Monster

He hated suits and ties. He honestly hated them. Iker Casillas only feels comfortable in set of clothing, and that was his field uniform. But today, was no day for games, nor sport, or any fun really. He fixed the collar of his white dress shirt as Sara strapped on her black heels. Both parts of the couple finished getting ready and stood side by side in front of their full length mirror. White and black seemed to be the trend for this occasion.

“¿Se prepara?” Iker looked at Sara in the mirror.

He watched the weary expression on her face turn grave. But she nodded anyway. He felt her fingers lace right through his. Sara nodded. “Vayamos consiga nuestras chicas.” (“Let’s go get our girls.”)

It’s been a week since Catalina and Amelia were forced back under the care of Cata’s parents. Every day since then, Sara and Iker have been fighting for a lawsuit against the parents. They hired some lawyers that truly believed in the case, and in them.

-X-

“Yo no puedo creer que haya sido arrastrado en esto,” (“I can’t believe I’ve been dragged into this,”) Marius grumbled under his breath as he fixed the collar of his black button up. He stood in the middle of the living room, looking at himself in the mirror above the mantle.

“Sr. Santucci, yo puedo asegurarme de que usted que este caso pasará pronto. Ganaremos. Su hija y la nieta se quedarán en su custodia. Usted y yo ambos recibirán nuestro corte del dinero para ganar el caso. Y las cargas que usted apretó contra Iker Casillas serán tenidas justificó. Todo será bien pronto suficiente,” (“Mr. Santucci, I can assure you that this case will blow over soon. We will win. Your daughter and granddaughter will remain in your custody. You and I both will receive our cut of the money for winning the case. And the charges you pressed against Iker Casillas will be held accounted for. All will be well soon enough,”) a man, also dressed in a suit responded to Marius.

Finalizing the last minute touches to his look, Marius turned around to face the man, “Las cosas suceden mejor esa manera Jorge, o yo tendré la cabeza.” (“Things better happen that way Jorge, or I will have your head.”) Jorge nodded. Even though he was working as Marius’s defense attorney, he was all too scared of this case, and Marius.

Jorge was a decent man, who made a decent living as a call-on lawyer who worked on whatever cases he could get his hands on. Typically, the people he worked with were those that committed petty crimes; people with parking tickets, people that stole from mini-marts - but never cases as big as Marius’s.

Jorge swallowed the forming lump in his throat and wiped the sweat from his brow, “Siempre que todos recuerden sus coartadas.” (“As long as everyone remembers their alibis.”) At the same time, both men turned their direction to the kitchen counter. Amelia lay asleep in a baby-seat, while Catalina sat up beside her on the countertop. Nina, stood in front of the young girl, applying the second layer of foundation to her daughters face.

Catalina locked eyes with her father as he narrowed his vision at her. The look itself was enough to warn her. She whispered lowly, “Sé lo que tengo que decir.” (“I know what I have to say.”) Just a week in this hellhole and Catalina felt like dying. The saying, “things get better” did not apply to her. She has received a beating a day since she arrived home; sometimes two. Last night, because her father didn’t want her limping around the courtroom, went easy on her and only slapped her across the face - the irony.

“¡Maldita sea Nina!” Marius boomed, “Son casi hecho con esa mierda. Debemos ir.” (“Are you almost done with that shit. We need to go.”)

As soon as he finished, Nina snapped her makeup cases shut. “All finished.” Catalina’s face felt heavy. It was like she was literally wearing a bucket of makeup on her face. But she did not dare to protest. She slowly got down from the countertop and fixed her dress. She then reached up to grab the handles of Amelia’s baby-seat.

The only thing keeping the fourteen year old sane, was the angel in front of her. For Amelia’s sake, Catalina kept calm. She tried to keep the atmosphere as relaxed as possible. The last thing the mother wanted was for her child to grow up with memories of tension and abuse. Catalina, suddenly, jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head, only slightly, to catch a glimpse of her mother looking, almost nostalgically, at her granddaughter. Cata couldn’t help but see the split-second flash of happiness in Nina’s eyes when Amelia babbled in her sleep.

All too soon though, it was wiped away when a loud knocking came to the door. “Charles está aquí.” Nina said aloud, to no one in particular. She let go of Cata’s shoulder and walked to get her purse and open the door. She greeted Charles with a smile and let the man in. Catalina visibly flinched with every step he made.

“¿Vamos?” he asked.

Nosotros?

Marius noticed the unpleasant look that dawned on his daughter. “Cabalgará con Charles al palacio de justicia.” (“You will be riding with Charles to the courthouse.”)

“Pero-!”

Smack.

