The Power of a Name
Chapter Six
"Mom, come see my dress!" Mimi shouted as she rushed into the house, still ecstatic over the day's events. The only thing that could have possibly made it more perfect was if she'd finally found out her mystery man's name. But she was working on it.
"Miriam, please don't shout," her father instructed, emerging from the kitchen. His normally jovial face was lined with worry. He seemed unaccountably stressed and irritable. "Your mother isn't home. She's picking up Conner from soccer practice."
"Oh yeah, I forgot," Mimi said absently, studying her father with concern. "Is everything all right, Dad? You seem upset."
"Everything's fine," David snapped. Mimi's eyes showed her surprise and hurt. Her father never used that tone of voice with her. Something was most definitely wrong, but she knew better than to press him. Her relationship with her father was undoubtedly better than that of most teenage girls, but they didn't talk and confide in each other the way she and her mother did.
David massaged his temples, striving desperately for control. None of this was Mimi's fault after all. She was still the same sweet, loving, compassionate child she had been yesterday. He had no right to snap at her the way he had. "I'm sorry, honey. I've just had a bad day. It's not fair of me to take it out on you."
"It's all right, Dad," Mimi consoled him brightly, giving him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry you had a lousy day. Was it work?" Her father had been an accountant for the same company since before she was born. But she'd never seen him this stressed about it before, even during tax season.
"I don't want to talk about it right now, honey," he answered in a clipped tone, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and walked with her to the living room sofa. "But I could use some cheering up, so why don't you tell me about your day instead?" He could always count on his talkative, energetic daughter to lift his spirits.
"Okay," Mimi agreed, flopping down lazily onto the couch. "School was okay. Mr. Meade's class was worst as always. I can't believe he laid a pop quiz on us today. Totally unfair, but I think I did all right. Kevin's still not talking to me." She frowned. That had been the one bleak spot in her life lately. She had never expected Kevin to take her rejection so hard or to be so petty about it. "I feel like I've lost my best friend."
David gave her shoulders a comforting squeeze. "It's all right, honey. His ego will recover in time, and he'll remember how much he cares about you. And if he doesn't then he was never as good a friend as you thought he was." In which case, David would calmly go next door and kick that little punk's ass for hurting his baby girl.
"You're probably right, Dad," Mimi sighed, before pushing thoughts of Kevin out of her mind. "Anyway, after school, Susan and I went shopping, and I got a dress for prom. You've just got to see it, Daddy. It's the most beautiful dress ever!" Without waiting for him to respond, she sprinted across the room and grabbed her shopping bags, quickly producing her treasure and holding it up to her for inspection. "See?"
David smiled tightly. "It's beautiful, honey. How much did it cost?" he asked, approaching her and looking at the tag before she could say a word. He emitted a short, foul curse when he read the price. I'm sorry, Miriam. You have to take this back."
Mimi's emerald eyes flooded with tears as she pulled the dress away from her father's reach. "But why?" she protested. "You said to get any dress I wanted. You said not to worry about the price. Why are you making me take it back now?"
Her tears only had the effect of making David feel guiltier, and in turn more defensive. It wasn't like he didn't want her to have the dress. She deserved it. She deserved so much more. But that wasn't the issue here, and he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth. Not yet. "Don't argue with me, Miriam Dulcea Lockhart. You can't have the dress, and that is final."
"Fine. Take it," Mimi yelled, throwing the dress at him and racing up the stairs. She knew she was acting like a spoiled brat, but she didn't care. It wasn't about the dress—though she did love that dress—as much as it was about the fact that her father had lied to her. For the first time in her life, Mimi had been forced to recognize that her parents were fallible. And she didn't like that feeling at all.
~~*~~
Barb Rieber was nothing but a used-up old whore that no man would pay for anymore. But she was smart and business-savvy enough to own and run Salem's most notorious escort service. She trusted her girls up to a point, and the clients not at all. The only person she was entirely dependent upon was her muscle-bound, brain-lacking husband.
Supposedly, they were partners; but Glen's role seemed mainly to consist of sitting around looking dangerous and serving as bouncer if the occasional John got out of hand. His other, less-discussed job was keeping the girls in line. He was the one who made sure none of them got too strung out to continue working. He extracted money from those who foolishly thought they could keep more than their share. He dealt with any unexpected developments that threatened to keep Barb's place from running smoothly.
She had only had to deal with him once. She had made the mistake of snorting cocaine with Nicole one day and hadn't been able to work that night. As her most precious commodity, Barb was not pleased. She had sent Glen to make sure it never happened again. But after surviving the Phoenix, there was no torture Glen could devise that would have any effect on her. She had endured her punishment in stony silence and earned Glen's everlasting hatred in the process.
