I don't own Twilight. I just make the characters my own.


I was in the middle of a bright red dressing room with the few other colored girls that worked at "Rose's". It was a small room where there wasn't any privacy. If you had a secret birthmark, everyone in the room surely saw it and could describe it perfectly. These women had nothing to hide.

And I stood there nervously. I watched as the girls laced up their dancing shoes. I watched them grease and slick their curls. They oiled their arms and legs. I watched as the put on rouge and sprayed every inch of their bodies with perfume. Everything was alive. Everything smelled like sweet rose perfume.

"Hey, ain't you the new girl performing tonight?" One older woman called to me.

"Yes, ma'am." I said shyly. She reminded me of my mama a little. She had short finger waved hair, smooth skin, and a gap between her teeth.

"You with a squeaky little voice like that?" she laughed. The other girls in the room laughed too.

"Say, I heard girly blow at the audition. She's a bona-fide canary!" one girl said loudly. She smiled and winked at me. She wore very short sequined red shorts and a white sailor style top like a few of the others in the room. I guess they were in the same dance number.

"Well, however you sound ain't none of my bidness lil sister. I'm Charlotte and all I care about is how you look. Come let me make you beautiful. Take that raggedy dress off." She said. Shyly I took off one of my favorite dresses and placed it on a chair.

"Take that slip off too. It won't fit under that dress Miss Rose wants you to wear. You might have to take that bra off too."

So I took my slip off and placed it on top of the dress. I hugged my body shyly and avoided the looks of the other girls in the room.

"We all have the same thing in here sister. Some of us more than others. Ain't that right Mary?" Charlotte laughed and the other girls laughed too. The girl named Mary didn't.

I looked at the dress and didn't think I would be able to wear a dress like that. I looked at Charlotte and she rushed me. So I put it on. It was cut low in the front and even lower in the back. But it was a beautiful shade of pink.

"Take the bra off too." Charlotte said. So I did. She threw a cloth around my shoulders.

She sat in front of me and began to do my makeup very carefully. She took her time; she put makeup on my cheeks and my eyebrows. She even plucked them a little. Then she added makeup around my eyes…something glittery and some cake mascara. Lastly she put deep red rouge on my lips.

"Almost done." She said. "Gotta do all that hair of yours. Lord have mercy! You don't want to bob it? It's almost Victorian style. Where you get it all from for goodness sakes?"

"My papa was part Cherokee." I said shyly.

"Well that part Cherokee done made a whole lot of hair for goodness sakes. At least it's still kinda straight." She pulled out some hair grease and dabbed it around my edges. She brushed it carefully and tucked it behind my ear. When she was finally done she smirked.

"Look in the mirror and tell me what you think." She said as she placed her hands on her hips.

I got up and went to the one of the mirrors. It was covered with lipstick kisses, photos of men, and love notes. But I saw myself. I saw the singer I always wanted to be. I was beautiful and I looked like someone who belonged on stage.

"Wow!" was all I managed to say as I stared at my own unrecognizable reflection. My hair, my hair was so curly! My eyes looked even bigger if that was even possible. I had rosy cheeks!

"Miss Rose said she wanted you to look like a doll. She said the men here ain't never seen a colored girl like you before so she wanted something special. So don't try and be sultry and all of that stuff. Let your voice do all the work." Charlotte said from behind me.

"Why did she want me? What happened to the last girl?" I asked curiously.

"She went missin'. They said Miss Rose fired her, but I think somethin' happened to her." Charlotte said carefully. She looked at one of the girls in the sailor costume.

"The last girl was dizzy with Emmett…Miss Rose don't like no competition. She don't like anybody that like Emmett too much or don't like him at all." The girl said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"That Emmett Cullen is her puppet. She says dance, he dance. She says fight, he fight. She says kill…" Mary said but she stopped herself. I felt my mouth dropped.

"But Emmett ain't rich anymore. Why does she love him so much?" I asked.

"Emmett ain't a crumb lil sister. He's still a Cullen. The only one holding him back from his share of the bread and bacon is that Edward. I think Miss Rose figure if she can't get it with Edward's help, she'll get it without him. But I don't really know nothin' but makeup and hair." Charlotte smiled.

"That poor Edward. He seems like a right guy. Well in the papers he seems like a right guy. Loves his family? No troubles, and eligible? Heck I wonder if he like big boned gals." Mary said thoughtfully.

