Sarah and Kevin 28

She stood leaning against the door jamb, arms crossed, hair down and looking like she just ran her fingers through it. Peter's eyes widened when he saw her face. Her lips were swollen to double their normal size. Her right eye was black and her right cheek was purple on the cheekbone and on her jaw. There was a bruise on her left cheek as well.

"I'd show you the rest of your handiwork, but you've already seen more of me than I ever wanted." she snarled. :"Anyway, I'm glad you're all here so I won't have to repeat myself.

"I've spent the morning thinking. I figured I only had two choices, evict you all immediately or pretend it didn't happen and hope it never happens again." She went to the freezer and swapped her warm ice pack for a frozen one. "But then I realized that I had a third option. So I made a couple of phone calls and this is what I've decided." She walked over and stood right in front of Peter. Her hands were shaking.

"There's an AA meeting in town every Thursday night. It's at the Presbyterian Church and I'm friends with the guy that runs it." She poked Peter's chest with her index finger. "You will be attending those meetings, Mr. Tansara. I will drive you myself. And don't think you can sneak out the back door, because Jason will tell me if you don't show up. You miss one meeting and everyone gets escorted off the property.

"Have I made myself clear?" She looked up at all of them. They nodded. She looked down at Peter. He wasn't looking at her. She put her face right in front of his.

"Are you with me?" she asked through gritted teeth. He closed his eyes. She did not move. "You've got until suppertime tomorrow to make your decision.

She gently took his chin and turned his bruised cheek toward her. She sighed, stood up and pulled some money from her pocket. She handed it to Kevin.

"When you get a chance, go into town and pick up six of those big cans of pineapple juice, please. Make sure he drinks two of them and give the other four to me." Kevin nodded. "I'm going upstairs. You guys will have to cook for yourselves tonight. I'll get back on schedule tomorrow, OK?" Her voice cracked and a tear rolled down her cheek. She turned and walked quickly to her door, leaving them stunned and silent in the kitchen.

"Did I rape her?" Peter asked without opening his eyes.

"She says no." Kevin answered.

Peter took a deep breath and slumped down in the chair, covering his face with his hand.

"What are you gonna do, Tansara?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know."

"What?" they asked in unison.

"I don't need no 12-step program." Peter said.

"You're kidding right? You saw what you did to her. And you may have raped her, too. We'll never know for sure because you don't remember and she could be lying. How can you say you don't need help?" Kevin was yelling again.

"The survival of the band depends on you going to AA, Peter." Scott said.

"I've got until tomorrow night to decide. Leave me alone." he cried and grabbing a couple more apples, he went back to his room.