“My pack of what?”
“Your birth control pack.”
“Wow, distrust much.” She slammed the door in his face, went to get her control pack, and came back. He still stood there. “Here. I guess you want to open it to make sure I’m taking all my little pills.”
“Madison, I know this seems weird, but I have to protect myself.”
“Yeah, well so do I. You’re not the one whose life will be ruined. I can’t afford a baby.”
“But you have to take them on time. You missed today.”
“No I didn’t.” Her phone dinged. “Perfect timing, that’s my alarm now. You can watch me take it.” She took the pack from him, popped out the pill and dry swallowed it. “Is that better?”
“Yes.”
“Great.” Madison closed the door in his face.
Madison walked away from the door and surveyed her place, her mind whirled. He had gotten what he wanted and hadn’t liked it, so she didn’t expect to see him around and figured she would only have to deal with Enzo, which wasn’t bad.
She turned off the lights and padded down the hallway and back to her bathroom. She had already showered when she came home, so she would finish up her nighttime routine with her skin care regime.
She looked at her face, she dotted moisturizer on her cheeks and chin and then smoothed it up her face and into her hairline. She didn’t think she was ugly anymore, like her mother led her to believe. In fact she looked like a replica of her mother as she grew up.
Madison always believed her mom was beautiful. Even though she knew she looked like her mom now, she didn’t feel beautiful. She no longer believed she was ugly, but she knew her face was just her face.
She couldn’t change it. But she didn’t use it to get her stuff. She wanted to be known for what was on the inside. Her mother only cared for the exterior, but Madison knew it was what was inside that mattered.
She turned off the light she walked into her bedroom and pulled back the covers and slipped in. She didn’t fancy rumors around at the club that put her and Dante together.
People didn’t know she knew they called her the ice queen behind her back. It hurt that people called her that. It wasn’t her fault she didn’t have any experience with the opposite sex thanks to her mom.
She didn’t know how to act with men or what to do or say. She had no flirting skills, and so she chose to keep herself apart from those interactions and just watch instead. No one would leave her alone. Eric would be first in line if he found out. She turned out the light.
She also didn’t want people to think she slept with Dante to get on the schedule. She already knew there were rumors she was using Enzo to not have to follow the club rules of thong string bikinis when on the floor for all strippers. And she didn’t have to take whatever position the patrons wanted her to.
She pushed it out of her mind. She needed to get some sleep, so she could sketch ideas for her fashion week project.
****
Madison got a call a couple of days later while she sat at her kitchen table. She had her chin propped up on her knee, with her other foot curled underneath her butt and dress ideas swirled in her mind. She looked at her phone. It was Enzo.
“Hey, you got my schedule?” Madison’s shoulders relaxed, but something squeezed in her chest like disappointment. She kind of hoped it would be Dante.
“Yep.” Enzo’s voice sounded strained. “You’re to be the headliner Thursday through Sunday. Three sets and then you can bartend in between.”
“Oh wow.” That was better than she had expected. Headliners made more than just a regular stripping gig. “Great, see you Thursday.” Madison hung up and tried not to let Dante pop up in her head. It didn’t help now and didn’t help last night either. She dreamed of him and what they did. She was pretty sure she had at least one orgasm in her sleep. At least with her new dance schedule, she would have more time to spend with Henry and be able to help out their father and still have enough time to focus on her fashion week design.
****
Madison walked into the hospital. Henry had been moved out of ICU and back to a regular room.
“Hey, you look good.” He was hooked up to less machines, and there were fewer wires attached to his body.
“Yeah. My blood cell counts look good, and they think I should be able to go home sometime this week.”
“That’s awesome.” She sat down in the chair that was already pulled close to the bed. “Did you have visitors?”
“Yeah, Dad and your mom came by. They left a few minutes ago to get coffee and a bite to eat.”
