Chapter 7 – Rabbits, Snails, and Sausage
Two and a half years ago. Exactly.
Letty was interviewing nannies for her baby. She was completely uninterested but Faerber insisted.
"Thanks." Letty says to the 7th candidate.
No one so far had been good enough. Besides, the idea of having a nanny was so strange to her. She still wasn't used to this life. Servants meeting your every need before you realize you need it. Expensive clothes, even for stuff like exercising or lounging around. It was all so weird to her.
Nola seemed to thrive here though. She had no problem giving orders to 'the help' or ruining way overpriced clothes without blinking. But none of that was Letty, nor would it ever be. But she knew that in this place and with what she had to do, having a nanny was practical.
She'd see more tomorrow. She made her way up to her suite. When she got there, food was waiting for her. New clothes laid out on the bed. She purposefully chose a different shirt after her shower.
Letty walked into her baby girl's nursery and couldn't believe it. There is no way this would be the room her baby would be sleeping in at home. Home? Where was that again? Not with Dom. Not with Mia. Not here. Definitely not here. Even though she was unexpectedly starting to like Nola.
There was a knock on the main door of her suite. She went and opened it to find Jocelyn there.
"Miss Ortiz do you need anything?"
"No Jocelyn. I'm good."
She would never get used to this.
A few minutes later there is another knock. Sighing Letty answered again. This time it was Nola dragging a large box inside with her.
"You don't have a slave to do that?"
"I do. But I had them just bring it to the door. They all think you're strange."
"I'm strange? This whole place is strange."
A sharp pain hits in her lower abdomen causing her to grab her stomach. She'd be having contractions off and on all day. But this happened last week too.
"Are you okay?" Nola asks concerned.
"Fine. What's in the box?"
Nola tries to pull it some more.
"Oh hell."
She steps back into the hall and beckons the nearest servant.
"Tragen Sie dies hinein und stellen Sie es auf den Tisch in der Ecke." (Carry this in and put it on the table in the corner.)
He immediately obeys and leaves quickly.
"It's books. Jocelyn told me you like to read. I got you classics, American and British bestsellers, some not so mainstream stuff that I liked, some that I didn't. She told me she's been bringing you books one at a time. But that you have a tendency to read 2 or 3 at once if you get a choice."
Letty takes a peek inside the box.
"Nice. Thanks Nola. It's greatly…"
Another sharp pain nearly doubles her over.
"Okay that was close." Nola says. "Do you think it's time?"
Seven hours later.
"Letty you only have a couple more pushes before she's here."
Letty is in a wing of the mansion that's been completely set up for the birth of her baby. She has a doctor, a mifwive, nurses and a doula. There is more equipment here than you would actually find in a hospital birthing room. But the bed is much more comfortable.
She's holding hands with Nola.
"Frau Faerber, I need you to hold her leg or move." The midwife says to her.
"Me?"
"Yes you."
The nurse shows Nola how to pull Letty's leg back now that Letty is getting too tired to hold it up herself.
"A big push this time."
Letty bears down and pushes for a final time. Her little girl slides into the arms of the midwife.
"Oh my God!"Nola says with wide eyes.
"Is she okay?" Letty says lying back to rest.
The midwife suctions her and lays her on Letty's chest.
"Oh my God." Letty whispers. "She's too beautiful."
She holds her daughter and kisses her. Tears are pouring down her face.
"Too beautiful for words."
"Frau, what are you naming her?"
"Antonia. Antonia Lucia. After her grandparents."
Present. South Pacific.
Elena wakes up and finds that Dom is gone. She gets up and pulls a shirt on and goes to look for him. Instead she finds Mia and Brian downstairs in her kitchen.
"Good morning?" She says confused. "Where's Dom?"
"He, uh, had to go to Germany to see Han and Giselle." Brian answers.
Mia bursts into tears. Elena approaches her hesitantly.
"Is everyone okay?"
She's afraid to hear the answer.
"Everyone's fine. Uh, we have news…" Brian says cautiously.
"Just tell me!"
"Han found out that Letty is alive and in Berlin."
"What the hell are you talking about Brian?" Elena asks confused.
Brian wasn't making any sense.
"We don't know everything. We don't know anything. Giselle sent Dom this picture of Letty and said she took it herself. Han says he's seen and talked to her."
Brian hands her the copy of the picture of Letty. Elena looks at it.
"He had to go, Elena. He had to find out." Mia is wailing. "You understand right? He had to."
"Oh I know." Elena gives back the picture. "I have some things to take care of. You guys can let yourselves out."
Elena turns and goes back upstairs. Brian turns to Mia and they let themselves out.
Present. Germany. Han's hotel room.
There is a knock on the door and there is no doubt in Han's mind who it is. He opens the door snacking on chips. The hulking figure of Dominic Toretto is standing in his doorway. He steps aside and Dominic walks in.
"Tell me everything."
"I saw her nearly a week ago at a night club here. I did some more digging. It's owned by a German 'business' man named Dierk Faerber."
Han goes over to his laptop and turns it to face Dominic. Dominic sits down in front of the computer and looks at the screen. It's a picture of Faerber at a ceremony receiving at award. He apparently donated $5 million to some hospital.
Han scrolls down. "That's the woman I saw with Letty, her name is Nola, she's his wife. They were at the club together."
There is a picture of Faerber at the same ceremony with his arm around his wife.
"Letty nearly bumped into me. She told me to she couldn't talk and to keep my mouth shut."
