Society Girls: Matisse

by Crystal Perkins

  “Please call me, Kenyi, or Ken, and yes, I am ready to go back to the hotel.”

  I know they find it strange that I’m not driving any of the luxury cars from here, but I need to leave all of this behind in order to move forward. I climb into the back of the truck before I’m offered a seat up front, and we drive away. I feel no sadness for the place as it gets smaller and smaller, and that scares me a little. That house will never be my home again; shouldn’t I miss it?

  * * *

  Matisse

  It’s been a few days since everything went down, and though my upper arm is still sore, I want to go in to work. I don’t have to do anything strenuous, but the thought of getting behind in everything terrifies me. Reina told me not to worry, but that’s not possible.

  I also need help, because every noise I hear in my apartment scares me, and that place is more secure than pretty much anywhere else in the world. If I’m scared there, how will I be able to function outside. Not well judging from the near panic attack I had driving here.

  The security guys smile at me as I walk in. I ditched the sling they gave me when I left the hospital so I could drive, and also so I wouldn’t have to answer any questions from the “regular” Corrigan workers. I don’t have the energy for a cover story yet.

  My first stop in the building is the place I both want to be, but don’t want to be at the same time—the medical ward. I got my medication from Audrey’s people, but I need to have my check-in with Kendrick. It’s going to be the hardest thing I do today, but like the rest of my checklist, it has to be done.

  “Hi Liz,” I say as I walk out of the elevator.”

  “Oh hi Matisse. Are you here to have your wound checked?”

  “Yes, thanks. Should I wait for Kendrick in one of the rooms?”

  “Kendrick isn’t here,” she says, looking surprised that I don’t know.

  “Should I come back later today?”

  “He’s in Africa, Matisse.”

  No! He went home, and no one told me? He didn’t tell me? I slump against the counter as Liz runs around it.

  “I’m okay,” I tell her, standing up straight again. “Are you able to check me out?”

  “I am. I’m covering the ward.”

  “Good for you. Will they be hiring another doctor?”

  “He’ll be back,” I hear a woman with an African accent say. When I turn, my eyes widen at Waverly standing behind me. “He just went back to tie things up.”

  “For your wedding?”

  She jerks back. “No one’s told you what happened while you were taken?”

  “No. What did happen?”

  “You’ll need to talk to Reina.”

  “Okay, and I’m glad he’s coming back for you. Despite everything, I want you both to be happy.”

  She fixes me with a smirk. “He’s coming back for you, Matisse, not me.”

  “But you’re engaged,” I say, earning a gasp from Liz.

  “After you talk to Reina, I’ll be talking to all of you and your friends. If you still have any questions, you can come and see me. I promise to tell you anything you want to know. Ken should be the one doing it—and he wants to, believe me he does—but he needs to be in Africa right now, and you shouldn’t have to wait.”

  “Thank you, but if he wanted to tell me anything, he would’ve.”

  “He was going to tell you the night you surprised him with his parents. Things went bad before he could, but that was his plan.”

  “Bad doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

  “I wasn’t trying to downplay what happened,” she says sounding frustrated. “I just want you to know he hated keeping things from you, and you should give him a chance.”

  “I did give him a chance, Waverly. I gave him everything, and he threw it all back in my face.”

  “Talk to Reina, talk to me, and when he’s back, talk to him. That’s all I’m asking you to do—just talking and listening.”

  “I can’t make promises right now. I have some other things to deal with, and I need to take care of myself first.”

  “Of course. I will see you soon, Matisse,” she says, turning to go.

  “Goodbye.”

  Once she’s gone, I follow Liz into one of the exam rooms. “Things are never dull around here,” she says as she looks me over.

  “No, but every once in a while, I wish they were.”

  She pats my uninjured shoulder, and then re-wraps the other one. “It wouldn’t be what it was if it was boring.”

