The Lady Is a Tramp
"Mom, what the heck!" the girl yelped. She stood at the doorway in utter shock as she saw all of her possessions scattered about her room. A thin, worn woman kneeled, furiously searching a dresser drawer and tossing her daughter's possessions. The woman paused suddenly, the corners of her mouth stretched into a mournful grimace as she held up a pair of lacy black underwear.
"I knew it," she said.
"Mom, it's not that big a deal." The girl fingered her long auburn hair nervously.
"Yes, it is!" she shouted to the daughter who she loved so much, and worried about so often. "You've been with him, haven't you!"
"That's none of yours!" the girl snapped. She entered her room and began picking up the clothes. The woman laughed, dark lines of worry scarring her once beautiful face.
"Fine then; be a little tramp if you want," she said. "This will not make him love you."
The girl stiffened. "Get out of my room!" she shouted, her voice cracking with unshed tears. She felt so much frustration, so much hatred.
Because she knew her mother was right.
She woke from her dream and was inundated with the drunken guilt she had wanted so hard to forget.
Tramp.
You fucking tramp.
His words echoed unsteadily through her groggy head.
"But it's not my fault!" she protested weakly to the nearly empty bottle of gin she had stolen from the liquor cabinet. She held it to her lips again, her parched throat welcoming the alcohol's stinging burn.
"Columbia." Magenta approached. She snatched the bottle from Columbia's hands. Columbia looked up into her face hoping for some sympathy, but instead found an icy annoyance.
"I'm so sick of this emotional bullshit."
"I just—hate—when he—does—this," Columbia choked.
"Frank is who he is. Either get over it or get out." Her harsh Transylvanian accent felt like a punch in the stomach. The tears began pouring down Columbia's makeup-stained face.
"You're supposed to be my friend!"
"Well all of us have limits, Columbia," she said softly, "You crossed Frank's tonight. Again."
"I just want him to love me."
"Well you're not going to accomplish that by sleeping with everything that wears pants. I love you. Frank loves you, in his way. You're a part of our family. But don't you ever betray us again."