SATURDAY

I know," he shouted back. I crossed my arms round my body then, I looked away from him and looked at the tower not too far from the strip club. "I understand you, and I know you really work hard for this club and I do appreciate that—"

"I do not think you appreciate my efforts. People show appreciation with increment of salary and a better promotion in this kind of business. No increment of salary means you are not appreciative." Better still, I want to quit but I was to angry to say it better.

"You are damn too strong headed" he sighed.

"As a goat, right?" I agreed.

I believe you do not know how expensive it is to run a business in this area, do you know?"

"I do know, you have been wasting business money buying Jell-O shots, how many persons ask for the shot in the month? I don't think there are up to 4 persons. Quit selling cooked shrimp, clients do not like eating shrimps cocktails, but focus on Lobster tail and Fried calamari, these are what patrons request for. You have to switch all lights to LED light bulbs, these could help the business save more money in a month. If my salary could be increased to additional two hundred dollars, it would not be hard to decide whether to pay my electricity bills or to buy food stuff for my house."

About a month ago, I started keeping records of the business payroll account, I almost cried when I saw how much salary the strippers earns compared to what I earn. From the payroll sheets, I knew how much Jon earns from the strippers while I was busy running the business day in and damn day out.

Jon and I grew up together in an orphanage home, but I was a year older than him. I still see him as a younger brother. Perhaps, as a child, he was always there for me, when ever I could not speak up for myself, even when he was bullied by fellow children.

Most, parents comes into the orphanage home to adopt new born babies but I was not fit for it because I was born sick, as a baby I was already addicted to drugs. No parents want a plague. So I was moved from one orphanage home to another, until I begin an adult- eighteen years of age, I left the home. That is when Jon came to find me. I got a job as a waitress, a cleaner, a barista through his help. Until he opened his strip club four years ago.

" Let us talk about this situation later, you know how busy weekend are in the club—" he said.

"Cerci" before he could complete his sentence, a lady interrupted, sticking her head from the window. Her pink shinning star on her right breast was broken. "Cerci, I am so glad, you have not gone home yet! The clasp on my bra is broken and now my breast look lopsided. Please come and help me fit it."

"Go wear another one!" Jon shouted at her. The stripper kept her hands on her waist, rolled her eyes, and made her chewing gum pop.

"I have another bra but Silver loves the wonder woman costume. if she gets mad at me for changing it, I will tell her you made me change it."

"Wonder woman?" He asked confusedly. This time I could not help but to roll my eyes.

"Have you forgotten that it is Heros night?" I tell him. I am so surprised that he forgot his own dumb idea.

"Hold on for a second—" he started.

"I have to be on the stage in five minutes. Cerci, please help me," the stripper begged.

"Cerci... please help her," Jon pleaded too. He moved away from me, heading to the back door of the club. "Cerci, we will talk about this situation tomorrow. Please we need you to do your job, it is Saturday —"

"Cerci!" Silver called out. "Come on, pleaseeeeeeeeee"

"Okay then!" I shouted. They acted like little children - so annoying! I turned to Jon and point one of my fingers at his forehead. "You listen, if you don't increase my salary tomorrow, I will stop working for you."

He agreed but raising his hands in defeat, and I gave in. I hold my purse well and follow the stripper inside. I already know who Jon is, I know he has already forgotten our conversation about my increment of salary- he was back to his own annoying little world.

Walking into the dancers' dressing room, I pulled out the saving grace from my purse. "Okay, what do you all need because I have got a hot glue applicator, sewing kits, padding for your bras, and sparkle powder. Who wants to go first?" I asked as they all turn their faces to me smiling ear to ear.

I acted like Mary Poppins in a strip clubs.

SUNDAY:

As I walk into the club with few persons inside, "Oh you are here," Jon said. Beauty is always on shift on Sunday. She was more matured that the other strip dancers, but she is good at her job, I mean, pole dancing. Better than other dancers. She is always scheduled to start her performance Sunday afternoon with a white wear, in the evening with blue wear, on her head, she wears blue devil horns.

"Jon, yes I am here. We did not finished out discussion and you did promised you will talk about my increment of salary." Walking to the bar, then placed my bag on the counter, pulled a seat closer, and sat down. "I am here, let us talk about it now."

"Cercita—" he started.

"Stop calling me Cercita, Jon. You promised me an increase—"

"Was the promise a contract, was it written down?" He gives me a devious smile. "Look here Cercita, the business can not afford to increase your pay—"

"Fuck that, that is a big lie, Jon! Why this bad treatment from you? Ain't we family again?"

"We do not have money in the business account Cerci! It is gone. What we have is just loss." he snapped. From his face, I could tell, he had regretted telling me this. He tried not to look at me by moving to the other side of the bar and started cleaning up the counter.

"Jon, I do not understand what you are saying. What do you mean, the business is running a loss?"

He did not say anything. Instead, he bow his head down and exhaled as he put his hand under his jaw. "I invested into something"

"Jon can you stop fucking around. How did the business run out of losses?"

"Did you even had a thought how I was able to start this business at the age of twenty one?"