quaint [h.s.]

ten

The lady was stood there with Nancy and one other woman.

"Yes?"

"Doris right? I'm Marisa. We'd like to have a word with you," the lady asked.

I stepped aside and let the three ladies come into my dark room. I refuse to operate that lamp. They all sit on my bed, but Marisa stands.

"So. I'm working with room one girls. Why are they calling themselves pretty?" Marisa asks.

"Because. They deserve that. Why do you want to be so cruel to them?"

"No. But if Joan finds out that we're being nice to them, we'll all get fired."

"Just tell Caroline that Joan is being mean to them!" I asked.

Nancy shook her head. "Then Caroline would fire us for hiding it this long."

"Neither of them has to know," I cross my arms and lean against the wall.

"What do you mean?" The small lady piped.

I pondered for a second. "Well, we could just keep it a secret. We don't have to let them know that we're being nice to them."

"That sounds nice but I'm out. I can't risk my job like this," Marisa bit the inside of her lip while Nancy nodded to agree.

I sighed. "Fine. But I'll just be nice to them then."

The ladies stood up and walked to the door.

I spoke, "Wait. Can you all promise to not tell Joan?"

Marisa thought before answering me. "Yes, we promise. But if something happens and Joan does find out, we had nothing to do with this."

I nodded. "Deal."

The ladies went out of the room and right when I went to close the door, a girl stopped me. I looked down and saw Lucy.

"Lucy! You're supposed to be in bed!" I whispered.

"Joan isn't here. She leaves at nights 'cause she doesn't sleep here. She doesn't come on weekends either," Lucy responded, sliding into my room.

"What about Marisa?" I asked her.

"She says only if I'm with you then I can stay up," Lucy smiled.

I closed and locked the door behind me as Lucy sat in my bed.

I sat across from her. "Do you all..learn?"

Lucy nodded, "Yes. Rose comes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, to teach us."

"What about the older girls?" I questioned.

"They have Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. No one has Sundays."

"Oh..."

Lucy suddenly glanced at me. "What did you say to your boyfriend?"

"Luce." I closed my eyes and sighed.

She laughed. "Okay, okay. I'll stop."

I opened my eyes. "I'm visiting him. Tomorrow I guess."

"Tell him I said hi!" Lucy smiles and I nodded.

"Do you have any siblings?" I asked but quickly regretted it. What if they passed or something?

"I have one little sister. Her name is Glory and she's three years old. Two years more and she'll be here with me!" Lucy grinned.

"You're smart for a five year old. What does Glory look like?" I asked.

"She looks like Papa a lot. Her hair is a golden blonde with bouncy curls. Her eyes are sparkling blue, like mine. And she's so much more hopeful," Lucy sighs.