Thank you for beta'ing, A Star In My Universe! Happy (belated) birthdays to Laura Prepon and Yael Stone, and also to MinervaSnape394! Hope you had a lovely day! Happy St Patrick's Day everyone!
Warning, homophobic slurs, references to traumatizing situations.
A little reminder, it's only been one week since Gloria and Fahri met, so their relationship isn't that deep yet. They're just getting to know each other a bit. I'm sorry the story is moving so slowly, day by day, but I'll try to speed it up!
The references to Diane's beauty are inspired by me having a co-worker who looks kinda like her...I can't take my eyes off the woman lol. She's just so pretty and ethereal like the sun shines on her every day-with her hair swept to one side, eyes I can easily drown in, and a contagious smile. Work is more fun with her there! She should meet Kim Director (who plays Diane) haha.
Seeing Gloria's sons nestled into her on the couch, one on each side, and sucking their thumbs, melts and breaks Leon's heart at the same time. They're sitting between Aleida and Daya as the sister he's always wished he'd had growing up, explains the terrifying ordeal she had to suffer though. Adarsh had already gone home when the game was over. Gloria's voice keeps cracking through her story, and his girlfriend and her daughter hold Gloria's hands tightly. By the look on her face when she'd first come in, though, they could all tell that something was horribly wrong.
"I'm so sorry, Gloria," Daya murmurs sadly.
"Me, too. I hate those motherfuckers!" Aleida exclaims sourly. "I wish Diane would just tell her man...it would really fix the problem, seeing that he's a police officer and shit!"
"She just doesn't wanna present another issue to him since he's already busy with your case and also, he's helped her so much already, in her opinion," Gloria points out. "We'll just have to get better at self-defense. Alex and Fahri are pros!"
"I know, totally badass," Daya agrees. "It's just...they were more able to defend you guys since they'd come into the situation while it was happening, so the assholes weren't expecting you...whereas Maritza, who's five feet two and has more bark than bite, couldn't possibly fight off Humps without someone else there to assist her, Gloria...you had the broom and all, but Dixon is like, three times your size and could easily crush any of us women and girls, unless we were huge bodybuilders with years of training in some fight club or whatever, and Diane, well, she tried, but Piscatella is way too strong for her...I ain't saying any of y'all are weak, but that beast could probably use his two bare hands to murder someone with no struggle at all. Each of them chose to attack one of you, since individually, they knew you couldn't win against them. Together, though...you're powerful."
"Nah...maybe just if one of those creeps were there, we all could get 'em, but there's gotta be like, at least two other people with us," Gloria mutters.
"I'll go for your safety," Leon volunteers. "There's no way that this will ever happen one more time. They might try to hurt you again, but they haven't met me yet!" His muscles flex and his hands ball up into fists just thinking about beating the assholes' brains out. It makes him sick to his stomach that Gloria had been almost raped, Diane unconscious on the ground and probably left for dead, and Maritza being forced to give Humps a lap dance. It's a nightmare that nobody deserves. "I understand why you would be afraid to return there until Charles eventually discovers they're harassing you, but Diane has no choice but to work there until the end of her shift. I'll be there for her and anyone else who needs protection." He may not have a thing for Diane anymore like he did when he first saw her at the club before he caught Aleida in the middle of her falling off the barstool, but the yearning to protect Diane because she's a woman in his life, one of his friends, is always there.
"Same here...even if I'm nervous to face those ugly monsters," Aleida says while hugging Gloria.
Leon knows Aleida is tough and extremely brave when she wants or needs to be, but he doesn't want her to put herself in dangerous situations if someone else is around. "Baby, no...I don't want them to touch you, either. It'll just be me and Fahri as bodyguards. You can come with me, but get behind me if they show up!"
Aleida rolls her eyes. "No shit! Of course I will! Diane could always get her own, though, like Glo in her bodega!" She gestures to Gloria.
"I don't work there much, and Lourdes is constantly with me...those random dudes really ain't all that necessary!" Gloria says. "Diane should have somebody lookin' out for her who knows her when Charles ain't there. We know that Leon can smash the shit outta those guys' faces! So can Fahri...they're perfect."
"Well...okay," Aleida responds in a tight voice, and she sounds close to being jealous. She beams and squeezes Gloria's hands. "Fahri was the one to save you. That's so sweet and hella romantic!"
Gloria's eyes light up and she nods enthusiastically. "Mm-hm...but anyone else woulda done the same thing if they were currently witnessing attempted sexual assault."
"Yeah, Ma, I mean...you threw a boiling pot of water over Humps when he was torturing Lorna, Alex pummeled him to the ground when he was molesting Maritza and when Lorna was raped, Flaritza and Maria rescued her and prevented that remaining pedophile from doing anything else to her! Being someone's protector don't always mean you're in a romantic relationship with 'em," Daya adds.
"Ain't nobody stopped that sadist from touchin' me," Aleida says distastefully. "He had his way with me, and I couldn't breathe until he was gone."
Leon's heart clenches in pain for her and he wraps her in his arms. "I know, honey. I wish I'd known...I would've busted that door down and made him unable to walk!"
"You didn't hear my screaming and crying...it ain't your fault, babe." Aleida sighs and gets up off the couch. "I'm glad nobody got raped tonight, though. That's real good news. If you wake up from nightmares, though, Gloria, you can always stay up with me...I'll give Leon here a rest." She massages Leon's shoulder and bends down to kiss his cheek.
"I never get tired of being your rock, my girl," Leon assures her.
Gloria smiles at Aleida. "Thank you! We oughta go to Lourdes about this soon...I'll ask her tomorrow if we can meet on Wednesday."
"Exactly a week after my traumatic incident," Aleida reminds her. "It ain't some anniversary we celebrating."
"I'm aware...but does that bother you? If so, we can do it another time. It's just that I don't like springin' last minute shit on her and Wednesday is the day after tomorrow. I'll request Thursday!"
