Karen
"That's it.... it's done. They officially hate me now." I sobbed.
Twinkie pulled me into a hug and held me as I cried on her shoulder. Rocking me back and forth, she brushed my hair softly.
"They do not hate you they're just hurt right now. Hate and hurt are two different things. You just need to give them some time."
"In the meantime, what? I can't just sit back and do nothing. I need them to understand that it wasn't me who slept with Smoke. It was my alter. I didn't do anything wrong, but they don't see that." I cried.
"Naturally, no. They're not going to understand, but it's your job to make them listen. You have to keep trying to break through to them until you get a breakthrough." Twinkie said.
"But I tried talking to Dave he didn't want to hear me out. Dorinda doesn't want to talk to me. I really wish we'd never came on this stupid trip."
"KareBear, don't say that. Even if we wouldn't have came what's done in the dark always comes to the light. Things are bad right now, yes. But we can still salvage what's left of this trip." Twinkie said.
"I don't know, Twink. I really just want to cry right now. I hurt my husband and my best friend. Those are two people in your life you never want to hurt. That's why you do everything in your power to prevent stupid things like this from happening." I sniffled.
Twinkie looked over at Smoke who was still standing in the kitchen before looking back at me.
"Maurice, come here."
"Yes ma'am?" Smoke asked, coming over to us.
Twinkie let me stand up straight as I wiped my eyes and stood by Smoke.
"I want to help you two, because I know that you truly love your significant others and you would never do anything to intentionally hurt them. But in order for me to do that I need to know exactly what happened. What do you guys remember from that night? Maurice, whatever you don't remember Karen will fill in the blanks but I need you two to be transparent, raw, and real about the truth. So, go ahead Maurice. The floor is yours."
"Aite, so what I remember is Dorinda telling me to go over and check on Karen because she was worried about her. She knew that I was already high because I'd eaten half of a weed brownie. I agreed to go over there, but before I left I ate the second half of the brownie. When I got there Karen was in bad shape. All I saw was empty bottles of patron laid across her dresser and floor. I didn't want to drink, but she insisted that I do. So, to make her feel better I did anyway. We talked for awhile and that's when she kissed me. That's all I remember." Smoke said.
"Karen, what do you remember?" Twinkie asked.
I took a deep breath as I closed my eyes. I searched through my brain trying to remember what happened and in that moment it was like Harlow released a memory that had been locked up. Like a dusty book on a library shelf that had been tucked away.
"When Inez kissed Smoke he kissed her back and in that moment it was as if the guns at a horse race had been fired because they raced to see how fast they could get each other's clothes off. Oh God...." I placed my hand over my mouth.
It felt as though I'd be sick. I felt extremely nauseous. Looking at me, Twinkie could tell what was happening.
"What is it? What do you remember Karen?"
"Everything was wet.... Maurice he- he didn't use a condom. It's like I can hear.... I can hear the sounds of us moaning, skin smacking together, and him talking dirty in my ear. Oh my God.... I feel like I'm going to be sick. God, please.... please make it stop." I sobbed, placing my hands over my ears.
