"Where have you been, Puta? You know we have a lot of customers in the morning but you keep on dilly dallying in town!"
"I-I was with Miguel, Aunt Esme-"
"Miguel, Miguel, always using Miguel as your excuse to be a lazy bum! If I know better you were selling your cuerpo just like what your real mother did before!"
Catherine blushed in embarassment. The resounding voice of Esmeralda could be heard booming in that small Alegre Bakeshop that even the customers were looking at her with pity.
"Go to the kitchen now and don't you miss counting the Conchas again. Yesterday you miscounted two pieces! I will be taking that away from your pay!"
Catherine bit her lip. She wanted to retort that she took those bread and brought them to the hospital for Miguel. Although Miguel wasn't allowed to eat orally because he was fed through a nasogastric tube since his admission at the hospital, she thought, maybe showing him some of his favorite snacks would return his memories.
Her unshed tears danced around her eyelids as she changed her clothes. Clothes that she wore since yesterday morning. She only slept at least three to four hours a day eversince Miguel got sick.
"Do not listen to that cow. Just ignore her, Cath. That woman was born to be the devil in disguise that when she'll die, she'll take over satan's throne in hell!"
Edna, her bestfriend stood behind her. Catherine's mind was so busy, she didn't notice Edna came near her.
As of the moment, Catherine was currently staying with Edna and her younger sister, Angela in their rented apartment. However, in order for her to save money, sometimes Catherine slept at the hospital parking lot. In other times, she could be found sleeping on a park bench just right outside the hospital premises. The hospital staff of the intensive care unit learned about her predicament that they sometimes allowed her to stay the night inside Miguel's room.
Catherine smiled chastely. Edna's latina temper was refreshing to watch.
I won't let her words affect me. Miggy comes first.
Catherine nodded, brushing her tears away and tied her long black hair up in a ponytail.
"Bueno, you were asking me about wanting to work as a sales lady in Victoria's Jewels last week. I mentioned it to Judith but she said that they needed someone who can work full-time. I thought that might take more of your time away from Miggy so I told her I will discuss it with you first. Just so you know, you will be obligated to work from ten in the morning till ten in the evening. That's twelve hours away from Miguel."
Catherine took a deep breath. The wages she would earn working at the Nicole's Department Store won't be able to pay her crippling debts. Her mind started calculating Miggy's hospital expenses.
"Maybe after ten at night I can still work as a waitress in a bar?"
"Don't overdo it, Cathy. You're going to get sick. You've been stressing yourself out. I do understand that you need the money but what will happen to Miggy if you yourself won't be able to function properly?"
"I'm doing all of these for him and I made my promise to Mama and Papa that I will take care of Miggy."
"And they know that but think about your health, too? Angie told me you didn't eat the breakfast I prepared for you yesterday."
"I had to go to the hospital before 7 because the doctors wanted to speak with me again. They informed me Miggy needed to undergo another operation. They noticed a large accumulation of blood in his brain. They thought that could be the cause why he's still not waking up properly."
Edna's face saddened. If only she could carry the weight of Catherine's burden to help her out but what could a local baker like her do? She was also sending her sister to school for they were both orphans.
"The surgery is scheduled on Monday."
"Monday? You mean it's urgent?!"
"Yes, I only have three days to pay the deposit bill. However, the medical insurance is refusing to pay for another major operation. So I have to come up with a large amount of money quick."
"I doubt the evil queen Esme is going to help. That old witch stole Auntie Bertha's bakeshop when the truth of the matter is, it should belong to you and Miguel."
"I don't have the energy to fight Aunt Esme anymore. I don't know what to do. I'm desperate, I need a big break. I need a job that can pay me at least a hundred thousand dollars in a day."
Amalia opened her mouth then closed it again. She was about to reveal a secret that she never told anyone before, but could she tell Catherine about it, knowing the negative consequences?
"I... Actually there is a way but..."
Catherine stared at her with tired eyes.
"I'll tell you all the details later after work but... P-promise me you won't judge me for my past mistakes."
"W-what do you mean?"
"I am going to hell for telling you this but... But I think it can help you immensely, Cath."
Catherine waited with bated breath.
"It's about the Men's Den Club."
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
"You're beautiful."
