Thank you to everybody who read the last chapter. You're all fantastic for keeping up with me during my pandemic sanity project.
I'm not a medical doctor. Don't assume Gabriella's behavior is typical of someone with her condition. Her behavior is based on personal observations and research. Also, Mercedes is gaslighting the hell out of her. We don't know what's going on. However, more of that will be explained as we go forward.
Trigger Warning: discussion of a family member who died by suicide.
Chapter 34: Breakfast, makeovers, and conversations you don't want to have
Morning in Manhattan
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
(Buckle in, it's going to be Wednesday, November 26, for the next six chapters.)
Maria Montez was worried about seeing her daughter for the first time since July. That was before she talked to Madison last night. Apparently, she found Gabriella's meds in the trash. Madison just confirmed her worst fears. Then again, her daughter did show up at Troy's dorm room wearing only a trenchcoat, threw a lamp at him during the breakup, and posted a sex tape involving one of her friends. It was apparent she was not okay.
Maria was just glad Vincent Evans agreed to her intervention idea instead of turning Gabriella over to the authorities. The fact that Chad was underage in the video could mean serious trouble for Gabriella. Carolyn Sanchez had enough contacts in the Albuquerque legal system to make child porn charges stick.
Today she was trying to get Gabriella to go voluntarily into treatment without the threat of arrest. They would be at the spa with an intervention specialist to help convince Gabriella to seek treatment. She hoped this worked. Otherwise, Friday, Vince will be bringing out the legal blackmail. With everything Madison told her, Maria wasn't even sure Gabriella could comprehend how much trouble she was in.
She would like to blame Mercedes for everything, but she knew she couldn't. Although Mercedes really was the reason why Gabby stopped taking her meds. Now she just had to get through the next two hours. She can do this.
"What's my mom doing here?" Gabriella asked the moment she saw her there. It was 9 AM, and she could already detect the smell of alcohol. That was not good.
"Ryan and I are going to do a couples massage. But we didn't want you to be all alone, so we invited your mom," Taylor explained as Ryan walked over to hug her. She could definitely use the hug right now. She knew Ryan could, too, because it's been a rough few weeks for him.
"I owe her quality spa time after putting up with me post-Kelsi implosion." As well as the Darby bull shit, but Gabriella doesn't need to know about that.
"I was happy to help." Mostly because my daughter was responsible. "Kelsi should not have shown the entire building that video. It was a gross invasion of privacy." Maria said, looking straight at Gabriella. She is furious at her for what she did, but she can't show it, not yet.
"I'm still so mad about that, not even just her for showing it but at whoever posted it. If I ever find the person that did it, I'm going to punch them out." Ryan explained.
"I'll hold her down while you're doing it," Taylor said as she looked directly at Gabriella.
Maria knew that Taylor knew Gabriella was the culprit. Troy told her all about how they figured out it was Gabriella. Thankfully Ryan didn't know the truth because everyone was afraid to tell him for obvious reasons. Maria did not really want to tell him either. Ryan has become another one of her kids these last few weeks, and she doesn't want to lose him too. And he needs a mom.
She wants to slap Darby upside the head for abusing both of her children. She wasn't even surprised when Vince told her what was happening. The things Ryan told her already made her wary.
"You don't know. Maybe the person had a good reason for doing what they did. Your sister is not exactly the nicest person." Gabriella said, defending herself even though Ryan was oblivious of that fact. There is no good reason for what she did in Maria's mind, even though she's not taking her medication. It explains why it happened, but it doesn't absolve Gabriella of responsibility.
"I wrecked Sharpay's dorm room and ruined her fall wardrobe, and she sent me an apology gift basket and got me a single dorm room. She is a nice person." Taylor said in Sharpay's defense. "We were just too caught up in the politics of high school to really see it at the time."
"She stole your boyfriend," Gabby argued.
"You can't take something that was never yours. Besides, it worked out for the best." Taylor said, kissing Ryan on the cheek. Thankfully Ryan texted her earlier about the charade going on. She's fine with it because Gabriella shouldn't have come here to sleep with Ryan just so she could get back with Troy. But Gabriella is not on her medication. Of course, she is not making good decisions. She also can't believe Madison suggested that, but they were all desperate to get Gabriella to New York.
"Sometimes relationships don't work out for whatever reason. But occasionally, you find something better." Maria was still working on that post-divorce, but she feels like she will find that person eventually. Gabriella will, too, someday, preferably somebody who did not have a two-year-old by a woman he's already back with and now engaged to. Although Troy is still better than her first boyfriend, even with the child and fiancée.
