The Workaholic

Touching her black velvet dress,

reliving the lust that she had caused,

the marriages she had destroyed,

all because of a body and a debt she had never asked for,

she covers her face with another layer of powder before facing the world,

she smiles at all that pass her by.

she looks at all the gentlemen she'd serviced last night and their wives,

with bright red lips,

perky and supple breasts,

an hourglass figure and a very thin fag,

pressed to her lips,

another inhale to get through another day.

Women hate her,

Men lust for her,

But she, absolutely can not stand herself.

She runs to the bathroom after a meal at the cafe,

to freshen up her face and wash away her thoughts of guilt and sin,

she applies more red lipstick,

as red as the marks on her body from a career,

a job,

a way to be honest,

honest,

honestly,

living honestly,

she forces a smile and wipes away tears blackened by mascara,

walks to the lingerie shop to buy another "business suit",

undresses herself gently,

revealing scars of all kinds,

scars from every abortion she's had to have to protect clients,

scars from every client who has gotten a little too rough with her,

scars from every time her husband found out what she did for a living,

and scars from every time a sweet simple thought.... was replaced,

by work,

work,

"I'm a workaholic and nothing more",

she paid the cashier with a cheery smile,

grabbed her bags and went home,

she opened the door just like every night,

she was screamed at and called a "whore" like every night,

she grabbed the bottle and drank until she couldn't feel like every night,

she smiled and warmed up a bottle of formula,

for the one child she could spare like every night,

and then she threw her black gorgeous curls into a bun,

turned on the tap,

and wiped away everything she believed made her beautiful,

and then she cried for several hours like every night,

and finally, she curled up with a good book and a cup of tea.

And then, there was a knock at her door at about five o'clock,

She grabbed her makeup bag and wiped away her tears,

"Time for Work" she said with a very bright smile.