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Leah would definitely consider her a nine and a half out of ten.
Grabbing the dwindling blunt from her, I take a short drag and realize I haven’t asked about any of the details of this so-called club. “Where is this place?”
“Can’t tell you that.”
“What?”
“I can’t tell you that,” she repeats. “You’ll have to call and ask for yourself.”
“Okay...Can you tell me anything about it?”
“Nope.”
I roll my eyes and look at my watch. I’ll just google the place later.
“You were an asshole in high school,” she says, sighing. “Do you know that?”
“I was only there for a few months senior year. You were in my class?”
“Duh.” She scoffs. “Everyone felt bad for you because we heard about your mom, but...”
“But what?”
“We also thought—Well, I thought you were a queen bitch.”
I smile. I want to tell her that “queen bitch” was my real nickname at my old high school, but I don’t.
She looks over at me and laughs. “Of course you think that’s funny. I remember asking you if you needed help with anything on your third day. Do you remember what you said to me?”
“No. What?”
“You said, ‘Get the fuck out of my face.’ It was priceless.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. If I had just lost my mother, I’m sure I wouldn’t want some geek with uneven bangs hanging around me.”
“Probably not.” I lie back against the hood and puff out more O’s.
When the last blunt is gone and the two of us are tired of staring at the starless sky, she rolls over to face me. “Were you and your mom close, Emerald?”
“I thought we were.” Leah’s last letter flashes across my mind. “But lately I’m not so sure.”
“I feel you. My mom died yesterday and I still can’t figure out our relationship.”
“She died yesterday?” I sit up. “Why are you here with me then? Shouldn’t you be with your family?”
“I figured someone as fucked up as me would be much better company...”
“I’m not fucked up.”
She shrugs and looks back up at the sky. “Yeah, you’re the most put-together person I know.”
Chapter 5
A google search of “The Phoenix in Alabama” brings up a random array of images, bird sightings, and a restaurant that’s two hundred miles away. I add “gentlemen’s club” and “strip club” to the keywords, but nothing about the club ever appears.
Even stranger, is when I run a simple search for all the strips clubs in the state, there’s no mention of The Phoenix. Anywhere.
Something is beyond suspicious about this place, and I’m honestly not sure if I want to find out what it is.
I never thought any less of Leah for what she did to support us, and I knew that if I ever needed to do it, I would, but from Sarah’s vagueness, I already know The Phoenix is more than a strip club.
She said all she does is strip though, so maybe I can do the same thing...Wait, am I really considering this?
“Care to join the conversation today, Emerald?” Tim’s annoying voice crashes into my thoughts, and I suddenly remember that I have over two months of rehab left.
“Not really.”
“Oh, come on.” He prods. “Tell us something personal about yourself. It can be something as simple as your favorite thing to do at home or a country you’d like to visit someday.”
I blink.
“Could you at least try?” He pleads with his eyes.
I say nothing.
I showed up early today and watered the hundreds of plants in the field. I mopped the building from top to bottom and I set up the room. That’s all I’m required to do.
The court papers didn’t say shit about actually “participating” in these discussions and I’m not going to. Ever.
“Okay...” He sighs and starts talking to the man on my left, leaving me alone to think about The Phoenix again.
After the session is over and I’ve completed my tasks, I drive to an abandoned football field that’s three blocks down. I pull out the black business card and take a deep breath before dialing the number.
“The Phoenix.” A deep voice answers after only one ring.
“Yes, I was—” I hesitate. “I was wondering if you could give me some directions to the club.”
“Where are you coming from?”
“Blythe. Folsom Street.”
He’s silent for several seconds. “Are you a potential patron?”
“No.”
“Are you a member of a bachelor party for tonight?”
