Charlotte's Alter Ego

Throughout the day I find myself donning different outfits that fit each job I work, but this one always feels the most authentic and freeing. 

Standing in a stall in the women’s high end powder room of La Bella’s Ristorante,  I strip away the long navy blue cotton skirt that is held together by velcro around the waist.

Underneath it reveals my long black leather skin tight pants that show off my curves and thigh high black high heeled leather boots to match. 

I continue on by stripping away the light grey blouse and donning an off the shoulder gold sequined top. Staring at myself in the mirror I continue with my makeup routine, creating smokey eyes, contoured cheeks, bright red lipstick, and finishing the look by releasing the two chopsticks that have restrained my long raven black waves all day. 

Finger combing my hair into place and fluffing it here and there, I stare into my reflection in the huge oval golden rimmed mirror above the hand sink.  

“There she is... I’ve missed you.” I whisper to the reflection. 

During the day Monday through Friday, I am Miss Charlotte, the quiet librarian and tutor who enjoys helping children discover books at the school library. At night I become Charlie, ready to put on a show. 

I finish gathering my things into my weekend bag and exit the restroom, making my way to the back where the band is gathered. 

“Happy birthday!” Everyone in the band calls out to me in unison as soon as I open the door into space. 

The space is as grand as the rest of the building and could easily be mistaken as a 1 bedroom apartment. 

There’s a small bathroom, a living room with a three cushioned couch with a tv, and a small, but tidy kitchen area with black and white checkered flooring, a fridge, stove, oven, sink, a dishwasher–the whole works with a long countertop and barstools in front of it.

Tyler, Sam, Benny, and Augustus (we never call him Gus because he hates it) stand around the countertop with a round nine inch two layered hot pink cake resting on it that says, 

“Congratulations, you made it to 30!”

Bright red balloons float and bop about beside the cake, strung with white ribbon and held down by a bedazzled balloon weight. 

I find myself stunned…

“How did you guys find out it was my birthday today?”

Sam skipped over to me, and draped an arm around me as she ushered me towards the others. Her red hair in one long braid off to the side of her shoulder and besides being petite in size, the girl could pack a punch when it’d count the most.  

“You told us last month after you’d drunk too much, after the Christmas special.” 

I try to remember, but my mind is blank.

Shaking my head, I laugh. 

“Oh… Yeah, that could definitely explain it. Last time I think I’ll be getting drunk around all of you...”

Right as we get to the others, Lily, the one that really runs the place, opens the door. 

“Aye! You guys are on early. Teddy isn’t feeling well and has gotta cut his performance short.”

“Guess the cake will have to wait until after the show.” Augustus states dryly. 

I glance over at him as he walks over to grab his electric guitar. 

Jet black hair cut short, thin lips, but always has a quick wit and knows how to make a lady swoon. Completely out of Charlotte’s league, and Charlie, as a rule, doesn’t date her bandmates. 

Sam grabs her neon pink drumsticks that she bought to make a fun statement, and Tyler, blonde mop of curls always out of place on his head, grabs his bass. 

We all make our way to stand and prepare for a few minutes at the back of the stage. 

Teddy is out there finishing up the last of his latest banger, “Can’t have it all…” 

I find myself doing my nightly breathing ritual before going on. 

Inhale… four… three… two… one.

Exhale… one… two… three… four… 

“Still get anxiety before going on, eh?” Tyler nudges me with his elbow. 

I shrug, “At this point it has become a routine.”

“Sure… Maybe just think of it as we are all simply giving these high enders a gift that keeps on giving? And the fact that we’re getting paid better than most places would pay us.”

I grin, “Says the person who takes one of these high enders home every night?”

“Oh, hey now, not every night, I think you’re thinking of Augustus…” Tyler blushes.

Augustus draws in one more inhale of his cigarette he’d secretly lit and snuffs it out on the bottom of his boots, then runs a hand through his hair and smirks.

“Yeah, you must be thinking about me. I have a reputation to keep.”

Right as I was about to come up and say a retort, Teddy says in his deep speaking voice, 

“Thank you for a lovely evening, now please welcome our friends, Charlie and her Sweet Talkers.” 

“Showtime.” I say with a grin forming on my lips. 

We all make our way on stage, waving at the crowd of people dining in the dimly lit room at several round tables sitting around the stage. 

I go over to the microphone and Charlie comes fully to life.

“Good evening everyone, how are we all doing tonight?”

A few cheers erupt from some of the guests who have definitely already had more drinks than food. 

“Oh, good, good, well we’re gonna start this evening out with some of our original favorites and if any of you have any requests, be sure to put in a request to your server and they’ll let us know. Without further ado, we hope you all enjoy.” 

The smooth rock music takes over the stage and my sweet airy voice with soft rasps sails out over the people. 

It’s as if it is creating its own kind of spell over them. 

Several of the guests look up from their food mid bite and stop mid conversation to watch us perform.

“Dreaming of yesteryear, the days filled with joy and hardly any fears of what the future could bring…” 

The evening passes as most of them do as if all of us within the room are in some kind of trance, never wanting it to end, but knowing eventually it must. 

I catch a man sitting at the bar unable to look away from me, sipping at his cocktail, a tall blonde sitting off to his side. 

There’s always one. 

Usually they appear bored with the companion, but entertain them and pay for them so they get what they seek after the show. 

I look away from him and back to the rest of the crowded room and the remaining lyrics fall from my lips. 

I get the cue from Lily to wrap it up and I send her my usual sign of demurely lifting my hand off the microphone as the song ends. 

“Thank you all for listening! Next up we have our favorite duet, Lulu and Jade. Please enjoy!” 

With that we all bow and exit the stage, waving goodbye, as the guests clap and whistle, making our way back to the lounge. 

In the lounge we find some of the other performers along with Teddy sitting around eating some pink cake. 

“Hey! Happy birthday Charlie!” Teddy mumbles through a mouthful of cake. 

Sam goes over to him and grabs the plate of cake from his hands. 

“Seriously? We got this for Charlie, not for all of you to demolish before we can sing her happy birthday and have her blow out the candles. Have you guys got no decency?” 

I sigh, “Sam, it’s okay. I don’t mind. Really. There’s no way we could have eaten all of that on our own.” 

“Pshh, speak for yourself, Charlie.” Tyler challenges. 

“I could easily eat it all by myself.”

“Yeah, then suffer a stomach ache afterwards.” Augustus chimed in while getting himself a slice and offering a slice to me. 

I shrug, “Sure.”

The inside of the cake has pink swirls that look nearly as pink as the icing. 

I take a bite of it and find the texture to be soft and delicate as flavors of vanilla and strawberry burst in my mouth. 

“Who made the cake?” I ask after swallowing another bite. 

Sam grins and looks at Augustus, “Yeah, Augustus, who made the cake?”

Augustus rolls his eyes, “My mom runs a small cake business and I mentioned it to her, okay?” 

An odd sensation ran through me, but I quickly shrugged it off. 

“Please tell her it’s a 10/10 and I could happily eat a piece of it every day for the rest of my life.”

Augustus smiled at me and nodded and took another bite of the delicious cake. 

I looked around and thought I wouldn’t care to spend my 30th birthday any other way... Surrounded by like minded people yearning and dreaming for a better life.