"Well look who the cat dragged in,"
Sierra cringed when she heard that silky smooth, sultry voice. She had to do a double take to make sure it was Jewel standing there before the mirror. Glittering like her namesake under the spot fluorescent lighting in the fall ceiling.
Great yet one more relic from her past. This night was just brimming with surprises.
"Come on in, love, and shut that door, you are letting in a draft,"
Sierra seriously considered leaving, she was not in a mood to parry words with this particular shark from the underworld. But then she recalled why she was there in the first place and reluctantly walked into the powder room. Maybe she could just say hello and seek refuge in one of the empty booths behind her, she could pop out when the woman was done primping and preening and left.
"Step lively, lass, You know I don't bite," Jewel said mockingly not looking at her, she seemed far too busy applying a fresh lick of lipstick to her perfectly luscious lips.
"Well not always, anyway,"
Sierra stiffened. She could not believe she knew this fantastic creature. Eons ago, before she had ever stepped foot in the gallery, Sierra had worked a month in a seedy little gay bar called Ivy, specialising in trans entertainers. There wasn't anywhere else she could have gone at the time, a fresh faced runaway like her, without a home or family had very few options.
That month had been the worst month of her life. But she had somehow stuck to it, doggedly going on, hoping against hope that things would get better. It was only when she realised what girls in that hell hole had to do on the side, to make ends meet, that she had fled the roost in disgust.
Jewel had been another one of the younger girls like her there at the time, sharp as a whip and deadly with her scalpel tongue. Her beauty much sought after by the dubious patrons. She had been the star of the show. Sierra hadn't known the other girl well, and over the years had thought little about her, but there was something she owed Jewel.
Her very name in fact, it was Jewel who had come up with it during a night of drunken revelry and somehow it had stuck.
"What are you doing here?"
"Tut, tut baby girl, is that any way to greet old friends,"
"We were never friends, Jewel,"
Jewel cast her a sly look, her lips curled in a smile, straight pearl white teeth flashing her way,
"Ah yes I remember now. You were much too deer in the headlights back then. I always wondered what became of you, love. I hope life treated you well,"
"I can't complain," Sierra said noncommittally, coming to stand beside the beautiful amazon. She pulled out a tube of lipstick from her clutch and slowly applied a fresh coat. Thank god there wasn't anyone else in the bathroom beside them. Sierra didn't want eavesdroppers witnessing this unlikely reunion.
"Well you look good anyway,"
Sierra started at that surprising compliment from the woman. Jewel wasn't exactly known for her complimentary nature.
She stared assessingly at the woman before opening her mouth,
"You don't look too bad yourself," she said.
Which was the understatement of the century.
Jewel looked stunning tonight, but then she always had.
The woman was blessed with the kind of movie star looks that were the envy of any woman who saw her. Tall and slender, curved in all the right places, Jewel was a sight to behold. Even the heavy makeup couldn't detract from the smoothness of her perfect skin, or the allure of her high cheekbones, and heart shaped face.
She was six feet of sable haired perfection.
Her long body encased in a sumptuous black gown that fell past her high heeled louboutin's in fluttering waves. It fairly glittered with a thousand little lights in all it's sequined glory. Cut very low in the front and back, the thing left little to the imagination. How in heaven's name did the woman get her tits to stay up like that, Sierra wondered, like perfect little globes held up by invisible string, come to think of it how was it possible to keep the things from breaking loose in the first place? That abortion of a bodice sure didn't look up to the task.
Sierra felt like a frump standing next to her.
"Oye, I am up here, darling,"
Sierra blushed and looked away. Embarrassed at being caught out gawking, and annoyed a second later when she heard the other woman chuckle.
Sierra tried her best to ignore the electric siren at her side as she fiddled with her sadly lacking ensemble.
She was counting the minutes away.
She needed time to think.
Leaving Dan stewing, sitting there waiting for her to return, wasn't looking like a good idea now. For all she knew the bloke was probably standing right outside the door itching to barge in, in case she did another runner.
Sierra didn't know what the hell to do, coming here earlier tonight the road had seemed so obvious, she would announce her identity to the man and then watch him walk right out of her life. But it was not that simple anymore, she hated to admit it but Dan hadn't acted like she had expected him to. He had been sweet and attentive, genuinely seemed to care what she thought, and he had been completely open about himself for a change too. Not once the entire night had the man been inappropriate. His eyes would still smoulder from time to time with heat when he looked at her, but he kept the fires carefully banked. Dan had acted the complete gentleman which had surprised her, and Sierra couldn't help being a little dazzled despite herself by his charm and good humour. He made her feel like she was centre of the universe.
