The Blue Moon Lounge is now packed but Pink decided to stay with Mama Luna. She doesn’t want to work. Mama Luna understood, or perhaps she has just gotten soft over the years. Back when she has started working for the Peralta mafia, she was so strict that the girls would cry themselves to sleep and act like nothing happened the next day. But now, everyone loves and adores her.

Pink asked Mama if she can have a cob of corn for tonight and the old woman chuckled. “You should also eat something more. You’re getting skinny. Men don’t appreciate skin and bones.” The girl, who’s barely 18 years old, smiled gleefully and nodded. She excused herself and went to the kitchen. Mama Luna then remembers how she trained the girls.

One of her rules is to not eat once the sun sets. They should only drink water. They can also have black coffee with no sugar or plain tea. It is to maintain their slim figures except when their clients request to have dinner. They then need to order a salad and a glass of red wine. It is the rule that everyone adheres to. It might be difficult, but they follow it. However, there’s this one girl that wholeheartedly follows it. Not just this rule but every other rule that Mama Luna established for the girls. She is Scarlet. She is said to be the top escort in the city, maybe all over the country, who knows. One thing’s for certain. When Mama Luna was training her, she saw how Scarlet would be the best escort there is. She has this gift of beauty and intellect. 

Mama smiled while looking at the vast night sky, and Pink did return with a plate of corn and meat. “Let’s eat, mama!” Pink said as she showed Mama the plate. Mama Luna bellowed in laughter. Pink also refilled Mama’s teacup so she can have something to sip while they’re on the balcony. As Pink was taking a bite of her food, she wanted Mama Luna to tell her stories. She asked about Mama Luna’s real name and her previous work. She also asked about her family and other personal questions. “I consider you my second family already, baby.” She smiled at the girl that they adopted ten years ago. 

“I remember the first time Scarlet brought you here at the lounge. Boy, you were just a bag of bones filled with lice.” Mama pinched Pink’s little cheek and she continued, “But now, look at you. You’ve become the prettiest petite here and now you’re being spoiled,” she chuckled.

Pink slightly nodded, “It’s because you’re getting old, Mama. If I was eating at night years ago, you would have whooped my ass.”

Mama Luna bellowed in laughter. “I guess that’s true, baby.”

“But I know Mama that your favorite girl is Scarlet.” Mama Luna looked at Pink as she’s still munching food. This little girl does observe things clearly, she thought.

“I mean, if I am also in your position, Scarlet would also be my favorite.” 

“Is that so?”

“One hundred percent yes. Can you now tell me Mama, how did you meet Scarlet?”

“Is that why you get food? To have something to eat while I’m telling a story?” Pink nodded because her cheeks are full. Mama let out a hearty chuckle. 

“Okay, baby. Let me tell you the story. Make sure you have enough food because I am a good storyteller.” When she said this, Pink swallowed hard and strongly nodded for the woman to understand just how serious she is in knowing the story of her favorite girl.

The city of Dos Rios was freshly dubbed the “Gambling City” by the national government one year after Mama Luna started working with the Peralta family. It was after expanding the casinos and making them shine with gold and silver exterior. With those snakes gone in the Peralta family, boss Luca entrusted the improvement of his business to his son, Jackson. He became the consigliere after killing his ungrateful uncles. 

The new moniker of the city helped the Peralta Mafia boosts their profits twice as before, and it means that the associates like me should work twice as hard. Luckily, I had already established the Moon Escorts and it was approved by Jackson. There are other escorts in the other hotels, Sunset Shine and Grand Snow, but I know just how to make the escorts exquisite.

“Jackson, can you tell me why the names of the hotels are lame? I mean, if you don’t mind me asking.” I casually asked the consigliere after serving him a glass of Bloody Mary. 

“It’s to not attract too much attention, Mama. We need to be popular enough to get rich but not so popular to be under the radar of the government.” He smiled as he adjusted his tie. “Besides, it’s for papa to remember when the hotels were established. Moonstar was built when I was born during the full moon; Sunset Shine when my brother was born in the middle of summer and for the Grand Snow- well, it was when our mother died.”

“Oh, my bad for asking, sweetheart.”

