Demario's POV

One week later...

"For as much as it pleased the Father to take out of this world the soul of our dearly departed sister, we therefore commit her body to the ground. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust..."

"You okay, Demario?" Oliver asks me gently as he and I watched the coffin that held the remains of Jillian Kendricks being lowered into the grounds of Sanford Memorial Park while her family tossed their roses onto her cream-colored casket before other mourners did the same.

I nodded. "This has been a hard day for the family," I replied sotto voce. "Jillian and I may have had our rocky starts, but at least she and I made up before Ryan and Theo ended her and Artem's life. They're not going to get away with this, not if her family or my foster dads can allow it."

My boyfriend nodded before we turned our attention to the minister as he performed the last rites, a sob or two breaking out in between the silence.

Lord, please watch over Jillian, I silently prayed, keeping my head bowed low as everyone was instructed to pray silently. Forgive her of her sins as she and I made peace with each other- both of us betrayed and scorn by those who were the main players. Grant her safe passage into the afterlife and grant her eternal rest. May my prayer be her clemency. And may her family find comfort knowing that her killers will soon be brought to justice. Amen.

"This ends the graveside service for Jillian Kendricks," the funeral director said. "At this time, the family will receive guests at their residence where a repast will be held for those who knew Jillian best. You may return to your vehicles at this time."

Oliver motioned me to follow him to meet with the Kendricks, a still-weeping Mark and a grim-faced Mother Endora granting me a hug. "Thank you so much for coming, you two," Mr. Kendricks said. "Especially you, Demario, even after your release from the hospital. I'm glad that you only suffered minimal damage."

"It's been daunting for me, but my heart goes out to you two," I commented, handing Mark a tissue to dry his eyes. "Jillian may have been abrasive and all, but she was as much as a victim as everyone else was. She's no saint, but even everyone has their skeletons in the closet. Anyway, I couldn't forgive myself for not paying my respects if I didn't show up for today. I wasn't able to attend Artem's service since I was in the hospital, but I did respect him and talked to his parents."

"And I'm sure that they appreciated it," Endora commented. "Won't you two come to the house for the reception?"

"Are you sure?" Oliver asked uncertainly. "I mean, Demario and I don't want to intrude and all. And I think it might be best for only family."

"It's no trouble," Mrs. Kendricks commented. "You two are welcome since Jillian made peace with you both."

"True," I agreed, nodding. "I'd never forgive myself if I abandoned you. I'll even play the piano for the other guests."

"Thanks," Mark breathed, his tears now stopped. "Thanks for everything. And despite everything, Demario, I'm sure of one thing when it came to my sister."

"What's that?"

"She saw something in you that made you into a fighter despite your past. And she knew that you would come out of the ashes like a phoenix."

Oliver and I nodded and joined the family in the limousine.

***************

Two hours later, I was back at home and surprised yet again by the appearance of the well-dressed and cosmopolitan-themed sisters known as Yvonne, Candace, and Amelia Bader- all of them still single and free of me. "What are you three doing here?" I asked, my voice slightly sharp.

Candace sneered, crossing her long legs that shaped her pair of leather pants. "We're here to see you," she said calmly, looking around the living room. "This place does have a certain charm."

"Right," Amelia agreed before pursing her lips at the sight of Joel and Taylor. "Although the two faggots are a bit of a faux-pas. No matter, as long as they know that they're among royalty."

"Watch yourselves," Taylor commented. "Now, why have you come here?"

"We're here to-" Yvonne began.

"We're here to see this pathetic runt and ask him why he hasn't ended his life yet," Candace interrupted, giving everyone a wide grin as if she was a Mary Kay sales representative. "He ought to have considered finishing the job that he should've done back at Fairlake Arms. I kept hoping and praying that Demario would finally meet his demise so the Bader-Simmons-Ingram family can be finally free of the one blemish in our lives. But no matter what happened- him being drugged at that house party or being shot at that gala, it seems that Demario can't stay down."

"So sad, in a way," Amelia commented. "But the worst part of it all, he's now dating one of those goddamned transgender abominations- a woman posing as a man. How distasteful and...it's just wrong. It's all the more reason that we're still wishing that he was dead like Vivian and our brother wanted. But here he is, still alive and breathing. Why won't he just die already?"

"That's enough," Joel demanded. "If you ladies aren't having anything nice to say, I rather for you three to leave."

"Wait," Yvonne said, a contrite look on her face.

"He's right, Yvonne," Candace told her, standing up with Amelia following suit. "This was a waste of our time, Demario still alive and all. And for the record, this is what I really think of Demario."

Without warning, she took a deep breath and spat in my face before Amelia did the same.

"Hold the fuck up, bitch!" came the voice of one LIVID Noreen McGillivray-Sullivan as she, her sister, and Holly stormed inside with all three women ready to trade blows. "Who the hell do you think you three are with spitting on Demario like that?!"

"We're so sorry," Yvonne began, shooting a glare at her sisters. "Amelia and Candace were-"

"Doing the right thing," Candace cut her sister off, sneering at the trio of women. "And I see three women who are nothing but-"

"Choose your words very wisely, ma'am," Judge McGillivray warned.