"I think it all will work itself out eventually. But it's important to let go first, preferably without a baseball bat being involved." Taylor remarked.
"That is usually for the best," Maria added.
"Although the new therapist helped," Taylor added.
"You're seeing a therapist?" Gabriella asked, surprised.
"Yes. It was necessary after what happened. I have anger issues, and I was diagnosed with adjustment disorder. I'm trying to work through it." Taylor explained.
"Did they put you on medication to make you all happy and sunny because you can't deal with things?" Gabriella asked, looking directly at Maria. What has Mercedes been telling her?
"First of all, if you have a doctor that's doing that, then you have a bad doctor." Gabriella's doctor in Albuquerque, Dr. Suarez, was definitely not like that, but she had reservations about Dr. Robinson. Just because somebody is highly recommend, it doesn't mean they're right for you.
"Second, if I need medication, then that something that I will work out between my doctor and me. If I need medication, I will take it." Taylor argued.
Thankfully at that point, they were taken back to their respective rooms. Considering the look their specialist Casey was giving her, this was deliberate. It would probably be bad if things fell apart in the lobby.
If Maria didn't spend the day before working with the specialist, she probably would've asked a bunch of inappropriate questions such as "Are you taking your medication?" "Are you still seeing Dr. Robinson?" "Are you still friends with that Mercedes girl? I really don't like her." However, Maria knew not to ask any of those questions.
Also, thanks to Madison and Troy, she had the answers to most of them. They weren't answers Maria liked. Troy doesn't even know that Gabriella is bipolar, and she doesn't feel like it's her place to tell him. Madison figured it out because of her own sister. They, unfortunately, have that in common.
Maria, per Casey's instructions, kept the conversation light for the first two hours. The hot stone massage did preoccupy her enough that she didn't ask about the binge drinking or the trenchcoat seduction incident. Madison told her about crying the entire way home as she kept drinking. Maria also didn't address the fact that Gabriella added alcohol to her cucumber water when Maria was supposedly not looking. Casey saw all and will deal with it when the time was right.
"How are you handling the breakup with Troy?" The glare that she's receiving from Casey told Maria she probably shouldn't have asked that question. But she needed to know where Gabriella's head was at during this, not just what Madison and Troy believed was happening.
"It's okay; this is just a break," Gabriella said as another stone was placed on her back. "Eventually, he'll see that I'm the person he is supposed to be with. Why be with Sharpay when he can have me. I just have to convince him of that." Oh, this is not good. Maria thought to herself.
"Gabriella, I don't think it is. Troy has a lot going on right now, and he has other things he needs to focus on besides relationships." Like his two-year-old and dealing with telling his family that he's a father at 18.
Maria already knew things blew up spectacularly with Lucy yesterday and, oddly enough, not from Troy. For the first time since relocating to Manhattan earlier in the year, Lucy called her yesterday. She kicked Jack out because he chose to support Troy over Lucy's desire to keep Troy away from Kim. (Which doesn't surprise Maria oh because something was not quite right with that marriage.)
She's an idiot for thinking that the relationship is just sex, and Troy would crumble without her financial support. Maria knew better from talking to both Troy and Kim. She tried to call Troy to warn him about what Lucy said to her, but she got his voicemail. Considering Lucy told her that she has been calling Troy nonstop, Troy probably turned his phone off. Even Maria blocked her number this morning.
"Troy loves me. Why else would he go to Berkeley just to be near me? Eventually, will get back together."
"The Drama program and a full-ride scholarship," Maria said so low that her daughter couldn't hear with the mood music in the background. Although Casey did, which means more glaring.
"I'm sure Troy loves you in a way but did you ever consider the possibility that he could love somebody else?" Maria asked her daughter. Troy didn't want her to tell Gabriella the Alex truth, but she needs to ease her into the idea of Kim. She doesn't want her to find out about it for the first time when the engagement goes public. It will go public because Kim is a more well-adjusted Paris Hilton.
"Are you talking about Kim or Sharpay?" Gabriella asked.
"Per Ryan, Sharpay is so into Chad that there is no one else. I can wholeheartedly say that Troy definitely didn't leave you for Sharpay." In the traditional sense, anyway. Gabriella did hurt his friend, which is one reason Troy ended things with her.
"How do you know about Kim?" Maria asked. She knew it was Taylor, but she couldn't let Gabriella know that.
