Episode 14
Episode 14
It’s Showtime
MAIA
“Sign here, and here,” Alana’s new assistant instructed. I focused on the pearlescent paint she had on her nails. It shimmered like the scales of a fish under the bright office lights.
I scribbled something illegible where she pointed. No one would be able to prove that was my signature. I signed everything differently so no two were alike.
Jade pursed her lips in a manner that reminded me of Alana herself, but not quite as polished. Upon my arrival, she’d scrutinized my worn jeans and beat-up Doc Martens with disdain. Something the Madam never did. She always treated me with respect and kindness. I’d even dressed to impress by wearing my prettiest top, too. It was purple and had a little ruffle at the hem. My biker friend/landlord had bought it for me as a birthday gift this past year when I turned twenty-three. I’d wear it most often when interviewing for jobs that paid in cash. Since this was kind of a job interview, at least that was the way I chose to think about it, I’d dressed to impress.
“How do you know the Madam?” Jade asked in that cool, richy-rich tone that was almost off-putting, but not quite rude.
“What did she tell you?” I always answered a question I didn’t want to answer with a question. People easily got confused, changed the subject, or they’d answer and then I could shift the conversation to something else.
“Not very much, I’m afraid.”
That confirmed what I thought.
Madam Alana and I had an odd relationship. I often saw her as a fairy-godmother type. Over the years she’d often slipped me gift cards for restaurants or grocery stores to ensure I was eating properly. One time she gave me a prepaid cell phone and told me to come visit her when the credits were gone so she could add more to it. Her rationale was that a young woman like me should never be without a phone for safety reasons. And it made a lot of sense, so I made sure to add credits whenever I was low. I also texted with her every week or two. It was nice having someone beyond Sam, my best friend/landlord, who cared about my well-being.
I shrugged and let the silence between Jade and me grow. Another trick from the street. Silence, especially while standing or looking at a person directly in the face, freaked people out.
Jade seemed immune to that trick, staring me down like a pro in a blinking competition.
Surprisingly, I caved first. “Where is the Madam?” I asked.
“She’s in a meeting but will be out shortly.” Jade crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head. “Are you related to her?” she asked, seemingly out of nowhere.
I frowned. “Do I look like I’m related to her?” I countered.
Jade’s gaze ran up and down my form. “Not really.”
“There you go,” I responded noncommittally.
“You’re an enigma…”
“So are you,” I interrupted. “This is the first I’m seeing you and I’ve known Alana for a long time. Never seen you before.” I dragged my gaze up and down her form. “Though you look like you shop at the same stores. What? Did you guys get a buy- one, get-one deal?” I smiled innocently even though I knew my observation hit the target when she winced.
Jade glared. “I’m the Madam’s protégé.”
I had no clue what a protégé was or did, so I nodded.
The door to the conference room opened and a gaggle of people entered. I jumped out of the leather chair and immediately took up a position in the back of the room to assess what was taking place. Jade grabbed the paperwork on the table, putting it neatly into a stack.
Madam Alana entered at the back of the pack, her lips twitched into a barely there smile before she dipped her head in greeting at me and then approached Jade.
“Did everything go well with Maia?” she asked.
“Yeah, but we didn’t have time to review the male bidders’ images so she could X one out if she wanted,” she replied.
“Maia, darling, did you want to see the bidders and choose one you’d like to remove from bidding? Every candidate gets to review the images of the people attending and mark one off based on sight alone.” She explained in front of the entire group.
I shook my head. “Why would I want to limit my options?”
She smiled fully which I found odd. “As I suspected,” she praised, and I felt my spine unfurl as I stood taller.
“Thank you, Jade. Go ahead and get these sent over to the attorney and I’ll brief the candidates before we take them to get their makeovers.”
“Of course.” Jade nodded and left the room.
Alana took the seat at one end of the table. She gestured with a hand to the chair next to her. I moseyed over and eased into the seat, ensuring I had a good view of the exit in the event I needed to bolt for any reason. Another street fact—always be aware of all exits. One never knew when they’d have to bail from a difficult situation.
“Welcome, everyone.” Madam Alana sat up in her chair. “Today will be very busy. After our chat here, you will be taken to one of the ballrooms to get made over. Makeovers include, but are not limited to facials, pedicures, waxing, makeup, hair, and, of course, attire.”
