Part Two

The following morning was the usual. Iris woke in her bed hours after she had sent away her last “date” of the night. Feeling rather cranky she pulled on her black French laced robe and stumbled into her small personal shower.

She stood under the stream of pulsating water hoping to steam and wash off the remains of the night before. After fifteen minutes she felt clean enough and preceded to dress for the day. She sat at her vanity and put on her jewelry. Two rings, a delicate diamond pendant necklace and simple stud earrings.

She opened up a drawer and took out her make-up case and a picture frame. In it was the smiling face and sparking eyes that only could belong to a pink swaddled newborn. That newborn was over three years old now. Amelia Faye was living far away from D.C. in Florida with Iris’s mother. Each morning she looked at that picture as she put on her makeup and tried to conclude how her life had ended up here.

How she ended up a dead beat from a good family. Her two second marriage had ended ugly. Cocaine usage lost her too much. Iris’ mother took Amelia when she was six months old and Iris had run away landing her in a crack house working a corner for her next high. Until she ran into Madam Flowers when she tried selling her wares to one of the Hive’s customers outside of a fancy eatery.

Why Madam didn’t just have her arrested for prostitution and taken away God only knows. But instead Madam took her to the Hive and locked Iris down in the basement until the cravings and with-drawls had passed. Soon enough Madam had her cleaned up and classed up enough to have her working with the other girls. She took on the name Iris. Back then it was Honey Suckle and Rose and another girl who now was far gone.  

Iris applied the last of her eyeliner. Soon Geoff would be pounding on the doors informing them it was far past brunch and if they wanted food they best be getting it somewhere else. For as much as Madam Flowers had tried to tone all of them down she hadn’t been quiet so successful in taming her body guard. As tailored as his suits were and as crisps as his haircuts, only so much street could be taken from the former gang member. Not even ten years of Hive could take it all away.