“Naw … Naw … Tender, I ain’t laughin’ at you,” Goldie explained between chuckles. “It’s Kat. She finally got what wuz comin’ ta her ….”

So now Tender knew the resistance she felt while she pulled Goldie wasn’t her imagination. What’s really up between these two?

“… If Kat and a grizzly bear were fightin’, I’d help the bear,” Goldie said. “Tender, Kat be doin’ some real foul shit! I’ve been around her long enuff ta know … Yo, it’s hard cheerin’ fa da bad guy. I can’t condone her shit forever. I seen enuff and had enuff … Tender, you jus’ don’t know …”

“I thought she wuz ya friend,” Tender said.

Goldie replied straight-faced. “Wit friends like dat, who needs enemies.”

Goldie had nothing but love for Tender. Over the few short months they had been together, they had become quite close. Tender was nice and quiet. She had the kind of humble personality that people couldn’t help but like. But she would never place complete trust in another human being again. She now reserved that type of trust for her diary and God.

“Listen, Tender, ya probably think I’m wrong or just real foul, but one day you’ll see fa yaself. Everything I’m tellin’ you iz da truth. I ain’t gotta kick dirt on nobody’s name,” she assured her.

By now, Tender was used to Goldie talking in riddles. She just let it go, like water under a bridge. She figured whenever Goldie was ready to totally come clean, she would. Until then she would keep her eyes open and mouth shut.

“Good night,” Tender said, excusing herself from any further conversation.

“Later,” Goldie simply replied.

Tender knew it would be a few more minutes before Goldie’s night light went out. She watched her as she went into her nightstand drawer and pulled out her diary. Tender thought, What could be so important that she had to document it daily? Wasn’t she a little too old for that?

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER
6

THE CHEROKEE STRIP CLUB was a loud and blurry scene. The DJ cranked out nothing but hit music. Songs that made the strippers want to shake what their mommas gave them. They aroused the customers and the customers spent big money.

Tender was soon a featured dancer. Club owners now paid her big time to take the stage. Her dancing was hot, her moves seductive and her looks fine. Add that to her newness and innocence and you understood her popularity.