Misfortunate Molly: Would Heartbreak, Break You?

Chapter 14 Shelter

I look up at Taze, stopping mid chew. Dre stiffens some pushing his shoulders back, and Sherrie straightens her spine. Taze giggles at our expressions because we are all looking at her with a little shock. I am, however, very intrigued.

"Was stripping fun?" I get the Sherrie glare and Taze notices. Meanwhile Dre's mouth is ajar. "Close your mouth, Dre." I look dead at him and he does so with nothing to say. He looks like he wants to run for cover. It is comical to me. I look back at Sherrie, "What? I'm interested. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. She fucking gorgeous. And her body. Well damn!" Dre chokes on his food and Sherrie backs down realizing I am not trying to be rude, but I still receive the 'language' look from Sherrie. The worry of judgement that was in Taze's eyes dissipates in exchange for a smile.

"It was." Taze continues after swallowing her food. "I only stripped during college for about a year and got bored of the lifestyle." Lifestyle? I think I know what she means.

Dre's posture stiffens more as the word 'stripper' comes out of her mouth again. I do not even want to know what is going on in his mind. It is taking so much self-constraint not to laugh at him. I will spare him further embarrassment considering I had to instruct him to close his mouth.

"Lifestyle?" I question. Taze looks to Sherrie for approval. Wow. It cannot be that bad. besides I am NOT a little child.

"She's a big girl," Sherrie states as her okay to elaborate on it.

"Well..." She swallows, "It's a lot of late nights that turn into mornings. Drinking, sometimes drugs. Fights between the customers and strippers, when they would cross the line. And honestly, taking your clothes off for strangers every night can get to you after a while." So, it is not 'bad' per say. Just a lot to deal with at once.

"That seems like a lot. I bet it was fun for a little while though." I say to her. Sherrie looks at me questioningly. "Why'd you decide to stop?" I hope I am not prying to much. Taze does not seem to mind though.

"I had had it one night when a regular decided to grab me inappropriately and attempt to force himself on me during a private dance. I hit him, he pushed me, everything went crazy from there. I never went back after that." As Taze is explaining the situation, Dre stiffens again but for a completely different reason this time. His mood has shifted. That look in his eyes from the night of the attempted break-in returns. He is pissed. "The money was great, but I was losing myself in it." She does not say this regretfully though. "I learned a lot. That's what I ultimately took away from it."

"I bet you did. And that's a good mindset to have." Sherrie says. "And look at you now!" Sherrie seems proud of her. Proud for her.

"Yeah. That's when I started to work with my Nona Kaze full-time, fine tuning my craft. Making sure I was good enough for her legacy." Taze was scared of failing. Not being good enough. I get that one hundred and ten percent.

"Nona Kaze. That's different." Sherrie states with a question in her tone trying to change the mood. I wonder if Sherrie is curious, noticing the similarity in their names, like I am.

"My mom's name is Tammy and Nona's married name was Kazely. Makenzy Kazely. She shortened it when my granddad passed making it her own. I was named after the both of them." She knew where I think Sherrie was going with that and answers my question without me verbalizing it.

"I love your name. I think it's dope." She smiles at me and swallows a bite of food. She is about done with her meal and looks at her phone as it goes off.

"Shit. Sorry. I have to go. I forgot I have a fitting at 12. Thank you for the food." She looks at Sherrie and then to Dre as they both stand up, Taze grabbing the shirt from off of the counter top with a piece of paper with his new measurements on it.