My My Little Prince Page 13
They waved good-bye to Dirt Bag and Spinner and stumbled their way to into their room. Sherine could barely stand. Michelle told Sherine that she had an Oxycontin and that she would chew one and follow it with a shot of tequila if Sherine did. Sherine was all over it, but Michelle secretly held back and didn’t take either the pill or the shot.
Sherine woke in the morning screaming when Dirt Bag suddenly appeared and slammed Spinner in the face. Spinner hit the ground and Dirt Bag slammed him again. They beat each other until the other biker brothers pulled them apart. Both had lacerations and bruises all over and Spinner had a finger that was twisted ninety degrees the wrong direction. Blood flowed from his left eye and his lips.
Sherine jumped up and moved out of the way of the commotion. Then she looked down at her arms and screamed, “What is going on here?” She saw that she had bruises on her arms, legs and face and she had terrible pain in her crotch. Her skirt and blouse were torn in shreds.
She crumpled to the floor in the corner next to the window air conditioner. It was on full blast and she held her head over the air vents. She was not sure what was going on but she knew she needed her happy side because something terrible had happened while she was passed out.
Michelle came into the room and was crying and telling Sherine that she needed the money and that she never thought it would be this bad. She cried and said, “I´m so sorry, please forgive me but everyone wanted you!” She looked ravaged herself. “Sherine, I’m so sorry,” she said again. “We needed the money and you ... you ...! So you would have a place to live! You were passed out, so I thought it would be okay. Then they all just forced themselves in and, well … Spinner told me either do it or … Here; I´ll give you the money... ”
Just then Dirt Bag stood up and told Michelle to get the hell out of there before he killed her. He picked Sherine up and told everyone watching to get out of the way. “The show is over fuckers,” and he carried her to his bike. Sherine’s head was still in a fog. “Where is Michelle when I need her,” she was thinking, her brain a muddled mess. But she knew. “She did this to me didn’t she? She and Spinner too.
“I hate all men; I bet she was right; he made her do this to me. I heard him bitching about money! “Spinner! Where is he? Still in a fog, Dirt Bag duct taped her to himself so she would not fall off the bike on the ride back to his house. Sherine closed her eyes and felt the air and wind blow by as she went into her world. “Michelle would never hurt me,” she repeated over and over until she fell asleep on the bike duct taped to Dirt Bag.
Later as she woke she saw Dirt Bag standing over her. He was pacing back and forth nervously pulling on his moustache. He saw her coming to and he smiled gently, “Hey baby, there you are, are you awake?”
“Yes, where are we?”
“In my apartment ... You can stay here as long as you like. You need to get away from all the crazies you have been with the past couple years before you start to act like them. Some of the brothers are saying that you’re dropping meds with the beers you are drinking. That’s why you go crazy, you know how you go into your own world. You are too good for all the wars that are going on in your head”.
He continued and smiled gently; “hey, but look here baby; I have a cat and a dog that would love to meet you.”
She was thinking, “a cat and a dog, I never had either, but I always wanted one.” She fell back to sleep and slept for almost twelve more hours. When she woke she could see Dirt Bag looking over her again. She looked down at her aching body and saw that she was cleaned up and that she was wearing a big Harley T-shirt.
She welled up for a second but she said, “Thanks Dirt Bag. I really owe you once again. Tell me what really happened last night.”
“Sherine, it has been almost two days. Believe me, you do not want to know. Besides, I never did really hear the whole story; what really happened. I heard you screaming so I just acted, and here you are.” He sat down next to her and took her hand in his big paw. “All I can say is that your sister really blew it this time. Are you OK? I mean how is your head … er, uh, I mean your mind? You know; are you ok?” His big ugly face looked ready to crack.
16
“Welcome Attorney Gerrard,” the sales manager said.
“Ah, please, call me Joe.” The dapper looking gentleman grinned broadly. His smile was friendly and he had an air of confidence that was warm and inviting.
“Well; okay then Joe; thanks! What can we do for you today?”
“I need a suit that will knock the socks off any jury.” He winked as he said this and his eyes scanned all the neatly stacked shirts in the display shelf between them.
“You´ve come to the right place! We just got in a new line of Italian suites that are the best quality. We sent one to Senator Martin yesterday and I heard the boss on the phone taking an order for Donald Jones, the oil man. And if they like them you know they are excellent. Here, let me show you a few. When do you need it?” the clerk asked.
“Not for a couple days.” Joe said and quickly fell in step behind the sharply dressed salesman.
The manager disappeared for a few minutes and Joe noticed Sherine walk by and go into the office. He was shocked at her beauty. When the manager comes back, Joe asked. “Who was that women that just walked into the office?”
The manager nodded an enthusiastic agreement, “That´s Sherine. She’s going to start working here Monday. Gorgeous; huh?”
“Wow, she´s a knock out.”
“Yes sir,” the manager acknowledged grinning, and then, all business-like, he continued, “Well, how about this suit? Is the color good or are you looking for something a little darker or lighter....?”
