She had to turn up with something, Jenna thought to herself. But she’d only thought of it at the last minute, so she was a bit ashamed when she handed over the presents: a bouquet of flowers from the supermarket featuring marigolds and oxeye daisies, and a small cuddly toy from a souvenir shop, a little grey mouse with big front teeth and wide eyes. But it was the thought that counted. Nadia smiled when Jenna proffered the gifts, bending forward to embrace her. Then Jenna straightened her back and looked at her friend.
She looked dreadful. Her black eyes were a shade of purple, blood had seeped through the big gauze dressings, the teeth that had been knocked out hadn’t been replaced and her eyes were still bloodshot. Judging by her grimaces when she shifted position in the hospital bed, she was in terrible pain.
‘Did that cop find you?’ said Nadia. ‘That woman?’
‘Yes. But I pretended not to understand.’
‘Why?’
Jenna didn’t answer.
‘Are you still going to do it?’ said Nadia.
‘Why not?’
‘Look at me.’
Nadia splayed her arms as if to show her full self. Jenna looked her friend in the eyes.
‘I’ve had worse,’ said Jenna. ‘Without getting paid.’
‘It’s not the same thing.’
‘No, exactly. I’m getting paid.’
‘It was awful.’
‘Did you get the money?’ said Jenna after a short pause.
‘Yes.’
‘Show me.’
Nadia retrieved her handbag from under the duvet and showed the wad of cash to Jenna. The sight of the money seemed to satisfy her. When Nadia saw the resolve in her friend’s eyes, she regretted not lying and saying she’d never been paid. Why hadn’t she thought of that? It would have been that simple.
‘They’ve promised me two hundred and fifty thousand,’ said Jenna, her voice uncertain.
Nadia looked at her for a long time.
‘Then it’s going to be worse than this. Take a look at what they did for a hundred thousand.’
‘Or I’m worth more.’
Nadia realised that Jenna didn’t want to give it any thought – the idea that she too would soon be in hospital, perhaps even more badly injured. Perhaps so badly that she would never heal. Once they had got started, they had struggled to stop themselves.
‘In what way?’ said Nadia. ‘They only pay more if they get to do worse stuff. What did they say?’
Jenna didn’t answer.
‘Jenna, what did they say? Tell me!’
‘OK. It’s three guys.’
‘No!’
‘But I’ve done it before. For a few hundred extra.’
‘Jenna, don’t do it. Look at me. They will hurt you.’
‘Two hundred and fifty thousand is enough for me to quit. Go home, buy a house for my parents, see my sisters. And they’ll let me. I can’t carry on. They’ve promised to leave my family alone.’
‘My God, Elena, you need to listen to me!’
Hearing her real name made Jenna start. It was as if Nadia had opened a door to her old life. A big, heavy door that she had locked and thrown away the key for, in order to keep the men here out of the only thing she knew that was beautiful: memories of her mother and sisters.
‘It always looks worse than it is,’ she said to Nadia. ‘You’re free now, right? You can go home and take the money with you.’
‘But I regret doing it.’
‘Or you’re just jealous because I’m getting much more than you.’
‘Jenna, I’ll share my money with you. You can have half. Just don’t do it.’
‘You’re forgetting one thing. I can’t go home like you. I’ve got to stay, otherwise they’ll take my sisters.’
‘But they said you could go home in a year.’
‘They said that a year ago too. I want to go home now.’
‘Jenna . . .’
Jenna forced a smile.
‘The worst thing that can happen is that I end up here with you. And then we can lie here planning our lives together. Which cafés to visit, where to live. Do you think it’s like it was before back home?’
Nadia didn’t reply. She didn’t know what to say.