TYLERI took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts before I began to share my story. Sitting across from her, I could see the concern etched on her face. It was difficult to talk about this, but I knew it was necessary. She was the mother of my child and there were certain things she had to know about me. I took a deep breath, knowing she was attentive, and listening to me."I guess it all started when I was just a kid, let's say five or six." I began, my voice trembling slightly until I found composure. "My parents... they weren't exactly the loving and caring type, not like the parents of my friends in school who would come to pick up their kids after school and pack their lunch. Mine were never like that, they were abusive, both physically and emotionally." As I spoke, memories flooded back, vivid and painful. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to steady myself. "As I grew older, I found solace in drugs and sex. To escape from the pain at home, I turned to drugs and sex, I had my

THEAI was dreaming... dreaming that I was seated with him and he was talking. I weighed his words, his pain and how he trusted me to have told me so much. He trusted me so much.He had started, telling the graphic story like I was there with him, he said, "... as I grew older, I found solace in drugs and sex. To escape from the pain at home, I turned to drugs and sex, I had my first penetration when I was fourteen, then again when I was sixteen and it was constant, every day I had sex and every day I took drugs."I saw him again, when he was little, I saw his Ma and Da physically grappling and he was there looking at them, I was like a statue, I couldn't move, I wanted to help him, to pull him away, it was then I heard a bang and slowly, the house I was in was fading and even little Tyler and his parents were fading, it took long to realize I was dreaming and not really in Tyler's old house. I was in Manhattan, on my bed and it was last night I saw Tyler and he told me this.I opened

TYLERI sat back in my chair, feeling a heavy weight lift off my shoulders. I felt a mix of relief and exhaustion after delivering that unbelievable speech at the conference. I never planned for this, but the instant I saw the news stories saying terrible things about Thea, I knew I had to do all in my power to get her out of the mess I caused - I don't even know how I caused it. On a normal day, if this was what I have been preparing for weeks, I would have been pouring over notes and rehearsing this delivery until I know in me that I was confident and prepared. But this, this came unexpectedly and I had to do the speech without rehearsing. And heaven knows as soon as I stepped onto the stage and began speaking, at first I was scared of what to say, and how my speech would sound like, as I began, I could feel the weight of the faces of the men I've worked with all my life bearing down upon me.If I lost it all, how would I live? How was I going to make ends meet. How am I supposed

BOOKERI stood in the lobby waiting for Tyler to return from his phone call while wondering what was so important he couldn't take the call in my presence. My mind searched for answers, was there another crisis? Or was he about to do something to create one? I couldn't quite put it all together, but feeling safe had gone down to the bottom of my list these days. Everything was suspiciousThe door swung open revealing a strange woman who attracted my attention. "Tyler, baby boy, I'm..." She paused and stood still for quite a while and there was shock written all over her face. Confusion was beyond me, I had never seen this face in all my years in earth and here she was barging rightfully into Tyler's house about to utter what I imagined to be sweet words.The shocked look on her face soon turned into that of anger and bitterness and for some reason I couldn't fathom, I stood there watching her with growing curiosity each second. What was it about her that attracted me? I didn't know an

THEA"Welcome to today's edition of the news at noon. Here's our top stories...""Damn!" I cursed silently and switched off the TV, returning to the couch I've been sitting on all day. Even though the paparazzi were about half a mile away from the main house in front of Tyler's gate, worry consumed me. My mind was filled with a whirlwind of thoughts, ranging from work-related stress to the ever-present reminder that Tyler, had told the whole world that he was Lily's father. Paparazzi were everywhere, even in his own house but the distance from the gate to the house was far enough not to hear their voices.Work was piling up, I needed to see to some things. The paparazzi had swarmed outside Tyler's house, making it impossible for me to leave without attracting unwanted attention. I needed to get some essentials for Lily and myself, but I couldn't risk stepping out into the chaos outside and getting chewed up. Lily couldn't go to school and the constant presence of those people outside i