One of the women beamed at the idea of a makeover. She was blonde with big blue eyes that oozed joy and happiness. She looked like a living, breathing rainbow. Her clothing was a wild mix of patterns and swirling colors. Her wrists had so many beaded bracelets they made noise when she moved her hands. Long dangling earrings fell from her ears like dripping icicles.
“I can see Summer is entertained by the prospect of being made over.” Alana looked at the rainbow woman I was evaluating.
“Girl, I’m hella excited,” she spoke, a big, toothy white smile spread across her glossy pink lips. “It’s like a spa day!” Summer gushed.
A ridiculously beautiful redhead rolled her eyes. “No, it’s not,” she tutted. “Alana, why am I here? I’m not in the regular auction anyway.” One of her perfectly shaped eyebrows cocked in what could only have been disdain.
First of all, the redhead didn’t say “Madam” which I understood to be a no-no in mixed company. I perched on the edge of my seat, put my elbows to the table, and looked from Alana back to the redhead. I was eager to see a battle play out.
“Julianne.” Madam Alana’s tone was icy cold.
Daaaannnnggggg, this was going to be good.
“Yes, Godmother.” She batted her eyelashes.
Godmother! Oh, shit.
I watched as Julianne crossed her arms over one another in that arrogant manner wealthy people tended to fall back on. The redhead exuded old money with her perfect hair, makeup, clothing, and poise. She also wore a pantsuit that had to have been tailored to fit her. If she wasn’t sitting in this room filled with candidates, I would have thought the woman was a bidder, not a participant.
Why was the Madam auctioning off her own goddaughter?
My mouth dropped open and I straight up stared at the two women, my head jockeying from one glare to the next. Every single last person in the room held their breath in anticipation of what the Madam would do and say.
“Not that I need to explain myself, ma petite fleur,” she said in French. I had no idea what she called her, but it didn’t sound mean. “As I have instructed everyone here, my standards are exacting. The bidders will be paying no fewer than three million dollars for the benefit of your hand in marriage. I prefer to have my candidates look and feel their absolute best. You may have had more advantages in life, but you will undergo the same process as everyone else here. That is the last I will speak on it. If you do not wish to follow my guidelines and expectations, the exit is right there.” Alana lifted her chin toward the large double doors.
Julianne snarled and sat back in her chair. “Fine. I apologize. Please continue.” She ultimately gave in.
Point for Alana.
“Now, I want you to look around at the people in this room. You each have one thing in common. These will be the only people who understand what you have committed to and will undergo over the next three years. I suggest you make friends with one another throughout the day.”
Madam Alana spent the next hour reminding us of our commitment. I knew the details by heart as I had a photographic memory.
-You must marry your bidder within one month of a signed contract.
-You must consummate the marriage within two weeks of said marriage.
-You must go and live where the bidder wanted you to go. This could be anywhere.
-You must not run away from your bidder, or your money is forfeit.
-You must make a concerted effort to please your bidder, including regular sexual relations.
-You must accompany the bidder to events and functions as they desired.
-If you wanted out within the first year, you were to return all of the money.
-If the bidder wanted out within the first year, they forfeited their deposit only.
In exchange for all of that, I would get the following:
-No fewer than three million dollars.
-Three years of marriage.
-A fully vetted bidder with no criminal record and the promise they will do no harm to the candidate.
-A roof over my head, food in my belly, clothes in the closet.
-Protection from Madam Alana and her lawyers.
-Regular checkups and in-person visits by Madam Alana to ensure the candidate’s safety.
Finally, Alana stood up and clapped her hands. “Let’s get made over.”
* * * *
The makeover process was whack. I had never been poked and prodded so much in my entire life. My face was on fire. The space between my eyebrows felt like a throbbing, open wound. Apparently, I had a case of “unibrow,” according to the waxing professional. And don’t even get me started on what they wanted to do to my hoo-ha , which I straight refused. Jade had been called over to mediate when I wouldn’t allow them to remove more hair than just the sides of my bikini line. I declined removing my underwear too. They could fuck right off. No one was touching me there again without my permission.
No one.
Jade calmly asked me my preference, without a judgy expression, and promptly told the waxing gal to touch only what I permitted.
“Her body, her choice,” she stated simply, and that endeared Jade to me.
“Thank you,” I whispered, clutching the robe to my body as I slipped off the table.
