Page 19 of Redemption
Nodding, she sighed. “I’ve been around young people for years. You’ve seen all the kids I’ve raised. And I can see you are scared. I know Talon brought ya here to protect you.”
I lowered my head. “Yes, he did.”
“Why? Now I know by the look in your eyes that it’s something you are real troubled about. I just want to help is all. Sometimes talking to a person helps.”
I sipped my tea and noticed my hand shook, so I set the cup down again. “It’s my past.”
“Oh?” she asked. “You got some bad experiences?”
I nodded and knew this woman would not tell a soul but I was still afraid that maybe she wouldn’t think so highly of me after she heard what I used to do. “My past—”
“It is just that,” Ma interrupted me. “It happened back then. You make it up by what you do now.”
“Well, that might be easy for some to say.”
“But not for you, eh?” she replied.
I slowly raised my head. “I got dragged into something I couldn’t get out of. I hated every minute of it but then I was trapped. So, after Talon… Well, he told me I could do better for myself. That one day, I would wake up and be old with no future.”
Ma smiled. “Yeah, the man looks tough and he rumbles a lot. But on the inside, he’s got a huge heart.”
“So, I broke away from the bad thing and well…” I sighed and looked around to be sure no one was around. Then I stared at her and admitted it, “At Twenty, I was a street walker Ma. I fell into it when I couldn’t keep a job. Then one day I was beaten up and told I would work for this man. You know what they call a pimp. Just like in the TV shows then he sold my contract…” I swallowed heavily. “And O bought me.”
Ma almost dropped her teacup.
I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“No, sweetie, you aren’t to blame.”
“But I met Talon and I walked away from that. I went into…” I paused again. “…stripping. At least I didn’t have to… You know.”
Reaching over, she patted my hand. “Oh, my sweet child.”
I lowered my gaze. “Then I got a job as a bartender for Mickey.”
“Oh, over at the Top Hat?”
I nodded. “That was when Rip and Talon came…”
“Oh.” Her eyes rounded. “I understand now.”
“O wanted me back, but she wouldn’t have me working. I would be killed.” I shivered. “And I’ve seen first-hand what she does to people who betray her.”
Ma slowly shook her head. “You poor child.”
“No, I mean I chose that life as the easy way out. I knew what I was doing.”
“But you made the choice to have a better life,” she said softly.
“I did, but it didn’t do me any good.”
“Not yet, but it will.”
I raised my head to look into her eyes. “Will it? I don’t know.”
“So I understand now. You think if that Redemption finds out…”
I nodded. “A man doesn’t want…a girl like me as a girlfriend. No, once he knows that will be the end of… well whatever it is.”
