Throwaway People

Discussion Night

Patty came back in and sat while Jim and Keyote finished up their conversation.

"It's discussion night. Lets start with today's events. Sophia, you are welcome to join in. Since this is about you as much as it is us." Patty said.

"Discussion night?" Crow asked.

"Yeah, we just talk about things and later we tell stories we either read or made up." Keyote said. "It might be boring for you, but Patty is right, we will be talking about you tonight."

"Keyote I want to know what happened to you after your Mother was murdered? Do you know who killed your Mother?" Crow said before anyone could say anything else.

"Are you ready to talk about that." Patty said. "If you aren't Key, Jim and I can fill your Aunt Sophia in as to what happened."

Keyote bit her lip. "If I tell you Aunt Crow, what happened, you'll think I'm disgusting."

"No, child. I know you were raped the night your Mother was killed. I know this is painful, but if it helps I can tell you that I was raped once." Crow felt Key had to know. It might help her to open up about her own experience.

Key didn't respond. She merely hung her head. Biting her lip.

"Key was raped after a man we only know as Andy showed Key her dead Mother." Jim said. "I can't say more, until Key is ready to share more. I feel you need to know this information."

"He made me dirty." Key sniffled as she spoke. "He--he made me dirty."

"No, we discussed this, honey. You are not dirty. You were abused by an evil man." Patty stood up, walked over to where Key sat and hugged her.

"When the men who attacked me were finished I was kicked and beaten." Crow said. "They said it was my fault. I was hurt, confused by what they did. I thought it was my fault."

"Do you still think it is your fault?" Jim asked.

"The men who raped me wanted to 'put me in my place'. I was doing what they felt was man's work. They thought by raping me they'd humiliate me to the point I wouldn't be able to face them anymore." Crow said. Talking for the first time about it outside of counseling. To someone other than Mai. "I wonder if I had done things differently, if maybe I'd of avoided what happened to me. I don't blame myself, but I wish things had been different."

"Life's unfair. That is what Patty always tells me." Keyote said.

"It is. If it was I wouldn't have spent six years missing my sister and searching for you." Crow said. "We had given up hope, we thought if we ever did find you, it would be your remains."

"Andy said Mom died because I was bad. All I remember after the first time is that he fucked me each night after that." Key said.

"Language, Key." Patty said.

"That's what he did. It hurt. I cried and cried." Key was started with the tears. "I just wanted it to stop, but he wouldn't."

"Jim, I want to talk to Key about this alone, with Patty for support." Crow said. She thought Key might be more comfortable talking to just women.

"Jim already knows. I talk to him and Patty about it." Key said.

"It hurts him more then he lets on." Patty added. "Jim doesn't like to show it."