Amelia just smiled widely. "Sorry, Judge Trailer Trash," she said smoothly. "But we're here for Demario, not Larry, Curly, and Moe's wives and daughter. And this has nothing to do with you three, so back off."

"Criminy, Demario, is your birth family really full of psychotic assholes other than Denise and her husband?" Holly asked me, rolling her eyes. "Because I see one of them who's not wanting to start nothing while her two sisters remind me of candidates for the big bad wolf's girlfriend- by the hairs of their chinny-chin-chin, might I add."

"I beg your pardon, you little wench, but you should be seen and not heard," Candace shot back.

"Not when it comes to my best friend, Grandma," Holly spat back, fists clenched as if preparing to pull a Laila Ali.

"How dare you," Amelia sneered. "I'm just glad to see that Demario fits in nicely with the dumpster in a beautiful home that should go to a true American family with values. But the world will be better off without him in it. He disgusts me!"

SLAP! SLAP!

I reeled away from the double backhanded slap before Candace caught me off-guard with a punch to the jaw.

"ENOUGH!" bellowed Yvonne as she came to my side and helped me up from the floor.

"Bonnie, what are you doing?" Candace said, scoffing at the sight. "You should be on our side, not helping this runt!"

"That's on you, Candace and Amelia," Yvonne said. "I was mainly here to make peace. You two came along to just tear down Demario some more. I didn't ask for you two to come along!"

"But here we are," Amelia cheered as if she won Miss USA. "And had it not been for your interference, I would've gladly brought along my gun to shoot him dead."

"That's all I need to hear," Judge McGillivray commented as two police officers arrived. "Amelia and Candace Bader, you are under arrest for assault and battery on a minor with intention of murder."

"Are you joking?!" Candace spat angrily as a male officer placed handcuffs on her. "We haven't done anything wrong!"

"Oh, really? Punching and hitting a minor whom you have no parental rights of isn't an offense to you?" Noreen shot back, rolling her eyes. "Lady, if my sister allowed me to, I would gladly throw you and your clone in the chipper. Miss Yvonne over here at leasts acts like she has some sense."

"Thank you," Yvonne said.

Candace rolled her eyes before sneering at me. "This isn't over," she said. "I hope those boys come back and finish the job in killing you dead, Demario. You broke this family and you should've been the one to die instead. If Carl wasn't in prison, he would've approved of my plan to shoot you dead!"

She spat in my face one more time before she and Amelia were roughly led out of the house as another officer waited for them so she could read them their rights.

Yvonne huffed a breath. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry that they tagged along, hoping that I fell in line," she said as she handed me a towel to clean my face. "Demario, I'm not like them at all. Like Denise and Trey was, I was blackmailed into bullying you by your mother. I was dealing with an unwanted pregnancy after being raped when my sisters and I were in college. And by the time you were born, I was two weeks along in my pregnancy. I knew that Lottie Mae wouldn't have me abort the child, but Vivian made it possible for me to go through with it and make it look like I lost the child. In return, I'd join her hate parade. I kind of wished I hadn't gone through with it since I now can't have children thanks to a botched abortion."

"Mercy," Noreen breathed.

Yvonne nodded, fighting the urge to cry.

So Yvonne was a victim thanks to my mother as well as Denise and Trey. But unlike Denise, Yvonne can't have any kids. "I'm so sorry," I replied.

"Don't be," she said, letting out a choked sob as the tears began to fall. "This is karma for my part in this. Demario, I'm so sorry for being a part of your mom's web of lies. And I'm more sorry that you were born in a family who didn't love you because you're a love child. I can't even to imagine how to handle even one day in your shoes before you came here because I wouldn't have handled it better than you did. Unlike Amelia and Candace, I do wish you the best. If anything, I do want you to be happy. You survive the coldest wars in your life. And with your new foster family, you have plenty of reminders of what you're fighting for."

"Thank you," I said softly. "So, what are you going to do now?"

My stylishly-dressed and high-living former aunt sniffed, sighing heavily. "Leave Texas," she said abruptly. "I'm going to start over and try to gain a semblance of humility. There's too much bad blood going on and you had one too many bad memories. So I need to break free and rebuild my life with a clean slate."

"That's a good idea," Taylor said.

"Well, it's never too late to start over," I agreed.

"Thanks," Yvonne replied, composing myself and getting her purse. "And Demario, I will give you this notice. Douglass and Evangeline, your paternal grandparents, are coming to see you. And they have their say about all of this, none of them being pleasant."

"They still hate me for being a love child and for ruining their son's happiness?" I asked.

She nodded. "In their eyes, you should've been dead a long time ago," she intoned. "For what it's worth, they're no angels themselves. The Bader-Simmons-Ingram family is messed up to the core. And despite what they said about you, I think you are the only one who can finally put this whole mess to bed."

With that, she took her leave as Taylor shut the door behind her.

I had a strong feeling that my next therapy session with the Nguyens will be...well, chaotic.

And the plot thickens, ladies and gentlemen! From here, secrets regarding Demario's biological family and revelations will be revealed while Ryan and Theo are going to be facing a lot of heat for their crimes. All that, some sensual moments between Demario and Oliver, and so much more is coming up as we reach the grand finale that will soon spin off a hopefully-ever-after of an ending!

Song: "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar.

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