“No, it’s okay mama. By the way, do I look fine? I will be watching Michael at his football practice.”

I approached Jackson and helped him fix his tie. Jackson thanked me and finished his drink.

“We’re under the radar now Jackson when you successfully fixed these hotels.”

“Well, it’s not only me. We all participated in making the hotels rose to even greater fame.” He got up and wore his expensive black coat. “I guess we need to be careful with new clients. Anyway, I’m heading off.”

“Don’t worry. I already know how to teach my girls how to be good spies. Hey, don’t forget to drop by here so I can see the handsome Michael.”

“I sure will, mama.” Jackson was already at the door and he waved.

I earned huge respect from the Peralta family and I was treated well by them. Imagine being in your 40s and you were able to fight two guys and help bring down the snakes of the family. Even Luca invites me sometimes to their family dinner. There, I was able to meet the Peralta clan and understood how they function. I even got to meet Vincent, the son of the guy with glasses named Angelo Romano. The guy who died at my house. He’s at the same age as Jackson and he was promoted to become the underboss. Now I got to learn some mafia vocabulary. To be honest, I was skeptical of Vincent at first. But then I understood that his loyalty is with Luca. He’s not that close with his father because he’s just a bastard but Luca took him in like his own son to which Vincent was grateful. How he wanted to have the Peralta last name and not Romano. Those days, he just wanted to be called Vincent Peralta. I just felt how much he hated his last name. 

Now, the three new capos are Johnny, Jackson’s younger brother, and then James and Mario. They are Luca’s nephews from his only brother. They were the ones who helped out in finding the remaining Romano brothers when they tried to escape. They were the ones who tracked their whereabouts. They were henchmen at that time, and they deserved the promotion.

“I never saw James and Mario. Where are they now, mama?”

“Patience, child. I will get there,” Mama Luna answered as she took a sip of her tea. The girl nodded.

Now, I usually have a seat at the dining table of the Peralta family and I also bonded with the Peralta women. Although, at first, they were asking some silly questions. I did understand their perspective since they have known black people to be house slaves, but your Mama ain’t. In addition to that, Luca never personally invited a woman to be part of the family- to be an associate. I could say it was the perfect timing that I got to see my cousin Jacob back at the alley.

Anyway, Jackson’s wife, Marcia was especially dear to me. She has this black, wavy hair that perfectly fits her small face. At the age of 30, she still looks like a fair maiden, and she’s very much a dedicated wife and mother to Michael. Both she and Jackson wanted to have more children but fate didn’t allow them. Marcia was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when Michael was three years old, and she had her ovaries removed. She adores children so much that she has time to help out in charities and orphanages. What she does is helping spread out the goodness of the Peralta family. I always accompany her to visit the orphanage, and even though I have a different motive in joining her, she still welcomes the idea of me just trying to have another work. She knew what my work is and she respected that. It’s just that she would prefer if the girls I’m getting would have decent work. She even suggested that I should just run an orphanage. I laughed at her idea. I am not into helping anyone. I am about searching for talents that would make the Blue Moon Lounge the best. I do am thankful for her. She’s the reason why I met some of my finest girls. Just like Scarlet.

The day when we met young Scarlet was so crystal clear. It was like yesterday. I was having my morning tea when Marcia went to the lounge. I was sitting at the bar checking the inventory from last night while the TV’s on. Suddenly, the door flew open, and there she was. She was heaving, her bodyguards behind her asking her to calm down.

“We need to go to Happy Rivers now!”

Happy Rivers Orphanage is the oldest orphanage in the Northern district of the city. It’s located near where I previously lived. The brick building is worn out but the sign’s new, courtesy of a donation from Marcia, and the wooden fence ain’t complete no more even if it was freshly painted. It’s just a nasty old house straight from a horror movie if it wasn’t for the help of Marcia.

Well, your sweet Marcia learned that the keeper of the orphanage is abusing the kids. He even tried to sell them to some old men. It's a good thing Marcia asked some of the henchmen to do some surveillance, and they were able to discover those secrets. 

Being the only daughter of the mayor, she also has access to the police force, and they imprisoned the keeper. After seeing the keeper got cuffed, I told Marcia that it’s time to go home, but she said it’s just the beginning. She asked me if I could help her find new homes for the kids or be transferred to another orphanage. 