Catherine stood there in silence. The chilly air coming from the centralized air conditioning unit was nothing compared to the frost that was residing inside her heart.
After having that shocking conversation with Edna, she begged her best friend to take her here.
In a place where no churchgoers would want to be seen.
"What are you doing in my club?", the sweet-talking french woman sitting behind the desk asked her.
"I am looking for a one night of work."
"A pretty girl like you with that gorgeous body of yours can make more than a hundred thousand if you'll work in my club as a regular five times a week."
"N-no, I... I just want a one night of work please." Catherine's voice slightly quivered. Her demeanor was cracking down.
"Are you a virgin?"
Catherine blushed. She didn't expect that straightforward question.
"You must be. None of the women I interviewed this week blushes like you do, or even dress like you."
Catherine swallowed hard. She knew that her brunette hair in a french bun, white polo shirt and navy blue slacks didn't match with the job she wanted to be employed at. It took her enough bravery to even enter the streets of the red hot district where The Men's Den Club's was located.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
"There was this club that I once visited a few years ago. Just for a night of work I was paid one hundred three thousand dollars. Usually it's virgins like you that they prefer."
Both Edna and Catherine were on their way home. They alighted from the bus station.
Thirty minutes ago, the two best friends got out of the hospital after they visited Miguel.
"W-what? I-I don't understand..."
Edna hesitated and swallowed hard. The next confession would be difficult for her to make but it was the easy way to let Catherine understand.
"Do you remember when mi Abuela died and I was able to pay for her hospital bills and funeral?"
Catherine nodded.
"Well, you see Cath... T-there was no rich uncle who helped me. I-I made that story up." Edna paused and took a deep breath.
"I was ashamed of what I did that I never told a soul. I... I just can't let gramma Maria rot in that human freezer. I wanted to give her a decent funeral and a proper burial. I also need to support Angela because we lost the last relative we had."
"Ed, I am not judging you." Catherine grabbed Edna's hands and gripped them tightly.
"You see... I s-sold myself. I sold myself to the Men's Den Club."
The revelation astounded Catherine.
She understood why Edna did what she did. She had no choice, same as her.
In crucial times, there was no turning back.
She immediately asked Edna to take her to this place of sin and so here she was, standing before the owner of the said club.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
Patrice de Valois. The female proprietor of the said disreputable Men's Den Club. She was a former, famous playboy model in the 90's and an actress. She was the one scrutinizing Catherine in a thorough interview as of the moment.
The unseemly reputation of the Club was in contrast with its beauty. The baroque style of every paintings and sculptures that heavily designed the interior part of the building were something an avid art collectors would die of envy. The Club wasn't catering the middle-class population of the public. Rather, it served the extremely wealthy men of the society.
Patricia laughed boisterously. That laughter jolted Catherine's wandering mind back unto the present.
"That's a reaction I haven't seen for a long time here. Anyway, we will do a thorough physical examination first just to be sure. Blood tests are mighty important to check for any sexually transmitted diseases so I hope you're not afraid of needles."
Catherine shook her head.
"Good, that's done then. Luchi, give Miss...", Patrice brows raised, asking her name.
"C-Catherine Wil... Catherine Meza."
Patrice paused and stared at her for a long while with her eyebrows perked up. Her long eyelashes fanned her face as she slowly smiled in acceptance. She knew the girl standing before her was trying her best to keep her composure, didn't tell her real name.
If she wanted to keep her identity hidden, so be it.
One night of work was all she wanted and that was all she was going to be offered.
"Luchi, please give Miss Meza the contract and let her sign it before her physical medical exams."
"Yes, Madame Patrice."
"Oh, one more thing before I forgot, let's put a wig on her. I think magenta will suit her better."
"Noted Madame. Anything else?", Luchi asked
Patrice, who shook her head and leaned forward.
Looking at Catherine intently and stated. "There's a sad backstory behind all of these that's why you came to my club, Miss Meza. Good women like you only visits my club as a last resort."
Catherine kept her lips tight.
"I am not going to pry. However, I just hope that whatever it was that you're going to earn tonight will be able to fix your problems."
Catherine nodded awkwardly. The lump in her throat hurts.
Her heart thumped in her chest, like a drum beating as a last call for a hangman's noose.