that I wanted likes boys.”
“Ah, Sheldon. How is he?”
“He’s looking after me. If it wasn’t for Sheldon, I wouldn’t be able to go to art school. He even pays for my supplies sometimes.”
“Aren’t his parents loaded?”
“They are. And he reminds me that he’d prefer to pay for me than have me drop out. He even suggested I move in with him.”
“Into his four-bedroom Soho house? Shit, Penny, that would be amazing. Why don’t you?”
“If it wasn’t for Mom and her helplessness, I would. At least, I’m at Sheldon’s on weekends.”
“Is he seeing anyone?”
“There’s a guy he really likes, a cop who’s ashamed of being gay and is driving poor Shelly crazy.”
“I’m thinking of doing it,” said Lilly, her sudden change of subject jolting me back to that sticky subject of our innocence.
I studied her. “Selling yourself, you mean? That’s prostitution.”
“Yeah. For one night. And then I can set up my own salon.” Her face lit up with excitement. I understood Lilly’s ambition for a better life only too well, because I also harbored the same desire.
“One night?” I visualized some ugly foul-smelling man running his hands over me and grimaced. “I’m not sure I could do that.”
“Even for five hundred thousand pounds?” Lilly asked.
“But your client received fifty thousand, you just said.”
“Yeah. But hey, she’s nothing on you. You’re stunning. And with those big tits and that shapely ass—God, Penny.”
“I’m chubby.”
“No, you’re not. You’re curvy. I’d kill to have your body.”
I stared at Lilly. With her lovely thick blond hair, gorgeous blue eyes, and svelte body, she was beautiful. “You could raise the same amount, Lil. You really could. But this is horrible. I shouldn’t be encouraging you.”
“I’m going to do it. Will you at least come with me for moral support?” she asked.
“Where is it?”
“A club in Soho.”
“You had to apply?” I asked, sitting forward.
“I went in and paraded.” She bit her lip. “That was after I’d sent a photo and a doctor’s report.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? That’s taking it a bit too far.”
“Hello, pap smears. And it was a female doctor. At least I know I haven’t got some virus or STDs.”
My head pushed back. “An STD from a vibrator? Or your fingers?”
She giggled. “The clients need to know what they’re paying for, I guess.”
“So did this client of yours describe the guy?”
“Yep.” Lilly’s mouth turned down. “Predictably, he was old and flabby.”
“Yuck.”
“Yeah. But one night, and then I can set up my own business and leave this shithole.”
“But this is your home. I’d miss you.”
She smiled sadly and touched my hand. “Don’t worry, we’ll always be besties.”
I couldn’t imagine my life without Lilly. I wasn’t sure where I would have been without her. All those cozy sessions, drinking cups of tea and eating our homemade scones while watching telly together—normal activities that most folk probably took for granted meant the world to me. I’d never had that growing up. My mother didn’t do normal. She just did drugs, loud music, alcohol, and before Frank, one man after another sitting on our cigarette-burned couch. I’d leave the flat and stay with Lilly.
And now Lilly was proposing to do what most women in our impoverished circle did—sell herself. I despaired that I had no alternative suggestion for her.
“Will you come with me?” she asked.
I nodded hesitantly. “I suppose. What exactly do you have to do?”
“I have to parade in the nude and make sure I’m hairless.”
“Bald?”
My shocked tone made her laugh. “No, you nutjob. No pubes.”
Grimacing, I shook my head. “You have to wax. Ouch.”
“I already do my legs, anyway.” Her mood darkened. “There’s one thing you must promise.”
“What’s that?”
“That you don’t tell Brent.”
Lilly’s brother, Brent worked as a bouncer at the local casino. He was out all night, so at least he wouldn’t be around to ask questions.
“Of course. I’m not that daft.”
“He’d blow the joint up.”
That wasn’t an exaggeration. Brent could be rather explosive.
“Okay. I’ll come along,” I said. It was the least I could do for my best friend, even if the concept sickened me.
Lilly squeezed my hand. “That would be super.”
The little tremor in her voice wasn’t lost on me. I tilted my head and studied her.
“What?” she asked.
“Are you sure about this? I mean, there are other ways. How about if we set up a rescue-me account or something like that?”
Lilly pulled a face. “Huh? As if anyone will donate to someone starting up her own salon.”
“You never know.” I sighed. Lilly was right. It was dog-eat-dog out there. Too many people like