Abby heard a commotion from someone yelling in the background on Chris’ end of the phone.
“I’ve gotta go,” he said. “That’s my drunk patient you can probably hear.”
“Have a good night.”
“Lunch soon?”
“Sure.”
Abby kicked off her heels as soon as she walked in the door from work Friday evening. Her Mom was reclined on the sofa, watching television.
“Did you bring dinner?” Kathy asked, not looking away from the screen.
“No, I’m ordering pizza,” Abby said, sighing as she saw the stack of dirty dishes piled in the sink.
“I need some money to get a few things from the store,” Kathy said.
“I can go to the store tomorrow, just tell me what you need.”
“I want to go myself.”
“How much money?” Abby asked.
“$100 should be enough.”
“$100? For what?” Abby balked.
“I don’t have to answer to you, Abby,” Kathy snapped. “Just give me the damn money.”
Abby shook her head and reached into her purse. She was too tired from only getting a couple hours sleep the night before to argue with her mother.
“It smells like smoke in here,” Abby said as she handed over the bills. Kathy said nothing, still staring at the television. “Mom, you can’t smoke in the house. It’s really bad for Sara’s asthma.”
“I’m a grown woman, I don’t need a lecture from you. Isn’t it time for you to go sell your body anyway?”
“That job pays for the money I just gave you, the cable you’re watching and the pizza I’m about to order,” Abby said. “Where are the girls?”
“I don’t know.”
Abby found her sisters on her bed watching the Disney Channel.
“I’m going to the gym and then work for the night, guys. I’m ordering pizza and leaving money on the counter for it.”
“When’s Justin coming home?” Audrey asked.
“He’s off work at 7, and he’ll be home after that. Hey, as soon as I wake up tomorrow, why don’t we go in to the city and do something fun?”
Both girls smiled.
“The big museum?” Sara asked hopefully.
“That sounds fun. And shopping downtown?” Abby said.
“Navy Pier! Please?” Sara begged.
“There’s a chocolate festival there this weekend,” Audrey offered.
“Okay. Be good for Justin tonight, guys.”
Abby kept staring at the text message she had typed, unable to make herself press “send”. She was afraid Chris would think it was too much. He had been distant since getting back from Vegas, making no moves to kiss or touch her. But her mind kept drifting back to the idea, and she reminded herself that he could always say no.
“Nikki, you’re almost on,” another dancer named Kim said. Abby read the words one more time.
Want to come into the city with me and the girls tomorrow afternoon? Shopping, museum and Navy Pier…
She pressed “send” and slipped the phone into her bag, checking her makeup in the mirror. When it was her turn, she strutted confidently to the stage, holding on to the pole and arching her body back until her hair grazed the floor as she waited for her music to start.
The dance was a familiar one, and Abby moved through it fluidly. The faces watching her were a blur. She grasped the pole, gyrating her hips against it before climbing it in a swift motion. Her mind was on Chris as she danced. She pictured him in his scrubs, looking serious and sexy.
The image made her feel light and happy as she approached the men holding bills out toward her. She wiggled and grinned as she allowed them to tuck the money into the string of her panties.
As Sam took the stage for her dance, Abby hurried backstage. She grabbed her phone eagerly, her heart sinking when she didn’t see any messages. As she stuffed the phone back into her bag, she shook her head, frustrated with herself for asking him. Chris always wrote her back immediately. He probably didn’t know what to say.
Lap dances were in hot demand, and Abby went from one man to the next. She tried to keep her mind off Chris, but it was impossible. Their burgeoning friendship had been going so well, and she knew she had rushed him. Asking him to spend time with Sara and Audrey was a big deal for her, and he probably saw it the same way. They hadn’t even known each other for two months, though.
After nearly two hours of nonstop lap dances, she returned to the stage for another pole dance. Her feet ached when she finished, and she went backstage to drink a bottle of water and relax for a few minutes. She was afraid to check her phone again, but couldn’t stop herself from doing it. She exhaled loudly, relieved, when she saw that Chris had left her a message.