The Blossoming: A Retelling of Beauty & the Beast

Chapter 17

"The portrait is beautiful. Truly." Joanna looked back down. "My birthday is a difficult event, always has been." She inhaled then exhaled with the words she never told anyone. "The day I was born was the day she died...giving birth to me."

Beast felt his heart sink down at the hearing of her words. He never knew she harbored something so troubling. He didn't know what to say.

"The only time I saw her was in photographs. That portrait was so real. Father always said I looked the most like her despite not having her eyes." Joanna met with Beast's eyes again, his shade was the closest kin to the blue eye color. "My sisters and I had a strained relationship because of...what I did."

Beast placed a hand on her eyes. "Joanna, you didn't do anything. You were just a baby."

"There were complications during the delivery. Both of our lives were in danger."

"And they chose to save you. That's what any selfless parent would do."

Joanna shook her head and rose up. He couldn't understand. Or maybe she couldn't understand. Nothing made sense now to her. She never questioned what happened. She just hid it away in her unconscious. But the portrait now raised so much within her.

Beast rose and followed her. "Joanna." He reached out to touch her but stopped himself. Suddenly realization hit him. "Is that why you put yourself in your father's place?"

Joanna turned to him, her face an uncertain mask of shock.

"You didn't want to be responsible for losing another parent so you sacrificed yourself."

"That's not true."

"It is." His voice supported by certainty. "You were trying to keep something that you thought was history repeating itself."

"I did it because my father didn't want you to have me and when you terrorized him, I stopped it."

"Why?"

"Because...," Joanna realized she had walked into the sand trap. She glared at Beast. "You don't know me. You may touch a picture and get a little insight but there is much needed more than to me than immortalized moments."

"Joanna, I'm not trying to accuse you of anything."

"Then what are you doing because it seems like you're trying to paint me as a foolish girl who tried to martyr herself for past sins."

"I'm trying to help you." He yelled, his voice booming. The sky above appeared to grow dark with clouds.

She frowned. "What?"

"I know the feeling of wishing that you could have acted to change a moment. I know loss and guilt." His voice was steady but she could hear the emotion and truth. "You can't change the past. But if you could and sacrificed yourself in the womb, your family would have lived with the same feeling that you have but shouldn't."

He took her hand and held it gently. His eyes locked onto hers, now sparkling wet with growing tears.

"I never knew your mother but I believe that she would want you to let this feeling go. It's nothing but a demon playing with you. You are amazing and...beautiful in every way I have perceived."

Joanna gasped lightly as his words seemed to enter her ears and make her body tingle.

"You cannot change the past," he said in an audible whisper "And they wouldn't want you to. Just let it go."

Joanna did her best to hold on but the dam that she had erected over the years finally dissolved and crumbled. She sank to the ground and let the tears fall and the sobs escape her mouth. She clutched on to Beast's lapel who followed her to the ground and held her in his arms. A sadness washed over him as he looked at her crying but he let the light of hope shine as he hoped that she would release the haunting torment. He sighed and the sky answered with thunder. He caught a whiff of petrichor and looked up. A drop fell onto his face. Seconds later, many droplets followed, hitting the earth. The sound of the downpour did not overtake Joanna's sobs, who was too busy releasing her own storm. Beast collected her in his arms, lifted her up and walked back inside.

Faye was at the door, holding a blanket. Beast thanked her with his eyes as she placed it on the wet Joanna. They proceeded down the corridors to her room.

Faye opened the bedroom door; Beast entered and lowered Joanna into her bed. He covered the blankets and sheets over her. Joanna's sobs subsided as she became shrouded in warmth.

Beast gave a sympathetic gaze before he turned to join Faye in the hallway. He felt a tug on his hand and he turned back to see Joanna reaching out. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with need.

"Don't go. Please," she whispered.

Beast looked down at her speechless. He turned to the door. Faye gave a light nod and smile and slowly closed the door, leaving them both in the dim lit room. Beast sank down to the floor, their hands still in contact. Through the darkness, they still managed to see each others' eyes. The rain outside gave a ambient soundtrack as it helped with the silence of the room. It continued until Joanna fell asleep.

Hours later, Joanna woke up to a sound. She heard the rain fall but in a much calmer pour but that wasn't the sound that woke her from her dreamless sleep. She looked around to see the room empty. Beast wasn't around or no longer in his former place. Joanna turned to the window and saw his large form, a dark shadow with his back facing her. It heaved a little. She rose from her bed silently and made her way to him. He continued to heave and suddenly she knew why. She circled around but she couldn't see his face. Joanna knelt down next to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. Beast stopped and slowly turned to her. His sapphire eyes sparkled in the light as if he held the ocean in his orbs. Surprise consumed her as she looked at Beast. Her hand traveled from his shoulder to his soft furry cheek. She moved closer and wrapped her arms around him and he did the same, as they both appreciated the warm world they created.