“It pays well enough, I suppose,” she said thoughtfully, licking her ice-cream again. It did, but it was wildly unpredictable. Some nights she could make several hundred, while others she’d go home empty handed, and then there were the nights she couldn’t be bothered, which wasn’t often, but did happen. She was glad she didn’t have a pimp, who would take a cut of her pay and force her to work hours she didn’t want to. As if being a prostitute wasn’t fun enough already.
“She’s lucky to have you,” CJ said sincerely, with the tiniest hint of jealousy; she didn’t have family, and hadn’t had anyone that cared about her, for her, for many years. She knew Mal cared, but that was different. Theirs was a bond formed from hardship and survival, not the love of a family. She’d had that once, but it had been taken away. It was always taken away. She pursed her lips, and then finished her ice-cream, crunching on the cone as Nocturne told her the names of himself and his sister.
An eyebrow was raised, and she turned her head to look at Nocturne sceptically, wondering if he was telling her fibs. It was a hell of a name to make up, but it did match with his sister’s Lyrical Dream, which was pretty but definitely … unique. “Your dad was okay with those names?” She asked after a moment, looking confused. Did he not have a say in it? She had no idea how naming a child happened. She certainly hadn’t named the girl child she’d given birth to, and she only had the State’s word that her name was the one she’d grown up with. But since they were sharing names, CJ decided to give hers, too, though she was clearly hesitant. “Cassandra-Jade,” she said softly, wiping her hands on her dress; despite her best efforts, they were sticky.
“She’s lucky to have you,” CJ said sincerely, with the tiniest hint of jealousy; she didn’t have family, and hadn’t had anyone that cared about her, for her, for many years. She knew Mal cared, but that was different. Theirs was a bond formed from hardship and survival, not the love of a family. She’d had that once, but it had been taken away. It was always taken away. She pursed her lips, and then finished her ice-cream, crunching on the cone as Nocturne told her the names of himself and his sister.
An eyebrow was raised, and she turned her head to look at Nocturne sceptically, wondering if he was telling her fibs. It was a hell of a name to make up, but it did match with his sister’s Lyrical Dream, which was pretty but definitely … unique. “Your dad was okay with those names?” She asked after a moment, looking confused. Did he not have a say in it? She had no idea how naming a child happened. She certainly hadn’t named the girl child she’d given birth to, and she only had the State’s word that her name was the one she’d grown up with. But since they were sharing names, CJ decided to give hers, too, though she was clearly hesitant. “Cassandra-Jade,” she said softly, wiping her hands on her dress; despite her best efforts, they were sticky.
