londy » h.s

I

I.

l  o  n  d  y

“Don’t cry, baby,” I hush Hayden as he scrunches his face up like he does before he’s about to start crying. I bring him to my chest, stroking the back of his head with my shaking fingers in hope to settle him. It kills me to leave him, but I need to.

“Mummy’s going to back soon, okay?” I speak quietly, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. He sniffles in my arms and I pull him back, surveying his face before speaking.

“I love you, Hay, baby.”

“I love you, too,” he says quietly and I press a quick kiss to his cheek, gently rubbing his cheek with my sleeve where I left a mark of lipstick.

“Be careful, okay? Get some sleep and I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Okay,” Hayden nods and I show him a small smile. I look up to the small clock hanging on the wall, which reads five past nine. I’m already five minutes late.

“I’ll see you later, sweetheart,” I tell Hayden and swiftly kiss his head before rushing to the door and slipping into a pair of tall, black, heels.

“I love you,” I call before the door slams shut behind me. I can already hear Hayden crying as I quickly lock the door and walk down the stone steps, wrapping my coat further around my body as I shiver into the cold. I hate it to be this way; I hate having to leave him every night so that I can go and work. I know it shouldn’t be like this, Hay should have a mother that can afford for him to live in peace, yet I’m too selfish to give him up.

It’s only a fifteen minute walk to the club, though my feet already ache from having to walk in the heels. The minute I enter the dimly lit building, Mr. Burns is immediately grabbing my arm and pulling me to one side.

“Twenty fucking minutes late, Londy,” he growls and I hold back from yelping as his overly long fingernails dig into my skin. “I’m starting to think you don’t deserve to work here.”

“No, Sir,” I quickly breathe, shaking my head as his dark eyes glare into mine. “I’m sorry, I won’t be late again. I promise.”

“One more strike and you’re out,” he hisses and pushes me so hard that I fall into the wall. “For good.”

With that he strides off through the clouded room and I silently curse at the blood now trailing down my arm from where I collided with the bricked wall.

“Londy- we only have five minutes!” I hear being called across the room and walk as quickly as I can, apologising to Morgan as she hurries me inside the small dressing room towards the back of the club.

“People are already arriving,” I am told as I am pushed into a chair and Lola passes me a cup holder filled with brushes and a bag full of makeup. “You have two minutes, go.”

I fill my eyelids with a dark shadow, quickly brushing strokes of mascara to my lashes before topping up my already painted lips.

“All of you out, now,” Mr. Burns’ voice yells through the open door and I drape my coat on the back of the chair, fluffing my hair up before turning to the door and following the other girls out.

I take to the stage in the centre of the room and internally sigh…another night of dancing around a pole and ending up in another man’s bed, all to feed my heart broken son.

h  a  r  r  y

“I tell you, mate, this is one of the best clubs around here,” Ryan says as we walk up the empty street and I roll my eyes as he bumps his shoulder into mine.