"Honey, if he does come tonight you can march right up to him and find out." Someone else in the room said. Everybody laughed, even Mary. I thought about Mary marching up to Edward and flirting with him. He would be polite to her. He wouldn't be rude to her.

"What's your story squeaky? Where you come from and what you do?" Charlotte asked me.

"Well I'm a chambermaid. I don't do much but that. I do the cleaning, folding, organizing, and serving all day. Almost every day. I always wanted to sing though." I answered. I hoped that she wouldn't ask me where I worked.

"Not bad, honest work. You can't make no money that way though. Can I give you some advice? Some of these girls want money a little too much. They get a little too friendly with the customers if you know what I mean."

"She means they become proskirts for clams." Mary says.

"And Miss Rose allows that?" I wanted to find out as much as I could without sounding chatty.

"Well she don't stop it. The girls that do extra work give her a little extra too." Charlotte said seriously.

"Seems like she's gettin' money from everywhere." I said.

"Oh yeah. You last here long enough you'll see. Miss Rose will do anything for a coin." One of the sailor girls said. She nodded her head to the rest and they all walked out the room. I was left alone with Mary and Charlotte.

"I thought all Miss Rose did was run this nightclub." I started. "I didn't know she did all that…"

"Yes. When you go out there you'll see. There's all sorts of mobsters in the audience. All walks of life come here for thrills and entertainment. She does business with them all." Mary said.

"How will I know when it's time?" I asked. Suddenly it all became so real for me. I was actually going to this. It wasn't going to be pretending. I wasn't singing in the kitchen for Mama Maggie this time. I'd being singing for mobsters. The thought alone sent a cold chill down my spine.

"They'll let you know. Nervous?" Charlotte smiled.

"Yes." I answered quickly. I was all nerves. I felt my body shake. Two girls ran into the room almost out of breath. They were so excited. I thought they would tell me that it was my turn.

"He came! He's actually here!" one girl said.

"Who?" Charlotte asked.

"Edward Cullen!" they both sang. My heart jumped, and it felt like the time stopped.

"Hot damn, he did come back." Charlotte said.

"Back?" I asked

"He came some time last week. Didn't stay long you know. Had all the girls in here goin' whacky. Like they never saw a man before! Hey, you look like you saw great Caesar's ghost. You alright sister?"

"Yeah…just my nerves…" I said softly. Part of me wanted to leave the little dressing room and find him in the audience. The other part of me felt like making tracks out the service exit.

"I'd bet Edward Cullen is a big tipper. Say, we should go out there before all those dumb blondies put their grubby mitts on him." The girl said and grabbed the other girl. I saw them hurry out.

"Well you'll get your tips differently. While you're out there singin' there's a girl out there with your tip purse. She'll go through the crowd and around the table for you. You can split some of the money with her if you want. You do have to…." Charlotte said. She spoke, but I couldn't pay her any attention. I could not stop thinking about Edward being so close to where I was.

One of the stagehands came in the room to get me. "It's time. Here's your water. Follow me." He handed me a glass of water. I forced myself to drink it as my hands shook like leaves. When I handed it back to him, there was a lipstick kiss on the rim from my lips. I felt a lump in my chest.

"Just walk to microphone. Wait for the cue and don't you dare stop singin' until your set is over. No encores even if they insist! We have a set program. Got that?" he said quickly.

"Yeah." I said softly.

"There's some swells in the audience and some dandies. Knock 'em dead. This is your moment to make big tips." He said quickly and went somewhere else.

"Just sing." I repeated in my mind over and over. I walked past the curtain and past the band. It grew suddenly silent, and I felt all the eyes on me.

It remained completely silent until I reached the microphone. The soft spotlight landed on me, and then I heard the band start to play. The drummer played smoothly. I heard the guitar strum, and the heard the piano play an elaborate introduction. The horns begged me to begin. I didn't dare look for Edward in the audience. I took a deep breath and sang.

"I know why I waited. Know why I've been blueee. I prayed every night for someone exactly you." I sang. "Why should I spend money on a show or two? No one sings those love songs exactly like you."

"You make me feel so grand! I wanna give the world to you! You make me understand, every foolish little dreams I'm dreamin', every schemes I'm schemin'." I looked around the room as I sang at all the faces. Some people bopped their heads. Others smiled at me and looked like they daydreamed. Some men whispered things about me to each other.

"I know why my mother taught me to be true…" I looked around the audience slowly. A small group made it's way to table reserved with large red roses.