Aleida shakes her head. "Nah...it's okay. Wednesday it is."
Leon follows her in concern as she trudges to her room. "Are you sure you're alright, Lei?"
"I'm fine." Aleida swallows hard and exhales shakily. "We can't help how life works sometimes."
"It's too fuckin' heavy!" Tricia complains in a low voice as she struggles to assist Nicky in lifting the ladder from of the trunk of Red's car. They're planning to get Lorna out while Red distracts her father.
"Shut up, you wanted to be my partner in crime! I can't carry this thing by myself! Come on, sis, put some muscle into it!" Nicky grunts softly as she and Tricia drag it across the darkened grass in front of the Morellos' apartment and round the corner. At their cue, which is a thumbs-up, Red rings the doorbell. Nicky sneaks a peek at Red confronting the homophobic idiot. "We need to be super quiet."
"Who are you?" Lorna's father asks stupidly.
"Don't you dare tell my daughter that she is showing inappropriate behavior by expressing her feelings to someone she cares deeply about...she and your daughter are in love and there is nothing you can do about it! I'm happy for them, and for the sake of loving your child, you should be too!" Red snaps, and Nicky grins proudly.
"God, I love her," Nicky whispers to herself.
Tricia stifles a laugh behind her palm. "She totally went off!"
"That faggot has infected my daughter with her disease and I want her punished! If Lorna dates girls, that's an abomination against God, and for that, she is no longer mine! She can be if she breaks up with that Hell's Angel and if that devil's child changes her ways, she is welcome here, too! The Bible banishes queers into the fires of Hell!"
Red glares at him darkly. "If homosexuality is a disease, let's all call in queer to work. Hello, can't work today...still queer. In the Bible, it also says rapists get stoned or their penises cut off, but that rarely happens! Poslushay menya, ty, svin'i! Bog lyubit vsekh svoikh detey, i on ne sovershayet oshibok, no yasno, chto sdelal, kogda sozdal vas. YA pozabochus' o tom, chtoby vy byli proklyaty na vsyu vechnost' za to, chto tak zhestoki k etim dragotsennym devushkam. Pust' u vashikh druzey prekrasnyy den' - khoronit vas. YA nadeyus', chto d'yavol ispol'zuyet vash pozvonochnik v kachestve lestnitsy, chtoby podbirat' yabloki v sadu ada." she angrily threatens him in Russian. Nicky can't understand most of it, but it sounds like she's cursing him. With that, she walks away.
Listen to me, you pig fucker! God loves all of his children and he makes no mistakes, but clearly he did when he created you. I will see to it that you are cursed for all eternity for being so cruel to these precious girls. May your friends have a fine day - burying you. I hope the devil uses your backbone as a ladder to pick apples in the garden of hell.
"What did you just say to me?" He sounds worried, and Nicky and Tricia smirk at each other as they prop the ladder against the apartment. Lorna slides open her window and they hold the ladder as she steps down carefully. Nicky has Tricia keep it there with both hands as she goes halfway up to help Lorna the rest of the way, as her girlfriend appears to be shaking.
"I got you now, baby," Nicky assures Lorna while carrying her to Red's car, bridal style. Lorna holds onto Nicky tightly.
"Hurry!" Tricia urges Nicky and once they've gotten into the older woman's vehicle at a rapid pace, Red drives off with a squeal of tires, and all three girls scream with exhilaration.
"Whooohoo!" Lorna cheers. "I'm finally free!"
"Yeah, you are!" Nicky says happily.
Once they get settled in Red's apartment, Lorna dials a number on her phone. "I gotta call Franny so she doesn't wonder where I am at this late hour."
"Good idea," Red comments and Nicky and Tricia nod in agreement. While Lorna is busy speaking to her sister and petting Melanie as the cat sits in her lap peacefully, Red beckons the blondes into her bedroom where all of their things are spread out messily. "Now girls, I cannot fit more than two in that bed, so I ordered a queen bed for you to share."
Nicky gasps in excitement, her heart warms, and tears come to her eyes as she and Red hug each other. "Well, we're really homeless this time, so you have to take us in now! There's nobody else!"
"You can crash here anytime you want or at various friends' houses."
"Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, Ma," Nicky says gratefully.
"Yeah, thanks," Tricia echoes shyly.
"If one of you want to sleep with me, you may, but you don't have to. Until I receive the bed, and when Lorna's family situation is under control, someone will have to use an air mattress, like Tricia did on Saturday," Red tells them.
"I'll stay over at Mercy's to make sleeping arrangements easier," Tricia offers. "She already said she wouldn't mind, and her ma adores me."
"Lorna and I could take any of our friends' couches, too, we have many times before, and their moms are cool with it," Nicky adds. "You deserve to have your own bed and not always the sofa, Red! Your back must be killing you every time we're here for the night. Friday and Saturday...and you were kinda forced into it tonight because of that fuckin' bigot who calls himself Lorna's dad."
"I can handle some discomfort...it's better than thinking of you out on the cold streets." Red kisses Nicky's temple. "You're my babies, and a mamochka always puts her children first."
Nicky grins at how Red is the polar opposite of Marka and Tricia's mom. "I know, but still...being on a couch when you have a bad back will only make it worse. As much as I love Trish, we don't need to bunk together. We could just take turns sharing your bed with you and one of us would use the couch and an air mattress."
"Okay, that's a good plan!" Red declares.
"You're hella smart, sis," Tricia compliments Nicky.
She beams proudly. "Thanks!"
It hurts to stand or move around too much, so Diane is content just sitting at the table with Charles for a half hour while Alex and Michelle split an ice cream sundae, until she starts to drift off. Diane wakes up instantly. "Ugh...we gotta go home now," she mumbles. She winces at the pain in her side as she gets to her feet and hangs on to Charles for balance. As soon as Diane starts to wobble, he holds her upright and hands her a glass of water that had been on the table.
"Are you still feeling faint?" he asks.
