River Queen

Chapter 5

Giselle was becoming accustomed to sleeping in and skipping breakfast since she now stayed up late most nights. Her sleep this morning was disturbed. Her thoughts keep creeping back to last night.

Giselle was only serving three tables. All the other women had taken everything else. She still had the same table of old men playing cards and Will’s table. The third was usually empty unless random men came and sat. She had developed a banter with Will to the point where she could somewhat tolerate him. She stood at the bar helping Leon while keeping a watchful eye on her tables.

“Hola!” Daniela slid onto a bar stool in front of Giselle. She had on a red dress and boots.

“Bonjour Daniela,” Giselle smiled, “Would you like a drink?”  Giselle never saw Daniela much during her shifts and had a sneaking suspicion of what she did for work but was to nervous to ask her.

“Si, yes. Whiskey..” Giselle brought up a glass from under the bar and poured for Daniela. “Share a drink with me?” Daniela asked her.

Giselle shook her head, “Oh no I can’t while I’m working.” She motioned towards Leon at the other end of the bar.

“Leon!” Daniela yelled for him which startled Giselle. Leon smiled and shook his head when he realized who was yelling for him. “What can I do for you Miss Daniela?” he asked.

“I want my friend Giselle here to have a drink with me.” she pointed at Giselle, “Will you allow it? Just this once?”

He looked at both women. He had watched Giselle these last two weeks, he could tell she was struggling. Daniela is trying to be a good person and befriend her here. “Ok…..just this once,” he grabbed a glass from under the bar and put it in front of Giselle. He leaned in close to both women and said, “just don’t tell Kitty. This is our secret.” They nodded in agreement. Giselle poured herself a small glass of whiskey and leaned her elbows onto the bar staring at it.

Daniela had already began drinking hers. She looked at Giselle and laughed, “you know you’re supposed to drink it not stare at it, right?”

“Well yes………..it’s just….”

“You’ve never had a drink before have you?” Daniela sat her glass down and leaned in to whisper to Giselle.

“No actually I haven’t. I wasn’t allowed….I grew up on a steamboat and drinking and boats don’t mix well. My Père(father) was the captain and didn’t want me falling off the boat and drowning.’’ She explained.

Daniela tipped her head towards Giselle, ‘’that’s a very good reason. So you’re first drink can be with me !’’  Giselle smiled at her new friend. She picked up the glass and took a small drink. ‘’Well.. ?’’ Daniela asked.

‘’It’s not bad….’’ She took another drink. She looked at to check on her tables and saw that some of the men had empty glasses. ‘’Oh….I’ll be right back.’’ She brought them full glasses and returned to the bar.

‘’How are you doing ?’’ Daniela asked her as she continued to drink. Giselle looked down at the bar top and then back to her new friend. ‘’Not great I would say.’’ She answered, ‘’I just don’t feel like I’m going to make enough money quickly.’’

‘’You need a lot of money quickly ?’’

‘’Yes….’’ Giselle sounded exaserbated and took a drink of her whiskey.

‘’Can I ask why ?’’

‘’It’s a little personal. Nothing against you or anything but I need to leave New Orleans. I’m looking for someone and I need money to leave here and do that….’’

‘’How soon are you wanting to leave ?’’ Daniela asked. She motioned for Giselle to pour more whiskey.

‘’The moment I think I have enough money to. The sooner the better..’’ Giselle drank more.

The wheels were turing inside Daniela’s head. She wanted to know more about Giselle and why she wanted to leave. She also had ideas for her to make more money. ‘’Theres ways for you to make more money with the job you have.’’

‘’How would I do that ? All the other girls have taken up everyone.’’ She sighed.

‘’You just have to take them away.’’ Giselle gave her a confused look. ‘’Become more interesting than them. Look around, why do you think the other girls make more money ? None of them are prettier than you.’’

Giselle looked around the room, ‘’I don’t know. How they do it really. You think I’m prettier than them ?’’

‘’Yes I do. They do too. I can see the men as you walk by they always turn to watch you. Do you see how the others act around the men ?’’

‘’Yes, I don’t understand how they can do that..’’

‘’What do you mean ?’’ Daniela’s tone became slightly serious.

‘’They flirt with all the men. Some of them I’m sure are married. Don’t they feel bad ? Some of them look like they even enjoy it…..’’ she was cut off by Daniela laughing.

