Pretty Dolly - Complete | L.S

7

Back at work.

"Who knew this business had a holiday rush?" Louis exclaimed as he slid his heels onto knee high clad feet.

"A lot of lonely people this time of year," Janice exclaimed before walking into one of the rooms.

Louis watched as Emma opened the green window looking into the massage room. There was a first timer inside... one that Emma was supposed to serve.

"No, it can't be."

"It can't be what? What can't it be? What is it?" Louis edged as he looked at what the short girl was looking at. Inside the room was a fat bald man.

"It's the preacher from my church. He's wearing the brown sweater the choir gave him for secret Santa. I picked out that sweater. I think I'm gonna be sick."

Louis frowned as the brunette girl ran outside of the shop, Louis grabbed a robe and followed.

"Are you okay?" He questioned.

"I don't know."

"Well, go on, then, get out of here." The small boy offered, pointing to the road.

"But where? I can't go home; nobody wants me." The eighteen-year-old cried.

"Baby, you can always go home. As a parent, I always tell my kids-" Louis began, however, was cut off mid-sentence.

"Will you pray with me?"

The small boy frowned as he tilted his head, he pat the girl on the back.

"I gotta get back inside, but you know what? That Christian Fellowship Lodge, it's right over there. Say one for me, would you?"

---

Emma did that; she watched as Louis walked back inside... going to serve his own customer. So, she made her way over the street and towards the Christian Fellowship Lodge. It was then that she made a decision. Walking up to the Christian men outside of the door handing out pamphlets she spoke.

"Excuse me?" She paused once she gained their attention. "So sorry to interrupt, but I think God wants me to tell you what's going on at that health spa across the road."

And so she did.

---

"I swear, I'm doing everything I can to keep it together, but it's too much." Louis ranted to Niall... the friend who had quickly become his refuge.

"So quit." Niall shrugged as if it was evident.

"I can't. Money's too good. The house needs a new roof. Haz is thinking about buying into that company he's been working for... No, you are right. I'll quit. I will. I've got to. I'm just so tired of being tired all the time."

"I support that Idea, Lou."

---

"Lou, wake up, baby. Lou. Lou" Harry ushered, shaking his husband's sleeping body.

"Hm?" Louis paused, groggily opening his eyes. "I guess I never heard the alarm."

"I heard it way out in the garage. Honey, this is nuts. Last few weeks, you've been wearing yourself out. You gotta cut back on the hours." Harry begged. He missed happy, fun Louis.

"Yeahhhh... I will."

---

"Hey, have you seen Emma lately? I haven't seen her since Christmas." Janice questioned, looking around at the girls all ready for their first customer of the day.

"No, and I miss that little buttercup because it's so crazy around here," Doreen exclaimed

"I'll tell you what's crazy, me sitting here bored and horny while Lou's got three rooms going. " The redhead rolled her eyes.

"Oh, well, don't go comparing yourself to others, Janice. We all got our own strengths. Though I gotta say, Lou's been busy as popcorn... even the straight guys are asking for him."

"Yeah. Guys are flying in from Germany on private jets. Guys are buying him jewellery. And three, three proposals. That's gotta be like some kind of record." Janice laughed.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I gotta know. What can he be doing that we're not? I mean, there's only so many places to put things and so many things to put in them." Doreen rolled her eyes, walking over to the green curtain as she opened it. Both her and Janice watched as Louis interacted with the customer.

'Pecan Sandies with crushed hazelnuts? I can't believe you remembered.' The man on the massage chair looked proud, passing Louis a container of Louis' favourite food.

Janice and Doreen watched as the two interacted. They personally never bothered to get to know their clients... Louis however, it looked like he did.

'Of course, I did. Your Aunt Julie used to make them for you when you went to Cheshire... you told me that.'

That is how Louis got more customers because he bothered to get to know the men he served.

---

Tomorrow

"Dolly, you could have been killed." Louis rolled his eyes as he gave his client one last kiss.

He had told the man how he nearly fell asleep at the wheel yesterday when he was driving home.

"Yeah, well, I'm just having a hard time staying awake recently." Louis shrugged.

"I can't have my favourite boy falling asleep at the wheel." Louis watched as the client, named John, passed him a small bag with white crystals in it.

"Is that what I think it is?" Louis' eyes widened

"It'll keep you going. Works for me."

"Well, no offence, but I've never even tried weed, and I don't want to do anything wrong or highly illegal... More than I'm doing right now." Louis passed the bag back to the man.

However, he was persistent; he smirked as he placed it in the small boy's pocket.

"Well, it's there if you need it. See you next week, Dolly."

Louis sighed as the man left, whispering out a weak, "looking forward to it."

---

"Wake up, Mum. Mum. Wake up. Mum." Charlie begged, Louis was asleep, it was 8 pm.

"Uh..." Louis groaned as he woke up.

"Hey, Mummy's gonna turn in early. Just brush your teeth and say your prayers, okay?" The small boy pat his daughter's back as he asked her to go to sleep.

"But you can't sleep. Tomorrow's the bake sale, remember?" Charlie's eyes widened expectantly.

"What?" Louis had no recollection of a bake sale.

"We're raising money for the fur.

"For the fur?" Louis sat up as he listened to his daughter.

"Yeah, it's a country that's in trouble. Oh, you mean Darfur."

"I guess. The bake sale's a castle theme. I came up with the idea. Mum! Are you listening?" Charlie raised her small voice.

"Yeah. I'm up. I'm up."

With that Louis was halling himself out of bed.