I suspected Eddie had called his brother but I could deal with that too. I’d watch the show, drink my lemon drops and when it was over get Buddy and Ralphie to get me the heck out of there.

Simple.

* * * * *

At lemon drop number five, I realized it was high time I bought a round.

The Sadie-I-Wanted-to-Be would buy a round. Wouldn’t she?

I leaned into Tex. “I’m going to go get a round,” I told him to gauge his reaction to my friendly gesture.

“Budweiser,” he boomed in response without taking his eyes off the stage and the Queen who was singing Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)”.

My eyes scanned the table and there were different-sized glasses with different-colored liquid scattered around. How was I to know what everyone wanted unless I asked them?

Impossible!

Then I had an idea and I leaned back into Tex. “What about everyone else?”

He tore his eyes from the stage, spared a glance at the table, looked back at the stage and boomed, “Shots.”

I looked at the Rock Chicks. They were all singing out loud (and it was a very loud out loud) and dancing in their chairs with their arms over their heads (except Ally and Ava who were both standing by the stage, singing, dancing and waving dollar bills at the Queen).

Obviously, they didn’t mind anymore what they drank. Shots it was.

I got up and went to the bar and when the bartender asked for my order, I turned to the table and counted then back to the bartender and said, “Eleven shots and a bottle of Budweiser.”

“What kind of shots?” the bartender asked.

Oh no.

What kind of shots? I didn’t know what kind of shots. I’d never been out with girls who drank shots. What kinds were there?

“Shots of liquor,” I answered.

The bartender blinked at me then said impatiently, “I didn’t think you wanted shots of orange juice.”

Well, he didn’t have to be mean about it.

This New Sadie thing was hard. The Ice Princess would have had him in cryo-freeze by now.

I shook off my desire to zap him with The Ice.

“What are my choices?” I asked.

He blinked again then started listing them off fast, “Tequila, sambuca, Kahlua, Jägermeister, anything like that. Then there are the mixed shots, B-52, fuzzy navel, sex on the beach, blowjob, screaming orgasm, quick f**k –”

“Stop!” I yelled, putting a hand up to emphasize my need for him to stop talking just in case he missed it from my yell. Then I pointed to our table. “It’s for them.”

The bartender’s eyes went beyond me to the Rock Chicks and he said, “Eleven screaming orgasms, comin’ right up.”

Phew.

All right, fine. That wasn’t so hard.

I could do this. I could buy shots for the girls. Maybe, when I got back to the table, I might talk to one of them, even introduce myself to the black-haired lady.

It was then, another bartender came up to me and handed me a piece of paper.

“This came from that lady down at the end of the bar.” He pointed to the end of the bar. I looked in that direction but I didn’t see any lady. There were just a bunch of g*y guys hanging around.

When I looked back, the new bartender was gone and my old one, Impatient Snappy Bartender, put Tex’s Budweiser in front of me and started to line up empty shot glasses.

I opened the paper and nearly fainted at what I read.

Sadie,

I’ve been looking all over for you, baby, then once I found you, waited to get close.

It’s your mother.

Don’t make a scene, go to the back like you’re heading toward the bathroom and then leave out the backdoor.

It isn’t safe for me to approach you. It isn’t safe for anyone to see me.

But I can’t wait to hold you.

Come alone and make sure you aren’t followed. -Mama

After I finished reading the note, my heart beating a mile a minute, I scanned the bar, looking for anyone that might be my Mom.

My Mom!

In a g*y bar!

I didn’t care where I saw her; I just wanted to see her.

There were women here and there but most of them were sitting at the Rock Chick table.

Then, I thought, why on earth was I hanging around?

I dropped the note and, without delay, I headed toward the bathroom. But I didn’t even bother acting like I was going to use the facilities. I walked straight to the end of the hall, pushed open the back exit door and I was outside.

The door closed behind me and I looked around. There was a muted streetlamp that illuminated the dank back alley. There were several dumpsters, some stacked boxes, some old kegs but no Mom.

I stepped out further away from the door. “Mom?” I called.

Then I felt movement behind me, I started to turn but he had me.

I began to scream but a hand went over my mouth and I was yanked into his body, hand at my mouth, other arm rough around my waist.

“Sweet, sweet Sadie.” I heard crooned in my ear and, at his words, I started to tremble.

I knew that voice. It wasn’t Ricky Balducci. It was his brother, Harvey.

He was walking forward, taking me with him, talking in his Crazy Balducci Croon the whole time. “Sweet Sadie, bein’ stupid, bein’ very stupid.”

I tried to pull free, twist my head away and I made noises under his hand as loud as I could.

“Got herself protection, got herself some boys who think they can f**k with the Balduccis. Didn’t Ricky teach you nothin’?” Harvey said in my ear, still walking, pushing me forward.

My heart was beating so hard it hurt. I was twisting my head sharply at the same time struggling against his other arm.

I was no match; he had six inches and at least a hundred pounds on me.

Someone, please tell me this was not happening. Not again.

“I won’t make the same mistake as Ricky. When I’m through with you, you’re still alive, you’ll call off the boys and you’ll keep your f**kin’ mouth shut about Ricky.”

No, it seemed like it was going to happen again. Unless I could stop it.

I opened my mouth and bit into the flesh of his hand so hard I felt his blood fill my mouth. At the same time I lifted a Jimmy Choo boot and slammed the spiked heel down on his foot and immediately made a mammoth effort to twist free.

Harvey yelled out in pain, released me and I took off, spitting his blood out to the side as I did.

“You f**kin’ bitch!” he screamed in rage and in a flash he caught up with me, arm around my waist, he swung me up and around and then planted me on my feet all the while I tore at his arm with my fingernails.