The blow to her cheek was not enough to smear any of her makeup, but it was enough to send a searing pain through the young girl’s cheek. Her lip began to quiver. She wanted to cry, she in fact, needed to. But she couldn’t. Catalina could only keep her mouth shut, and let Charlie put his hands on her. He took a tight hold on her arm and dragged her out the front door. She picked up her tiny body and threw her in the front seat. He slammed the door as she looked out the window and back to the house. She saw her father get into the driver’s side of the white pick-up. Jorge got into the passenger’s seat. And Nina sat in the back, next to the buckled in baby-seat occupied by Amelia. Charlie’s door opened and closed, but Cata paid no attention.

That is, until Charles took it upon himself to grab her attention. She felt a yank on her hair. Cata adverted her eyes from the truck backing out of the dirt driveway and over to the man behind the wheel. With one grip in her hair, she glanced down to find his other hand unzipping his pants. He yanked her face closer to his and pressed a hard, disgusting kiss to her lips; pulling their faces away he smiled, “Hemos conseguido algún tiempo. Y usted sabe qué hacer.” (“we’ve got some time. And you know what to do.”) He let go of her hair and she grimaced.

Her eyes darted to the “unlock” button. Charles laughed. “Siga. Haga su movimiento. Pero me aseguraré de usted, que si usted lo maneja fuera de este coche, será pone boca para abajo en la tierra. Entonces le arrastraré atrás a este camión, y tendré mi manera con usted. Y se fía de mí, si eso sucede, mi manera, será diez veces peor entonces haciendo sólo lo que usted es dicho.” (“Go ahead. Make your move. But I will assure you, that if you manage yourself out of this car, you will be face down in the dirt. Then I will drag you back to this truck, and have my way with you. And trust me, if that happens, my way, will be ten times worse then just doing what you are told.”)

Catalina’s eyes filled with tears.

“No hay Catalina más corriente.” (“There is no more running Catalina.”)

-X-

Arriving half an hour later, and half an hour before their court trial was to adhere, Catalina jumped out of the van and ran towards the building. She saw Marius, Jorge, Nina and Amelia occupying a bench. Cata wasn’t necessarily trying to get to them, but to her daughter. But as she was running, a voice called out to her from the far right side of the parking lot. Her feet stopped and her head turned. It was Iker.

She could have fell to her knees. Just the sight of him and Sara made her heart skip a beat. The couple picked up their pace to get to the child faster. Catalina stepped once, and went to step twice, but her foot never hit the ground. She was swooped over a shoulder and that’s when she saw Iker run.

“¡Permanece el infierno lejos de nosotros!” (“You stay the hell away from us!”) Charles shouted.

“¡Déjela!” (“Put her down!”) Iker demanded. Catalina was placed on her feet, just in time to see Sara catch up to Iker; who was now chest to chest, in your face, ready to fight.

“Iker, Iker, por favor,” Sara slipped an arm around his waist, “No ahora.”

Cata heard footsteps from behind her, but figured it could only be her father and his lawyer.

“Sí, Iker. Escuche su perra.” (“Yes, Iker. Listen to your bitch.”)

Iker’s body jolted forward and he raised his fist, but Marius quickly pushed him back before he could lay a hand on his friend’s head. “Ahora, ahora. ¿Es esto cualquier manera de asentarse un discusión? Hay un derecho de sala allí. Esto será hecho todo pronto suficiente y si los resultados de ello no se imaginan usted demasiado, usted y Charles aquí puede continuar aquí mismo.” (“Now, now. Is this any way to settle an argument? There’s a courtroom right over there. This will all be done soon enough and if the results of it don’t fancy you too much, you and Charles here can continue right here.”)

Both hot headed men backed away. Iker looked at Catalina, who looked down at her feet. Biting his lip, he shook his head and stepped away from Charles. “Esto no es sobre,” (“This isn’t over,”) he pointed a finger. He then turned on his heel to walk away to the courthouse, where his lawyers awaited, but not before Marius had the chance to stop him.

With a hand on his shoulder Marius told Iker in a low tone, “Perderá esto. Pertenece a mí.” (“you will lose this. She belongs to me.”)

Iker once again looked at Cata. This time however, their gazes held. Unlike the first time he met Cata, he didn’t need to search her thoughts. This time, he knew exactly what was going through her mind. She was scared. She was hurt. She was dead. Iker shook his head and looked back to Marius. “¿Le hace se siente más similar un hombre cuándo usted la intimida? Haga caso de mi advertencia, usted hijo de una perra. Un día que este mundo terminará, y ella, sonreirá hacia abajo en usted de los cielos mientras usted se pudre en el infierno.” (“Does it make you feel more like a man when you push her around? Heed my warning, you son of a bitch. One day this world is going to end, and she, will be smiling down at you from heaven while you rot in hell.”)

Iker could read Catalina like a book. She’s had enough.