Their Tale

Aretha

Wiping a single tear from her cheek Celeste looks at the man who stood next to her with pain and regret, but more than anything disgust "Aretha was seeing the man in that picture. She was seeing you, and days after Aretha's friend took that picture that she told her closest friend that she was pregnant with your baby. You're my father." I could hear the sorrow and pain the tore through Celeste at the announcement that the family she never knew was more than she had ever bargained for. More so that Meadows, was her biological father.

"You slept with a fifteen-year-old girl when you were thirty years old, and moths later I was born. Still she was sixteen, abandoned by her family and you left after finding out about the pregnancy, so she done the only thing she could and gave me up."

Taking his eyes of the picture he looks at Celeste and all the moments he had looked at her with this shattering pain "You can't prove this." Stepping beside her Angel chimes in seeing that Celeste was feeling over whelmed by what was being brought to light "DNA tests can be done but we all know that would be useless, because we all know the truth. According to Pennsylvania laws statutory rape of a fifteen-year-old girl is means to the death penalty. Your drugs mean nothing if you are found for rape."

Shoving the picture back at Celeste he straightens his jacket trying to find his way in this "No one would believe this. It would be the rambling of some artist needing publicity. " A futile attempt at trying to make us believe that he was not guilty of this and we knew Celeste would make sure he knew how serious we were about this "They will because I have something you don't. DNA. Your blood is running through my vains, to the world your story is gossip, mine is a case. One I will file the moment you come for us again."

He is strung silent. Like I said, if we were right then this was not much of a victory and we were right. Still, this was the only way to protect us and with one last nail in his coffin I knew this would end "Don't even think of working around this other wise the fact that your wife and I's session notes being the grounds for the blackmail join the case. A lost medical licence and jail time for something she probably has no idea about."

Stepping closer to us with his face bring red in fury he growls "She had nothing to do with this, she doesn't even know about me being Pierce." With us united we look at him knowing that we had him hooked and loving his wife, needing to protect her would only be heavier leverage.

Angel steps to Meadows who has now fallen silent, knowing that he had something, but we had everything "A meeting with Samir and Marisol will be scheduled. An agreement on the information we both have will be settled and after that we will cease doing business with each other. We all go our separate ways and never speak of this again, no blackmail, no leverage."

Stepping back Angel brings Celeste and I closer to him by the waist, Meadows standing in place with defeat pouring out of him like a river of shame and guilt. Slowly he looks us over, starting at me, going to Angel then stopping at Celeste. Heartbreak written all over him when he catches the portred of Aretha next to her "You are so much like her, protecting the ones you love." He whispers to Celeste making her turn to the moving portrait of her mother before tuning to Meadows "At any cost, don't ever come for my family again Meadows."

Nodding he takes her in one last time and for second, I recognize the look he gives her. My papa gave me the same look when he was dying, wishing for more time. He looked at her like a father. He looked like for the first time regret was all he felt, not for the blackmail, but because this was his daughter. Nothing left to say he gives a respectful nod and walks out of the gallery head slumped down in defeat.

The moment he is not in view anymore there is a heavy silence in our space. We did it. Bringing us into his arms Angel takes heavy breaths of disbelief "I love you both so much." Only able to whisper it back Celeste and I do so take in the adrenaline of victory when he lets us go "Now we focus on the real reason for this." Taking her hand in his and guiding her in the centre of the us "You're work."

Taking in the room around her, Celeste comes back to the realization that this was what it was. Giving the ported behind us one last look she smiles "I hope I made her proud."

Looking back, I smile because I know the answer to that. She is prouder than anyone in this room. She is her mother.

With that we continue the night, with more truth that we ever started with, but more than that with the strength to know that Angel, Celeste and I could face anything. As long as we stood together.