"She meant me for someone, my baby, someone exactly…like you!" I belted out. The crowd broke out in applause and whistles. There were even some howls! I giggled and smiled at the band. They were already on the next song.

It was something a little faster paced. I moved my shoulders and snapped my fingers. I looked back into the crowd. That group of people settled right on the table that reserved. In the soft glow of the lights, I saw the faces of the group: Rose, Emmett, Edward, and Detective Riley. I almost forgot the lyrics to the song, but I kept singing.

"I fell in love with you the first time I looked into them there eyes!" I sang to Edward. "You have a certain little cute way of flirtin' with them there eyes. They make me feel so happy. They make me feel so blue. I'm fallin', no stallin' in a great big way for you!"

I locked eyes with Edward for what felt like forever. His beautiful eyes held a look I couldn't describe. Was he mad at me? Was he happy to see me? He managed to look away from me after Emmett whispered something in his ear. His response was only his crooked smile.

"My heart is jumpin'. You sure starting somethin' with them there eyes…" I sang.

Edward sat up in his seat. He leaned forward as one of the cigarette girls came up to him.

She pushed her big chest in his face. It looked like she offered him something more than cigarettes. He didn't take a cigarette, but Riley and Emmett did. Rose of course had hers. I made myself look away from them. I focused on another couple having dinner.

"Sparkle! Bubble! Get you in a whole lot of trouble! I'm looking for the boy with the wistful eyes. I fell in love…with them there eyes!"

I had to sing one more song as the audience applauded for me. Edward clapped his hands slightly. More and more I began to believe that he was upset with me. Even disgusted with me. Was it how I was dressed or the fact that I was even in this clip joint? I didn't know. He had to know that I had done this for him…only for him and for our future.

When the last song began. It was a slow song. It was something that I didn't rehearse with the band. It wasn't even on the list of songs they told me they would perform. It actually made my heart hurt to hear it play. I looked over at the band as I felt a deep burn start in my chest. The saxophone cried out to me. "Sing Bella." As it's sad notes surrounded me.

"Pack up all my care and woe. Here I go, singin' low. Bye-bye blackbird." I sang as I held on to the silver microphone stand. I looked around the audience before I caught a glimpse of the hurt in Edward's sad eyes. He took a sip of his cocktail.

"Where somebody waits for me. Sugar's sweet, so is he. Bye-bye blackbird." My heart pounded in my chest as I belted out the next verse. I closed my eyes. I could see my Papa: tall and happy singing. I imagined myself singing right along with him as I always did.

"No one here can love or understand me! Ohhh! What hard luck stories they all hand me! Make my bed and light the light. I'll arrive late to-night!" I opened my eyes, and all the eyes in the club were on me. I slid my hands off of the stand and opened my arms wide. "Blackbird, bye byeee!"

Everyone in the audience, everyone including the people at Rose's table, stood up and applauded me. There were whistles and hoots. Someone cried encore. I only bowed once and quickly walked off the stage. They still applauded me as I walked to the dressing room.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and tried to stop my body from shaking. I sat on at one of the vanity tables and held my face in my hands.

"Bella?" I heard a familiar voice call me. I looked over my shoulder. Jane was in her candy girl uniform.

"Jane?" I sniffed. She ran over to me and touched my face.

"You were amazing! Everyone is still going nuts for you. Rose even wants you to sit at her table." She said.

"Her table?" I said as I tried to gather myself together.

"It's funny ain't it? You work here not even one day and you get to sit with the boss. I'm here for months and she won't even let sit down a extra five minutes." She said angrily.

"Jane, I'm sorry." I tried to calm her.

"You're sorry? You won't believe the terrible week I've been having. This. This is just the icing on the cake. I don't think I can take another disappointment Bella. I might do something whacky." She said. Her voice sounded different.

"Something like what?" I asked. "Jane?"

"I'm tired of being ignored Bella. I'm important too!" her voice cracked as when she spoke.

"Of course you are. You're wonderful and you're better than this place! Better than Emmett." I said seriously.

"Am I? Or are him and me the same? There's a apart of him that I just don't have the heart to leave. There's part of him that treats me like a queen. But what part of me does he have besides my heart? He won't even mention my name to Rose. She has to know he loves me and I love him."

"Jane, what are you talking about?" She just looked at me with her eyes low. She placed her hands gently on her belly.

