Can There Be Peace Ch. 14

"You forgot the Miss part, but frankly I like it better without." Karen replied. "That is the true form of my sisters and I. Lilly is darker and Eva is lighter but the basic form is the same." She paused, "David, your friend Nancy will never be able to lie again. She will find that she won't be able to have sex, for unless there is love there it is a form of lying. She will always tell people what she thinks of them. In short her life will be one based on truth instead of lies."

David looked towards the door and started to laugh. Finally, after a minute he managed to stop and said, "Yes her life should be interesting to say the least. Will she know who did it?"

"Oh yes and she will come and beg forgiveness. But only when she learns her lesson will I help her move past it." Karen paused and said, "If she is willing, would you be willing to teach Red to work behind the bar as a relief bartender. I would rather find someone in house if possible. Tell me how much you want to teach her and I will find a way to pay you. If you want her in here in the mornings to teach her before the bar opens, I will personally make sure she is here."

"Hold that thought," David said as he went down to help customers and fill the waitress's orders. A minute later he was back and said, "If I agree, and she doesn't work out, there will no hard feelings?"

"I never let my personal feelings get in the way of work". Karen said. "I wanted to kill that manager but let the police have him instead." She smiled, "If Red doesn't work out, that's fine. You are the boss of that side of the counter. What you say goes." Standing Karen said, "But this may be moot, Red may say no."

"If she says no I will eat my hat and since I don't have a hat she won't say no," David replied.

Karen laughed feeling good for the first time today, "I love your circular logic. Thanks I needed that laugh." She got up and went to the table. Sitting down she looked at Red, "Red are you willing to try learning how to tend bar?"

"Of course Karen," Red said.

"Good girl, now you can go tell David his hat is safe. Then find out when he wants to start. Just do the best you can." She paused a second and added, "I give this piece of advice to you and for you to pass on. If you don't try, you can't fail." Karen grinned wickedly, "Tell him to work out the second part on his own and try to have fun."

Turning her attention to Lilly and Eva she said, "Lilly, look at David and tell me what do you see."

Lilly looked at him and for a moment their eyes locked. His eyes widened and he dipped his head slightly. "He can see us."

"Without getting carried away, test and mark mother's new follower," Karen commanded. Turning her attention to Baby Girl she said, "Go help Cat at the door. I want to have a few words alone with Eva. Sherry could you see about getting anything the chef needs?"

Baby Girl rushed towards the front more to get away from the firestorm which was about to break than to help Cat watch the door.

Sherry was going to tell Karen she had dealt with that the night before but seeing Baby Girl rush away said, "Of course Karen."

"Eve, while I am trying my best to help you grow, just as I am trying to help Lilith to learn compassion and love. I can't do anything if you two get carried away. You both, are to set an example on how to live to your little sisters. What message do you think you sent last night and her today?" Karen held up her hand to stop Eve from answering, "I tell you this now, and you can tell Lilith. If you two ever pull shit like this again, I will personally send you back to mother in a pine box. Do you understand me?"

"Yes sister," Eve said softly. She was going to add that she had thought she was doing the right thing but saw the rage being barely controlled in Karen's mind. Only then did she realize the magnitude of her mistake. Dropping her eyes, she said, "I'm sorry I failed you Karen."

"So am I," Karen said standing. She walked up front and said to Cat, "I need to take a walk. Who's going with me?"

She watched them play rock paper scissors and Baby Girl won. As they turned to go, she saw Jane standing there. "Care to go for a walk with us, Jane?"

"Sure," Jane said falling in beside them. Where are we going?"

"I was planning of walking down to the park by the tracks and watch the trains go by while having a pity party. But since you are here, we can go hang out in the back of the truck for a while. I need to think, clear my mind before I can go forward." Karen looked at Baby Girl, "I could really use some time talking to my best friend and my new friend instead of a pair of submissive sisters. Is that possible Sandy?"

"You know it is Karen. I also know you know how I feel about you using that name so we not going there. I understand you do it when you are serious but it reminds me of the time I spent serving her." Baby Girl looked at Jane and saw questions in her eyes, "You will understand soon enough. Don't rush a visit to hell sister."

