1 Year later
"Okay Sean there's extra diapers and formula in the closet, extra breast milk in the freezer, if she gets sick Dr. Cooper's number is on the calendar and the fridge, don't let her watch TV please and make sure the door is closed at all-"
"Tess I've got this"
She took a deep breath and smiled, "Okay"
"Okay?"
"The car is all packed and ready to go", Mitchell walked to Tess and kissed little Ana on the head
Sean walked to Tess and practically pried the baby from her, "It's time to go"
Tess cupped her daughter's little face and kissed her one last time before being dragged out by Mitchell
"Lorraine will be here tonight ok?"
"Got it"
"Baby first, club second"
"Salute"
Mitchell backed out of the parking lot and started driving away, he looked over and smiled as Tess waved till the pair were out of sight
"She'll be fine"
"I feel like I'm abandoning her.... her birthday was yesterday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE GIRL! Mommy and daddy are going on a trip without you"
"We need a break Tess and besides this is important.....don't you want to do this so Ana gets to know ALL of her family one day?"
"I guess"
"The wedding is in two weeks and our honeymoon is gonna be farther away and more than a weekend so this will be like a practice run"
She sighed but then nodded in agreement, "I guess every parent at some point or another has to learn to let go right?"
"Right and I'm proud of you"
They sat in silence for a few minutes before she decided to lay back and close her eyes, when she opened them she was blinded by bright lights
"Hey....Welcome to Las Vegas"
"Wait WHAT!?.....I slept that long?"
"Yeah and I bet you feel a whole lot better"
"I still feel guilty and now I miss my baby", she sat up slowly and moaned rubbing her neck
"We're almost at our hotel then we can call Sean"
At their hotel they called and caught up with Sean and Lorraine who told them how good Ana was being, they both fell asleep instantly after they hit the bed, physically and emotionally exhausted. The next morning Mitchell called room service and kissed Tess gently trying to rouse her
She adorably moaned and rolled over so he started kissing her neck, "Wake up sleeping beauty....we have to get ready"
She sighed and turned to face him smiling brightly, "Am I a bad mother for saying that was the best sleep I've had since Ana was born?"
He chuckled and pecked her on the lips, "No......ready for today?"
She sat up and shook her head, "Not really no"
"Just remember I'm here ALL the way"
She nodded and cupped his cheek, "I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for you supporting me"
A knock on the door made them pull away
"ROOM SERVICE"
He stood up and answered the door, after eating they got ready and with directions from the woman at the front desk they were off.
"You're sister must be a very popular artist for the lady at the front desk to know her so quickly"
"Yeah....I haven't heard from her in a while.....when we text she talks very little about her job but I'm happy for her....at least one of us could prove our mother wrong"
He frowned at her, "What is that suppose to mean?"
"You know.....she was successful and I was not...."
"You don't give yourself enough credit....look at how classy you're club is and even through tough times you never gave up....since we worked on you're debt the club has been skyrocketing"
She smiled, "Thanks for helping me by the way....."
"Soon we're gonna be partners for life and every success will be a shared success, my success is you're success and you're success is my success"
"I love you"
"I love you too......and we're here"
She looked out the window and frowned at the building in front of her, the most noticeable part of the place was the neon pink letters at the entrance that that read 'little Darlings'
"This can't be the right place"
He shrugged and gave her his phone, "It's the address that the woman gave me"
She looked at the GPS and again looked back up at the building, "Well she must've made a big mistake cause this doesn't look like a art gallery"
"Well baby why don't we just get out, go in and ask them some directions....we are here to look for her....no-one said it was gonna be easy"
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "You're right....let's go"
They walked to the front doors and was met by two huge men guarding the entrance
"ID"
Mitchell took his wallet from his pocket and fished inside pulling out his ID card and handing it to one of the muscular men. He nodded and handed it back then gestured to the other one that it was okay to stand aside. They walked in and was greeted by a young woman at the front desk who shouted "20 BUCKS" while loudly chewing her gum, Tess rolled her eyes and stepped in front of Mitchell who was getting ready to pay
"Look lady I'm looking for Rose O'Donnell ....where can I find her?"
The woman laughed obnoxiously, "Inside, on A POLE"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me now pay the fuck up or get the fuck OUT"
Tess scoffed as Mitchell gently rubbed her shoulder and payed the woman, she scowled at her as they passed
"I swear Rose is getting her ass kicked tonight one way or another"
"Calm down.....give her time to explain and wait till you know the WHOLE story, we could be chasing the wrong girl here"
She calmed a bit and sat down in the chair Mitch pulled out, her blood boiled as woman after woman came over to offer him lap dances, he would politely decline and just rub her thigh under the table. After a while the lights in the club faded a bit and the stages with poles lighted up, the small stage in the center of the room lit up first revealing a woman in black lingerie slowly approaching the pole
"You've got to be kidding me?"
"What?"
"That's her"
"Wow"
"Wow? WOW?"
Mitchell cleared his throat and internally cursed himself, "I mean OH?"
She raised her eyebrows and scoffed, "No you said WOW....is she hotter to you than I am?"
