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The man’s eyes wandered from Kira yet again to another woman passing by the table. She teetered along in sky-high platform heels and a black sequined bikini that just barely contained her breasts. Her blond hair was teased out, and she wore rhinestones and glitter on her face. Her hips swung from side to side as she stepped onto the wooden stage, which extended one long arm down the center of the small establishment. Bright spotlights roved around the polished wood. Along that arm, three women in various degrees of undress twirled and gyrated around shiny poles. Gawking, beer-sleepy men sat at their feet, offering up one-dollar bills and trying not to drool on themselves.
Kira felt very overdressed in her interview outfit. She wore a smart blazer and pencil skirt with a button-up and sensible low heels. She looked like a fish out of water in the middle of what she could clearly see now was a strip club.
Kira had come across a job posting for what she’d thought was a restaurant called the Peach Parlor online during her hours of white-knuckled searching. Upon arrival, she’d quickly realized that the referenced ‘peach’ was less culinary and more… anatomical in nature. Still, she’d held out hope that this place employed regular waitresses, too. She had stayed for the interview, but now that it was nearing its end, Kira felt more discouraged than ever.
This was not the kind of establishment she was looking for. Kira didn’t look down on the women stripping on the stage. She didn’t think she was better than them, not in the slightest. But her particular skill set was not suited for the pole. Kira knew she was a pretty girl, but it took more than just looks to be good at the job. She didn’t want to take her clothes off. She didn’t want to indulge slimy men all night long; at least, not any more than she had to as a waitress.
She had learned how to be good at her job at the casino. It was the best job she’d ever had, and she wanted something similar now that she had quit. But it was much harder than she’d ever expected to find one.
“To be honest, we only put ‘waitress’ in the ad so we don’t get as many weirdos responding to it. People get real weird when they know it’s a strip joint,” said the interviewer. “We don’t hold a lot of interviews. Mostly auditions.”
“Oh,” Kira said, sinking down a little.
“But hey, I bet you have some sexier outfits than that one in your closet, right? You’re welcome to come back here anytime for an audition. We don’t have a lot of girls with your body type right now,” he offered. His eyes panned up and down her body, even in her demure clothes.
Kira forced a polite smile. “Thanks, but I’m not really looking for that kind of work.”
The guy nodded, already glancing over to the next woman passing by. “Okey dokey. Suit yourself. Well, feel free to hang out as long as you like. I’ve got some, uh, paperwork to do in the back, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Okay. Um, it was nice to meet you,” Kira lied, getting to her feet.
“Yup. Have a good one,” he replied. He gave her a fake salute and walked away without another word.
Kira sighed and trudged toward the exit. She felt very much the opposite of the fast-paced club music bumping through the speakers. The burly, tattooed door man nodded and opened the door for her to leave. Kira stepped out onto the dark street and pulled her blazer more tightly around herself. She waved goodbye to the security guy, but he was already shutting the door. Kira felt a surge of loneliness.
She wondered where Luka was, what he was doing. Who he was working for. Had he found another pretty cocktail waitress to flirt with? It made her heart ache to think about. Kira didn’t want to think about him. It was pointless to let herself daydream. The guy she had been building up in her head for so long was just a lie. She was still reeling from Luka’s revelation that he worked for the Russian mob. Worse still, she had worked for them too, just by waitressing at the Shining Star. She felt betrayed and lied to. Just like tonight’s failed interview, she had been led to believe it was something else. She’d thought it was a respectable, above-board job at a successful Vegas institution. What she had actually gotten was a one-way ticket into dangerous territory.
After all, her parents had emigrated from Russia when Kira was little specifically to avoid the devastating crime wave. They had given up all they knew to start over, just for their daughter’s safety. They had wanted to give her more opportunities than they’d had back home. Kira couldn’t go directly against their morals by working for the mafia. It wasn’t right.
However, by this time, Kira’s opportunities seemed to be dwindling. Since she had quit the casino on Saturday night, she had been scouring local job postings and attending interviews almost nonstop. At first, she’d assumed it wouldn’t take too long to replace the casino job. But she’d quickly learned that at most places she applied to, people expected her to do things she simply wasn’t prepared to do. Like the Peach Parlor, where she was expected to strip. Or the ice cream shop she’d applied to, only to find out they actually needed a model for a one-off promotional shoot. Other businesses wanted her to work insanely long hours or didn’t offer enough hours to be worth it. Kira was open to days, nights, weekends, whatever she could get. But even with her flexibility, it was damn near impossible to find a viable job on short notice.
And Kira didn’t have long to make her next move. Her own rent, bills, and expenses loomed over her, not to even mention the financial help she gave her parents. She wanted something low-key, where she wouldn’t have to cash in on her looks. She didn’t think she was asking for much. But she was starting to think maybe she would have to cave, after all.
As she wandered down the street, she got a video call from her parents. Her impulse was to ignore it. It was late at night, and she didn’t have any good news to share with them. But she knew they would worry if she didn’t pick up.
So she fixed a smile to her face and answered the call.
“Hey, Mom and Dad,” Kira greeted them. “I’m walking to my car a few blocks down.”
“You’re done already! Wow, the interview must have gone well!” her mom said.
Kira’s smile faltered. “Uh, well, it actually wasn’t a good fit.”
“Really? Again?” asked her dad. “These people are crazy. Anybody would be lucky to have you, Kira. You’re a hard worker. Don’t let this get you down.”
“Thanks, Dad. I’m just really tired tonight. Ready to go home and get some sleep. I’ll have to just try again tomorrow,” Kira said. She couldn’t keep the sadness from her tone.
Her parents both looked at her with concern. “You could take a day off, sweetheart. You must have been to ten interviews by now,” said her mother.
“Right. And we would much rather you be safe and happy than rush into anything,” her father agreed.
“I know. I appreciate that. It’s just… hard,” Kira said. The lump in her throat ached more with every tear she held back.
Despite their reassurances, Kira knew how dire the situation could get. Her parents relied on her to get by. Her mother’s illness required a lot of medical care and medication. Kira’s father stayed home with her as a full-time caregiver. If Kira couldn’t provide for them, her dad would have to go back to work, leaving his ailing wife alone at home. His own health problems were creeping into every aspect of his life, too. If he went back to work in his condition, the added physical stress would only exacerbate things. They couldn’t afford a live-in caregiver, and Kira knew her parents preferred to be together anyway. They were getting older, they didn’t have a lot of friends, and Kira was their only family in the States. Kira’s parents were more than just partners; they were best friends. They needed each other.
And so they needed Kira to keep them afloat. It was a lot of responsibility, but Kira accepted it without complaint. She was honored to help them, especially after they had sacrificed so much for her. They had worked their asses off her whole life, and she knew they’d still be working if they could. Kira didn’t want them to push it, though. Their health, their safety, their sanity; they were all-important to Kira. They had given her the world as a child, and she intended to return the favor to the best of her ability. She loved them more than anything.
“Oh, your father’s nighttime medication is kicking in. He can hardly keep his eyes open,” Kira’s mom said, chuckling and nudging her husband awake with a shaky hand.
