Take It With Me

“And honey, I’m telling you right now, if you don’t get yourself a man soon, I’m just gonna have to change my stripes and take you myself.”

Betty and Kitty were on their smoke break with the new line cook, Antoine. He was from deep in Cajun country. Kitty could barely understand him when he talked. But she liked him all the same.

“Ah, shut up, Antoine. I have men. Lots of them. Men who I don’t have to cook for or pick up after,” Betty drawled, taking a puff of her cigarette. She passed it to Kitty, who took a careful drag, and then passed it back. Betty shared her cigarettes with Kitty on bad days, and Kitty had to admit that she was beginning to enjoy smoking. She knew it was terrible, but she really didn’t care anymore.

“And you! What about you? How’s your love life, Miss Kitty?” Antoine cackled, flicking the ashes off the end of his cigarette.

Antoine was one of the most handsome men Kitty had ever seen. He had golden blonde hair that curled up on the ends, big baby blues that just sparkled with mischief, a strong, masculine jaw with a sprinkling of stubble, and just enough muscle on his tall frame to make you weak in the knees. He was also unabashedly, flamboyantly gay. He was one of the first gay men Kitty had ever spent any time with.

She loved him.

“Well, I don’t know. It’s complicated,” Kitty said, scratching her neck.

Antoine looked down at his watch.

“We got ten more minutes, do tell,” he commanded, throwing his Camel on the ground and pulling another one from the pack. He lit the cigarette, then leaned against the brick wall, crossing his legs. “Come on, ladies! Let me live vicariously through you!”

All eyes were on Kitty.

“Well,” she said, laughing, “it’s kind of a funny story. I was… well, I had just gotten into town, and I ran into some trouble. Two guys got my wallet, and this guy helped me. I didn’t know anybody and was… well, uh, still looking for a place to stay, so he took me back to his hotel room. After getting me drunk,” she added with a grumble.

“My oh my, Miss Kitty! Do we have a minx on our hands?” Antoine hooted, slapping his leg. Kitty flushed.

“No. Nothing happened. Not that night, anyways,” she said, taking another drag off Betty’s cigarette. She was enjoying this, this playing the bad girl. Kitty was never the bad girl.

“What else?” Betty begged, her eyes lit up. “You’ve never told me about this, you little floozy!”

“Well, it was nice while it lasted. A few days after he took me in, he left. Had to go to California. He rented me the room for a couple more months and just kind of up and left,” she said. A lump rose up in her throat and she swallowed hard.

“Wait, wait, wait. Just wait a second. He rented you the room for a couple of months? Now either you hooked yourself up with one heck of a big spender or you at a rat hole of a hotel!” Antoine exclaimed, shaking his head. “Please tell me you got with a rich man.”

Kitty blushed.

“Not sure if he’s rich, but he’s not poor. At least, I don’t think so.”

“What’s his name?” Betty giggled. “Come on, tell us!”

Kitty smiled, looking from Antoine to Betty. They both looked like they were about to die. Kitty hadn’t gotten this much attention in months. She decided to milk it just a little. She looked down, acting all bashful.

“Don’t know if I should say,” she mumbled, twirling a piece of hair around her finger. Antoine narrowed his eyes.

“Now Missy, you can just cut that the hell out right now. Tell me or I burn all your orders. I swear I will.”

Kitty kind of giggled, then sighed.

“His name’s Tom. Tom Waits.”

Antoine’s jaw dropped and Betty dissolved into laughter. Kitty sat there, not knowing what to say.

“You mean to tell me that you have been sleeping with Tom Waits? That cutie patootie little lounge singer? You lucky dog! How is he? What’s he like? What’s he like in bed?” Antoine gasped, jumping up from his seat on the step.

“He’s… fine?” Kitty ventured. “And I slept with him once, don’t make me sound like a whore.”

“Girl, you ain’t no whore. But dang! Tom Waits? Why’d he leave? When’s he coming back? You gonna get back together with him?” Betty giggled, grabbing her arm. Kitty smiled half heartedly.

“Babe, I wish I knew.”