"This is it?" Greenlee asked David while staring at the old, rundown, abandoned warehouse in front of the group.
"This is exactly where she said she would be." David replied, staring up at the roof, "On a positive note, I don't see snipers or anything like that. Are you up for this, Leo?"
Upon not hearing anything, Greenlee and David turned to look to make sure that Leo was still behind them. He was, but all of his attention was focused on the building in front of them. Greenlee ran back to his side.
"Leo?" she said, gently grabbing his arm.
"Huh?" Leo replied, as if snapping out of a trance, "What?"
"Are you up for this?" David asked worried, "I mean, we could just go and ignore her if you want."
"No." Leo refused, shaking his head, "I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Greenlee said concerned.
"Yeah." Leo comforted, taking his gun out, "I was just thinking about what I'm going to say to Mommy Dearest when I get the chance."
"Well," David said, opening the door, "here's your chance."
Nodding silently, Leo walked into the building and took a look around. Seeing that all was clear, he motioned for Greenlee and David to join him. Vanessa was awaiting them in the middle of the room, and she scowled instantly upon seeing Greenlee.
"What is she doing here?"
"Are you kidding me, Vanessa?" Greenlee asked angrily, "After everything you've put us through, you really think I would let Leo deal with you alone?"
"Such little faith you have in your husband." Vanessa jeered, "You don't think Leo can do anything, even speak to his own mother, without your help."
"Well, if his mother wasn't such a monster…" Greenlee started.
"You little slut." Vanessa growled, "How dare you."
"Truth hurts, doesn't it?" Greenlee commented.
"Okay." Leo said, putting a hand on Greenlee's shoulder, "I think that now's a good time to ask what exactly are we doing here. Mother?"
"Does a mother need a reason to talk to her boys?" Vanessa asked, looking at Leo and David, "No Trey?"
"Trey is otherwise engaged at the moment." Leo informed with a grin.
"He's not in big trouble, is he?" Vanessa wondered.
"Three to five suddenly count as big trouble in this family?" David asked with a smile as Vanessa simply shook her head, "But Trey wasn't the one you wanted to speak with. Was it, mother?"
"No, it wasn't." Vanessa replied, turning to Leo, "May I borrow you for a moment, darling? I want to speak with you alone."
"Fine by me." Leo reluctantly agreed, following Vanessa into an unused office. As he closed the door behind him, Leo glanced back out the door's window. David and Greenlee especially were watching every move made inside the other room.
"So, what's this all about, mother?" Leo wondered, sitting on an old desk, "I thought we had settled things the other day. Or at least I thought so from the way you knocked me out."
"I apologize for that, darling." Vanessa said, looking at him with concern, "I never meant to do that, but I heard footsteps and I panicked. Are you okay?"
"Not that I think that you're really concerned," Leo replied with a shrug, "but I'm perfectly fine."
"Of course, I'm concerned." Vanessa scoffed, brushing something off the sleeve of Leo's coat, "I am your mother, Leo. Do you even know how ecstatic I was to have seen you the other day? For so long, I feared that the worst had happened to you."
"Well, it didn't." Leo assured, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "In fact, our accident might have been one of the best things to have happened to me."
"How's that, darling?" Vanessa wondered.
"It allowed me a second chance with my father." Leo explained with a smile.
"Your father?" Vanessa repeated, staring at him, "So, the rumors were true then? You have been with Guy this whole time?"
"Yeah." Leo nodded, "And you know what, mother? You were so wrong about him."
"In what way?" Vanessa wondered curiously.
"You were the one that always said," Leo reminded, standing up, "That my father would never acknowledge me, much less love me, his own son."
"His illegitimate son." Vanessa pointed out, "The reminder that Guy was unfaithful to his wife at one time."
"That doesn't matter with Guy." Leo said, waving Vanessa's comments off, "It never has."
"You really believe in him, don't you?" Vanessa asked, looking amazed at Leo.
"Why shouldn't I?" Leo replied, causing Vanessa to chuckle.
"Oh, sweetheart." Vanessa said, stifling her laughter, "Guy probably felt he had an obligation to you, but I doubt his feelings go beyond that..."
"You don't know what you're talking about, mother." Leo replied, feeling his anger rise, "Guy has shown me more love in the short time that I've known him than you've shown me my whole life!"
SMACK! Leo could feel his head turn to the side, as Vanessa slapped him across the cheek. Shocked, he put a hand to his stinging cheek, as he heard the door open.
"Are you okay?" David asked, going to Leo's side.
"I'm fine, David." Leo assured, turning back to their mother.