"Yeah...I have a dry throat more than anything, though." Diane takes a few gulps of water, and the cool liquid running down her throat is heaven. Goosebumps form on her bare arms and she slips her thin black sweater on, but she's still cold. "I can't stop shivering. I guess my body had enough of sweating."
Charles helps Diane into the pink jacket she always wears and she's trembling so much from the previous trauma that her legs can't support her and she collapses. He catches her within a second. "Mom!" Alex shrieks. Michelle appears to be just as panicked.
"Diane, I'll carry you to the car. That was a serious fall you took. I don't think you're in any condition to be walking at this moment."
"I'm okay," Diane assures them, but she lets Charles take her in his arms, lift her off the ground bridal style, and help her into his car. She's relieved for him. Her breathing is shaky. It's been a long time since she's feared for her life. She winces as he sets her down into the passenger seat. Diane puts her seatbelt on and while Charles goes to the driver's side and Alex and Michelle get into the back, she sneaks a peek at where Piscatella had shoved his foot into her so brutally. It's completely black and blue, a scary contrast against her pale skin, and she's suddenly nauseous. She wishes she hadn't looked. Under the bracelets and watch she's wearing, her wrists are raw and red from Piscatella's handprints and rope burns, and she knows she'll have to apply lotion to the chafed areas later.
"You're all white, baby," Charles points out worriedly.
"I know...I always am, day in and day out," Diane tries to joke. "I gotta...I..." She hiccups loudly a few times and leans over the side of the car to throw up. She's never done this in front of him before, and she's so embarrassed. He gathers her hair in one hand so it's out of her face and his other hand moves comfortingly around her back. When she's finished, she hisses at the pain in her side as she sits up straight. Alex gives her water so she can rinse her mouth out and Michelle hands her a box of Kleenex so she can wipe her lips free of puke. "I'm sorry," she gasps out. "I didn't mean to...vomit."
"You don't have to apologize, my girl. You really hurt yourself. Take it easy." Charles wraps his hand around hers as he starts the car.
"Alright...I will."
After Charles drops off Michelle, they go home. Diane and Alex take turns changing into their pajamas in the bathroom, and then Diane goes into hers and Alex's room to find her daughter texting. The fumes coming off Alex are enough to make Diane want to gag and she hopes it's not what she thinks it is.
"I didn't want to bring this up before, Alex, but why do you smell of smoke? I know Fahri had a bump, but that is not something I allow for my daughter."
Alex groans. "I was around Fahri, he never gives me anything! Don't worry about me."
"Oh, but I do...all the time." Diane sits on the edge of the bed slowly and holds a package of ice to her side. "I'm your mother. It's my job."
"I know." Alex tilts her head towards Diane's injury she's covering. "As your daughter, I'm concerned for you, too...are you positive you don't need to go to the hospital?"
"Yes. I passed out, and all I need is ice." Diane squeezes Alex's hand and smiles at her. "I've missed you, pumpkin. We haven't talked one-to-one in a while. How's it going with Michelle?"
Alex beams while blushing. "We finally made out earlier today...like, a bit after school."
"I knew it! Nice!" Diane hi-fives her and they both laugh lightly. "I really hope she's good to you."
"Oh, she's amazing, Mom...and not just a spectacular kisser. She's beautiful, sweet, kind, isn't manipulative, doesn't get jealous of the things I kept from Piper and the pictures of us together, and just an all-around perfect girl," Alex gushes. "I really can be myself with her."
"Allie, that's wonderful!" Diane kisses her cheek. "Now we're both in new relationships! Maybe we could double date!"
"Yeah, that'd be awesome! Let's play basketball when you get better."
Diane is so ashamed to admit that she doesn't know how to play because her parents wouldn't allow their daughter to participate in sports that were meant for boys, in their words, and she won't tell Charles this either. She'll have to have her friends re-teach her since it's been almost three decades since her brother tossed around a ball of any kind with her. "I was thinking more like a restaurant for dinner and then a movie, but okay...a little game of two on two would be fun as well."
Alex nods happily. "All of that sounds cool!"
"Charles asked if we could cuddle as he spoons me while we're sleeping together. We ain't havin' sex, he respects my wishes. I don't want the one night stand fiasco to happen again, so I made it a rule for myself to hold off on that until six months of dating. Do you mind if I'm with him tonight? I'll stay here if you'd prefer me to be."
"It's fine, Mom, go ahead! He's great, and the fact that he's satisfied with just holding you while you guys are in the same bed, is excellent!"
Diane squeals. "I know! He's such a good man."
"Yeah, he is," Alex agrees and leans her head on Diane's shoulder. "Fahri's fuckin' engaged."
"What?!" Diane is surprised and a little pissed at him. Alex explains the details and Diane rolls her eyes at Fahri being a gentleman when he absolutely shouldn't have been. He doesn't even know this woman and the whole thing sounds wrong on so many levels.
"Yeah, we worked so hard on this plan of getting him and Gloria together," Alex says glumly.
Diane smiles at her sympathetically. "You did...but sometimes things don't work out the way you want them to."
"That's obvious." Alex huffs. "I just want him to see that Gloria is a much better match for him."
"He might in the long run," Diane tells her hopefully.
"My fingers and toes are crossed that he will eventually. Good night, Mom. I heart you."
Diane pulls her in for a hug, forgetting about the ice momentarily. She pecks Alex's temple. "Night, honey. Heart you too!" She runs her fingers through Alex's hair one last time before leaving the room with her ice. She goes into the bathroom and stares sadly at the angry red lines and bruises in the shapes of handprints circling her wrists. No matter how much lotion she uses, she'll be in pain for probably a week. She's scared to think about what could've happened had Alex and Fahri never come in and thanks her lucky stars that they did. She finishes getting ready for bed and joins Charles in his room.
"Hi, beautiful," he greets her, and she beams as he collects her in his arms.
"Hey, handsome," she murmurs.
"Are you ready?" Charles asks.
