Private Dancer Read Free

needed to make a plan. There was no way she was going to go back to Montgomery Advertising. Eyeing her reflection up and down, Marise resolved that after Mr. Montgomery saw her like this, he would fire her anyway. Still, a small part of her sent up a small prayer.
    “PLEASE God, if you hear me, please don’t let him recognize me.” For eight long months she’d been at this and all was about to be lost because of him. Think , Marise , FUCK ! Taking deep breaths to calm herself, Marise tried to be rational. She knew she didn’t look like her normal dopey, dowdy self. It would be impossible for him recognize me! He couldn’t have. I don’t not look like this at work. At her day job, she ensured her black and brown tresses were pulled back into a tight bun. She hid behind her tortoise shell glasses, and maybe a little lip gloss.
    At Harem, her whorish alter ego took over. She looked at herself in the large wall mirror. Here she was Destiny, exotic dancer. The bright white bulbs surrounding the mirror mocked every line, wrinkle, freckle and mole on her face. Her makeup was so heavily applied she looked like a mannequin. Her jade green eye shadow contrasted with black kohl eyeliner surrounding her eyes. She added a dot of eyeliner to her upper lip for a misleading beauty mark. She changed her normal subdued burgundy lip-gloss to a garish deep red outlined with a black lip liner.
    Oh yes, she looked the part of a stripper. She fit in with the rest of the dancers as far as her looks, but only she knew the real reason she was here. After looking in the mirror, she could always pretend that it was not her up there on that stage. It was her alter ego, Destiny, on the stage. She curled her lips in disgust, almost forgetting about the man out there, her other boss, and her destined downfall. She didn’t want to lose the money that she made working for 11 | P a g e

    Nevea Lane
    Private Dancer
    Montgomery enterprises; it took both jobs if she was ever going to pay that loan shark back. But she knew she’d to quit. She could find a second job. She was a bright, college educated woman.
    She’d the whole future ahead of her. She always felt like every day was a gift, until she met Darryl. Now it seemed like every day was a fight to survive. She needed both jobs to save her and Darryl. She wished Darryl was home enough so she could talk about this with him. She wished she could tell him that she was stripping to pay back his debt. Our debt , she chided herself. Remember that girl. He is your husband. Yeah. A husband I wish I could get to come home at a decent hour.
    Marise knew her Darryl didn’t used to be the out all night type. Darryl, the smart, handsome sophomore was interested in her at their in college. He charmed his way into her heart with his sense of humor and ambition. Their final year of college, Marise discovered she was pregnant.
    When Darryl proposed, she should’ve been skeptical then. Marise winced at the thought.
    She should’ve known something was off when he produced a ring from his pocket; sans the box she thought all rings came in. The smooth talker that he was, Darryl told her not to have any worries. Marise tried to help him with his plans to be the best entertainment agent around and his promises have them set for life, and she believed in him. They married in a quiet ceremony at the county courthouse and everything seemed to be on its way to that dream life. Sighing and rubbing the almond oil from body, Marise tried to shake off the haunting memories that always made her faint.
    Too late , Marise bit the inside of her cheek as she remembered miscarrying seven months into the pregnancy. Every time she remembered seeing the small form taken from her body, she felt fresh pain. She could never stop the one tear that escaped her eye when she remembered. And she could never stave off the anger she felt at Darryl for not being there. But that is another reason that she was doing this stripping thing. Perhaps