Page 6 of Anastasia

As I stood there, the oncologist made his way over to me. He was wearing a kind smile, but there was something in his eyes that didn’t quite match.

“Ms. Smith, are you heading out?” he asked.

“Yeah, I don’t want to, but I have to go to work,” I told him, narrowing my eyes. “Is there something you need to tell me?”

He sighed. “Her cancer has spread more quickly than we thought. She was having pains in her side yesterday. So while you were sleeping, we did a couple more scans of her body. The cancer has now also spread to her kidneys.”

“I have to go to work,” I whispered before walking past him and out of the hospital. There was a burning sensation lodged in my throat that spread to my heart. I didn’t want to lose Alex. I couldn’t be alive without her!

I quickly made my way to my car just as tears began to pour out of my eyes. My sight was so blurry from crying that it made it almost impossible to unlock the door. As frustration burst through me, I kicked the side of the vehicle as a sob ripped out of me.

“Ms. Smith!” the doctor called out. Turning toward him, I quickly wiped my tears away. I made sure to rid any evidence of my sorrow because I needed to be strong.

“It’s not safe for you to deal with all this stress by yourself. I’ve seen her records, I know that you’re only twenty years old, taking care of a seventeen-year-old teenager with cancer. It’s okay to see someone or lean on a friend in times like this. I’ve seen what this has done to families, I can’t imagine it for one person,” he advised.

“I appreciate your concern,” I told him, smiling sadly and successfully unlocking my door. After quickly pulling the car door open, I sat down in the seat, leaving him standing right beside my car. With the key in the ignition, I started it up. As he still stood there, I decided to roll down my window.

“You have a strong kick there, by the way. You know, I may not be an orthopedic, but I’d be more than willing to check your foot out if you need me to,” he told me, offering a kind smile.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I chuckled unenthusiastically. “Goodbye!”

* * *

“Girl,what’s got you so bummed out?” My co-worker, Liliana, had asked me while I was placing burgers on a tray. She stood right by me with her hand on her hip as she awaited my answer.

“My sister is probably dying of cancer, and I have to sit here and pretend that everything is okay. I just can’t stop thinking about her,” I answered honestly. She reached out and touched my shoulder. A small smile made its way onto her features. I looked over at her dark complexion and big bouncy curls that fell down her back. Liliana was a beautiful girl inside and out.

“My mom passed away from lung cancer when I was younger. She always told me to stay strong, so now I am telling you…stay strong, Anastasia,” she said, opening her arms. I walked into them, allowing her to hug me. Her hug was soothing me, calming me in every place my crying heart hadn’t stop its weeping. It felt like the hug a mother would give their daughter, but she was my twenty-year-old friend who could make me feel more at home than myactualhome.

“I don’t even know how I am going to pay for everything,” I whispered.

She pulled away from the hug quickly before pointing toward a table of people in suits. “Okay, this is going to sound really crazy, but we should switch tables. That man over there,” she said, pointing toward a handsome man with loads of tattoos. One tattoo in particular that stuck out like a green thumb was the huge angel on his neck. “His name is Vincenzo Rossi. He has a half-brother who owns this huge underground club. My cousin works there and she just bought herself a mansion.”

“What could she possibly be doing at a club to make that much money?” I questioned.

“She strips, okay? It isn’t as bad as you think. If it wasn’t for how overprotective she is, I would’ve been stripping my way into Italian pockets as well. From what she tells me, Italians love them some black girl magic.” She chuckled.

“We can switch tables, but I’m not sure if I’m going to strip,” I told her, grabbing the tray she had already prepared for them. Nodding her head, she grabbed the burgers I prepared, heading over to my previous table.

Taking a deep breath, I walked over to the huge group of men. The second I made it in front of them, I could feel all of their eyes on me. Setting the food down on the table, I tried to pretend as if I didn’t feel all of them looking me over.

“Is there anything else I could get you guys?” I asked, my voice soft and full of nervousness.

“Anastasia,” one of the men had read my nametag out loud as he looked at my body. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, I nodded while waiting patiently.

“Has anyone ever told you that you resemble a Barbie doll?” a different man asked.

“Leave it to you to play with dolls,”Vincenzo growled out in—what I would later come to find out as—Italian, irritation visible in his words before glancing down at his phone. I wish I understood what he was saying, but I knew no other language than English.

“Valentino Romano would love you. Valerio, leave his card for the girl,” the first man said. All of the men seemed to chuckle darkly. A rush of gratitude flowed through me. I didn’t have to do much to get offered the job, and it was almost like fate planted it in my lap. Finally, they grabbed their food and walked off.

When I glanced down at the table, there was a huge tip and a card with the words ‘Valentino Romano’ written on them. Biting down on my lip, I thought back to my sister. Without a second thought, I slipped the card into my apron. I’d do anything for Alex, even if that meant stripping.

Anastasia

Isat in my car with my eyes gazing down at the business card in my hands. My previous conversation with Liliana kept playing over and over again in my head.Stripping?

I didn’t know the first thing about stripping, but then my thoughts traveled over to my sister. Deep down, I knew that if I could make as much money as Liliana’s cousin does, then maybe I could also help my mother as well. All she needed was some mental help. Maybe with the right amount of extra money, I could provide that for her.

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