‘’You think they enjoy it ? Of course they don’t !’’ she laughed. Giselle continued to look at her confused. ‘’They fake it Giselle ! Not a single one of them really wants to be with those men ! It’s completely business. You flirt and look more attractive just so they will pay you more. It’s all about the money. That’s it. Why should they feel bad about them being married ? The men come here for this, to drink and look at women. That’s not their fault. They’re just earning a living, just like you.’’

‘’Oh…….’’ Giselle looked into her glass of whiskey and become embarrassed, ‘’well I can’t do that anyway.’’

‘’Why not ?’’

‘’I don’t have any clothes that look like that.’’ She pointed towards the other women. ‘’I only have dresses like this.’’ She motioned to her own dress.

‘’I see……’’Daniela finished the last of her drink. ‘’Come early tomorrow, I’ll fix that.’’

Fredrick had still been sneaking out and giving Giselle rides back to the house at night. Emma was up again at the door when she arrived. She gave Emma some of her money for safe keeping before going into Ida’s room.  Ida came towards Giselle with her hand out. She huffed when she counted the money, ‘’ I guess I should of expected this, but I’m still diappointed.’’  Ida turned her back and walked towards a hat box she kept the money in. ‘’Disappointed at what ?’’ Giselle asked. Ida slammed the top back onto the hat box and shiftly turned around. ‘’Obvisiously the amount of money you are bringing me ! Some small part of me was under the impression that you would be a better worker than this. You can leave now.’’ Giselle almost ran out of the room as the door was being slammed behind her. Exhausted she went to her room and washed her face before getting into bed. As much as she wanted to sleep it was hard to.

She mistook the knock on her door later that afternoon for the pounding in her head from lack of sleep. The knock came again and the door opened. ‘’Giselle..’’  Emma walked over to the bed, ‘’There’s lunch downstairs.’’ Giselle groaned and sat up in bed. ‘’Did you sleep well ?’’ Emma asked while grabbing her a dress. Giselle shot her an annoyed look, ‘’No.’’ She stood and grabbed the dress from Emma. ‘’And, I have to leave early for work tonight.’’ She slid the dress on. Emma looked confused and irrated, ‘’Why ? Is Ida making you ?’’  ‘’No, Daniela, a girl at work is going to let me borrow some clothes for work.’’ Giselle couldn’t see Emma interesting look as she stood behind her. Both women walked out the bedroom door and downstairs. ‘’You can eat in the kitchen, Ida isn’t here,’’ Emma opened the door for the kitchen and let Giselle in. She said high to Fredrick and sat down. ‘’Where is she ?’’ she asked between mouthfuls of food. ‘’Somewhere different every day,’’ Fredrick muttered. ‘’She came in yesterday with a new dress and hat…..’’ Emma added, Giselle looked up at her, ‘’and it’s so ugly I could barely stand to look at it.’’ Both women laughed. Fredrick shook his head.

‘’Fredrick I’m leaving early for work today,’’ Giselle let him know. ‘’I’ll bring bathwater upstairs,’’ Emma rose from the table. ‘’Why ?’’ Giselle asked her.  Emma laughed, ‘’you said Daniela was going to let you borrow clothes, right ? You’re not putting someone else’s clothes on dirty.’’  Giselle nodded in agreement, thanked Fredrick and went upstairs. The warm water felt great and made Giselle want to fall back alseep in the tub. She scrubbed her skin and hair. After drying she braided her hair and put on one of her dresses. ‘’I’ll see you tonight !’’ she called to Emma and Fredrick as she walked out the door. She was excited and nervous about Daniela’s help. When she walked through the door at the bordello some of the woman walking around were surprised to see her this early in the day.  She watched one of the women walking a man downstairs back to the door. He smiled and looked Giselle up and down as he walked by. The woman saw this and gave Giselle a hard look before going back up the stairs.  ‘’Giselle !’’ Daneila seemed to come out of nowhere. She was wearing what Giselle thought was a nightgown with a robe over it. ‘’Here I am….’’ She answered awkwardly. Daneila hooked her arms around Giselle’s and began to lead her upstairs, ‘’come on let’s go to my room.’’ Giselle’s mind was racing. So she is one of the prostitutes !  Giselle of course had always suspected this but never wanted to be rude by asking. Remember it’s just business. Just like Daniela said.  They stopped in front of a big heavy wooden door with a gold number 6 on it. ‘’Here we are’’ announced Daneila has she opened the door.

