A/N: Many thanks to VanityMayhem and bsbfan558 for their awesome reviews!

DISCLAIMER: I own no one from the WWE. I only own my characters.

CHAPTER 21: LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY…

PARADISE'S POV

I barely made to the bathroom to puke.

10 minutes later, I was pretty sure I had no food or organs left in my body but I felt better.

I held onto the sink until the nausea subsided.

"Don't tell me you puked again. It's what, the eighth time this week?"

"I think so"

"Melissa, do you think anything is…going on?"

"It's just a stomach bug"

"'Lissa, you've been throwing up every day for the past two weeks and you've barely been eating."

"It's kinda hard to eat when you throw it up 2 seconds later."

"Melissa…when was your last period?"

"Last month, why?"

"You don't think you might be…pregnant?"

"Pregnant? No way. I've been on the pill for years."

"Well, I mean it's not full proof."

"Believe me, I'm not pregnant."

"Maybe you should take a pregnancy test."

"I'm not pregnant."

"Just to be sure. I'll even pay for it."

"Ok. Fine. I'll take the stupid pregnancy test just to prove to you that I'm not pregnant."

Tina grabbed her purse and left the hotel room leaving me alone.

There was no way in hell I was pregnant.

SHAWN'S POV

"It was the first weekend in December and Jonathan and had dragged me out of the house to see the lights. I just had my second child and was feeling depressed. Jonathan was worried so he told my husband to watch the kids and he took me out. Anyway, Jonathan and I were strolling through the park when he saw her. It was love at first sight for Jonathan. One way or another, he was able to get her phone number. He was giddy when we left for the night."

Henri cleared our table and took our dessert order.

"The next few weeks, Jonathan and Brooklyn were inseparable. They spent every waking moment together. Jonathan even bragged to my husband at Christmas dinner how fantastic the sex was."

"Now, what you must understand is that my parents come from money. My mother was raised in Mandeville and my father was raised Uptown. According to my mother, there was no associating with anyone below our class. So you can imagine my parents' reaction when Jonathan brought Brooklyn to their annual New Year's Eve party."

"Brooklyn didn't come from money?"

"From my understanding, no. Brooklyn never shared anything from her life but it was clear that she was not upper class. Jonathan was dead handsome in his tux while Brooklyn was wearing a black mini skirt with a stretchy white tank top and pasties on her nipples."

"I bet your mother loved that."

"Oh, believe me, if looks could kill, Jonathan would have dropped dead at the door. Anyway, Jonathan and Brooklyn danced all night long. When midnight came she nearly sucked his lips off."

"After the party, Jonathan introduced her to the entire family. My mother refused to shake her hand and Jonathan got upset. He and our parents engaged in a screaming match that the neighbors still talk about."

Henri brought our desserts and filled our coffee cups.

"I cannot remember exactly what was said by both sides but I do remember Jonathan storming out of the house. The next day, Brooklyn moved into his apartment on St. Charles Avenue. My parents didn't speak to Jonathan nor did the rest of the family for several months. I was the only one that would speak to Jonathan."

"Did you get to know Brooklyn during this time?"

"Yes. I would often invite them over for dinner during the week. Brooklyn loved to play with my children and she was very good with them. She told me during dinner one night that she wanted to be a wife and mother some day. She hoped Jonathan would make that dream come true."

"That January, Brooklyn conceived a baby. She and Jonathan were overjoyed and Jonathan proposed to her and of course, Brooklyn accepted. But the happiness was short lived. Two weeks later, Brooklyn suffered a miscarriage."

"That's horrible."

"I know. It devastated her and she couldn't bring herself to tell Jonathan. You see, Jonathan, was out of town on business when she miscarried. Jonathan and our parents were talking and Brooklyn thought the pregnancy was the reason they were talking again."

"What did she do?"

"Brooklyn was able to get pregnant right away. She was determined to make it work with Jonathan and his family. Except there was one problem: my parents did not know about the first pregnancy and that Brooklyn and Jonathan was living together."

"Did your parents find out?"

"My mother did. She threatened never to speak Jonathan again but Jonathan would not listen to her. So she did the only thing she could think of: she went to her in-laws."

