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Ellena had been right. The girls were useless at dance practice the next morning. She really didn’t mind though. Her mind was not on the dance routine either. Her mind was on her date with Kevin that night. Her mind was racing about what she would wear, where they would go, what they would talk about. She hoped to the heavens that he didn’t find her boring.
She spent the afternoon with Lacey, flying a kite in the park. Then they met Mrs. Craig for ice cream. Mrs. Craig being the perceptive woman she was, could tell that Ellena was nervous about something.
“Ellena, dear. Stop fidgeting and tell me what has got you in such a dither.” Mrs. Craig scolded.
“Sorry, Mrs. Craig. I have a date tonight and I am really nervous. I haven’t had a date since…since...oh my god. I haven’t had a date for four years.”
Mrs. Craig’s eyes twinkled. “Oh! Is it with the young man who sent the flowers?”
“Yes.” Ellena wailed. “I think I’ll just call him and cancel. I’ll tell him that I have to work late or something.”
“Nonsense! You’ll do no such thing. Do you need someone to look after Lacey? I can cancel my bridge game tonight if you need –“
“No, I have a sitter. I have to work first and he’s picking me up there.” Ellena sighed and put her head in her hands. “I don’t even know if I have something decent to wear.”
Mrs. Craig took Ellena’s hands in hers and spoke softly. “You have spent the past several years being the person that everyone else leans on. It’s time you found someone to whom you can go for comfort and support, and maybe a little romance."
“Oh, Mrs. Craig, I don’t need anyone like that.”
“Yes you do. You just haven’t realized it yet.”
Lacey ran up to the picnic table where they were sitting and sat beside Ellena. “Messes Craig, wanna see me on the slide?” Ellena wiped ice cream off Lacey’s face and grinned. Mrs. Craig stood up and held out her hand for Lacey to take.
“Oh, I’d love to dear. Come and show me!”
Ellena watched them walk towards the playground and thought about what the older woman had just said. “I know what you think Mrs. Craig but you are wrong. I’ve been fine on my own so far and I always will be.” She said to herself before getting up to join them at the slide.

*********************

Ellena answered the door at six-thirty sharp. “Hi Cherry, come on in.”
“Hi Ellena. Where’s munchkin?” Cherry came in the apartment and closed the door.
“She’s about to take a swim in the bathtub. Can you take over from here?”
“Sure, no problem.” Cherry nodded.
“Cherry, I’m probably going to be late tonight. Is that okay?”
“Yeah, I have a spare first thing tomorrow morning so I can sleep in. Are you working a double shift?”
“No...actually I have a date!”
“Really! Ell, that’s great! With who?”
“Someone I met at the mall this week. I’m so nervous. I haven’t had a date since before I finished high school. Can you help me find something to wear?”
“Of course.” Cherry took Ellena by the hand and dragged her into the bedroom to the closet. Even though Cherry was only eighteen years old and still in school, she was one of Ellena’s best friends. Cherry reminded Ellena of herself when she was in high school – bright, popular, and sincere and a great dancer.
“How’s this?” Cherry held up a pair of red pants and a royal blue sequined halter top.”
“Cherry! It’s a first date – not a swinger’s party. I don’t think that outfit would give him the right ideas.”
Cherry giggled and added the outfit on the growing pile of clothes on the bed. “Then why do you have stuff like this in your closet?”
“Aargh! Cherry! I have to leave in fifteen minutes.”
“Okay okay, how about this one.” Cherry pulled a simple black skirt off a hanger.
“Yeah, okay and what do I wear with it?”
Ten minutes later, Ellena had packed the outfit that Cherry had helped her pick out into her bag, ready to change into it after her shift at the club. She kissed Lacey good-bye and left to catch the bus downtown.

******************

“You’re going on a date with a stripper?” Nick asked incredulously.
AJ slapped Kevin on the back and laughed. “Good for you man. We won’t wait up.”
Kevin rolled his eyes at his two friends. “No, she’s a waitress at a strip club. She’s not a stripper.”
“Yeah okay, but she still probably has no inhibitions…does she have any friends?”
“AJ, you never give up.” Kevin replied.
“Why should I? Which club is she at and can we come with you to pick her up?”
“Barbie Dahl’s and no you can’t tag along – it’s a date, not a gang bang.”
“Okay, so we’ll go in separate cars and then we can watch the rest of the show while you two can go on your date and get bizay.”
Kevin playfully smacked Nick on the back of the head. “Yeah, whatever.”
“What time are you picking her up?” Nick asked, while rubbing the back of his head.
“She gets off work at eleven.” Kevin answered.
“Okay so we’ll leave here at nine and you can catch the show before you leave for you date!”
“Kevin rolled his eyes. “Gee, I can’t wait.” He said sarcastically.

