ElaineMc
19th May 2010, 04:36 PM
Story summary: Wilhelmina Winstead is struggling to make a life for herself in 1930s New York until one awful week when everything falls apart....
Chapter 1: Mean To Me
http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/win01.jpg
"And here's another five for some coffee and those little cakes with all the icing, too." Billie van Moyer, newly married to the shipping magnate, winked and turned her attention back to her dinner companion, sighing. Poor old Win, she thought. Always on the bottom of the pile. She reached over to pat her friend's hand, pretty sure she already knew why Win was in tears.
"Aw, honey, that man of yours ain't worth it-- why--"
The dark-haired girl cut her off, leaning forward suddenly. "This time it's different... this time-- oh, Billie! I caught him with her, right out on the street, right in front of the automat!"
Billie's voice went up an octave in outrage. "That good-for-nothing! That rat! Oh, Win, honey, I'm so sorry-- except now you're done with him, right? Right?"
http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/win02.jpg
"I-- I wish I wasn't, Billie. I love him so much, how could he do this?" She wiped her eyes with a slightly threadbare handkerchief.
Billie slumped back in her seat. "When you gonna learn not to take any guff from people, anyway? You're on the job all day and half the night for $80 a month because you can't say no, you let your landlady move you up to the third floor AND charge you extra rent, and that man? He wasn't good enough for you."
The waitress returned with the coffee and cakes. Billie just nodded absently. The two women sipped their coffee in silence, while Win crumbled a cake on her plate. Outside, the autumn evening slipped into night.
Finally, Billie couldn't take it anymore. "Tell you what, Winnie-- me and Eddie, you know we're going to Europe, and we won't be back for six, maybe seven months. Why don't you throw over that nowhere job of yours and come on with us!" She brightened up as she continued to speak. "You'll be my guest the whole time-- Eddie'll be glad to have you go along to keep me company-- we'll go shopping, and around to every dance hall they got, and--"
Win began to shake her head. "Billie, you're a dear for inviting me, but I can't-- I just can't. It wouldn't be right. Mr. Harrison counts on me so much, you see."
http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/win03.jpg
"Honey, you're so busy doing right by everyone else, you forget to do right by yourself," Billie sighed. "But if you--" She stopped talking again, recognizing the "no" in Win's eyes. "Well, I'll tell you what. We don't sail for almost a month. You change your mind, you just pack yourself a bag and send telegram out to the Hall, and we'll get you on the boat with us, no matter what! How's that for a deal?"
"It's a good one," Win said, blinking hard to keep from crying any more. "And you're a good friend to me."
"Hey, didn't you and me work for Harrison together for almost four whole years before I met Eddie? Us girls got to stick together and give each other a hand. Lord knows nobody else will."
***
That was true enough, Wilhelmina thought later as she made her way up the stairs to her fifth-floor room in the run-down old boarding house. She tried not to look at her shabby little quarters: the rusty bedstead, the dingy carpet, the suitcases that still held her clothing, almost six long years after she'd moved to the city. A little defiant, she smoothed a single wrinkle from the worn-out comforter.
It was late-- late enough that she was probably going to be awfully tired in the morning, and the dark circles beneath her eyes would be even darker-- but hadn't it been worth it! The expensive, chic little dinner, the rich cakes and coffee, the ride home in a limousine; and best of all, she'd had the sympathy of Billie, her oldest friend in this big, cold city. It almost made up for Tom's betrayal.
Almost.
She jumped at a knock on the door-- who on earth could be here at this time of night?
http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/win04a.jpg
It was her landlady-- a narrow-faced, narrow-eyed, perennially disheveled woman. "Miss Winstead? I need next month's rent from you right now, if it won't be too awful much bother...." Her tone suggested she didn't care if it would be a bother.
Even though it took every penny she had on hand-- even though it was three weeks until next month-- Wilhelmina handed the money over without a word of protest.
http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/win05.jpg
And she went to sleep trying her hardest to believe it was true.
***
(BONUS! Soundtrack time. The title for this chapter was taken from the song "Mean To Me." Here's the 1929 version by Ruth Etting (rar file, mp3 format). (http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/Mean_To_Me_1929.rar) This song is in public domain, and you can find more work by her at archive.org (http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=etting%20%20%28collection%3A78rpm%20OR%20mediatype%3A78rpm%29%20AND%20-mediatype%3Acollection)!)
