CHAPTER FOUR
Sasha loved the night. Night was sexy, mysterious and dangerous. Just like her. She breathed in the New York City air. She felt liberated, completely in control of her destiny.
She walked to the subway entrance and descended into its humid depths. She could feel eyes on her as she passed the faceless bystanders. Stupid bastards, she thought with disgust. They wouldn't know power if it stripped naked in front of their very eyes. This was power. I am power.
She perched carelessly on a bench, her skirt affording a free view to any and all who cared to look. She felt a stirring at the base of her neck and slowly glanced behind her. A man, stocky, with a bit of a paunch was eyeing her with interest. He had thinning blond hair and blue eyes that seemed to sparkle with mischief.
"Whaddaya lookin' at?" she asked with full attitude. Right build, skin color. Perfect.
"Everything but your face," he cracked back, looking directly at her chest.
"Fuck off, playboy," she snapped, diving into strategy. Sure enough, he walked over to her and helped himself to a seat.
"Pathetic husband you got, letting you walk outta the house in that get- up," he said, eyeing her from head to toe. "It's a sick world out here, ya know what I mean?"
Sasha gave him her thousand-watt smile. "I know exactly what you mean." ×××××××××
Faith yelped in pain as she stubbed her toe against Emily's bed frame. The throbbing in her foot added to her mounting frustration. What, did she sell my shit or something, she thought angrily. She had gone over every square inch of her children's room and couldn't come up with her missing items. She placed her hands on her hips, trying to determine her next move.
Giving up, she started to straighten up the mess she had created. Bending down to pick up a discarded pillow, she noticed that the mattress was slightly askew. Acting on a hunch, she lifted up the mattress and peered underneath.
Faith immediately spotted a pack of cigarettes and three brightly packaged condoms. In a trance, she scooped up the items and stared at them, lost in thought. Her mind warred between fury and despair. Emily was fourteen. Fourteen.
So deep in thought, Faith didn't hear anyone enter the apartment, much less Emily come up behind her.
"What are you doing?" Emily asked in alarm, gripping her backpack so tightly her knuckles were white. Faith looked at her daughter, frightened of the possibilities, angry at the stupidity.
"What. The hell. Is this?" Faith asked, barely containing her rage. Emily spotted the items in her mother's hands, the color slowly draining from her face.
"I.Mom.where, where did you get that?" Emily stuttered.
"Why, underneath your mattress Miss Emily," Faith sang, sarcastically. "Condoms?! Condoms?! What the fuck do you need condoms for, huh? And the cigarettes? Good for a smoke after a little roll in the hay, huh? Answer me!"
Emily stood, stupefied. "Mom.those aren't mine," she whispered.
"STOP LYING!!" Faith shouted. "I've had it with your sneaking, your lying, your stealing, I've had enough! My daughter is smart, she wouldn't do this.you? I don't even know who the hell you are. Whoever you are you need to get the fuck outta my house and give me back my EMILY!!"
Emily burst into tears frightened by Faith's outburst. Opening her mouth to protest, she thought better of it and ran from the room. A moment later the apartment door slammed.
Faith sank onto the skewed mattress, trembling with rage.
Sasha loved the night. Night was sexy, mysterious and dangerous. Just like her. She breathed in the New York City air. She felt liberated, completely in control of her destiny.
She walked to the subway entrance and descended into its humid depths. She could feel eyes on her as she passed the faceless bystanders. Stupid bastards, she thought with disgust. They wouldn't know power if it stripped naked in front of their very eyes. This was power. I am power.
She perched carelessly on a bench, her skirt affording a free view to any and all who cared to look. She felt a stirring at the base of her neck and slowly glanced behind her. A man, stocky, with a bit of a paunch was eyeing her with interest. He had thinning blond hair and blue eyes that seemed to sparkle with mischief.
"Whaddaya lookin' at?" she asked with full attitude. Right build, skin color. Perfect.
"Everything but your face," he cracked back, looking directly at her chest.
"Fuck off, playboy," she snapped, diving into strategy. Sure enough, he walked over to her and helped himself to a seat.
"Pathetic husband you got, letting you walk outta the house in that get- up," he said, eyeing her from head to toe. "It's a sick world out here, ya know what I mean?"
Sasha gave him her thousand-watt smile. "I know exactly what you mean." ×××××××××
Faith yelped in pain as she stubbed her toe against Emily's bed frame. The throbbing in her foot added to her mounting frustration. What, did she sell my shit or something, she thought angrily. She had gone over every square inch of her children's room and couldn't come up with her missing items. She placed her hands on her hips, trying to determine her next move.
Giving up, she started to straighten up the mess she had created. Bending down to pick up a discarded pillow, she noticed that the mattress was slightly askew. Acting on a hunch, she lifted up the mattress and peered underneath.
Faith immediately spotted a pack of cigarettes and three brightly packaged condoms. In a trance, she scooped up the items and stared at them, lost in thought. Her mind warred between fury and despair. Emily was fourteen. Fourteen.
So deep in thought, Faith didn't hear anyone enter the apartment, much less Emily come up behind her.
"What are you doing?" Emily asked in alarm, gripping her backpack so tightly her knuckles were white. Faith looked at her daughter, frightened of the possibilities, angry at the stupidity.
"What. The hell. Is this?" Faith asked, barely containing her rage. Emily spotted the items in her mother's hands, the color slowly draining from her face.
"I.Mom.where, where did you get that?" Emily stuttered.
"Why, underneath your mattress Miss Emily," Faith sang, sarcastically. "Condoms?! Condoms?! What the fuck do you need condoms for, huh? And the cigarettes? Good for a smoke after a little roll in the hay, huh? Answer me!"
Emily stood, stupefied. "Mom.those aren't mine," she whispered.
"STOP LYING!!" Faith shouted. "I've had it with your sneaking, your lying, your stealing, I've had enough! My daughter is smart, she wouldn't do this.you? I don't even know who the hell you are. Whoever you are you need to get the fuck outta my house and give me back my EMILY!!"
Emily burst into tears frightened by Faith's outburst. Opening her mouth to protest, she thought better of it and ran from the room. A moment later the apartment door slammed.
Faith sank onto the skewed mattress, trembling with rage.
