Loaded

6 months earlier

6 months earlier

"Jolene Jolene Jolene, joleeene" I sing as I walk in the dressing room, much to my colleagues annoyance. After being named Jolene for the last 26 years you would expect my friend would be use to the teasing that comes along with it. Her mum was a die hard Dolly Parton fan so it was inevitable that she would name her first child Jolene. Her second daughter didn't escape unscathed, her name is Dolly.

Jolene is tall and blonde with blue eyes so unluckily for Mrs Taylor she doesn't have the trade mark red hair and eyes of emerald green.

"Will that ever get old" she says with sarcasm as I sit beside her at my vanity table.

I look to her right to the oldest of the girls Gemma , we shake our heads and reply in unison "no"

Gemma laughs as she removes the large curlers from her raven black hair. The atmosphere in the dressing room is unusually calm, although with at least 6 girls being on shift at a time it usually looks more like a circus than a dressing room.

"Where are the others" I ask. I don't think I will get use to how quiet it is in here. I'm use to hearing screaming and having to fight for space at a mirror. We really can act like wild animals, but what else could you expect when there's so many women together in a small confined space.

"Chastity, Anna and Rose are already out there. Derek said the clubs busy so to go out as soon as we're ready" Jolene replies.

I nod and start to apply my make up, this is no easy task. I spend at least twenty minutes every night applying the pound of make up to my face, the customers expect to see us that way. No man comes to a strip club looking for a natural beauty with an impressive knowledge of fine art. I should have been an artist, I didn't grow up wishing I could take my clothes of for a living but that's how life goes. I didn't have a bad childhood, I had no bad uncle who abused me or parents who neglected me.

"Hopefully we make bank tonight, my rents due next week" Gemma says with a sigh. It's been a while since she made enough to make her happy.

I nod in agreement, money's been tight for the last few months. I have only just got by, i don't remember the last time I had spare money after my bills had been paid. I live in a modest studio apartment above a bar in the village. The rent is cheap as it should be , when I moved in it was literally a shell but it was the best I could afford. My sister was positive I would die of asbestos poisoning, with the help of her handy husband we managed to get it up to code. Grace had offered repeatedly for me to move in their basement in New Jersey but I needed my own place. I love my sister but I couldn't live with her, We're very different people. I wouldn't be able to live to her standards and my every move would be reported back to our overbearing mother.

Im stood only in my leather thong and fishnet tights when Derek enters the room unannounced. At first I would have been embarrassed and try cover myself but now after a year it doesn't bother me, after all he's seen us all topless every night we work. He doesn't bat an eyelid, I think he's seen more breasts than I have.

Derek is glaring at us, annoyance etched in his face. I wish someone would tell him the orange face and white teeth look is so out. It wouldn't hurt for him to update his wardrobe either, every night he wears tight black trousers and a silk animal print blouse. 

"Ladies it's busy out there now put on your fucking clothes and start shaking your tits. Do you want to get paid today"

"Yes Derek"

"Ok Derek"

"That vein in your head looks like it's about to pop" I say pointing at the throbbing vein in his forehead.