Jade put her hand to my elbow and lightly led me out of the waxing room where I could still hear the other candidates crying out in pain, one after another. She leaned her head toward me. “If anyone tries to touch you inappropriately or do anything that makes you feel unsafe, you call us. No questions asked. Our candidates’ safety and well-being are our highest priorities”
I snorted. “I thought money was.”
“You don’t know the Madam that well,” Jade surmised accurately.
I’d had lunch and dinner with Alana many times in the past. Throughout the years, I’d learned her quarterly schedule and would pop up when I needed a meal or a really good place to stay. Sometimes it was just because I was lonely, and I liked having someone to spend time with who didn’t want something from me.
The Madam was cool. Even though she was the one helping me, I always got the feeling that doing so helped her in some way. It was a weird yet symbiotic relationship. We rarely got deep into our pasts, but I definitely shared more with her than anyone else besides Sam. He knew it all. He was only ten years older than me but had also lived a hard life, so he wasn’t surprised by much.
“The Madam has plenty of money. She does what she does because it’s her calling. Not only did it help make her independently wealthy, but she also helps people out of difficult situations by offering them an alternative life. One that has financial security and, ultimately, freedom from whatever life they are leaving behind.”
I nodded, imagining what I was going to do with all that money. I didn’t give a shit about myself. I’d lived on the streets, worked the shittiest jobs in the world, and had survived things that most people couldn’t even imagine. What I wanted was to save my mother, brother, and, most important, my baby sister. The three of them were still stuck under the thumb of the Devil himself and his demon spawn. I just hoped I wasn’t too late.
Jade brought me over to a woman who immediately started fiddling with my hair. “How long has it been since you’ve had it cut, sugar?” the woman asked as she chewed noisily around a wad of green gum that smelled like sour apples. My mouth watered as I hadn’t had anything to eat yet that day.
“Um, professionally? I honestly can’t remember. I chopped about six inches off last year because it was getting in my way.”
“Mmm-hmm. Well that explains it.” The woman smacked her gum as she held up the varying lengths of my hair. “Don’t you worry, sugar. I’m going to fix you right up and you’ll be good as new!”
“Cool,” I said, not knowing how I should act.
Over the next several hours, the candidates received face and hair treatments that transformed us into beautiful prospective brides and grooms. I was happy to see a couple men in the mix. One big Black guy named Memphis cracked jokes and kept everyone laughing and having a good time. I’d have been surprised if he didn’t score himself a willing bidder. And then of course there was Summer who literally spewed sunshine from her mouth every time she spoke. The woman was that happy. I didn’t think I’d ever met someone who seemed so perfectly content in their own skin.
Julianne, the redheaded goddaughter, seemed bored, her face plastered to her phone the entire time, not interested in making conversation with anyone. I didn’t care either way. I wasn’t here to make friends. I was here to make a lot of money so I could get my family out of a horrible situation, even if my mother had forsaken me years ago. I still loved her and wanted her happy and most important, safe.
Once I’d put on the black lingerie my stylist had instructed me to wear, Madam Alana approached my privacy screen.
“Maia, I have picked out a dress that I feel best displays all your physical assets,” she claimed.
I peeked around the screen and cringed at the tiny dress. “It’s a mini-dress,” I grumbled.
“ Chéri , you are petite. One does not put a floor-length gown on a woman who is five foot three. The fabric would swallow you whole. Try this and we’ll discuss,” she tutted.
I snatched the dress from her fingers and slipped the damn thing over my head. The silky black fabric slid delicately over my curves, the hem falling to mid-thigh in a flirty ruffle. The halter style immediately pushed my boobs up to highlight my cleavage but showed very little.
“Snap, snap, my dear. We are preparing to leave,” she called out.
I came around the screen and Madam Alana openly stared. She walked around me slowly and silently, one of her fingers curled under her chin.
“ Magnifique !” she gasped.
I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face or the heat that flooded my cheeks “You think so?”
Madam Alana placed two fingers under my chin and forced me to look up into her eyes. “He won’t know what hit him,” she said and then winked.
“He?” I asked. “You have someone in mind for me?” I breathed, desperate for any detail of what I’d be up against.
She shrugged one delicate shoulder. “That I’ll never tell,” she murmured, then handed me a pair of shiny black stilettos and walked to the front of the room. I grabbed my thrifted Doc Martens just in case and followed the Madam.
She smiled.
And for the first time I felt a bit excited.
“All right, my friends. It’s showtime!”