[color=lightgray][right][sub]TIMESTAMP: After Scott Street: I Know Him Better Than Anyone
Featuring: [color=C81935]Caitlin Cleary[/color], [color=a95963]Kylee Grimm[/color], & [color=C652D5]Mei Ramsey[/color]
[i]Small FT: Danny Belmonte & Marco Brady-Castillo;
Rhett Cleary & Ethan Quinn;
Mikhail Zima, Coach John O’Hara  & Mary-Anne O’Hara;
Sly James, Clayton Costigan & Jamie Lord;
Deidre & Gary Cleary[/i]
[@Venus][@LovelyComplex][@BrutalBx][@metanoia][/sub][/right]
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[indent][indent]Phones all across Edenridge got a notification from Kylee Grimm and Mei Ramsey’s socials, both their personal and their podcast socials, eagerly telling people to tune in On The Block 99.1 FM for a surprise Dawn Patrol special. Parked in front of the Brady house, Danny and Marco watched as police vehicles rushed into Scott Street. When Danny felt his phone vibrate and saw the tweets, he was quick to turn his car radio on. At this point, Marco was given all the details about Cece’s secret love affairs. 

Marco was understandably speechless after everything Danny enlightened him to what was going on: with Cece, with Mikhail Zima, and with his boyfriend’s best friend. To think of all people, not only were the latest wave of letters that were about David O’Hara, someone Marco barely knew outside of knowing his name and his family, Cece was involved with him. It was a bit overwhelming if he was being honest and he still didn’t quite understand the weight of everything.

Cece had always been friendly with him. She had even entertained him in the past couple of years on Among Us when they’d occasionally play together. It’s been a few months since the last time they played, but as he sat in the car, in front of his house, beside his boyfriend seemingly waiting for the apocalypse to start, he could only think about what was about to happen. [color=b8860b]“This is intense, Danny. Like really intense. I’m not sure what to expect, but I guess we’re about to, huh?”[/color]

When they tuned in, the first thing they heard was the ending of Ky’s [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kuULmJKcko]theme song[/url] and the mayor’s daughter going right into her intro: [color=a95963]“Surprise! Kylee here on Eden Angels, On The Block 99.1 FM, with guest host, Mei Midnight, and our star of the hour, Caitlin Cleary! You know how this goes: Edenridge is where our story begins and we’re on Dawn Patrol.”[/color] Once she did her usual bit (with some modifications depending on the episode), she wasted no time. [color=a95963]“So - to give quick context, there’s letters once again haunting Edenridge and me being the clever girl that I am can assure you all, they have nothing to do with he-who-shall-not-be-named.”[/color] 

[color=C652D5]“And by he-who-shall-not-be-named, Kylee means that big greasy haired Edgar Allen Poe wannabe that shot me in the freaking neck. That’s right girls and ghouls, your demon dream girl has risen from her coffin for a very special episode of Dawn Patrol. SO we won’t leave you in suspense. David O’Hara, handsome, charming, dark secrets. And we are gonna lay them all out there and this time, it’s not for judgment, we’re doing it for justice.”[/color]

[color=a95963]“For great justice!”[/color] Kylee cheered after Mei summed up the point of the episode, just in case there were a few souls that couldn’t bother with their mail. [color=a95963]“Now, as I said, Caitlin Cleary is here. She has kindly offered her time to bring some hard truths to light. Since this is impromptu and most people should know her, this won’t be how I usually do things. Instead, I’m going to go right into my first question: Caitlin, I understand you know the meaning behind the letters today. Care to share some insight? Why would someone send love letters to the whole town? Love letters that were written with so much feeling and heart to our Dear David?” [/color]

[color=C81935]“Well…”[/color] Cece began to speak, her voice trembling with apprehension. [color=C81935]“What everybody got in the mail yesterday was a photocopy of a love letter that was written to David five years ago. His sister Jamie distributed the copies around town hoping it would clear her brother’s name from all the horrible, wrong things people have said about him through the years. Because only the person who wrote the letter knew the truth: that David never did what they accused him of. He wasn’t messing around with a kid-- he was in a secret relationship with someone younger than him… And someone was me. I was the girl who wrote the letter to him. I was the girl he was dating. David and I were seeing each other.”[/color]