  I agree, and get back in the elevator. Time to see Reina. Alex is, of course, expecting me when I walk into the Foundation lobby, because no one comes and goes in the building without Ainsley and her team knowing. What she knows, Reina knows, and so she knew I was coming to see here before the elevator doors opened.

  “How are you feeling?” Alex asks.

  “Like I’ve been betrayed by my boyfriend, shot by a human trafficker, and some other things I won’t bore you with right now.”

  “I’m sorry. You let me know if there’s anything I can help you with. Or if you just want to hang out, okay?”

  “I will. Thanks, Alex.”

  “You’re welcome. Reina’s waiting for you,” she says with a smile.

  I walk down the hall, and through the open doorway. “Hi, Reina.”

  “Hi Matisse. It’s good to see you up and around.” She came to me at the hospital, and sat for a few hours at my bedside, but I was pretty out of it.

  “I’m not good,” I admit. “I’m scared.”

  She nods. “I would be surprised if you weren’t. You went through something traumatic, and while I’m so proud of what you managed to do, you weren’t ready for that yet.”

  “Am I in trouble for it? It wasn’t an official mission.” My friends have gotten in trouble for going rogue, but I won’t apologize for doing what I had to in order to stay alive.

  “No. What you did was brave, and smart. It only reinforces how much you belong here with us.”

  “I can’t do what you do if I’m scared.”

  “You think I’m never scared?”

  “You’re Reina.”

  “Yes, I am. I’m the girl who was almost trafficked once, and will never forget that. I don’t want to forget. My past makes me stronger, just as things every one of the other mentors has experienced makes them stronger, too. The bravest thing any of us has ever done is ask for help when we needed it.”

  “I need it,” I tell her, a little blown away by what she just said. I knew about what happened to her as a girl, because nothing is kept from us, but to hear her say it is surreal. She’s not only surviving what happened to her, but it’s helping her. I want my experience to help me somehow.

  She nods. “We have a wonderful team of doctors here. You can see one of them individually, and then if you’d like, you can do some group sessions.”

  “Group sessions? With people we help?”

  “Yes, and no, not with outside women. There are some among us who have gone through things so horrific that they see our therapists regularly.” She holds up a finger and places a call, asking someone to come and take me to therapy. “One of them will be here to take you to your first appointment.”

  “They can still work here while they get help?”

  “Mental illness is not something to be ashamed of, or punished for. Like I already said, asking for help is the bravest thing anyone can do. You asking just reinforces how impressed I am with you.”

  “Waverly said you had things about her to tell me.”

  “I’m going to let her tell all of you at once. It’s her story. I will tell you that she’d like to be the last recruit, and her acceptance into your group will be up to you and your friends.”

  What? I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Thankfully, Reina’s door opens up again, and Nate walks in.

  “You ready to go to see my doctor, Matisse?” he asks me, and all I can do is nod, because the surprises just keep coming today.

/>   Chapter 22

  Matisse

  My session with the doctor was a little rough, but I think it went well. I told her everything, and she gave me some things to think about, as well as a little homework. I’m feeling good as I walk out of her office. I’ll be seeing her three times a week to start, and then I’ll have group sessions if I’m ready.

  Nate is waiting for me, and I smile at him. “You didn’t have to wait.”

  “The first session can be hard, and I didn’t want you to be alone.”

  “Thank you, Nate.” I don’t know all he went through, but I’ve heard little things here and there that make me think it was pretty bad.

  “Don’t worry,” he says, seeming to read my mind. “Once you join my group sessions with Ellie and the doctor, you’ll know what happened to us.”

  “Ellie?”

  “Yep. She said I could tell you, so I’m not breaking her confidence or anything.”

  I’m still trying to process the fact that two of the most badass people I know need help like I do when my phone goes off. I look down and see a summons to the main Society conference room. It’s the only room that fits all of us in—the mentors, the founders, the recruits, and some family members. I’m pretty sure I’m about to hear Waverly’s plea to join us, and while I want to hear everything, a part of me isn’t ready. I’m not being given a choice, though, so I take a deep breath and nod to Nate, letting him know I’m ready to go.

