Leila and René built their bridge and got over it. Eventually. Sylvan was thoughtful enough not to mention what had happened in front of them but he always tried to cheer them up whenever he noticed they were upset.
Leila had eventually told her parents what had happened because it finally dawned on her they would need an explanation as to why she returned to the US earlier than what she had originally planned. Both of her parents had spoken to René and he assured them that he would look after Leila, especially since he had learned precisely why everyone tended to worry about her.
They toured the US, feuding with the Dudleys, the Hurricane, Rosey among others, taking in the scenery and getting up to some mischief whenever they felt the need to do so.
Still, Leila found the time to phone her parents every week to let them know what she was up to, where they were heading to next, wondering when they were coming over because René had told her that he wanted to meet her parents.
"We can tell him that we're going shopping. Do you think he'd believe that?"
"If I came back with a few glossy, emblazoned shopping bags, he might. Besides, we could always say that all we found were my parents."
They left for the airport while René was working out and found that the flight had actually landed early.
"What do your parents look like?"
"My mother looks like me, only older. There she is."
Leila pointed to a woman heading towards them and Sylvan saw her face literally light up as her mother saw her and smiled. Leila and her mother could easily be mistaken for sisters, instead of mother and daughter.
"You know who he is, don't you?"
Leila's mother looked at Sylvan and nodded.
"I do, Leila, but I was hoping that René would be here."
Leila rolled her eyes and looked at Sylvan, who had his cheeky look on his face.
"Working out's a little more important for him. Besides, he doesn't know where we are. All we told him was that we were going shopping."
After greeting her father, Leila quickly introduced him to Sylvan, explaining where René was.
"I think my mother is dying to have René stand next to my father so she can compare the two of them," Leila told Sylvan as they headed out of the airport, an arm around her father's waist.
Sylvan decided that it was a nice sight - Leila with her parents. He could see where she got her relaxed attitude from and that she took after her father more. Sophie took after her mother.
With that thought in mind, he asked after Sophie.
"She's been in Toulouse for the past few weeks. She seems to be doing fine, although she's been a little ill lately."
"She hasn't told me that because she hasn't spoken to me since we returned to Paris."
Sylvan knew she was annoyed and upset with her sister about that.
"Tell my parents about … that."
That turned out to be free tickets to the two Raw shows that La Résistance were due to compete in while Leila's parents were in the US. Naturally, Leila's mother was happy about that. But she was even happier just to see her elder daughter, the one everyone worried about.
By the time Leila's parents were due to return to France, René found that he had learned a little more about Leila. He also found that Leila's parents liked the idea of him looking after their daughter, making sure she didn't do things she normally wouldn't do. He had even gained the permission of Leila's father to ask her something. Something he wanted to do later on, when she would least expect it.
They had enjoyed the Raw shows, Leila's mother especially when René did his 'silly little dance' during one match, just for her.
"You have to tell everyone to keep an eye out for you two when Raw is broadcast back home."
"I will."
Leila knew that her time in the US would come to an end a couple of weeks after her parents left but she didn't want to dwell on that at all. She simply wanted to have a good time with René, Sylvan and her parents. And that wasn't too much to ask.
Leila's parents had told Sylvan how impressed they were with Leila for ending up with René. They truly felt she had someone special with her and also let on to Sylvan exactly what René was going to ask her later on, asking him not to tell Leila a word about it, which he promised not to do.
Two days before she was due to return to France, René sprung his surprise on Leila.
She was lying on her back on the bed, reading The Godfather again when René threw his passport at her.
"Why'd you do that?"
"Have a look at it."
Leila put her book down and picked up René's passport. She smiled when she saw his photo - his one looked better than hers. At least he didn't have a horrendous hangover when he had his passport photo taken, unlike her.
"Yeah. So?"
"I need it to get entry into France, don't I?"
"Excuse me?"
"I didn't want to say anything until I had the all clear from the head cheese. I'm due for some time off so I thought I'd spend it in France with you. I've got the ticket and everything."
In due course, René placed the ticket on Leila's stomach and she picked it up, glancing at it briefly.
"I guess this means I get to show you Paris and the other side of her … the one the tourists don't see."
René smiled. He should've expected her to say something like that and sure enough, she delivered.
"But I don't plan on going to Paris as a tourist."
Leila looked from René to his plane ticket to her book before looking at René again, her thinking cap on.
"You don't plan on going to Paris as a tourist? Then what do you plan to go to Paris as?"
Now, the fun part. How to word his response.
"Well," he began, scratching his head, "I was hoping to go as your fiancé, to be honest."
He had her attention now. Leila looked stunned, literally. She definitely hadn't been expecting that.
"Oh my."
"I didn't want to say anything until it was closer to your departure. I asked your father and he said oui obviously. He even told Sylvan and asked him to keep it quiet."
She hadn't moved, apart from covering her mouth with her hand. She couldn't believe what René had said. Her father, René and Sylvan were all in on it?
René took her free hand in his.
"You don't have to give your answer straight away. Just whenever you're ready. You are liking the idea though, aren't you?"
Leila nodded, a sheepish look on her face. But she knew what her answer would be and she wasn't going to give it to him just yet ...
Well, on with the sequel now. Hopefully, Leila's answer will be obvious to you …if it isn't, I suppose you'll have to read the sequel …

I would like to thank everyone who read the story and took the time to review it - all your reviews were very much appreciated!