She pushed the heavy door opened as Giselle looked around. There was a large four post bed in the center of the room. To the right was a small fireplace and to the left was a huge armoire. The doors wouldn’t shut from all the clothes inside. Also on the left was a door to a small room with mirrors and a bathtub. There were two chairs and a small table by the fireplace. The bedroom smelled heavily of cigarette smoke and purfume. Giselle hadn’t seen Daniela smoke in the saloon so she can only assume that smell came from the men that had been in this room. She tried not to think about that. ‘’What do you think ?’’ Daniela asked as she wathed Giselle take in the room. She closed the door behind them. ‘’It’s really nice,’’ she answered. ‘’Nicer than you thought it would be ?’’ Daniela walked past her and opened the armoire all the way to where dresses and skirts were falling out into the floor. ‘’Uh….well….’’ Giselle stammered embarassed. ‘’Don’t worry….’’ Daniela cut her off, ‘’ it’s ok I was just teasing you.’’ She started grabbing skirts out and holding them up to Giselle. She threw seral skirts and corsets onto the bed.  ‘’These are pretty, do you think they will fit me ?’’ Giselle asked running her hands over the skirts. ‘’Oh yes !’’ Daniela exclaimed still staring at the clothes on the bed. ‘’I’m thinking for sure the black corest,’’ she pointed to it on the bed.  It was black with a pattern of black velvet roses and leaves. ‘’What color of skirt do you like ?’’ she asked looking to Giselle. Her eye caught the emerald green skirt the moment Daniela pulled it out of the armiore. ‘’The last dress I got was green,’’ she smiled thinking of dancing with her father on her birthday.  Daniela could tell there she was thinking about something special and decided not to pry with questions just yet. ‘’I think that will be perfect,’’ she smiled and turned to grab a pair of heeled boots on the floor by the armiore.  ‘’Let’s get you dressed !’’ she said excitedly.  Giselle couldn’t help but smile and feel excited. They went into the small room with the tub and mirrors. Daneila helped Giselle get the skirt and corest on, tying them to fit just right. ‘’Now for your hair…’’ Daniela looked at Giselle’s face in the mirror. ‘’What about my hair ?’’ It was braided up like always. ‘’If you want to look sexy that includes your hair, we don’t have to go crazy,’’ she started to loosen the braids, ‘’We just want your hair to look more relaxed.’’ Daniela loosened some of the braids so small curls were out and touching Giselle’s neck and face. ‘’What do you think ?’’ she asked when she finished. ‘’It’s different….but I do like it,’’ she admitted. She felt it made her look older.  She put the boots on last and gave a twirl in front of the mirror. Both women smiled. ‘’You look amazing,’’ Daniela whispered. ‘’We have a problem,’’ Giselle stopped twirling and faced Daniela who now had a confused look on her face, ‘’I don’t know who to flirt or anything with men.’’  Daniela laughed. ‘’Oh that’s easy !’’ she waved Giselle out into the bedroom and motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs. Daniela stood beside her. ‘’Men like to be touched,’’ she put her arm on Giselle’s shoulder, ‘’even a simple touch of the shoulder or arm while talking to them will draw their attention.’’ She came and sat in the other in front of Giselle.  ‘’Another thing is always having a smile on your face or giggling at the ridicous jokes they make. Men always think they are right and are the funniest thing you’ve ever heard.’’ Giselle and Daniela both laughed at this. ‘’And what about when they touch me ?’’ Giselle asked looking down at the green skirt. It had a slit in the side up to her thigh. ‘’I hate to tell you like this but that is going to happen, Giselle, I don’t want to be mean but you will have to get used to some of it. Like when they touch your neck, arm or legs, or even your backside. But, they should never go up your skirt, kiss you or grab your breast. Leon will ban them for that. Most of the men in the saloon are aware of the rules. Other’s try to push them.’’ Giselle put on a serious face, trying to over come her fear and aniexty. ‘’It’s just business,’’ she repeated. Daniela nodded her head, ‘’Yes, just business. Are you ready to go into the saloon ?’’  Giselle nodded. Daniela threw a quick dress on and lead Giselle downstairs into the saloon. Some men were already at the bar and others coming into the door as they walked in. All eyes turned to Giselle.