Chapter Two

"That second woman was fucking awesome," Ruby exclaimed as she fist pumped the air. "Did the first chick really fall on her ass?"

"Her name is Regina," I muttered as I returned to my seat.

"How do you know that? Where the fuck did you go?"

"To the bathroom," I lied.

"For ten minutes," Ruby inquired with a small grin.

"Shut up," I shot back, "Drink your drink!"

Ruby chuckled, but downed her rum and Coke so quickly. "I'm getting another one!" She drunkenly stood up and walked over to the bar.

I glanced down at my cell phone to see no missed calls.

Don't be stupid, Swan. She's at work.

We stayed until the last woman performed. None of them held my attention as much as Regina had.

When the club was emptying out for the night, Ruby, our friends and I began to stumble to the main entrance. Outside, I spotted the performers' door so I yelled to Ruby, "Go home. I'm gonna stay around…"

"Why? You want a job," Ruby joked.

If looks could kill, she would have died on the spot from the look I gave her. "Ok, okay, get home safe," she said as our friends piled into the private transportation we had arranged for the evening.

When the car disappeared around a corner, I walked over to the performers' entrance and stood against the opposite wall. I zippered up my jacket and blew my hot breath into my hands for warmth. I looked around a few times to make sure I wasn't being watched.

"Am I turning into a stalker?"

I shook my head back and forth to signify a no.

"Should I leave?" and again I shook my head.

Just then the door opened and Regina and a friend walked out. Her eyes bulged out of their sockets when she saw me standing there. I waved my hand and smiled.

"Are you following me?" Regina asked with a small smile.

"Regina," her friend asked totally unaware of our "conversation" from before.

"It's okay, Belle. This is Emma. She was my private dance request," Regina answered.

"Wow…you're lucky," Belle admired as her eyes scanned my body up and down.

I blushed and lowered my head.

They laughed. Then Belle said, "I gotta go home. Are you going to be alright?"

Regina nodded, but said, "Hey, Emma, am I gonna be alright?"

I picked up my head and nodded. "Yes, I'll personally see to it that she gets home safely, Belle. Regina, I was hoping you'd like to go for coffee?"

Regina nodded her head in agreement and my heart fluttered.

"Awesome." I exclaimed.

"Well, good night you two," Belle said and winked at Regina. Then she walked away.

There was a few seconds of silence until I broke it. "There's a diner around here somewhere." I motioned to her to walk with me. We walked close to each other because of the dropping temperature.

We walked in silence to the diner around the corner. When we got there, I opened the door for her to enter.

"Thanks," Regina said with a small smile.

We walked into the pretty much empty establishment. I walked over to a booth and slid in. she slid on the other side. The waitress approached with menus and took our drink order. She had a coffee, two sugars, and milk. I ordered a Coke.

After the waitress left, I asked, "How long have you been working at 'Granny's Rotten Apples'?"

XXXX

"Oh there it is," I excitedly yelled.

"There what is?" Emma asked and looked confused.

"Are you a devout Christian, Emma? Are you here to 'save my soul'?"

"Fuck no," she blurted out. I smiled a little.

"Look it was only a question, I swear. I admire you," she said.

"There's nothing to admire," I said defeated and hung my head down in a little shame.

"Yes, there is. Regina, you're doing it. By it I mean, you're living your own life, independently. You're making money to survive. This is admirable, to me," Emma said with a lightness in her voice.

I picked my head up. "Thank you," I whispered, "I know I'm way better than that place, but…"

"It appeared when you needed something," Emma answered for me.

"Exactly, how'd you know?"

"Lucky guess," she said with a smile.

"Three years," I blurted.

"Three years?"

"I've been working there for three years," I repeated.

Emma looked at her hands. She fidgeted with her fingers. Just before she was about to say something, our drinks came. The waitress silently distributed them to us, took our order, and walked away.

"Say it," I insisted.

"Say what?"

"What you're thinking about saying," I said knowingly.

"Um, is rewarding?"

