"Wow, I still can't believe your boyfriend drives a BMW," Stephanie told her with an envious look as she shoved two large pizza's into the delivery box. "And he looks soooooo........ good!"
Cindy smiled easily at the new girl's hastily tied hair as her blue eyes shone innocently at her. Cupping Steph's chin in her hand she looked down at her and proclaimed, "A little more time with that hair and just a bit of make-up... Ohhhhhhh, you could catch yourself any man out there." Adding a stern grin, "with the exception of Chip, of course."
Stephanie's youthful features practically gleaming from the praise, she grabbed her pizza's and called back, "If you help me, I'll give you half my tips for the month!"
"YOU'RE ON!" Cindy shouted, even as the door was swinging closed.
Stephanie hit second gear out of the parking lot with sharp squeal from her tires. New friends again. Always. She had gotten very good at it, she thought as the screaming motor told her to shift, or else. Creating the illusion of a happy life, an address, parents she'd never known, and always.... Always, one step ahead of everybody else. Unknown curves appeared in the blink of an eye and were gone behind her just as quickly.
Her full attention on the road now, thoughts of moving, leaving friends behind, sleeping in her car, all the pain of never being able to enjoy things the way anyone around her did.... Vanished. Instead, there was the road. Out to kill her, the way she'd killed her mother by being born. Downshifting back to second in the middle of the curve cured that train of thought as the tires locked for a moment dragging the battered escort to the edge of the mountain road, before the abused engine could catch up with the momentum of the car again.
So consumed with keeping the car on the road, she almost missed the driveway to the house she was delivering the pizza to. Locking the tires, the car skewed perfectly into the small entrance. Long ago, she'd discovered that these small towns were some of the safest places for many reasons. Everyone knew each other, accepted what you told them at face value, and they looked after each other. The thought comforted her as the driveway stretched out further into the woods.
Stepping from the car, she marveled at the ancient house more of a mansion really. Reaching into the passenger door to get the pizza's her tight jeans strained against her youthful figure. Too youthful for her 18 yrs, she'd always thought. Grinning to herself, she forced her walk to appear uncertain and afraid. The combination had never failed to bring excessive tips.
Knocking awkwardly on the heavy double doors, her face assumed its customary innocent look. The elderly man who answered the door grinned widely saying, "You must be the new driver! I'd heard we'd soon have a new face around here. Oh, please, please, do come in. Where have my manners gone?"
Stepping into the house was like stepping into another world. Quiet, pleasant and softly lit. Beautifully framed paintings adorned every wall with golden amber hues. Every piece of furniture was of hand carved, richly polished wood. Something nagged her about the other three older men sitting just across the room at a large table apparently in the middle of a game of cards, though.
"Oh, just put the pizza's on the table here," the eldest of the four said gesturing to an intricately carved end table as he pulled a wallet from his inside coat pocket.
With moon-eyes she whispered loudly, "Wow... I've never seen anyplace sooo, wow, just incredible! You must have lots of servants and stuff just to clean up..." At the same time her quick mind solved the puzzle.
All of the others sitting at the table were on the same side away from her. And so was the last chair. Senses alert, she enthusiastically stepped up very close to him as he was taking the money out of his wallet, forcing him to unconsciously step to the side, away from the door, to hand her the money.
$25 came into her hand from a wallet filled with more $100 bills than she'd ever seen in one place. Well.... It WAS a generous tip. "Thanks mister!" Reaching for the door, she saw several hundreds land atop of the pizza boxes accompanied by the man's voice.
"If, ummmm, you'd be interested in a larger tip......"
She had the door open by then and reflexively looked for the trap outside. By her car, theirs, the woods - no one. So, she turned in the doorway, glancing down at the five $100 dollar bills then back at the old man. The kind of thing she'd always managed to avoid and would again. Keeping the innocent, quizzical look on her face she thought of just how much she needed that money. She'd thought about making money to survive that way before and knew she would never give in to the temptation.
Gesturing easily to the other men across the room, he said "We're quite old now and as you can see by this place, we greatly appreciate things of beauty and simplicity." With a grandfatherly grin, he continued "You are quite a thing of beauty and to be perfectly honest we would very much like to see more of you."
Walking away toward the middle of the room, he added "We would, of course, be seated behind this great wide table, and I give you my personal assurance that none of us would consider touching you in any way. Several other drivers have consented including Cindy. You must know her... a wonderful girl! As well as an understanding one, I might add."
Eyeing the money, Stephanie looked carefully around outside. Bunch of dirty old men with lots of money and nothing to spend it on... hmmmm. Wellll, she bent over to look through the window as she heard the oldest of them scrape his chair firmly up against the table. Still nothing.
She turned around to see them all sitting at the table eyes shining at the view she'd just offered them. Lots of money sitting at the table. Lots.
Glancing at the $500 lying next to her, she decided and walked over to the table. "Well, I can really use the money," she said nervously, "but, even for that much, it'd be just too embarrassing."
"I told you Cindy couldn't keep her mouth shut about making so much money!" one of the others said angrily. Looking at her, then at each other, they all pulled wallets from various pockets. With sighs of resignation, they began piling hundred dollar bills in front of them.