But she didn't think of that as she made her way to Barb's office. She thought only of freedom. Perhaps it was an illusion, but it was the only one she had left. Barb's door was open; and she walked in, her face set, her gaze determined. No one and nothing was going to stop her from this.
Barb looked up from her romance novel. She was immediately irritated when she saw who it was. "You should be resting, Sapphire," she ordered shortly. "You have a full night ahead of you; and for what these men pay, they deserve for you to be at your best."
"I'm not working tonight," she replied, just as firmly. For once in her life, she wasn't going to let someone else tell her what to do.
Barb's eyes narrowed as she dropped her book on the table. She had sensed for a while now that Sapphire thought too well of herself. Except for Nicole, she never intermingled with any of the other girls. She seemed distant and aloof even from the men who possessed her body. She thought herself above even her employers. It was time to put a stop to that right now. "What do you mean you're not working tonight? You work when I tell you to work. And that includes tonight. Just because you're more desired than the other girls doesn't change who you are. You're a whore, just like the rest of us. And you work for me."
"Not anymore," she maintained solidly. "That's why I'm here. I quit. I'm leaving. Now. Or as soon as I get packed anyway." She didn't care what kind of fits Barb through. She had to be out of here tonight. She couldn't bear another session with Brady Black. She didn't have the strength for it.
Barb tried to conceal her panic. She knew that whatever she may have said, there was something special about Sapphire. There was something about her that made men willing to pay any price to have her. If she left, most of Barb's business would go with her. She couldn't let that happen. "Okay, Sapphire. What do you want?" she asked coolly. "More time off? A higher percentage of the profits? Tell me; and if it's at all feasible, I'll get it for you."
She shook her head. "All I want is what's mine. So give me my share from last week, and I'll be gone." She didn't really need the money. She had plenty saved, but she had learned from experience that one could never have too much money. Money bought freedom, freedom from having to work like this.
"Where are you going?" Barb asked, stalling. She needed time to think, a way to make Sapphire stay. There was no way she was letting that girl go anywhere.
She shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I just need to get away from here. I can't do this anymore. I can't." She let just the right amount of wounded vulnerability creep into her voice. It would work better with Barb than straight defiance. And she knew how to play people well.
"You sound like you could use a vacation, dear," Barb empathized. Even as she spoke in the soft, motherly tone, her mind settled on a plan to keep Sapphire in her place. "All right, honey. You so on up and pack. I'll have to get the money from the safe. It will be sent up to you." Along with another little present Barb had in mind.
"Thanks, Barb." She didn't bother correcting her about her vacation assumption. By the time Barb figured out that she wasn't coming back, she would be long gone. All in all, this was the easiest escape she'd ever made. She should have known it was too good to be true.
~~*~~
The knock on Mimi's door an hour later was followed by the door being opened slightly and her dress being waved several times from the crack. "I raise the green flag of surrender," Maureen joked as she made her way into the room.
Mimi only glared darkly through her mother's lame attempt at humor. She was not about to let this go so easily. Her parents had lied to her, betrayed her. If they'd given her a spending limit, she would have followed it, as she'd obeyed every other rule they'd ever imposed on her. "I never even would have bought the stupid dress if you'd just told me not to spend that much," she complained.
"It is a lovely gown," Maureen murmured, seemingly ignoring her daughter. She hung the dress up so that she could stand back and admire it. "And it would have suited you perfectly. You know, I might be able to make something like it." She surveyed the gown critically, with an artist's eye.
Mimi only scowled. She didn't care how good a seamstress her mother was, no dress would ever compare to that one. Plus, she knew her mother was just trying to placate her. "Don't bother," she muttered ungraciously.
Maureen faced her daughter then, lips pursed, hands on hips, the kind of expression on her face that let Mimi know she was in for it. Big time. "You know, Miriam, if you could look beyond your self-pity for one moment, you might realize that there's more to this than taking away your dress. Did you ever once stop to think about the possible reasons your father—who loves you and wants nothing more than to give you everything your heart desires—would deny you something you so obviously wanted? Did you even consider where he was coming from?"
Mimi's face immediately showed her concern. She felt the full weight of her mother's reprimand. Something was seriously wrong. "What's the matter, Mom? Is something wrong with Dad? He'll be okay, won't he?"
Maureen forgot her annoyance with Mimi when she saw the worry in her eyes. She took the space beside her on the window seat and wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Honey, your father lost his job today."
"What?" Mimi exclaimed, pulling away. "Why?"
Maureen sighed, the stress and anxiety clearly written in the lines of her face. "His company has been in trouble for a long time, Mimi. He didn't want to worry you with it when you've been so busy with finals and graduation coming up. Plus, we kept hoping they'd bounce back. But today, they announced that they are closing your father's office."
