‘You okay, Brianne?’
‘What? Oh, yeah.’
‘You look deep in thought. Is this because of Tate and those men?’
‘Oh no, it’s not that… I’m used to Tate being shady at this point. There’s just a lot on my mind.’
‘Wanna talk about it?’
‘Listening to me isn’t in your job description. Besides,
it’s all self-inflicted. I’m not looking for any sympathy, because it’s all my
own fault.’
‘Oh, I’ve had that line of thought too. That I didn’t
deserve any kindness because I chose to do some shitty things. But it doesn’t
stop people from offering it anyway.’
‘I don’t think you’ve ever messed up this bad.’
‘I think I have, but I don’t feel like going into it.
That won’t make you feel any better.’
‘Have you ever been pregnant with three different dads as
the potential fathers? Two of them being complete bastards?’
‘Oh. Well, no, I haven’t… How long have you known
about that? Who else does?’
‘A few weeks, and Tate, Abraxas, Nalini, Indigo and Annalise. I
guess the fact that you didn’t know proves that none of them have gone
gossiping about it to the others yet.’
‘No, nobody’s said. I definitely would’ve heard about it
from Aria if she knew.’
‘God, I don’t want her to find out… Roxxi always said
she’s scary when she’s mad, and she’d be furious over this…’
‘I can’t deny that… Who’s the other potential dad?’
‘Cecil, but I don’t think it’s him. He was too soon for
it to be him. I wish it was, not that I want to ruin his life but for
fuck’s sake, I don’t need another child of Tate’s. And I especially don’t
need a child of Abraxas’. I’m just too cowardly to get rid of it. Mum and Dad
always put the fear of God in me about abortion. Besides, I already feel
attached to it…’
‘You raised the twins without Tate before you came here
though, right?’
‘He gave us money. It’s okay, I already decided I’m
leaving him. You don’t need to convince me again.’
‘You did? Brie, that’s amazing! Really, I’m glad to hear
it! I was gonna assure you that you could do it on your own.’
‘I still don’t know if I can… But I won’t need to. Me and
Annalise, we’re doing it together.’
‘Oh, wow. Do you mind if I tell the others about it? Aria
would be a lot more accepting if she knew your intentions. As it stands, she
just thinks of you as someone who has no regrets. Or would it be too risky?’
‘I’m not sure, yet. Don’t go saying anything at the
moment. If Tate finds out… that’s something I can’t risk at all, knowing how he
handled it with Roxxi…’
‘It’s okay. No need to rush things until you have more of
a plan.’
‘…Why are you being so nice to me? Didn’t you hate me for
what I did to Roxxi?’
‘I’m not going to pile more on you in your lowest moment.
And I know you a bit better since then. After the way you spoke to Roxxi, I
didn’t form a very good opinion of you. But now I’ve seen that you’re a good
mum who cares about her kids. And I don’t want you to become yet another victim
of Tate’s. At least, not one of the worst off ones.’
‘Thanks, Topaz… You’re a nice person.’
‘That’s kind of you to say.’
‘Anyway… I was thinking of going to see Tristan. He’s the
only one accessible to me here in Sunset Valley, and I want to try to do
something before I end up leaving. I know he probably won’t accept an apology,
but I should at least try. It’s the right thing to do. That’s what Saraya was
thinking when she spoke to me, right? And she didn’t get the response she
wanted, but that doesn’t change that it was needed. The right thing isn’t
always the easiest thing…’
‘I can’t say he won’t be angry, because he will. But
you’ll be going there with better intentions than Tate did.’
‘Oh boy. I’ve been psyching myself up for it. I’ll try to
get something set up, if he even agrees to it.’
‘Good luck, Brie.’
‘Thanks.’
The next day…
‘Thanks for agreeing to see me…’
‘I was on the fence about it. I don’t think I would’ve
agreed if Topaz didn’t think it was a good idea. So you have her to thank for
this.’
‘She’s been nice. Far better than I deserve.’
‘I’m not disagreeing with you. So, why have you come
here?’
‘I wanted to apologise. I needed to apologise.
What I’ve done to you and our family was horrible… I’m so sorry, Tristan.’
‘You’re sorry? Why now? What’s changed? Is Father not
what you expected?’
‘No… Living with him wasn’t like I expected,
you’re right. I can’t do this any more. I really regret doing what I did.
The-the only part I don’t regret is Marigold and Peach… I know I’m a lot
of things, but I love my girls. They’re the most precious thing to me.’
‘Really? So precious to you that you moved them in with a
man who hit his son across the face? Don’t tell me you didn’t know. You did.
