Lipstick Lily

A Day In The Life

When Ophelia walked in a room, every head turned, every conversation stopped. Wives would grumble and men would ogle. She had a striking face, regal and elegant. Her eyes bellied her experience and allure; and her lips spoke no secrets.

Secrets- she had a lot of them. They piled one upon the other daily. A politicians' personal preference, an entertainers odd request.

Lily sat by the window, teardrops of rain splattering against its thin hard surface, disrupting the vision. She watched the night. Lights of life through blurred patterns of moisture, the oranges of the lamppost lapping and merging with the night, the red startling stop lights from the traffic brash and silent in their swift appearance. Puddles splashed, pedestrians ran under umbrellas of grey and green. Silence, nothing, not a sound. She waited, sat by the window, waiting for Ophelia.

Lily unfurled from her stationary position, stretching her frame tall then gazed at what wasn't hers. Ophelia's apartment was furnished, fit for a king, or queen, Lily mused. From nothing to something, Ophelia had morphed into a butterfly here in London but where a butterfly should float on the wind, Ophelia's butterfly lay with the dirt.

Oh, sure she was in high class company and the men she entertained were handsome, old, rich, intelligent, dumb, married, mean and more. The cash Ophelia was showered in was disgusting in its value.

And Lily seeing all this, the opulence, the glittery treats, the fancy meals and flashy cars still wanted nought. She was more than ready to just be... Be a waitress, be a cleaner... just to be an ordinary girl.

Readying for bed on her mattress in the first room to the left, Lily was feeling clean, fresh and tired. And her white shirt was still the only thing she wore to bed.

Stilettos marked Ophelia's return and the hum of male voices woke Lily from her thoughts as she sat perched on the counter top, clutching a small glass of milk. Lily hoped they went straight to Orphelia's bedroom so she could escape the eyes.

"There you are! Gerald in here, I found the poppet!" Ophelia winked and Lily groaned then placed a pleasant smile on her lips as she hopped down and hid most of herself from view by sitting on the far side of the table.

"Ohhh! Hello, I'm Gerald. You were right.. very pretty is our Lily" Gerald winked reminding Lily of a snake in the grass.

"Hello" Lily forced the smile a little wider. "I'll just get out of your way" Standing she crossed her arms, more to cover her breasts than anger. She wasn't angry, but sadness ebbed in. She knew what he wanted.

"Wait Miss Lily. I just have a frien-"

"No"

"No?" Gerald looked from Ophelia to Lily and back again. Lily, careful to seem neutral, fumed inside. Ophelia promised. Promised not to push her towards this. Towards what she didn't want to be. Her purse was empty though and Lily was sleeping here for free, but she was trying. Everyday another café or cleaning position she tried to interview for. Everyday......

"No sorry. I... I have a nice job"

"Since when?!" Ophelia clutched Gerald's arm as he rove a hungry eye over Lily. Yes he was a snake. "You didn't have one four hours ago" Lia hissed.

"I'll have one tomorrow!" Lily skirted around the pair all the while being appraised like a cut of choice meat at the butcher. "I'll get a café position"

"A café?!" Ophelia huffed an unappreciative sound "You'll not be paid much there"

Lily was walking, toward the hall, toward her room when Ophelia grabbed her arm, making Lily spin violently back toward her friend "Look here. It's just a date Lily, you don't have to open your legs nor kneel. Since when has it mattered anyway, it's just work"