Hard Truths and DNA Tests

4

Tess

Now

I snapped my eyes back to meet Ace’s hardened gaze; his eyes communicated many emotions I couldn’t place. I broke eye contact to look down at why I was there as I looked down at my daughter opening her sleepy eyes and blinking at me. Ace followed my gaze and looked like he got punched in the gut.

Suddenly Winnie’s eyes open, and she shoots up excitedly, seeing Ace, “Daddy!” she exclaims, jumping towards him. I closed my eyes and internally groaned out loud. I hoped she would stay asleep until I got to speak to Ace about everything and the Winnie of it all.

I pray that he will not break her heart and burst this illusion she built in her head of her father. Of course, I didn’t help, probably because I wanted her always to feel like she was wanted and loved. To believe that her father wasn’t in her life because of choice but because he ‘had’ to be. Was that probably terrible and unhealthy? Yes; however, I thought I had a lifetime before I had to tell her the whole truth. I didn’t want to break my four-year-old's heart.

It's been five years since I have been close to this man, and I still feel my heart beating in my ears and butterflies in my stomach. However, what I feel most is dread. Dread about opening that proverbial scabbed-over wounds of my life. Control yourself, Tess. I mentally scold myself again, pissed that I feel like a teenager rather than the almost 24-year-old you are today.

Surprisingly, rather than push my daughter back to me, Ace held her closer, looking at me for clarity. Something that I wasn’t ready to give to him in the open in front of the strangers that gathered around us. “I am sorry, I didn’t know where else to go. I need your help.” I said the last part, weakly seeing his men moving closer towards me then a familiar friendly face, Queenie. I wave to her weakly, mentally cringing, not keeping in contact with at least her. Yes, we weren’t close, but Winnie could have had a family member.

“Could we go somewhere to talk?” I asked, hoping he wouldn’t kick me out and keep my daughter. Just the thought makes me feel sick; they would all have to kill me before I would willingly walk away from my baby unless it were the only way to keep her safe. I start crying yet again, I have been a mess since I started getting the threats and pictures with Winnie, and my eyes crossed out.

“Daddy! Look! Look!” Winnie yells, thrusting Macaroni in his face like it was the answer to his prayers. “His name is Macaroni, the unicorn pony!”

The awkwardness in the air was palpable, but this made the situation lighter. Ace smiled at his daughter while shooting an icy glare my way. “It’s nice to meet you, Macaroni. He looks like he might be hungry.” He said, looking over at Queenie, “Queenie would you take..” He trails off, looking lost at how to gain the information without asking anyone something that he technically had every right to know.

“Winter.” I spoke low and gently, clearing my throat as I said, “Winnie.” I clarified since that’s what she preferred and not wanting him to get on her wrong side already from calling her Winter.

“Aunt Queenie!” Winnie yelled, almost jumping out of Ace’s arms; he carefully set her on the ground to watch her arms open to a pale but smiling, open-armed Queenie. She carefully scooped her up and spun her around in a tight hug.

Queenie sat Winnie down on the ground and reached out her hand. “Let’s get you and Macaroni some breakfast.”

Winnie giggled and yelled and whispered, “Aunt Queenie, Macaroni can’t eat.” She covered Macaroni’s ears while she said, “He isn’t real, but don’t tell him that! We don’t want to hurt his feelings.”

“Of course!” She said, walking hand in hand with my daughter towards the Deck Fortress, leaving me standing alone with Ace and their men circling.

“Let’s go inside; there seems to be a lot we need to discuss, which I would prefer to do without an audience.” We walked together, not speaking; I tried to ignore all the glamor around me even though it was hard. This place, while looking daunting and familiar, had changed so much.

I never saw anything besides Ace's bedroom, which used to be on the ground floor. Not paying attention to where we were going, I almost ran into Ace’s back as he stopped in front of a dark door, pausing before opening it. We must be in his office, large built-in bookcases lined the back wall, with the center being a display for a bourbon collection which I couldn't help but roll my eyes at. The desk in front of the bookcases was built to intimidate; the stepped front molding looked handcrafted. Suddenly I am terrified to touch anything.

Ace seemed to hesitate about where to sit, looking at his desk and then back to the lounge area in the corner. He must have wanted space between us, so he decided on the desk. I sat across from him, my back rigid, waiting for him to start the conversation.

