Page 83 of Finding Us
“Yes, a little boy.” And I can tell by the way her face lights up that she adores him. “He’s just turned three.”
“So, you need more money for him?”
She lifts one shoulder. “I used to be a checkout chick at Woolies, and I managed to get by, but when Kyle turned two, he was diagnosed with autism.”
“I’m sorry,” Cassie says, placing her hand on Candy’s arm.
“He’s currently none verbal, so the therapy he needs is expensive. I want to give him the best chance possible to live a relatively normal life,” she says, and when tears rise to her eyes, my heart goes out to her.
“That’s commendable. You’re a good mum.”
“I try.”
“I’m proud of you for doing what you need to do for your son.”
“Thanks,” she says, giving Cassie a sad smile. “My parents don’t think so. They stopped talking to me when I started waitressing at the strip club.”
“Ugh. Fuckers. They sound like my parents. Who suck donkey’s balls by the way.”
“I wish they understood why I’m doing it.”
“Who looks after Kyle when you’re at work?”
“My neighbour, she’s been a godsend.”
“You’re going to be up on stage and raking in the big bucks before you know it.”
“Actually, Rocco has given me a spot next Monday night, it’s a slow night, and I was telling him how well my classes were going.”
“Oh, I want to come and watch you,” Cassie says.
“I’d love that.”
“You’ll come too right, Jaz?” Cassie asks, turning her attention to me.
“I have Blake on Mondays.”
“I don’t go on stage until nine.”
“Well, then yes. I’d love to come.”
“You’re going where?” Mason asks.
“To a strip club?”
His eyes narrow. “A male one?”
“No, a female one. One of my students is performing tonight.”
“Your student? When you told me you taught dance, I imagined little kids in tutus.”
“I teach them too. I do a range of different classes. Hip-hop, ballet, tap, and pole … just to name a few. Brooke knew I was taking pole classes when I lived in Melbourne, so when I moved to Sydney, she thought it would be fun to start lessons at her studio.”
“Fun?”
“Yes, it’s good fun … and great exercise.”
“So, let me get this straight, you pole dance?”
