When the last of the men had left, Elizabeth found herself in great relief. She hadn't run into any of the men she knew, and she hadn't come across the boy she had yelled at earlier that day. Sure she had found herself hanging out around the back, delivering the drinks only when she had too, but who could blame her? She was scared to death of the men that treated them like candy, wanted to have them whenever they wanted. She had only be approached once by a dirty old man who offered her only a mere dollar, which she was sure was the only cash he had on him. She cringed at the thought of the old, toothless bald man trying to kiss her, as she headed back stage.
" So, how'd it go?" Bailey asked with a smile. Elizabeth merely smiled and nodded as Bailey walked over to another group of girls. " How are ya feeling now?" she asked one of the girls who was sitting on a stole twisting her necklace in her fingers.
" Bettah," the girl smiled. " I don't know why I got so sick," she frowned, her deep brown eyes gazing down with sadness.
" It's okay," Another girl comforted her, pulling her under her arm and hugging her tightly. " We's all get sick now an' then. It's nerves," she tried to give her a reassuring smile.
" Gin, are you all right?" Medda came walking in, heading straight for the girl who know had one tear trickling down her cheek from her brown eyes. Gin nodded and whipped her tear with her hand and smiled at Medda.
" I'm sorry," Gin sighed, " I don't know why I got so nervous."
" That's all right, dear." Medda rubbed her shoulders and headed off toward her dressing room.
" Elizabeth, I'd like ya ta meet some o' da singer here. Dis is Dainti," said pointing at the girl who had been comforting Gin. " This is Nightingale, o' as we like ta call her, Gin. She's got a real sweet voice, one I's wish I's had," Bailey smiled at Gin couldn't help but crack a grin. " An' ovah here is Fantasy, an' Frizz."
" Hello," Frizz smiled.
" Nice to meet you," Elizabeth smiled back at the girls.
" What brings you around here?" Dainti questioned, as Fantasy helped undo her dress.
" I-I lost my family at the train station," Elizabeth said quietly, keeping her head down.
" Not a run away?" Gin questioned as some of the girls gave her dirty looks. " What, I's mean, Torn is a run away, an' well, Lute ain't a run away, she's just a school goil dat works here," Gin said, slowly gaining more color in her face and blushing slightly.
" I's sorry. Dat must be really tough. Losing all dat money an' ending up stuck out on da streets," Dainti frowned walking over to Elizabeth.
" What's it like ta have money?" Frizz questioned eagerly.
" Frizz!" Bailey scolded her. " Didn't Torn tell ya, it's a pain!"
" I's couldn't believe it's a pain," Frizz replied defensively, looking back at Elizabeth.
" Well, when you got money, you go to school, to parties, and then you get married and have kids." Elizabeth shrugged.
" Oh, I bet that's nice, going out and finding the perfect rich man," Fantasy sighed.
" You don't pick him," Elizabeth shook her head. " Your parents pick him out for you. I'm supposed to be marrying Luke Benson, this old man in his fifties." Elizabeth shuttered, and then closed her eyes. " But papa knows that he's a good man, and he'll make me happy, and I'm sure I'll learn to love him." She smiled glancing around the girls at their mouths half open.
" What do ya mean, 'learn ta love'? Ya don't learn ta love no one," Gin replied shaking her head.
" O' course ya do, my mama was married off to my father. She learned to love him. He learned to love her." Elizabeth explained, trying to show them that it was okay.
" Elizabeth, remember that man, the judge?" Rain asked, coming from behind a rack of dresses in a blue buttoned down shirt and brown knickers. Elizabeth nodded. " He was married to his wife, right?" Elizabeth nodded, suddenly realizing what Rain was talking about.
" But.I'm sure that's different." Elizabeth shook her head in disagreement.
" What's ya last name?" Bailey asked looking at her.
" Westfall," Elizabeth answered.
" Wait, Jeremiah Westfall's daughter?" Dainti questioned as Elizabeth nodded.
" You've heard of him?" Elizabeth smiled only to get blank stares back.
" Why don't we get you undressed, I'm sure Torn will be finishing up with the judge soon," Bailey faked smiled and lead her towards the dressing room.
By the time Elizabeth was dressed, Torn was leaning on the costume rack already dressed in her normal black skirt and white blouse, her luckily boots still strapped firmly to her feet.
