours of sleep.
No, he had miserably failed to find a proper place to stay for the night. There wasn't a single hotel, motel or inn in this godforsaken city that allowed him to sleep in one of their rooms for a night without paying, which was kind of expectable. But it wasn't the only thing that Dean failed to accomplish; he had also failed to find his dinner. When he scavenged the garbage cans near a restaurant in the hope of finding something edible, his hopes of getting a proper dinner (or at least what came close to that description) were crushed into dust when he found out that most of the food was rotten. His appetite was immediately ruined when he saw a fat rat gnawing on a piece of chicken, thus resulting him going to sleep with an empty stomach. The park was the only place he could stay for free, he had no choice.
Now that he was awake, Dean felt how hungry he actually was. He wondered for how long he had been sleeping. Checking the large clock that was installed in the middle of the park, Dean saw that it was half past nine; it surprised him that he had managed to get so much sleep despite the cold and the uncomfortable bench. Dean was pretty sure people who passed him by must've given him disgusted look, mistaking him for a homeless.
But despite the constant rumbling noise in his stomach, Dean didn't want to get something to eat just yet... because he was afraid he would miss out on meeting Renee.
It sounded strange, but he actually looked forward to seeing her again. There was something about the prostitute that he couldn't put his finger on, he found it hard to describe it. Perhaps it was the fact that she made him want to help her; offering her his napkin to dry her tears with was a small random act of kindness, but it felt like it eased her pain, even if it was just for a little bit. That's why Dean hung around at the entrance of the park, patiently waiting for her. After all, he had told Renee that he would wait for her. God, he never thought it would ever come to this, waiting for a prostitute. While he waited for her, Dean would often look around to see if he saw any police car.
Then, after a whole hour, the escaped criminal saw a feminine figure wearing a white faux-fur coat approaching the entrance of the park. That had to be her! This was proven right when Dean got a good view on Renee's face. Walking towards him, she blinked her eyes in surprise.
'Holy crap... You... you actually waited for me?' Renee asked with a soft voice.
Dean grinned and nodded. 'Told you I would do that. Good morning to you too, by the way.'
'Oh, r-right...' the prostitute replied, understanding the awkwardness of this. 'Good morning. I'm sorry, but this really surprises me, you know... I mean, really... You've kept your word, you weren't joking... It's so weird.'
'What's so weird about keeping your word?'
'No, it's not that, it's just that you actually spend your time waiting for me... I mean, you could've done so many other things, yet you decided to wait for me, like you said. But why? I'm a complete stranger, why would you do that? Just look at me, I'm a prostitute... isn't there-'
Renee abruptly stopped speaking when she caught Dean staring at her collarbone. She knew immediately why he must've been staring; this morning she woke up with a hideous, big, dark blue bruise on her chest, it was one of the many bruises caused by the beating she had received from James yesterday. She had tried to cover them up with make-up, but it turned out it didn't cover the bruises well enough. Biting her lower lip, Renee pulled a part of her coat over the bruise in an attempt to hide it, but Dean had already seen it.
He pointed at her collarbone. 'How did that happen?' he asked.
'It's... it's nothing, really.' Renee didn't have the courage to tell him the true story behind the bruise; her situation brought a strong kind of shame along with it. 'I bumped against a lamppost on my way home, I didn't-'
'Don't lie to me, Renee.'
The prostitute blinked her eyes in surprise. What? How did he know she was making this up?
'I can tell when someone's lying to me, so you're not going to fool me. I have known women like you throughout my entire life and let me tell you something, those women had often the same injuries you have right now and they also said they got them because of some dumb accident, but in the end, those bruises were all caused by the hands of one son of a bitch... Your pimp did this to you, am I right?'
Renee didn't say a word. Looking away, she sighed. Fuck, he had seen right through her... she was so embarrassed to admit this, but there was no way to deny this.
'Yes...'
'You want to tell me why he did it?'
'I... I didn't earn enough money yesterday. He will always find an excuse to beat me up.'
Dean shook his head. That was absolutely fucking despicable. His mother was not exactly the type of woman to ever win the 'Mother Of The Year' award, but if there was at least one valuable lesson she had taught her son, is that you had to treat a woman with respect (unless she would cheat on you with your colleague).
'Then why don't you leave that bastard?'
'I can't... It's far too late for that.'
'What do you-' Suddenly, a loud rumbling noise emerged from Dean's empty stomach, reminding him how hungry he actually was.
'Are you hungry?' Renee asked, finding the perfect opportunity to change the subject.
Dean softly chuckled. 'Well, you could say that again... let's just say that finding something to eat is quite hard if you don't have any money.'
Renee glanced at the ground, as if she was lost in thoughts. 'How about I buy you breakfast?' she suddenly offered. 'I know this diner around here where they have some really delicious food. I always eat my breakfast there, but I'm not hungry.' It was true; Renee was everything but hungry, mainly because the first two customers she received this morning at the parking lot of the supermarket were enough to make her sick to her stomach.
Dean frowned for a moment, but then nodded. 'Alright then. If you insist.'
Renee had never seen someone eating breakfast in the way Dean did.
As soon as the plate with bacon, eggs and beans and the glass of fresh orange juice were put down on the table, the man feasted on his breakfast like a hungry wolf, not even taking his time to swallow down a chewed-up mouthful before taking the next bite. He was damn hungry, you could clearly see that.
The diner was half-full, most of the people who visited this place were here to eat their breakfast or just want to drink a cup of coffee before going to work. When they had entered the diner, Renee dearly hoped there wouldn't be a customer she was forced to serve during these past months. But for now, it seemed that the coast was clear, which pleased her very much.
Dean finally took his time to swallow down his food and nodded. 'Yup, you were right. It really is some good grub.'
