The Painted Lady

A New Beginning

Rose

That was such a strange encounter. I mean, I always heard stories of girls being recruited by madams or ma's and taken into saloons to be put to work, but I never imagined that same encounter would happen to me, especially in our tiny town of Sleepy Hollow. Our town had their fair share of saloons and parlors but calling them saloons would be a disservice to the artistry of the real ones. They were more like run of the mill bars with ladies past their 40s who doubled as the bar owner's wives trying to relive their glory days.

Whatever that encounter was, I had no interest in pursuing it further. I made one promise to my mom before she died and that was to never, ever be a parlor girl.  Her words of caution still rang in my ears. "Whores never get ahead in life.
They may get the money, the charm, and recognition, but they will never be known for anything besides a lowdown, low-class conniving whore"

She always warned me with so much vitriol, as if she was trying to dissociate from her past or something. Sometimes I wondered if ma was a parlor girl but I knew better than to mind someone else's business and made sure not to ask questions about her past.

I had no money left to stay in the inn near the outskirts of town so I thought it best to head back to Sierra's apartment. Her shift ended at a quarter past 5 and decided she would be the best person to pay a visit. I needed to beg her to stay the night.

I make the trek over to her apartment, stopping at her distinctively marked door then bending to take the key beneath the placemat "Sierra!" I opened the door, "I know you said not to use the key but I needed a place to---" but before I could finish my sentence, I see her ratty old landlord standing in the center of the kitchen. "Oh...Hello Mr. Laum"

Sierra looked at me nervously before standing to pour him another cup of coffee.

"I knew it! I always see you walking in and out of this apartment. I told you only one person per room!"

"Mr. Laum, if you would just let me explain" Sierra interjected.

"Sorry Sierra. I'm going to have to evict you." he said, standing up from his chair to leave.

"But Mr. Brown!" she cried, putting on her slippers to follow after him. I stood idle as I saw the events unfold before me. I couldn't let this happen to Sierra! But I had a plan to get her out of this. Thank God and ma for my quick thinking.

"You can't do that sir" I muttered unmistakably.

"Excuse you?" he grunted, pivoting to face me. I really hoped this work.

"I mean no disrepresct sir, but you have no proof. I am simply a friend visiting."

"So what?"

"Are there any rules in the agreement against friends sleeping over? I see one bed, a few plates, one toothbrush and one pillow. What jurisdiction do you have to kick her out? Is there anything against a friend sleeping over a day or two?" I announced, fidgeting with the handle of the coffee pot. He glared at me before inspecting the place, double checking each assessment I had stated.

"I guess you won't mind me checking up on you from day to day, seeing the place is mine" he seethed.

"That won't be a problem! Right Sierra?" I chimed looking over at my dear friend. She nodded eagerly and looked to Mr. Laum. "No... it won't be a problem at all." She nodded catching onto my cue. Mr. Laum inspected the place one last time before pulling the doorknob open to exit the tiny room.

"Oh, thank you Rose!" she clapped, hugging me carefully, "I couldn't imagine getting kicked out so early into my lease. I would have no where to go."

"I know and I would have felt horrible knowing I was the cause of it" I reminded her.

Sierra released her grip before staring into my eyes. "Rose.. I'm so sorry but—"

"I know... I know. I can't stay here tonight."

"Rose you know I would never put you out or turn you away, but now with Laum's threats"

"Sierra I know. I wouldn't hold it against you"

"But with your job and now this! I feel so bad." I pulled the dark black card from my dress pocket as she continued her speech of sorrows. I grimaced as I reread the golden words printed at the top: Pearl's Fantasy Parlor.

If there was one thing I promised my mama was to never be a parlor girl. She had ingrained it into my mind before her death. But I had no other choice. "Sierra I got.. recruited"

"Recruited? By who!" she gasped.

"By a woman named Pearl de Verde. She was a madam" Sierra's eyes opened wider than a desert owl.

"No. No. No way Rose!" she gasped, violently shaking her head,her brown curls bouncing carelessly around her face. I looked at Sierra once again before passing her printed black card.

"A parlor girl? Rose you can't be serious! You better than that! Cook with your mama's skillet! Open your restaurant. Do anything but this"

"I was just thinking Sierra? With no job no house or money, I have nothing left"

" Being a parlor girl is nothing more than glorified prostitution." she scoffed at the concept as she passed back the card.

I don't know... I'm thinking of doing it" I admitted.

"No Rose you can't!"

"What choice do I have? I can't stay here in your apartment and I lost my job. I only have 5$ to my name."

"Well maybe you can—
Well I'll see if I can—" but her words trailed off seeing she was out of ideas. She accepted my looming reality before burying her head against a couch pillow.

"I have to do it Sierra.
I have no choice."

"But your mom's promise"

"I know what she said and I know I made a promise. But I have no choice. Just Promise me it'll stay between you and I okay?
And whatever happens just know; it's for the best."Sierra hated my decision but understood the circumstances surrounding it before nodding. "Be safe"

"I will" I whispered before hugging her dearly. I would never see her again. Pearl's place was three towns over and long distance relationships were not my thing.

The next morning I took the last cattle cart to the town 50 miles east of Sleepy Hollow. It was there where I would start a new life away from this desolate town.
I would start a new beginning.

Author note:
Things start picking up in the next chapter
30 reads=new chapter