Miss Lola.

Is she crazy?

Chapter 7.

Rhonda caught the edge of the sink to keep from falling down flat on her  face.

"I don't have a malfunction mother. I'm just amazed to catch you out on a date. Why didn't you say something sooner because I never would have dropped the kids off at your house today."

"And why are you so amazed that I'm on a date? Pray tell? I ain't some dried up old hag sitting in a corner collecting dust and cobwebs. I'm still young and popping."

Rhonda reared back her head and said, "Humph. I guess you put me in my place honey but I didn't mean it like that and I'm just worried about my kids."

"Well, there's no reason for you to worry about them because Nancy ain't gonna let nothing happen to those kids."

Folding my arms across my chest, I slowly looked her up and down.

"Now can you please explain to me why you're dressed like a contestant in a hoochie contest?" and then an even worse thought occurred to me and I said, "Rhonda, please tell me that you're not a hooker."

"I ain't no doggone hooker." She huffed.

"Well, that's a load off. Mind telling me what's going on with you then?"

"Okay." She said, squaring her shoulders and looking me straight in the eye. "I wasn't going to say anything because I know how...narrow minded and judgmental you can be."

"I'm neither of those things. But please continue because I can't wait to hear this." I was being sarcastic.

"You know that new job that I was telling you about? Well..I'm an exotic dancer over at club Foxxy and this is my costume." Rhonda said proudly.

I slowly blinked and then said, "Say...what?"

"I'm a.."

"Oh, please don't repeat yourself because I'm having enough trouble believing those words actually came out of your mouth the first time. Have you lost your mind, girl?"

"Ma, I like working there. It's good money and plus you get tips."

I had to grab the other sink because it felt like the room was spinning.

All I could think was what would my clients think of me if the news got out that my daughter was a stripper.

"Ma, are you okay?" Now she had the foresight to show concern. However it was too little and much too late now.

"Have mercy." I mumbled, shaking my head and trying to wrap my mind around this foolishness. "If you needed a job, Rhonda, then you could have just asked me. I'm always looking for extra help around the shop."

She made a face.

"You know I hate working around all those old, gossipy magpies at your hair salon."

"Most of my clients are younger than you, Rhonda, and as far as I know, strippers gossip too." I slowly let go of the sink when the dizzy spell passed.

"As a matter-of-fact, anyplace where a bunch of women congregate is guaranteed to be gossip central. So what's your next excuse?"

"I don't need an excuse. I'm not ashamed of what I do, Ma. And I'm an exotic dancer. Stripper is so retro." Rhonda said.

"Well is hooker retro? Because ain't that how y'all so -called exotic dancers make your tips?" I challenged.

"Not me. Oh, Hell. I knew you wouldn't understand." Rhonda turned away from me and washed her hands at the sink.

"Well did you expect me to jump up and down, clapping my hands with joy?"

"No, Ma. That would have been too out of character for someone like you."

Rhonda dried her hands on a paper towel and then balled the used paper up and tossed it into the metal trash can near the door.

"Someone like me? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore." Rhonda sounded angry. "I'll pick the kids up from Miss Nancy. Enjoy the rest of your date, mother."

Then she walked right past me and out the door as if I was invisible.

Well, how about that? I'd raised this child, put all of my effort into training her up to be a respectable young lady and this is what she turned out to be?

I was so confused as I slowly made it back to Hollis who took one look at my face and knew that something was wrong.

"You alright, Lola?" He asked.

"I'm fine. Can we please leave now?"

"Sure, sure baby." He went to settle our bill for the drinks and followed me outside.

"So, that was your daughter?"

"Umm..yes it was but she's usually covered up a whole lot more and wearing less war paint on her face."

"Oh." Hollis said and left it like that for which I was grateful because I wasn't in the mood to discuss my daughter with him or anyone else for that matter.

Particularly not tonight.

How could Rhonda do this to me?

I began to wonder if it was my fault or if I hadn't done enough for her when she was little.

I couldn't spend as much time as I'd liked with either of my children when they were little because I'd been struggling to make a success of the beauty salon so

that we could have a decent life and I don't regret any of that and it hadn't been easy either, because I'd been pulling the load alone with no support or help from their trifling daddy.

The doubts set in, making me feel even more sad and confused.

"Are you too hot?" Hollis asked once we were inside his luxury car and heading back to Luciano's to get my car.

"Yes, it's a little warm." I murmur, really not focusing in on anything other than my own worrisome thoughts.

Hollis adjusted the temperature and soon an icy air was blowing into my face from the vents on the leather dashboard.

"I had a great time tonight." He said. "I mean I really enjoyed myself. Thank you, Lola."

"Me too, Hollis."

When he pulled into the restaurant parking lot twenty minutes later, I got out without saying anything to him.

"Lola?" Hollis looked worried as he quickly followed me to my car. "Hey, are you sure everything's fine with you?"

"Yeah, I just got a lot on my mind right now."

He grabbed my hand just as I was reaching to unlock my car door and gently turned me around so that we were facing each other and then he used his thumb to tilt my chin up until I had no choice but to look him directly in his eyes.

"If you need to talk about it, I'm here."