| Chapter Ten
Two Days Later – TV Studio Lot Stacy’s POV “Mom, what’s going on with you?” I watched as she paced in front of her trailer. The rest of the gang was still inside. Dana came up behind me and hugged me. “Dana, maybe you can talk some sense into her.” “Stacy, she’s just nervous. You know how she gets when she has to talk about her past. She completely broke down when she was just telling us, her best friends. Think about how she must feel now? She’s about to tell everyone who’s watching” I nodded and looked up. My mother had stopped pacing was standing at the bottom of the steps, now watching Dana and me, smiling. “What you smiling at Mom?” “I’m smiling because I’m looking at the two people I love most in the world, my daughter and my girlfriend. Come down here.” I ducked under Dana’s arms and ran to my mother, completely feeling like a little kid again. She hugged me tight, actually lifting me off the ground. “Dana, you too.” Dana gave us her trademark goofy grin and came down, enveloping us in a group hug. My mom was the first to pull back. “I need to talk to the two of you about this.” “About what mom?” My mother took my hands and looked me in the eye. “Are you sure you’re ready for this sweetie? I don’t have to even mention you.” “Mom, if you don’t then Buckley will win. More people will have to go through everything you and Bette have gone through.” My mother nodded. “But sweetie, I don’t want to cause you any grief. You don’t deserve this.” “Neither do you Alex. No one deserves this, not even the bitch doing it to you.” I nodded at what Dana was saying. “Listen to her Mom. She’s right. Mom, this is our only chance. We don’t have anything else against her. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself.” My mother nodded and let go of my hands to wipe tears from her eyes. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Alex Desmond herself,” a voice said from behind us. We turned around and saw Buckley, standing there all smug. “Didn’t think you’d actually show.” “I’m not a chicken. I said I would do this debate and I don’t go back on my word.” “Well, I hope you’re ready to cancel your show.” I looked at my mother and smirked. “She’s not going to be canceling her show. Are you ready, Mom?” Buckley’s eyes widened as she looked between my mom and I and Dana. “Yeah Babe,” Dana said as she caught on to what I was doing. “We need to get you into Make-up.” Buckley grunted and stomped off. Dana chuckled. “Did you see the look on her face? That was fun.” My mom and I laughed and the three of us headed back into her trailer. Debate Set – One Hour Later Alex’s POV I sat on the other side of the show’s host, watching as Buckley got a touch up. I looked over and saw Bob Buckley, smiled at me. It was scary because the smile was so familiar. I looked behind the camera opposite me and saw Dana and Stacy, smiling at me but smiling nicely. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as the director counted down and yelled, “We’re on!” “Good evening and welcome. I’m Phil Carter and I’ll be your host for this debate between Alex Desmond and Faye Buckley. Good evening ladies.” “Good evening Phil,” we said in unison. Buckley glared at me as just smiled. Secretly I was wishing she would mess up without me having to even mention Stacy. “So, Alex would you kindly describe your paintings to our audience?” “Of course Phil. Well the first room will be some of my more trademark paintings. What I did for those paintings was take photographs of my friends doing everyday things. I then drew a grid on a copy of the picture and a corresponding grip on my canvas. Using the grid, I drew the picture bigger then painted it in. The original photographs will also be on display.” “Now what about the others? They are the reason why we are here.” “The other paintings are of couples in love, making love.” “The other paintings are abominations. You show unmarried couples having sexual intercourse.” “Actually Mrs. Buckley, if you had done your research, you would know that all the couples were married. I did all the homosexual paintings in foreign countries where same sex marriages are legal. The heterosexual couples were married as well. You can see their rings in the paintings.” “Well, these paintings sound very interesting.” “They are disgusting and immoral, just like the artist.” Phil coughed at that. “Well, yes, Mrs. Buckley. You claim to have incriminating photographs of Ms. Desmond.” “Yes Phil I do.” Buckley reached beside her and pulled out several pictures. “Ms. Desmond tended to get stoned while she painted and one time she made a pass on one of her straight female models.” “Oh that is such a lie. I would never do that.” “Yes she did and the woman’s husband raped her then she had an abortion.” “Ms. Desmond, are you going to admit that any of that is true or is Mrs. Buckley making all this up, including police records and the photos.” “No, the pictures are real, the police reports are real, and