"Oh, Mom, I'm so sorry." She gave her mother a comforting hug. Her poor parents. They had had this hanging over their heads, in addition to having to worry about her graduation and the new baby coming. And she certainly hadn't helped matters with her bratty behavior today. "You should have told me. I never would have made such a fuss about the stupid dress."
"You know your father. He's embarrassed about it. He's worked hard his whole life to take care of us; and now, it's like none of it meant anything at all." A frown marred Maureen's still youthful face. Twenty-two years of her life had been devoted to this man, this family. She had started to take certain things for granted.
"It's not his fault!" Mimi protested earnestly. "The company folded. There's nothing he could have done. Besides, I'm sure with his experience he'll get another job in no time." Mimi's natural optimism was working to her advantage yet again. She saw her father's lack of employment as nothing but a temporary problem. Her family would get past it, as they got past every problem that confronted them.
Maureen just nodded, unwilling to shatter her daughter's illusions. But there were realities that had to be faced. The town was in an economic downslide. Jobs were scarce. They had enough savings to live off for possibly three months. What if David hadn't found a job by then? What would happen to them? She knew she shouldn't stress about it. It wasn't good for the baby. But she was a mother, and worrying was part of the job description.
Mimi read the despair on her mother's face, realizing that she didn't believe everything would be resolved so easily. "Mom, I promise it will be okay," she said, determination sparkling in her green eyes. "Whatever happens, we'll get through this together. As a family. Nothing will ever take that away from us. We'll always be a family."
Maureen found herself smiling despite herself. She stroked Mimi's hair back lovingly. "You're right, honey. Forgive me. I let that thought slip away from me for a moment. You, your brother, and your father are my world. I'm so blessed to have a daughter like you."
"Even when I'm being such a wretched brat?" Mimi grimaced as her eyes traveled to the green dress. "I'm sorry, Mom. I've behaved awfully today."
Maureen's smile softened. "Nobody's perfect, Mimi. Even you are allowed to be less than angelic from time to time. Besides, there was no way you could have known about all this. And I am sorry about your dress. It would have looked beautiful on you."
Mimi shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Mom. Honestly, I don't even see why I should go to prom. It's not like I have a date. I'd rather stay home with all of you. We'll have a family game night or something."
"Miriam Lockhart, don't even try that," Maureen scolded. "You're going to your senior prom. If you don't you'll regret it for the rest of you life." Her daughter had the tendency of going to extremes. Sometimes it was a good thing, sometimes not. But always entertaining. And keeping Mimi at least partially grounded in reality was part of the job description. It was the most fulfilling job in the world.
~~*~~
"So it's really true," Nicole commented sadly, as she surveyed the scattered belongings in the room and the half-packed suitcase. "The girls said you were leaving, but I had to see for myself." There was an underlying tone of hurt and neediness to her words.
"I'm sorry, Nicky," she said, abandoning her task to turn to the closest thing she'd had to a friend in years. "I just can't take it anymore. I've had my fill. If I don't get out now, I never will. But I'll miss you." She wondered if she really meant those words or just said them to comfort Nicole. She didn't think she was capable of caring enough about anyone to miss them.
Nicole picked up one of the nightgowns on the bed, folding it while staring wistfully at the suitcase. "I understand," she whispered. "You've got to leave before you end up like me." The pain of a thousand lifetimes was reflected in Nicole's drug-dulled eyes.
She laughed hollowly. "I'm a thousand times worse than you, Nicole. At least you still have a heart. At least they weren't able to take that away from you." She knew she shouldn't say things like that. They only gave Nicole an excuse to pry into her life. But she was leaving now, so it didn't matter anymore.
Nicole frowned, watching as she stuffed things randomly into her bag. "So why are you leaving if you don't care? If you really believe like you say that there's no way out for us, why are you running away?" She purposely ignored Nicole as she threw the last of her CDs into the case and zipped it closed. "What are you so afraid of?"
"Nothing," she snapped, rounding on Nicole with flashing blue eyes. "I'm afraid of nothing. It's just time for me to go. That's all. I have enough saved that I might not have to do this hideous job anymore, and I'm leaving while I have the chance." She didn't want to admit even to herself how terrified she was of Brady Black, afraid of the way he could hurt her, afraid he would be worse than the Phoenix.
Nicole shook her head. "When you got here, you were running away from something. Or someone. That's not all that unusual. Most of us are. Did they finally catch up to you? Is that why you're going?" She studied the younger woman's face. Whatever she might say, Nicole knew that there was something driving her to this. Something more than just the whim of the moment.
