Ruby relaxed and lost herself to the power of Tiffany’s touch, her nerve-endings coming alive with the thrill of it. Then she felt Tiffany’s hand slip down her jeans, her fingers searching. Ruby let out a groan as Tiffany slipped her fingers inside her, moving them to and fro until she found her G spot.
‘Jesus!’ Ruby sighed, thrusting her hips in rhythm with Tiffany’s finger action.
Tiffany removed her fingers and grinned again at Ruby. ‘Bedroom?’ she asked.
Ruby may have been the dominant one in the relationship but when it came to lovemaking Tiffany knew exactly how to play her. Without speaking, Ruby followed her through to the bedroom, debilitated by the strength of her desire.
Afterwards, they both lay in bed, feeling the warm afterglow of their lovemaking, Ruby’s designer clothing scattered on the floor and her precious jewellery carefully placed on her dressing table. Ruby felt that she had never been happier. She had the most wonderful girlfriend in the world as well as her own stylish pad. She also earnt plenty so she was able to treat herself to whatever she desired; designer clothing, jewellery and a high-performance car.
The only negative about her life was what she had to do to earn her money. But for Ruby that was a small price to pay when she considered the gains, and she was well able to protect herself from any problem clients.
Ruby finally had the lifestyle she had craved from being a young child when she had seen her cousins with their designer gear and flash jewellery. When she reflected back on her life, she remembered how much she’d had to go through to get this far. It hadn’t always been easy but she hoped all her troubles were behind her and that nothing would destroy the happiness she’d found.
7
October 1991
Trina was hanging out with a group of local girls; Jessica and some others. Jessica had a packet of sweets that she was sharing with her friends. Once she had passed them around the group, she took one for herself without offering any to Trina.
‘How come you’re not giving me one?’ asked Trina, with defiance in her voice.
‘Well, you haven’t brought any sweets to share with us for ages and my mam says I should only share with people who share with me. It’s only fair,’ she said.
Trina saw the sly look on Jessica’s face and became annoyed at her peevish attitude. But her rage was superseded by the other emotions that engulfed her; shame and inadequacy, knowing it was rare that anyone bought sweets for her and her brothers since their father had left. She felt sure Jessica knew that too, and was deliberately trying to humiliate her. Trina also felt resentment at her father because he didn’t provide for her and her brothers like other fathers did.
She was tempted to lash out at Jessica. A swift slap would soon wipe that smug look off her face. But Trina’s shame was overpowering, and hitting Jessica would only emphasise it. So, instead, she used words to deal with Jessica.
‘I don’t like them anyway. I’ve got some better sweets at home; they’re chocolate. I’m going back to eat them, but I won’t be sharing them with any of you.’
Then she stomped angrily back home.
*
It was Saturday and Trina and her brothers were on the way back home from their grandparents’ house. It was unusual for Daisy not to go with them and Trina had felt a little put out at first. But then her mother had told her she was too busy and insisted that, at almost ten years of age, she was old enough to visit without her.
Trina was clutching a plastic carrier bag containing an assortment of food items that her grandmother had sent home with her. It had become a habit of her grandmother’s ever since Trina’s father had left. As they made their way down their street, Trina was looking forward to the smile on her mother’s face when she handed over the bag and Daisy eagerly looked inside.
Trina and her brothers bustled excitedly through the front door but Trina’s mood soon changed when she saw the lopsided features of Mr Dodds staring back at her from the bottom of the stairs. He winked saucily at her while straightening his tie, making Trina feel uncomfortable. She looked further up the stairs to find her mother on her way down, self-consciously flattening her skirt and tidying her hair.
Something about the scene didn’t seem right to Trina and, for a moment, she forgot about her eagerness to show her mother the bag of goodies. But the boys were oblivious. They dashed down the hall, hugging their mother and all talking at once.
Daisy hugged them and smiled stiffly then addressed Mr Dodds. ‘I’ll see you again next month for the rent.’
He leered at her, which made his face look even more lopsided, and said, ‘Yes, we can keep to the same arrangement if you like.’
Trina could sense his change of attitude towards her mother. He was usually nasty but this time, although he wasn’t exactly nasty, there was something not quite right about the way he was acting. Trina also noticed the way her mother tensed and flashed a warning look from him to the children as if forbidding him to say anything further. Then Daisy brushed her children aside and rushed to the front door, holding it wide open for Mr Dodds to pass through.
‘Goodbye, Mr Dodds,’ she said, her tone full of mock formality.
His grin remained fixed as he walked through the door, his face passing within inches of Daisy’s, and Trina saw her mother flinch as he drew up close.
