A Million Men [DISCONTINUED]

Liar Liar Pants On Fire

Maggie silently started to cry and ran out of Cookie's place, she made her way to the hallway. She then bumped into someone causing her to fall. Maggie looked up and saw Arturo and two other men, his bodyguards.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?" Arturo picked up Maggie and placed her on his hip. He was able to hear what was going on in his bedroom. He heard yelling.

"Mommy...Aunt Cookie..." she continued to cry. Arturo passed her to one of the bodyguards and made his way to the scene.
He walked in to find Cookie hysterically yelling at Rosalinda. Rosalinda was also doing her fair share of screaming.

"What's going on?!" Arturo walked inside causing both women to stop. They both turned to him and both started to give their explanations.
He only listened to Cookie's.

"You!" Arturo pointed at Rosalinda, "Get out of this room!"
Rosalinda stormed out taking Maggie with her. She ran to the room given to her and she closed the door behind her.

"What am I going to do? What am I going to do?" She repeated pulling her hair. Rosalinda was having a mental breakdown, she had the feeling that she would get kicked out by Arturo and Cookie.

"Maggie, you're going to have to tell them that you...umm...," Rosalinda tried figure out a lie to why Maggie had bruises, "Say that you were at school and you fell off the monkey bars!"

"But...that's lying..." Maggie started to cry once again. She covered her face with her hands but suddenly Rosalinda pulled them down in a harsh way.

"I don't give a fuck! Just go tell them that, right now!" Rosalinda then opened the door for Maggie. Maggie did as she was told. She ran to Cookie's and started to tell her that at school one of her classmates made her fall off the monkey bars.

"Are you telling the truth, hun?" Cookie asked her kneeling beside her. Maggie glanced at Arturo, he was smirking, he obviously knew that it was not true.

"Yes..." Maggie then hugged Cookie.

"Well, let's go to your mommy so I can apologize," she then stood up and grabbed ahold of Maggie and left the
room.

•••

"You should've told me what actually happened!" Cookie sat down next to a 'crying' Rosalinda.

"I did try to tell you but you just wouldn't listen!" She hugged Cookie and mentally congratulating herself on how the lie did, in fact, work.
"Of course. I'm terribly sorry," she rubbed her back in circles,"Especially since I caused even more drama after what happened at the diner."

"It's okay. I just hope I still get to stay," Rosalinda separated from the hug and Cookie gave her an assuring smile, "Of course!"

"So, Arturo told me you'll be working as a..." Cookie continued, "...you know..." She tried not to be so straightforward.
"Well, I was thinking of starting as a waitress first."
Rosalinda gave her a small smile.
"I agree! I'll talk to Arturo about it, he'll obviously let you," Cookie got up and walked to Maggie.

"You and me will be staying at my room! What movies do you want to watch?" Cookie said trying to bring joy into the room. Maggie started to think of a movie.
"I don't know," she played with her hair.
"I just bought 'Finding Nemo,' we could possibly watch that one if you want!" It was obvious that Maggie got more joyful.

"Yes!" Maggie hugged Cookie and started jumping up and down.
"Mommy, did you hear?" Rosalinda just gave her a smile but it was evident that she also gave her an eye roll.
Maggie still saw the world in a positive way but, why does Rosalinda hate it so much?

•••

Rosalinda was finally going to work that night as a waitress. She had to wear a really short skirt and a white button up shirt. Basically a school girl uniform. She did, in fact, get a lot of great tips and she even got the phone number of one of the customers there. They both planned on meeting up soon.
Maybe Cookie was right, I should look for someone I can have great fun with.
She thought as she smiled at the built man in front of her.

While Rosalinda was having a great time at her job, Maggie and Cookie were both watching a movie in her room. Cookie ordered food for both of them and Maggie was having a blast! Which was something that rarely happened.

Even though Cookie's job can cause people to lose some respect for her, she was definitely great with kids. Cookie does have a son, he's about Rosalinda's age but he left for university. He decided to go out of state since he did not want to be near his stepfather, Arturo. The name of Cookie's son is Daniel. He is currently getting his bachelors degree in forensic science, and his mother could not be any prouder of him.
Of course, he's from a previous relationship she had, and Daniel's father was murdered before he was even born. He was murdered by a drug cartel he did not have a good relationship with. Funny thing is, the cartel that murdered him is the same one Arturo is in-charge of.
Go figure!

"Do you want to go to sleep?" Cookie asked Maggie. Maggie yawned and nodded cuddling next to Cookie on the bed.
"Go to sleep, baby," she kissed her forehead and pulled the blanket on her.

After twenty minutes, Arturo came into their room with a gun in hand. Cookie was still awake and she glared at him practically telling him to put it away. He tucked it into his pants.

"What's going on?" She got off the bed slowly trying not to wake Maggie up.
"One of my men told me that the asshole of Johnny is coming back to get the shit we took from him!" He yelled through the room and Cookie tried making him lower his volume.

"Come, let's go outside," they walked out to the hallway and their conversation continued.
It turns out that their rival cartel found out Arturo stole packs of cocaine from them when they were bringing them from Colombia. 'Johnny' is the leader of that cartel, his history with Arturo is not the best.

"His men are really armed," Arturo wiped his face with his hand, clearly he's worried.
"Fuck," he mumbled then punching the wall.

"Calm down, it's going to be okay," Cookie tried to sooth him but by the tone in her voice, she was scared.
She has become really close to some of the women and men that worked for Arturo. Many of them even see her as a mother.

"We can't just wait for them to come!" Cookie said as she said crossing her arms.

"No, I'll wait for them," Arturo clenched his hand into a first and walked away from Cookie.
He's going to fight back, no matter how bloody it can get.

Welcome to the drug war.