“I suppose I can get girls and some boys here. Don’t stop me Marcia if I do haul asses here.” 

Marcia didn’t protest. She knew that even if I am a mama-san, I do have some dignity intact and respect for my girls. I make sure they are of legal age before doing escort service, and they are well protected. They do some chores like the boys. Now, if I get young boys, I do think of them as investments. They do some light work around the lounge since the lounge quite large. It covers half of the third floor of Moonstar Hotel. The other half is our sleeping quarters, and I have my suite. When the boys reach their teenage years, they can start to officially work at the hotel. 

Marcia was looking at the list and did a headcount for the rescued orphans. We were in the backyard of the orphanage where the kids are sitting on the grass looking starved. I pity them. The orphanage is well-funded through donations, but they were not able to taste even half of it. that’s why Marcia had it investigated. She noticed the past few weeks that the keeper wouldn’t allow them to visit, giving different excuses – chickenpox outbreak, measles outbreak, and other infectious diseases.

“There’s five missing.” She wanted to start a search and rescue operation but I stopped her. 

“Sweetheart, it’s already out of our control. If the kids leave, they don’t want to be helped.”

“But Mama Luna, they’re just kids. They didn’t know any better. They thought that this was the best life has to offer. They’re wrong. If I just learned about it sooner. I – I – would - -” she’s already stuttering while trying not to cry.

“Don’t beat yourself up,” I explained to her that we could ask some of the henchmen instead to do the searching. If the police would do it, some citizens might complain that it’s not worth the tax they’re paying for. Marcia said that it’s a cruel thing to say. I answered that we’re living in a cruel world.

I asked Marcia to stay in the car first for her to take a rest while I take care of the kids. I took the list of the children’s names and I did an attendance like a preschool teacher. Sure enough, I mentioned five names and they weren’t there. 

There are a total of 15 kids whose age range is 6-15. I got five kids to work for me that are already old enough to do jobs at the hotel. I will have a long day ahead of me starting tomorrow, for I will brief them about our job and our employer. 

I then asked the police officers if they could escort the remaining kids to the Southern orphanage. It would be a long ride from there, but they agreed. They will just get some paperwork signed, so I told them that the kids could stay at the Moonstar Hotel for the night then the travel would be arranged the next day. They agreed. I just told them if they could escort the kids to the hotel, and they obliged. 

I headed to the car and went inside. I can see Marcia sobbing but she’s covering her face with her hands. 

“The kids will be fine now, Marcia. You did great. Let’s get you home.” she nodded weakly.

It’s almost lunchtime, and we were stuck in traffic. Marcia was silent and just looking outside the window. I was reading a magazine that’s being inserted in the compartment when she shouted.

“I saw a kid at the alley!” She didn’t even wait for any reply. She quickly opened the car door and rushed to the road, and headed to the alley. The bodyguard driving the car cursed as he honked the car, and he shouted at the other bodyguard to follow Madam Marcia right away. These two wackos never have a dull day for sure.

“Look for a parking spot. We might stay long in this block,” I advised the driver as I went out of the car. I went to the alley, and there I saw Marcia trying to go near the kid. 

“I won’t hurt you. I promise. What’s your name?”

The girl was not answering. Her hair is disheveled, and her clothes looked brand new, but they looked dirty. She even is wearing only one shoe.

“Ma’am. Please be careful,” the panting bodyguard said. He needs to do some cardio if he’s Marcia’s bodyguard. Marcia looked at the bodyguard with a hint of disdain. I lightly chuckled, but I immediately covered my mouth with my hand.

The girl was slowly backing up and perhaps thinking to run, but she looked so weak. It’s like she hasn’t eaten in days. Her lovely brown eyes speak differently amidst her physical condition. She still has the will to live.

“Marcia, let me talk to her.” I stepped in front of Marcia and looked at the girl straight in her eyes. I didn’t need to smile or reassure anything. I need to ask her something.

“You want to live?” 

She stopped backing away and straightened her posture. It’s like she was asked a serious question, and she needed to answer it professionally.

“I want to live.”

“Then join our family.”