"What are you two still doing back here?" Charlotte snapped and I jumped. "Bella, Miss Rose is waitin' for your company! And you, blondie, shouldn't you be out there makin' tips?"

"Hey! You ain't my boss Charlotte! I know what I should be doing!" Jane snapped back.

"Well get your tail out there and do it! Bella, did you mess up your makeup? Child we ain't have the time for this! You worst than my own daughter for goodness sakes!" Charlotte came over nearly knocking Jane out of the way. Jane just rolled her eyes and left out in a hurry.

"Why the heck you cryin' for? Those people loved you! And Rose wants you to sit with her. She don't never want none of the girls to do that. 'Specially not any colored girls!" Charlotte talked and talked while she fixed my makeup. I didn't know what to tell her. I knew if I did, I'd only cry again.

"And you gonna be sittin' at the table with Edward Cullen for goodness sakes, and you back here cryin'? What you scared for little sister? You think she gonna offer you to him like a piece of penny chocolate? Say, you don't have to do nothin' you don't want to do. I told you just don't get too friendly. But you do have to listen to Rose if you wanna work here honey! You better go out there, and smile and say thank you like a good girl for goodness sakes."

"Ok." I said softly. I got up to leave and Charlotte watched me leave. She didn't come to the front with me. She waited for the next girl to come so she could fix her makeup. As I walked through the crowd, I heard someone yell 'there she is!' and everyone started clapping for me.

Shyly I walked until I reached the table with Rose, Emmett, Riley, and most importantly Edward. When I reached the table, they all stood and Rose smiled at me devilishly.

"Bella, my sweet little doll, that was amazing! What a voice you have! You're a siren." She sang as we sat down.

"Siren? Her voice was better than a paddy wagon." Emmett said confused.

"Siren as in the mythological creatures." Edward's raspy voice made my heart pound in my chest. I wanted to avoid looking at him. I wanted look at the big fresh cut roses at the table, but I couldn't. Edward was too handsome to ignore. Every part of me missed him.

"The sirens," he began as he stared deep into my eyes, "were beautiful creatures with voices so beautiful, they hypnotized sailors causing them to crash their vessels against rocks."

"Deadly canaries? I like that." I heard Emmett say. I couldn't take my eyes off of Edward. My breath felt heavy in my chest and in my nose. I could feel my skin start to sweat as if it were summertime.

"I'm sure your voice would hypnotize even the most frozen heart. I was certainly moved. For a split second, I nearly cried." Rose said to me. "Tell me Bella what's your poison do you like to drink? What makes you happy my precious doll?"

"Oh, I'm happy just drinking a cola." I said shyly. Rose watched me and then turned to look at Edward. She smiled at him.

"Beautiful and easy to be pleased?" She said. "A quality that is hard to find these days."

"Every dame wants something, some just don't realize it yet. What do you think Edward?" Emmett said rudely.

"I think that every person is entitled to be treated on a individual basis. No person should be judged merely based on their sex." Edward smiled. "If Bella is easy to be pleased, than that's her nature. She doesn't necessarily have an ulterior motive. Isn't that right?"

"I…I just wanted a cola." I said shyly. I could hear Rosalie snicker.

"I could be mistaken, but there's something going on here. I can feel it. It's heavy in the air." She said. I felt nervous. Did she know of my plans? I looked to her and to Riley.

"Somethin' like what Rosalie? Was it her singin'? Did she put you in a mood?" Riley said. He had a playful look in his eyes. The way he smirked at me, I wondered what he thought.

"Oh no, I mean something deeper than a mood. I'm talking about pure animal attraction. I can sense it between some of the people sitting at the table." She said sharply.

"Maybe it's my animal attraction for you." Emmett flirted. "Let's flim flam. I really like this song."

"I wasn't talking about you. I think I'd much rather enjoy watching your brother and his former chambermaid dance together. That is if they don't mind." She raised one eyebrow as she looked at us both.

I looked at Edward who glanced over to Riley briefly then back to me. "It would be my pleasure." He answered.

He stood up from the table and held his hand out for me. My hand was pulled toward his, and he held it tightly. His hand was warm and strong. His long fingers rubbed against my skin. I missed his touch.

Edward led me to the large dance floor. It felt like the crowd opened to give us even more space. He stared down into my eyes as the music started to change into a waltz. Smoothly he pulled me closer to him. My chest pressed against his navy suit as his arm hugged my back.

His hand grasped mine, and his body led me easily around the floor. I felt myself become dazzled by him…the music seamed like it was somewhere distant from us.

