To Set You Free

I stood there in my living room, stunned, crying, left alone. Tommy had every right to be bad, but he had no right to say some of the things he said to me. I sent Annie a text telling her to keep the kids out a little longer so I could wallow in the mess I created.

I was so stupid for thinking that everything would work out okay. Tommy would pick me over Quinn and we would grow old together, and when I told him the truth about his kids, Tommy would be nothing but thrilled because secretly he figured it out already. But why would he ever choose me? I am nothing but a shell of a girl he used to love. A shell of a girl who he once wanted to fix. I was no longer fixable, so Tommy has no reason to love me. No reason not to choose Quinn over anyone.

I wipe my nose as my phone begins to ring. It's Celia.

"Hello," I say, sounding sick from all of the mucus stuck at the back of my throat from crying so hard.

"What happened with my son? What did you do? He's on a rampage of some sort, throwing shit. I haven't seen him like this since you first corrupted him."

"He knows," I say simply. There was nothing else to say.

"What?"

"About Kinleigh and Wyatt. He knows. He figured it out, well Kinleigh showed him a picture and he knows."

"Oh," Then I hear Tommy in the background.

"Tell that bitch she'll see me in court. Tell that fucking whore, she isn't going to get any of my money, that's for damn sure."

I let out a small cry into the telephone. "I better go try to calm him down," Celia said kindly before ending the call.

I look at the clock, Annie should be back soon with Wyatt and Kinleigh and I don't want them seeing me like this. I head for the shower to get ready for work.

I don't even bother with make up or jewelry. I don't even care if if I don't appealing and get less tips. I was just concerned with getting out so my children wouldn't have to see me like this.

Being at the bar is worse than I thought. Normally on a week night its just men, who are trying to get away from their duties at home. But tonight it's a mix of people. Girls shooting me evil glares, guys asking me if I'm involved or just using Tommy for his money.

"You can leave, I know it's hard to be here," Eric says pulling me to the side.

"No, it'll be even harder at home. Seeing two children that look exactly like the man who wants nothing to do with them now, because of me. I'll stay."

"Whatever you think is best, but you'll have to go home sometime, and you'll have to deal with this at some point. Better sooner than later."

I keep myself busy pouring drinks and waiting on people. I even help out in the kitchen when we were slow at the bar. I did anything to keep my mind off of anything that revolved around Tommy.

I got into the habit of not looking people in the face, instead I keep my eyes down as I hand them their food or refill their drinks.

"Excuse me," A woman says. I look up slowly, and my heart stops. It's Quinn.

The people around us have their cameras ready, in case Quinn decides to jump over the counter top in attempt to kill me.

"Yes."

"Keep your grubby hands away from my fiance. Same goes with your bastard children," She says before turning around and sauntering out of the bar, a mass of people following behind her.

I am rushing to the backroom as Eric grabs me and pulls me into a tight hug. "Hey, she wants to break you down, but you have to be stronger than her. Don't cry, don't ever cry. Go home, be with your kids. They need their mother they only need their mother."

I nod my head and gathered my things. I would go home and be with my kids. Show them how to be happy without having to depend to be your crutch.

As I get to my apartment building, there is an unfamiliar car in the parking spot beside mine. A Man is patiently waiting by my door when I reach the top of the stairs and round the corner.

"Can I help you?" I ask.

"Ah yes, I am here to collect DNA samples from your kids."

"What? It's," I look down at the clock on my phone. "It's nine at night."

"Yes well, Mr.Van Pierce and his lawyer were very persistent that I got the samples in right away."

"Well I'm sorry but you'll have to come back later. My kids bedtime is at eight, Mr. Van Pierce knows that. So if I can make an appointment like everyone else, I'd be happy to do that."

"Ma'am I was instructed to get the samples tonight."

"Leave or I'll call the police and have you escorted out of this apartment complex."

The man smiled nervously before pulling out a business card from his jacket pocket. "Call here in the morning ma'am, have a nice night."

"Same to you, Sir."

I watch him walk away and before I walked into my apartment I dialed Tommy's number. He answered on the first ring.

"Tommy Van Pierce, this is his manager Ed speaking. Who am I talking to?"

"Look at the caller ID. You know who this is. I don't appreciate being harassed by some guy I don't know wanting my kids DNA at nine at night. If Tommy really wants to go through with this, he'll have to do it on my schedule. Also tell him to keep that bull dog he calls a fiancee away from me."

I hang up the phone and step through the threshold. Annie is sitting in the living room with E! on the television. They are talking about the latest scandal. The picture from the magazine takes up the entire screen.

"I only turned it on after they went to bed" Annie said defensively.

"It's okay. I'm going to need to watch it if I want to fight this battle," I say taking a seat next to her.

I flip the business card around in my hands as I listen to the woman on the TV.

"Van Pierce's manager claims that an ex girlfriend is threatening to sue for child support for her two kids. Tommy denies having these kids and is confident that once they get the DNA test results it'll prove what he has been saying."

"What has he been saying?" A man who is standing next to the woman asks.

"That Elena Fraser is crazy. She went on a psychotic break after he broke up with her nearly five years ago and she has been doing everything to get him back. Even going to lengths of getting knocked up."

"Wow that is crazy."

I turn the television off. I am not crazy. I am hurt, and completely stunned. Tommy is not the same person I had fallen in love with. Fame has changed him. I no longer wanted to fight this battle. I wanted Tommy out of my life.

I look at the business card. There is a business number, fax number and a cell phone number for one Curtis Jones. I dial the number quickly.

"I thought you would change your mind," He says while he answers.

"Just hair samples?"

"That's all I need."

"Okay."

Within twenty minutes, I have let this stranger into my house, woken up my kids and plucked a single strand of hair from their pretty little heads and depositing them into different bags each with their own label.

"Thank you ma'am, You'll receive the results in 48 hours. Can I expect you at my office on Wednesday say four?"

"I'll be there," I say before closing the front door.

I dial Tommy's number for the second time this night. This time he answers.

"What?"

"I'm not going to play this game with you Tommy. I thought you were different. Once this results come back positive, and you look like an ass, I want nothing to do with you. I want nothing to do with you or your family. I don't want your money, I don't need your mom's money. I am quitting both jobs and getting new ones. You will never see your kids, even if you wanted to. I never wanted anything but for you to be happy, happy with me, eventually for you to be happy with your kids. But now that won't happen because I don't want my kids to know that their father is the meanest type of monster."

I don't give him time to speak. I hang up, feeling better about all of this. I feel that I have won.