I meanly smirked. "Yeah, sure. Having mostly fat men groping you and treating you pretty much like shit. Yeah, real rewarding."

"I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to make you upset," Emma said bashfully.

"Listen, Emma," I started to say while I called the waitress over with my hand, "I'm not real sure what is happening here, but I gotta go."

The waitress walked over and I barked at her to wrap my food up. She nodded her head and quickly did what she was asked to do. While she did that, I pulled out a five-dollar bill and slammed it on the table.

"Regina, please…I'm truly sorry…"

"I've heard that before," I said. The bag of food arrived. I stood up and grabbed it quickly from the waitress.

"Have a good life," I said as I stormed out of the restaurant.

When I was outside in the cold winter air, I turned to look in the window. Emma was still sitting there in the booth. Her head was lowered.

Is she crying?

"No," I told myself and walked away.

XXXX

When I got back to the small apartment that Ruby and I shared, the lights were off. I tried to tiptoe to my room. All of a sudden the lights flicked on.

"Shit, Ruby!"

"Emma, where were you. I got nervous."

"I went to eat after. I wanted to be alone," I lied. I didn't wait for her to respond as I rushed to my room and slammed the door.

When I got into my room, I searched for a particular store. I dialed the number and luckily the store wasn't closed.

"I need two dozen to be delivered by tomorrow night to 'Granny's Rotten Apples'," I said hoping that they could fulfill my order with the limited time I had given them.

"Sure. What do you want the card to say?"

I thought for a second or two and then dictated to the salesperson what I wanted it to say.

I gave them all of my information to finish the transaction.

"Don't worry, Miss. The delivery will get there in time. I'll see to it personally," they said with a smile in their voice.

"Thank you," I replied and then hung up when they hung up.

I changed into my tee shirt and boxer shorts and unmade my bed. I got in it and pulled the covers up to my neck.

I prayed that sleep would come quicker than I thought it would. And it did. The last thing I remember thinking about was Regina. With her in my mind right before I closed my eyes, I felt happy.

I resigned to fix the problem I'd created.

I realized the next morning that I needed to see Regina again to try to appropriately apologize. I hope that I had started that apology with the gift that was being delivered that day.

"I'm gonna be a few days late with my portion of the rent this month," I had said to Ruby.

"If you need I can put out the cash and you can reimburse me," she suggested to which I nodded my head enthusiastically up and down.

XXXX

When I got into the club the following afternoon, the same assistant that told me about Emma's request told me that I had a delivery in my dressing room.

Not thinking too much of it, I walked down the hallway to my room. I put my hand on the doorknob and pushed it open. On my vanity stood an enormous bouquet of two dozen red roses.

"Holy fuck," I yelled as I slammed the door behind me. As I rushed over to the arrangement I threw down my purse and coat. I then felt some of the roses to know that they were real.

A card?

I searched through the entire bouquet and finally found it. I shakily opened the tiny envelope and pulled out the tiny rectangle card. I took a deep breath before I looked down at it.

"Regina, I tried to find a flower that is as pretty as you are, but I couldn't. There just aren't any. You're gorgeous!" I read aloud. I searched for the name of the sender, but it wasn't there even on the flip side of the card.

The pounding of the door brought me out of the fantasy and back to reality.

"You're up in five, Reggie," Archie yelled.

"It's Regina…whatever," I said and threw my hands up in the air.

I knew I had to get dressed quickly. I slipped the card back into the envelope promising myself that I'd think more about it later.

I got dressed and … SHOW TIME!

XXXX

Later that night, I grabbed my purse and headed to the door.

"Where are you off to," Ruby asked as my hand was on the doorknob.

"Um, I'm going out," I said. Ruby just nodded. "Be careful. Call if you need anything!"

I decided to walk to the club so I could make one stop beforehand. I also wanted to think about what I was going to say to her.

In the very short time that I've known her, she has intensely intrigued me. She was first thought I had this morning as I opened my eyes. I couldn't wait to see her and apologize.

