Chapter 7

• The big day had finally come. The day I could possibly lose my virginity. It had been a few weeks since I signed my life away but I had a beautiful home, a nice car and my sisters were receiving the best education possible. I'm not going to lie but I'm scared as hell.
• I had been reading books on how to please a man and the karma sutra. Damn how could people actually bend their bodies on those positions? I even tried to watch porn, but I couldn't finish it without gagging. How was I suppose to be a call girl but haven't had sex yet? I was a pitiful excuse for one. How was I going to prepare for this? I just hoped that my first experience wouldn't be so bad and I get fired.
• Taking me out of my daydream I heard the doorbell. I ran down the stairs and opened the door. "Hello Ms. Cadence," she said with bright cheery smile. Marci was dressed in a navy blue designer custom made suit and matching shoes. She was older and for the first time I noticed a wedding ring on her finger.
• "I'm here to get you ready. Davy and Sara will be here in a few to do hair and make-up and Giana will be here with the dress after so hurry up and shower and let's get started."
• After my shower I came back in my room to find a tall black man and skinny white woman setting up. They introduced themselves as Davy for hair and Sara for makeup. They quickly got to work as Marci was on the phone. Marci is a slave driver. She was supervising by telling everyone what to do. I felt sorry for Davy. Marci watched him to make sure my hair was perfect. "I do not want a hair out of place, understand? She has to look perfect," she told him keeping a watchful eye. Devy would roll his eyes every now and then making me laugh.
• After four hours of hair it was time for make-up. I wasn't one for wearing a lot of make-up. I believe make-up was to enhance your features not create a circus sideshow. Sara had pulled out her I-pad and showed us several different looks just by having a photo of me. This was high tech to me. After finally deciding which direction we were going in Sara did her thing. As I watched Sara apply everything my doorbell started to ring. Marci walked down the stairs to answer. She came back up with the dress and wings.
• "You are going to be the belle of the ball. Men will be fawning over you," Marci said. She walked over to the closet and hung it up. Sara had just finished the last of my makeup when I looked in the mirror and the person I saw was not me. She was beautiful.
• "I remember my first ball. I was twenty three years with a three year old daughter. I had met Ms. Lilly a few months prior and was doing odd jobs. She took me under her wing. I wore a yellow goddess dress with an a-line split going up the side. My hair was pinned and make-up flawless. I danced and had a great time. I walked away with three new clients and years later I married one. Frank and I have been married for twenty-seven years with two children. So my dear it may not be as bad as you think," she said winking.
• "Why do you still work for Ms. Lilly?" I asked.
• "Because you see we became friends. After my kids grew up I became bored plus I am a control freak. I'm also not one to sit around the house all day so I work as her personal assistant on this side of the business since I worked for her for twenty-eight years."
• "Everyone I have spoken too or have come in contact with since I started working seems to adore Ms. Lilly."
• "Cadence you may find it difficult to believe but Ms. Lilly help those that can't help themselves. She gives you the boost of confidence you need to succeed. She is not like the other Madames that go around and take a seventy percent cut and don't care about you. When she takes this much time on you she sees something in you. Most of the people you have met has worked for Lilly and are successful throughout the world. Lawyers, doctors, accountants, business owners all kinds of girls have worked for Lilly and became the whos whos of their fields. Lilly has a heart. This business may not be for everyone, but if you can stick it out, you can be successful."
• Marci walked off to answer her phone. Moments later she walked back over with a smile on her face. "Come on let's get this dress on."
• After Marci zipped me up she turned me around to look in the mirror. What I saw was a young woman dressed in a beautiful white gown going to the ball. I felt like a fairytale princess. I wanted to cry because I have never looked like this before.
• "You look amazing," Marci said giving me a smile. "Come, come, Ben is waiting outside. The ball will be starting shortly and Lilly has to look at every girl before she steps out to the public.
• _________
• I arrived at the big beautiful mansion in Algiers. It was a thirty minute ride because it was in the middle of nowhere. As Ben turned off the highway I saw the gleaming lights that led from the road to the house. The limbs from the oak trees that hung low were all lit up with big bright white lights. It look like something out of a fairytale. The narrow road was lit up by glass candles lanterns. Each one sparkled in the twilight reflecting the romantic atmosphere of New Orleans.
• I knew she must have had people working out there in the darkness because not one was blown out. Seeing the cars and limos pulling up, it seemed as if the party was just starting. Looking at my watch it was 8pm and I knew it would start at 9pm. Did they have that many desperate men out there in the world? Pulling up to the mansion, it reminded my of a castle. The massive home looked like the size of the White House.
• "Ben this place is huge. Does Ms. Lilly own this place?"
• "Suga, this place has been in her family for over two hundred years and some of the oak trees have been here much longer. It use to be a plantation."
• "Ms. Lilly's family owned slaves?"
• "Yes, they did but Ms. Lilly is not like that."
• "What's the difference Ben. We are prostitutes and she owns us so what's the difference? She provides me with a home and my needs, didn't the master do the same thing?"
• Ben looked back at me for a moment. "Slaves didn't have the freedom to leave, you do. You chose this life, slaves didn't so it's your choice. I can turn the car around and leave or you can go in there and do the job you are going to be paid to do. Did slaves make enough money to provide for their families? No, they took hand outs because they didn't know any better. They weren't educated. So stop complaining Cadence." I could see Ben getting riled up.
• I continued to stare out the windshield. I knew he was upset with me. He never called me Cadence. "I'm sorry Ben."
• "No problem."
• Ben was close to a father to me. He had helped me for the past few weeks in getting used to this life and with the girls. He was someone I could talk to. He pulled up to the back and opened my door.
• "Go to the first door on the left, Gabriel will be there and he will tell you what to do. I will see you in the morning. Good luck, Suga." He smiled and got back in the car.