All Work

Nicki was sitting in Dips office a week later with the contract in hand. Dip was in a meeting with the dancers as she sat waiting for her in the roomy office. As she sat, she noticed that Dip had no personal photos on her desk, no photos at all to be exact. Everything was red and black, nothing was out of place just like Dips hair, nails and clothes. Everything fit and if it didn't, she'd get rid of it. Nicki didn't know if she could live the life of Dip.. It seemed like one of organized loneliness. She looked back over her shoulder as Lloyd and his lawyer came in the room. Why did a lawyer need a lawyer? She thought as she turned back to the papers in her hand. She had read them atleast twenty time, analyzed them, dissected them and studied them just to make it clear for herself. He sat next to her in the black chair, but far enough to give her space. He didn't even glance her way or acknowledge her even when his lawyer extended his welcoming hand along with a smile.

"You must be Nicki?"

"This is me, in the flesh."

"Nice meeting your acquaintance."

"Same to you."

She replied looking away from him. His gaze read thirsty and degrading. His rugged hands gave her body an eerie chill of goose bumps. He sat down behind SL, but stared over at her. She felt him, but she wouldn't look back. SL cleared his throat then looked over his shoulder at his lawyer. They leaned into each other then the lawyer stood and walked out. SL turned towards her with a business demeanor about himself today, totally different from the last time. He shrugged then pulled out his copy of the contract. He had parts highlighted and some circled for emphasizes.

"This is business and this is how I run my business. Number one, I don't want any drama between me and my boy, Webb, so stay in line."

"Don't talk to me as if I've tried to come on to you!"

"Don't try to, I'm giving you a heads up. Number two, I only cancel business for personal issues like hospital visits of your own illness and deaths."

"No personal time?"

"You get that when you earn it."

He stated looking her over. She huffed thinking about the tour lay out, she had seen in the back of the contract. She was booked five days out  of the week and for the three weeks straight. She only had a week & eight days to herself and her family that she never went to see. He continued to lay down the rules for her as she thought about her mother and how they hadn't talked three months. He had stopped talking once he saw a tear race down her cheek and she swiftly wiped it away with her fist.

"If this is..."

"No, I'm fine... I'm ready. Where do I sign?"

"On this line, this one and this one, but wait... Let me show you how much you will be making and where your money will be coming from."

She nodded silently.

"So, as promised by Dip, you'll be taking 80% of the earnings.. Me and her are halfing 20%. Your earnings will come from every show you give, the tickets you sale, your face advertising and of course the tips. Dip will be funding your first five shows out of pocket, which you will have to give back plus her ten percent. I will just be there managing your time, money and health. There will be on site doctors and such. Got it?"

"Got it."

He showed her everything in the clause and everything in fine print. She signed her name along side his. She was his project and anything that had his name attached to it, needed top everything. He stood and walked towards the door and opened it. Dip and his Lawyer walked back in. They all talked and signed the papers. Dip hugged her and wished her well. Her journey around North America would begin in two weeks, to say she was nervous was an understatement. She was a complete mess.

They met up on the outside of state lines to start shopping. He walked a distance away from her as she took baby steps behind him. Everything was business with him, it was as if he never had fun in life. She could tell that he had probably been single for some time because he barely looked at a woman without gazing for a long while. She found him amusing to say the least, but he never paid her any mind after the day in her kitchen. Business before Pleasure was what he told her on his way to her. She decided that she would keep her distances because he clearly didn't want her friendship. They walked into a dark shop were a short white lady came from the back and greeted him, happily as if she knew him.

"Hi, Nan.. I have a new body for you."

"Let me see!"

She stated in her heavy Italian accent. She was a small lady with black rimmed glasses that made her face look older than she appeared to be. It was like she walked off the set of her favorite movie, The Devil Wears Prada. She was perfect to Nicki. She quickly pulled out measuring tape and began taking her measurements. She smiled her tiny waist line and marveled at her butt measurement.

