Chapter 7

• Walking into the house, I take out my phone and hit the number. I wait, listening to it ring.
• "Daniella Rae, you finished sulking?" My mother's words taunting.
• "I wasn't sulking, mum. Just letting you know I am fine. Everything is fine."
• "Still living with your friend?" And there it is, not even a minute into the call.
• "For now, yes, but hoping to move in the next month." She will be happy now. I feel my eyes roll, hearing her call my dad.
• "You got a new job then? You could have moved years ago, Daniella Rae, if you had just accepted our help."
• I move to stick my finger in my mouth, pretending to force the vomit up. "Yes, I got a new job, and I don't want help living. I don't want to owe anyone anything." I don't want to be like Henry, living in their pockets for my entire life, following their rules.
• "Where is your new job?" Oh great, something I did not prepare for. There is a chance she will speak to Clyde or Rose, so I can't lie.
• "A private, members-only bar-"
• "What the? Daniella Rae, that better be a joke? How is that even remotely professional?" And there it is. My eyes roll at her rant.
• "Mum, it pays more than the last job. It is getting me my own place away from Clyde, which is? Stay where I am and stay with Clyde or work in a bar and afford a better place alone?" I hear her muffled complaints to my dad. Of course, she is complaining. When does she ever not?
• "Here, I am putting your father on." Yay! I sit down, ready for him to start.
• "I would like to come to see this bar, Daniella Rae."
• "Dad, you can't. It is members only, invite-only. I can't let my personal life interfere. I was on strict orders, no family or friends." Okay, I wasn't, but that is my excuse because what is the alternative? Tell them, and they realise I am a stripper?
• "You trained, you went to university, and you're just wasting your degree on low paid jobs, Daniella Rae. Why not do what you trained to do? What you wanted to do?" Is he joking? I feel myself laughing.
• "Dad, that was your and mum’s dream for me. I didn't want to be a lawyer. That was you two. I did it for you two." I did it for an easy life, so they would stop complaining about how drama, dance and those things were not real careers.
• "You must have enjoyed it, Daniella Rae. You passed some of the highest marks in your class." I groan slightly.
• "Dad, I do not want to be a lawyer. What does it matter how I make money as long as I do? I will be getting my own place, no longer living with Clyde. Maybe you and mum should sort out Henry, you know the son who still lives at home and gets everything paid for him."
• "Leave your brother out of this Daniella, you're a young lady and should have more pride in what you do."
• I grate my teeth, the sound of the door shutting.
• "I need to go, Clyde is home, and we all know you don't like talking to me when he is here." I hang up, not waiting for his response. I wish I’d never called now. Maybe I should do what they say? Find a guy and settle down?
• "Hey, you okay? You look pissed off" I nod and smile at Clyde.
• "Just spoke to the parents."
• He laughs nodding. "You should just lie and say you live alone now. It saves you getting some shit." I would, but they would likely ask to visit.
• "It's my parents Clyde, they would ask to visit to confirm it. Anyone would think I was thirty and wasting my life the way they act."
• He laughs looking at me. "Four more years, and you are." I stick my tongue out at him. Okay, so yes, in four years, I am thirty, but still. I guess they are right. I am nearly thirty and never had a serious relationship. If it takes me this long to find one, how long will it take me to settle down?
• "Thinking hard there."
• I glance up to Clyde and nod. "Just considering whether they are right or not." He looks at me shocked.
• "No, god Daniella, you are not even thirty. There is no rush. Just because your mum married young doesn't mean you have to settle." Would I be settling, though?
• "Anyway, here, food. I grabbed it on the way back. I wasn't sure what time you were going to be working?" He looks at me like it is a question.
• "Eight till twelve tonight. Thanks as well for grabbing food." I take the bag from him before he walks off. I sit down and start eating, my mind going to Marcello. I must have annoyed him. He usually does this session in person. He told me everything will be done through messages.
• Maybe it was pushing him to find out if he was gay? I continue to eat and get ready, considering everything. Considering how valid my parents’ words just might be. If I don't find a guy until after I am thirty, then what? I am facing having a child at forty.
• While it isn't bad, for me, it isn't ideal. Maybe that is because my mum was young though? I find myself walking to work in a sort of trance, considering everything. Walking in, I start to get ready. I glance at the timetable. Eight-thirty, nine-thirty and eleven, nine-thirty is in a private room.
• Walking out, I get ready.
• "Hey, Daniella." I smile at Faye as she walks towards me. "It is quiet, well, not quiet; it is busy, but the guys are behaving today." I laugh and nod. They are typically well behaved. Sometimes we get one guy who doesn't though.
• "You look worn out."
• She nods and smiles. "I am. I am asking Elaine to fill my ten thirty dance in one of the private rooms so I can go home." I nod, turning to walk to the stage then stopping.
