Introducing Tammy to C

The plane ride hadn't been horrible. Even though it was less than an hour flight, Tammy fell asleep on Dante's lap and I kept to myself in the isle seat. Ok, so It was alright for Dante and Tammy, but I couldn't dwell on how I felt. I called my sister as soon as we got back into NYC. She told me she was saying at our old penthouse and instead of asking questions over the phone, I told her I was coming over to see her. I told her I just came back from visiting Zia Iris and I wanted her to meet someone. Leaving it at that, we took Dante's SUV from the airport to the penthouse. I told him he could park in the garage and we'd take the elevator up. "Who lives here?" Tammy asked, and I looked down at her, smiling as we stepped out of the elevator. "No one really lives here anymore, but my twin sister, your Zia Caroline is staying here right now." I explained as much as I knew. I didn't know why she was here, but hopefully she'd tell me... Unless she was too pissed to even talk to me. I took out my keys and unlocked the door, opening it and walking in, holding the door open for Dante and Tammy. "C? We're here."

I let go of Tammy's hand as she moved into the room, undoing her jacket. I wasn't sure exactly why Carly was here. Last I had heard she was staying with Jackson but I wasn't going to butt my head in where it didn't belong. I had enough of my own issues to deal with. I'd just have to call Jackson later and ask him what was up.

I smoothed out my skirt coming from my old bedroom and smiling. "Hey, B..." I stopped short of what I was saying and looked down at the little girl standing near my sister and Dante. I had never seen her before.. but something about her was familiar. "Is this the guest you were talking about?" I asked, Bianca, before finishing my way over to her and hugging her before doing the same with Dante. "And who might you be, little lady?" She smiled sweetly. "Tamara, this is my daddy." She said, grabbing Dante's hand. My eyes widen and I looked over at B. Dante had a kid and never even told my sister. What an ass!

I winced slightly, taking a slow breath. "Why don't we all sit down?" I suggested, taking my coat off and opening the closet near the door. I hung my coat up and turned to take Tammy's. "I'll hang up your coat, bambina." She glared up at me, but handed me her jacket anyway. I hung it up and turned to Dante. He shrugged off his jacket and handed it to me as well. I closed the door and walked toward the living area. Once were all seated, I looked at C, inhaling deeply. "C, I'm going to tell you something, and I don't want you to hate me for it." I had already made a mess of things by not telling anyone about Tammy, I didn't want to make it worse by just blurting it out. "Isabella had me and didn't tell anyone about me. I've been living with my Zia Iris since I was born because Isabella didn't want to tell anyone about me." Like that. I didn't want to blurt it out like that, but Tammy didn't have any qualms illustrating what I had done. She didn't have anything to hide.

I think I was trying to keep my mouth shut only because me and Carly had never been close and I knew she had a temper and if she thought for a second that keeping Tammy was my secret at all she'd go for my neck instead of Bianca's where the blame belonged. I however couldn't help but laugh when Tammy blurted out what Bianca was trying to say. "I didn't know about her till a few days ago.. so.. don't feel too bad." I said trying to lighten the mood some.

I was so shocked I just sat there forever staring forward, my mouth wide open and my eyes open like saucers. My sister had a kid and didn't even bother saying a word to me? Seriously? And NOW when I had so much on my plate to begin with she decides to tell her dirty little secret and expects me not to be angry. "Oh," I said slowly, "Okay.." I decided I'd keep my anger in check, at least in front of Tammy. "Well, Tamara I'm your Aunt Carly, nice to meet you." She stood, walked over and hugged me tight. "Nice to meet you, Aunt Carly!" She said before pulling away and going back to sit on her dad's lap. "So I assume this happened back.. when you left?" I asked, trying to force myself to blink.

