Page 109 of Girls Night
“Well, at least I have wings.” My tone was childish and bratty, but fuck it. I stood up, and with as much dignity as I could, I tucked in my chair. “But uh… thanks, Jose. Really.”
“Hope it pans out for you, kid.” He lightly snapped his paper and leaned back in his chair, crossing his leg over his knee.
I sighed, heading down the sidewalk, hoping I hadn’t disrespected him too much.
“Devon?” he called.
I turned around, surprised he remembered my name. He’d never called me anything other than pet names. “Yeah?”
“It was good seeing you. You need to eat more.”
I rolled my eyes and saluted him. “Yes, sir.”
Guess he wasn’t insulted after all.
With his laughter behind me, I stood at the corner and waved for a cab. I felt like treating myself. Screw it.
Magdalene House was on the other side of town, known as the “skirts” and far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the city. I was thankful I had the money on me for the cab ride. There was no way I was going to walk the mile or so from the closest bus stop out there.
I paid the cabby after we arrived, and I looked around. All the trees surrounding the two-story building looked like they were on fire, with their red and orange leaves in full autumn swing. The place didn’t look anything like a homeless shelter, not any I’d been to, anyway. Probably owned by some rich people who lived miles away, a side-project that made them feel less guilty about being wealthy.
Yeah, I was jaded.
The girl at the front desk told me to wait for Tina, the lady Jose had told me to speak to. I looked around while I sat waiting, twiddling my thumbs, feeling dumb and dirty in this fancy place. Everything was clean and smelled like wealth. The people walking past as they went about their day, all women in nice clothes, threw smiles at me like candy.
There was no way this was a homeless shelter. Maybe the head office?
“Hi, I’m Tina,” the woman in the red pant suit said, walking out of one of the rooms in front of me. She was middle-aged and smelled like roses, the real kind, not that cheap bug-spray stuff.
I stood up, feeling more awkward than I did when I came in. I knew I looked like a street rat, with my long, lank blonde hair, skinny jeans, and a faux-leather jacket. But fuck it. This was me.
Tucking my hair behind my ear, I got straight to the point. “Hey, uh… Tina. A friend of mine said you guys were hiring?”
She looked confused for a moment. “Hmm… well, how about you come into my office and we’ll talk?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she gestured to her door.
I shrugged and followed her, taking a seat in front of her desk. Photographs of toothy kids lined the shelf behind her. Potted plants and a huge vase of flowers overflowed the base of the casement window.
“May I ask your friend’s name? And yours, too?” She let out a little laugh and the sound was real, classy, friendly.
“Jose. I mean, my friend’s name. I’m Devon.” I looked around her office, then back to her. “Is this really a homeless shelter?”
“Nice to meet you, Devon. No, Magdalene House is a safehouse for women who have found themselves in need of shelter. Our main outreach is for sex workers who need help getting out, and to offer guidance and safety.”
Huh. No wonder Jose suggested this place, I thought wryly.
“Right. Well, Jose said you’d know of a job or two that was available. I… well, I don’t need any help or anything,” I added quickly, “just looking for some side-work.”
Her eyes lit up in understanding.
Not at all fazed by my reply, she reached into her drawer for something. “Not the first time Mr. Santiago has sent us someone.” She handed me a brochure of some kind, and I looked it over briefly.
I read a couple paragraphs on the front, my temper rising at the wordsprostitutionandsupport. “Oh. I see.”
That bastard had tricked me.
“Nice of him to think of me,” I muttered. I shook my head and stood up, handing her the brochure like it was on fire. “Sorry for bothering you, I got the wrong place.”
“Wait.”