Diane nods her head yes. "Totally! I can only lay on one side, though...since my other one is gonna become black and blue. I also bumped into a counter...real hard!" She lifts her shirt slightly to show him, and he takes a sharp intake of air.
"Oh, baby...I'm so afraid that your ribs could be broken. I feel like I should take you to a doctor."
Diane waves away the suggestion as she snuggles against him and breathes out through her mouth. She tries not to blow out a huge breath, so it doesn't cause her too much agony. "No...they're just bruised."
"Don't conceal your pain from me...please," he murmurs as he holds her where she's unscathed, across her tummy.
"I'm not."
Charles places kisses from Diane's temple to her shoulder while tenderly caressing her cheek, hair, and back. "Okay, but know that I will be coddling you until you heal, whenever I can." The vibration in his chest against the side of her face makes her giggle.
"Mmm...sounds good, Charlie. A girl needs some of that," she murmurs with her eyes closed. "You're warm."
"So are you, Princess Di. You know somethin'? I like the way your eyes light up when you smile. You're too adorable."
Diane's face breaks into a grin. "Thank you."
Charles molds his mouth with hers and their lips keep connecting until they're too exhausted to do anything except sleep.
A shaky sigh escapes Gloria as she shudders at her reflection. She'd taken off her shirt and bra in front of the bathroom mirror and now, she can't undress herself further. There are two sets of three distinct scratch marks on her breasts that hurt to touch. She isn't visibly damaged anywhere else, but aside from what Arturo had done to her in the past, she can still sense Dixon's sweaty, gross hands all over her person. She doesn't think she can bear seeing him again, and she prays that he's dead at last. It's only when someone knocks on the door that she hurriedly slips her pajama top on and continues her bedtime routine. "Gloria, are you okay in there?" Daya calls out through the door.
"Yeah, almost done, sorry."
When she goes into her room where the kids are supposedly sleeping, she hears her oldest son and Christina talking. "The bad people who gave Mommy boo-boos came in the restaurant, but don't tell anybody else!" Benny says.
"Oh no! Why not? I want Charles to take them to jail!" Christina protests.
"Me too, but Diane told my mama we can't say nothing to him."
"Why?"
"I don't know!" Benny exclaims. "Grownups are weird."
"Yeah...but okay, I won't tattletale on them if it helps Diane," Christina relents. "She's a nice lady."
"She's pretty, too! I wish she was my tía."
"I know! I want her to be my other one! She didn't even get mad at me when I put glitter on her! I have Tía Gloria already though, and I love her!"
Gloria beams at their adorable conversation, but is glad Aleida can't hear them gushing about Diane. She'd already seemed envious when Leon said he was ready and willing to defend her from the monsters coming into Friendly's.
"Mommy, I'm really mad at Lorna!" Benny announces when Gloria is kissing and hugging him good night. "She's in biiiig trouble!"
"How come?" Gloria is puzzled. The girl may be on the wacky side at times, but she's always been great with kids.
"She lied to me! She said you'd be fine, but you weren't!"
Christina's jaw drops to the floor in astonishment. "That's not nice of her! You have to tell the truth."
"Guys...I know, but Benny, maybe you should talk to her about this, because she's very nice, she didn't mean to not be honest with you...she wasn't quite sure, and she didn't want you to be scared that the mean men would hurt me."
Benny sighs. "Okay..." he says reluctantly, and Gloria pecks the top of his head while squeezing him tight in her embrace. "Can you make the monster under my bed go away?"
Gloria attempts to hide her amusement. "It's just the big blue one with purple spots from Monster's Inc! I already checked!"
"That guy's fake! He can't scare away all the real ones!" Christina retorts.
"What she said," Benny adds.
"You got your SpiderMan jammies on to protect you and give you all kinds of super powers...and I'm here all night!" Gloria tells him.
"Are they going to come in?" Christina asks innocently. "Those mean people who give everybody owies."
"No, nena...they won't. I promise, because you know why?" The children stare at her curiously. "This house is locked up...and we have Leon."
"Yay!" Benny's face brightens up immediately. "Now I can sleep."
"Sweet dreams, baby," she murmurs and gives his nose a light tap, which causes him to smile.
"You too, Mama!"
Gloria helps Christina up to the top bunk and pecks her cheek and pokes her belly, emitting a tiny giggle out of her. "Good night," she whispers.
"Night, Tía," Christina responds.
She later sees that she has a text from Fahri waiting for her. I just wanted to check in on you, and if you want to talk about it, I'm here. Or we could chat about something else entirely.
Thanks. I won't lie, I'm not okay, traumatized is more like it. I'm mentally freaking out every five minutes, but I'm just glad it's over.
Me, too. I'm so sorry this happened.
You don't need to apologize. I appreciate you and Alex so much for coming to our rescue. I can't say it enough.
I'd do it again in a second. At Fahri's reply, Gloria smiles to herself and holds back a giggle.
"Our dad is homophobic and doesn't want Lorna hanging out with you now that he knows you're a lesbian," Franny explains while gesturing towards Nicky. She'd come to check up on Lorna. "I don't really mind, I accept your relationship...I'd kinda suspected for a while now. I tried to protect your secret. I'm sorry Mikey blabbed...I grounded him for two weeks."
Lorna and Nicky both grin. "I'm bisexual, but thanks, sis. Ya think you can move me out of the house? I need all my stuff! No offense, but I can't stand living there no more. You can get an apartment with all the money you been savin' up...we'll make Mikey care for our mother. It could help him grow up some!"
"Ma needs us, Lorn...Mikey ain't no help! Dad's gonna holler at me for not bringing you home..."
"So let him!" Lorna glares at her older sister. "He's fucking dead to me! Do you understand? He should be in prison for child abuse! Who threatens to beat their kid with a bat and shock 'em into being straight?"
"She's staying with us tonight," Nicky insists in a protective tone and squeezes Lorna's hand affectionately. "We gotta inform Charles about that fucker and investigate!"