"She's perfect. Tiny waist, lovely bust and curvy."

"So, you'll dress her?"

"For free."

"You sure nan? I can..."

"She's going to be a star! They'll want to be her, dress like her! She'll bring in more customers, more money than you can give me."

She waved him off as she walked back to the back. He nodded at her thought process, Nan knew people and she could read you before you read yourself or even believed in yourself. He looked over at her as she looked at a custome on a mannequin. It was a beautiful satin black dance suit made for a belly dancer. The sheer sides, could leave nothing to the imagination with the matching bra top that was fully sheer besides the satin nipple pastings. He imagined her in it, performing for a bunch of drunk white men in tailored suits. He chuckled a little bit causing her to look over at him then tilt her head to the side like a lost puppy. He smirked then looked towards the curtain that flew back and Nan came rushing over with a suitcase.

"I'm ready. Go get my other bags, Safaree."

"Yes, Nan."

Nicki giggled at the pet name from his Nan. The older lady walked passed her with grace and self assurance. It was beautiful to Nicki and it gave a lot of respect towards the lady. Nan cleared her throat to indicate that she should followed behind her. They walked over to the limo that Lloyd had road in and got in. She sat down and watched as he went back and forth grabbing her bags and placing them in the trunk.

"What's your name, Pretty Girl?"

"Nic..."

"Your real name." She stated looking over the rim of her glasses.

"Onika."

"That's pretty. You must be special."

"Huh?"

"Safaree has never brought a girl to Nan. He usually just gets her measurement and call me."

"Or he just didn't want to ask me. He doesn't say much to me, outside..."

"Your measurements are part of this business... Don't ever think that anything that has something to do with dance.. Isn't business."

She stated still peering over her glasses. Nan knew him and she could read Nicki's body language and the way she spoke, that they had affected each other, but she had taught him that business and pleasure, could get him into trouble. But Onika in her eyes, was far from trouble. She was troubled and needed comfort, love and stability. So she knew that he had brought her there for the reason that she would give him the info on her. She placed her small hand on top of hers and smiled at.

"He's worth the wait."

Nicki smiled, not understanding the hint, but she felt comfort in the lady just talking to her. She looked towards the door that was now opening and he appeared in the doorway. He smiled over at his Nan, who lifted up Nicki's hand and smiled gleefully as if she were a child. It was their inside thing. He had only done this once before and that was in middle school. The relationship lasted well until their first semester of college then everything turned sour and so did he. 

"We'll drop you off by your car."

"Then what?"

"You go home and pack for a week."

"My first travel agent job? Or..."

"You'll be working at the Children's hospital in Atlanta for a week. You'll be back here the weekend after that."

"Do I need to pack..."

"Just regular clothes, you'll be with children.. If you want Webster to believe you... Do as I say, nothing extra."

He stated looking at her in the face. She nodded then got out after he came to complete stop in front of her car. She smiled over at Nan and waved at her then walked over to her car. She got in and looked out towards them as they sat there and waited for her. She pulled up along side of the limo and blew her horn. She was speeding through the parking lot until her phone ring with an unknown number showing up. She slowed down and pressed the car phone button. His voice boomed through the speakers of the car and caused her body to flutter.

"You have to change cars."

"What why?"

"You need to be lowkey until further notice."

"I love my car."

"Nicki."

"I trust you."

She mumbled then clicked hang up. Men controlled her and she hated it. If it wasn't her father, it was Webb and now it was SL or Lloyd or whoever he was. She was beginning to feel like nothing, but a pawn in everyone's game. Everyone told her what to do, not ask her what she wanted to do! "We have your best interest at heart!"

"I'm tired of this!"

She banged on the door of her and Webb's home and rocked side to side. She had been outside for five minutes before he came to the door in his towel. She rolled her eyes and entered into the bedroom. She grabbed seven pair of pants and threw them in her duffle bag. Webb stomped into the room and angrily grabbed her shoulder, making her face him.