"What did her in laws have to do with it?"
"My grandfather was retiring soon and was the head of a prestigious law firm. My father was going to take his position, therefore leaving his position open. Jonathan coveted that position. He was certain it was going to be his."

"But it wasn't"

"No. My mother informed my grandparents of the situation and my grandfather had lunch with Jonathan one day. He said if Brooklyn stayed then the job would go. Jonathan was beside himself but in the end, he chose the job. So Brooklyn had to go."

Henri cleared our dessert plates and refilled our cups.

"Except Brooklyn didn't go. Jonathan procrastinated and before he knew it, it was November. Brooklyn was a week late when she finally went into labor. On November 7th, 1986 at 4:02a.m. Melissa Catherine Aubin entered this world."

Annette seemed to get a little misty eyed.

"I was there when she was born. Jonathan came out of the delivery room holding her and placed her in my arms. She was a bundle of energy and was absolutely beautiful. It was there he asked me to be her godmother."

"Seven days later, we baptized Melissa and then had a quiet reception at my house. Unfortunately my parents showed up…and discovered they were grandparents, yet again."

I let out a low whistle.

"To put it nicely, my mother went crazy. She started screaming at Jonathan and asked him why this whore and her bastard child was living in his home. My mother was adamant that Melissa was not her grandchild. Brooklyn freaked out, grabbed Melissa and ran away. Basically, the cat was out of the bag."

Henri brought us the bill.

"No one saw or heard from Brooklyn for six months until Brooklyn showed up on Jonathan's doorstep one Sunday morning. She was dressed in rags, smelled, and had vomit and feces embedded in her hair. Jonathan begged her to let him see Melissa. Brooklyn said the only way he would see Melissa was if Melissa never met his family."

"How does Courtney fit into all this?"

"Jonathan and Courtney were dating when Brooklyn showed up. Eventually, Jonathan told Courtney about Melissa but said nothing to Brooklyn. He was afraid Brooklyn would disappear again with Melissa. About a year later, Courtney and Jonathan married and conceived a child on their honeymoon. They had three girls during the next 5 years."

"I'm sure your mother was overjoyed."

"Yes, she was. Courtney was the granddaughter of a dear friend of her in-laws. Needless to say it was a match made in heaven for everyone but Jonathan."

"When was the last time he and Melissa saw one another?"

"It was February 6th, 1992. Brooklyn, for whatever reason, decided to bring Melissa to Jonathan's house instead of Jonathan picking Melissa up. Unfortunately, Jonathan wasn't home and Brooklyn and Courtney met face to face."

Annette gave Henri her credit card.

"What ensued is the stuff of legend. Jonathan and Courtney's house suffered about $10,000 worth of damage and Courtney needed 15 stitches. But what killed Jonathan the most was when Melissa was screaming for him as Brooklyn dragged her away."

"What did Jonathan do?"

"He called the cops but there nothing they really could do. Jonathan didn't have her birth certificate or any information on Melissa. Eventually, it was forgotten. I think Courtney wanted it that way."

"So, what has happened these past 18 years?"

"Jonathan and Courtney divorced soon after. He was able to get joint custody. Courtney married her divorce lawyer and is still living in her and Jonathan's old family home. Jonathan moved to Mandeville and has been searching with me for Melissa ever since."

"What about the kids?"

"Isabella is in her freshman year at LSU, Angela is a senior at Sacred Heart, and Gabriella is a sophomore at Ursuline."

"Do they remember Melissa?"

"Gabriella wasn't born yet and Angela and Isabella were too young. I know Courtney would never bring up Melissa. I'm not sure if Jonathan has ever spoken to them about her."

"And what about your parents?"

"My father died in 1996 of heart disease. My mother is 88 and is still as spiteful as ever. She thinks she has the perfect family minus Jonathan. She basically disowned him when he divorced Courtney."

Annette and I sat in silence for awhile.

"I'm going to talk to Melissa about us meeting."

"That would be wonderful."

We both stood up and shook hands.

"Do you know what became of Brooklyn?"

"No one knows" she said quietly.

PARADISE'S POV

"Did you do it?"

"Yes, I did it. Took you long enough, I nearly peed myself waiting for you."

"How long do we have to wait?"

"The box says two minutes."

Tina and I sat on the edge of the bathtub, staring at the pregnancy test.

The stick was blue.