Working at Honey's

Part 1: Working At Honey's

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Shonda who lived in the city of Macon, Georgia. Who loved hard and provided for her family by going to school in the day to pursue her music career and going to clock in at night to pay the bills.

To her family, Shonda was a waitress at night who worked two shifts, but to her coworkers, she was known as Sweet Tea. Unknown to her mother, she would work at Honeys at midnight.

She would keep this a secret for years throughout her undergrad in fear of her mother and the church finding out. For her mother had a love and hate relationship with music and the women of the night.

Now Shonda only looked at working at honeys as a temporary gig and to put food on the table but her mother demonized the club for years ever since it came out.

Rumor has it that Shonda's Mother met her father while he was performing at Honeys. Honeys used to be a nightclub that was bought out by the towns celebrity football player Tony Tversky.

Now Tony treated his girls with respect and always looked out for his girls, but he was really fond of Shonda. So much so he he would invite her on Cruise boat excursions, but Shonda always declined:

" Hey Shonda, why don't you come on over to my trip this weekend? I know you working double shifts but I have some big people coming into town that could take a listen to your music." Tony says encouraging.

The glare in Shonda's eyes glimmers with false hope, " now, Tony you know I have midterms coming up as much as I would love to spend time with you on your boat. I have bigger fish to fry."

" It's your loss. We would love to have you on our boat." Tony responds with a warm smile.

"Now Tony, you know dang well that Shonda is not gonna go on the boat. It be hard for us to even get her to go to the pool. I will volunteer myself as tribute." Alyssa chimes in while picking up the menus.

"OK, that's fine. I'll just go to the back because we have a long night ahead of us Alyssa you know that your place is behind the bar. not in grown folks business." He winks at Shonda as he walks away showing his gold tooth.

(Cartier's "You Look Good" starts playing)

The music started bumping loud throughout the night as Shonda helped Alyssa with the bar. As night, proceeds bodies, proceed to fill up the club as men and women throw their Friday earnings at the pole. Shonda keeps the liquor pouring as tips keep coming in.

With Shonda's back turned away she feels a cold sensation dripping down her back. She didn't turn around to see an Amazon beauty with turquoise eyeshadow and turquoise bra, and thong to match standing tall in Black Heels staring back at her:

(Music fades into the background)

" Hey Sweet tea you look good tonight why aren't you dancing?" Isis asks leaning over showing her bosom.

"Girl, I have a lot going on my on my plate. My mom has been going through it, losing her job at the factory. So I've been trying to keep things together just by thread to just get by. So I haven't been in the mood to dance, just make these drinks so I can go home. Besides the last time I danced it didn't work out" Shonda lets out.

They both look over across the bar to a gentleman with crinkled up skin and suspenders so tight, he could barely move throw hundreds to one of their girls.

" Well girl I hope things work out between you and your mom." Isis says reluctantly.

Shonda hands her a drink, " Thanks girl me too."

(Music fades back up)
A montage of girls dancing dances throughout the night. Until it dies down to just the senior Gentleman still throwing hundreds throws his last hundred.

" All right Mr. Johnson about to close up you good to go home?" Shonda ask.

" Yeah I'm good thank you baby girl" Mr Johnson grabs his hat and go to leave through the front door.

Alyssa goes over their tips count up what they earned.  "Gurrrl we did that. We pulled in a rack tonight. Now you know, Tony gets his cut that leaves us with only 300 apiece."

Shonda's face squints in dismay, " Damn I thought we'd do better than that."

"Friend that's better than most days, babe you better take it." Alyssa looks over bubbly to only slowly redact seeing Shonda's disappointment.

"Yeah I'm just hoping I have enough, I might have to work an extra shift tomorrow." Shonda runs her hands through her hair looking down at her share of the tips.

Alyssa then proceeds to go to her stash and starts counting again. Shonda in disbelief sees Alyssa add stack of 100 singles to her pile. " Gurl what, what are you doing? No you don't have to do that." Shonda exclaims trying to give it back.

Alyssa puts her arm in front of the money, "It's fine girl just get me back when you can. You always look after me when I don't show up for work for my kids, let me look after you."

"You sure?" Shonda asks.

"Yesss" Alyssa exclaims.

Shonda pulls in her drive way, with her 400 in hand. Her feet on fire and her face resting against the steering wheel for a few minutes of silence. She grabs her purse and puts the wads of cash in her purse. Her wig disheveled and eyes on fire from her long shift ready to dive into her bed walks up to her door to unlock it to see a red flyer on the door. She grabs it hands trembling as she grabs her key to unlock the door.

"Where have you been?" Sheila ask hastily.

"Remember I told you I had to work 2nd Shift at Amazon, and I had went out for drinks right after." Shonda exhaustedly says as she sits adjacent to her mom on the couch taking her heels off.

" Shonda don't lie to me, you been coming in here all hours of the night for months, coming in here looking like a street walker." Sheila yells.

"A street walker? Ma are you serious right now, I'm too tired to deal with this." Shonda stands up to leave with her shoes in her right hand the red flyer folded in her left. Purse over her shoulder.

"You just like your damn daddy always up to no good. You hear me?" Her voice shrieks.

Shonda walks towards her  room holding back her frustration. The exhaustion and irritation building up like a mountain.

"Don't come back in this house past 3 o Clock. This house is not a revolving door. All I know is you been hanging around the wrong crowd being a whore" Sheila double downs getting louder.

"I'm the whore? What the fuck are you talking about. If it wasn't for me we would've been on the streets. Ever since you lost your job I haven't been seeing you complain. I work and go to school and come home to even clean up behind you. You sit in here all day being depressed on your ass not doing a damn thing and you going to try tell me when I can and can't leave this house? You can't even keep the lights on any more. What the fuck is this?"

Shonda doubles back and throws the eviction notice at her mother's Feet.

"I been the one making sure you can sit on your ass, and been giving you the money to take care of business. And I see this shit on the front door? Must I do everything? What are you doing with the money momma? Until you can get a job and take care of the bills then you can come to me and tell me when I can leave and go in this house. I'm sick of it."

Shonda stomps away and then comes back hastily "And if we're going start being honest I'll go first,  I work at Honey's."

Shonda reaches in her purse and throws the plethora of singles on her mother's chest aggressively.

"Clean this shit up" Shonda leaves to her room.