  We walk into the room together, but separate into our respective spots once inside. I sit between Sierra and Harlow, who both give me smiles. Everyone has been by to see me and hang out, and I’m really lucky to have this group of women at my side. I’m not sure I can accept Waverly as one of us, but I’m going to try and keep an open mind as Reina stands and walks to the front of the room.

  “Thank you all for coming. Ellie is still working with the women and children Matisse saved,” she says as cheers and clapping begin. I blush as she waits for the applause to die down. “And most of you know that Audrey is in Africa. She’s leading a local team there, helping with some things you’re about to hear about. They’ve both given me their voting choices for today, since they can’t be here in person.

  “Before we start, I urge you to listen, and keep an open mind. I know some of you are angry at Waverly, but she has a story to tell, and reasons why she would like to fill the recruit spot. I am fully in support of her joining, as are all the mentors and founders, but ultimately, we are leaving the choice up to the recruits because you will be working side by side with her. Waverly, are you ready?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” she says, and Reina hugs her before taking her seat. “Hi, everyone. Thanks for listening today. I know I’m not your favorite person right now, but I hope hearing my story will help you understand things you’ve seen and heard in the last week. I’m going to start at the beginning, and summarize a lot, but I’m willing to answer any questions you may have once I’m done.”

  She swallows hard, and her jaw clenches for a moment before she speaks again. “I was born in a small city in Africa, and my family was very poor. I don’t remember much about my parents, but I remember being hungry as a small child. One morning, my mother came in and dressed me up. I didn’t know where she got the dress, but it was pretty, and I was happy to put it on. She even used some of our precious water supply to clean me up, so I knew it was a special day.

  “There was a car waiting outside, and my mother told me we were going somewhere grand and wonderful. She took me to a house that was so big it needed a wall around it to keep everyone out, or at least that’s what I thought as a little girl. A man met us as we got out of the car. He told me he had cake and juice for me, and if I was a good girl, I could live there with him. I didn’t want to leave my parents, but my mother slapped me across the face when I began to cry. I watched as the man gave her a bundle of money, but I held in my tears as she drove away in the car. My mother had sold me to this man. I didn’t understand it then because I was only three years old, but I soon learned exactly what my fate would be.”

  Oh my God! I’m dumbfounded, and as I look around at my friends, they all look as shocked as I feel. This is only the beginning of her story, but I already want to go up and hug her.

  “For eight years, I was trained to do many of the things you’ve been learning here. I was just a child, but I was trained like I was a soldier in an army. I wasn’t alone in my training—there were twelve of us to start. When we finished the first part of our training, there were five of us left. A few of the other children couldn’t handle what we were doing, and wouldn’t shoot the animals we had raised as pets when we were ordered to. That was when I was five, and yes, I shot my rabbit. It hurt, but I knew I would die if I didn’t do it. A few other children weren’t good at what we did, so they were sent to the sex trade early. I was the best at what I did, because I wanted to live. Living was the only way to escape one day.

  “When I finished my training at age eleven, I was told I was being rented out as a bodyguard and companion to a wealthy young boy. My new studies were to begin, but I would be with him for most of the time. I was scared, because I didn’t know if he would try and hurt me, but I was also excited to be out of the compound I hadn’t been allowed to leave since I was brought there.”

  I know in my heart who the boy is, before she even says it. I also know he didn’t hurt her.

  “The boy I met that day is the man you know as Kendrick. His name was Kenyi then; he wasn’t mean, and he didn’t want to hurt me. He became my best friend and did everything he could to protect and care for me. He insisted I eat with his family, so I was given quality food. When I went on vacations with them, he made sure I was sitting with him, and not the other servants. I couldn’t go to his school as it was boys only, but he bought me little trinkets and baubles so I’d know he was thinking of me while we were apart, and to cheer me up because I cried every time I came back from my new training.

