A Twinkle In The Stars

Chapter 25

Gwen's disappearance took a toll on Edgar. He felt as if somehow it was his fault. Had he never engaged with her back then, maybe she could have been happy for him and found love for herself. Stricken with guilt he enlisted in the Navy and hoped he would get assigned to a base far from home. 

Before he was assigned a base he married our Mother. Our grandparents paid for the wedding, proud that at least one of their kids wasn't a screw up. Pretty soon they started telling people they only had one son. 

A couple weeks after the wedding, Edgar was assigned a base in Granada Falls. Five states away from my grandparents. They were sad he had to leave but were even more proud at his sacrifice.

Meanwhile, Gwen had been roaming around trying to find the answer to what she was feeling. She had come across a woman who had promised her a steak in life. Something better.

Madame Zay.

"You take this bag to the border and I'll make it worth your while." Madame Zay purred.

"What's in it?" Gwen asked.

"Don't worry about that. Just do as I say and everything will be fine." 

Gwen took the bag to the border. There she was arrested by border patrol. The bag was filled with cocaine and meth.

"Tell us who sent you!" One officer commanded.

"Never." Gwen spat in his face.

He struck her with his baton.

"Who sent you." He asked again.

She spit blood onto his shoes.

"Fine. Smuggling drugs over the border is a federal offense. You'll probably get the max." He smirked.

She still didn't budge.

"Boys is this really any way to treat a lady?" Madame Zay came into the interrogation room.

They froze at the sound of her voice.

"I'll be taking her home with me now." Madame Zay winked.

They walked out of the interrogation room hand in hand. That's how much power Madame Zay had. She wasn't just a queen pin notoriously known everywhere especially in her home town Hudson. She ran the entire state. 

"H-How are you just taking me home like that?" Gwen questioned.

"Honey I been in this business since I was a teenager. You pay off the right people anything is possible." Madame Zay kissed her cheek.

Gwen was now under Madame Zay's spell.

Gwen worked under Madame Zay for years. Zay built up her empire working off of drug deals and controlled hits on her competition.

Ten years passed and Gwen's hurt was healing. Zay was her medicine and as long as it was constant she was fine. That all ended when Madame Zay announced she was branching off to go and take over Granada Falls. Her biggest rival, Wesley Tinison, had taken over and she couldn't have that.

"What am I going to do without you?" Gwen asked.

"Your not a puppy Gweneth, you'll figure it out." Madame Zay laughed.

She left Gwen. That hurt redeveloping all over again. 

So she followed her to Granada Falls. But to her surprise she didn't find Madame Zay. She found something that meant so much more to her:

Her brother.

Gwen had returned as soon as Edgar and Eliza had just given birth to twins. Me and Ailita. It was a whirlwind for everyone.

"Gwen where were you all those years?" Edgar questioned.

"I found a woman. She took care of me and helped me mentally. It didn't end well. She left me to come here and I followed her. But I found you instead." Gwen took his hand in hers.

"Listen Gwen, maybe you should go back home and reconnect with your mom and Pop. I got a great thing going here. Me and Eliza got married and we just had twin girls. Your nieces. But you being here might cause some problems if your still hanging on to that line we shouldn't have crossed all those years ago. Trust me, you'll be better off if you just leave those thoughts out of your mind." Edgar advised her.

"Please, Edgar. I'm in love with a woman who is in love with money. That little tissy we got into all those years ago is behind me. I just want to be your sister again and be an aunt to my nieces if you and Eliza will allow it. I won't be any trouble." Gwen pleaded.

Gwen moved in with the four of us. It was rocky. Gwen always felt she knew what was best for the household. But she had to understand that it wasn't her house and it wasn't her family. Which is exactly what Edgar and Eliza let her know. Gwen felt that it was Eliza who was putting these ideas into Edgar's head. So she formulated a plan. 

Most times mom was too busy with us to cook so Gwen offered. She would put the tiniest amounts of arsenic in the food and allow my mother and father to eat it. 

By the time we were nine, our Mother had been diagnosed with cancer and our Father had been shipped somewhere else. Too far to intervene.

To make matters worse, she was attempting to reconnect with Madame Zay.

Word got around that Gwen was looking for Zay. And if you seek you shall find. One day when my Mother was gone Madame Zay showed up to our house.

"Hello, Gweneth. I heard you were seeking me." Madame Zay grinned.

The two were reunited.

All wrongs had been righted and all grievances forgotten.

"I need your help." Gwen frantically sat down with Madame Zay.

"Pray tell." Madame Zay seemed intrigued.

"I am plotting to kill my sister in law so that my brother will be relieved of her evilness. The only problem is they have kids. Twin girls." Gwen blurted.

"Gwen, is this the brother you told me about? The one you had...relations with?" Madame Zay frowned.

"Yes and I would like for that to stay in the past. But that has nothing to do with it. She's conniving and always has something to say. She turnd my brother against me and I nee your help. I ran tricks for you in Hudson now it's time for you to help me." Gwen demanded.

"You helped me in Hudson because you believed I loved you. I will not dirty my hands in this. You are sick and need to get some help." Madame Zay spat.

Gwen felt enraged.

All the times she helped Zay in Hudson. Whether it was running drugs or taking out targets. Gwen did it all in the name of love for Madame Zay. 

"So your not gonna help me?" Gwen growled.

"No, I came here to make things right with you but if you continue with this plan I will not associate myself with this chaos." Madame Zay stood from her seat.

Gwen let Madame Zay leave. And just like that, the second person she had ever loved let her down.