And it was a singularly unique experience for her.
If it hadn't been for that timely little hiccup with Vincent Cane Taggert, Sierra doubted very much whether she would even be standing here right now.
She knew Dan was mad at her, but she was angrier at him.
Damn him for being so blase about issues that were so integral to her being. She felt like a fool for basking in his attention and forgetting even for a moment who and what he was.
If Dan could support that cretin from Texas in his bigotry and vitriol he was not the man for her, period.
"You look like you swallowed a bad piece of fish,"
"Don't you have anywhere better to be," Sierra said, snapped out of her reverie, "Like sliding up and down a pole,"
Jewel laughed, "I gave up poles a long time ago, love. Well, most of them anyway,"
Sierra arched a brow at that crude double entendre.
"Speaking of poles, I saw the man you were sitting with earlier. You sure you can handle a bloke like that, baby girl? I could feel the sparks coming off of that randy son of a bitch a mile off. You better be careful love, that big bad wolf is barely leashed. I bet he is just champing at the bit to gobble up a tasty little morsel like you,"
"I can take care of myself,"
"Really, so what are you doing hiding in this bathroom like a scared little rabbit?"
Sierra shot her a glare, "That is none of your business, Jewel. And I could very well ask you the same damn question,"
"Now, now, sheath them claws little girl. I didn't mean to tease. Just curious is all. As for me, I am here with a punter from the club, a regular you could say. He bought me this Legere I have on, sexy isn't it? The man is a banker with a fat wife at home so he thought he would spare her another free meal and bring me along instead. As you can see, I can do with a few extra pounds,"
Jewel finished, laughing.
She ran her slender fingers down her tiny waist, smoothing the folds of clingy fabric.
"Don't you ever get sick of this Jewel, when is enough really enough,"
Jewel gave her a funny look. Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"When we are six feet under, love. But don't look so heartbroken. You can be the first one to congratulate me in fact, I'm off to America this Autumn. Frank has me booked for shows all the way through Christmas. Who knows I might even stay."
"Congratulations,"
Sierra didn't say anything else.
She felt bad for Jewel, and she always had.
She hated that so many women like them had to descend to this abysmal low because of the lack of opportunity and pure hopelessness of their situations.
A woman as stunning as Jewel, would have been ruling the world if she didn't have the tag of "trans" attached to her name. Yet here she stood, like an exotic bloom, smearing makeup all over her lovely face, debasing herself with some married banker from the City, for a slutty dress and a free meal.
The world was not kind to them and it was more than a little depressing.
It took a whole lot of effort for Sierra to subdue her morbid thoughts.
She had not gotten the peace she had yearned for, and she didn't suppose she ever would.
It was time she left and faced Dan again, she told herself determinedly. Her earlier plan of humiliating him with the news in a room full of diners had fallen by the wayside, but Sierra was going to tell him tonight.
This couldn't go any further.
He deserved to know, even though he was a cad. Subterfuge wasn't her calling card.
Her heart gave out a funny little keening cry at what she was about to do, but she had no choice. Dan was not the man for her, and she was not the girl for him.
"You're looking constipated, again,"
"Oh just shut up and leave me alone,"
"Calm down, love," Jewel said softly,
Sierra was taken aback by the unexpected understanding she saw reflected in the other woman's catlike, hazel eyes.
Jewel and understanding, now there was one for the books.
"A word of advice, Sierra. Think twice before you go ruin something rare and valuable. Trust me opportunities for women like us are thin on the ground. Sometimes we can be our own worst enemies. If you see a glimmer of happiness, grasp it, and never let go,"
Humbled and shocked by the sincerity in Jewel's voice Sierra turned away and let her words seep deep into her mind.
This night was turning out to be strange indeed.
"It was nice talking to you again, Sierra," Jewel called out behind her, "Like old times,"
Sierra looked back at the beautiful visage, this apparition from her distant past, and smiled wistfully. She marvelled at the similarities and obvious differences between them.
They were like two ships, sailing rudderless in the night, heading down drastically different paths in life.
"Yes it was, have a nice night Jewel,"
"You too love, you too," Jewel murmured, "And best of luck,"
Sierra nodded and headed out the bathroom, ready and resigned to face her impatiently waiting date once more, her heart heavy.