Page 8 of A Dark Duet

“Okay, we will be back with your beers, and if you want anything else, just press this button on the table,” I say, as I show him the wristwatch Coco and I wear that alerts us whenever we are needed at our tables.

The fighter doesn’t say a word, and I decide I don’t have time to be treated like crap on my first night, after everything that has happened.

“What are your names in case the button doesn’t work?” the friendlier one asks.

“My name is Monroe, and my friend next to me is Coco.”

He winks at Coco and she smiles back at him, giving him a little wave. I turn with Coco to get their beers and then head back to Diamond.

Diamond is from Atlanta with her creamy brown skin and a huge butt that she loves to twerk. Coco and I will climb up the pole with the other girls flanking the side, with me in the middle.

Diamond coming down first, twerking for the football players, and then I’ll be up for my solo I have been working on for the past four hours. I give Jake Diamond’s two selections to mix for the routine, “WAP” and “Don’t Stop” by Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B. Both songs are aggressive and not my choice, but in this place, it’s appropriate.

Brie looks at me. “What?” I say.

“That is Nate ‘The Reaper’ and his manager,” Brie says with excitement.

“So?” I shrug my shoulders. “He was a total dick to us.”

Diamond chimes in, “He is like that because women throw their panties at him all the time and I can see why. Girl, he is fine. And that body…” She gestures with her hands.

“Whatever.” I wave my hand like it doesn’t matter. I know he’s very good-looking but too intense, and he was totally rude to me and Coco. I didn’t throw myself at him. I was just doing my job, no matter how attractive I found him.

“He is undefeated, and he beat his last opponent in under a minute in the cage. The guy is a fucking badass in MMA,” Diamond says.

I look at them both with determination. “Guess what? We are badass dancers going to make it rain in this fucking place,” I say.

We walk up to the stage and take our positions in front of the poles. We look at Jake with everyone’s eyes on us, including Nate and his manager, as they sit up straighter in their chairs, not believing their server is about to go on a stripper pole after serving them their beers.

Jake signals the beginning of Diamond’s routine as “WAP” plays through the amazing sound system in the club, the bass vibrating the whole place as the lyrics spill. We shake our asses out, holding the pole, our backsides facing the audience. I can hear catcalls as Diamond takes off her clothes.

I bend over, touch my toes, shake my butt, twerking, as Coco follows the routine. She and I climb the tall poles as “Don’t Stop”plays, watching all the guys look up in awe, not believing what they are seeing, as Diamond follows suit. We reach the top, and at the right moment, everyone cheers as we hold the pole with our legs upside down while our hair hangs.

When the lyrics come at the hook, we loosen our thighs and slide in unison down the pole and skid to a halt just before we hit the ground, to a roaring crowd throwing tons of money in the air on stage.

The three of us let go of the pole at the same time, standing to our feet and catwalk up the stage, popping and twerking to the song until it comes to an end, ending up in the same position we started.

We hear whistling from the guys as they continue to throw money. “Well, well, I want to introduce you all to our best-kept secret here at The Porcelain Dollhouse… Miss Money Monroe!” Jake says over the mic.

The guys holler and continue to whistle as I get in place for my routine. I trust Jake to pick my song, as I didn’t give him one.

I hear the sexy voice of Lana Del Rey singing “Fucked My Way to the Top” as I go up on the pole and twirl, then up to the ceiling and down to the bottom, crawling on the stage. I remove my corset and I can see the fighter’s eyes are not leaving me for one second as he follows my movements intently.

His manager is watching him, looking back and forth as I continue to twirl in my bra, skirt, and garters on the pole, completing an upside-down split. The song changes into another song by Lana called “American,” more of a ballet tune with her sexy voice.

I go slow, twirling on the pole, holding my hands in the center, splitting my legs into a full split in the air, facing the crowd while the men have their mouths open and Brie stands in awe…

She smiles, her eyes twinkling even from where I can see her about seven feet in the air, as I wrap my limbs around the pole and spread my hands, holding myself with just my thighs and calves. The bra straps slide down my shoulders as the song ends. Sliding down to my feet, I grab my corset as the song ends.

“Everyone, please give a round of applause for the beautiful and talented Miss Money Monroe. She made it rain!” Jake announces with pride. The hoots and catcalls vibrate over the music in the club.

“She doesn’t even have to take off her clothes!” one guy shouts as I flush in embarrassment.

I feel the vibration of the watch from my table number forty-three, where the fighter is seated, as I put on a thin tank for a little decency.

I have to get used to being only in a bra while waiting tables. I thought I could just walk around in a bra, but suddenly, feeling shy, I change my mind.

Brie walks up to me and gives me a hug. “That was beautiful, Giselle,” she whispers close to my ear.

---