Chapter 74: Chapter 75

The Cafe Au Lait is distinctly upmarket and normally well beyond Charlotte’s budget. A single latte costs two hours’ worth of Charlotte’s modest wages.

But needs must….

Barbara arrives and at first, Charlotte does not recognise her. Wearing practical jeans and a plain white blouse, her face wiped clean of make-up and the spiked heels replaced by trainers, she is a moderately attractive, but by no means outstanding woman. As she walks in and gives her order, no-one looks at her twice.

Her eyes travel the coffee shop, settling on Charlotte. She smiles as she takes the seat opposite. “You look quite different,” she says, “out of uniform.”

“So do you.”

Barbara bursts out laughing. “I suppose I walked into that with my eyes open.” She looks down at Charlotte’s plain black coffee. “I’ve ordered waffles. Want some? It’s on me. My treat.”

“Um….”

“I’ve ordered for two, so you’d better eat them, otherwise I will. The calories will land straight onto my ass and I’ll sue you for loss of earnings.”

Charlotte looks away. Jenny didn’t like knowing she was taking charity. Charlotte doesn’t either. But the waffles when they arrive are fragrant and tempting, scented deliciously of caramel and cinnamon. Her resolve withers.

As she forks in through cream and syrup to a crisp outer and a soft steaming centre, her appetite returns, and she attacks the food with her usual gusto.

“So, Charlotte. How can I help you? I’m guessing you’re tired of cleaning urinals.”

“Um, not exactly. I mean, it’s not exactly fun, but I don’t mind working hard. The thing is, I need to raise a lot of money to go to college….”

Barbara snaps in. “Gotcha. You want to earn the real money, you go to the top of the market. Basic market economics. People will pay more for what’s hard to get. And by charging more, you make yourself hard to get. You know. Exclusive.” She eyes the girl, assessing. “And you’re a looker, though it wasn’t easy to see when you were pushing that cleaning trolley around.” Barbara gives her a sharp look. “Any jealous boyfriends out there? Husband?”

“No, nothing like that. I…. I’ve….” Charlotte’s words jam in her throat. This woman is a stranger.

The older woman’s face softens. “Come on, talk to me. You sought me out. What is it you want?” Then her expression and tone sharpens again. “I’m not looking for a partner if that’s what you had in mind? I work alone.”

“No. No…. It’s just…. You say to go for the top of the market. I understand that. And I think I have something to sell, but I’m not sure how to do it.”

“Sure you have something to sell. Like I said, you’re a looker. But you know that already.”

“Yes, I know. I’m lucky, but it’s not what I meant. I’m…. I’ve never….”

Barbara tilts her head back. “You’ve never…. What?” She measures the girl’s expression. “You never…. had sex? You’re a virgin? Is that it?”

The girl nods miserably.

Barbara nods, slowly, as though absorbing the information. “Rare, certainly. And you think you can sell your virginity?”

Charlotte nods again.

Barbara sucks in her cheeks, considering. “Well, if you're really a virgin….”

“I am. I’m not lying.”

“…. you do have something to sell there. And you could make a lot of money if you do it right.” She raises a finger to the girl. “You need to be careful, you've only got one virginity in stock you know.”

Charlotte blushes. It’s a pretty expression, making her look even younger. Barbara considers. “Do you understand what you will be agreeing to? The sort of thing that is likely to be asked of you? For the sort of money you’re talking about, you will be expected to do anything, and I do mean anything, the guy, or guys, want.”

Charlotte bites her lip. “I think I do. My room-mate, she talked about it a lot. What I was wondering is, how to get the most for it? How to do this?”

Barbara chases a bit of waffle around her plate, spearing it and wiping up the last of the cream and syrup. “You’ll find places on the internet that would do it for you. But that’s dangerous. You’d have no idea who you were dealing with.” She picks at her teeth with a long fingernail. “Let me talk to a couple of people I know.”

She shoots the girl a look. “You realise that anyone runs this kind of service is going to take a charge.

Probably a stiff charge?”

“I suppose, but so long as I come out of it with enough, I don’t mind.”

“Fair enough. Leave me with it. I’ll see what I can find out for you. In the meantime, try not to hang around me too much. You have urinals to clean and I have marks to seduce.”

*****

James She stirs her food around her plate, shoving it from one side to the other. None of it goes into her mouth.

When Charlotte doesn't knock back her food like it's going out of fashion, there's something wrong.

Then I see Michael watching her too. His eyes meet mine and his head tilts.

“Come on, spit it out,” he says.

She startles, then drops her face, looking guilty.

“We can both see something’s bothering you,” I comment. “Get it over with and tell us.”

“I want to go and see Klempner.”

Michael jerks his head back and our eyes meet again.

I lean forward, chin and face propped against my fingers. Michael raises warding fingers to me, then leans back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head. “Go on. We’re listening.”

There is tension in her voice….

Expecting trouble….?

“He can tell me about my mother. He can help me find her.”

“And…. you think he's likely to do that?” His voice is neutral. His eyes flat.

“What's to lose?” she says. “If he won’t help me, he won’t. But I’ve lost nothing by trying have I?”

I don't like this….

Michael pulls at his chin. “What do you think James?”

Her eyes pass between the two of us, then drop. “If you say you don't want me to go, I won't.” But there are tears in her words.

She wants so much to belong….

…. And I understand that.

I know how it feels….

“No,” I say. “I won't say that. It wouldn't be fair on you. But you'll take Michael with you. He'll be more dispassionate. I'll hear what he has to say.” I glance across and he drops lids in agreement.

And we both hear the sound of snapping elastic….

*****