Take It With Me
Dead and Lovely
"I'll see you around, kid."
Those were Tom's last words to her. Not, "I love you, baby," or even "I had a good time sleeping with you,". Just "see you around, kid."
They might as well be strangers.
Kitty sat in the hotel room, all alone, the TV tuned to some obscure channel that kept the silence at bay and the demons away.
He had kissed her. At least she had that. She could still feel his scratchy stubble rubbing up against her chin, tickling her neck. His goodbye kiss had been sweet, but all too short. For her, at least. Tom could barely wait to get out of here; she could tell. He was all jumpy, excited like a young racehorse ready to get out on the track and run.
If there was one thing she had learned about Tom in these last days, it was that the man couldn't bear to sit still.
She hadn't followed him to the Golden Crescent, despite his suggestion that she should. She didn't want him to see her cry. Hell, she didn't WANT to cry.
But why should she even? Why should she cry over some dog of a man leaving her all on her lonesome? She didn't need him, no ma'am.
Kitty sighed, kicking an empty box of Lucky Strike cigarettes.
Who was she kidding? Of course she needed him. She was dang near helpless here, despite the job he'd gotten her and the hotel room he'd rented her and the wad of twenty dollar bills he'd shoved in her hand before he left.
He had definitely thought his plan through; he knew what he was going to do. She scoffed. He'd had to have been trying to get her the job for at least a few days, even if they were shorthanded down at the Golden Crescent.
"Oh, Tom."
Kitty choked out a few more unintelligible words, then sunk down on the bed, crying her eyes out.
Her mama had always said there wasn't nothing better than a good cry.
Those were Tom's last words to her. Not, "I love you, baby," or even "I had a good time sleeping with you,". Just "see you around, kid."
They might as well be strangers.
Kitty sat in the hotel room, all alone, the TV tuned to some obscure channel that kept the silence at bay and the demons away.
He had kissed her. At least she had that. She could still feel his scratchy stubble rubbing up against her chin, tickling her neck. His goodbye kiss had been sweet, but all too short. For her, at least. Tom could barely wait to get out of here; she could tell. He was all jumpy, excited like a young racehorse ready to get out on the track and run.
If there was one thing she had learned about Tom in these last days, it was that the man couldn't bear to sit still.
She hadn't followed him to the Golden Crescent, despite his suggestion that she should. She didn't want him to see her cry. Hell, she didn't WANT to cry.
But why should she even? Why should she cry over some dog of a man leaving her all on her lonesome? She didn't need him, no ma'am.
Kitty sighed, kicking an empty box of Lucky Strike cigarettes.
Who was she kidding? Of course she needed him. She was dang near helpless here, despite the job he'd gotten her and the hotel room he'd rented her and the wad of twenty dollar bills he'd shoved in her hand before he left.
He had definitely thought his plan through; he knew what he was going to do. She scoffed. He'd had to have been trying to get her the job for at least a few days, even if they were shorthanded down at the Golden Crescent.
"Oh, Tom."
Kitty choked out a few more unintelligible words, then sunk down on the bed, crying her eyes out.
Her mama had always said there wasn't nothing better than a good cry.