Never Satisfied: A New Orleans Tale

Red Light Special

"Thanks baby. I'll be back to pick you up." I gave Sky a peck on the lips and attempted to walk out the front door.

Sky snatched my arm and stated, "I get off at seven o' clock."

I jecked my hand out of his grasp. "I know Sky. I won't be late."

"That's a good girl." He patted my ass before I reached the door.

"Bye y'all," I waved to Sky's crew then headed to the car.

Like a NASA racecar driver, I gunning it on my way to Saks trying to beat the twelve o'clock rush hour traffic. I had a mental list of everything I intended to get with the money I had been saving up from dancing at Ace of Spades. I saw Kyrielle with this little red number the other day and I wanted one just like it. She didn't do that dress any justice and I knew if I had been wearing it I would've been giving 'em life!

As I strutted through the door, a red, strapless Dolce and Gabbana dress similar to Kyrielle's called out to me and I just knew I had to have it. Heedlessly I ran over and grabbed it off of the rack to check the price tag.

"Three thousand dollars for a damn dress?" I gasped and threw that sucker back on the rack with the quickness and searched for another one. Shit, I wanted to look good, but I wasn't about to go broke trying to compete. I stumbled across a cute crimson mini dress that I instantly fell in love with and the best part was, it was on sale for five ninety-nine!

After selecting a pair of black peep-toe Yves Saint Laurent crisscross ankle-strap stilettos, I searched for a clutch.

Because the selections of handbags were so high, I could only afford a simple patent leather Gucci clutch.

"It's not something that Kyrielle would wear, but it'll have to do," I mumbled to myself as I looked at it and hauled the items to the checkout counter.

A cute little white girl tallied up the items and told me the price from behind the counter.

"Okay." I reach in my purse for my wallet. "Credit plea..."

"I've got it ma'am." Elgin crept up behind me, digging in his pocket to retrieve and wad of cash. He peeled off a few hundred dollar bills and handed them to the cashier.

"No Elgin I can't accept..." Before I could finish my statement the cashier already handed Elgin his change.

"Your bags ma'am." The girl held out my bags and I stared at them. I was speechless at that point.

This dude is blowing money on me and he don't even know me!

"Thank you ma'am." He took the bags. "Let me help you to your car."

Before replying I took a second to take him in. He was clad in a fresh black Tom Ford button down and a pair of black slacks that that hung slightly off his hips. A pair of black and gold Air Force Ones complimented his enormous feet. "Okay," I finally found myself saying.

"You never called. Why?" He inquired as we started walking.

"I'm sorry. My um, work schedule is so hectic," I fibbed. I didn't have a job. Shit, I had been quit dancing at Ace of Spades after about a week of that foolishness. Elgin had hit the nail on the head when he told me that shit wasn't for me. I wasn't about that life and I wasn't going force myself to be either. Although I've got to admit, the money was damn good!

"Oh I feel you baby, so is mine. I barely get a day off," he told me while holding the door open like a gentleman as I exited the store.

A nervous smile slinked across my face. "Oh, this is my car right here."