Tongue-Tied (Jamie x Reader)

14: Truth

9:26 AM. Six days after the bathhouse incident, [Name]'s phone rang. It was a cloudless day in Metro City, and the shopping centers were busy with customers looking for shelter, food, water, and air conditioning. She was serving customers at the Hula Hale when this happened. "One moment, if you please," she said as she finished serving them food.

The customers nodded and began to eat their food. She quickly ran upstairs to her bedroom and looked at her phone. It was her mother. Tapping the green icon, [Name] held her phone to her ear. "Hello, Mom?" 

"Honey, your so-called stepmom just called me and told me you came out of a bathhouse with a man in your arms. He was asleep... and then you... collapsed? What happened?" the mother questioned.

Oh, crap... It was her mother. "What do you know about the incident?" [Name] asked.

Mother sighed. "Well, Sharon was there, despite me hating her spoiled rotten lying ass, and she told me you were helping someone out of a room when your legs tapped out."

"Well, that was my boyfriend I was carrying."

Her mother stayed silent on the other end. Had she told her beforehand, maybe none of this would've happened. [Name] sighed in dismay. "What happened to Theo in Honolulu? Is he not good enough for you? I've dated your father since college! Our family's been known to have relationships that date back to our younger years!" Mother ranted.

"Well, too bad so sad! I can't stay with Theo forever! Besides, Jamie's much better than him. Theo was toxic; he never made me smile, never paid me any attention, and only dated me because of the family business! He never complimented me; possibly because of how I looked. But Jamie does the opposite. He pays attention to me, he didn't date me for the business, and he always says how pretty I look, even when my face is littered with acne!" [Name] exclaimed.

There was another momentary silence before the Mother hung up. This wasn't going in a good direction.

... 

It had been 1 hour since [Name] had come downstairs from her call from her mother. Downstairs, at the Hula Hale, Ryu and Guile were enjoying a heart-healthy brunch together. This wasn't the first time they'd gone out of their way, finished with training, to eat something. "Your friend's got some good food here," Guile said.

"I said that to [Name] when I met her at the sleepover a few weeks ago. I'd gone there one day and left a note saying I would love to come again. And here we are," Ryu added.

Guile nodded as he took another bite of pork. The raven-haired man sighed in satisfaction and thought about the note he had written her. Hopefully, she'd gotten it after she finished her shift. All of a sudden, a worker rushed in from downstairs, yelling out in fear. "She's gone! She's gone!" he cried.

Both Ryu and Guile stood and went to the man. He fell to his knees, shaking with fear. "What's going on? Hey, calm down. Everything's alright. Just tell us what's happening and we'll figure it out," Guile said, a hand on the man's shoulder.

He looked at the two men before speaking. "[Name] isn't in her room," he said.

"Did you try calling her phone?" Guile asked.

"I tried, but she didn't answer," the worker responded.

Guile then looked up at Ryu. "This isn't good. Not one bit. Call for everyone. Tell them to meet here at noon. Close the restaurant until [Name] returns."

...

"It was a dirty thing, seeing your daughter carry that man out of the bathhouse. I always thought she had a heart for Theo. His dark skin and black hair. It's a classic Hawaiian physique. Hell, he had just the body she wanted!"

The mother sighed, sitting back in her chair. Workers ran around the restaurant, serving orders and cooking up a storm. Outside, in Honolulu, the weather was unbearingly hot. The ocean waves crashed on the shore as the sun beat down on the restaurant. The AC wasn't working, and the customers were sticky with sweat. "I know, but... I'm still shocked [Name] managed to find a new lover! In Metro City?! She's crazy for not sticking to the family tradition and going off with someone else without telling me!" she exclaimed.

On the other end, a woman with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes sneered. "Oh, don't worry. I have just the way to punish your daughter for this ghastly behavior she's brought upon us both."

The mother's eyes widened in shock. That tone could mean anything. "Wait! Don't you dare do anything to her! She means everything to me! You take my husband first, and now you want [Name]?! I won't allow it, Sharon!" she yelled.

Some people looked at her, but she only giggled, leaving the room. Now, the mother was standing outside, watching the waves crash onto the sandy beachfront. "Relax, ma'am. When I tell you this, I mean I'll punish her, but not to an extreme level," Sharon replied on the other end.

But was she lying? Possibly, possibly not. The mother bit her lip in fear and hung up, phoning the Hula Hale in Metro City. "This is Ken Masters speaking to I don't know who the hell this is. How can I help you, random person?"

"Oh, sir! Do you know my daughter [Name]?"

Ken blinked on the other end. "Yep. She's a chill bud. So you're her mom?" he asked.

"Yes! She's been abducted by her so-called stepmom Sharon Carter! She lives in Hollywood with my husband. Could you and your friends be so kind as to help get her? I'll be there as well. But... My shift doesn't end until later tonight. So I'll make the trip around midnight and have [Name]'s cousins take my spot," the mother explained.

Ryu and the others were there by then as they listened to Ken speak with the mother. Soon, he hung up, sighing. "Is she gonna be alright?!" Jamie exclaimed suddenly.

Upon overhearing the conversation and the dilemma, tears threatened to fall. But he didn't want to show his worry for the young woman. However, it appeared that he failed. Luke sighed, wrapping an arm around him. The poor young man was worried, for he hugged Luke to try and hide his worrisome state. Kimberly pursed her lips and began to think, taking an earbud out. "What are we going to do? She's in Hollywood, and we're across the country," Blanka said, arms crossed.

That's when a smirk crossed Cammy's lip. "I have a private jet. And you're all coming, whether you like it or not."

"Thank God we don't have to choose," Chun-Li said as Guile and Blanka nodded in agreement.

Juri rolled her eyes and went back to her phone, holding her Kuromi plush in her other arm, her sucker still in her mouth. Li Fen stood on the counter. "I'll help watch over the restaurant while you guys are gone! You can count on me!" she said.

Chun-Li grinned and hugged her little sister and Jamie's eyes lit up as he quickly wiped away oncoming tears. They were going on a mission to save [Name] from the clutches of the stepmom! "Wait, what is this, Cinderella?" Ken asked.

"No, you idiot. Cinderella is about a girl with an evil stepmom and stepsisters. Then there's a fairy godmother who helps the poor woman out and gets her to the ball where the prince dances with her. Does [Name] have stepsisters or a fairy godmother? Or a prince? I don't think so. Drop the thought, Ken doll," Juri replied.

Jamie smiled to himself at the thought. The blonde-haired man groaned and put his head in his hands. Ryu chuckled and wrapped an arm around him. "Cammy, lead the way to your jet. We're all gonna go find [Name] and bring her back to her rightful home."

Cammy smiled a bit and walked out of the Hula Hale as the group followed. But she stopped. "I forgot... Two months ago, I was going on a trip for my business, and we flew over enemy territory. The wing got shot, and now there are a few holes in it. The repairing process is almost done, however," she explained.

Juri puffed her cheeks out in frustration as Lily hugged Manon's arm. "This is bad," she muttered.

"Do not worry, little one. Will it be done by tonight?" Manon asked.

Cammy nodded, shoving her hands into her pockets. "It should be done well before midnight. We'll make the overnight trip to Hollywood and rescue our friend. It'll all go smoothly. Or... at least I hope it will."