Chapter 8

  "I can't believe I missed my daughter's birthday party for this half assed show" Two men were walking out of the club, visibly upset about the whole event. Emmys was a place you went to and got instantly happy but tonight was different and June knew she was in for it.

   Stephen sat at his desk with one of the biggest frowns June had ever seen in her two years of working at the strip club and she knew she wasn't going to get out of this easily.

   "Look who decided to show up" Stephen said as soon as June walked into his office. The frown dissolved into a smile but June knew it didn't meet his eyes.

   "I can explain, Stephen. Something came up, I couldn't..." Stephen cut her off before she could complete whatever she had to say.

   "Yes, you're going to have to explain yourself June Skylar!" Stephen yelled but relaxed when he saw fear forming in June eyes. You'd think years of working at a strip club would make her somehow strong enough to deal with men that yelled at her.

   "I.. couldn't come in early cause of my..mu..m" June stuttered but Stephen didn't look moved one bit.

   "Your mum, right" Stephen replied sarcastically, "I gave you a job here cause of your mum. I've condoned most of your misgivings because of your MUM!" June flinched again

   "But you've made a fool out of my kindness and good heart and I am tired, June Skylar" June could feel tears welling up in her eyes but she quickly blinked them away. If she was going to have a shot at making Stephen reconsider whatever he planned to do to her, she had to show him she was strong, he hated weak people.

   "I'm so sorry, Stephen, I really am. I would have shown up early tonight but I had to stop by the hospital, it was an emergency and I had no control over it"

   "That I can understand but what I get at all is why you brought a total stranger to my club to be asking questions about you"

   "Asking questions about me?"

   "Don't play dumb, June. You know I have a strict policy against that type of shit. Whatever business you have with whoever approaches you after your perform doesn't have anything to do with the club but no one should come snooping around. You know all this, June"

   "Yes, ye..ss, I kn..ow but I honestly have no idea what you're talking about, Stephen"

   "It doesn't matter anymore, I can't keep over looking your shortcomings, June Skylar. I'd appreciate it if you go to the back, pack your things and leave my club. You're fired"

  There were over a thousand things on June's mind as she walked to the dressing room to take her things just as Stephen had said. Her not so normal life had been turned upside down with the arrival of the stranger and even if he had helped her in a huge way with the 100 thousand dollars cheque, she stronger felt her dismissal had been caused by him.

   "June, where have you been?! Is your mum alright?!" Anita ran to hug her as she walked into the room. It was way past their usual performance time so it was just the both of them in the room.

   "I've been at the hospital, mostly but my mum is fine. Or she would be fine rather" June heaved a huge sigh and sat on the chair next to the vanity. Her mum needed to be fine, she had gone through so much to ensure that.

   Anita walked up to her and wrapped her in another hug, "I'm so sorry, June. How did it go with Stephen?"

   "He fired me" June blurted out and Anita could help the look of surprise that masked her face. "It doesn't matter though, you know what pleading with Stephen would lead to" Anita knew how many times Stephen had made advances at June and she going to plead with him to allow her keep her job would just be disturbing the hornet's nest.

   June packed the little things she had, looked around one last time with tears welling up in her eyes. Stephen may have been a womanizer and a drunk but he had given her a place to work when she was still struggling and she was very grateful to him. But it seemed her chapter with Emmys had come to a close and she had to leave after all.

   Anita stood at the door as June hauled her little luggage towards the exit of the strip club, she was too emotional but she was determined to not let it show. The strip club paid more than the Cafe and the convenience store combined and she had just lost that opportunity.

   "Stephen said something about someone coming to ask for me. Is that true?" June turned to Anita who nodded in affirmation.

   "Someone did come to look for you yesterday and earlier tonight also" June had only one person in mind but why would he have been looking around for her?

   "Did he tell you his name or anything at all?" June asked in desperation. Whoever had come to look for her at the club, had just cost her her most needed job.

   "Michael Stahom" Anita answered,

   "Michael Stahom?" The name rang a bell, it was definitely a name June had heard before. June was still trying to put a face to the name when Stephen called out for Anita and her friend gave her a hug, promised to keep in touch and almost ran back into the club. Stephen was a strict boss and June didn't want to be the reason her friend ends up losing her job.

   Michael Stahom. The name most definitely rang a bell but June decided to not dwell on it. She had to start looking for another job to add to the two she had already. The hospital bills had been increased and her mum was due for surgery, she couldn't just sit around and mop.

   "Hello, June Skylar" With a very bright smile plastered on his face, June finally placed a face to the name cause he was standing right in front of her.