My Name Is Isabella

Chapter 3

I woke up to the sounds of steady beeps. "Morning sleepyhead." My sister grinned up at me. I smile back at her. "How's mom?" She asks the question I have been avoiding. " They are admitting her into a rehab facility, after watching her for 3 days to make sure she doesn't try to take her life." I try to say with a smile, maybe it's for the best. If I decide to work in Colorado it would be hard to hide it from Maggie, especially if Mother found out and told her. Maggie just stares at me for a few moments and gives me a soft smile.

The doctor walked in with a smile. " Look whos up bright and early." He says with a playful look in his eyes. I return his smile but keep silent. No news is good news, the fact that he is in here makes me anxious. As if reading my thoughts he lets out a long breath. "You Leukemia has progressed rapidly,

and is more severe than we originally thought..." I watched his hands fiddling with each other nervously. Then glanced up at his name tag. Dr. Hersheys. "When I was given your folder I assumed you were much older..." He was still blabbering on and on as my sister sat in the bed soaking up his words confidently. "She needs to have her Kidneys removed, but it takes months for a transplant..." he kept rambling, what an odd name, I wonder if his family loves chocolate. "We don't have months to wait..." I felt the oxygen inside me turn heavy and gravity started pushing me down with force. Why wouldn't we have time to wait? "How long" Maggie blurts out calmly avoiding my glare. "Well...." Dr. Hershey's smile is no longer visible. I can see he's trying to be comforting. But his face is giving away the words his mouth isn't. " We will do everything we can to give you as long as we can." My throat closed up at his words, I looked over to Maggie who seemed unphased by his words like she already expected them. I couldn't bring myself to speak, as if opening my mouth would open the lock I placed on all my feelings and like a tsunami, they would all come crashing out. Instead, I just shook my head, understanding my current reality. The doctor walked over and tried to give my shoulder a comforting squeeze before walking out. I looked at Maggie who was already playing a game on her phone. Does she not understand what's happening? Is she that confident she will overcome this? "Bells can you check on mom after work tonight?" My beautiful sister looking at me expectantly, who was just told she doesn't have long to live was still worrying about other people. "I wish you could be more selfish." I blurt before I walk out of the room angry that I'm not more like her.

I took a ragged breath trying to collect my thoughts. Stripping. I never thought about it, but I have heard they make a ton of money. I just a little skin, and then I can help Maggie and Mother. Subconsciously I pulled out Antonios card. Colorado, I read again and dialed the number. "Hello," A breathy and seductive female voice answered. "Um, Hi, Hey...Yes...I would like to apply for a job." I fumble with words like a bumbling i***t. I hear a giggle on the other end "The managers already here just come in to audition." She says her voice still sticky sweet like it's trying to lure a victim into her sweet trap. "Thanks," I say before hanging up the phone. I guess it's now or never, and decided to head to the strip club. I walk into the dark building and am greeted by the girl with who I must have spoken on the phone. "I am here for an audition," I say with a small smile hoping to hide my awkwardness. She just looks me up in down studying my features. I know looks are important for this job, but it's still making me uncomfortable. " Where are you going to wear that?" She asks confused. "oh" I gasp without thinking. She looks at me for a long time willing me to break and leave but I can't, I need this. After several agonizing moments she finally shrugs " Go see Stacey in the locker room, she is our den mom, she will help you..." after pausing for a second she adds " you need all the help you can get." Awesome thanks I sarcastically retort to myself. I follow her down a hallway past a couple of stages with lasers of rainbow lights shooting across woman's naked bodies. I try my best not to stare but can't pull my eyes away from the confidence and beauty oozing off of them. "This here is..." The sickly sweet voice breaks my thoughts. "Isabella" I finish for her realizing I never told her my name. "She looks me up and down "You look like an innocent dear with those big brown eyes... from now on your name is Bambi here." She then turns to Stacey and gives her my information and tells her to get me ready to audition.

When Stacey was done with my hair and makeup she handed me a slick slither of fabric, it was black and wasn't even enough to be considered a swimsuit. "Wear this" I thank her and start slipping off my clothes to but on the pieces of string, they pulled up my butt and squished my boobs together, with a line from my cleavage to my belly button that attached to the top and bottom pieces. I looked at myself in the mirror, my petite frame didn't match the other girls here, I was beautiful, like a baby dear Bambi did suit me well. The fake eyelashes gave me an even more innocent look. Wasn't I supposed to look seductive? I slipped on the black heels I took from my mom's closet earlier. "You'll want to buy dancer shoes as soon as you can." She informs me. "Thanks for your help I say as confidently as I can. "Do you have any advice?" I ask her trying to hide my desperation. "Use the innocent look it works for you." She smiles softly." Stay away from Mr. Romano...He is the club owner, he's got dark eyes, dark hair, and lots of tattoos..." She pauses for a moment before adding" He has a dark aura you'll know it's him if you ever meet him... You don't want to get involved with him." she gives me a hug that spreads warmth through my body and I think of how good a mother she would make. I walk out onto the main floor of the club. Dark aura, it couldn't possibly be the guy I waited on at work, could it? He seemed dark and dangerous but everyone does to me."What the hell am I doing" I mumble under my breath. Then I meet with another guy who sits in the front. He has a name tag but it's too dark to read it. "You'll do a 2 song set, take off your top on the second song, and you're hired." He waves me off casually. Is that all it takes to work here? I guess being shameless enough to take your top off in front of a bunch of men while also being confident enough to do it with a smile isn't the easiest type of person to come by.