and it's your job as my loving partner to respect my boundaries.” I go on to explain all about Mel and Patrick and the last thirty-four days of working through my issues. He listened intently. Pulling up to the building, we walk hand and hand into his apartment.
I hear “SURPRISE” I jump at the loud noise, everyone gathers around me. I break away from the crowd walking over to Kennedy and wrap my arms around her.
“I love you, Kennedy. You're my best friend and my sister” she starts crying.
I walk to Tristan, who in all the time I have known him, I’ve never even touched. I stand in front of him, then wrap my arms around his neck, and hug him tightly.
“Tristan, you're my best friend too, and brother. Thank you so much for always being there for me.” I see he has tears in his eyes as well.
“Estelle, you're an amazing woman, but I don’t want to die today. Rhydian is over there growling and looking ready to kill me.”
I kiss Tristan on the cheek and walk over to Rhydian. I kiss him on the mouth and stand next to him, holding his hand.
I lean and whisper, “You’re mine and I’m yours.”
Antonio makes his way towards us with Salvatore and a younger version of himself. None of them try to touch me, so I hug Antonio.
“Thanks for everything, dad” he leans down and kisses my forehead. “Anything for you, Princess.”
I like that he and Rhydian call me Princess. It makes me feel warm and cherished. I walk over to Salvatore and hug him.
“Thanks for all your help, Salvatore. You didn’t even know me.”
“It's Uncle Sal to you, Princess. And the minute I saw you, I knew you were Antonio’s and that made you my family.”
I extend my hand to the other man.
“Hi, I’m Estelle, your sister.” He grabs me in a bear hug.
“I can't believe I have a sister!” he shouts joyfully.
“I'm your brother, Giovanni, but everyone calls me Vaughn. It's nice to meet you.”
Once he puts me back down, he shakes Rhydian's hand.
We sit around and I get caught up on everyone’s life. It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve seen everyone. I'm on the sofa snuggling with one of the triplets, when Vaughn comes up to me.
“I have my big fight next month, after that I'm going to come home and train at Gavin’s. I want us to be close. I know we are both adults, but I want us to be like a real brother and sister. I even have a present for you.”
He pulls out a flash drive.
He walks over to the TV and finds the media port. The opening picture is just shots of Paris and then there are shots of Antonio as a young soldier in uniform. Then it switched to pictures of a beautiful ballerina, pictures of her tying her shoes and smiling at the camera. Then pictures of her on her toes in different poses. The young ballerina is posing in front of the Paris Ballet sign. Next come pictures of Antonio and the young woman together, holding each other, kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower. Pictures of the dancer during performances and in a practice studio. I look at Antonio, who is now kneeling in front of the TV. The final picture shows on the screen, and it's the woman in a light pink dress running to Antonio as he walks off a plane.
Antonio looks at his son with emotions I can’t quite read in his eyes. “Where did she get these pictures?” he asked in astonishment.
“Mom found them in the trash. She pulled them out and saved them. She said one day you might change your mind and regret tossing away those memories. I had them scanned last week and put on a flash drive. When you told me the story of you and Estelle’s mom, I knew the woman in the picture must be Celine.”
“Dad, mom said that you loved each other, but weren’t in love. I didn’t understand her at the time, but she explained the best she could to a fifteen year old. She told me she had given her heart to someone else long before she met you and he died. She also said you had given your heart to Celine and that if you two found each
I hear “SURPRISE” I jump at the loud noise, everyone gathers around me. I break away from the crowd walking over to Kennedy and wrap my arms around her.
“I love you, Kennedy. You're my best friend and my sister” she starts crying.
I walk to Tristan, who in all the time I have known him, I’ve never even touched. I stand in front of him, then wrap my arms around his neck, and hug him tightly.
“Tristan, you're my best friend too, and brother. Thank you so much for always being there for me.” I see he has tears in his eyes as well.
“Estelle, you're an amazing woman, but I don’t want to die today. Rhydian is over there growling and looking ready to kill me.”
I kiss Tristan on the cheek and walk over to Rhydian. I kiss him on the mouth and stand next to him, holding his hand.
I lean and whisper, “You’re mine and I’m yours.”
Antonio makes his way towards us with Salvatore and a younger version of himself. None of them try to touch me, so I hug Antonio.
“Thanks for everything, dad” he leans down and kisses my forehead. “Anything for you, Princess.”
I like that he and Rhydian call me Princess. It makes me feel warm and cherished. I walk over to Salvatore and hug him.
“Thanks for all your help, Salvatore. You didn’t even know me.”
“It's Uncle Sal to you, Princess. And the minute I saw you, I knew you were Antonio’s and that made you my family.”
I extend my hand to the other man.
“Hi, I’m Estelle, your sister.” He grabs me in a bear hug.
“I can't believe I have a sister!” he shouts joyfully.
“I'm your brother, Giovanni, but everyone calls me Vaughn. It's nice to meet you.”
Once he puts me back down, he shakes Rhydian's hand.
We sit around and I get caught up on everyone’s life. It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve seen everyone. I'm on the sofa snuggling with one of the triplets, when Vaughn comes up to me.
“I have my big fight next month, after that I'm going to come home and train at Gavin’s. I want us to be close. I know we are both adults, but I want us to be like a real brother and sister. I even have a present for you.”
He pulls out a flash drive.
He walks over to the TV and finds the media port. The opening picture is just shots of Paris and then there are shots of Antonio as a young soldier in uniform. Then it switched to pictures of a beautiful ballerina, pictures of her tying her shoes and smiling at the camera. Then pictures of her on her toes in different poses. The young ballerina is posing in front of the Paris Ballet sign. Next come pictures of Antonio and the young woman together, holding each other, kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower. Pictures of the dancer during performances and in a practice studio. I look at Antonio, who is now kneeling in front of the TV. The final picture shows on the screen, and it's the woman in a light pink dress running to Antonio as he walks off a plane.
Antonio looks at his son with emotions I can’t quite read in his eyes. “Where did she get these pictures?” he asked in astonishment.
“Mom found them in the trash. She pulled them out and saved them. She said one day you might change your mind and regret tossing away those memories. I had them scanned last week and put on a flash drive. When you told me the story of you and Estelle’s mom, I knew the woman in the picture must be Celine.”
“Dad, mom said that you loved each other, but weren’t in love. I didn’t understand her at the time, but she explained the best she could to a fifteen year old. She told me she had given her heart to someone else long before she met you and he died. She also said you had given your heart to Celine and that if you two found each
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