Page 57 of Trig

“Mya, how much is this? Thirty grand? Forty grand? What did you do?”

“Dad, it’s a gift.”

“Mya, no one that is normal gifts anyone this much money. Answer me, now!” I bark

“It’s uh…fifty grand.”

“I’mma kill you,” Nine snaps and lunges for her. Cisco shoots up out of his chair. I kick back my chair and lunge for Nine. I grab Nine by her wrist and pull her back where I can embrace her tightly from behind. Cisco struts over and stands in front of Mya.

“If you kill her, my love, how will we get the answers we need,” I whisper into Nine's ear in an attempt to calm her down.

“Mya, what did you do for fifty grand?” I ask again. I can feel Nine ready to spring so I tighten my grip on her.

Mya looks at Nine and then to me and then back to Nine.

“It was a gift. I didn’t do anything.”

“Mya, who is Oscar?”

Mya shoots Cisco an ugly look.

“Cameras, dumb ass. That’s all you,” Cisco says, unbothered

“Oscar is a guy I met while…shopping.”

“Okay. Let’s cut the shit. I’m not going to ask you again. What did you do for fifty grand? You can tell me or I can go to his house and find out for myself.”

Mya looks like a cornered cat.

“I had dinner with him. Is that illegal? This is embarrassing.”

“Dinner. Mm-hmm. Did you sleep with him? Is that money for sex?” Nine cuts in.

Mya doesn’t answer her, which just sets off Nine. Nine ninjas out of my grip and starts to run toward Mya. I tackle Nine and hold her on the ground in my arms.

“Everyone to the table now!” I yell, winded from the floor.

“Goddamn it, Trig!”

“Baby, I know you're pissed, but I’m asking you to bottle that shit for a few hours so we can find out what the hell is happening. Can you do that?”

“No promises,” she says.

“Nine!”

“Thirty minutes tops and then I’mma kill her.”

“That’s fair.”

I take my hands off her slowly. She makes a face and then she puts her hands up. I stand up and then help her off the ground. The kids are both seated at the table, whispering, when we make it over to them. Nine sits directly next to Mya and burns a hole into her the whole time. She stares at me for help.

“I don’t think it’s fair that everyone is coming down on me like I’m some streetwalker. You guys should really ask Cisco what he’s been doing with Oscar.”

“What the hell?” Cisco yells.

We all stare at him. He slams his hands down on the table.

“That’s a bitch move, Mya.”

---