And you accepted it.’
‘He told me he was sorry and it was a one-off, and I fell
for it.’
‘He was fucking lying to you.’
‘I know! He’s deceived me about everything! But I
accept responsibility for my part in it… I was stupid enough to believe him and
ignore the huge red flags. At your expense. At Roxxi’s expense… I really fucked
up.’
‘Yeah. You did, Brie. But I don’t get it. What’s
made you crawl back here to me? What did you expect me to say? You want me to
forgive you?’
‘No! Well, I mean, of course I want you to forgive
me, but I don’t expect you to! I knew you’d be angry and I accepted that
as part of coming. I came here because facing you is the only option. It’s the
right thing to do. I want you to know I’m sorry… and that I’m leaving Tate. But
it’s okay if you don’t forgive me.’
‘You’re really leaving him?’
‘Yep. And I know I’ll struggle without his money, and
your abuelos, well, they’re gonna be pissed. But you know, it’s a
price I’m willing to pay. For the girls. I want them to be safe. I want to
finally do the right thing by them. Even if they do have a poor excuse for a
mother…’
‘Well, halle-fucking-lujah. God, it shouldn’t have come
to this. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pleased, just… This shouldn’t even be a
conversation. You’re my aunt, and you’re telling me you’re leaving my father
because my sister-cousins are in danger. Sister-cousins. Because that’s
not totally fucked up.’
‘I know.’
‘What gets me is how calculated this all is. The
twins are four. You’ve been doing this for five years, probably longer. You
were screwing Father behind Mum’s back for all that time, and you never said a
word right up until the moment she needed you the most. When she left him for
hitting Zeus, selling off Carmella and threatening to kill her. What did you
do, Brie? You dug the knife in.’
‘And it’s tearing me apart inside. I feel so, so guilty
now, and I know it’s deserved.’
‘I get being deceived by him. I once fell for his
bullshit too. And I did some shit things because of it. But I’d like to think
I’d never hurt my siblings in the way you hurt Mum. What the hell did
she ever do to you?’
‘Nothing… I admit it, I was jealous.’
‘You were jealous? Of her fucking abusive
marriage? Wow, yeah, that’s something to be so envious of!’
‘I didn’t believe her! I should have believed her,
but I always thought she was exaggerating! I thought she was being like me,
that she was being a gold-digger and a trophy wife of her own volition and she
just needed to accept what she was. I didn’t understand the reality of what
living with Tate is like full-time. When I moved in, he changed,
Tristan.’
‘He didn’t change. He just showed you who he really was.
He showed you the side of him that only the people closest to him got to see.’
‘He’s started snapping at me… He could be grumpy before,
but I thought I could just easily placate him. But now he gets so cold…
Sometimes he apologises and… and starts acting sweet, but now it comes across
so false. It feels slimy. I’m frightened. And I realise this is how Roxxi
must’ve felt…’
‘…Is anyone helping you?’
‘Yeah. Don’t worry, I won’t get myself killed. Well,
unless that’s what you want, then you’ll be disappointed.’
‘Jeez, I don’t want you dead. I want you to be okay.
Marigold and Peach still love you, and it’d do nobody any good for them to lose
their mum.’
‘Unless they’d be better off without me.’
‘You can start pitying yourself once you’re all safe. You
need to fight for them, and you can’t do that if you’re too busy being down
on yourself. No offence, but you really need to start acting instead of
talking.’
‘Nalini is gonna help me escape.’
‘Good. She helped us escape, so… you can trust
her.’
‘I’m really sorry, Tristan… to all of you.’
‘You need to say that to Mum.’
‘I want to. You’re just the easiest to reach here. I
don’t know where you all went and I don’t expect you to tell me either, but
it’s gonna make talking to Roxxi hard. And this isn’t a conversation we should
have over the phone.’
‘When you’re actually free, then we can see about
that, if Mum agrees to it.’
‘Will you tell her I’m sorry when you get home?’
‘Yeah, I’ll tell her.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Look, I’ll be clear. I’m not forgiving you. Not
yet. But I do accept your apology. You didn’t waste your time coming here. It’s
nice to finally get some actual self-awareness from you.’
‘Had to happen at some point, right?’
‘Yeah, better late then never.’
‘And… keep up the good work. I bet Roxxi’s really proud
of you, for all this. I would be.’
‘Oh, I didn’t earn it. I’ve only got this because of
Father.’
‘Yet here you still are, without him. You’re good without
the bastard, Tristan. Don’t let him claim an inch of the credit.’
‘Well thanks, I guess.’
