It was absolutely jam-packed and Gwen was rushed off her feet. For the first two hours, she'd worked the main floor, and that had been a very trying time; Gwen really hated this job and she just had to keep in mind that the money was good. The money was good - better than good and she needed it. For Toby, and his trips and his future. Also, though - for their long term future, which meant her schooling.  Gwen knew that, for a hundred different reasons, she had to keep this job and so, she said nothing, didn't kick anyone who thought it acceptable to grope her, dealt with the most obnoxious of the customers, and did her best to make sure that everyone was happy with their service.<br/><br/>It was working, Gwen knew, her tips for the night were excellent.<br/><br/>Then, there'd been the private group. They'd consisted of agents, Mr Rhodes, other business men - all men. She - and the two other waitresses - were run off their feet. There was a man who skirted close to Gwen's limits, his hands on her leg. However, she had to admit that Mr Rhodes was good about that - he pulled her over to him and away from the Mr Cooper. Gwen was more than pleased about that.<br/><br/>However, then the music started - first the warm-up singer and then, it was Toni Childs.  Starting with "I've Got to Go Now", Gwen had to admit that the woman had talent.  However, what that led to was a very busy area. There were people everywhere and Gwen lifted the tray which held the order for table 23. It was drinks for two, and the table was one with two placements, so Gwen was hopeful that it was some loved-up couple who were so very into each other that he didn't think that it was acceptable to feel up the waitress. She knew, more and more, that there were all sorts of shady deals going on at the<i> Fallen Angel</i>, but Gwen was determined; she was not involved in them. Not at all.<br/><br/>She squeezed her way through the place, and made her way over to table 23. As she did, she had to manoeuvre around a drunken lout on table 17, he reached out to grab her ass and Gwen simply twisted her body out of the way. Arriving at table 23, she hadn't really paid attention to the faces of her customers - but why would she. So, she put down the drinks with a smile, aware that Toni Childs' song was just finishing. As the song finished, she spoke.<br/><br/>"Will there be anything else?" Gwen asked and she looked up from the table where she'd placed the tab, straight into the eyes of …<br/><br/>"Miss Sinclair...", Gwen said, red colouring her cheeks. And, of course, the blotches of red travelled down her neck and onto her chest - which were oh so very visible. "And Elijah. Nice to... " this was beyond humiliating. Here she stood, in an outfit which left her feeling vulnerable and exposed; Mary Beth looked - of course - stunning - and Gwen couldn't even begin to think about what she must look like to them - to<i>him.</i>Her mouth was dry and her heart pumped in her ears. She had to do something, say something, she knew that. But she couldn't. So, she took a stumbling step backwards and then gave as bright a smile as she could. "You two enjoy your evening. This one's.. this one's on me," need the money be damned, Gwen would pay for their night if she could just get out of here.<br/><br/>Grabbing the bill, Gwen turned and more or less ran. She found Mindy, one of the other waitresses and thrust the tab into her hand. "I'm paying for this. I need you take table 23.. please .. please cover me? Just for ten minutes?" Mindy - who was a nice woman, nodded her head.<br/><br/>"Ok. Got it."<br/><br/>Gwen heard that and then she turned and made her way out of the building. Out the back, she pulled up a crate and sat on it, her back against the wall. Breathing in the cool night air, she knew that she had to go back in, but she could not do so right now. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes and wished she'd never met Elijah Primeau, that she'd never met Mary-Beth Sinclair and, more than anything, that she didn't have to work in this Gods-forsaken place, or made such an awful screw-up of her life. Angrily wiping her eyes, Gwen waited for the humiliating redness to go from her face before she went back in to finish her shift without ever once going near table 23.