"You ungrateful brat." Vanessa said unsympathetically, "How dare you even say that to me! Do you know how easy it would have been for me to abandon you and never look back? I love you, Leo. I only want what's best for you."
"Yeah, right." Leo scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"I knew it." Vanessa sighed, "I knew it! I knew that little tramp out there would warp your mind. She's turned you against me, Leo!"
"No, Vanessa." Leo replied coldly, "You did that on your own!"
Silently, Leo turned and walked out of the office. Vanessa went to go after him, but David put a restraining hand on her shoulder.
"A word of advice, mother." David commented, "If you go after him, you'll only cause more heartbreak for yourself."
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Are you okay?" Greenlee asked, as Leo emerged from the office.
"I'm fine, Greens." Leo comforted with a sigh.
"Are you sure?" Greenlee wondered, grabbing his hand, "You want to go get some air?"
"That sounds good." Leo agreed with a nod.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"I don't see what we have to discuss, David." Vanessa stated, turning her back on the door, "I already know quite well what you think of me."
"You're right." David said, reaching into his pocket and pulling a picture of Leora out, "But we have something else to talk about."
"What's this?" Vanessa asked as David handed her the picture.
"Even you deserve to see what your own grandchild looks like." David replied as Vanessa marveled at the photograph.
"Oh, David!" Vanessa commented, "She's adorable! What is her name?"
"Leora." David said.
"That's quite an unusual name." Vanessa replied, "But you chose it because of Leo, right?"
"Yes." David nodded, grabbing the picture back, "Well, farewell, mother."
After Vanessa turned away from him in response, David silently walked out of the office and out of the building. Greenlee was waiting for him by his car, but Leo was standing a bit farther off. Greenlee, who had been watching Leo, turned her attention to David upon hearing him walk out.
"He's been rather quiet." Greenlee said, nodding towards Leo.
"Really?" David asked curious, "I wonder what she said to him now."
Silently, David walked over to where Leo was standing. His younger brother's eyes appeared to be focused on the clouds that were now rolling in. David put a hand on his shoulder, which got Leo's attention.
"You okay?" David asked concerned.
"I'm fine." Leo replied, before looking to the ground, "I guess I just feel guilty for having said some of those things to her."
"Don't." David assured, shaking his head, "Our mother deserved to hear every word of that and you know it."
"Still..." Leo protested with a sigh.
"You don't need to say it, little bro." David replied, "I already know. Come on, we should go back to your place before someone rips off whatever the hell the Count sent you."
"Hey David." Leo said as the two turned back towards the car.
"Huh?" David asked.
"Thanks." Leo replied with a smile.
"No problem." David said, returning Leo's smile
To be Continued....
"This is exactly where she said she would be." David replied, staring up at the roof, "On a positive note, I don't see snipers or anything like that. Are you up for this, Leo?"
Upon not hearing anything, Greenlee and David turned to look to make sure that Leo was still behind them. He was, but all of his attention was focused on the building in front of them. Greenlee ran back to his side.
"Leo?" she said, gently grabbing his arm.
"Huh?" Leo replied, as if snapping out of a trance, "What?"
"Are you up for this?" David asked worried, "I mean, we could just go and ignore her if you want."
"No." Leo refused, shaking his head, "I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Greenlee said concerned.
"Yeah." Leo comforted, taking his gun out, "I was just thinking about what I'm going to say to Mommy Dearest when I get the chance."
"Well," David said, opening the door, "here's your chance."
Nodding silently, Leo walked into the building and took a look around. Seeing that all was clear, he motioned for Greenlee and David to join him. Vanessa was awaiting them in the middle of the room, and she scowled instantly upon seeing Greenlee.
"What is she doing here?"
"Are you kidding me, Vanessa?" Greenlee asked angrily, "After everything you've put us through, you really think I would let Leo deal with you alone?"
"Such little faith you have in your husband." Vanessa jeered, "You don't think Leo can do anything, even speak to his own mother, without your help."
"Well, if his mother wasn't such a monster…" Greenlee started.
"You little slut." Vanessa growled, "How dare you."
"Truth hurts, doesn't it?" Greenlee commented.
"Okay." Leo said, putting a hand on Greenlee's shoulder, "I think that now's a good time to ask what exactly are we doing here. Mother?"
"Does a mother need a reason to talk to her boys?" Vanessa asked, looking at Leo and David, "No Trey?"
"Trey is otherwise engaged at the moment." Leo informed with a grin.
"He's not in big trouble, is he?" Vanessa wondered.