I nodded, knowing that I wasn't in the clear. This was C's calm before her storm. I knew she wouldn't fly off on me in front of Tammy. Dante, maybe, but not Tammy. Tammy was an innocent child and she didn't need to be witness to anything like that. "I found out I was pregnant a little while after I'd left, but-" I looked down at my hands clasped tightly together on my knees before looking back up at me. "I was scared of so many different things. I was afraid of coming back after I'd already left. I was afraid I was going to lose her, even after so many months. And when she was born, I was afraid I couldn't be the mother she deserved, so I left her with Zia." I looked over at Tammy and Dante. "None of the choices I've made have been the right ones, and I am sorry, but I know even that doesn't fix anything." I turned to look back at C. "But we're going to be a family now," I told her, even though it was just one more lie. "Dante and I are going to raise Tammy together." I forced my patented smile. "He even asked me to marry him." I didn't know what would happen when we never got married, but that was just something we would have to deal with later. Dante wanted the world and Tammy to think that we were a happy family, and I was going to put my best foot forward and play my part. No one would ever know we're not the happy family Dante and I would be pretending to be.

I took Bianca's hand in mine, kissing the top of it. "I sure do.. and I want to marry this girl more than anything. Take it easy on her. She made her mistakes but she meant well." Not that I believed that for a second. i believed she was truly selfish because that's what she wanted.. but I didn't want her sister to hate her.

"Oh," I said smiling weakly. "That's great.. eh, I hate to cut this short, but maybe we could discuss this later, I'm going to see an apartment today.. to check it out I honestly didn't expect to see you guys." I smiled at Tammy. "And I especially didn't expect to meet my niece. I can't wait to get to know you, Tamara." She smiled brightly, she had a smile just like her dad. She looked up at her dad and then back at Bianca. "What does getting married mean? Is that when you wear that pretty dress like on TV?" She asked Bianca.

I hated this show we were putting on. The words were there, but I knew there was no feeling behind them. I had wanted for so long to be married to Dante, to be a family with him and Tammy, but I had messed that up, long before now. I smiled softly at Dante, even if I didn't feel it and then looked down at Tammy. "All nice and pristine white? Yes. And it means that your daddy and me will be together forever. And it means we'll both be here for you forever." I looked up at Dante, trying to keep that smile plastered on my face. I looked over at C, shaking my head. "Why do you need an apartment? What's wrong with Jackie's place?" I looked around the living area of the penthouse and then back to her. "Or even here for that matter? Three bedrooms is plenty for you and the baby." I looked back at Tammy. "Oh, you're going to have a cousin. Your Auntie C is going to have a baby. Actually, you're going to have two cousins. Mama and Auntie C's cousin is going to have a baby too. We're going to go meet her after we leave here." Tammy looked excited for a moment but kept calm. "You know, you don't have to introduce me to the entire city of Manhattan, Isabella." I nodded slightly. "I'm not, bambina. Just those people who should have known you years ago."

"Too many memories. In both places. It's easier to start over fresh and new." I said shrugging. I heard Tammy and my eyes widen. She had gone from such a sweet nice girl to.. well, a snot. She had an attitude.. like me. I almost laughed but held it in. "Tamara, you got spunk, like me, but you know something?" She looked over at me. "You never use that spunk on your mama even if sometimes they deserve it. Trust me in the future when your a mama, or even just an adult you'll feel bad." She thought about it for a second before looking at her dad and then B. "Sorry." She simply put before climbing off her dad's lap. "Can I go look around?" I nodded. "You sure can. Just don't be a snoop." She laughed. "I won't." She said before walking off.

I watched Tammy walk off and looked between the girls. I knew this wasn't going to end well, so, I took Bianca's hand, smiled at her and held on tight. Might as well act like I emotionally support her, considering if I didn't Carly would see right through it.

Tammy left the room, running up the stairs. I didn't mind if she got into my room. We had gotten mostly new stuff when Dante and I moved out of the city. My bed and even some of my stuff was still up in there. But C told her not to get into things, so I was sure she wouldn't bother A's or C's things while she was up there. I looked back over to C, my lip trembling. I was glad Dante was holding my hand, even if I knew it wasn't more than a show. "C, I know I made the wrong choices, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I have no excuse, and even if I did, it wouldn't make anything better. And I can't even ask you to understand or forgive me." I almost said that Dante hasn't even forgiven me, but that would belie this whole charade we were putting on. Everyone had to know we were happy, even if that was the farthest thing from the truth.

I rubbed her hand more, letting my finger move over her bare ring finger. I'd have to change that.. if people wanted to believe we were really getting married. She'd need a ring. The idea of it made my stomach turn, only because I didn't want to do that.. I didn't want to buy a ring for a woman I wasn't really going to marry..

