Mr. Brady was effusive. It was hard to keep from touching the girl. "You just keep on working and you'll be quite a Pavlova. Any time you want to see the show free just let me know."
Mae, standing behind Lucy, smiled timidly, wondering about the five dollars but not wanting to offend Mr. Brady by mentioning it. She was not even certain he knew she was there, because he looked only at Lucy.
"Mr. Brady, thank you for letting Lucy dance for you."
Small bilgewater eyes narrowed into the descending curtain at the end of an act and Mae recognized dismissal.
Lucy followed her mother a few steps, said wait a minute, and returned to Mr. Brady. "I guess you forgot, but you said you'd pay me five dollars."
The impresario was hurt. That was the trouble with helping young kids. Never grateful. He eyed Lucy coldly. She'd never get on anyway until rid of that mother. What a mouse!
"I did?" Mr. Brady said surprised.
"Yes, you did," Lucy said loudly.
"Well, if you say I said so, you come around to my office and I'll give you the five." Smart Brady, that'll get her.
"I'd rather have it now," she said, even louder.
Christ, guess I'll have to fork over. She might stage a scene. Oh well, they look as if they need it.
Lucy looked at the stuffed wallet. Some cheapskate. Her thank-you was laconic. The musicians, watching, felt compensated. They had been roped into playing for nothing. You had to stay on the right side of the bastard.
Elated, Lucy and Mae could not sleep. Fragments of words and music jangled like cowbells the drummer had banged. Lucy waved the five-dollar bill over her head and kicked it.
"Five dollars for just one dance. If I could get five dollars every night we'd be rich."
Mae smiled sadly. What a shame it could be theirs only until Mrs. Murphy came for it on her way to Mass, furious at that to be getting only five dollars. A waste, in a way, handing it over, because they still would owe $14.50. Mrs. Murphy surely would evict them, keeping the five dollars and all their things until they paid up. She did that all the time to tenants when they were two weeks behind.