"Where you going?"

"I told you, I'm a dance teacher!"

"I thought you didn't start that until next week!"

"Well, I got a call and they booked me this week."

"You're not going, cancel!"

"No, just so I can be stuck under you all day, doing nothing!"

"Onika!!"

"Webster... I need space, okay! I can't not do anything and just live off you!"

"You can!"

"I can't! I'll be back next weekend..."

He went to the night stand and grabbed his gun. He aimed it at his head and began shouting loudly at her.

"YOU CHEATING ON ME WITH ANOTHER MAN?"

"No, Baby... Please!"

"YOU WANT ME TO KILL MYSELF! YOURE LEAVING ME!"

"No, I'm not! I won't go... Okay, I'll stay here with you."

She cried walking up on him. He let the gun down and cried as he hugged around her waist. He kissed her cheek and bend her tight as she placed her hands firmly on his back and cried into his chest. Her man clearly needed her more than this dance thing. They laid down and she sung him to sleep as he lay protectively over her body. She laud under him for an hour before she slid from under him and made her way to her phone. She called the number back that he had called her on and he picked up.

"Hi, uh... Lloyd... Or...?"

"Call me, Safaree."

"Oh, Safaree.. I can't go to Atanta..."

"I told you before..."

"My boyfriend needs me..."

"He must of got you with the Suicide Gun trick?"

"Huh?"

"You're so gullible. I knew I shouldn't have let Dip talk me into doing business with you."

"What? I'm not gullible!"

"You sure don't have a backbone! When are you going to wake up and realize yours better than that?"

"Look..."

"Listen to me, listen close... If you don't get packed up and ready for this flight Sunday night then this will be the last time, we talk about you being who you are. You're better than that."

She heard the sincereness in his voice. It moved her in ways nobody had ever been able to persuade her. His hard shell and soft inside made her feel safe in that moment as if he cared about her more than he let on when they were in the same room. She quietly grabbed four of her suitcases and began packing all of her things. Webb was her obstacle in her game and that's why she hadn't been playing. He made her weak like her father made her mother weak. She stacked the bags on top of each other then rolled them over the plush carpets and over the tile floors of the living room. She went back into the room to grab her duffle bag and he was still out like a bear.

"Hi, Safaree... You still there?"

"Yeah.." He answered sleepily.

"Could you come pick me up from Webb's please."

"Sure.. Give me ten minutes."

She stared out the window as they drove back towards the city limits. Nicki had eight suitcases loaded in his SUV. Four with her clothes and four packed with her money that she had removed from the car. She left the keys on the table with a note.

"Hey."

"Yeah." She looked over at him as he slowed down in front of a three story house. It was beautiful. It was like a castle from the outside and she could only imagine, what it looked like on the inside. He gestured for her to get out and then went to the back and grabbed her bags. He grabbed the four stacked bags then one of the money cases. He didn't know that in the cass was money, but he knew it was heavy. She grabbed two of the other cases then threw the light one on her back. She followed him up the stairs of the porch into the house and was sadden by the emptiness of the house. The living room had one sofa and no pictures. She followed him through what she figured was a dining area because of the four persons table, but there was only one chair. He pressed the button for the elevator and they got on with her stuff.

"Thanks, for letting me spend the night.. I'll find a hotel in the morning."

"You're fine, make yourself comfortable."

He stated as they exited onto the second floor. He pushed open a door to what appeared to be a guestroom. It was cold, but it looked like someone kept it up. He placed her bags by the bed then left. He shortly returned with a key card in his hand.

"I have a maid that comes back at seven am, two pm and ten pm to clean or whatever. If you don't want her in here, put this up. I'll be down the hall if you need anything. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." She crawled in the big king sized bed and lay on her side thinking. Was this just him doing business, like usual? Protecting his pawn or was this like Nan said "He's worth the wait." was he coming around to her and maybe a friendship, so that the nights on the road wouldn't be so lonely for the both of them?