A Little Bit of Hope

Chapter 1 - Molly

"Well girlie, tonight's your lucky night," the man leered at me with stinking, boozy breath. "I'm feeling generous." He tossed some extra bills on the bed beside me and laughed as I scooped them up before he could change his mind. This was the worst part, when they made themselves feel good by watching you squirm. He pulled on his clothes and left. I stared numbly out the window and watched as the sun came up. The cleaning lady would be along soon, and I would have to leave as well. I grabbed my crumpled clothes off the floor. I dreaded having to go out in daylight in them, the too-short skirt and tight tank top broadcasting my "job" to the world. I snorted to myself. Molly Markowitz, whore extraordinaire. Of course, my unsavory clientele knew me as dewy-eyed Vicky, or as nothing at all. Still, money is money and this was the only way I could get it. No self-respecting businessperson would hire a scrawny girl without any qualifications. I occasionally found a gig at one of the local strip clubs, but even they would only take me for a few hours in the afternoon, when there were fewer loveless bastards, and much less to be made in tips.

I left the crummy little motel and walked briskly over to the mini-mart across the street. I would kill for a cigarette right now. I glanced longingly at the packs of USA Golds by the register. Sadly, whatever I didn't spend on food today was reserved for my landlord. The rent was three days late and I was still behind on last month's as well, so I half expected to find my stuff in the dumpster behind my apartment building. I settled for some coffee and a stale bagel from the glass case at the back of the store. I went out to the parking lot and bummed a ride off some greasy meathead who couldn't keep his eyes off my chest. Thankfully, he didn't try anything. He dropped me off a few blocks away from home, and I walked quickly to the door.

My landlord, a short bald man named Gary, was waiting for me at the top of the steps.

"Molly, I'm giving you your last warning for rent," he growled. He tried to be threatening, but the annoying, nasally whine of his voice blew the whole effect. "Pay up or get out."

I pulled out my wad of bills, a total of eighty-seven dollars for the night. "I've got everything I have right here, and as you well know, what's mine probably belongs to you already."

He snatched the money out of my hands and started counting it. "You know," he commented, switching to an overly sweet tone that made bile rise in my throat, "you don't have to pay in money." He gives my rear end an unwelcome pat that I endure with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry Gary, I'm off duty," I said, relishing the disappointment in his eyes. Gary would be among my clients if he didn't pass out watching reruns of The Cosby Show every night like clockwork. Sweet, sweet clockwork.

I brushed past him into my apartment and promptly tripped over all my belongings stacked haphazardly in front of the door, twisting my ankle in the process.

"Dammit Gary," I yelped, glancing through the doorway and breathing a sigh of relief when I saw he'd already left, closing the door even as I fell. Asshole. I limped painfully into the tiny kitchen and scraped some ice out of the freezer. Everything in this part of town was grimy, including the ice. I stuck it in a dishtowel and pressed it against the sore joint. This little incident would put a dent in my earnings for a week at least. Guys didn't like limping girls.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Go away Gary!" I shouted. If that bastard wanted his money then he would just have to wait.

There was another knock and I groaned. I tossed the ice into the sink and hobbled back to the door.

"Gary, I thought I told you to-"

I trailed off as I found myself looking up into the true-blue eyes of the man of my dreams. He stood there towering over me in a tight black t-shirt that showed off every last one of his extremely toned muscles and matched his ebony shock of hair, awkwardly opening and closing his mouth. My hand flew to my uncombed and hastily pinned hair and I blushed, embarrassed.