Page 94 of Jagged

"Wow…" Clem's eyes widened. "But how did you get this, Tatiana?"

"This woman showed up at the tattoo shop a few weeks ago and handed me an old box. This was in there. I only knew what it was because of Jagger's story about it." Tatiana ran her fingers over the edge of the canvas. "So… I restored it, mounted it over the canvas and sealed it."

"What woman?" I asked, my brow furrowed.

"She said her name was Maggie at the time. But now I know that that Maggie was Maggie Miller." Tati met my gaze, her expression more serious now.

"She brought this?" I allowed myself to touch the painting now, smirking at the feel of the sheet under my fingers now coated with whatever Tatiana did to protect it.

"She did. A box with just this."

"I wonder why she kept it."

"You should ask her," said Clem, nodding with it. "I think it's meaningful."

"Jags…" Tati gripped my shoulder. "I want this in my show. Actually, it's already in the show. Unless you legit freak out."

"But it's your show…" My stomach clenched suddenly.

"It's an art show. And you're an artist. And therefore, you're in it with me. Our art show…" She held her hand to me, and I took it as tears welled in my eyes.

"But I'm not—"

"But you are." Tati forced her will in a way that I needed sometimes.

I looked to Clem, whose hazel eyes shimmered with a mist of her own. "You are. Just face it."

"Not sure I can." I sniffled and gazed up at the work of my teenage self. I remembered every mark I placed on that old sheet. Every drop of blood I shed on it during scuffles with other juveniles. It was more than just art to me, and maybe that was just the whole point.

"You can keep it in the show," I agreed, my voice cracking with it.

"Good." Tati smiled as she pulled both of us into a hug. "Because it belongs there with mine, just like how you belong with me. Sister from another mister."

"It's possible that the two of you could be biologically related. I could, perhaps, run your DNA through my genetic amplifiers to find some linkage along the generational lines particularly if your bloodlines are of European descent." Clem burst off into a universe of her own, and I chuckled, leaning into the tingling excitement that her information dump brought.

"Really?" Tatiana's eyes widened. "Lets' do it."

"Wait a sec—"

"I'll just need the tiniest swab from both of you." Clem broke away from us to grab her messenger bag from the floor by a stack of wood. "A little blood wouldn't hurt—"

"What is happening right now—"

"Can I spit in a tube?" asked Tati as she joined her.

"Oh! Sure." Clem beamed as she pulled out a bunch of plastic bags.

"That escalated quickly." I stood there watching the two of them with my hands on my hips. I would be an idiot not to admit the enjoyment that cascaded through me. Nothing save for the pure joy of it, watching my best friend and the girl who held my heart in a way she might've not realized, galivanting off into the land of science and speculation.

I smiled at them while listening to their chatter, then turned back to gaze at my painting. The title artist didn't suit me much, I thought, but neither did detective. Maybe one day something would fit better, but for now, I settled on the notion of feeling included and celebrated. Even if it was just for a fleeting second.

Chapter Thirteen

"You're so nervous," said Tati as I helped her set the table. Her mom fussed around the stove and oven while we laid out the plates. Mrs. Silva had Reagan standing on a chair next to her while they cracked eggs into a bowl. Reagan chatted a thousand words a minute, it seemed, but her grandmother didn't miss a beat.

"Clementine meeting Frankie makes me nervous. I don't trust her…"

"Your feelings are valid, Jags. Frankie's a lot. It's not her you have to trust though. You have to trust Clem and in that she can handle herself. She's made it this far in life. She knows who Frankie is and I'm sure she's run into her if she hangs around the salon. And we're all here to support you both." She smooched my cheek then patted my arm. "Meet her downstairs so you have a few minutes alone before the tension gets high."

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