Her emotions immediately shut down. Nicole could spend the rest of her life guessing and still not approach the full truth. And she certainly wasn't going to tell her. "I told you why I'm going. If you don't believe me, that's your problem." She grabbed her purse, bag, and suitcase, intending to make a quick exit.
Nicole put a hand on her arm, stopping her. "It's that man, isn't it?" she asked, with rare insight. She saw the other woman's eyes widen at the mere mention of him, before going carefully expressionless.
"I don't know what you mean," she replied, inwardly cursing herself for letting Nicole get anywhere near her. "We see dozens of men each day. They're all the same. Men are all the same. I don't let myself care one way or the other." She took shelter behind the lessons she had spent a lifetime learning. They were truths, truths that kept her safe, that helped her survive.
"Except that one," Nicole continued, knowing she had finally gotten through. "Brady, right? He told you his name, and he comes everyday, but he only talks. And you refuse to talk about him, but everyone else discusses him constantly. He is gorgeous, Sapphire. I've seen him coming and going." She looked at her friend with empathy and amusement. "You don't need to run away just because you're falling for him. It happens to all of us sometimes."
"I'm not falling for him," she answered determinedly. She hated the bemused look on Nicole's face. "And quit looking at me like that. I'm not in denial or whatever you think this is. Okay, you want an answer? Yes, I'm leaving because of him. But not because I care about him, because he's too persistent. He wants too much. He wants it all. And I'll be damned before I give anyone that kind of power over me again. So I'm leaving. And don't you dare try to stop me."
Shaking off Nicole's hand, she turned around ready to leave without her remaining cash. Let Barb keep it. She needed to get out of there. Now. Suddenly, she froze when she saw the frame in the doorway. Nicole turned too and visibly paled, seeming to shrink into nothing. Unlike Nicole, she refused to show fear. She honestly didn't feel any. Fear was for those who had something to lose. And she didn't. Not even her life held value to her. She was nothing but a cold, dead shell after all. "Hello, Glennie," she taunted with a cold smile. "Come to say goodbye, have you? How sweet."
Glen's muscular frame towered over the two girls. Nicole cowered, throwing her a look of warning. She had to be out of her mind to goad him on that way. Glen's eyes shifted only momentarily from the dark-haired beauty to her less striking companion. "You. Out," he grunted in command.
She laughed, a trilling, mocking sound that disturbed the tense silence of the room. "You really are a caveman, aren't you, Glennie?" She turned to Nicole, in a stance copying Glen's. "You heard the man, little woman. You. Out." The look in her eyes warned Nicole clearer than words could ever do to leave now before she got hurt. Nicole hesitated for a moment. How could she leave her friend alone to face this monster? "Nicky, go now. Please," she almost begged. Finally, Nicole nodded, slipping from the room with one last fearful glance behind her.
Glen waited until Nicole had shut the door before approaching her menacingly. She refused to give an inch. "I suppose it would be too much to hope for that you're just here to give me my money?" she bit out caustically.
The eyes that met hers were colder than ice. "I'm here to give you a message from Barb. You see, you're not allowed to leave unless she says so. And she says you're going to be staying around here for a real long time. But don't you worry. You'll get your vacation." He cracked his knuckles pointedly. "In fact, I'm going to make sure you get a nice long rest."
She just stared at him, unmoved. Why should she care? It wouldn't be the first time she had been beaten. It wouldn't be the last. Unless…Maybe death was the only escape. She had been foolish to think she could run away from her life, but there was still one way out.
She started to laugh, the shrill sound grating on Glen's ears. "What's so funny, bitch?" he demanded, shaking her roughly, which only made her laugh harder.
"You," she gasped out, her laughter turning slightly hysterical. "You, Mr. Muscle Man. You're just so strong, aren't you? But Barb has you wrapped around her little finger. You're her lapdog. You're pathetic. A total joke. There's nothing you can do to hurt me."
Her plan was working. She saw Glen's anger burning wildly in his eyes. "Oh no?" he gritted out, throwing her against the wall with all the strength he possessed. She crumpled to the floor, the wind knocked out of her. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, you little whore." He picked her up again, by her gorgeous dark hair, waiting for her to react. When she didn't, he slapped her hard enough to open a gash on her cheek.
As soon as she could breathe again, she began to laugh, giving herself completely over to the madness. Let him hurt her. Let him beat her. Let him kill her. He was already too late to take away anything important anyway. Everything inside her that might have been worth anything had died a long time ago or been stripped from her at the hands of men worse by far than the one before her. "Is that the best you can do?" She continued to defy him.
With a roar of rage, Glen lost all control, determined to stop her laughter, whatever it too. He turned on her with all the fury of a wild beat set loose. As strange lights danced before her eyes, she smiled in bleak satisfaction. Perhaps she had finally gotten what she wanted.
