herself up as best she could. She put on a pair of tight jeans she had washed in the tub the day before and a low-necked T-shirt that had belonged to her from the time she lived on Dauphin Street. Then before leaving for the day, she leaned over and hugged Lucy.
“I’ll be back later, Luce,” she assured her. “I’m going to see if I can get some work.”
Still weak and listless from her illness, Lucy murmured, “Okay, see you later. Alessa, will you bring me some ice cream when you come back?”
“Sure, I’ll bring you ice cream.”
Alessa steeled herself for what might be in store, before opening the door and stepping out into the cold, dark morning that lay beyond the threshold. Luckily, she didn’t have to go too far to turn tricks. Several men noticed her standing out in the motel’s parking lot and invited her in. Others spotted her from the street when she stood out on the sidewalk, a block down from the motel. As she engaged with each man that day, Alessa mentally distanced herself from what she was doing. Her sole aim was to get Lucy and herself off the streets. She couldn’t risk the child falling ill again and knew that staying in the house of squatters was neither a healthy alternative nor a safe one for either of them. There was always the threat of violence.
Alessa had to compromise on her price and had given each of her customers an hour for thirty-five dollars. She finished with a hundred seventy-five dollars in her pocket. She paid for two more days at the motel and spent another twenty-five dollars on food, which she brought back to the room. Counting the two days Crystal had paid for and the two she had paid for herself, they could now stay four more days at the motel. In those four days, Alessa figured she could save enough money to make her next move.
In the weeks before going to the abandoned house, Alessa had talked to other homeless people she’d met on the streets. Many had suggested she try getting accommodations at a hostel if she wanted to live indoors during the winter. It cost money, but the cost would be minimal. Alessa had scoped out the information in a telephone book and knew there was a hostel on Spruce Street. She had called them that afternoon and made a reservation for Lucy and herself four days later.
The woman on the phone had made it clear to Alessa that it would cost her two hundred fifty dollars a month. “That’s one hundred and fifty for you and one hundred for your little sister.”
Alessa didn’t know what to expect of the place. Nor did she care. All she knew was that young people lived there or stayed there for a while. They had showers and towels, the prospect of which thrilled her to no end. The woman cautioned her that the residents there were mainly older teens and young adults. So Alessa would have to keep her little sister with her at all times because while they allowed children, they rarely had any staying there.
Over the next four days, Alessa focused on earning money. She worked tirelessly outside the safe confines of the motel room.
Crystal was in awe of Alessa’s stamina. On the third day, she remarked, “Girl, I ain’t never met nobody that can find people willing to pay for sex like you do.”
Alessa laughed and shared some of her experiences at Doubles with her. She confided how Harlin had forced her to do things with the clients when she took them back for a lap dance.
Crystal listened intently. When Alessa had finished her account, she said, “Well, I guess it’s a good thing you learned how to do all those things. You’ve made yourself a lot of money in these past few days. It doesn’t bother me none, havin’ sex for money.”
On their last day at the motel, Alessa had their checkout time extended to be able to hook for as long as possible before moving to the hostel. When she returned to their room that afternoon, Lucy was herself again, and Crystal was lying on the bed watching television. The child had packed their belongings, and when it was time to leave, Alessa and Crystal turned to face each other.
“Well, okay,” Alessa said, holding out her arms to hug Crystal.
Crystal quickly hugged them both without saying a word and moved to the door. Before she pulled the door closed behind her, she looked at them. “You two take care of each other, you hear?”
Alessa and Lucy left the motel and headed to their new home. When they arrived at the Loftstel on Spruce Street in University City, they found themselves surrounded by college students. But considering how close they were to a major university, it was only to be expected. The hostel was a large twin home in a neighborhood that looked no different from any other residential area. The place looked great. A great improvement over old lady Lea’s house in North Philly where Alessa had lived before moving in with Harlin.
