Their Tale

Suitcase

The strain and movement of my body followed the chaos of the music that I had playing in my studio. Each pose, movement, drop and glide bringing this calm in the middle of a stormy ocean. My thoughts felt like they could be heard when I was dancing and with all that thoughts that were raking through my mind because of yesterday's discovery.

The idea that we were being faced with the problem that gave Angel so much fear to what our relationship was brought pain to my heart. Having to let him understand that he was not abusing us was painful but I knew it gave him the ability to let the unnecessary guilt go.

When the efforts of my body and my mind bring me to heavy breaths, I end my routine and stop my music. Running the towel over my body I leave the studio and head to the kitchen, my bare feet catching the cold of the tiled floors. With a glass of water in my hand I begin to sip when I trail into the living room where the dreaded file laid. Taking it in hand I put my cup down and sit on the couch before opening it.

The things that were in this article where specific, more than anything they were precise. Like they came from someone who was in our relationship. Angel and Celeste would never tell anyone about the nature of our relationship, the only person outside of us who knew was Andrew and this was due to his relationship with Angel and the lifestyle itself.

Celeste spoke to no one about our relationship out of genuine privacy for her name and her art and I didn't speak to anyone about it. Taking in the words I begin to run through who would know so many intimate details into our relationship when my realization takes the air straight out of my lungs "Evita?" My name being called from beside me making me stand in a rush of shock when I see Angel standing confused "Pierce, Meadows is married to my therapist. He got all this from my file."

My words stun him making him take a sudden step back when he takes in the revelation. A second later he comes back to and walks closer to me "How much does she know?" He asks me in a worried tone. The file tight in my hand I race through what she knows which is a long list "Everything, Angel she is my therapist. I didn't go into detail about Samir and Marisol's influence after the shootings, she doesn't know I know her husband because he was not an important factor, not until now."

My fingers lock into my hair, the struggle to breath coming over me at the realization that I am the person that gave away all of this. I told someone the truth about Angel and Celeste and now it could ruin us all. The grip of two strong arms keep me still when Angel pulls me to face him, a calm expression given making me confused as to way he was so calm "It's okay, you couldn't have known. None of us could have."

He knew I was blaming myself, even without me saying anything and yet here he was making sure I was breathing and calm. Making sure I was not whirling into my dark place "Breath for me, its okay. This can help us but I need you to remember that this is no one's fault, especially you." Nodding I fall into his bare arms in need for comfort. The sound of his heartbeat from his bare chest calming me as he brushes my air in a calming notion "You are going to need to continue seeing her for the time being Evita."

Pulling back from him I raise my eyebrow in confusion of what he was saying "I need Meadows to think I never told you both. You not seeing Dr Meadows, if he is watching or listening over will make him jumpy with the article." Angel was right. For the time being we needed him to think Angel was trying to fight this or at least hiding this from us so that he could take the proposal "Okay." I whisper before going back into his arms.

Movement behind him makes me move when I see Celeste wrapped in a large blanket as she looks at us both. Feet peaking out of the bottom with her obvious destress on her face when she whispers "I also like hugs." Angels chest vibrates with a chuckle as he lets me go opening his arms welcoming her. Needing no other invitation, she rushes in and holds us both in the blanket and our arms "Evita, I love you but you smell."

With a smile I bring myself to kiss her forehead, her ability to be this peaceful entity in the most heart-breaking and unstable moments still being one of my favourite reasons among others to love her "I love you too." Letting us go she looks at Angel in an effort to remember something when a few seconds later she smiles in memory "Angel do you know where my purple suitcase is, the one I moved in with?"

"Yes, I will get it for you." Going on her toes she gives him a kiss "Thank you, for everything you do. I mean it." Her words clearly a reminder to last night's conversation. Pulling her in by her waist he brings her in with a finger under her chin before kissing her. A moment of bliss in their connection, her moan at the kiss, his tongue and the way he pulls her bottom lip as he lets go. Missing no chance, he brings me closer and takes me into a kiss just as passionate, all that I could need from his lips until he lets go, the only fault of the kiss "Come on, we all have a long day waiting for us."

The front door closes with Evita leaving for her day leaving me with the last of the preparations that where needed for my show in a few days. With all the drama of Meadow and his hold of our relationship and lives over our heads the thought of what was suppose to be the greatest moment of my artistic life was becoming scarier than ever.

We all knew what would happen if that article came out, and the detrimental status it would have on us. For the first time we were facing something that could tear us apart, for good.

Shaking the horrid thoughts away I walk into the room when I smile at the purple suitcase that sat at the end of the bed. It is the only thing I had growing up that was given to me by my birth mother. With the little that I know about her I kept it closer to me. I remember keeping that suitcase under my bed, any bed that was mine for the night in hopes that the next morning my mother or father would be there to tell me they want me back.

Obviously, that didn't happen.

Naturally I didn't know much about them. All I knew was where I was dropped of which was Saint Mary's church, and that the girl who dropped me of was no more than sixteen years old. With nothing but a birth certificate with my name, date of birth and my mother's name which was Aretha Clark, I quickly came to the understanding that no one was coming for me, that no one wanted me.

With a soft lift I place the bag on the bed and slowly unzip what I had not opened in years. More specifically in almost fifteen years. The moment it opens painful memories of not knowing myself and where I would end up looked back at me in the form of old clothes, a stuffed teddy bear and other small things. Pulling them out I begin to look for my old papers and drawings I had begun with when I lift a thick blanket I had been wrapped in when I was given away. Out slips a paper, photograph sized from it fluttering to the ground.

I didn't have any pictures. Not any that I remember though. Placing the blanket back into the case I bend down to pick the photo up and the moment I turn is shock drops me to the floor.

My hands wouldn't stop shaking as I took in the image, two people stood in the old, grainy image but still they were clear as day. A young girl, light melanin skin, with long kinky hair stood smiling enchanting her already beautiful features. What caught me more was that, I looked just like her when I was around that age, maybe fifteen or sixteen years old.

But it wasn't her that caught me off guard, shaking and dazed. It wasn't the young girl who's smile radiated through the photo. It was the man who stood beside her, arms wrapped around her waist like a constrictor but she found herself gazing at him with loving eyes. It couldn't be.

Rushing to my closet I grab a coat, boots and a scarf before rushing downstairs, photo and phone in hand I run to my car, because this. None of what I just saw made sense and I was determined to find what it all meant.

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With heavy steps I walk through the door and head into the dining room when I see Evita and Angel turn to me in wait of answers as to why I have been gone for the last fifteen hours. With all that I learnt today I knew that my life had changed for the worst because I was now sure of who I was. I knew where I came from and never in my life did, I think I would wish to be in the dark again.

Looking at them with the single picture in hand I give a single sentence that changed everything "Angel, send Meadows an invite to my art show. We can take him down."