When I arrived at the store I needed I entered it, walked up to the counter, and pointed to what I wanted to purchase as I said, "one, please!"

The salesperson wrapped it up and we finished the transaction.

I ran out of the store and didn't stop running until I entered the club.

Luckily the "performance" didn't begin yet.

Sit at the bar so she doesn't see you immediately!

XXXX

I started my routine a little disheartened that I didn't see Emma there.

Maybe she's at the bar?

XXXX

I sat in the back near the bar I wanted to be out of the light and her vision. If I was going to do this, I was going to do this right. God dammit, I wanted to do this right.

I watched her performance intensely. She was the only thing I saw. When she began to collect her money, I raced towards the stage. Her head was turned as she blew some creepy dude a kiss to entice him to give up more money, which worked. I placed the rose down in the middle of the stage.

XXXX

I turned my head to see if this stupid guy would cough up more money and he did.

Shit. Men are stupid when they're horny. Score.

I turned my head back and looked down. I froze for a second as I saw what lay in front of me. A single rose.

My head immediately rose up to look this person in the eyes.

"Emma?!"

"Hi," she said quickly, "I need to talk to you…when you're finished, of course!"

I leaned over and whispered, "Go backstage. Ask for Belle. She'll take you to my dressing room." I winked quickly at her and then finished my performance.

I watched her as she disappeared into the darkness of the club. I knew she'd be walking to my dressing room.

XXXX

I walked with confidence to the backstage of the club.

"Can I help you," a large man, probably their security, asked.

"I'm here to see Regina. She told me to come to her dressing room."

"Really," the guy said unbelievingly.

"I swear," I protested. Then I spotted Belle so I yelled, "Hey, Belle!"

Belle froze, but remembered me. She walked over to us.

"Hey, Emma, right?"

I nodded my head.

"Do you know her?" asked the security guard.

"Yes, Robin, I know her. She's a friend of Regina's," Belle reassured him. He let me pass him and Belle took me to Regina's dressing room.

She opened the door and immediately I saw the huge floral arrangement I'd had ordered this morning.

"They did great," I admired.

"I knew it," Belle yelled excitedly.

"Guilty," I said with a shy smile.

"Does Regina know it was you?"

"I don't know. I got her attention out there by placing a single rose on the stage in the middle of her money, but…" I trailed off.

"I'm sure she'll figure it out. Listen, I got to go, but hang out in here. She'll be here in a while," Belle said with a wave of her hand as she left me alone in Regina's private room.

I shut the door and glanced around. I didn't want to intrude, but the photos helped a little to piece her life together. After I quickly glanced around, I sat down on a plastic seat and waited patiently.

A few minutes later, I heard the door begin to open so I rose from the seat. She walked into the room with confidence, but as soon as she closed the door, the real Regina emerged.

"Hello, Emma," she said as she put down her robe and smelled her flowers.

"Hey, Regina," I said shyly. She pulled out the chair and turned it to face me. I sat down as she sat down.

XXXX

I sat nervously in front of Emma. We had a silent, staring competition going on. I broke the silence.

"How are you?"

"Fine, now, thank you for allowing me to talk to you," she said nervously.

"It's fine. I wanted to apologize to you," I said sincerely, "I am sorry for storming off like that last night. It was rude. I made quick assumptions and acted out based on them. I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course, I'm sorry for asking the question that way. I just didn't know how to get the conversation really started. I've looked back on it a thousand times today and kicked myself cuz I could have asked you any other question…"

I stood up from the seat and stood by the flowers. I sniffed them again. I inhaled their scent. It was intoxicating.

"Do you like them?"

"Yes, immensely so," I replied, "The person didn't sign their name to the card, so…"

"Was it okay for the sender to write that message on the card?"

"The card was the best part…was, was it you?"

"Yes," Emma stated proudly.

I didn't say anything. I threw the card down and ran to her. When we were close enough I catapulted myself into her arms. I wrapped my arms around her neck and she instinctively wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Whoa," Emma said with a small laugh.

"Thank you," I simply whispered.

XXXX