She makes a fist and smiles dreamily, and I know she means it. She’s liked his looks from the beginning. She really did think there was a chance.
Then her expression sags. “It went on for a while, and it was going so good, Rosie. Then he asked me where his money was. I started crying, you know? Bawling, saying that I was hoping he would accept me instead of money, and he… helaughedat me.” She drops her chin. “Then he said he had an idea of how I could lower the debt. He said that there were some businessmen coming in from Montreal next week, and he’d hire me to… entertain them.”
I stare. “?‘Entertain’?”
She looks right at me. Her face is shiny with tears. “I don’t know what to do, Rosie. He said Papa ain’t gonna survive the surgery if I don’t pay himback. He didn’t even pretend not to mean it.” She gasps in a sob. “Butentertainbusinessmen? I had an aunt who did that, long time ago. I swore on my life I’d never do… that. Whore around. But what choice do I have?”
“You can’t, Bianca.” I am trying hard to appear confident, but inside, I am terrified for her. “No. You might be stupid and naive, but you’re no whore. We’ll have to be so careful. He’s terrible dangerous, like I told you.” I drop my voice even lower. “Do you know, a while back, I found a gun in his nightstand.”
“A gun!” she whispers.
“I’d never seen one before. Scared the living daylights out of me.”
“Did you pick it up?”
“Never! Didn’t even touch it. But I know he has it, and I’ve a feeling he’s used it. Listen, we’ll talk with Damien about the loan. He’ll know what to do. And he’s getting paid soon. He’ll help you. How much do you owe?”
“A thousand dollars.”
My jaw drops. In Mr. Carboni’s book, it said Damien was going to get paid $100. Even if we gave it to her, that would barely put a dent in what she owed.
“I’ve never heard of medicine costing that much.” I can’t think of what else to say.
She has lost all her spark. “What about you?” she finally asks, reading me. “There’s something different.”
My cheeks flare, and I consider keeping my mouth shut. Nobody knows except me, but everyone will know soon enough. Besides, it took guts for Bianca to share her secret. I need to be just as brave.
“Been a while since my monthlies came.”
Now she’s the one in shock. “Does Damien know?”
I shake my head. I’m sure he will be happy, but what if he’s not? What if he says he wants to live a little on our own first? Maybe he’ll be ashamed of me. I suppose I am. I sinned, just like Granny would have said, and now I’m suffering the consequences. But there’s nothing I can do about that.
“Tell him tonight when he comes.”
She’s right. I’m being silly. If I don’t tell him, he’ll find out anyway and wonder why I hadn’t. “All right. Me and you, we’ll wait together.”
Minutes later, I see him coming toward us. My heart swells, seeing his dark form under the glow of the streetlights. Oh, that boy. I do love him so.
“Don’t you say a word about my monthlies,” I hiss at Bianca. I expect she’ll have a go at me, but she’s dead sober, which makes sense. Her problem feels much bigger than mine. At least for now.
She lets out a long sigh. Her dark eyes are so sad, and yet, she’s wearing a bit of a smile.
“What?”
“Look at us, Rosie. Me and you, friends all our lives, and here we are in the worst trouble at the same time.” She stubs out her cigarette with her shoe. “We do everything together, don’t we?”
The ice in my heart melts a little, and I give her a hug. “We’ll always be friends, Bianca.”
As Damien nears, he opens his arms wide for me. And for a moment, I feel safe in his embrace. Comforted—though he does not yet know why I need that.
“What’s this all about?” he asks, his cheek pressed against my hair. “Waiting for me like this, the both of you.”
“We have two things to talk about with you,” I say reluctantly. “Big things.”
He frowns. “Is it about me, then?”
“Mostly not. But partly. Some.”
