[interesting]

Justine just had to find something to do. Ever since moving in, last Saturday, she had been fidgeting all over her apartment. Thanks to the money that August Rand had given her after their last meeting, she had stocked the fridge full of snacks, some fruit, some juice. She had been able to send her daughter to school with a full lunch. But despite this, she was aching to do something with her life.

Except that she had little or no education. Her conversation the girl called Pink, yesterday, had made her reflect on the fact that, even if she was being given room and board in exchange for sexual services, if she really wanted to get out of this situation in the long term, she needed to find herself a job. She had worked a lot of dead-end clerk jobs, cashier in a lot of places around town. To be honest, the place where she had made the most money was dancing. But with the fallout from the cops closing down the club, she didn't know where to turn. Of course, she could have tried to track her friend Jaylee (if only to thank her for telling her about this place). Maybe she could have directed her to a new place. But somehow, Justine didn't want to go back to that setting and be exposed to the drug scene (which she had managed to avoid last time).

The phone line rang. It came with the rent. But only one person had that number. She picked it up.

"Mister Rand?"
"Justine. Please, call me August."
"Ok. What can I do for you?"
"I would like to invite you to dinner, tomorrow night?"
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes... it will be Friday, we can talk about how you're settling in, and resolve our business."
"Ah yes... of course..."

The image of her last romp with Rand, last week, was still vivid in her mind. It didn't help that she had managed to watch a lot of his material thanks to the free internet connection in the apartment. Her body quivered at the simple thought of being with him again.

"I'd love to.."
"Excellent. Come to my office, we'll order something and... talk."
"Of course. I... can't wait."

He hung up before she did. She held on to the phone device for a while longer before hanging it up. As she turned towards the fridge, to see what she would do for dinner, she heard the door open.

"Tina! Hi!" she called out.

There was no answer. Tina walked past her and straight into their shared bedroom. Justine immediately knew something was up so she moved to follow her. Tina had buried her face in her pillow.

"What's wrong, honey?"

Justine sat on the bed and started to caress her daughter's back. Since Tina didn't answer, Justine sat quietly, gently rubbing her daughter's neck and shoulders, fingers in her air. Tina seemed to relax, barely lifting her head off the pillow so she could speak.

"Am I a bad girl, mom?"
"What? No! Of course not... why would you think that?"
"Because..."

Tina paused. She tilted her head to the side so she could see her mother's face. Her hand was soothing, very comforting. It was a rare treat to get this level of ease between them.

"People don't like me. At school. I have no friends."
"That's... I'm sure that's not true."
"People always laugh at me, call me names... call me freak."
"Then they're morons!"

Justine's smile was bright.

"You are smart, and beautiful, and I love you, Tina."

Tina smiled, the conflicted emotions in her subsiding over the warmth of her mother's presence.

"Could you... draw me a bath, mom?"
"Of course. Anything for you."

Justine got up and hurried to the bathroom. Tina watched her get away, suddenly more aware of her own situation and how she felt. She thought of Hayley, who had only been looking out for himself throught it all. She thought of Samson - the monster to whom she now owed money. She thought of Old Lady Thompson who, despite her best intentions, had died and left her. And then, she thought of her mother, who despite everything, was still there. Tina got up and went into the bathroom. The water was pouring to the bath, Justine quietly sitting on the edge.

"Mom."

Justine turned her head.

"Yes dear?"

There was so much kindness in her voice.

"When I was... seven, I think... I got really sick and... you took time off work to take care of me."
"I remember... it was really scary."
"Remember what you did?"
"Of course. I poured you a bath. Like today."
"Yeah, but... that's not all you did."

Justine was puzzled. Tina explained.

"Well... you poured me a bath, you took off my clothes, you washed me... all of me... it was... one of the most connected moments we ever had. Mom. I've had the worst day in the world, and I need... please. Take care of me like you did, back then..."

Justine wasn't freaking out. Perhaps she should have been, but she felt the need in her daughter so strong... she couldn't deny her this, nor anything else. She was the only reason she lived. There was nothing she wouldn't do for Tina.