  “Yes, I was still continuing my initial training while I was with Ken. I shot targets with guns, knives, and arrows daily. I battled my peers, and then my instructors, in hand to hand combat. And I ran at least ten miles per day. Other things were added as well. I was taught five new languages, and I learned how to hack into computers. We were never left alone with the weapons or technology, but I know how to use them. There was also one more type of training I had to endure.

  “This one wasn’t about how to hurt or kill or spy. I was being trained to be a sex slave. I wasn’t touched in a sexual way, because as I was told, I was worth more as a virgin. I was also told, over and over again, that I was allowed to be with Ken because the man who had bought me—Klas—needed something from his parents. If not, I could be sold for millions. At age eleven, I was in high demand.”

  If I hadn’t heard that Klas was already dead, I would find him right now and kill him myself. Of course I know what she’s saying happens. Even if I hadn’t been in the container with the children, I know what the Society’s main missions consist of, and I watch the news. Hearing it about others, and knowing it happened to your friend are two different things.

  “Although I wasn’t touched, I was forced to watch. Thankfully, I never had to watch children and adults, because watching the adults do things to each other, and with each other, was scary enough. I’ve watched more sex acts than the biggest porn addict in the world has. Every type of sex you can imagine, leading up to me seeing submissives be trained before being sold. I was told that would be me when I was eighteen, and I was forced to attend every session so I’d know exactly how to behave when my master purchased me.

  “I had to watch hundreds of submissives be trained over the next several years, and it never got easier for me. I’m sure some people would be able to become immune to the crying and the screams, but I never did. I knew how to kill, but I also knew if I killed anyone in any of those rooms, I would die. I felt selfish for wanting to live, and the guilt still keeps me awake at night sometimes.<
br />
  “When I was sixteen, I finally got up the courage to tell Ken where I was being taken and what my fate was going to be. He was angrier than I’d ever seen him, so he started to plan. To save the money his parents gave him. He stopped dating, refusing to go out with the girls his parents wanted to set him up with. I’m pretty sure they thought he was gay at one point, and I know he was beaten more than once for his disobedience. He endured it all in order to make what he planned to do seem real.

  “On my eighteenth birthday, he insisted on throwing me a big party, with all of the wealthy and powerful people in our city invited. Klas was there to take me. I should’ve been gone when Ken turned eighteen, but he asked to keep me a little longer, and his parents paid some kind of bonus, I think. In the middle of the party, Ken got up on stage in front of everyone and said he was in love with me. He said he wanted to marry me once we both finished school in America. We sold that lie like our lives depended on it, because mine did, and I was afraid for him at that point as well.

  “He had been given a huge sum of money on his eighteenth birthday, money he didn’t want because he knew where it came from. He took that money though, and added what he’d been saving for two years to it, to buy me from Klas. Klas was angry, and didn’t want to sell me to him, but since we’d declared our love in front of so many people, he had to take the deal. He placed a condition on the sale, though—we had to marry, or he could take me back. I also had to remain a virgin until the wedding, because his investment was at stake.

  “We agreed, because what else could we do? We came to America, and went to school. Ken had helped me learn everything he was learning, and I worked hard year round those last few years, and I was able to pass your GED test and get into a small college while he went to Johns Hopkins University. It was in college where he first heard about the Society, and realized if we could find this group, we could hopefully save ourselves.

  “He told me to switch my degree from computer science to physical therapy, because his plan was to get a job in the Society and take me with him. We tried everything we could to find you, but he had no power in this country, and we knew we were being watched. Ken made sure to excel at all his classes, hoping if he graduated at the top of his class, he’d be on some kind of radar. We were getting ready to go off the grid, and run, because time was running out for us, and even though we love each other, we’ve never been in love. He would’ve married me if it came down to that, but neither of us wanted that.