“No, I’m not feeling it; that is totally the wrong style and color.”
The manager looked confused and said, “This is similar to what you normally purchase.”
“Well, this time I want something different, maybe she can help me?”
Surprised, but after an ‘A-ha!’ moment the manager said, “She starts Monday Joe.”
“Oh,” the attorney replied, “Um, well, I´ll just come back Monday unless you can get her to help me now.”
“Hold on sir, I’ll see what I can do. He walked over to Sherine and softy spoke with her.
She nodded understanding and smiled prettily as she walked over to Attorney Gerrard, “May I help you sir?”
He smiled as he felt a little spasm. He mustered a sheepish grin and said, “In more ways than you know.”
She smiled back and said, “Let’s talk about suites now and maybe other things later.”
He was surprised as he felt an instant arousal in his crotch. He kind of shook his head in wonder and squeaked, “Ok, suits, yes suits.”
Sherine didn’t really know what she was doing but she held several suits up for his opinion. “This one brings out the color of your eyes,” she said as she held a rich blue one up under his chin. She stood close behind him as she lingered, holding it under his chin. They both stood there looking at each other in the full length mirror.
After looking at several more options, Joe chose two and asked. “Do you still have my measurements on file?” He didn’t think he could take it if she were to start measuring him. She turned to the manager and he nodded.
“Of course sir,” Sherine said and let her eyes linger on his face a moment a long moment.
“Will you be the one doing the delivering once they are ready?” he choked. “God, Why is my voice so squeaky?”
She looked over at the manager again and got the same nod. “If you like, sir,” she replied and felt her face flush a bit. She gave him her best smile.
“Great! Then let’s set a time,” he said. “Let me see what my schedule is.” He pulled out his iPhone 6.
She touched him on the arm and held up a finger indicating she would be back in one minute, then went over to talk to the manager. When she returned she told Joe “I work Monday at noon sir. My boss says the suit will be ready by then.”
&nbs
p; Joe scanned his iPhone again and smiled, “That’s perfect!” he said shoving the phone back in his jacket pocket. “Please bring those two to my office at twelve-thirty. Uh, that's when I normally catch some lunch and I will have time for you to do the final fittings.” He eyed her up and down again involuntarily and blushed slightly as he thought of their next meeting.
They confirmed everything as Sherine wrapped the two suits in plastic. After she stored them away she said her goodbyes and went out a door to the stockroom. Joe flagged over the manager and said, “Here is my card; like you need it, but just in case. And here´s a hundred bucks ... please schedule her gone for more than the normal time, ok? I would love to catch some lunch with her after she measures me for the suits.”
“Oh you don’t have to do that” the manager says as he slipped the bill in his pocket. “I´ll arrange everything.”
As Joe was walking toward the door he stopped and in a louder than normal voice he turned and asked “How much is that suit anyway? Ach, never mind, it doesn´t matter, I’d buy it at any price! I’ll have my secretary call with my credit card information.”
Joe stood there for a moment, his head in a cloud. “What’s her name anyway? I forgot to ask!”
“Her name is Sherine,” the manager said with a gentle laugh, and repeated “Sherine.” Joe waved ‘OK’ to the manager and turned and slipped out as the door closed.
Sherine had been in the back of the suit shop hanging some new stock on hangers and pressing a few pants to help a little; trying to make a good impression. She wanted to hear if Joe had said anything else about her anyway. She heard the front doorbell tinkle and walked back into the show room.
The manager was absolutely giddy. “Wow, two suits and you haven’t even officially started yet! My goodness, that guy sure liked you!” He took her hand and held it and said, “do you know who that was my dear? His name is Joe Gerrard and he is one of the top lawyers in Melbourne. Oh my; what a catch, if I do say so myself! You know, he comes from old money too. His mother is from Columbia, Sophia Verdada. You see her all the time in all those high-society mags!”
The shop was called “Luxury in Threads” and Sherine was ‘officially’ on the schedule to start work on Monday. She already knew that she had a delivery to make as soon as she arrived. The manager told her that she must not be late and to dress very elegantly as the client was including her in his lunch plans.
She was excited about her new job as she continued to think how easy it should be and that she might be able to finally afford her own place. After all she only needed a couple hundred dollars more.
That fucking Michelle had given her the four hundred and eighty dollars she and Spinner had charged the bikers that night in Deland. “I had almost started to trust men,”she thought as a small tear slid down her left cheek. “Michelle would never have done that without Spinner!” But she hadn’t talked to Michelle since that night either.
As bad as it was that night, she convinced herself that she was responsible for what happened because she did not know what was going on so it had to be her fault. Sherine would not allow herself to believe that Michelle, her own sister would let all those bikers do what they wanted to her for money. She wanted only to hold herself and Spinner to blame but deep down she knew better.
Either way she had some money now and she could get her own apartment soon. “Once I’m in my own apartment, no one will touch me. I will be free. I'm beautiful, I’m smart and I want to have a normal life. Others have one. Why can’t I have one? I have the power to do it. I can have a normal life. All I need is to get started; just me, no sister or men and no one will be able to hurt me again ... ever! And as for Spinner; he will pay for his sins someday too. Yes, soon I will be on my own and the world will not hurt me anymore”.