"Yes," Red agrees. "Your mother needs round-the-clock care in a hospital...I can help pay the medical bills and get you a cheap place to live. Your brother might do better in a less toxic environment, hmm? He would not get away with that shit, disrespecting you girls, if his father wasn't such a terrible influence!"
Franny raises an eyebrow skeptically at Red. "That's a lot of money to spend on someone you barely know."
"I don't mind helping you, honey. Also, Lorna just needs a break from your father and brother, it seems. I doubt that he'll follow through on his threats, but she'd be safer in my apartment."
"Alright...and I'll just wait til he goes to bed before I pack up your shit, Lorna." Franny smooths her hand down Lorna's hair and kisses her cheek. "I support you, completely!"
"Thanks, Franny!" Lorna says gratefully.
Nicky smirks and nudges Franny. "So...how'd you guess?"
"You slept together all the time and pretended you were best friends, but I saw right through the act...blushing and real smiley around each other and everything!"
"We'd also cuddle while watching a movie. We've been flirting pretty much since our first sleepover," Lorna confesses.
"Oh, wow! That's cute," Franny comments, and everyone beams.
After helping Gloria through another panic attack after her flashback in the middle of the night, Aleida races back to hers and Leon's room. Her legs are shaking underneath her as she keeps replaying what Leon had said before about being one of Diane's protectors. She decides she'll visit Cesar while Leon is at Friendly's. She's always thought Diane was extremely attractive and the woman would fit well with Leon, who is built like a Greek god. The thought alone of them together causes her to collapse to the ground. She takes in a shuddering gasp at the stinging pain in her hands and knees. Leon gets out of bed right away, assists her to a standing position and guides her back to laying beside him.
"Aleida, what is it?" he asks when she begins whimpering with her hands over her mouth. The squeaky sounds turn into sobbing as she buries herself into his embrace.
Diane hadn't even been raped. She could've thought fast and hit the emergency button, but she was scared, like anyone would be with Piscatella breathing down their neck. Aleida wants to slap herself for being so selfish. Diane fainted and lost consciousness when Piscatella hit her. She could've died on impact and that would be the end. She had gotten very lucky. Logically, Aleida knows she was too far away from Leon for him to hear her shrieks and the restaurant was loud, but she can't help but feel jealous that he's ready to help Diane.
"I was hoping...you'd come...come in and save m-me just like you...you're gonna do for h-her!" Aleida cries. "It ain't like I blame you for not rescuing me...but in a high school yearbook, you and Diane would probably get picked for specific categories like most athletic or amazing eyes, but there's nothing real special about me...no wonder you're interested in her now."
"I'm not! You're the only girl I'm in love with, who's constantly in my dreams. Everything about you is precious to me, baby," Leon assures her.
"How can you not drown in Diane's amazing eyes? How can you turn down the fuckin' goddess of eternal beauty, who looks as if the sun shines upon her every day and her eyes sparkle like the brightest diamond?"
I have you, Aleida." He kisses her moist cheek gently and softly runs his thumb across the cut on her bottom lip before pressing his lips to her slightly open mouth. "That's all there really is to it. I mean, the way you described her was beautiful, but it's how I think of you...not any other girl."
Aleida beams through her tears. "Thank you, Leon," she whispers.
"You're welcome."
She can't escape.
She's lying on the floor, so injured and barely breathing. Her father locks all of the windows and doors shut and has Mikey watch out to make sure she has no way of leaving the house. They do it in shifts since they want to watch television, and when they're fast asleep, Joe puts a metal shock collar on her, so if she tries to get up, she'll be shocked so badly that she'll fall down or maybe pass out. He had warned her of that and taken her phone and computer so she can't contact Nicky. She crawls up the stairs and into Stansie's bedroom-only to hide herself under the blankets next to her mother.
"You haven't done this since you were ten, eleven at most. What's going through my little girl's head?"
"Ma...what should I do?" she asks tearfully while clutching Stansie's hand. "They're controlling me...Mikey and Dad...and I need to see her...my girlfriend, Nicky. I...I don't think I can live without her."
"He'll have to let you go to school, you can see her then," Stansie mumbles in response while running her quivering fingers through Lorna's hair. "One night ain't gonna kill you, baby."
"I know that...but see this thing around my neck? I can't stand up without...fainting!" Lorna starts hyperventilating. "He can't...he can't do this to me! I ain't some poorly behaved dog!"
"Oh my...it's so dark, but I can feel it...if I could take it off, I would."
"You could call the police on him! I don't have my phone...he took it," Lorna says bitterly.
"Okay...I will."
Lorna helps her mother sit up and then the scene changes. It fades into the outside of a church tucked away on the edge of town with only a glowing cross to light it up. She walks down the steps to find her father in his wheelchair beside the ramp. "Why are you out here, Daddy?" she wonders aloud while putting her jacket on over her white communion dress she'd been wearing since she was seven. "Ma, Franny, Mikey, and Nonno are waiting for us. They told me to get you. The evening mass is long over with."
"Just contemplating," he answers and waves her over. "Sit on my lap, pet." He pats his knees and she does as he says. "Oooh...you're getting heavy!"
"Well, I am nine!"
"You're cold," he points out while placing his hands on her bare thighs. "I'll make the goosebumps go away, though, don't worry." He massages them slowly and she keeps having to readjust the hem of her dress so it reaches her knees. She watches him rub his sweaty palms along her skin and continuously push up her dress, little by little. "Hope it's working!"
"What the heck is that in your pants?" Lorna scoots away from an unknown bulge in his crotch. "It's sticking in my butt."
"That's just Daddy's wallet. Sorry," he answers in a strained voice. "I think you should, uh...go back to the rest of the family. I'll join you in a second."
"It felt slimy and wet," Lorna says anxiously.
"Ah...I might've peed myself! You're imagining things, little Lorna. Your mind loves to race away with you!" He chuckles and takes her off of him, with one hand on her back and the other directly between her legs, and her heart rate quickens. "Run along."
