Goodbye Mamà
1199 Words
The day gradually fell behind the dusty rooftops, Estrella sat under the tamarind tree with her best friend, Marisol.
"You ever want to escape this place?" Marisol asked, tossing a pebble toward the road.
"Sometimes," Estrella replied. "But where would I even go?"
Marisol smirked. "Well, my brother didn't ask that when he left for Ghana. He just promised to marry you when he comes back." She laughed so hard her shoulders shook.
Estrella rolled her eyes. "That was a joke, Marisol."
"Yeah, but imagine you waited for him, I mean he even gave your mother some money then to keep, promising he would come back for you, my brother was such a clown."
They laughter came in unison and their voices disappearing into the warm evening breeze.
"I miss Castro," Marisol said, not meaning to ruin the mood.
"Me too," Estrella replied under her breath, gradually getting swallowed up by her thoughts.
A week later a glimmer of hope arrived, they both scored jobs at La Lala Roja the bustling local restaurant. For Estrella, it felt like a fresh start until one evening, the manager pulled her aside.
"People saw you take money from the register," he said flatly.
"What? That's not true!" she protested.
But the decision was already made. She was fired on the spot. Whispers of her “theft” spread through the village like wildfire. Nobody wanted to give her a job.
The bad stories about her mother began to surface again, the old stares and mockery murmurs about how her husband had left her after discovering she was pregnant with another man’s child.
Estrella was familiar with the bad narratives spread about her and her mother and she had learned to tune them out.
She came home one evening and found her mother sick and coughing terribly.
Desperate, she decided to sell her hair as it was the common way of getting quick money especially for girls.
The shop had a typical type of smell, oil and chemicals. The lady in charge of the place ran her fingers through Estrella’s hair.
"Rare type," the woman murmured. "I'll give you 5,740 pesos for half of it."
Estrella’s fingers tightened on her lap. "Half?"
"Yes, we can do business again."
Estrella accepted with satisfaction. The money covered her mother's treatment, soon after, her mother was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Surgery was needed immediately to stop the spread, immediately Estrella paid for the surgery and it was successful.
Creditors caught wind that Estrella had come into money. They began pressing her to pay off her debts.
“You have got some money, Estrella,” One man said, he walked closer to her in a threatening way and he leaned in.
His breath reeked of tobacco and Estrella couldn’t stand it. She moved her face away.
“Pay us back or we will take something instead.” He threatened.
**************
"Listen," Marisol said one evening, her voice low. "There's a ship leaving for America. It could be ten years before another one like this. If we go, we can work and send money back."
Estrella’s stomach twisted, she hesitated. "America? Illegally? What if we get caught?"
"What if you stay here and they sell you?" Marisol shot back.
A few days before the ship's departure, Marisol told Estrella that she had overheard some of Estrella’s creditors planning to sell her to a man in the city.
That night, Estrella told her mother about leaving.
"No," her mother said at first. "It's too dangerous."
But as the reality set in, she finally whispered, "Go. If you stay, they'll sell you."
That same night, Estrella paid for their passage with part of the money she got from selling her hair, Marisol had refused to sell hers. Estrella also left some money with her mother to feed on and promised to work and send more home soon.
When the creditors came looking, Estrella was gone. In their frustration, they beat Estrella’s mother before leaving.
**********************
Arrival in the U.S.
The voyage was grueling. When they finally stepped onto American soil, Estrella had little money left. The local converter had taken almost half of it.
The sailor who smuggled them gave a final warning:
"Stay hidden if you want to last here. And for the women strip clubs will help you get papers. Just remember, nothing's free, go to De Miguel, sure he would be happy to help his people, he was once like you." He ended by sharing a piece of paper with directions to De Miguel.
Marisol leaned close to Estrella. "We should try it. It's the fastest way."
Estrella frowned. "I'm not stripping, Marisol."
"Then just come with me. Let's take a Look around at least to find a place to sleep."
As they came into the De Miguel Strip club, the neon lights above the entrance vibrated with life, girls dressed in revealing clothes walked in and out of the place with men flanked by their sides, the place was filled with the pungent smell of cigarettes, men hailing and spraying money on girls that spun on a pole.
A girl walked up to them, she looked no better than the other girls, as if she knew why they were there, after giving them a skeptical look she asked them to follow her and they did sheepishly. Some men turned to look at the girls especially Estrella as they walked past them.
"Go in." The girl ordered and walked away.
They walked into the office.
A man sitting, looked up from the files he was going through, revealing a face that could pass as middle-aged, he had slicked-back hair. One could tell he was the boss around.
His stares were fixed only on Estrella.
"Who is this?" He asked Marisol taking a short glance at her before returning them to Estrella, his expression a mix of surprise and admiration, clearly taken aback by Estrella's beauty.
"My friend. We came together."
He adjusted his seat studying Estrella, “Definitely not from the States. “Fresh off the boat, and I mean literally.” He said sounding certain.
He had all his attention on Estrella and forgot that Marisol was also a stranger.
Estrella stiffened. "We're... new."
He smirked. "New, illegal, and broke. I've seen your kind before. You work for me, I take care of your passport, papers, and even a place to stay. Nothing too much to do, show some t**s and dance.” He said with a smirk.
"I would decline, thank you,” Estrella said firmly.
"Everyone says that at first."
"Then consider me the exception."
He raised a brow. "You're beautiful. Too beautiful to waste washing dishes. I could make you good money."
"I said no."
Marisol tried to whisper to her to accept the deal and reduce her repulsive tone.
The room went quiet. Finally, he moved his shoulders. "Fine. Waitressing. Same deal papers, ID, everything."
Estrella nodded, that offer was way better than she expected.
"But when you change your mind, my stage is waiting." He added.
Marisol grinned. "I'm in. Sign me up too."
The owner extended his hand to Estrella . "Well, welcome to De Miguel Strip Club, America."
- Writer