When Sherine got home, the feelings of failure were still with her. She stripped out of her clothes and stood in front of the bathroom mirror staring at her beautiful naked body. Her rage welled and she bit her arm and screamed out loud. “Why do I do that?”
Worse yet, she knew that deep within her she loved it; she craved it and knew that it was the pain and the seeing of the blood oozing out that she liked. It was the only time she felt anything ... the only time she knew she was truly alive. She finally admitted it. She liked feeling pain. “Why do I like my pain when after all, I’ve never actually hurt anyone else.” She laughed “’ ... yet’.” She understood both sides of it and knew it was life itself. Pain made her feel alive, conscious! It gave her a feeling of terror and excitement at the same time.
She looked in her mirror so she could watch herself bite her arm again and again. When she finished she had blood oozing from several deep bites and a drop clung to the corner of her mouth. Watching herself in the mirror charged her body like nothing else. She was exhilarated. Her nipples were erect and she saw the goose flesh on her breasts. She felt alive and smiled at herself in the mirror. She squinted her eyes and smiled to herself and said out loud, “pain is better than sex!” She calmed down in a split second and thought, “Maybe I am a little crazy.”
And then, as if someone had thrown a switch in her head she began to cry and feel sad. She questioned herself as to why she would bite herself. “Only crazy people do that shit!” she sobbed out loud. She looked for a tissue as she told herself, “I’m so fucking tired of the pain;” the confusion wore her out. “I do not need any more pain in my life!” she wailed. “I just need to move on and begin a new life, a good life. A life that will make me happy.” She dropped her arms to her side. “But how do you do that when all you have ever known is pain and heartbreak? ... You don’t!” she screamed as she slammed her fist into the mirror breaking it into a million pieces. More blood – more pain- more heartbreak.
She fell back and slid down the wall, cradling her bloody fist. She felt sorry for herself as she reached up and grabbed a towel. Blood trailed down to her elbow and into her lap. She rocked and moaned softly to herself and she fell asleep that way, waking twenty minutes later to see the mess, the mess that was her life. Blood was all over the floor, mixed with shards of glass from the mirror. Dried blood was almost glued to her arm and hand. She was shocked when she woke, and screamed, “Who did this to me? Why me? Who was here? Why didn’t they just kill me?” she cried. “Why didn’t anyone help me?” She cried herself to sleep again. When she awoke, she remembered what she had done. She calmly got up and got a broom and a dust pan. She cleaned up the mess and took a shower.
After her shower she climbed into her bed and pulled the covers around her neck. She remembered now that she had a new job and asked herself how was she going to explain what she had done to her arm and her hand, and how would she explain the mirror to Dirt Bag? She told herself that maybe her new job would be the beginning of a good new life; no more Spinners, Michelles or dangerous devils like Smitty. She would never share anything with anyone again, never!
Her mind was racing, looking for answers to questions that had been haunting her for years. “Just because I´ve never been alone does not mean I can´t,” she thought defiantly.
“Please don´t cry,” her happy side kept saying over and over. She tried to sleep again but her mind raced on.
Our evil friend Rationalization crept in. “Michelle needed the money and besides no one really hurt you. Like Michelle had said. Michelle had cried and begged her for forgiveness. “I need to get over it and learn how to get what I need. Mom taught me how to get a man to do anything; to pay for anything and love doing it. She was the best teacher for that, that’s for sure. It´s time to do what it takes to survive; stand tall, act smart and look great! Yup, that is the new me, take what I want, listen to only me and if someone crosses me, I will hurt them real bad and not look back and most of all never show emotion. That is where they kill you, emotions.” She rolled over and turned out the light, “Sure, it is simple, but can I do it? I do not really want to hurt anyone.” I thought I had love once she told herself as she drifted off to sleep.
Later that night, after Sherine woke from her nap, she dressed to go to the pool hall across town where lots of bikers hung out. As she primped and prepared for her evening she kept telling herself that she needed to be strong and prove to herself that she can stand up for herself and do what she must to exist in this horrible world. She nervously kept up a rolling sing-song manic dialogue with herself. “Wow, I´m so beautiful. My long legs look great in these heels and chaps, my breast are firm and perfect. I’m ready. Those bikers are not ready for me, here I come. I hope I am ready.”
An hour later she entered the bar ready for whatever would happen. She was like a queen looking over her kingdom. She knew what she wanted and how to get it and it was the first time that she was on her own to get it all.
“Look at that bitch,” she heard a biker at the bar say as she walked in. “I´d like to put my piston in her ... ” another said and they all laughed and pounded each other on the back. Sherine sat at the bar and ordered a tequila shot with and a beer.
The bartender asked for an ID. She smiled and showed her ID and within seconds he slid down a shot of tequila and handed her a beer. He winked and said, “You ready for some fun, are you?