On the eve of Sasha's arrival in Nexas, Uncle Johnny decided to take her shopping to help her settle in. As they strolled through a bustling mall, Sasha's eyes were drawn to a security guard stationed at the counter near the entrance. He was discreetly glancing at a pocket-sized picture of a woman and a toddler. The affection in his eyes was unmistakable. It was clear that they meant so much to him.
Sasha approached him with a warm smile. "Is that your family? They look awesome. You must be lucky to have them."
The man looked up from the picture with a surprised yet appreciative smile.
"Thank you. They mean the world to me."
They locked eyes and nodded at each other.
"But they are dead," he muttered as she turned to leave.
She froze in her gaits, with eyes and mouth open. "Oh dear, I'm so sorry to hear that." She said, placing her hands on her chest to gesticulate her condolence.
"No, you don't have to be. Even though they died some years ago, they will be evergreen in my heart."
Sasha was moved almost to tears. The wetness welling up in her eyes proved that. "Oh! That's so sweet of you. They must be proud of you wherever they are now."
"I'm Ron Crosswell," he said and hurriedly slotted the photo into his breast pocket. "I'm not allowed to do all these while on duty."
"Sasha, Sasha Valdez!" She offered her hand but withdrew it on hearing his last statement. "Alright, take care of yourself."
They smiled at each other, and she reconnected with her uncle, who was already waiting for her.
"Do you know him," Uncle Johnny asked as they were putting the last item in the cart.
"No, I just met him now. Do You?"
"Not really, but I have seen him here a couple of times. I think he is new on the job. You know I shop here frequently. How are your parents doing?"
Sasha looked at him and disengaged. "Well, for a start, my father is not happy with you. He says you have changed completely. Mom sends her regards."
"Hey Honey, it's not what he thinks, I promise!" He turned around to hold her by her shoulders and gazed into her eyes. "Certain things are beyond my control. You will see soon."
He lifted the bags of groceries off the floor and dropped them in the trunk. Then they drove away.
Sasha had settled into Uncle Johnny'shouse in Nexas. At least, she thought she did. She hoped to find support for her family back in Sanglose. Nonetheless, it rapidly became obvious that Charlotte, Uncle Johnny's, held the reins in their household. The key moment occurred when Sasha and Charlotte found themselves alone in the living room. It was evening, but he was still at work.
The naive Sasha tried to be polite by finding common ground. She ventured into a conversation.
"Charlotte, I really appreciate Uncle Johnny and your hospitality. It means a lot to me."
Charlotte's face was taut with disapproval, and her words fell like missiles. "Sasha, I didn't ask for you to come here. I don't know why Johnny decided to bring you into our home against my wishes."
For a moment, Sasha was stunned. She tried to convince herself that she didn't hear anything. The bluntness of Charlotte's words took her aback.
"I understand, Charlotte, but Uncle Johnny has been away from home for so long. Besides, my family is in dire need. We've been struggling with the Jimenez Cartel's demands, and I hoped that Uncle Johnny might be able to help."
"Johnny has no other home but here. He has no other family but me. Are you really listening to yourself?" Charlotte's disapproval only deepened as she responded with a sharp tone. "We have our own problems to deal with, Sasha. We can't be your saviors. You have overstayed your welcome. I think it's time you left."
Sasha had this sinking feeling in her chest. It was a painful reality. She just realized that Charlotte not only disapproved of her visit but also vehemently kicked against offering any assistance. In a few minutes, she had gone in to pack her belongings and was heading out.
"Here, you can use this to get back to wherever shithole it is you call home." The heartless woman threw a bundle of money at her.
"I'm truly sorry if I've caused any inconvenience. I'll do my best to find another solution." She fought hard with all her might to keep her tears from flowing as she headed out.
Sasha wished she had options and didn't have to pick that cash thrown at her. It was only enough to get her back to Sanglose. That means her family was still lacking El Diablo's repayment. Tears of sorrow flowed down her cheeks as she navigated the surrounding streets. She thought of her uncle and if he agreed with his wife's actions. It was a no-brainer.
"Uncle Johnny wasn't like that. He had no idea of what just happened. Charlotte runs the show, and he was only her puppet." She had to say it beneath her breath to prove its validity.
It was already too late to embark on the journey home. Sasha never even wanted to think about the possibility. It would be wiser to find a place to sleep for the night. Sighting three ladies across the road, she attempted to approach them. After evading the vehicles and getting there, they had already entered a building with neon lights.
