Free Salvation by Alexa Land

like maybe that
saves a fraction of a second.”
    “I don’t do that,” River insisted.
    “You totally do that. That was
exactly what you did yesterday. You called, screamed about cheese and hung up,
like a crazy person.”
    “Well, air time is expensive.” To me,
River said, “We gotta go dude, we have a bunch more errands to run. Plus, you’re
working and all, but I just wanted to give you that.”
    “Thank you, I appreciate it,” I said.
“I’ll pay you back, too.”
    “No need. I can write it off as a
business expense, now that I’m a real caterer and all. See you tomorrow at Mrs.
Dombruso’s, right?”
    “I’ll be there.”
    River headed for the door, but Skye
grabbed my arm and whispered, “Please tell me you’ve been considering
moonlighting as a dancer with me. And don’t tell River, he doesn’t approve.”
    “There’s no way, Skye.”
    “Don’t say no yet, not until you come
and check it out.” He pressed a business card into my hand. “Here’s the club’s
address, I’m working tonight from eight to midnight. Come visit me. Please?”
    “I’m never going to agree to working
there.”
    “Come and see me anyway. Tell them at
the door that you’re there to see Skye Blue, they’ll let you in.”
    “Skye Blue?”
    “That’s my stage name, but I’m actually
thinking about changing it for real. It suits me a lot better than Skye
Fleischmann.”
    I grinned at that. “You’re right, it
does.”
    He turned and jogged after his brother,
who was already outside. But as he crossed the dining room, he called over his
shoulder, “Come and see me tonight, T! Do it! Don’t break my heart!” He flashed
me a huge smile before he disappeared out the front door.
    I took a look at the business card in my
hand, and an instant frown line appeared between my eyebrows. There was a color
photo of a shirtless blond boy on the card, who barely looked eighteen, and the
name of the club was Daddy’s Boiz. Ew. Okay, there was no freaking way on earth
I’d work at that place, even if the thought of me being paid to dance wasn’t
completely laughable.
    But now I was concerned about my new
friend. Even just from the business card, I could tell that the sleaze factor
was through the roof at this club. I didn’t know much about Skye, but he struck
me as really innocent and trusting. I decided to go and check it out this
evening, because I wanted to make sure no one was taking advantage of him. More
worry added to the knot already in my gut.
     
    *****
     
    When my shift ended I took the bus home,
making my weekly stop at the Goodwill on the corner before continuing on to my
building. My apartment was a fifth floor walk-up in a marginal neighborhood
near Market Street, a studio measuring maybe ten feet by twelve. It didn’t
currently have electricity because I couldn’t afford it, but it did have its
own tiny bathroom with a toilet, sink, and stall shower. That made the place a
real find as far as I was concerned.
    The room was divided in half by a sheet
suspended from the ceiling with thumb tacks, and I pushed it aside and put my
thrift shop finds on the foot of my cousin Melody’s twin bed. I’d done well
today, finding half a dozen baby clothes for fifty cents apiece. I’d been
buying stuff for her baby ever since we moved to San Francisco about two months
ago, and had built up a decent collection.
    And yeah, I kept doing it even after
Melody took off. I really believed she was coming back, especially after I’d
promised to be by her side holding her hand when she went into labor. She and I
had grown up together after her dad took me in when I was six, so she was more
like a sister than a cousin. All we had was each other.
    I dropped the curtain and headed to my
own bed beside the front door. It was a foam bedroll topped by a puffy sleeping
bag, which I really liked because it was warm and cozy. Since I’d gotten so
little sleep last night, I decided a nap was in order before heading out to
visit