Chapter 2

Jan 1945 New York.

“Come on Johnny Boy, drink up!” Brad encouraged, slapping his friend on the back.

The dark, smoke filled bar was completely packed with soldiers and sailors home on leave. The booze flowed freely as the men cut loose from the horrors of war.

The skinny young man struggled to finish his drink under the relentless taunting of his friends.

Finally, amidst the cheers and screams, Johnny finally found the bottom of his mug of beer and slammed it down onto the bar.

“There ya go! Now you’re a real man!” Brad laughed, patting Johnny on the shoulder.

“Not quite. We all know that Johnny isn’t a ‘real’ man yet.” Their friend Charles laughed.

“Hey now, he’s been shot at and killed some Nazi bastards, I’ll give the man some credit.” Brad replied.

“Fair enough. We just need to find a sweet young lady to make little Johnny a full-fledged man.”

Charles grinned as he lifted his beer mug to his mouth.

Brad nodded and laughed and as he lifted his mug up, scanned the room. There were plenty of women in the bar scouting for a military man to shack up with.

As Brad looked around, it did appear, however, that every woman was engaged in conversation with someone.

Then, his eyes fell on something.

“There! Johnny! I got one!” Brad exclaimed, eagerly slapping his friend on the back.

“What? What?” Johnny asked, looking around frantically.

“Over there, in the corner!” Brad repeated excitedly.

“What? What is it?” Charles asked, standing up and looking in the direction of Brad’s gestures.

The three men turned towards Brad’s finger.

There, in the dark corner of the bar, calmly smoking a cigarette was a slender woman. Her jacket collar was pulled up around her neck and ears.

“Go get her Johnny! She’s all alone!” Brad encouraged, shoving his friend.

“What? What do I do? What do I say?” Johnny asked.

“Just charm her. Tell her you’re a war hero.” Brad replied with a laugh.

“Yeah, tell her you’re gonna kill Hitler with your bare hands!” Charles called out laughing as Johnny stumbled through the crowd.

The young man pushed his way through the mass of other men. As he approached the woman, he could see hints of dark red hair poking out from under her hat.

“Hey there.” He called out loudly.

“Hello.” The woman replied in a low, seductive voice as she took along drag off of her cigarette.

“I’m Johnny.”

“Hello Johnny.” She replied in a smooth voice.

“Uhm, can I get you a drink?” Johnny stammered.

“I have one. Why don’t you sit down, Johnny.” She suggested.

Johnny quickly slid into the seat across from her.

The woman leaned back in her chair as if to get a better look at Johnny and as the flickering light bulb illuminated her face, Johnny could see that she was quite pale with smooth features. She didn’t seem to fit in this town, but her dark eyes drew him in.

“You from around here?” He asked.

The woman shook her head.

“Where are you from?”

“Lots of places. What about you Johnny Boy?”

“Texas. Just here on leave from the war front ya know.” Johnny grinned awkwardly.

“I see. Are you having a good time on leave, Johnny boy?” The woman asked, her lips breaking into a slight smile.

“Ya pretty good. Just hanging out with my boys. Trying to have a good time.”

“I see. Well Johnny boy, would you like to have a real good time?” The woman asked, her eyes flickering as her smile grew slightly bigger. Johnny could feel his manhood twitch a little.

“Sure would!”

“Well, I don’t come cheap, but I’ll make all your dreams come true. You interested?” The woman asked.

A prostitute.

Johnny knew of several men that had been with them in every town in every country. They followed the American soldiers around any place they went.

Johnny had never considered one before, but now, in this moment, with his friends watching, he decided it was time.

They would never know.

Johnny nodded.

“Good. You have a room? I’m not in the mood for an audience.” The woman replied.

“No, but I can get one. I got lots of money!” Johnny exclaimed excitedly.

“Good. Let’s go then.” The woman replied, standing up from her seat with a smooth grace.

Johnny jumped up from his chair so fast that he knocked it over. Embarrassed, he picked it up and hurried after the woman who was already heading for the door.

“Go get her Johnny! Knock her dead!” Brad called out.

“Give her hell Johnny!” Charles yelled out.

As Johnny caught up to the woman at the door, she paused for a moment. Johnny watched as she turned back towards his friends

And blew them a kiss.

“I got two nights like you asked.” Johnny said excitedly as he approached the woman in the lobby.

“Good. I like to make it last.” The woman replied, dragging her fingernail down Johnny’s chest.