"Only what Taylor told me. Apparently, Kim is this great first love that Troy had before he met me. I don't believe that. It can't be that great if Troy never talked about it. At a minimum, I would've heard something from the rumor mill. I never heard anybody mention Troy having a previous girlfriend." Because it was the greatest kept secret at East high ever, from Troy's own class anyway.
"Gabriella, the rumor mill doesn't know everything. You know I went to college with Troy's mom?"
"You two were in the same sorority, right?"
"Yes. We have been friends for a really long time," up until yesterday anyway, "Anyway, she told me about Troy's former girlfriend." Mostly lies, but that's beside the point. "Troy did date Kim in high school for most of his sophomore year. Lucy didn't like her because she was two years older than Troy. Eventually, she forced Kim to leave." By misrepresenting Albuquerque statutory rape laws and blackmail.
Troy cried when he told her about that part. It made Maria glad Lucy essentially stop talking to her after she left Albuquerque. It's also why she just blocked Lucy's number this morning. Maria was completely done with her. She grew up with a toxic mom and doesn't have time for them at all.
"If she left without a fight, then she never actually loved him. I have nothing to worry about." Obviously, Gabriella was still in denial.
"Or that she's a realist," Maria suggested. "I know you don't think you need the medication anymore, but I would like you to reevaluate that stance. If you don't like the side effects, then we can find you a doctor that can put you on something that works better."
Maria wasn't supposed to mention that just yet. The specialist will talk to Gabriella separately in a few minutes when Maria left for a chocolate body wrap. Casey is not happy, as evident by the fact she put a hot stone in the wrong place. This caused Maria to scream.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Gabriella couldn't see the connection. "Are you okay?"
"One of the stones slipped. I'm fine. I'm more worried about you. You're refusing to accept that you and Troy are over."
"Because it's not over. I just have to convince Troy of that." Gabriella argued.
"Gabriella, you threw a lamp at him. It's hard to come back from that. According to one of your sorority sisters, you went through something that resembled one of your manic states during midterms. You were also drunk the entire time. You've been bouncing between extremely happy and bitterly depressed for weeks now. I'm scared for you."
"How do you even know about the lamp thing? Who told you about how I was acting during midterms? It was Madison, wasn't it? How did you even get in touch with her?" Gabriella asked.
"Troy told me everything. Despite the breakup, Troy still cares about you. Because he's worried, Troy gave Madison my number. I just don't want a repeat of what happened last time. No one does."
"Then, if Troy still cares, there's hope." Or Troy is just a good person and realizes that you're drowning even though you never told him the truth. Although he has a two-year-old, he doesn't want to let you drown. "Also, Madison had no business calling you. I'm an adult now. I was depressed before because we were moving around all the time. It's hard when you have to lose your friends every few months. Now that there's some normalcy in my life, I'm fine. I don't need the medication." Maria just shook her head. "Mercedes agrees with me."
"Unless Mercedes is studying to become a bipolar specialist, I do not trust her judgment at all in this regard," Maria replied.
"I hate to interrupt this conversation, but Maria, it's time for your chocolate wrap. Why don't you go with my colleague Helga." Casey handed her a bathrobe, and Maria knew it was her time to leave Gabriella alone with Casey. She hopes that Casey can be more successful in getting Gabriella to realize that she's not okay.
"I am definitely looking forward to the chocolate body wrap. I'll see you tomorrow when I pick everybody up at seven."
"Tomorrow?" Gabriella asked, confused.
"Because Darby was a piece of shit, Ryan never had a normal family Thanksgiving. So, I'm planning to give him one tomorrow. You will help, right?"
"I'll help." Maria was surprised that she agreed so readily but was happy for it nonetheless.
XXXX
So far, Gabriella's day has been miserable. Breakfast was awkward, to say the least. She may not see Ryan really in a romantic way, but she also didn't need to see him and Taylor feeding each other. Now she was almost positive this wasn't something brand-new. They were too close. Gabriella really wishes she returned Kelsi's text messages from earlier in the year. It would be too weird to call her now after three months of near silence. Obviously, operation "make Troy jealous" wasn't going to work because Ryan only saw Taylor. (Although it is useful for operation "get back at Chad for stealing my boyfriend.") It didn't matter because at least she would be getting a spa day out of it. A spa day with Ryan could be fun.
Except because the happy couple just had to be together, Ryan invited her mom. Maybe if she hasn't been fighting with her mom for weeks about taking her medication, it would be okay. But it wasn't okay at all. At least not by the end.