A customer had requested Rhett Cleary to change the radio station to 99.1 FM, which was an unusual request during this time since Edd Campbell didn’t have his radio running 24/7. Once he heard his sister’s voice, his heart sank. He wasn’t one to show emotion so he kept a blank expression. The only time he put on a half smile was at work and that’s because flirting is what brought the sales up at the Hole. As he poured draft beer from a tap, this one was called Siren Brewery Best Kept Secrets, he gritted his teeth at the reveal of his sister being David’s secret lover. He [i]knew[/i] David had a lover. His friend couldn’t hide his goofy grin whenever someone probed him if he had a special someone. The fact that it was his little sister, though? That unsettled him. 

Returning to the lone customer, he pushed the glass toward him. The guy, [url=https://media.tenor.com/oJgYtWe76ZUAAAAM/frank-drink.gif]Ethan Quinn[/url], was giving him a curious look. The man was on his ninth beer and it wasn’t even one yet. [color=ff5d22]“What?”[/color] Garrett snapped, his anger slipping out through his tone. 

[color=5a6e2d]“Ohhhh nothing! This is miiiighty interesting. You know what I say when they talk about my family? Fuck ‘em! Fuck ‘em all to HELL! This town really does like stroking their dicks and flicking their pussies to everyone’s dramas. It’s almost like we’re one big orgy of FUCKED!”[/color] Ethan smirked at the foundling boy, graciously grabbing his beer, the world moving in the best of ways. [color=5a6e2d]“Hey don’t worry son, I’ll keep you company all day and when you want me to fuck off, just call my daughter, Darc. You know the usual.”[/color] 

[color=a95963]“Would you like to remind the town of the horrible things they said about David O’Hara? All the hurt and pain they caused? Please help us help you and everyone else move on. For his beloved family, his lifelong friends, and his ghost. It’s time we wake up, Edenridge. Smell the coffee and lay our dead to rest.”[/color] Kylee’s voice resonated on everyone’s radio. 

Caitlin cleared her throat. [color=C81935]"Criminal. Creep. Monster. Abuser. Rapist. And everyone's personal favorite: Diddler. All of those words and more were used to describe my Davey, but they couldn't be farther from the truth. He was none of those things. He was funny. He was kind. He was sweet. Loyal to a fault. Thoughtful and considerate to the needs of those around him. He loved deeply, selflessly, and with his whole heart. We were so happy, and we had so many plans for our future together. But they were destroyed before we could even start to build them. One misconstrued moment, the rumor mill started going off, and his reputation was in shambles. He was getting crucified for something that he didn't even do, because we were never intimate in the first place. As disappointing as it might sound to those who desperately wanted to justify their disgusting words and actions with the 'he had sex with a minor' argument, David and I never slept together. The only thing the person who caught us would have seen was us kissing. It [b]never[/b] went further than that. Ever."[/color]

There was a lot that was being said. A lot Mika knew, but not what his mother did and he couldn’t imagine what it might’ve been like for Coach to hear it all. They were in his mother’s apartment and had enjoyed the time spent with each other, but the text Mika received from Cece and then the alert from Kylee, it made the blow of what was happening on the radio hit less, but Mika had known a majority of it all. He was so proud of Cece and how much strength it took for her to do it. If he had his choice in the manner, he would be right there with her, but she knew he was with her. What Mika hadn’t expected, what had immediately caught him completely off-guard, was the rather unexpected bomb that Jamie was behind all of it. 

Both Mika and Mary’s eyes fell on John. There was so much to unpack in that alone, not including all of what Cece had said. What could Mika say? What could [i]Mary[/i] say? Mary hadn’t been in contact with her family and she’d be surprised if Jaime even remembered her face. Still, one of them had to say something — [i]anything[/i] — to John. 

