I look at Natsuko and she has her phone but shakes her head and I stare at her with my best 'You fucking do it now'. I can remember last night in full detail but there are a bunch of blurred emotions and I can remember how I felt more than what was fully happening. Natsuko turns up the volume and plays the audio for the room to hear. I can hear the sounds of Marta and I talking, I sound fucked up and more than a little bit. I can hear us kissing and we get to me being cuffed which brings back some memories like a bolt. I'm feeling it all over again as it replays on the phone's audio when I hear my own voice come blaring through the speaker.
"Please don't do this Marta, I don't want this. You're going to ruin my life," my voice comes blaring through loud and clear as I can feel my stomach knot up.
Everyone is either staring at the phone in horror or staring at me as the audio turns to the sounds of violence and a Japanese harpy screaming obscenities or threats before Natsuko's voice goes panicked and it cuts off as you hear Rachael start to ask what happened.
"That can't be Marta," Imelda says, being the first one to speak, her face etched with horror.
"Oh I think it really could be," I reply, staring at everyone coldly.
"Baby we didn't know," Kori says as I cut her off with a glare.
"No you didn't know, because you were drunk and Guy sent you home to be safe," Loretta says with some painted authority," He got left behind and he almost ended up being the one to pay for your fun. He paid for my fun for nearly nine years and that's what we're dealing with now aren't we?"
"No we're not. You drank and I sent you home to be safe, no matter what anyone says that is on me. What we are here for is her," I say pointing to Natsuko," We have a lot of opinions and I am calling a vote right now with everything in front of us about what happened. She fucked up and she went around our backs for the group trying to do what was in 'MY' best interested and bad shit happened. She's had the chance to hurt us and get us in trouble and she's stayed true even though I've been treating her like shit. Now when I had nobody around and nobody was able to be there to save me she was there and she helped me keep my word to you, MY women that I love more than myself, when I was going to fail you."
"Wait what vote?" Jun asks, confused.
"Either she's with us or she's out," I say as everyone starts to feel the weight of the situation," Everyone was wanting her gone when we found out. Now we see who's willing to stand by what they say in front of everyone else. All those who say she's out?"
The room is quiet and only one hand goes up in the air, Ben. I'm kind of confused and my steering has Been looking at Kori before addressing me.
"She got Kori hurt, she didn't come forward when shit was happening and she might have been able to stop the violence before it all happened," Ben says as everyone waits for their turn.
"And all who say she stays," I ask as hands start to go in the air but Kori stands up to stop the vote.
"No, this is between Natsuko, Guy and me," Kori says, stepping around the coffee table and facing off with Natsuko.
There is a height difference between the two of them and I can see Kori is really pent up when everyone is treated to the shock of Kori slapping Natsuko in the face. It's that loud smack across the cheek and while Natsuko doesn't fall I can tell people are about to get involved including me when everyone is put in their place. Kori helps Natsuko straighten up and hugs her. There are a few seconds of confusion and awkwardness when everyone hears Natsuko crying and Kori telling her thank you over and over.
"I want my pants, my coat and my boots from the bus," I say standing up slowly," Bethany we need to borrow your truck."
"Whoa Guy what are you doing," Hanna asks, contributing her questions for the first time in a while.
"I'm going with my girls down to Marta's house, I'm going to walk through their world and then I'm going to prove why I'm a very scary son of a bitch," I say before turning to Loretta," No offense Mom."
Loretta waves it off and I get handed my clothing by Jun, I get dressed slowly and it's the coat that takes the longest since I have some wonderful bruises and claw marks on my back. Katy gets in the cab of Bethany's truck with Kori and Rachael, I get in the back with Matty who is playing my crutch since everyone thinks I'm going to fall over again. I might but I need to do this now, you hurt my girls I don't wait. If I get hurt my girls need to see the attacker first hand and I will bring terror and pain if my body allows it. Imelda leads us out on her bike and I'm being held by Matty as she plays blanket to me in my weakened state.
It takes us a little while to get there and it was barely afterNoon when we woke up as we pulled in front of Carlos's folk's home. I can see Marta's car is in the driveway and it looks like Carlos has most of his people there as I take my time getting out. Imelda is the first one to start to head to the back yard but Hector comes out to greet/stop us. I can tell they're speaking in Spanish and as my girls flank me all the hoods are up my head is down as we're moving slowly when Hector tries to speak with me.
"Guy man this isn't a good time, Carlos is on a warpath and something happened with Marta last night and it's pretty bad at home," Hector tells me, placing his hand on my shoulder.