At first, Maria stayed away from painful subjects. But then she just had to ask how she is dealing with the breakup with Troy. Her mom doesn't think that it's just a break. Then again, her mom allowed her husband and Gabriella's dad to leave without a fight. She packed his bags and just let him go. Of course, this was right after Aunt Natalie's death, so nobody was in a good state of mind. You don't let people leave without fighting.
Gabriella definitely wasn't happy with her mom suggesting that she try new meds. New meds mean she would need to check in to the hospital to get regulated. Gabriella doesn't want that. Not with that asshole Dr. Robinson anyway. She's fine. There's nothing wrong with her. She would be happy if Troy would return any of her text messages right now.
Let's just say the only thing Gabriella is thankful for at the moment is that Ryan decided her mother deserved a chocolate body wrap alone.
"Thank you for getting her out of here. Sometimes I just can't deal with her at all. Although I do regret not getting to do the chocolate body wrap."
"Fortunately for you, Mr. Evans suggested that you would prefer the eucalyptus serenity wrap. It's supposed to be very calming." The masseuse told her.
"I could definitely use something calming," Gabriella told the masseuse. "Especially after spending quality time with my mother. I'm an adult, but she still thinks I'm a little kid." Gabriella told her as she grabbed the robe being handed to her.
"I think all parents are like that sometimes. Maybe your mom just wants what's best for you even though she doesn't know the best way to express that."
"I know she's concerned, but it is more than that. She's afraid of me because of what happened with my Aunt Natalie." Gabriella said as she wrapped herself.
"What happened with your aunt Natalie?"
She jumped off a bridge, and I watched it happen.
"It's not something I can really talk about with someone I don't know." Or anybody at all. Not even Dr. Suarez, the only therapist/psychiatrist her mom dragged her to that wasn't horrible, or Troy. Nor the asshole ex before him.
"I get that. Some life experiences take a while to process. 10 years ago, I was walking to work when I got hit by a car. Because of this, I got hooked on pain pills. It took me a while to work through that, but I did. That being said, I still can't cross the street where I got hit. The pill addiction I work through, but I'm still working on that. I'll get there eventually."
"Maria thinks I'm going to end up just like Natalie. That's what she is terrified of." There was a voice in Gabriella's head that was just as terrified of the same thing. Maybe that's why she wants to believe Mercedes when she told her that she's fine.
"Is there a reason for her to think that you will end up like her?" The masseuse asked.
"No, she was really unwell, and I am not. There's nothing wrong with me." Keep lying to yourself, Gabby. People with nothing wrong don't throw a lamp that their boyfriend. They don't try to hit their boyfriend either or stay drunk all the time because they can't deal with things. Remember what you almost did in May? You're just like Natalie. Maybe you just want Troy back because he saved you.
"I think we would all like to say that, but we are all a little unwell. I know that you added tequila to your cucumber water when your mom wasn't looking."
"It tastes better this way." The masseuse just gave her a look. "It's just one drink. I needed to get through quality time with my mom."
"I said similar regarding the pills I used to take. I learned better after a near-death overdose." The masseuse said, taking the drink away.
"Fortunately, your mother won't be there for your next treatment. That means you can leave the spiked cucumber water behind for your eucalyptus wrap." Gabriella had no choice but to comply.
XXXX
Taylor was having a good morning despite breakfast with Gabriella. She decided to utilize the opportunity to play up her fake relationship with Ryan. She will ignore the voice that sounds suspiciously like Chad telling her that nothing she was doing was fake. Real Chad was an idiot regarding relationships, so she doubts conscious Chad would be much better.
She enjoyed making Gabriella angry. That's why she kept kissing and touching Ryan. No other reason, shut up conscious Chad.
The spa was fabulous and very relaxing. Mostly because Gabriella was stuck with her mom right now and apparently an addiction specialist. It was for the best because Taylor could not relax around Gabriella. The fact that somebody was trying to talk some sense into Gabriella somewhere else in this complex made it a little easier. Maybe she'll realize what she did was wrong and get help. Taylor knew she was drinking at breakfast.
The best part was that the couples spa day was not a complete lie. Ryan really did set them up with a couple spa treatment. They got to spend almost the entire time together. She was fine with that because Ryan was probably the only person she felt comfortable with seeing her covered with green mud and wearing only a towel.
She was currently in the chocolate body wrap. Whoever came up with the idea for chocolate beauty treatment should be rewarded greatly. Although Ryan opted out of doing it himself, he stayed with her.