As she bit her lip, Mary placed a hand on John’s. Small and a silent gesture, Mary wanted her big brother to know he didn’t have to face this alone. [color=00a86b]“Johnny…”[/color] She muttered in an almost-inaudible voice that only he could hear. 

[color=bf755c]“I need to go home.”[/color] John got up to his feet and stood, staring into space for a moment as he tried to compute everything he was hearing. He brought his hand up to his mouth as he listened to Caitlin’s words intently. He needed to find Lizette and Jamie, he needed to have his family together. Bringing his hand down onto Mika’s shoulder, John patted the boy with a comforting smile before reaching over and kissing his younger sister's cheek. [color=bf755c]“Mary, thanks for breakfast.”[/color] Coach quickly tore out of the apartment towards his car. 

Dawn Patrol didn’t stop. The show must go on and there was a chapter that needed to come to a close. 

[color=a95963]“Could you expand on those words that likely cut David extremely deep, especially knowing that he is from a founding family and Coach O’Hara’s son? Was there evidence to prove any romantic relationship or did it explode because that was the big scoop of the week? To some people, they’d ask, why couldn’t he wait until you were eighteen to pursue you. Do you think he should’ve waited?” [/color]

[color=C81935]"Why should he have? Freshmen dating seniors isn't a new thing anywhere in America. I can list so many examples, from our school alone, of age gap relationships like that happening with them actually going all the way and nobody saying anything about it. You guys know who I'm talking about. When I said those words, a couple of names immediately popped into your mind didn't they? What makes those people any different than David and I?"[/color]

[color=C652D5]“I don’t disagree with you Caitlin.”[/color] Mei began. [color=C652D5]“Hell, I was sleeping with a senior my freshman year. The difference, at least in my eyes, at the time nobody knew that David was with you. There was no information so he fell upon the sword of speculation.”[/color] She took a tip from her coffee with just a hint of marshmallow vodka. [color=C652D5]“For all anyone knew, he might have been with a junior high girl or younger! You and David hid it, a lot of us didn’t. Secrets make you a target. Secrets for an Elite? Makes you public enemy number one.”[/color]

[color=C81935]"Which, frankly, is the dumbest excuse I've ever heard. Everyone in this town has secrets. From us Foundlings, to the Southies, to the Eastbrook and Westwood residents, down to those gossipy Scott Street women that saunter around pretending they and theirs are perfect and above everyone else. In Edenridge, people are always looking for the next big scandal to discuss over glasses of wine or pints of beer, hoping that if they focus hard enough on the mishaps and misfortunes of someone more prevalent it'll shift the attention away from all the nasty skeletons they have hidden inside their own closets. They throw bricks at neighboring ceilings when their own houses are made out of glass. So how about, instead of concerning ourselves with what other people are doing and igniting forest fires out of rumors and unfounded speculation, we start focusing on our own selves, and on what's going on in our own backyards? Or better yet, why don't we use Dave's story as an example of how words have real-life consequences? I think that would be a good place to start."[/color]

In his patrol car, with Jamie in the backseat, Sly frowned at the whole situation. He knew who was the culprit and he was proud of Clay for figuring it out. He hated seeing his partner beaten and bruised, likely having suffered from a concussion. Jamie had softly requested, tears flooding down her face, if he could turn the radio on. Sly wasn’t a monster and he knew Jamie was a special case. She would never hurt Clay, that’s one thing he knew for certain. She had her troubles but her love would never physically harm those that made a home in her heart. Sly had done this rodeo before. Friends falling apart and him having to put the puzzle pieces together to make sense of where they all were hurting. There was no doubt in his mind those bruises were caused by his friend, Russ. Jamie’s husband. It reminded him of a time in 1996. Still, he broke for this girl as he heard Kylee, Mei, and Caitlin on the radio. Jamie reminded him of Penelope and how her world shattered the moment he… Well, you know the story. He hoped for his partner’s sake this chapter could be laid to rest. 