" I thought ya'd never come out of there," Torn laughed, tossing her hair back slightly and pinning it up in a half ponytail.
" Well, I wasn't sure if I should wait for you in there or not," Elizabeth shrugged as Bailey closed the door behind her and smiled at Torn.
" An' how was da Judge?" Bailey questioned raising an eye-brow.
" Old," Torn replied, leaving it at that and turning to walk out the back door as Bailey laughed following them outside into the cool night air.
" Elizabeth, we need ta do something 'bout your name," Torn said after a moment of clearing her throat during a strange pause as they headed down the street.
" What do you mean, do something about my name?" Elizabeth asked, eyeing her.
" Well, ya father knew the Judge, didn't he?" Torn asked as her and Bailey exchanged looks.
" Yeah," Elizabeth shrugged.
" Well, he recognized ya. Asked if you was Westfall's daughter whose supposed to be on her way to Arcadia Maine to be married to a Mr. Luke Benson. Luke Benson! The man is at least half ya age!" Torn suddenly screamed, throwing her arms up in the air.
" I know, but papa thinks," Elizabeth started, then remembered the part about the Judge recognizing her. " Wait.Judge Monahan recognized me, that's great!" She smiled looking over her shoulder as if he would be standing right there. " Maybe he can help me get back to my parents," She smiled as Torn gave Bailey a look. Bailey nodded and she took of down the street in another direction.
" Elizabeth," Torn said, smiling sweetly. I don't think ya get it. Da Judge isn't dis good ol' guy everyone thinks he is. He's a dirt bag.an' well, he's got his eye on you." Torn pointed her finger at Elizabeth who just stared blankly back, joking on what Torn said. " He wouldn't want ya back with ya folks, he's a greedy man. In court, if it wouldn't have been foah Medda, not only would I have been in da refuge, I have been wit da Judge any time he wanted-foah nuttin'." Torn spit out. " Anyway, I think we's need ta get ya another name. Elizabeth.it won't work, dares too many people working there an' here. I mean, I'm sure ya miss ya folks an' all, but Elizabeth listen to me," Torn said, stopping and placing her hands firmly on Elizabeth's shoulders. " If you's go back ta ya folks, you're gonna be stuck in a dead-beat marriage. A love less marriage-"
" What would you know about love? You sell yourself to men!" Elizabeth screamed back.
" I know enough about love to not get attached to men like that. I know enough about love that I don't want someone to pick out who they think will give me the most money. That's why I ran away Liz, that's why I ran away. Luke Benson had asked for my hand first, and my mother didn't give one thought towards me when she told him I'd marry him." Torn's words cut threw Elizabeth's chest, eating at her breath.
" What?" She managed to spit out.
" Look, money, that's all our family's care about. Are you gonna be as foolish as them thinking that all that matters in life is money and power? Thinking that those two are more important than love and happiness?" Torn looked at Elizabeth who stood there, shifting her hands around on her dress, trying to think it over.
" Look, I just want-I just want to get some sleep," Elizabeth replied quietly as Torn nodded and lead the rest of the way to the Lodging House in silence.
When they got to the Lodging House, Torn introduced Elizabeth to the old woman who ran the place for Medda. She was an elderly lady, whose cataract eyes looked Elizabeth up and down from head to toe until she finally introduced herself.
" Da names Gibby," She smiled warmly. Elizabeth nodded and took the pen that Gibby handed to her in her shaking bony hand, and signed the guest book. Gibby smiled as she read over it and Torn lead the way up the wooden staircase to the bunkroom. She pointed out a free bed and Elizabeth walked over, looking down at the old dirty mattress, and stained sheets and blanket filled with holes and ragged edges. She shuttered, imagining what her mother would say as she took a seat on the bed, fighting back the sour face that was firmly painted upon her face.
" It gets better," Athena whispered in her ear as she climbed up to the top bunk above Elizabeth and laid down with a squeak and a shake. Elizabeth laid there with her eyes wide open as the lights went out, her mind racing and turning over the words that Torn had said earlier that day. Finally, she couldn't take it any more and got up and tip-toed over to Torn's bed.
" Torn, I got my name," Elizabeth whispered.
" What's dat?" Torn yawed sleepily.
" Latch," Elizabeth answered with a smile.