yes I was raped but not by one of my females model’s husband.” The audience was completely silent as I looked over at Stacy and saw her smiling and giving me two thumbs up. “Also, I didn’t have an abortion. I have a daughter named Stacy.” I smiled at Phil. “Well then, if you don’t mind, do tell us the truth.” “Well, I was sixteen and living with my adopted parents the Buckleys.” I watched as Faye looked up at me and Bob Buckley pulled up a chair and sat down. “I was home alone with the husband and their birth daughter.” I noticed Stacy wipe a stray tear, knowing that I had a couple running down my face as well. “I made him mad so he picked me up, threw me on the bed, then raped me. His wife came home and stood at the door, watching what her husband was doing. Those pictures are from when they found out that I didn’t get the abortion.” The entire audience gasped. Buckley stood up and slapped me. “You bitch.” “Mrs. Buckley, what’s wrong?” “She just accused my husband and I of a horrible crime.” “No she didn’t. There are hundreds of people with the last name Buckley but you just accused yourself. Security.” I watched as Bob Buckley was put in handcuffs. I laughed as I saw Alice smiled smugly but grimaced when she tapped Bob on the shoulder and punched him in the face. I watched Shane pull Alice back and grimaced even more as words that would make sailors blush came flying out of her mouth towards Bob. Everyone heard them as Alice was standing right under a mic. “Well, that’s enough excitement for one night I think. Ms. Desmond, good luck with your show. I’m Phil Carter and good night.” Dana’s POV I was so proud of Alex as I watched her chit chat with the host. She caught my eye and with a nod to Phil, came running over and hugged me, picking me up and spinning me around. “I’m so happy right now!” I laughed as she set me down. “I can tell. I’m so proud of you sweetie.” Alex smiled then went and hugged Alice, also picking her up and spinning her around. “That was the coolest thing when you punched Bob Buckley but you could have gotten arrested. Alice chuckled when Alex set her down and Shane grabbed her, acting jealous. “Well, I knew if I did you would bail me out. Besides, I figured they were more interested in getting the rapist in cuffs. Wish I could have gotten a piece of Faye though. Really wanted to kick her ass. We all laughed and headed towards Alex’s trailer. As we got closer Stacy stopped and said, “Well Alice, you just might get your wish.” We all looked and saw Faye Buckley standing in front of Alex’s trailer. Stacy walked ahead of the rest os us, with Alice close behind though. “What are you doing here?” When Alex caught up with Stacy Buckley looked at her and her nostrils flared. “You bitch! You got my husband arrested. You will pay for this!” Buckley ran towards Alex but Alice and Bette moved in front of her. “You’ll have to go through us first,” Alice said and Bette nodded. “Me too,” Shane said as she stepped next to Alice. Tina stepped next to Bette. “Me too.” Stacy pushed her way between Alice and Bette as I moved next to Alex. “Me too and before this goes on any longer, I’m sure the rest of the gang would be throwing some punches too if necessary.” Faye took one step closer and Alice punched her in the nose. “Told you.” Faye glared at all of us, saving Alice for last. “You’ll pay for that.” Alice smirked. “I’m sure I will but it was well worth it anyway. Now get out of here before I punch you again.” Buckely glared at Alice one more time then turned around and walked away, quickly. “And stay away!” We all laughed at Alice’s parting words to Buckley. She smiled and shook her hand. “Damn that hurt but felt good.” Alex chuckled. “Let me get my stuff then we’ll all go to the Planet. I’m sure Marina will give you some ice for your knuckles.” Alice nodded. Alex went in to her trailer, grabbed her bag and we were off. The Planet When we got to the Planet Alex pulled me aside and kissed me. “I love you.” I laughed softly. “I love you too.” Alex batted her eyelashes then went and joined her daughter, taking a glass of wine away from her and handing her a bottle of water. Stacy pouted but took the water and sat with Alice and Shane. Alice slid her glass in Stacy’s direction and winked at her while Alex was talking to Marina, her back to them. “Dana, get your butt over here and celebrate with us,” Alice said, waving me over then throwing her hand back in a bowl of ice. I laughed and saw down, quickly taking Alice’s glass away from Stacy and pushing the bottle back in front of her. “Water good. Wine, bad.” Stacy glared at me but smiled and mouth ‘Thank you’ when Alex sat next to me. Alice grabbed her glass from me and lifted it in the air. “A toast. To Alex and her daughter Stacy, may the two of you live happily ever after and congratulations.” ”You’re drunk Alice,” Alex said, but I could tell Alice’s toast had touched her. “Yeah? Well, I punched both the Buckleys. I have the right to be drunk.” |