Chapter Six
"Mom, come see my dress!" Mimi shouted as she rushed into the house, still ecstatic over the day's events. The only thing that could have possibly made it more perfect was if she'd finally found out her mystery man's name. But she was working on it.
"Miriam, please don't shout," her father instructed, emerging from the kitchen. His normally jovial face was lined with worry. He seemed unaccountably stressed and irritable. "Your mother isn't home. She's picking up Conner from soccer practice."
"Oh yeah, I forgot," Mimi said absently, studying her father with concern. "Is everything all right, Dad? You seem upset."
"Everything's fine," David snapped. Mimi's eyes showed her surprise and hurt. Her father never used that tone of voice with her. Something was most definitely wrong, but she knew better than to press him. Her relationship with her father was undoubtedly better than that of most teenage girls, but they didn't talk and confide in each other the way she and her mother did.
David massaged his temples, striving desperately for control. None of this was Mimi's fault after all. She was still the same sweet, loving, compassionate child she had been yesterday. He had no right to snap at her the way he had. "I'm sorry, honey. I've just had a bad day. It's not fair of me to take it out on you."
"It's all right, Dad," Mimi consoled him brightly, giving him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry you had a lousy day. Was it work?" Her father had been an accountant for the same company since before she was born. But she'd never seen him this stressed about it before, even during tax season.
"I don't want to talk about it right now, honey," he answered in a clipped tone, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and walked with her to the living room sofa. "But I could use some cheering up, so why don't you tell me about your day instead?" He could always count on his talkative, energetic daughter to lift his spirits.
"Okay," Mimi agreed, flopping down lazily onto the couch. "School was okay. Mr. Meade's class was worst as always. I can't believe he laid a pop quiz on us today. Totally unfair, but I think I did all right. Kevin's still not talking to me." She frowned. That had been the one bleak spot in her life lately. She had never expected Kevin to take her rejection so hard or to be so petty about it. "I feel like I've lost my best friend."
David gave her shoulders a comforting squeeze. "It's all right, honey. His ego will recover in time, and he'll remember how much he cares about you. And if he doesn't then he was never as good a friend as you thought he was." In which case, David would calmly go next door and kick that little punk's ass for hurting his baby girl.
"You're probably right, Dad," Mimi sighed, before pushing thoughts of Kevin out of her mind. "Anyway, after school, Susan and I went shopping, and I got a dress for prom. You've just got to see it, Daddy. It's the most beautiful dress ever!" Without waiting for him to respond, she sprinted across the room and grabbed her shopping bags, quickly producing her treasure and holding it up to her for inspection. "See?"
David smiled tightly. "It's beautiful, honey. How much did it cost?" he asked, approaching her and looking at the tag before she could say a word. He emitted a short, foul curse when he read the price. I'm sorry, Miriam. You have to take this back."
Mimi's emerald eyes flooded with tears as she pulled the dress away from her father's reach. "But why?" she protested. "You said to get any dress I wanted. You said not to worry about the price. Why are you making me take it back now?"
Her tears only had the effect of making David feel guiltier, and in turn more defensive. It wasn't like he didn't want her to have the dress. She deserved it. She deserved so much more. But that wasn't the issue here, and he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth. Not yet. "Don't argue with me, Miriam Dulcea Lockhart. You can't have the dress, and that is final."
"Fine. Take it," Mimi yelled, throwing the dress at him and racing up the stairs. She knew she was acting like a spoiled brat, but she didn't care. It wasn't about the dress—though she did love that dress—as much as it was about the fact that her father had lied to her. For the first time in her life, Mimi had been forced to recognize that her parents were fallible. And she didn't like that feeling at all.
~~*~~
Barb Rieber was nothing but a used-up old whore that no man would pay for anymore. But she was smart and business-savvy enough to own and run Salem's most notorious escort service. She trusted her girls up to a point, and the clients not at all. The only person she was entirely dependent upon was her muscle-bound, brain-lacking husband.
Supposedly, they were partners; but Glen's role seemed mainly to consist of sitting around looking dangerous and serving as bouncer if the occasional John got out of hand. His other, less-discussed job was keeping the girls in line. He was the one who made sure none of them got too strung out to continue working. He extracted money from those who foolishly thought they could keep more than their share. He dealt with any unexpected developments that threatened to keep Barb's place from running smoothly.
She had only had to deal with him once. She had made the mistake of snorting cocaine with Nicole one day and hadn't been able to work that night. As her most precious commodity, Barb was not pleased. She had sent Glen to make sure it never happened again. But after surviving the Phoenix, there was no torture Glen could devise that would have any effect on her. She had endured her punishment in stony silence and earned Glen's everlasting hatred in the process.