”You disappear; leave no note and not even a paper trail to follow. Now you need help with a child who calls me daddy and has my eyes. She’s mine?” He said evenly and calmly, but I could tell he was anything but calm.

”I wasn’t left with much choice, Ace, on all accounts. And yes, she is yours; her birthday is October 26th if you want to do the math.” I stop myself from rolling my eyes or letting venom enter my tone.

”You didn’t come back for a family reunion. What are you wanting? ” He asked coldly, making me almost flinch. I bite my tongue to not scream at him.

Instead, I reach into my bag, pulling out the folder of all the threats and pictures I have received over the last few weeks—wanting to be as transparent as possible to show him the seriousness of this situation. I slid it across the desk, watching him look through the file. “At first, I thought it was some weird prank. However, they got more and more disturbing as time went on. I know the past being what it is, and you never wanted this, but I need help, and I promise that we will never bother you again-”

He slammed his hands down on the desk before he quickly stood and leaned over his desk, pointing a finger at me. “Don’t you dare! You will never take her away from me again if she is my daughter.” He said the last through gritted teeth, breathing to calm himself. “I will be sending off for a DNA test in our lab within the hour. We will regroup then; Joker will take you to Queenie and Winnie.

Soon as he said his name there, Joker walked into the room; the scar that ran down his face was prominent. He looked like a modern-day Viking; his head was shaved to the sides with dark tattoos his long dark blonde hair was pulled back into a man bun. Dressed in dark, naturally distressed jeans and a grey t-shirt, his hardened eyes access me with something that I couldn’t interpret.

Silently, I walk to the door, wondering to myself what the fuck just happened. I looked at Joker, wondering if he was just the strong silent type or what his deal was. “So lovely weather we have been having,” I say to him, trying to make a sad conversation happen.

He grunted, then said in a profound yet raspy voice, almost as if his vocal cords had been dried out. “You’re seriously going to talk to me about the fucking weather? I am not here to be your friend. Until I hear that you're back in Ace's good graces, you're his problem.” He said, cooly.

”Wow. I thought my social skills were poor.” I said, rolling my eyes at him. Looking around, I never realized how huge this place was. When they call it a fortress, that’s genuinely what it was—multiple floors, wings, elevators, and staircases. And we seem to only be on the main floor as of now.

The main floor seemed like a place everyone could access. Since there were multiple people, we passed. They all nodded to Joker and looked at him with caution yet admiration.

He opens the door to a cafeteria-type room. And there at one of the tables sat Winnie, multiple papers and markers in front of her as she colored with such concentration. Empty plates were by her. Queenie was sipping coffee when she looked up at us.

“Queen,” Joker said to her, and Winnie smiled up at him. “Princess.” He said as he smiled at her and looked down at her paper. “I like the purple.”

Winnie beamed at him before leaning over and whispering in Queenie’s ear. Queenie then leaned down and spoke quietly as Winnie wrote on her paper. Before getting up and presenting the picture to Joker. "I want you to have this, Mr. Joker." She said before turning to me and opening her arms for a hug. "Mommy! This place makes yummy breakfast!"

"I am so glad! Have you been having fun?" I ask her as I sit down, pouring a cup of coffee from Queenie's tray on our table. I look over to see Joker still looking at the picture that Winnie drew with a far-off look in his eyes.

“Yes, mama. Mr. Joker got me French toast, eggs, and bacon!”

Joker laughed, “kid, you don’t need to call me Mr. Joker; I got to get going. Thanks for the picture.“ Winnie waved bye before focusing back on her pictures.

“Good to see you, Queenie; sorry about everything,” I tell her feeling a bit overwhelmed by my past coming back at once.

She shrugged, “Tess, that’s between you and Ace. You don’t need to apologize to me about anything.” Her eyes seemed to have lost the luster they once had.

Queenie and I caught up on our lives; by our lives, I mean mine. She is saying little about herself. She gets the message about the DNA test; then takes us to the center of the fortress. She was riding the elevator to the top floor, entering a code to open the doors, and using her hand to gain us entry.

Winnie ran right inside, and I stopped to thank Queenie before I could say anything she spoke. "When he returned, it was the hardest time of our lives, and you were gone. Have patience with him." Then walked away, leaving me slightly confused.