"I know you're sorry. And I'm glad Dante was able to forgive you but honestly I have so much going on.. so many people who've let me down I don't know if I can forgive and forget. Especially with something this big. I mean for Christ Sake's Bianca this wasn't you keeping a puppy from me, this was your daughter. I mean a head's up would have been nice, just a hey I got a daughter, I can't take care of her but.. and it's not like you have the same excuses Im sure you gave Dante about not being around. I was with you every damn day after you got famous.. I'm angry and I really don't know what to say.. besides I'm angry."

I turned my head down, nodding slightly. "I know. And I know I'm sorry doesn't make anything better. I wish I knew how to make things better." For everyone involved. Looking back up at her, I swallowed. "I understand that you're upset with me and I have to accept that. I'm just not going to keep Tammy from the people who should mean the most to her in her life, and you're one of those people. I hope that for her sake, maybe you can pretend that things are alright between us, just so she doesn't think anything is wrong?" It was the same thing that I was doing with Dante, and if it could work for him and me, maybe it could work for my sister and me... "As long as Tammy is happy, that's all I can ask for."

"B, I'm not pretending I'm okay when I'm not but that doesn't mean I'm dropping you out of my life or anything.. you're my sister." I took a deep breath. "And I'll find a way to deal with your lies.. and your secrets but if my behaving makes it easier for you.. I can." I sat back some. "So you two are getting married? When did this happen?" I said with a soft smile.

"Yeah.." I said laughing uneasily as I used my free to scratch the back of my neck. "I, eh, asked her while we were out of town yesterday, took her to dinner and it just sorta slipped out.. i didn't even get a ring yet.."

I looked over at Dante, taking a deep breath. I didn't want a ring, not when it was all just a great big lie. The ring would be the physical representation of that lie and I didn't want that, but we had to keep up appearances. "Don't worry about it, mio re." I hadn't called him that since high school, when we were named king and queen of the prom... I hope that it didn't upset him. I bit my lip, turning my head down to look at our clasped hands, wishing it meant what it should, but I knew I had no right to hope for that, not after all I'd done. "I guess we'll leave so you can go find yourself an apartment," I said, looking back up at my sister. "Let me know if you need any help." I looked back at D, taking a breath. "Wanna go?

"Yeah..." I said, still a little shaken by her nickname. "Let's go.." I stood up, helping her stand and wrapping my hand around her hand tightly. "Tamara, let's go!"

I stood up. "Well, thanks for coming to tell me." I walked over and hugged Bianca hard. "I love you, B. Angry or not, okay?" I smiled and gave Dante one as Tammy came running in the room. I leaned down and gave her a hug. "I look forward to really getting to know you. Maybe you and your mom can go shopping with me sometime?" She looked at Bianca. "I'd rather Isabella not come." I sighed. "Well, she's part of the deal.. okay.. and I'll let you get whatever you want.." She sighed. "Fine, it was nice meeting you, Aunt Carly." I smiled. "You too, honey!"

I stepped away from them, getting our coats out of the closet. I tried to help Tammy with her jacket, but she pulled it from my hands. "I can do it, Isabella!" I nodded silently and turned back to the closet, pulling out Dante's coat and handing it to him. I didn't look him in the eye. I couldn't. I pulled my coat out and pulled it over my shoulders, turning back to C. "I love you, C. I'll call you and we'll take Tammy shopping."

"I love you too.." I said, watching Tammy. She really resented her mom. It was going to take time but her dislike for the moment was apparent. "Be good, all of you." I said, giving Dante a half hug as I opened the door for them.

"Tammy no need to be rude.." I said to her as Bianca, Tammy and I walked out. "Bye, Carly." She said bye too before shutting the door. I let Bianca's hand go and took Tammy's. "Wanna go and get some lunch before we see Abby?" I asked Bianca.

I smiled, walking over to the elevator, pushing the down button. I crossed my arms over my breasts. "Sounds good to me. I'm sure we're all kinda hungry." I walked into the elevator as the doors opened and waited until Dante and Tammy were in with me and pushed the basement button.