"And you fucking listened to her!"
Dominic stands up knocking over the chair. Han is unfazed and eats another chip.
"I did."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because of this right now." Han says gesturing to Dominic and the chair. "I have some more to tell you. Do you want to hear it or punch me?"
Dominic walks over to the couch and sits down. Han grabs him a beer. Dominic opens it and takes a drink.
"The next morning Letty came here with her government contact. She says the job she's been working is over in a couple weeks and that she fully intended to come back to you. I think her words were. 'She'll be kicking your door in.'"
Dominic smiles at that.
"So I'm supposed to sit back and wait?"
"Try something new for a change. Whatever she's doing I know she has deals for you, Brian and Mia. Think about it Dom, Mia would be free, really free."
Dominic leans forward and rubs his face. Han knew him so well. Pitting his love for Mia against his love for Letty was a smart move.
"Is she okay?"
"She's seemed sad. But she was okay. She gave me her word she was coming back to you. I trust Letty."
Han knew all the right buttons to push.
"I trust her too." Dominic finally says.
There is another knock on the door. Han opens it to find himself looking at Jamie Coleson and two other black suits.
"Toretto, I'm going to ask you to come with me."
He stands up and folds his arms. "Who are you?"
"He's her contact." Han answers.
They are escorted to an enormous house about an hour outside the city. There are agents everywhere. Jamie takes him into the what should be the living room but instead it's a communications center that would rivaled anything at Quantico.
"What the fuck is Letty into?" Toretto says aloud.
"What I'm about to let you in on if completely classified information. If you share it was anyone you both will be tried for treason. You are no longer allowed to go anywhere without me personally escorting you. If you leave this house you will be shot."
Coleson gives Toretto and Lue the abridged version of what Letty has been up to the for the last three years.
"When you came into the country Toretto my orders were to detain you until the deal was completed. My orders are also to take you down if you do anything to interfere with this exchange. There is too much at stake. In exchange for you cooperating with me, I will try to get you a meeting with Letty in a couple of days."
Han and Dominic exchange a look. This is some crazy shit. But Dominic will agree to anything if he got to see Letty in a few days.
Present. Compound. Two days later.
Letty, Nola, Faerber, Christoff and all the essential people are having a secure meeting.
"We have a location for the exchange. We're meeting at a private airstrip right outside Ludwigsfelde. We will be meeting with the Russian Komarov promptly at 5:00 a.m. We get this done, and we're all much richer before breakfast." Christoff says.
"Okay, we are not bringing the weapons in by plane. Adeline and I will be driving them in. In case there are any unexpected surprises we want the weapons more mobile for a quick exit. But so far all signs point to the fact that Komarov is true to his word." Letty says addressing the group. "After they see the weapons, Nola will make sure that the money is transferred smoothly and without incident before we release them."
"Everyone follow instructions and this is done quickly." Christoff finishes. "Nothing said in this room leaves it."
Faerber dismisses everyone leaving Letty, Christoff and Nola.
"Are you girls excited?" Faerber asks with a smile.
"Of course," Nola says kissing her husband. "Then we're going on a nice long vacation."
"Anywhere you want my love. Letty will you and Ana be staying with us once the exchange is complete. I mean you were hired specifically for this job. After you receive your bonus, you are technically no longer in our employ. However, we'd love if you would stay on."
"My plans are not set in stone yet."
"Very well, it is something to consider. I hear you are leaving the compound for the night tomorrow?"
"Yes, I'm going to the spa that Nola and I always go to. I could use a massage."
"You are not going Nola?" Faerber looks at her.
"I thought you would want me here. I would love to go!"
"Go go! Have your fun. I have to fly to France for the night. I will not be here. That means you have to give me a proper goodbye tonight."
Dierk takes Nola by the hand and leads her from the room.
"Will the two of you need me to escort you tomorrow?" Christoff asks.
"To the spa?" Letty asks. "No thank you."
"Let me know if I am needed."
Christoff leaves the room.
Letty rubs her head trying to massage away the headache. She's been getting headaches for the past few weeks. She walks into the once very formal 3rd or 40th, who knows, living room but now a miniature amusement park for Ana to find her playing.
"Mommeeeeee!"
"Stop squealing Ana, Mommy has a headache. What would you like for dinner?"
"Hassyfeffy."
Letty laughs at the mispronunciation of hasenpfeffer.
"How can you eat that?"
"It's good Mommy!"
Though Letty was used to this place, she would never get used to her daughter's desires for food. She and Nola would eat anything from anywhere in the world. She was 100% that Faerber would bring them back escargot, that Ana would eat the way other kids would eat popcorn or candy.
She wondered what Dom would think to learn she'd never had peanut butter and jelly or pizza that wasn't prepared by a real Italian chef. Which is nothing like what comes in a box back home. She would eat bangers and mash though. But only the English version, never the German bratwurst and potatoes. Letty laughed to herself thinking of Ana, asking for bangers and mash on barbecue Sundays. She'd be eating most of her meals with Nola she could see it now.
She hoped that wherever she settled with Dom, if she settled with Dom, Nola would come and be happy there too. She didn't want to give anything else for the rest of her life.
A/N - I'm giddy thinking of them being so close to each other. Don't judge me, I freely admit to being a dork. :-P
Anyways, WOW to all the reviews on the last chapter! Yippee! You're out there! I'm so happy! Please keep up the reviews. I love hearing from you! Thanks so much for reading this story!