"I bet you taste good," Ryan said from beside her. For some reason, the very naughty thought of Ryan running his tongue across her naked body entered her mind. Conscious Chad was laughing at her again. He's such a prick.
"If you're a good boyfriend, she may let you find out tonight. I believe your time is almost up." Sharon, the spa worker, said as she prepared for Taylor to leave.
"He is not my…" Taylor almost corrected her but just couldn't do it for some reason. Taylor actually likes the idea of someone thinking Ryan was her boyfriend. It was nice after finding out she was essentially Chad's beard for most of high school.
"So, what's next?" Taylor asked Ryan and Sharon.
"This is your last treatment here," Sharon informed Taylor.
"I thought we were spending the whole day here? "Taylor asked Ryan, somewhat surprised.
"Only in the morning, in the afternoon, we will be doing the traditional post-breakup makeover. You haven't had yours yet. Even my sister completely changed her look after the Zeke fiasco. Kim took her, so I'm gonna take you." Taylor is not even surprised Kim did that. She seems like that type of friend. "Kim's stepmom, a.k.a. your aunt Vanessa actually helped. She made the appointment because I would pick the wrong place."
"You would. Someday I need to tell you the true story of why I started wearing headbands during sophomore year." Her regular stylist was on maternity leave. The person taking over her clients didn't know anything about black hair whatsoever. It was a disaster.
"I don't need a post-breakup makeover. Zeke cheated on your sister by sleeping with some trashy whore for months because Sharpay wouldn't put out." Because she was so traumatized by her previous boyfriend raping her. "She needed the makeover. My boyfriend was just really deep in the closet." Taylor argued. Sharon gave her a look.
"I thought you said earlier that your ex is now dating his sister," Sharon asked, confused, pointing to Ryan.
"It turns out he was demisexual without a gender preference. Not that he ever told me that before the breakup." Taylor explained. "He never connected with me."
"Which led to him making out with hot boy Lava Springs the summer before and never telling you about him or the ex-boyfriend," Ryan added.
"It was just one kiss," even though Chad cared more about him than her. But she wasn't going to say that out loud. Primarily because, unlike her, Ryan knew who hot boy Lava Springs was.
"Let us not forget Chad made out with my sister a lot before he actually broke up with you. This led to him accidentally making an almost-sex tape that ended up on YouTube." Taylor almost told Ryan that Gabriella posted that tape to the Internet, but she didn't want to kill the day's relaxing mood.
"I think that's worse." Sharon said from behind her."
"Actually, I don't think it is. Ryan, your sister, was extremely drunk and possibly stone because somebody spiked her drink when that tape was accidentally made. We both know if Zeke had a half-naked Sharpay on top of him like that, your sister would not have fallen asleep alone that night."
"That is, unfortunately, true."
"At least my ex respects me as a human being to actually tell me that he fell in love with someone else." It took him a while to tell her that he wasn't sexually attracted to her and could not love her because Jamie fucked him over. However, she's trying not to think of that right now. "Kelsi still hasn't told you about Natasha."
"Which he did after you came across the PowerPoint presentation. We were texting each other at the time. This is another reason why you need a post-breakup makeover. Besides, I need one too because my ex-girlfriend really did screw me over."
"Fine, you win this round. You can't argue with an Evans, can you?" Taylor acquiesced.
"We always get what we want one way or another," Ryan smirked at her.
"I know. So are we doing the makeover today, or are we going to start shopping?"
"I thought we start with the salon, then a little shopping before dinner tonight," Ryan suggested.
"I am completely at your disposal for the rest of the day. As soon as I get out of the chocolate wrap."
XXXX
On Wednesday morning, Troy made his way past the boxes of Kim's now-former roommate with a breakfast tray in hand. Alex was following him as usual. They just returned from a quick trip to IHOP and the grocery store. He wanted to make Kim breakfast in bed but realized his cooking skills would most likely land his girlfriend in the hospital. He wasn't going to ask his dad for help because if anybody deserves to sleep in today, it was him.
Troy definitely wanted to spend as much time with her as possible before he had to leave Sunday. Things went surprisingly well with Kin's father at the basketball game. They even went for ice cream afterward. He has tons of photos of Alex covered in mint chocolate chip ice cream. Jay was a lot calmer than he was in Vegas. This was good because otherwise, Troy would be worried about Jay trying to slip something strawberry into his ice cream. Kim argued that he wouldn't do that because he could put Alex in danger, but Troy was wary.
