All On Contract

Chapter 78 - Dr Dawson

Tessa's P.O.V:
I turn my head slightly to the right to see Iris staring up at the chandelier as we lay down on the white furry carpet in the living room. Its almost been an hour since she came and layed down next to me without saying a single word.

I'm sure she knows about Gayle since its all over the news but she hasn't mentioned anything, she hasn't even said a word. I look down at my black dress and look back up at the chandelier as I let out a sigh, I have to go court today.

Marshall was up half the night, comforting whilst I cried in his arms after another nightmare I had about Gayle, pathetic I know. Since he was up half the night, I told him to go get some sleep and that I would wake him up for court when my brothers came home.

My brothers and their families are being followed everywhere by paparazzi, just like Paul and Leroy are. I haven't been outside for the last week so I don't really know how crazy it really is and how many people are waiting outside the gates.

I had many calls from different celebrities like Jay Z and Beyoncé and Kanye West and many others, telling me that they're here for me and supporting me. Paul and Proof came yesterday with Nathan and left the same day.

"When I was younger." Iris says, making me snap back to reality. "I..My mom became a drunk when my dad died." She says. "I remember her coming home from the hospital...I remember it so clearly." She whispers the last part as a single tear slides down the side of her face and dissappears behind her ear.

I turn to my right and lock my hand with hers, letting her know that i'm right here if she ever needs anything or anyone to talk to. Iris goes quiet for a few seconds before she carries on with her story.

"I asked about Dads health when she came home and I asked her when he's going to come home since he stayed in hospital for two weeks." She clears her throat. "I was only five when she told me that dad was never going to come home." She says, her voice gets heavy and she swallows a couple of times as tears slide down to the side of her face.

"You don't have to carry on Iris." I whisper.

"I want to." She says quietly. "I remember asking my mom why he wasn't coming home and she just simply said that he couldn't." She shrugs. I watch her take the small compus around her neck and hold it tight. "I was only 4 and still didn't understand. I was so stupid." She laughs. "At the funeral, my dads best friend did our mothers job and explained to me and my brother why he was never coming back." She says as more tears slide down her face. "You probably wondering why i'm telling you this." She says.

"You can come to me and talk about anything and everything, sweetheart." I say softly and watch her nod. I sit up slight and wipe her tears and with my fingers.

"I've never ever talked about this to anyone before." She says. "I'm telling you this because I know something about you now that you wouldn't have liked me to know." She adds as she sits up.

"The whole world knows now." I shrug before it goes quiet between us.

"Although I am very familiar with pain....I don't know what you're going through." Iris says. "But I am so sorry....So sorry that you have to go through this." She adds as I wrap my arms around her. Iris leans foward and places her arms around me and hugs me. "You are so brave...I hope you get justice and I hope you finally get a chance at being truly happy whilst he is locked up." She says.

"Thank you." I sigh before I kiss her cheek and hug her again.

***

"Did anything unusal happen on Tessa's 13th birthday?" Leonardo asks the witness. I watch Crystal as she leans foward towards the mic and answers slowly.