• "I will put my name down in your space instead. Then Meghan will give me the room number." She nods, hugging me before walking off. I find myself enjoying the night, the first dance on the stage, the second in a private room. Sitting at the bar, I have a drink, relaxing slightly.
• I need a drink. I don't drink much, but I am tired, maybe going from one night every week to every night isn't such a good idea? Maybe it was more the fact I went shopping today beforehand?
• "Daniella, here you go." I take the key from Meghan. Glancing around, I am unable to see Elaine. I haven't seen her all night.
• "Where is Elaine?" She usually is here.
• "No idea, all I know is she is busy and couldn't work tonight. Anyway, this dance, then your eleven one, and you're good to finish." Nodding, I walk off, getting to the room. I unlock the door and walk in with my head down slightly. Turning, I close the door then look up. My body stops.
• "Well, if it isn't the pretty doll." I look at Adrian, of all the people? I stand looking at him, unsure of what to say, as he smiles at me. "Don't worry, I don't want you to dance." I laugh slightly, confused by what he is saying.
• "So what do you want? You paid for someone to come dance." Why else would he be in one of these rooms?
• "No, well, yes. But no."
• I laugh, looking at him more confused than before.
• "I pay for women to come dance in this room, yes, but I don't want them to. Most of the time, we just sit and talk. I get bored waiting for Marcello. He often insists on sitting and watching, making sure the dancers are okay. His conversations can be entertaining, but after a few hours, yeah, I prefer my own conversations."
• "Okay, so no dancing?"
• He nods. Pouring two drinks, he hands me one. "No, just conversation, if you're willing? I mean, you can dance if you would prefer?"
• "No, talking is fine." I smile at him and take a drink.
• "You got a reaction from Marcello, by the way. After you left, he was unsteady in a way. Then he got back from here and was ranting about you and some guy here." My eyes widen, shit.
• "Am I getting fired?"
• He looks at me laughing. "He didn't say anything like that to me. Why would he fire you over you being with a guy?" I guess he doesn't know I slept with him, maybe just that I was sitting at the bar with him?
• "No idea, most of the women who dance here. Do just that. Dance then leave, I sat speaking to a customer and everything." I didn't break the rules, but who knows?
• "No, Marcello didn't say anything like that. As I said, you got him uneasy, made him react." I laugh at his words.
• "Me?" How the hell did I?
• "Look, he is used to women who come for advice, do as they are told and keep it shut. Even women he considered dating, for some reason, agree to everything he says and does. You're the first one to talk about him. To get him to talk about himself, so yes, you got a reaction."
• "I didn't mean to, I warned him I have no filter, and I act on impulse. Anyway, have you known him long?" I watch as he nods and smiles.
• "Since about fourteen, went to school together, elite ops, we stopped that about five years ago. Now we just do business, and crap, really. Nothing fun or entertaining. Every now and then, we still do a mission though."
• I nod. I can get that. "Yeah, I can kind of understand that. Going from something risky, action-filled, to well sitting in a building and typing - not really fun."
• He laughs nodding. "You sound like you know?" I nod. Although I don't, I also do.
• "Studied for years to be a lawyer, not my dream. I danced for ages but then had to stop because of that course. It wasn't good, it was boring. Then I finished and obviously got a job, but even that wasn't as fun as dancing."
• He smiles nodding. "A thrill then? Dancing?" I nod.
• "No, dancing is fun, exciting. The stripping part is the thrill. A buzz, especially when you dance closer to the guys."
• "Life isn't made for us to be stuck behind a desk. Watching time pass by while doing nothing exciting or fun. It is the excitement, the thrill, all that which makes life worth living."
• I nod in agreement. "So, do you sit in here and watch dancers often then?"
• He looks at me, his head shaking. "No, to be honest, half the time I don't even see you ladies dance. I sometimes even take a nap, just to get some silence from Marcello." We laugh together, the door opening. I turn and look. Marcello glancing between us.
• "Well, this explains why I just got a call saying a dancer didn't show up?" Shit. I glance at my phone - shit and double shit.
• "Sorry, I didn't even realise the time. I will go now." I move to stand, Adrian stopping me.
• "My fault Marcello, I told her to talk to me. I should have watched the time. No harm done, it is my fault, and of course, I will pay for the extra time." He smiles at me slightly.
• "Right, don't let it happen again. Meghan found another dancer to fill your spot." Turning, he walks out. Moving, I stand up.
• "Sorry, normally he is fine, honestly. I don't know why he is acting crazy now." Laughing, I nod.
• "Don't worry about it, it was nice to see Adrian. I am going to go grab a drink and sit at the bar." He nods. I watch as he stands.
• "I shall join you. Get me out of this little box. Might even make me want to sit down there more often." Laughing, I nod. Walking back through, I sit at the bar, Adrian getting me a drink as we sit and talk. He seems nice. He is different to Marcello but still nice.