But she didn't think of that as she made her way to Barb's office. She thought only of freedom. Perhaps it was an illusion, but it was the only one she had left. Barb's door was open; and she walked in, her face set, her gaze determined. No one and nothing was going to stop her from this.
Barb looked up from her romance novel. She was immediately irritated when she saw who it was. "You should be resting, Sapphire," she ordered shortly. "You have a full night ahead of you; and for what these men pay, they deserve for you to be at your best."
"I'm not working tonight," she replied, just as firmly. For once in her life, she wasn't going to let someone else tell her what to do.
Barb's eyes narrowed as she dropped her book on the table. She had sensed for a while now that Sapphire thought too well of herself. Except for Nicole, she never intermingled with any of the other girls. She seemed distant and aloof even from the men who possessed her body. She thought herself above even her employers. It was time to put a stop to that right now. "What do you mean you're not working tonight? You work when I tell you to work. And that includes tonight. Just because you're more desired than the other girls doesn't change who you are. You're a whore, just like the rest of us. And you work for me."
"Not anymore," she maintained solidly. "That's why I'm here. I quit. I'm leaving. Now. Or as soon as I get packed anyway." She didn't care what kind of fits Barb through. She had to be out of here tonight. She couldn't bear another session with Brady Black. She didn't have the strength for it.
Barb tried to conceal her panic. She knew that whatever she may have said, there was something special about Sapphire. There was something about her that made men willing to pay any price to have her. If she left, most of Barb's business would go with her. She couldn't let that happen. "Okay, Sapphire. What do you want?" she asked coolly. "More time off? A higher percentage of the profits? Tell me; and if it's at all feasible, I'll get it for you."
She shook her head. "All I want is what's mine. So give me my share from last week, and I'll be gone." She didn't really need the money. She had plenty saved, but she had learned from experience that one could never have too much money. Money bought freedom, freedom from having to work like this.
"Where are you going?" Barb asked, stalling. She needed time to think, a way to make Sapphire stay. There was no way she was letting that girl go anywhere.
She shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I just need to get away from here. I can't do this anymore. I can't." She let just the right amount of wounded vulnerability creep into her voice. It would work better with Barb than straight defiance. And she knew how to play people well.
"You sound like you could use a vacation, dear," Barb empathized. Even as she spoke in the soft, motherly tone, her mind settled on a plan to keep Sapphire in her place. "All right, honey. You so on up and pack. I'll have to get the money from the safe. It will be sent up to you." Along with another little present Barb had in mind.
"Thanks, Barb." She didn't bother correcting her about her vacation assumption. By the time Barb figured out that she wasn't coming back, she would be long gone. All in all, this was the easiest escape she'd ever made. She should have known it was too good to be true.
~~*~~
The knock on Mimi's door an hour later was followed by the door being opened slightly and her dress being waved several times from the crack. "I raise the green flag of surrender," Maureen joked as she made her way into the room.
Mimi only glared darkly through her mother's lame attempt at humor. She was not about to let this go so easily. Her parents had lied to her, betrayed her. If they'd given her a spending limit, she would have followed it, as she'd obeyed every other rule they'd ever imposed on her. "I never even would have bought the stupid dress if you'd just told me not to spend that much," she complained.
"It is a lovely gown," Maureen murmured, seemingly ignoring her daughter. She hung the dress up so that she could stand back and admire it. "And it would have suited you perfectly. You know, I might be able to make something like it." She surveyed the gown critically, with an artist's eye.
Mimi only scowled. She didn't care how good a seamstress her mother was, no dress would ever compare to that one. Plus, she knew her mother was just trying to placate her. "Don't bother," she muttered ungraciously.
Maureen faced her daughter then, lips pursed, hands on hips, the kind of expression on her face that let Mimi know she was in for it. Big time. "You know, Miriam, if you could look beyond your self-pity for one moment, you might realize that there's more to this than taking away your dress. Did you ever once stop to think about the possible reasons your father—who loves you and wants nothing more than to give you everything your heart desires—would deny you something you so obviously wanted? Did you even consider where he was coming from?"
Mimi's face immediately showed her concern. She felt the full weight of her mother's reprimand. Something was seriously wrong. "What's the matter, Mom? Is something wrong with Dad? He'll be okay, won't he?"
Maureen forgot her annoyance with Mimi when she saw the worry in her eyes. She took the space beside her on the window seat and wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Honey, your father lost his job today."
"What?" Mimi exclaimed, pulling away. "Why?"
Maureen sighed, the stress and anxiety clearly written in the lines of her face. "His company has been in trouble for a long time, Mimi. He didn't want to worry you with it when you've been so busy with finals and graduation coming up. Plus, we kept hoping they'd bounce back. But today, they announced that they are closing your father's office."
