REDEMPTION

Chapter 7: An unlikely Reunion

"Well look who the cat dragged in,"

Sierra cringed when she heard that silky smooth, sultry voice. She had to do a double take to make sure it was Jewel standing there before the mirror. Glittering like her namesake under the spot fluorescent lighting in the fall ceiling.

Great yet one more relic from her past. This night was just brimming with surprises.

"Come on in, love, and shut that door, you are letting in a draft,"

Sierra seriously considered leaving, she was not in a mood to parry words with this particular shark from the underworld. But then she recalled why she was there in the first place and reluctantly walked into the powder room. Maybe she could just say hello and seek refuge in one of the empty booths behind her, she could pop out when the woman was done primping and preening and left.

"Step lively, lass, You know I don't bite," Jewel said mockingly not looking at her, she seemed far too busy applying a fresh lick of lipstick to her perfectly luscious lips.

"Well not always, anyway,"

Sierra stiffened. She could not believe she knew this fantastic creature. Eons ago, before she had ever stepped foot in the gallery, Sierra had worked a month in a seedy little gay bar called Ivy, specialising in trans entertainers. There wasn't anywhere else she could have gone at the time, a fresh faced runaway like her, without a home or family had very few options.

That month had been the worst month of her life. But she had somehow stuck to it, doggedly going on, hoping against hope that things would get better. It was only when she realised what girls in that hell hole had to do on the side, to make ends meet, that she had fled the roost in disgust.

Jewel had been another one of the younger girls like her there at the time, sharp as a whip and deadly with her scalpel tongue. Her beauty much sought after by the dubious patrons. She had been the star of the show. Sierra hadn't known the other girl well, and over the years had thought little about her, but there was something she owed Jewel.

Her very name in fact, it was Jewel who had come up with it during a night of drunken revelry and somehow it had stuck.

"What are you doing here?"

"Tut, tut baby girl, is that any way to greet old friends,"

"We were never friends, Jewel,"

Jewel cast her a sly look, her lips curled in a smile, straight pearl white teeth flashing her way,

"Ah yes I remember now. You were much too deer in the headlights back then. I always wondered what became of you, love. I hope life treated you well,"

"I can't complain," Sierra said noncommittally, coming to stand beside the beautiful amazon. She pulled out a tube of lipstick from her clutch and slowly applied a fresh coat. Thank god there wasn't anyone else in the bathroom beside them. Sierra didn't want eavesdroppers witnessing this unlikely reunion.

"Well you look good anyway,"

Sierra started at that surprising compliment from the woman. Jewel wasn't exactly known for her complimentary nature.

She stared assessingly at the woman before opening her mouth,

"You don't look too bad yourself," she said.

Which was the understatement of the century.

Jewel looked stunning tonight, but then she always had.

The woman was blessed with the kind of movie star looks that were the envy of any woman who saw her. Tall and slender, curved in all the right places, Jewel was a sight to behold. Even the heavy makeup couldn't detract from the smoothness of her perfect skin, or the allure of her high cheekbones, and heart shaped face.