Chapter 5 Sophie: her story

Sondra was away for more than a year.

I also managed to find out about Paul Worthington. For all his fancy name and riches, he was, as Mamma had said, a pimp. The only roles he got Sondra to act in were in sleazy X- rated pornographic movies.

Meanwhile, Mamma fell ill. Seriously ill.

When she began to take to bed for days, coughing and generally feeling listless, I had had enough.

I dragged her to the hospital.

The doctors were reluctant to talk to me but since we had no one else, I insisted on knowing what was wrong with, Mamma,

The doctors told me that she was sick, seriously so. She had a form of cancer that was in its progressing rapidly. No, they could not say for sure how much longer she would survive, forget chances of recovery!.

I sank onto the hospital bench that afternoon, weeping as I knew that there was no one I could share my sadness with.

With the knowledge that I needed to keep Mamma medicated, I began to work. Soon, I had left school and was working a the local diner's. The money was not great but it brought in enough for me to take care of my mother.

***

And a few months later, Sondra turned up. She had a baby with her, a baby named Patrick.

She had no idea who the father was. But she wanted to lead a straight life, she wanted to stay off drugs.

She wanted to be a good daughter, she said.

***

Mamma was happy. She grabbed my arm when we were alone and said,

"Don't tell her about my illness. Please, tesoro mio?'

I was sixteen but life had made me grow up quickly. I could see what my poor mother could not or would not see; Sondra wanted to change but the cards were stcked against her.

***

For a couple of months, things went well.

She tried to give up her habit, tried to be a good mother to the child who barely cried. Once, Sondra told me about the kind of movies she had been performing in.

Bondage, she said dully, her face like stone. Brutal sex.

Somewhere along the way, she had had enough and had run away. But if Worthington found her, he would drag her into the mire of misery she had escaped from, she said, her voice a dry sob. Worse, he would take Paddy away. use him as leverage to force Sondra back to work in those degrading movies.

***

Paddy was small, with a head that seemed disproportionate to the rest of his body. When he first came down with a cold, he seemed unable to breathe.

Rushing him to the hospital, I was asked to wait by Dr. Bennet, our old family doctor.

He frowned at me when I met him.

'Sophia, ' he sighed and began to drum his fingers on the desk, absentmindedly.

Finally, he looked up at me again and said,

"Sophia, child. Your Parick had a heart condition.'

I swallowed. Dr Bennet had been the one to inform me of Ma's cancer. He looked straight at me, pity in his eyes.

I stared at him and said hoarsely,

"No one ...I mean, how?''

'Dr. bennet stared at me and then swivelled his chair rot gaze out the window.

"its; a condition that is brought on by the use of drugs by the mother during pregnancy.

At that moment, I did not know whether I hated Sondra more than the deep sorrow I felt for poor little Paddy. He was growing into a sweet child, placid and docile. Never any trouble. He needed his feed of bottled milk which kept him happy. Mother seemed to be less stressed now with him in the house.

I nodded stiffly and left.

Heading to the washroom, I stepped into a cubicle and sobbed my heart out.

Then scrubbing my face dry, I left, my head held high. I needed a job that paid more than Delilah's Diner to keep my mother and Paddy safe.

***

A few months later, I had managed to get a job at The Club.

At first, Mom was scandalized. Then, when she became weaker, she knew we needed the money. Especially after Sondra did a disappearing act on us once more.

***

Now that I had friends among the girls who worked at the Club, I knew more about Paul Worthington. He was a scoundrel. A man who would not have hesitated to sell his own mother.

He had apparently got through to Sondra.

And had got her hooked on drugs again. She was back to whoring for him to pay for her use.

My belief in mankind died that day.

I found out that he was looking for a chance to get Paddy in order to keep Sondra in check. He needed her. For his sleazy porn movies.

***

And then I saw Paul Worthington at the Club.

I had wanted to march up to him and stick a knife in his gut. But all I could do was circulate with the tray of drinks, dressed in that absurd costume. I knew that Danielle Eton, the Club manager was watching, eagle-eyed as we went around, serving the guests. I did not want her to cotton onto my hate for the man who was standing to the side, two scantily dressed women on either arm..

But Paul Worthington took the game out of my court. He caught sight of me as I glared at him once and his expression froze, a thoughtful look coi=mng over his weasly face.

I stepped back and placed my tray on one of the tables.

Danielle noticed me and frowned.

Hastily, grabbed a towel and made it for the kitchen. Sliding a look over my shoulder, I noticed that Worthington had detached himself from the clingy women and was heading towards me.

RUN, I thought, knowing that they would probably stop at nothing to destroy my family. I knew he would try to take away Paddy to use him as a bargaining chip to keep Sondra in place.

***

Schwartz

A woman slammed into him and Schwartz swore.

His phone flew out of his hands and he felt his fists clench in fury.