********************

Ellena had been extremely busy since she began her shift. Naughty Nadia had shows on the hour and she always managed to draw a big crowd. Kevin spotted her serving drinks at the bar as soon as they arrived inside. He waited until she looked their way and then waved. She came over and made sure they got a table in the area she was working that night. Ellena waited to take their drink orders as everyone sat down.
Kevin introduced everyone once they were seated. “Ellena, this is AJ, Brian, Howie and you’ve already met Nick.”
“Hi!” She smiled. “Nice to meet you. Can I get you some drinks?”
After each person ordered, Ellena glanced at her watch and grinned. “You guys are just in time to catch Nadia’s ten o’clock show.” She yelled over the loud music.
“You know all of the girls that work here?” Howie questioned.
“Of course I do. I’ve worked here for three and a half years.” Nick was already preoccupied by the half-dressed dancers on stage. “That one over there is Jaimie Bond, that would explain the 007 music they’re playing. Over in the cage is Sugar Lisa. She dances to Pour Some Sugar on me by Def Leppard. I think Candy is dancing upstairs tonight. She dances to Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground. And, as I said before, Naughty Nadia is on in five minutes. Nadia dances to, well - Nadia dances to everything.”
Nick started to laugh deviously. “So can you get me their phone numbers?” He joked.
Ellena’s eyes twinkled. “Sorry, Jaimie and Candy have been together for two years. Nadia is happily married with two kids and Lisa is just … just dirty.” She shuddered. “I’ll go get your drinks and be back in a few.” Ellena hurried away towards the bar.
“She seems nice.” Howie said to Kevin. “Where did you meet her?”
Kevin explained to everyone at the table how he and Ellena had met each other two days earlier. Ellena returned with their drinks. For the next hour, they watched the show and Ellena stopped by their table to chat whenever she got a chance. Eleven o’clock was fast approaching and Ellena was anxious to be done work. She stopped by Kevin’s table to tell him that she would be ready to go right at eleven o’clock.
“I just have to change out of my uniform and I’ll be right back.” She smiled while setting down another round of drinks.
“Okay, I’ll meet you back out here in ten.” Ellena left her drink tray at the main bar and hurried into the back to change into the clothes Cherry had helped pick out. She opened her locker and started to undress. She heard the door to the change room open and she called out. “Hey Nadia, you were pretty hot tonight! One guy at table six asked me for your phone number three times.” Ellena pulled her uniform shirt off over her head and searched her bag for her burgundy sweater. “Nadia? Are you still in here?” She called and listened for sounds of movement in the room. She turned around and gasped at when she realized the other person in the room wasn’t Nadia. “Mr. Dahl, what are doing in here? I’m changing!” She snatched her shirt from the locker and hugged it to her chest, trying to cover as much as possible.
Ken Dahl remained silent as he raked his eyes over her slender figure and licked his lips. “Ellena, I see you have matured since I first met you.”
“Get out!” She said through clenched teeth.
“I own this club and I can go wherever I want. And, in case you forgot, I also own you so maybe you should speak to me with a little more respect.” His black teeth glistened in the dim light as he grinned lecherously at her.
“As if you deserve my respect. What do you want?”
“Besides the obvious…?” He raised an eyebrow at her and Ellena suddenly felt nauseous. “I wanted to know if you had heard from your brother lately.”
“No I haven’t heard from him for almost three months. I told you that last week.”
“I just wanted to make sure you weren’t keeping something from me.”
“Of course not.” Ellena snapped back.
“You will let me know if you hear from him, won’t you?” He reached his hand out and caught a few strands of Ellena’s hair. She snatched it back from him and glowered.
“I’ll let you know.”
The club manager backed towards the door and looked her over one more time before opening it. “If you ever get tired of that lonely apartment Ellena, you know where to find me.” With a laugh, he left the room.
Ellena’s stomach lurched as the images he had just suggested assaulted her mind. She sighed and pulled the rest of her clothes form the bottom of her locker. She quickly changed after she made sure the door was locked. She did her best to push the incident out of her mind by thinking of her date with Kevin. With one last check in the mirror of her hair and make up, she left the change room and all nasty thoughts of Ken Dahl behind.