"Okay I was confused before but that one really confused me." Jane said following Karen and Baby Girl to the truck.

"What she is referring to is the sharing. You'll see by morning." Karen replied. She crawled in the back of the truck and lay down. While Baby Girl cuddled with her on the right side, Jane near them on her left side. Looking at Jane, she asked, "Do I have cooties or something?"

"What are you Karen, what did you do to me, and more importantly what are you going to do to me?" Jane asked.

"You already know the answer to the first question, suspect the second and make you mine fully to answer the third." Karen said. She looked at Baby Girl and said, "You know that while you snap in a moment's notice, I internalize it. But I am about to completely lose my shit Sandy and worry what will happen when I do. I already turned that thieving bartender into a nun, and told Eve that if she and Lilith pulled shit like that again I would send them home in a pine box. Please guide me, help me let it go and move forward without the anger and hurt."

"You have to vent your feelings Karen. Tell each what you feel in uncertain terms," Baby Girl said sitting up. "Jane, this is your field of expertise, feel free to jump in anytime."

Jane shot Baby Girl a look and then looked down at Karen, "As much as I hate to admit it, Sandy is right. Instead of sucking it in on yourself. Tell everyone, one at a time, how you feel and what it will take to make it right in your eyes." She smiled, "Start with Baby Girl here. I will help you."

"I have a better idea." Karen said looking at the pair. "If the two of you don't stop this game, I will truly be pissed and make you pray for death." She looked at Jane, "I understand the need to work undercover. I understand the belief by the police that I may have something to do with the drug trade. I know you say you know I am clean. I know you think I am my mother's daughter and that it will only be a matter of time before I start making people disappear. If you think that I am evil, then you must kill me. Nothing less is being true to yourself. Your shocked sister on my other side already said she would kill me before allowing another evil like she was to walk the earth."

Karen looked at Baby Girl, "I want you to remember who's brand you wear and know I will not allow another transgression like that to go unpunished ever again. Do you really want pain that bad Baby Girl? Is it worth it? Only you can answer those questions." She paused and then added, "While I can see the girls, Little Bit, Red, Doll, and Darkstar stumbling like that. I expected better out of you and Cat. I would have bet anything Lilly and Eva would not ever had betrayed my faith. But look at how that turned out."

She paused and said, "Nope it feels like I am beating a dead horse and nothing will change. Any other ideas? Venting doesn't work nor does punishment."

"What punishment? All you have done was vented your anger." Jane paused, "Karen," She paused again searching for the right words, "When I was young, I remember getting caught playing dress up with my mother's clothes. The pair of them, mother and father, had a long talk about how it was wrong with me before putting me into time out." She looked at Baby Girl, "How well do you think that worked?"

"Not one damn bit," Baby Girl replied with a smile.

"You're right, all it did was teach me to be more careful playing dress up." She smiled in return. Turning to Karen her smile slid off her face, "However, like a cat, I hid my actions but not very well. I was caught again, this time my mother alone talked to me like an adult. She said that people wouldn't understand so I shouldn't wear her clothes." Jane thought back to that fateful day, "She said a lot more than that but that was the focus. I remember hearing them argue late in the night and him yelling no son of mine is going to be a fag. He came in and beat me so bad that I nearly died. I ended up in the hospital and he in jail. From then on it was just mom and I."

"I'm sorry," Karen said reaching a hand out to touch Jane's leg.

"Don't be, it was the catalyst that got mom out of an abusive marriage. We moved down here and I became Jane. I think she felt guilty for letting him beat me before calling the cops. But from the day I was released from the hospital, I always had my own female clothes. When I was well enough we would go shopping together and have a mother, daughter day out. I ended up being home schooled while healing and then went through school as Jane instead of John. When I graduated high school mom told me she was going to move out west to be with her sister. If I wanted, I was more than welcome to go with her or I could choose my own path."

She paused, "I don't know if you can understand Karen. But mom was my whole world. On the other hand, her sister was a female version of my father. She was domineering, treated mom like shit and me even worse. So, to run away from my past, I joined the Marines. Let me tell you those first couple weeks on Paris Island were a slice of hell I will never forget. But knowing that if I failed I would have to face that bitch and be under her thumb were all it took for me to suck it up. I would have rather dropped dead than go there a failure."

