Page 49 of The Kat Bunglar

Panting from the exertion, she stared at Joseph with pure hatred as her eyes leaked hot tears.

“Are you finished?” Joseph asked calmly, looking down at her.

“I’m just getting started,” she spat.

“Enough, Kat. We all need to learn to live together, and you can’t attack my boyfriend,” Christian said slowly, as if dealing with a slow-witted child.

Something about the way Christian and Joseph exchanged glances sent a chill up Kat’s spine. She swerved her head between them. “Wait, did you know? Did you let him take our stuff willingly?”

Christian sighed. “I think you should sit down, Kat. There are some things we need to fill you in on.”

Joseph dropped Kat’s hands, and she massaged her wrists to restore blood flow. As Christian and Joseph sat on the loveseat, all that remained was the deflated bean bag in the corner. Kat tried to sit on it gracefully while nonchalantly wiping her runny nose.

Christian began to speak, but Joseph halted her. “Let me tell it, it’s my story to tell.” Christian nodded and Joseph continued, “I broke it off with Christian in May. I don’t know if you’re aware that we stopped talking to each other for some time?”

Kat met Christian’s stare and lifted an eyebrow. Yes, Kat was very familiar with when they had stopped talking. The nonstop combination of Olivia Rodrigo, Adele, and Chappell Roan songs blasting through Christian’s bedroom door as she wailed along to “You can say that we are nothing, but you know the truth. And I guess I’m the fooooool,” followed by low, guttural sobbing that Kat had to edit out of her videos. Thank God for voice-overs!

“I stayed away from Christian because I got involved with some bad men. The ministry owed back taxes because the previous leader did not register us with the BOW—”

“Bow?” Kat questioned incredulously.

“Bureau of Worship,” Joseph clarified. “It should have been registered. I’m not sure if it lapsed. Either way, we received a notice saying we owed about $15,000 in back taxes. The entire leadership became frantic and there was a,” Joseph hesitated before using the word reluctantly, “gentleman who advised that he could give us a loan to help pay for the back taxes. In return, he needed a storage area where he could put a few things.”

“It turned out to be weapons,” Christian blurted out. “He was part of the Haitian Militia!”

Kat gasped. “Nooo,” she breathed as she gripped the squishy bits remaining on the beanbag.

Joseph sighed and rubbed his temples. “Yes, so I thought if we could come up with a fundraiser and then pay the gang members and the back taxes all in one go. I didn’t mean to wrap up Christian in the mess and then, when she told me what you all were planning to do and offered to help me out—”

“ANYWAY! I think you get the gist of our story,” Christian interrupted with an overly bright smile. “We all have things the money could go toward—gangs, lawyers, student loans. We can all agree that they are noble and worthy causes.”

Kat sat with the information and stared at her feet before saying in a low, guttural tone, “When did Christian contact you to say that we could help you out?”

“I dunno, two weeks ago. When you all were leaving your mom’s house, I think,” Joseph replied.

Kat felt like someone had reached inside her chest and ripped her heart out with their bare hands. “You played me this whole time,” she said, her voice wavering from the raw ache inside her.

“No, I didn’t,” Christian said hotly. “I just didn’t think you’d be onboard if I told you about Joseph. I wanted us all to win. And we can all still win.”

“Is that why I don’t know where our stuff is, and both of you do?” Kat said dully, staring at the wall.

“It was attracting attention, so I thought it would be safer to put it in a Public Storage unit for a few days until my buyers could come and make the trade. But to cover rent and the inconvenience fee you promised them, Kat, I was able to pawn the emerald ring for a nice $3,800. Cory has finally stopped threatening to cut off your gas and electricity,” Joseph said proudly, as if he had somehow rescued them.

“You called Joseph to come,” Kat said slowly, piecing it all together. “That’s why you weren’t surprised.”

“I didn’t have a choice, Kat! You were spiraling, going through one of your depressive episodes, and I couldn’t attach my name to any of these transactions. I have young, impressionable viewers who see me as a role model and an embodiment of wholesome values,” Christian said defensively. “We can trust Joseph. I love him!”

“You do?” Joseph asked, his face beaming. “Oh my chou-chou. I love you too. I’m so sorry, I should have said it first!”

Christian dove into his arms and murmured, “You’re perfect. I should have said it first.”

“No, me,” Joseph replied, rubbing his nose against hers.

Kat ran to the bathroom and retched into the toilet.

July 17

Los Angeles

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