"VENUS HANGOUT- Your Blissful Relaxation," Sasha read the sign above its threshold, wondering what the place was.
After entering through a short, narrow corridor, she emerged at the main hall. To her disappointment, it was a bar. The ones at home were quite different, which was why she had no idea initially. A dilemma was tugging at her soul at the moment.
"I have no extra money to rent a hotel for the night. All I have here is only enough to get me home." She thought to herself.
Sasha could see the ladies seated across the hall. She was at a loss for whatever it was she wanted from them. It eluded her whether it was a place to put up for the night, some extra money, or some feminine empathy. Merely looking at them, they were caucasians, CS citizens, and well above her league.
"I'm just a poor farmer's daughter from Sanglose." She tried hard to fight back her tears.
The agony in her was beginning to well up when she heard a voice behind her.
"Hello, lady, can we hang out?"
She turned around to see three men facing her. The tallest one in an all-black outfit asked the question.
"I'm sorry, I'm not interested." She tried to sound as polite as possible.
"I see you aren't from around her." He put a hand on her shoulder as the other two chuckled. "Hey, I like Mendex beauties."
*********************
Ron Crosswell had found an empty chair at the bar and settled on it.
"Hey, mister, are you alright? What can I offer you." It was the bartender.
He responded with a faint smile. "Tequila, please!"
In less than a minute, he made the drink available. Ron nodded in approval at him.
"Lucas, can you pour us some chilled ….." It was a couple of girls from the other end of the counter.
"Can you let me be? Oh, Jeez!" Another lady in a red gown vented her frustration at a man who seemed hell-bent on getting his way.
"I told you, you are mine tonight. Get that into your thick skull, okay?" His croaky voice sounded slowly but arrogantly.
Two other men stood enjoying the drama. They appeared to be friends with the first man. Their intermittent laughter rented with air. Everything was happening quite close to Ron, but he tried to ignore all four of them until he could no longer. The first man swung his right hand a little too much that it hit the already discombobulated and irritated lone drinker.
"Would you mind letting that poor woman be?" Crosswell turned around to address the oppressor firmly.
"Man, I advise you to mind your dirty business and stay out of this." He talked back condescendingly.
The other two slowly approached him. "Yeah, you heard him. Now, sit your sorry ass down and sip your pathetic drink."
"Ouch! Let me go, you bastard!" The lady let out a shrill cry.
That did it. Ron would take no more. He turned around to face the assailants as they switched to a battle-ready stance. One had a bottle in his hand. Another had a dagger. Ron was calm but poised to knock out the wannabe villains. It appeared to be a perfect opportunity to vent his anger and frustration on someone. This may be the panacea he needed after his discharge from the Navy Seal. In less than two minutes, all three were wriggling with pain on the floor. Ron moved closer to the first man and delivered one more punch to his head, and he was out.
Cheers and applause rented the air. A small crowd had formed to feed their eyes. Ron could feel several eyes trying to pierce through him in admiration.
"Are you alright?" he moved to the previously molested lady in red.
"Ron, Ron Cre….something?" She spoke with a bewildered face and bulging eyes. "We met at the mall some days ago, remember?"
"Oh no, what a coincidence," He remarked. "Forgive me, I was overly focused on those nitwits that I didn't notice it was you."
"Sasha Valdez, for the second time, and thank you so much." The gratitude was tangible.
"You got the Ron aspect," he chuckled, accepting her handshake. "It's Crosswell, Ron Crosswell."
"I never knew you were a blackbelt martial artist or something? I mean the way you ...…"
"Ex-military!" He managed to reply with a faint smile.
Ron and Sasha drank a bit and talked into the night. He had company now, the kind that fascinated him and helped to make him forget his worries. Some other women in the bar cast frequent glances at him, an indication of how appealing he was to them. For the first time after his discharge, Ron knew he was living again. The last hour bore a different stroke to the last couple of weeks. Sasha disclosed all about her uncle and wife but left out the ugly details about her family in Mendex.
"Sasha, I guess it's time we go home so you can rest for your journey tomorrow." He said, raising his eyebrows. "The offer to lodge you in a hotel still stands."
"I will pass on that. Alright, let's go home then."
With that, the Mendex beauty held Ron by the hand as they strolled out of the bar. The attraction between them was not only tangible but mutual. Their eyes and facial gestures betrayed them repeatedly. Both adults knew beyond a doubt that they would sort themselves out beneath the sheets that night.