"So what you are saying is love and empowerment is the path for me to take," Karen said slowly trying to understand the underlying meaning of Jane's past.

"While that is one side of the coin, you can follow the other path and be a bitch from hell where everyone would rather drop dead than fail and face your wrath." Jane got up and started to get out. "Only you can choose what path to walk on Karen. I know what I would do, but I am not you. I'll be at the door if you need any more advice." With that she got out and walked to the door, "I can take it Cat."

"I don't mind watching the door a bit longer," Cat replied. "That plain clothes cop from the dealership came by and is sitting at the bar waiting for you."

"That cop is my partner Cat. Let me introduce you two properly and you can sit him down at the table and entertain him for me. He's a good man," Jane said. She dragged Cat over to the man and said, "Hi George, glad you could make it. I need to watch the door for a bit but may I introduce Major Marie Stevenson. Cat here is a serious war hero so be nice to her." She paused and then said, "Some people say she can even walk on water."

"As long as it's ice," Red said from the other side of the counter with a laugh. "Jane that joke was old when my mother was a little girl."

"Come on to the booth. George, we have a bottle of Jack Daniels Black label that cost one hundred dollars that you have got to try." Cat said.

George found himself being dragged to a large booth with Sherry sitting there alone and working on a laptop. She smiled up at him but continued working. Also on the table was a bottle of Jack, a bucket of ice and several empty glasses. "If that bottle cost one hundred dollars, someone is ripping you off," he said picking up the bottle and looking at it.

"It's a long story and now has become a running gag," Cat said motioning for him to sit down. She took the bottle tossed a few ice cubes in a glass and poured herself a drink. She looked at him and said, "You look like you could use one too." Expertly she made another and handed it over. Taking a sip of hers she told about the night Tiffany tried to get them tossed and Karen having to pay the bartender one hundred dollars for a bottle.

George shook his head in disbelief. He looked at Cat and said, "Why did Jane call you a serious war hero Cat?"

"Because she has a CMoH," Sherry not looking up. She took a sip of her drink and continued working.

"CMoH?" He asked looking from Sherry to Cat.

"Congressional Medal of Honor," Cat said.

"How did you get that?" George asked softly. He had never met a real hero and the woman looking into her glass sadly was one.

"Cat was in charge of a fire base and when they were attacked and most combat troop were wiped out, she rallied the survivors' and fought off repeated attacks until help could arrive nearly twelve hours later," Karen said looking down at him. "We haven't been formally introduced, my name's Karen." She smiled slightly, "I bet you have a file on me already as well as the one at least an inch thick concerning my parents." She moved to sit down on Sherry's other side, "How goes the orders?"

"Just about done," Sherry replied not looking up. She looked at George, "I am working on ordering what the chef wants for the kitchen to modernize it and make his life easier." She looked at Karen, "Total will fall just under one hundred k assuming I can get a break the cost of a few of the items."

"If you think he really needs it, then spend the money Sherry. Do it right or not at all." Karen replied. She took her glass, drained it before adding more ice and pouring herself a new drink. "So George, what can I do for you tonight?"

"Curiosity," George said.

"Okay, then the next question is how can I clear up the questions you have?" Karen asked.

"More than anything I wanted to meet the person Jane fell in love with enough to come out all the time. Did she tell you we were best friends in High School and I took her to our Junior and Senior Prom?"

"No but I believe it, you love her too. I can see it in your eyes." Karen tilted her head, "Why didn't you tell her?"

"She is my best friend. I was scared of losing our friendship." George said. It felt as if the woman across from him could read his soul and laid it bare on the table.

"Do you think that would really get her back?" Karen asked.

"Wwwhat do you mean?" he asked feeling as if he had just been caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

"My dad would point and say, that's why I don't trust anyone. Mother would make you disappear." Karen paused and then said, "It's a good thing I am not either one of them. George you are too good a man to start down that road, once you do there will be no turning back and you will be damned for all time. Instead, you need to go have a long talk with Jane. Clear the air and for your sake tell her how you feel and find a way for it to work."