"No"
"Just tell me the truth Mitchell"
"Okay....YOU are HOT and I love the FUCK out of you and I hate that you always expect the worst because I'm not Vince! I only have eyes for you Tess....you are the sexiest woman in the universe and I have NO desire, not even the slightest to be anywhere near any other woman for as long as I live, you're mad at you're sister and now taking it out on me"
She smiled and looked down a bit embarrassed, "I'm sorry....I trust you one hundred percent"
She leaned in and kissed him, he scooted closer and put his hands on her waist deepening the kiss, "I....LOVE....YOU"
She pulled back with one last kiss and smiled brightly, "I should find a way backstage"
He nodded, "Want me to go with you?"
She shook her head, "This is my sister, I need to face this on my own but I'll need you when I'm done and emotionally drained"
"And I'll be right here waiting with arms wide open"
She stood up and kissed him one final time then slowly sneaked past the stage trying to stay in the dark, she heard someone wolf whistle and rolled her eyes, two hands grabbed her by the waist and spun her around
"Hey sexy"
"Fuck off"
She kneed the wimp making him groan and fall to the floor, "Bitch"
"Touch me again....I dare you"
She walked to the back where another guard was standing, "Excuse me I need to go back there"
"Staff only"
"It's an emergency"
"STAFF ONLY"
She rolled her eyes and pulled the top of her shirt apart a bit just revealing a bit of her cleavage, "I'm a new dancer"
He eyed her carefully and gave her an allover then smiled menacingly, "I'll let you in if you promise the first private is for me"
She forced a smile and winked, he stood aside and held the door open for her. She walked past and felt a slap on her ass, her rage bubbled up but she held it back and smiled at him over her shoulder. She walked down a dark corridor and into a room that looked a lot like the dressing rooms at the Burlesque lounge, filled with costumes, wigs, make-up, tables and mirrors. She heard faint voices behind her but kept her eyes on the costume racks
"I'M OFF FOR THR NIGHT.....I DID LAST NIGHT"
She recognized the voice instantly, footsteps could soon be heard coming into the room then she heard a chair being pulled out
"Hey.....you new?"
"Ah huh"
"Well I love you're top.....what's you're name?"
Tess took a deep breath and turned around slowly watching as the woman in front of the mirror took off her black wig and pulled off her lashes, after not being answered the woman looked at her and did a double take her eyes wide, she stood up slowly and tried to put some small distance between them
Tess crossed her arms like a shield, emotions ran high in those few silent moments as they stared each other down
"Tess?"
Tess bit her lip trying to hold back tears as she looked at her sister
"Rose what happened?", she gestured to the woman's attire, "Why?"
Rose looked down and rolled her eyes, "I don't need you to judge me okay? I had to do something to survive"
"What about all the hopes and dreams you had.....did you just give up on all of that?"
"Look if I had a choice I wouldn't be here.....art supplies are really expensive and so is living.....I tried Tess....I really did"
Rose covered her face with her hands and started sobbing, Tess hesitated a moment but was suddenly taken back to when they were kids and Rose fell off her bike hurting her arm, their mother was so concerned about her messing up her clothes she didn't even bother to take her to the emergency room
She walked to her little sister and took her in her arms, Rose on the other hand instantly embraced her sister
"I'm sorry....I....I....I-"
"Shhhhh.....it's okay"
"Please don't tell mother"
Tess laughed at that, "It's funny that you think I talk to her"
Rose pulled back and wiped her face, "You don't?"
Tess shook her head, "She criticizes me constantly, her husband shamelessly cheats on her and his son is an asshole who can't stop flirting with his own sister....no fuck them all the way to hell and back"
Rose laughed and hugged her again, "I missed you're humour....a lot"
"I missed my sister....I'm sorry for not making an effort.....I was so busy hiding from all my problems"
Tess was the one to pull back this time, she smiled at Rose and reached out to stroke her cheek
"You need to leave this place Rose, Mitchell and I help you find a job"
"Mitchell?"
"Oh yes....", Tess face palmed herself, "....Mitchell is my fiancè"
"Wait a minute....YOU are getting married again?"
Tess shrugged, "That's actually not all but we can talk and catch up over dinner tonight"
Rose nodded, "Sounds good to me"
"ROSE!!"
Their attention turned to the door as a man tatooed from head to toe came strolling in with a cigar in his mouth
"Hey we need a lap dance at table six"
"What? No I'm on my break"
"Technically yes but I'm the boss and I say put on that wig and get to grinding"
Tess was about to tackle the man but Rose sensing this held a tight grip on her arm, "I'll be right out"
"Who are YOU?"
"This is my sister"
"You're hot....want a job?"
Tess tried not to gag, "No thank you"
He shrugged, "Rose get to it"
She nodded and they watched as he walked out
"Are you kidding? Why are you letting them treat you like this?"
"This is my job okay? Don't worry about me....I'll see you tonight"
"Rose....you don't have to work like this"
"I appreciate that you're trying to help but I'm not free loading"
"It's called helping someone back on their feet"
"See you tonight"
"Wait Rose...."
****rewrįte the ştårş****