Troy was also worried about the situation with his mother. He wasn't even that upset about her cutting him off. What she said to Kim and his dad hurt. The hateful look she gave Alex broke him. When they got home last night, Troy tried to talk to his dad. But Jack wasn't ready to talk. At least not to him. Carolyn was a different matter, though. His dad already emailed Matt A.k.a. the divorce expert at Rodriguez and Associates, to schedule a Monday meeting. Carolyn was staying just for that. Apparently, she gave him a list of divorce attorneys back in October. How bad were things between his parents?
He also tried to talk to Kim, but that resulted in him getting pinned against the wall. Once his pants were unzipped, Troy had no desire whatsoever to actually talk about his mother or anything else. Last night was definitely an improvement on the rest of the day, even though they only got about 3 hours of sleep.
He just hoped today would be better, but they were spending the day with lawyers, so probably not. But at least he had breakfast.
He walked into their bedroom to see Kim dressed in the pajamas that he laid out for her. Obviously, she found his note.
"I thought we would surprise you with breakfast in bed on your 21st birthday. I was originally planning to do this with you completely naked, but Alex decided to help. So the fun part of your present will have to be rescheduled for later today." Troy said, kissing her quickly.
"I'm looking very forward to that, Mr. Bolton. I have some new lingerie that you haven't seen yet." Kim smirked at him.
"I'm looking forward to exploring your entire collection," Troy remarked, kissing her again.
"I'm not thinking of today as my birthday. I'm thinking of it as my emancipation day. I am finally free. Free of the Kim and Cáo names and a family that didn't appreciate me." Kim explained as she grabbed the breakfast tray from him.
"I thought you made peace with your father last night?" Troy asked as he sat down beside her. Alex crawled in next to him. He was so cute.
"Not quite. However, we're getting there. We still have a very long way to go. We have years of issues to work through. Although I found some stuff out last night that gives me a better understanding of his motives. Some of his behavior is overprotectiveness and maybe fear of losing Alex and me. Technically, I died while giving birth to Alex." Troy knows this. The story came out in Vegas during one of the screaming matches.
"I'm glad you're here." Troy leaned over and kissed her again. He doesn't want to think of a world where she didn't survive. "And I can see why your father would be worried after that happened."
"He just has trouble communicating, in English anyway. I wonder if he told me some of the stuff in Korean just because I wouldn't understand him. Most likely, Vanessa is going to have to play mediator. She's always been really supportive." Kim said this as she took a bite of her pancakes. "Although maybe we should get a professional. We really do have a lot to work through."
"That may not be a bad idea. Although your stepmom is a lawyer. I think that makes her qualified." Troy joked.
"This is true."
"I've meant to ask you why your stepmom is so helpful with Alex when your biological parents really aren't?" He's been wondering about this for a while.
"Before yesterday, I would've said it was because my biological parents were never were in my shoes, and Vanessa has been. But that's not completely accurate. My dad has been in my shoes, but no one ever tried to force him to get an abortion that he didn't want." Kim told him as Alex grabbed one of her pancakes, even though Troy fed him before they came up to surprise Kim.
"What?" Troy asked her in surprise.
"Pull up a pillow. This is going to be a long story. What I am about to tell you cannot leave this room. You cannot even repeat this to Chad, Sharpay, or Taylor. Vanessa did not tell my father this story until recently."
"I promise," he said, putting his arm around her and kissing her quickly.
"Sometime around the late eighties, Vanessa was working as a paralegal at one of the top law firms in the DC area to pay her way through at Georgetown. During that time, she fell in love with one of the partners who just happen to be married. They had an affair that lasted about two years. She loved him, but he didn't love her."
"This probably ended badly."
"So badly. One day the condom broke, and she ended up pregnant. He offered her money to get rid of the baby. When she said no, he tried to get her expelled from law school. Thankfully he didn't have as much pool at Georgetown as he thought he did. He tried some other things that Vanessa wouldn't tell me about. Eventually, their compromise was she would give her daughter up for adoption and never contact him again. That's why she helped me so much to keep Alex. She did not want me to go through what she did."
"I am glad she was there. I don't know what I would do without the two of you." He said, kissing her softly before placing a gentle kiss on their son's forehead. He was delighted that Vanessa was there to help Kim when he wasn't.
"Troy, there's more to this story. Could you grab the photo album on top of the dresser?" Troy quickly did what Kim asked.
"Why do you have a picture of Taylor dressed in eighties clothes?" Troy asked as he looked down at the picture that Kim showed him.
"That's not Taylor. That is a picture of my stepmom in high school."
To be continued…