She gestured for Cat to get up and said, "Talk to her George, and take your little present with you."

"I still have it Karen, I had already decided I didn't want to frame you before you came in." George replied as he started to get up.

"Bullshit, but I'll let it slide for now. When you return make sure you leave it in your car," Karen replied. As he walked away she looked at Cat, "You and Baby Girl keep an eye on him. If he goes near the truck or Sherry's car, make sure he doesn't leave anything behind." When she was alone with Sherry she said softly, "I really don't need all this stress in my life. It's bad enough you girls tripping and falling. But to have a cop come in with the plan to plant drugs here to frame me is almost more than I can handle Sherry."

"How can I help you?" Sherry asked. It broke her heart to see Karen stressing like this.

The pain in Sherry's voice triggered a memory in her past. Her parents had taken her to see JC Superstar when she was a child. Her father on one side and her mother on the other giving color commentary to her throughout it in whispers. The scene that came back to her now was when Jesus was taken back to Pilot for the whipping. Her mother had about orgasmed from watching it while Karen felt each strike on herself instead of the actor before her. Pilot had said just before condemning him to death the very same words Sherry had just uttered in the same tone. Closing her eyes, she whispered, "If this is your will mother, so be it... I'm too tired to fight and ready to end my suffering and death."

All over the club everyone stopped and looked at her in horror. They saw her childhood memory and heard her words. Their leader, their goddess, Mistress, friend and lover was preparing herself for her own crucifixion.

Not seeing or caring Karen got up and walked out. She saw Cat at the door staring at her and looked around. Baby Girl was leaning against the building over by the parking lot with a lit cigar and looking dazed. She walked that way and took the cigar out of the girl's hand. She took a puff and clutched it between her teeth. In the parking lot she found Jane talking to George.

Walking up Karen reached into his jacket pocket and removed a baggy with several hundred little heart shaped pink pills in it. "Two shots, first in the gut. When I don't stop and reach the combat shotgun you take the second shot in the head. Anything less and I will shoot both of you and when the rest of the police come the outcome will be the same except you two will be dead." She stuffed the baggy into her pocket and turned to walk towards the truck.

"I'm unarmed Karen," George said. "And I don't believe you would shoot an unarmed man or Jane."

Reaching the truck Karen said, "You still have your hold out."

"No Karen, not like this," Baby Girl said right behind her. "You want to die, fine. But don't destroy their lives in the process," she added softer. She reached around and removed the drugs from Karen's cargo pocket in her pants. Turning she walked over to George and handed him the drugs, "We all have our crosses to bare, Karen takes our failures as her own fault and it is tearing her apart." She returned to Karen and wrapped her arm around the other woman, "Come on, let's go back inside."

George watched as the Baby Girl led Karen back into the club. "Would she really have shot?"

"No and you know it," Jane said softly. "George, Sandy is right, Karen's problem is she sees others failures as her own fault. Even your unspoken love to me, she sees it as if she failed somewhere. In short she cares too damn much for her own good." She looked towards the club, "That's why everyone who spends anytime talking to her falls in love with her." She took his hand and guided him over to the sewer. "Toss them," she commanded.

Wordlessly he tossed the drugs in the sewer and allowed her to pull him back in to the club and to the booth where Sherry sat with Baby Girl and Karen. Karen, she noticed had her head on Baby Girl's lap. "You two really need to talk it out," she said looking at George. Turning her attention to Sherry she said, Sister would you come outside with BG and I?"

"What makes you think I am going anywhere?" Baby Girl said.

"Because you are a useless Ranger piece of shit. Karen really needs to clear the air with George. If that isn't enough of a reason for you, I plan on kicking your ass once and for all Sandy. Because if any of her girls need it, you sure as hell are at the top of the list." Jane looked coldly at Baby Girl, "Now will you get up or shall I drag you out?" When Baby Girl didn't move Jane looked at George and winked at him, "After meeting Karen, I thought that Rangers were almost as good as Marines. But after seeing your true colors Sandy, I know better. Karen is just a Marine who ended up in the wrong place."