Page 81 of The Other Side of Together

The fear and shame that Nick wrapped around me is suffocating, and I put my hand over my stomach, swallow hard. I stare at the ceiling fan and let it whirl my thoughts toward the moments before Su Ling showed up. Cold. Exposed. Rough—everything rough. Lips, hands, the bed under me, Nick’s voice. Screams scraping up my throat. Twisting, kicking. Praying. Nick’s demands.

I put my hands over my eyes to stop the scene from flying at me, tears slipping between my fingers to wash it away. My legs twitch, ready to run from the memories swooping around me, and I scramble off the bed, stand in the middle of the room, hand over my mouth so I don’t scream or throw up.

My reflection in the mirror on the back of the door catches my eye and I turn toward it. Except for the bruises on my face and around my neck, I look the same; this robe hides everything. But I can feel the damage from the inside out.

My fingers tremble as I pull one end of the belt. The robe slips off my shoulders and drops to the floor, uncovering the red burns smearing my stomach where Nick dragged me across the carpet. I touch the swollen, finger-shaped bruises circling my neck, turn my back to the mirror and glance over my shoulder. Purple splotches stain my back, shoulders, thighs. Turning to face my reflection, I hold my breath as I connect the dots between blotches and bruises down my stomach, thighs, hips. I let out a painful breath, my mind digging a hole and throwing in the memories of last night asgratitude rushes through me. Nick has taken a lot, but Su Ling saved me from the worst.

A soft knock rattles the door and my heart sputters as I grab the robe and slide into it.

“Xiao Mei?” Guo Mama’s voice is gentle and when I tell her to come in, she slips inside and hands me a cup of tea. “Drink this. Marcus will be back soon.”

I ease onto the edge of the bed, hoping she’s right, and take the cup in both hands, soaking in the warmth through my fingertips.

“I called my brother in Seattle,” she says, the mattress dipping as she sits next to me and talks into the room, her hand resting on my knee. “Everything is set. You will stay in his backyard cottage until we decide where you go next. It is small, but nice.”

I nod, but my head is fuzzy as I picture my next steps. Steps that will take me away from Marcus for good. I swallow the burn. “And I can never come back.”

Guo slides a hand over mine and shakes her head. “No, Xiao Mei.”

I nod too quickly, the movement shaking my whole body. Attempting to shake Marcus-thoughts out of it. Shake off the dread and pain. It has to be this way. Now. Because of Nick. I clench my jaw, force him out. “What will happen to my parents?”

Guo Mama shifts to face me, her tender eyes holding mine. “I do not know. They got themselves into this mess, they will have to get out. But you cannot come back. No matter what. Understand?”

My vision blurs as I stare at the tea swaying in the cup. I want to go back to before. I want to work in the restaurant and hang out with Lin and go to school and talk about boys. And keep the boy who lives around the corner only in my dreams so I wouldn’t know what it’s like to lose him. I should have stayed in my real life, so I would still have choices. Ididn’t think I had any until now, when they’ve all been taken away. I’m getting exactly what I chose. I’ve always wanted to leave home, just not like this. I should have faked sick and stayed home from L.A. Run away on my terms. But maybe trying to run from my life got me here.

I glance at Guo Mama who looks like she’s aged ten years in the last four hours and force a smile. “Thank you for helping me. When do I leave?”

A rap at the door startles me and Guo Mama smiles, touches my cheek before shuffling to the door. Marcus would never knock. No one else would come to the shop this early. But when Guo Mama opens the door, Mama’s standing on the other side of it.

Guo Mama touches Mama’s shoulder and glances at me. “I will be downstairs,” she says, hurrying out of the room.

Mama steps inside and closes the door behind her. She’s wearing sweatpants and a jacket, her hair thrown up in a messy bun. She clutches a large manila envelope to her chest.

“What are you doing here?” My voice is a whisper, still untangling itself from shock.

“My Mei Li.” Her voice cracks as she searches my face. “Guo Mama told me what happened. I’m so sorry.”

A tear escapes, and I look down as it drops into my teacup, silence filling the space between us.

“She says you’re leaving. That’s good.”

My eyes slide up to hers. “Good…?”

She shakes her head. “No. Not at all, but for the best. I am so proud of you, Mei Li. You have so much courage.”

“I don’t want courage—I want my life back but that won’t happen now because I got scared and called the police.”

Mama swallows, nods without looking away, her eyes glossy in the shadows. “I know, and I’m so glad you did and that you won’t get your old life back. Now you can create a new, better one. Because you called the police, eighteen women are safe and Nick and many others have been arrested.”She presses her lips together, her face pale. “There will be many more arrests, I’m certain, and I’m glad about that too.”

My head snaps toward her. “How do you know that?”

“Xander called Chaz from jail. Chaz called me to tell me everything that is happening.”

“Why would Chaz call you…?”

“Because there are many things I did not know were happening.”

“But Chaz is involved. Why didn’t he get arrested?”

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