A queasy sensation rises in Lorna's belly as she moves back from him. "You touched my private parts...Mommy and Franny say that's a no-no zone."
"No, I'm your father...I've changed your diapers, you assist me in the shower...this time isn't any different. You haven't grown into your womanly body yet. Please stop arguing and give me some peace! I cannot sin again."
"Come to Nonno!" Joe's father calls out, stretching his arms out wide, and she jumps into them. He squeezes her much too tightly. "Hmm...still no cherry juice coming out." He sets her on his hip and kisses and pinches her cheeks, just like her dad and the other Morello men enjoy doing.
She leans back from him and wrinkles her nose. "Alright, I think I'm gettin' a bit too old for that!"
"Nah, you're a cute little girl, Lorna!"
She feels too weird to say anything about what her dad had done, and it may be wrong, but people make mistakes. It's only when he'd climb into bed with her after that night, that she'd left to sleep with her mother or sister and begins a habit of sucking her thumb since it comforts her. She forces the memory all the way to the back of her brain until it can't ever rear its ugly head again, not even when Piper asks her about her deepest, darkest secret years later.
A bloodcurdling shriek fills Red's tiny apartment as Lorna bolts up in bed, shaking and panting while sobbing quietly. She covers her mouth so she won't wake Nicky, who's already starting to stir. "Hey, you just screamed..."
"I'm okay...I won't bother you about this." She scrambles off the air mattress and bursts into Red's bedroom where she's reading a book to Tricia. "Please don't make me go back to that horrible place!" she cries while shaking her head rapidly. Tears are streaming down her cheeks. "I absolutely don't wanna look at him again!"
The older woman and young girl peer at her curiously and with much concern etched on their faces. They make a spot for her so she can snuggle into Red. "What is this about, honey?" Red asks her in a soothing tone as she holds Lorna close.
"I had an awful dream tonight..." she responds.
"I did, too...that's why Red is reading me a book," Tricia says and Red smiles.
"MydadmolestedmewhenIwaslittle..." Lorna mumbles quickly.
"Hmm? Can you repeat that? I didn't quite understand what you said," Red tells her.
Nicky rubs her eyes open while walking into the room. "Lorna, you can talk to me about anything! You're not bugging me...I'm your girlfriend, we let each other in on shit." The blonde takes a spot beside her and holds her hand. "What was your nightmare about?" Nicky strokes Lorna's cheek affectionately and cups her chin.
Lorna sniffles and whimpers. She feels that she's always going to Nicky about something and she'd wanted Red for a change since she misses having a mother or adult mentor around, but she decides to let Nicky in on this, too. It was a huge part of her childhood, after all. "I'm so s-stupid...I never...I...it wasn't a nightmare," she says between sharp hiccups. "I had...I had a flashback...um...my...of my dad...molest...molesting me...I was nine." She lets out a few wails into Nicky's shirt as she trembles. She can hear the others around her gasp softly. "I asked him about it...when it happened...he said I was crazy, pretty much. His fucking disgusting hands were on my vagina and my butt and he got a boner when he told me to sit in his lap! I repressed it...because he never did that again...so I convinced myself it wasn't real...but it was! I remember everything!" She bawls even louder.
"Oh my god!" Tricia exclaims.
"I'm gonna kill him!" Nicky decides angrily.
"We'll rip him to shreds so he feels it when he dies slowly," Red declares.
"I knew this dude around your age, Red, who's dad molested him, and that fucker being in prison for years wasn't enough of a punishment. We should've murdered his ass! He was probably already dead, though..." Nicky trails off.
"The reason why I'd always wanted the perfect man was because I felt like a damsel in distress who needed a prince to save me from being violated!" Lorna informs them. "I'm real happy with you, though, hon!" She kisses Nicky's cheek. "You're truly the best!"
Nicky grins and holds Lorna close. "Thanks, babe. I'd rescue you any day!"
It turns out that Red is busy with just Nicky at lunch anyway, so nobody has to have a surprise ready for the Russian woman, and Charles takes Diane to lunch at Tacuba. Daya is confident as she prepares to give her big announcement over the loudspeaker in Caputo's office. "Ladies and gentlemen...Dayanara Diaz here, some of you know me as Daya. It's come to my attention that three friends of a guy named Cesar, badgered my friends on Sunday night about how Cesar got arrested, and these douchebags are gonna accuse you of protecting Gloria, since they think she got him sent to prison...she didn't...but hey, don't worry, sit tight until they're in jail or dead! If they say anything, just stand strong in your statements that there was a random drug bust, and they'll give up when they're done interrogating every single one of Gloria's people, or even just those she talks to. For safety measures, always have something to defend yourself with and travel in groups! That's all I gotta say. Peace out!"
Even after she gives out her warning, students are gossiping about her when she returns to the cafeteria. They're mostly commenting on how it's nothing but crime in her family. "Ignore them," Adarsh recommends her while slipping his arm around her shoulder comfortingly, and she grins up at him appreciatively. Her group is grateful, she knows, and her acquaintances such as Ouija, Pidge, Zirconia, Allison, Cindy, Taystee, and Poussey appear to feel sorry for her.
"Yay!" Flaca and Maritza cheer in unison while clapping excitedly.
"Way to go, Daya!" Alex hi-fives her.
She plops down between Adarsh and Lorna, who's glumly winding her spaghetti noodles around her fork and then dropping them as she sets her chin on her fist.
"You're not eating," Daya mutters worriedly to her smaller friend. She puts her hand on the other's forehead. "You don't have a fever or nothin'..."
"Did you hear about last night?" Lorna asks weakly. "I just learned that Maritza and Gloria could've been raped to death and Diane took a horrible tumble because of Piscatella."
"Yeah...Gloria told us...me, my mom, and Leon. We're discussing it with Lourdes tomorrow."
"Oh my goodness, Lourdes, Gloria, Benny, and Julio are gonna be so mad at me! I told the kids their mommy would be fine when I brought them home, because I really thought that to be the case."