"Oh, Mom, I'm so sorry." She gave her mother a comforting hug. Her poor parents. They had had this hanging over their heads, in addition to having to worry about her graduation and the new baby coming. And she certainly hadn't helped matters with her bratty behavior today. "You should have told me. I never would have made such a fuss about the stupid dress."
"You know your father. He's embarrassed about it. He's worked hard his whole life to take care of us; and now, it's like none of it meant anything at all." A frown marred Maureen's still youthful face. Twenty-two years of her life had been devoted to this man, this family. She had started to take certain things for granted.
"It's not his fault!" Mimi protested earnestly. "The company folded. There's nothing he could have done. Besides, I'm sure with his experience he'll get another job in no time." Mimi's natural optimism was working to her advantage yet again. She saw her father's lack of employment as nothing but a temporary problem. Her family would get past it, as they got past every problem that confronted them.
Maureen just nodded, unwilling to shatter her daughter's illusions. But there were realities that had to be faced. The town was in an economic downslide. Jobs were scarce. They had enough savings to live off for possibly three months. What if David hadn't found a job by then? What would happen to them? She knew she shouldn't stress about it. It wasn't good for the baby. But she was a mother, and worrying was part of the job description.
Mimi read the despair on her mother's face, realizing that she didn't believe everything would be resolved so easily. "Mom, I promise it will be okay," she said, determination sparkling in her green eyes. "Whatever happens, we'll get through this together. As a family. Nothing will ever take that away from us. We'll always be a family."
Maureen found herself smiling despite herself. She stroked Mimi's hair back lovingly. "You're right, honey. Forgive me. I let that thought slip away from me for a moment. You, your brother, and your father are my world. I'm so blessed to have a daughter like you."
"Even when I'm being such a wretched brat?" Mimi grimaced as her eyes traveled to the green dress. "I'm sorry, Mom. I've behaved awfully today."
Maureen's smile softened. "Nobody's perfect, Mimi. Even you are allowed to be less than angelic from time to time. Besides, there was no way you could have known about all this. And I am sorry about your dress. It would have looked beautiful on you."
Mimi shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Mom. Honestly, I don't even see why I should go to prom. It's not like I have a date. I'd rather stay home with all of you. We'll have a family game night or something."
"Miriam Lockhart, don't even try that," Maureen scolded. "You're going to your senior prom. If you don't you'll regret it for the rest of you life." Her daughter had the tendency of going to extremes. Sometimes it was a good thing, sometimes not. But always entertaining. And keeping Mimi at least partially grounded in reality was part of the job description. It was the most fulfilling job in the world.
~~*~~
"So it's really true," Nicole commented sadly, as she surveyed the scattered belongings in the room and the half-packed suitcase. "The girls said you were leaving, but I had to see for myself." There was an underlying tone of hurt and neediness to her words.
"I'm sorry, Nicky," she said, abandoning her task to turn to the closest thing she'd had to a friend in years. "I just can't take it anymore. I've had my fill. If I don't get out now, I never will. But I'll miss you." She wondered if she really meant those words or just said them to comfort Nicole. She didn't think she was capable of caring enough about anyone to miss them.
Nicole picked up one of the nightgowns on the bed, folding it while staring wistfully at the suitcase. "I understand," she whispered. "You've got to leave before you end up like me." The pain of a thousand lifetimes was reflected in Nicole's drug-dulled eyes.
She laughed hollowly. "I'm a thousand times worse than you, Nicole. At least you still have a heart. At least they weren't able to take that away from you." She knew she shouldn't say things like that. They only gave Nicole an excuse to pry into her life. But she was leaving now, so it didn't matter anymore.
Nicole frowned, watching as she stuffed things randomly into her bag. "So why are you leaving if you don't care? If you really believe like you say that there's no way out for us, why are you running away?" She purposely ignored Nicole as she threw the last of her CDs into the case and zipped it closed. "What are you so afraid of?"
"Nothing," she snapped, rounding on Nicole with flashing blue eyes. "I'm afraid of nothing. It's just time for me to go. That's all. I have enough saved that I might not have to do this hideous job anymore, and I'm leaving while I have the chance." She didn't want to admit even to herself how terrified she was of Brady Black, afraid of the way he could hurt her, afraid he would be worse than the Phoenix.
Nicole shook her head. "When you got here, you were running away from something. Or someone. That's not all that unusual. Most of us are. Did they finally catch up to you? Is that why you're going?" She studied the younger woman's face. Whatever she might say, Nicole knew that there was something driving her to this. Something more than just the whim of the moment.
