LITTLE BROWN BENEFIT

LITTLE TOUGH

Sacha's POV

"Sacha, the cops are here!" Remy called from the living room.

I was in the bathroom, trying to piece myself together from the awful encounter I had with that brute.

"Coming!" I responded. I took one more look in the mirror then joined Remy and two police officers, both male, in my living room.

"You're Sacha Rish?" the first one asked.

"Yes sir," I answered.

"You're the one who phoned us about a s****l assault?"

"Actually, my friend phoned you but it happened to me," I clarified.

"Uh huh. We'll need you to come to the station to make an official police report on the incident ma'am."

"But...."

"Sach, just go. I'll stay here for when Judy gets home from school," Remy offered.

"Thank you so much."

I took my cellphone and purse and followed the two officers to their squad car on the pavement.

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the police station where I was ushered inside and up to a desk to give a report.

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"Miss. Rish, I'll cut right to the chase. We've questioned Mr. Goldstein on the incident and he denied ever touching you. As matter of fact, he said you were the one who assaulted him with a telephone when he didn't give you the job."

"And you believed him?!" I raised my voice because I was baffled by what the officer just stated.

"Is that true ma'am? Did you hit him over the head with a telephone?" he asked.

"Yes I did... but that's because he..."

"Ma'am, s****l assault is a serious accusation. And it's not okay for you to go around doing such because you wasn't qualified for a job position."

"Excuse me?" My temper was rising.

"You heard me."

"How much did he pay you?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," I repeated his previous words. "It's obvious you're in his pocket because you're speaking like you were there. He assaulted me. What was I supposed to do, sit there and enjoy it?

I had to protect myself and that I did."

"Is there any proof he assaulted you? Any marks, scratches?"

"No!"

"Without proof, there's no case."

"You know what, thank you for your time officer. I hope the same thing doesn't happen to your daughter." I got up and walked out of the police station.

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"What did the popos said?" Remy asked as I returned home.

"I really don't want to talk about it Remy. It's like a bad energy is out to consume me. I can't think, I can't keep anything down in my stomach, I can't catch a goddamned break."

Remy joined me on the chair where I was lying like I couldn't carry on any longer.

"Hon, it's gonna be okay. You'll find a way. You'll move pass this. Okay?"

I nodded yes but really I didn't have a clue on what to do next.

Judy arrived several hours later. At that time, I had taken a shower and Remy had left. I made a snack for Judy as I usually do and assisted her with her assignment.

A knock came on the door. I went to open, thinking it was Remy again.

"You little BRAT! WHERE'S MY MONEY?" Wayne, my landlord, shouted.

"Wayne, I promise I'll have your money in full this weekend."

"No way. NO WAY. I've put up with your crap long enough. You'd either have my money by tomorrow or you're out of here!"

"Okay. Tomorrow," I responded and quickly shut the door after him. I turned to Judy, who was looking on with tears in her eyes now.

"He's really angry," she stated.

"I don't want to worry about him."

"What's going to happen to us, I don't want to go back to the State."

"And that's never going to happen again. I promise you we'll be fine."

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That night Judy didn't sleep well. The next morning, I got her ready for school and I went searching for another job around the city. I had to try at least but I got turned down at every attempt I made.

At my apartment, I sat, exhausted and defeated. Judy came home early and we decided to go to a nearby park for some fresh air and an afternoon walk. 

I watched as Judy made friends with two other kids, around her age and together, they ran around through the trees and played on the slides.

I missed the young me and Judy reminded me so much of myself. I used to come to the park with mom for walks and ice-cream cones. It was one of our favourite things to do. Judy hardly remembers her and dad but I couldn't forget.

Tears filled my eyes and they dropped when they got too heavy.

Judy ran up to me.

"Sis, you're crying."

"No. Something got into my eyes."

"Yeah. Tears got into them." Her arms circled my neck and her new friends joined in.

At 6:00 P. M. after Judy had her last ice-cream cone, we left the park and headed home and found our belongings on the pavement. The locks on the door had been changed so we couldn't get in.

With anger, I went to seek out Wayne but he had locked his office and wasn't answering my calls.

Other tenants saw what was happening and began recording the situation. Judy was crying bitterly and I was yelling out Wayne's name.

The sky got dark and the rain poured down. Judy and I scurry to take our things out of the rain. I took out my phone and called Remy.

Remy came. She came within a time span of fifteen minutes, since we lived in the same neighbourhood, and help us carried our things to her car. She drove us to her place.

"You can have the couch and Judy and I will share the bed," she said once we were settled.

"Thank you so much Remy. I really appreciate this."

"Girl, it's not a problem."

Remy's place was small, suited only for herself. Her couch was uncomfortable but I had no business to complain.

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"Sacha, have you ever thought about becoming a stripper?" Remy asked me the next morning when Judy left and we were alone.

"What? Hell no!"

"Don't be so modest girl. Plenty girls out there are stripping and making a good living."

"I don't care about their living. I'm not exposing my body to people I don't know."

"Sometimes, you speak like you're still a virgin."

I turned away from her instantly and she noticed.

"Wait! Wait a minute! Sacha! Are you still a virgin?"

"Psshh! Girl, are you crazy? Of course no."

"Your ass is still a virgin. Look me in my eyes and tell me you're not."

I couldn't. I couldn't look someone in their eyes and lie to them.

"Okay, forget the stripping. I'm a part-time stripper and it ain't even all that fun but on Friday, we're hitting the club, and we're gonna find you a man."

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