(Edited: I goofed! Win wouldn't be making anywhere near $400 a month. I've corrected it to the more accurate $80.)
Chapter 1: Mean To Me
http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/win01.jpg
"And here's another five for some coffee and those little cakes with all the icing, too." Billie van Moyer, newly married to the shipping magnate, winked and turned her attention back to her dinner companion, sighing. Poor old Win, she thought. Always on the bottom of the pile. She reached over to pat her friend's hand, pretty sure she already knew why Win was in tears.
"Aw, honey, that man of yours ain't worth it-- why--"
The dark-haired girl cut her off, leaning forward suddenly. "This time it's different... this time-- oh, Billie! I caught him with her, right out on the street, right in front of the automat!"
Billie's voice went up an octave in outrage. "That good-for-nothing! That rat! Oh, Win, honey, I'm so sorry-- except now you're done with him, right? Right?"
http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/win02.jpg
"I-- I wish I wasn't, Billie. I love him so much, how could he do this?" She wiped her eyes with a slightly threadbare handkerchief.
Billie slumped back in her seat. "When you gonna learn not to take any guff from people, anyway? You're on the job all day and half the night for $80 a month because you can't say no, you let your landlady move you up to the third floor AND charge you extra rent, and that man? He wasn't good enough for you."
The waitress returned with the coffee and cakes. Billie just nodded absently. The two women sipped their coffee in silence, while Win crumbled a cake on her plate. Outside, the autumn evening slipped into night.
Finally, Billie couldn't take it anymore. "Tell you what, Winnie-- me and Eddie, you know we're going to Europe, and we won't be back for six, maybe seven months. Why don't you throw over that nowhere job of yours and come on with us!" She brightened up as she continued to speak. "You'll be my guest the whole time-- Eddie'll be glad to have you go along to keep me company-- we'll go shopping, and around to every dance hall they got, and--"
Win began to shake her head. "Billie, you're a dear for inviting me, but I can't-- I just can't. It wouldn't be right. Mr. Harrison counts on me so much, you see."
http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/win03.jpg
"Honey, you're so busy doing right by everyone else, you forget to do right by yourself," Billie sighed. "But if you--" She stopped talking again, recognizing the "no" in Win's eyes. "Well, I'll tell you what. We don't sail for almost a month. You change your mind, you just pack yourself a bag and send telegram out to the Hall, and we'll get you on the boat with us, no matter what! How's that for a deal?"
"It's a good one," Win said, blinking hard to keep from crying any more. "And you're a good friend to me."
"Hey, didn't you and me work for Harrison together for almost four whole years before I met Eddie? Us girls got to stick together and give each other a hand. Lord knows nobody else will."
***
That was true enough, Wilhelmina thought later as she made her way up the stairs to her fifth-floor room in the run-down old boarding house. She tried not to look at her shabby little quarters: the rusty bedstead, the dingy carpet, the suitcases that still held her clothing, almost six long years after she'd moved to the city. A little defiant, she smoothed a single wrinkle from the worn-out comforter.
It was late-- late enough that she was probably going to be awfully tired in the morning, and the dark circles beneath her eyes would be even darker-- but hadn't it been worth it! The expensive, chic little dinner, the rich cakes and coffee, the ride home in a limousine; and best of all, she'd had the sympathy of Billie, her oldest friend in this big, cold city. It almost made up for Tom's betrayal.
Almost.
She jumped at a knock on the door-- who on earth could be here at this time of night?
http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/win04a.jpg
It was her landlady-- a narrow-faced, narrow-eyed, perennially disheveled woman. "Miss Winstead? I need next month's rent from you right now, if it won't be too awful much bother...." Her tone suggested she didn't care if it would be a bother.
Even though it took every penny she had on hand-- even though it was three weeks until next month-- Wilhelmina handed the money over without a word of protest.
http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/win05.jpg
And she went to sleep trying her hardest to believe it was true.
***
(BONUS! Soundtrack time. The title for this chapter was taken from the song "Mean To Me." Here's the 1929 version by Ruth Etting (rar file, mp3 format). (http://finalgirl.us/NellSpeed/S3/Mean_To_Me_1929.rar) This song is in public domain, and you can find more work by her at archive.org (http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=etting%20%20%28collection%3A78rpm%20OR%20mediatype%3A78rpm%29%20AND%20-mediatype%3Acollection)!)
(Edited: I goofed! Win wouldn't be making anywhere near $400 a month. I've corrected it to the more accurate $80.)