A Necessary Struggle: Fall Semester

Part 36

"You have a beautiful home." Harmony said taking in the soft colors running throughout the hilltop house.

"Thank-you," Laurent replied with a nervous smile. "But, I can't take responsibility for anything in here." His eyes fell on the antique stand in the foyer. "This is all Cecilia's doing."

Harmony squeezed the Pyrex container in her hands, "Cecilia?"

"Cecilia. Cece..My wife." Laurent fiddled with his tie. "Do you want me to take that?" He reached for the container.

"Dessert," Harmony told. "I mean if you don't have any." She scratched her eyebrow. "But you probably do...she probably made some.... or you. Men can cook...bake." She released the container over to him. "I should stop talking now." She inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"Please do!" Cairo spoke watching her with an amused gleam on his face then turned to Laurent. "Don't worry. You can try one." He pointed to the pumpkin cheesecake bars in the container. "She didn't make 'em, Lela did."

Harmony took a second to stare at her friend, "Thanks, Cai."

"Aim to please." He beamed a smile.

"So..." Harmony looked back at Laurent. "Where's—"

"Your sister's taking a shower." He informed pointed upstairs.

"Um." The phrase took her back. Sister. She knew Ariel was her sister but hearing Laurent say it, in his home made it so—real.

 "And Hansel and Gretel." She followed Laurent into the living room, which was equally beautiful and seemingly untouched with the bright sun pouring into the wall of windows.

Laurent gestured for them to sit on the white upholstered couch, "They're out back. I didn't know if you like dogs." He waited for them to sit before resting into the chair opposite them. "You've never had one." He posed less like a question.

"My dad doesn't like 'em." Harmony informed. The redhead in the open kitchen behind Laurent caught her eye. There she was, Cece. His wife. The woman that gave Laurent a daughter to replace her, which reminded Harmony why she was at Laurent's home in the first place. "I just want to apologize." She sat up straight uncrossing her legs. "About what I said the last time we..."

"Sperm donor." He spat with pain lacing his words.

"Yeah." She nodded. "That. I want to apologize for that."

"Why?" He glanced out the patio as the dogs ran through the backyard barking at something. "You seemed so adamant about it."

Cairo released the floral couch pillow he was hugging, "She can't go to sleep."

"Why would you tell him that?" Harmony slapped him in the chest.

Cairo hit her on the shoulder with the pillow, "Because it's the truth and you won't stop calling me in the middle of the night and Facebook stalking the man." He pointed his hand at Laurent.

"You Facebook what?" Laurent questioned with fondness gleaming in his eyes.

"She Facebook stalks you." Cairo shifted to the edge of the couch. "Every night. That's how she knows about the dogs." He pointed his thumb toward the backyard.

Laurent clasped his hands together pressing his back firmly on the chair, "Why?"

Harmony shrugged with a twisted mouth, "I don't know you...so I decided to...research you."

"You could've called me instead of Cairo." Laurent looked at the boy that Harmony told him was just a friend. "I would tell you anything. You know that."

"I don't know that! I don't know you!" Harmony's hand flew to her mouth; too much had come out of it. "I'm sorry." Her fiery gaze chilled as it shifted to the glamorous redhead behind Laurent. "This...was a mistake." Her eyes stung with swelling tears. "You have a beautiful home, Mrs. O'Connor. A talented daughter and a dutiful husband." She began to play with her necklace hoping it would stop her hand from shaking. "And I-I don't belong here." She darted for the door not wanting them to see her falling tears.

Cecilia caught Harmony's hand halting her steps, "You aren't going anywhere." The statuesque woman turned Harmony towards her. Cecilia absorbed the girl's reddening face and raining eyes. "You have spent too long away from this family...away from your family." Harmony's eyes fluttered from Cecilia and Laurent, who was standing behind his wife with pain riddled eyes that matched his daughter's.

Cecilia continued, "The only mistake that was made was years ago when he told me about you." She pushed back her tears. "And I went along with it. I was pregnant and I only thought I about my daughter." She clinched Harmony's hands tighter.

"The replacement daughter," Ariel uttered stepping off the last step.

"You are not a replacement," Laurent spoke up facing Ariel. "How many times do I have to tell you that. You are my daughter and I love you."

"What... what about me." Harmony's voice cracked. "What about me!" She released Cecilia's hands. "Ariel O'Connor." She couldn't hold back the tsunami of tears anymore. She let them flood down her face as she bore her eyes on Ariel. "He gave you his name. You live in his house...the house he works hard for. You are the daughter—he loves." Harmony held her face trying to hold herself together.

"You are my daughter." Laurent forged his way to Harmony. "I love you." He reached for her.

"You don't even know me!" Harmony backed up. "Don't touch me." She glared at him like he was a stranger coming to accost her.

Laurent stood there unsure of what to do. He looked back at his wife hoping she could tell him what to say but Cecilia just shook her head wiping her own tears.

"Oh my God." Harmony heaved through the tears. "My dad said the same thing." She cried harder wrapping her arms around her body. "He said Samuel was his. You're his." She said to Ariel, who was holding back her own tears. "When is someone going to tell me that I'm theirs...first. Cai—" and before she could finish his name Cairo had her wrapped in his arms.

"I got you," Cairo's calm voice whispered in her ear. "Always. I got you."

Harmony melted in his unyielding embrace as she broke down piece by piece.