Her emotions immediately shut down. Nicole could spend the rest of her life guessing and still not approach the full truth. And she certainly wasn't going to tell her. "I told you why I'm going. If you don't believe me, that's your problem." She grabbed her purse, bag, and suitcase, intending to make a quick exit.
Nicole put a hand on her arm, stopping her. "It's that man, isn't it?" she asked, with rare insight. She saw the other woman's eyes widen at the mere mention of him, before going carefully expressionless.
"I don't know what you mean," she replied, inwardly cursing herself for letting Nicole get anywhere near her. "We see dozens of men each day. They're all the same. Men are all the same. I don't let myself care one way or the other." She took shelter behind the lessons she had spent a lifetime learning. They were truths, truths that kept her safe, that helped her survive.
"Except that one," Nicole continued, knowing she had finally gotten through. "Brady, right? He told you his name, and he comes everyday, but he only talks. And you refuse to talk about him, but everyone else discusses him constantly. He is gorgeous, Sapphire. I've seen him coming and going." She looked at her friend with empathy and amusement. "You don't need to run away just because you're falling for him. It happens to all of us sometimes."
"I'm not falling for him," she answered determinedly. She hated the bemused look on Nicole's face. "And quit looking at me like that. I'm not in denial or whatever you think this is. Okay, you want an answer? Yes, I'm leaving because of him. But not because I care about him, because he's too persistent. He wants too much. He wants it all. And I'll be damned before I give anyone that kind of power over me again. So I'm leaving. And don't you dare try to stop me."
Shaking off Nicole's hand, she turned around ready to leave without her remaining cash. Let Barb keep it. She needed to get out of there. Now. Suddenly, she froze when she saw the frame in the doorway. Nicole turned too and visibly paled, seeming to shrink into nothing. Unlike Nicole, she refused to show fear. She honestly didn't feel any. Fear was for those who had something to lose. And she didn't. Not even her life held value to her. She was nothing but a cold, dead shell after all. "Hello, Glennie," she taunted with a cold smile. "Come to say goodbye, have you? How sweet."
Glen's muscular frame towered over the two girls. Nicole cowered, throwing her a look of warning. She had to be out of her mind to goad him on that way. Glen's eyes shifted only momentarily from the dark-haired beauty to her less striking companion. "You. Out," he grunted in command.
She laughed, a trilling, mocking sound that disturbed the tense silence of the room. "You really are a caveman, aren't you, Glennie?" She turned to Nicole, in a stance copying Glen's. "You heard the man, little woman. You. Out." The look in her eyes warned Nicole clearer than words could ever do to leave now before she got hurt. Nicole hesitated for a moment. How could she leave her friend alone to face this monster? "Nicky, go now. Please," she almost begged. Finally, Nicole nodded, slipping from the room with one last fearful glance behind her.
Glen waited until Nicole had shut the door before approaching her menacingly. She refused to give an inch. "I suppose it would be too much to hope for that you're just here to give me my money?" she bit out caustically.
The eyes that met hers were colder than ice. "I'm here to give you a message from Barb. You see, you're not allowed to leave unless she says so. And she says you're going to be staying around here for a real long time. But don't you worry. You'll get your vacation." He cracked his knuckles pointedly. "In fact, I'm going to make sure you get a nice long rest."
She just stared at him, unmoved. Why should she care? It wouldn't be the first time she had been beaten. It wouldn't be the last. Unless…Maybe death was the only escape. She had been foolish to think she could run away from her life, but there was still one way out.
She started to laugh, the shrill sound grating on Glen's ears. "What's so funny, bitch?" he demanded, shaking her roughly, which only made her laugh harder.
"You," she gasped out, her laughter turning slightly hysterical. "You, Mr. Muscle Man. You're just so strong, aren't you? But Barb has you wrapped around her little finger. You're her lapdog. You're pathetic. A total joke. There's nothing you can do to hurt me."
Her plan was working. She saw Glen's anger burning wildly in his eyes. "Oh no?" he gritted out, throwing her against the wall with all the strength he possessed. She crumpled to the floor, the wind knocked out of her. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, you little whore." He picked her up again, by her gorgeous dark hair, waiting for her to react. When she didn't, he slapped her hard enough to open a gash on her cheek.
As soon as she could breathe again, she began to laugh, giving herself completely over to the madness. Let him hurt her. Let him beat her. Let him kill her. He was already too late to take away anything important anyway. Everything inside her that might have been worth anything had died a long time ago or been stripped from her at the hands of men worse by far than the one before her. "Is that the best you can do?" She continued to defy him.
With a roar of rage, Glen lost all control, determined to stop her laughter, whatever it too. He turned on her with all the fury of a wild beat set loose. As strange lights danced before her eyes, she smiled in bleak satisfaction. Perhaps she had finally gotten what she wanted.