Speaking of Clay, he laid in the ambulance parked outside Sinclair Health, waiting for them to free up a bed for him. Parts of his body were purple with bruising and red from blood pooling beneath his skin. With his head on a soft pillow, he listened to the sound of his friends on the radio, discussing the truth that he had fought so desperately for over the last two days. Caitlin was finally speaking out and letting the world know that David was innocent. This was what Jamie wanted all along, justice. Clay’s eyes were filled with tears as he breathed out the pain. [color=BCDD81]“Attagirl, Caitlin.”[/color]

[color=a95963]“Part of me wonders if that’s all David was going through, you know?”[/color] Kylee reflected, thinking back on all the interviews she did the day prior. [color=a95963]“Being a foundling must not be an easy thing. I’m the Mayor’s daughter and I can understand the pressure you all go through to some extent. For whatever reason the town turned their back on their golden boy and what for? For him to end up dead in our lake and found on New Year's Day? What was he going through? Even before he was caught with you, I mean.” [/color]

[color=C81935]"When you grow up under the shadows of pivotal figures to town, there's always this pressure of meeting and exceeding every expectation that's placed on your shoulders-- sometimes even before you're born. If your wishes or desires don't align with what those expectations are, you risk being criticized, judged or disappointing those that are close to you. When you're a Foundling or just someone whose family has lived in town for multiple generations, that pressure is tenfold, because you're expected to live up to or surpass the accomplishments of those members before you. David felt that. As Coach O'Hara's son, everyone envisioned Dave as the obvious successor to the position: the heir to the coveted Celtic coaching throne. But that's not what he wanted. His passion wasn't in basketball or coaching. He only played to not disappoint the people that had hopes in him, and he took the assistant coach position to have an excuse to stay in town and be close to me. I couldn't tell you what he wanted, either, because he was never given a real chance to discover it. His life was cut short, but not before he spent most of it feeling like a failure for not being able to live up to the greatness expected of an O'Hara and a Foundling. He was a simple guy, and the pressure of everything was eating him alive. That's one of the things that we bonded over in the first place: the crushing pressure of expected greatness."[/color]

With misty eyes and their arms around each other, the heads of the Cleary household listened to their third daughter reveal secrets and speak truths they had been oblivious to. The knowledge of her relationship with David O'Hara, who had been like a son to them, and the consequences of that entanglement was upsetting to them-- but not in the way one might think. It wasn't the relationship itself what upset them; but the fact that Cece felt like she had to keep that, her suffering at David's passing, and how she felt about being a foundling as secrets in the first place. Their Caitlin had always been the quietest and more reserved one of their children: which were traits that Deidre and Gary appreciated in her. But was that because she was afraid of them? Had their actions in the present or the past somehow given her reason to not trust them? Had they failed as parents for their child to feel like she couldn't be her own person without disappointing them, couldn't share her pain with themzl, or seek comfort in them? Whatever the reason, it would change today. For all of their children's sake, they would try their damn hardest to do better.

Mei did not feel any guilt in regards to her previous behavior and comments. She worked with what she knew and learned long ago not to have regrets about life. She felt awful for CeCe and for David and for everyone involved but the past could not be changed, only the future. [color=C652D5]“We as a society thrive on gossip. We fight and we fuck, yes I said fuck, try and @ me you big cunts and everyone wants to know about it because it is an escape from our own dreary worlds. The story of David O’Hara was a sensationalized hit piece on a foundling who we all assumed had it all. And guess what? We were right. He did have it all. Good looks. Good humor. A good heart and a good woman who loved him. We attacked him because to see him fall would bring us a sick enjoyment. We, as a race, are selfish and naive. We cannot believe everything we hear and see. We cannot open our hearts to the mistreatment of others. That’s not how we survive. Love is how we survive. Caitlin, I’m sorry it had to go down like this but I can’t change what’s already happened. But you can change where it’s going. What are your final words? What do you want to say to everyone?”[/color]

There was a pause, followed by a deep breath. And then came Caitlin's parting words.

[color=C81935]"Learn to mind your own fucking business."[/color]
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