Page 4 of Solomon’s Temple

I laughed aloud. “Nigga, please. Ya shit barely made me cum. Get out of my house, and you bet not touch shit in here that doesn’t belong to you!” I told him, rushing to my bathroom to shower and dress.

By day, I worked as a clinical nurse at Northwest Care Center, but by nightfall, I was the headliner at Lucid Gentlemen’s Club. Working two jobs had been draining me since I turned eighteen. I didn’t know my parents, because I was a foster child. It wasn’t until my grandma, Lula Mae, my mom’s mother, came and found me when I was thirteen and fought for custody of me. She told me she and my mama had an estranged relationship. It wasn’t until three months after Dior had me that my grandmother found out that she died giving birth to me. When she tried to get information of my whereabouts, no one would give her any information.

My foster mom wasn’t mean to me, but we didn’t have a bond or connection, which made it easy for me to leave with Ma Lula when she finally did find me.

When I went with her, I found out I had two cousins, Antonia and Sapphire, and an aunt named Natasha. Meeting them was the best thing to ever happen to me because my foster sisters and I never got along. They were jealous and did and said anything to make me uncomfortable for the twelve years I lived with them. When I met Toni and Sapphire, there was instant bond, and we became thick as thieves. Now, at thirty-three, we identified ourselves more as sisters than cousins.

Toni worked as a bartender at Club Lucid, and Sapphire worked at a bakery. Because Ma Lula’s healthcare was shitty, the three of us as a collective made sure we took turns handling her medical bills. Since she was a diabetic, she had to have surgery to get her leg removed, and the surgery alone was twenty thousand dollars. Lula Mae acted just like Big Mama from Soul Food. She fussed at us the entire time, telling us she wasn’t about to be no one-legged freak. As stubborn as she was, we had to remind her that she was our lifeline, and we needed her here for as long as the Good Man allowed.

I made haste with washing myself then left the bathroom. I was happy Nate’s ass was gone, and I looked around to make sure his ass hadn’t taken anything. He was known to be a kleptomaniac, and it was always little shit that he’d take—preferably my damn panties.

Weird shit.

I got dressed, grabbed my belongings, and hurried out the door to work. I was tired as shit because not only did I dance at the club until three, but Toni and I ended up at an after-party where I did a private party. My take for the night was four thousand. All we needed was sixteen thousand dollars more for Ma Lula’s surgery.

I arrived at work a little after eighty thirty. As soon as I walked in, Deacon’s wife, Kelly, stood with her hands on her hips and a mean mug.

“I know, I know, Ms. Kelly. Time got away from me.”

“It always seems to get away from you. The midnight people be ready to go home, and you’re always late getting here. This is your final warning, Temple. If you can’t handle getting here on time, then we will find someone else who can.”

“Yeah, . . . I hear you.”

“This Friday is the fundraiser for the Autism Foundation. I expect you to be here, and on time to help us set up.”

“You got it,” I replied.

She gave me a stern look, then walked away. I rolled my eyes behind her back and wanted to stick my middle finger up at her tacky ass, but there were cameras everywhere. If I didn’t love what I did, I would have cussed her ass out by now.

Mrs. Kelly stayed trying to exude some power when her ass barely was at this place. I felt her negative energy the moment I was hired into their establishment. I knew why she always threw shade my way. It was because her husband couldn’t take his eyes off my ass and titties and always gave me a pass for being late.

It wasn’t my fault that she was shaped like Patrick from SpongeBob. I wasn’t one to body shame or talk bad about anyone, because my sister Sapphire was a heavyset woman, and to me, her body was tea. But, because Ms. Kelly had a personal beef with me, I had to point out the reason why she may have felt inferior toward me.

Her husband hired all women with a fat ass and slim waist. We were eye-candy to him, and Mrs. Kelly hated it. I didn’t peep her throwing shade or giving the other girls attitude except for Paola. I assumed it was because we were the prettiest, and her husband favored us the most.

Working these two jobs took a toll on me, but I was determined to get Ma Lula this surgery should she need it so we could have her for a while longer. My sisters gave what they could since they didn’t make as much as me, but I didn’t mind being the one to shake my ass for cash if it guaranteed my grandma would live.

Going to my locker in the break room, I locked my things away, grabbed my badge and cart, then proceeded to go check on the patients.

I was already praying this damn day went by fast so I could go home and get some much-needed sleep.

Lucid Gentlemen’s Club

It was Wednesday, and LGC had started a theme called Wild Out Wednesday slash Wing Wednesday. Since the owner, Arie, started it, niggas came through in packs just to get the club specials. Any other day, it was a hundred-dollar cover charge, and every drink and food order was expensive. I understood because Club Lucid was elite with top-tier designs, top-shelf liquor, and the baddest bitches in Detroit. The owners, Arie and Paige, were some bad bitches and not to be fucked with. I’d heard stories about how they used to be hit women, but I didn’t get that vibe from Paige. Arie, on the other hand, definitely gave the vibe that she would slice a bitch’s throat, then go to the funeral and cry as if nothing happened.

I hated Wednesdays though.

It was the day of the week where the broke niggas came, but every dollar counted because I had bills to pay. Stepping out of the dressing room, wearing an all-black open bra with black pasties, black thongs with my six-inch open-toed boots, I headed toward the bar to see Toni before my set. I walked behind the bar and headed over to her.

“Hey, bookie.” I greeted her while she cashed out a customer.

“Hey, Sis. You just getting here?”

“Yeah, and I’m already ready to go.”

She chuckled. “I bet. I don’t even know why you're back in here after last night and having to work this morning.”

“You know why. We need the money.”