Audrey Hepburn's Pearls: Part I

Chapter 3.3: 1994, Ruiz

Chapter 3.3: 1994, Ruiz

 

"Thank you so much for coming," sad Charlie said, looking very somber. 

I nodded to him, and looked at my feet. My black ballet flats peeked up at me with their tiny bows. I was dressed like Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face, all black and form fitting, black top and black pants. My casual outfit du jour.

He picked up a brown paper bag full of groceries, and then motioned for us to leave the store. Things were rolling along as it was a late Sunday morning. Even though this wasn't really a busy section of the city, it seemed like every old lady in the city was here trying to go to church. It was hilarious but I couldn't muster a laugh because of how somber the occasion was.

Charlie walked along the sidewalk in front of me, looking down at the concrete. We didn't talk. 

As we walked, I thought about our phone call yesterday.

 

I had just gotten off work and changed from my uniform from the restaurant. I worked there part time as a dishwasher. It wasn't glamorous or anything, but it helped pay the bills and I was happy to be able to help my Mama that way. 

I checked the clock, and it was around 5:20pm. I sat across the kitchen table from Mama, who was doing some accounting. She had her red glasses on, and they were drifting down her nose like a librarian. She looked very worried. I couldn't figure out why, but then I remembered what was in my purse from the night previous. 

"Mama," I said, getting her attention. She looked up at me, pushing her glasses up her nose with one finger in the middle. 

"What?" she asked. 

"I got...I got the money," I said, filling with a proud feeling.

"Yeah?" she asked, looking back down at her papers, making pencil marks. "Where is it?"

"I'll get it, its in my purse," I smiled, wanting to skip, feeling so happy to be helping my Mama.

"Your purse, huh?" she snorted.

I decided to ignore her tone. She looked very stressed. She wasn't always nice when she was stressed. So I just walked to my bedroom which was connected to the kitchen from a little hallway, which connected both of our bedrooms at either end. Scanning the room, I closed my eyes and tried to remember last night. Then the image of me kicking my purse under my bed popped into my brain. Kneeling down, I pawed under the bed and found my purse behind a black and white seven inch platform heel, then I threw the heel out from under the bed in order to retrieve it. 

"There it is," I sighed, straightening up and turning around.

But then I froze. In front of me, holding my seven inch platform heel, was Mama, looking very disturbed. Quickly, I reached into my purse and found the pair of crumpled up $20 bills. I held out my hand, trying to smile at her even though her expression was so strange.

She was still staring at my platform heel, and her mouth slowly opened. The pause in the room felt pregnant with a strange feeling. Expectant, hanging.

Then she spoke, and my heart broke.

"Ruiz..." she said slowly, "don't tell me you...I don't want your money if..."

Suddenly her eyes got fierce and I didn't have time to react. Suddenly a seven inch platform heel was coming at my head and all I could do was duck at the same time I let out a shriek. 

"Are you sucking cock for money?!" she exploded in her rage, "is that where this money is from?! That is a stripper shoe, Ruiz! Are you a whore?! Is that what its come to?! I know you do drag, but I don't want your money if you're a whore!"