"You can explain to them that you made a mistake. Everyone does," Alex assures her.
"You girls should hate me, too! By leaving the restaurant and not phoning Charles, I put them in danger! I seriously thought Diane could take care of things. I'm too ashamed to look at anybody right now."
"Hey...you had no way of knowing!" Flaca says.
Maritza nods in agreement.. "It ain't like you can predict the future."
"Alex was such a badass, though!" Michelle lifts hers and Alex's joined hands and kisses the taller girl's knuckles. Daya beams at their cuteness and how Alex's cheeks are turning red.
Blanca gestures to Alex. "True, you can really kick butt!"
Maria gives Alex two thumbs up while grinning happily. "Good thing Charles, Frieda, and Ms. Bell taught you some of their mad skills when they did!"
"Thanks! Yeah, I know...but I think it was mostly because I was like one of those mothers who lift cars off their children. I was so furious and all I wanted to do was kill those ugly bastards."
"I get what you mean," Daya tells her.
"You fucking evil shit pile!" Nicky growls.
Before Lorna's dad is able to go back to watching television, Nicky whacks him over his head with his remote control. Red and Nicky had knocked on the Morellos' door, ready to interrogate him, but him calling Nicky an abomination and continuously being in denial that he'd hurt Lorna, had fueled their rage, especially Nicky's. Red is proud of Nicky for her actions, but quickly pulls her away from the vile creature so that Nicky doesn't get arrested for assault, even if it is for the right reason. She had called the police on him for abusing his daughter last night as soon as they'd left the school, but nobody has come yet.
"I thought you wanted to kill that scumbag!" Nicky protests as Red leads her into another room.
"That's just a fantasy in my mind. I just hope he goes away for a long time and gets sodomized in prison. That'd be enough of a punishment!" Red points out.
"Yeah...you're right. You didn't even let me draw blood!"
"I don't want you to be in trouble, my girl. The only cop on our side is Charles, but they may not send him. I don't want to take that risk."
"Okay, let's go through his shit for evidence that he's a violent asshole or just plain creepy and has pictures of kids in his desk drawer or something since he's clearly a pedophile!"
Red nods and they quickly put on gloves and look around his bedroom. "I'm glad Franny took her and Lorna's mother to the hospital...not only because Mrs. Morello might stop us from investigating her husband, but for her to become healthy again."
"Mm-hm." Nicky is already down on her hands and knees. She peers beneath the bed as Red combs through clothes in the dresser. "Nothing except containers filled with holiday decorations," the blonde mutters. She crawls to the closet, opens it, and feels around. "Hey, look, here's a box stuffed in the way back. It's not hidden well at all...whatever, makes our job easier!" She pops up the top and tears the sides apart. A ton of photos spill out.
"Jackpot," Red mutters and sets her purple glasses atop her nose. "Put them on the bed so I can see, too."
"Of course, Ma. I hope it's not just family-holy fuck!" Nicky appears to be horrified as she turns them face up and then gathers a bunch of them in her hands. "Some are of the Morellos, but check this out." She lays a dozen pictures of Diane by the front door downstairs across the bed. Red gasps. "On the back of these, it says, 'I stopped sinning because of her'." Nicky pulls open his nightstand drawer and pulls out a voyeuristic photo of Diane in the shower. "Masturbation material," she reads aloud when she turns it over.
"Why is he stalking Diane?"
"He's a fuckin' weirdo...now we gotta show 'em to Charles!"
"I know, but is there also evidence that he touched Lorna?"
"Yeah, I have that, too. See this?" Nicky shows Red a picture of Lorna's disgusting father kissing his baby girl's neck when she's in a skirt and tank top at around nine years old. Her lips are stained red from a lollipop and his thumb is in her mouth. It makes Red sick and Nicky appears to be squeamish as well. "So gross...and here's the caption." She points to it. I had my daughter in my lap and copped a feel by accident because her young, soft skin tempted me and I gave in and got hard, even though I shouldn't have. I am praying that you'll forgive me, God...please.
"We've got him!" Red states triumphantly.
An uneasy feeling grows inside of Alex. She's just discovered that during the whole time she's known Lorna, her terrible father had been taking pictures of Diane. It makes even more sense when he'd left a voicemail on Lorna's phone, that he himself had once sinned before. "His words repeat themselves over and over in my head, and I'm only keeping this for evidence." Right after drama, Lorna had pulled Alex aside and they'd gone into a large bathroom stall. "Mydadtriedtorapeyourmom," Lorna mumbles softly. Alex has to strain her ears in order to hear the small Italian.
"What?!" Alex nearly screeches. "What the fuck, Lorna? You talk too fast when you're upset. You're telling me your dad...almost did something unthinkable...to my mom?"
"It's true, and the reason he's in a wheelchair. He's been secretly obsessed with her for almost twenty years after that night," Lorna insists and hands Alex her phone while playing the message on speaker.
"I lusted after a gorgeous woman with long brown hair and blue eyes and a perfect body when I was in my early twenties, and tried to engage in sexual activity with her before marriage, but my punishment was to get kicked to the point of being crippled, which I deserve to be for the rest of my natural life. I survived the attack and saw God and decided I would never sin again. She resembled Alex without the glasses and I want to fuck the disease of lesbianism out of your friend, but I won't since it's against God to have sex before marriage. She's come to drop Alex off all the time and has never once come in, so I wasn't ever able to apologize, but would you please do that for me?"
Alex's eyes widen in horror and she shakes her head from side to side while pressing her lips together. He'd not only been after her mother, but her, as well. Tears swim in her eyes. "I'm gonna puke."
"Me too...he had calmed down some and he didn't seem to want to kill me anymore, but the pathetic excuse of a human being was still frightening me. I put the pieces together and it sunk in that the awful pervert was one of the animals who had attempted to sexually assault your ma...my heart is breaking for her and you!"
