"Not a lot of luck."

"I... haven't had the best of luck. There are some... options, but I'm not sure what to do," Laura confided with a sigh. "I need money, badly. We can survive for a short time without me working, but with the added stress of rent and rebuilding our lives while the insurance companies pretend nothing happened... Well. I've been in rougher situations."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Amanda gushed. "I might know some options for you, but well... maybe you should keep searching."

"Why? At this point, I'll take whatever I can get."

"Let's talk about it over lunch. Now, I believe this chicken is done. Let's eat," she said and shooed Laura out of the kitchen.

Over lunch, they chatted about whatever came to mind. It surpised Laura that Amanda didn't watch much television, and the little she did watch were shows Laura was familiar with. Their preferences in music were a little different. Where Laura enjoyed a lot of the current hip-hop and pop chart listers, Amanda enjoyed classical and electronic music.

"I love that you went to school to be an accountant. I went to school to be a fashion designer. However, things didn't quite work out like I expected. I don't regret my decisions, as they were the best I could make at the time, but ending up a high-class escort was not where I expected to be five years ago," {cneigbor_name} admitted with a soft smile.

Laura blinked and took in the new information. "You're an escort?" she asked quietly. She understood why Amanda hadn't recommended any jobs for her. "I mean, that's not a bad thing. I just... I don't know. You look amazing enough to be one," she babbled. She didn't want to lose a potentially new friend that she was connecting so well with.

"Oh, your face," Amanda laughed. "I'm comfortable with what I am and what I do. I only have sex with those I want to these days. I did tricks for a while, but that's been a some time ago."

Laura felt her cheeks color. "I... understand that," she managed to get out. She didn't want to bring up her past if she could help it. "I guess I just didn't expect it."

"Oh, I didn't either. I got lucky when an older woman... collected me. We had a strange, yet beautiful, relationship for a while. She showed me how to be... well, me."

Laura didn't know what so say, so she smiled.

"Now, how about you and your son? What's your plan, and how can I help?" Amanda asked before pausing for a moment. "Have you considered modeling?" she continued with a raised eyebrow at her wall of photos.

Laura outright laughed at her neighbor. "Oh, please. No, I'd break someone's camera if I got even half as naked as you are in those. No way."

Amanda flashed her a dazzling smile. "It's called being nude," Amanda quipped. "Consider it. I might even pay you. You'd be worth the time and the shots."

Laura blinked. She realized Amanda was serious. "Uh... I'd have to think about that. Dan and I are still coming up with a plan. No offence, but I'd rather not hook again," she admitted. As soon as the words left her mouth, she froze.

"I'm glad you got out of that life. It's hard on the body and harder on the mind," Amanda consoled in a serious tone. "It might pay well, and under the right circumstances, even be fun sometimes, but it's dangerous on many levels."

"Yes."