Renee smiled a bit awkwardly. She had never expected to buy breakfast for a man who was surprisingly willing to talk to her despite her 'job'. Having contact with Dean... reminded her that she was still a human being, somehow. 'Glad to hear that.' she replied.
'Do you want some?' Dean asked. 'I would feel like a total asshole if you wouldn't eat something, seriously.'
'No no, it's fine, really.' Renee shook her head. 'I will get something in the afternoon, don't worry about that.'
'You sure about that?'
'Yeah, I'm sure.'
Dean took a gulp from his glass of orange juice. 'Say, I have been wondering about something...' he said. 'How the hell did you end up like this? I mean, I'm not going to lie, you are a very pretty woman, you could have had way better opportunities when it comes to work and other stuff. And yet you are here in this shithole of a city, having a job you fucking despise and stuck with an abusive bastard of a pimp. Why is that? I'm curious.'
Renee stared at the table, as if she was considering telling him her story. She barely knew this guy and her life story was very personal to her, but then again, it would feel so good to share it with somebody... even if it was with a stranger. Renee decided to do it.
'When I was eight years old, my parents both died in a car crash.' she spoke. 'I refused to believe that they were dead when I was told what had happened, I guess something like that is very hard for a girl from that age to accept. After their funeral I moved in with my grandmother, she was the only family I had left. My grandma was pretty old-fashioned when it came to parenting. I always had to do my chores and homework first before going out with friends, I had to be home at a certain time, a bad grade would result me going to bed without dinner, you know, that kind of stuff. Anyway, when I graduated from high school, my grandma had saved up enough money for me to go to college. I have always wanted to be an interviewer, so I chose to study for that. During my college years, I got to know James while attending a party one night. God, he was so charming, so nice... He wasn't getting many good grades and was a bit of a rebel, but I loved him either way. I think that's what made him so attractive for me. When I reached my last year of college, my grandmother suddenly passed away. I was all alone, I had no family left... but James was there for me, he always was. After I graduated from college, we moved to Rey City together to work on a future. I could've pictured it all, I thought it was going to be fantastic. Everything seemed so perfect... that was until the night that James told me that I was going to earn money for him. At first I thought he was joking, but from the moment he pressed the tip of his pistol against my head... that's when my life turned into a living hell. I have been doing this work for him for the last couple of months and there isn't a day that doesn't go by that I wish for all of this to be over. I just want to throw up whenever I'm with a customer, James has threatened me and beaten me up so many times that I have lost count. I... I never wanted this life...'
Renee had remained fairly calm while she told her life story, but her voice broke when she spoke those last words. Covering her face with both hands, Renee let out a sad sigh.
There it was again. That connection he felt yesterday. Just like her, life had totally fucked Dean over. Hell, life might have fucked her over even harder. At least she had a chance of a proper future, something Dean had thrown away a long time. If she had never met that bastard James, she would've probably been shining on millions of TV-screens in the United States, her dream of becoming an interviewer would've come true, she could've hired by the biggest news channels. She didn't have a choice about her life turning out like this and it was all James' fault. Dean damned him to Hell; this beautiful woman right here could've made her dreams come true and he had snatched it all away from her.
Dean felt nothing but pity for Renee... something he hadn't felt for any person in a while.
Suddenly, the door of the diner opened and a chubby man in his late forties stepped inside. He noticed the two of them sitting at the table, stared at the prostitute for a brief moment, blinked his eyes, then grinned from ear to ear. Dean didn't like that grin for one bit; it looked mocking to him. The man walked towards the table, the grin refused to leave his face.
'Hey, I know you...' he said.
Renee looked up and softly gasped. Her cheeks colored red with shame.
'You're that whore who hangs around the park every day, aren't you?' the man asked, loud enough for everyone else who was in the diner to hear him. 'Ah yes, now I remember you! You were the one who gave me a blowjob a week ago near the beach! Ha, I didn't know hookers have enough class to eat at a place like this! I bet fucking guys all day long must've made you hungry. Say, how about you spend your time wisely and give me another blowjob in my car right now?'
Then the man focused his attention on Dean. 'Damn buddy, you must feel damn lonely to have breakfast with a cum-dumpster like her. I wonder how much money you have given her-'
In the blink of an eye, Dean had gotten up from his seat and punched the man right in the face with all the strength he had. The sound of his nose being shattered into dozens of pieces could be heard in the entire diner. The man let out a howl of pain, but Dean wasn't done just yet. This piece of shit had to pay for every word he said. He punched him in the face over and over again, not even feeling the skin on his knuckles bursting. He slammed the man's eyes shut, coloring his eyelids blue. Then he abruptly stopped punching him and grabbed him by the jaw, forcing him to look at Renee. The prostitute was slightly startled by the man's beaten face. A thick stream of blood emerged from his nostrils, covering his mouth. He was unable to open his eyes.
'Apologize to her.' Dean hissed. But he didn't get the response he wanted, the man only managed to groan in pain.
'I said: apologize to her!' Dean bellowed. Everyone in the diner was staring at him in shock at this point, but he couldn't care less about that. He wanted this son of a bitch to apologize to Renee for talking to her like that.
'Alright, alright!' the man whimpered. 'I'm... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...'
He got what he wanted. Dean let go of the man, who immediately collapsed to the floor. A small pool of blood grew near his nose. Dean looked up and saw the faces of the customers; they all expressed nothing more but complete awe.
It was very likely the owners were going to call the cops for this. Time to get out of here.
'Come on Renee.' he said calmly. 'Let's get out of here. I'm done eating.'
Renee was just as much in shock as everyone else was, she didn't say anything but quickly nodded. She left a few dollar bills on the table, got up and followed Dean, exiting the diner together.