"He-he's such a bastard...he really thinks the wrong thing he did was attempted sex before marriage!" Alex blubbers. "He wanted to do it with me, too...so nauseating! Ugh!"
"I blame myself that I never knew, since Catholics are supposed to be free of sin...in my mind, at least," Lorna mumbles.
"No...don't. It's only his fault, and his alone!" Alex hisses and then sniffles. "Can you, um...can you tell her? I can't bring myself to do it."
"Yeah, sure...it was my dad, after all." Lorna visibly shivers. "Eew...that word just left a horrible taste in my mouth. Dad...he sure doesn't act like one!"
"Biological fathers suck," Alex mutters. "I'll do everything in my power that my mom never sees that fucker, and I do want him arrested, so could you please talk to her today...like right after school?"
Lorna nods her head yes and she and Alex embrace. "Of course."
"Come on in, sweetie," Diane tells Lorna kindly. She's always thought Alex's mother was the spitting image of an actress or supermodel who belonged on the cover of a magazine or starring in a hit film. Diane's twinkling eyes that men and women alike could write poems about, her hair, especially swept to one side, is lovely, and her lips are constantly covered in a shimmery pink gloss. Alex's mother is exactly the lady who Lorna had aspired to grow up looking like. She proves that one doesn't need wealth to be beautiful, inside or out. Lorna's heart is just as big as Diane's.
Today, though, when Diane lets Lorna in through the door, she has her makeup off with her black eye more noticeable then it had been in school, and her hair is up in a messy bun. She smiles at Lorna pleasantly. She continues to be attractive, but Lorna is reminded that Diane is a human being with thoughts and feelings, just like everyone else. Even if she were famous, she'd still be a person. Lorna's admiration for Diane isn't diminished, though. A lump grows in Lorna's throat as Diane wraps her up in a hug. It's warm and loving and sometimes, Lorna wishes she were Diane's daughter. When Piper was still alive, Lorna and Daya were frequent visitors to Diane's trailer park even if Alex wasn't home-simply because they needed motherly advice, a helping hand, or something as simple as Diane winding her arms around them.
"Thank you, Diane." Lorna's voice cracks as she sits at the table. "Why are you so nice all the time?"
"There ain't no reason I wouldn't be. Now, what can I do for you? Or, do you just wanna be here to chill with me?" Diane has her back turned as she gets cream cheese out of the refrigerator and Ritz crackers out of the pantry, but she looks over her shoulder at Lorna. "I'm making us a snack...cheese and crackers with grapes." Lorna can't help but notice the way that Diane is wincing and breathing heavily as she moves around the kitchen, and the bruises around her wrists appear to be extremely painful. They're dark blue and purple, and although Lorna knows they're from Piscatella's abuse and not Joe's, the sight of Diane being harmed is making Lorna quite sad and physically ill.
She breaks off into silent crying which turns into loud sobs as the guilt envelops her and swallows her whole. She covers her face and wails into her hands. "I'm so sorry! Oh my god, Diane...I can't believe he actually...my own father!"
"What are you sayin' that for, honey?"
"His ass...he...he's real twisted!" She explains what she'd told Alex, to Diane between hiccups and shuddering gasps and adds that Joe had fondled her when she was just a child. Lorna can barely look at the older brunette, who sits down next to her carefully. Tears cloud her vision, so it's not like she can see Diane anyway. She registers Diane handing her tissues and brushing droplets of saltwater off her cheeks. She wipes her wet eyes clear and blows her nose a few times. Diane takes hold of both of her hands gently, and Lorna nervously glances over at her while chewing on her bottom lip.
"Please don't apologize, Lorna! That is a huge weight to carry, and the only motherfucker who deserves to have it on his shoulders is that despicable thing that needs to rot in prison and then Hell. Do you understand? I'll break that camera over the shower...I'll let Charles know about all of this."
Lorna nods slightly and stares at her pink nails. "Yes. It's just...I should've been more watchful of him, you know? Like...not before I was born, clearly, but...surely, I could've seen him taking photos of you without your permission and caught him right there in the act...or jumped out of his lap once he felt me up. I bet you hate me now..."
Diane tilts Lorna's chin up and tucks a lock of brown hair behind her ear. "I could never! Listen to me, darling girl. For a long time, I blamed myself about to be violated on my looks. I was too pretty for words, or wearing something sexy...my bright red lipstick, well-done mascara and sharp eyeliner, freshly curled hair, very low-cut black tank top with tight red leather pants that showed off my ass a little too much, high heels...but now I realize that I should've described the would've-been rapist who was still alive, to the cops. I'm dumb for not realizing that he wasn't dead! I could think that, correct?"
Lorna frowns. "No...it's absurd! You thought your brother punched them both until they couldn't move forever, and you didn't care enough to check to see if they were still breathing...for all you knew, they bled out! My dad miraculously came back to life or was barely hanging on."
Diane points at Lorna. "Bingo! My point I'm trying to make here is you didn't have a fuckin' clue that he was snapping pictures of me because why would you be suspicious? He's your father who you thought was a loving man, although a bit grumpy. When you were nine, he manipulated you into thinking it was okay for him to...to be a pedophile. You didn't know he was being one...I mean, you were aware of it at first, but he took full advantage of your then-undiagnosed mental illness and convinced you to let it go. We are going to get justice, don't you fret about nothin'! Nicky, you, and Red have everything we need."
"I wish he had died, though...then you would've never had to deal with this."
"Without him, though, we wouldn't have been blessed with someone as special as you." Diane rests her cheek in her hand and grins.
Lorna sighs with relief that she's still loved, even after everything. "Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"Nicky and Red are so brave," Lorna comments. "I wish I could be like them and everyone else I'm friends with and all the adults I look up to, including you, of course!"
"You're courageous, too. Don't you ever forget it, kid."
She beams at Diane's uplifting words. "Thank you."
"Anytime."
Thank you for reading and reviewing, MinervaSnape394, CoffeeWritingAddiction, Double99, A Star In My Universe, and Johanna002!