All that I could focus on was the smell of his cologne and how his eyes watched me.

"Every time I lay my eyes on you, it's like I'm seeing you for the first time. Immediately I forget everything. Instantly I become your prisoner of love all over and over again." He whispered. "You look astonishingly beautiful. It's been so long since I've seen you. My dreams don't do you any justice to your memory…I may be too eager, but I believe I can see that you are starting to show."

"You can tell?" My heart fluttered with happiness. Not only was I dizzy, I felt like my feet were floating.

"In this dress," I felt his fingers carefully move along my back. "I can see everything I've been dreaming of. Motherhood will only make you even more beautiful. I'm positive you can feel the physical reaction I'm having just being close to you."

He never once took his eyes off of me. Shyly I looked down at his pocket square. "I, I missed you so much. I hope you aren't too mad at me for being here. I wanted to do something to help you. I saw you in the audience and I thought you were upset. I just-"

"Shhh. Let's not talk about that now. We aren't out of the lion's den yet. Rosalie is indeed up to something. Emmett is irrational, but I vow to keep you safe tonight. I'm not leaving here without you." He said.

I looked back up into his eyes. They were light and loving. He smirked at me with his crooked one-sided smile. Then Edward spun me around gently and dipped me back. He leaned in close enough for a kiss, but stopped short and brought me back up.

"Edward…" I whispered as he placed one hand on my neck with the other still cradled on my lower back. Our bodies were close. Closer than they'd been in ages.

"Isabella." He said in a voice so low and raspy I felt my body come alive everywhere. I closed my eyes and we continued to dance until the song ended. Then Edward released me carefully. I held my hands tightly together as he respectfully bowed to me.

We walked slowly back to the table. Some eyes were on us. The candy and cigarette girls looked on with jealousy. Other people looked at us with amazement or curiosity. I wondered for a moment if it would be that way if our relationship wasn't a secret…

Rosalie watched us more closely than anyone there. Her eyes were locked on us and her devilish grin was even wider once we sat down. The simple soda I wanted waited for me with one large red cherry on the top.

"I've never seen a waltz look so sensual! You both fit to together perfectly." Rosalie sighed. "Edward, remember my offer to you? Utmost privacy…"

Jane came to the table. Her candy tray dangled in front, and her hands were hidden under the candy. She stood right in the middle between Rosalie and Emmett.

"Jane, you're supposed to be working that side of the club." Emmett dismissed her.

"I have a question for you Emmie." She said. There was a weird look in her eyes. I could tell she was still upset from earlier.

"Jane, scram. Not now muffin." Emmett waved his hand at her.

"We don't have time for this. Get back to work!" Rosalie snapped sharply. Edward and Detective Biers looked at Jane curiously.

"I. Said. I. Have. A. Question." Jane repeated.

"What is it?" Emmett said annoyed.

"Am I important to you?" she asked.

"Important? You're one of the dumbest broads ever!" he laughed. Jane looked at me. Large tears started to fall from her eyes.

"Everyone tried to warn me about you. And I didn't listen! But now I see. Now I know." Jane cried. Her face was red and she was shaking.

"You're just a kid." Emmett laughed. "Go have some candy." Rosalie laughed too.

"Jane." I said softly. She looked at me and shook her head no.

"Candy? I got some candy for you…" Jane raised one of her hands from the candy tray. Something very small and shiny sparkled slightly.

"I'm important!" she shouted as a shot fired.


Poor Jane couldn't get anyone to listen to her. She did find a way to get her attention didn't she? Bella had her moment to shine. She also shared a moment with Edward, but how long will it last? Tell me what you think in a private message or in a review!

I always love hearing from everyone! Don't be shy to post on my facebook fanpage either, NY Dollface fanfiction. I post things there from time to time. Thank you as always for all the support. Thank you for reading and following. Thank you for being patient with for my updates!

If you're interested here are the songs from this chapter.

Bella's set list: "Exactly Like You" Nina Simone has a great rendition. "Them There Eyes" Billie Holiday, and "Bye Bye Blackbird". There's many versions of this too. My favorites are Diana Krall

The waltz that Bella and Edward shared was "It's Time to Say Goodbye" Henry Hall

The song that played after was "Wistful and Blue" Paul Whitemen and Bing Crosby

If you're somewhere where it's really cold, stay warm. If you're somewhere that is hot, stay cool.