"Three to five suddenly count as big trouble in this family?" David asked with a smile as Vanessa simply shook her head, "But Trey wasn't the one you wanted to speak with. Was it, mother?"
"No, it wasn't." Vanessa replied, turning to Leo, "May I borrow you for a moment, darling? I want to speak with you alone."
"Fine by me." Leo reluctantly agreed, following Vanessa into an unused office. As he closed the door behind him, Leo glanced back out the door's window. David and Greenlee especially were watching every move made inside the other room.
"So, what's this all about, mother?" Leo wondered, sitting on an old desk, "I thought we had settled things the other day. Or at least I thought so from the way you knocked me out."
"I apologize for that, darling." Vanessa said, looking at him with concern, "I never meant to do that, but I heard footsteps and I panicked. Are you okay?"
"Not that I think that you're really concerned," Leo replied with a shrug, "but I'm perfectly fine."
"Of course, I'm concerned." Vanessa scoffed, brushing something off the sleeve of Leo's coat, "I am your mother, Leo. Do you even know how ecstatic I was to have seen you the other day? For so long, I feared that the worst had happened to you."
"Well, it didn't." Leo assured, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "In fact, our accident might have been one of the best things to have happened to me."
"How's that, darling?" Vanessa wondered.
"It allowed me a second chance with my father." Leo explained with a smile.
"Your father?" Vanessa repeated, staring at him, "So, the rumors were true then? You have been with Guy this whole time?"
"Yeah." Leo nodded, "And you know what, mother? You were so wrong about him."
"In what way?" Vanessa wondered curiously.
"You were the one that always said," Leo reminded, standing up, "That my father would never acknowledge me, much less love me, his own son."
"His illegitimate son." Vanessa pointed out, "The reminder that Guy was unfaithful to his wife at one time."
"That doesn't matter with Guy." Leo said, waving Vanessa's comments off, "It never has."
"You really believe in him, don't you?" Vanessa asked, looking amazed at Leo.
"Why shouldn't I?" Leo replied, causing Vanessa to chuckle.
"Oh, sweetheart." Vanessa said, stifling her laughter, "Guy probably felt he had an obligation to you, but I doubt his feelings go beyond that..."
"You don't know what you're talking about, mother." Leo replied, feeling his anger rise, "Guy has shown me more love in the short time that I've known him than you've shown me my whole life!"
SMACK! Leo could feel his head turn to the side, as Vanessa slapped him across the cheek. Shocked, he put a hand to his stinging cheek, as he heard the door open.
"Are you okay?" David asked, going to Leo's side.
"I'm fine, David." Leo assured, turning back to their mother.
"You ungrateful brat." Vanessa said unsympathetically, "How dare you even say that to me! Do you know how easy it would have been for me to abandon you and never look back? I love you, Leo. I only want what's best for you."
"Yeah, right." Leo scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"I knew it." Vanessa sighed, "I knew it! I knew that little tramp out there would warp your mind. She's turned you against me, Leo!"
"No, Vanessa." Leo replied coldly, "You did that on your own!"
Silently, Leo turned and walked out of the office. Vanessa went to go after him, but David put a restraining hand on her shoulder.
"A word of advice, mother." David commented, "If you go after him, you'll only cause more heartbreak for yourself."
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Are you okay?" Greenlee asked, as Leo emerged from the office.
"I'm fine, Greens." Leo comforted with a sigh.
"Are you sure?" Greenlee wondered, grabbing his hand, "You want to go get some air?"
"That sounds good." Leo agreed with a nod.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"I don't see what we have to discuss, David." Vanessa stated, turning her back on the door, "I already know quite well what you think of me."
"You're right." David said, reaching into his pocket and pulling a picture of Leora out, "But we have something else to talk about."
"What's this?" Vanessa asked as David handed her the picture.
"Even you deserve to see what your own grandchild looks like." David replied as Vanessa marveled at the photograph.
"Oh, David!" Vanessa commented, "She's adorable! What is her name?"
"Leora." David said.
"That's quite an unusual name." Vanessa replied, "But you chose it because of Leo, right?"
"Yes." David nodded, grabbing the picture back, "Well, farewell, mother."
After Vanessa turned away from him in response, David silently walked out of the office and out of the building. Greenlee was waiting for him by his car, but Leo was standing a bit farther off. Greenlee, who had been watching Leo, turned her attention to David upon hearing him walk out.
"He's been rather quiet." Greenlee said, nodding towards Leo.
"Really?" David asked curious, "I wonder what she said to him now."
Silently, David walked over to where Leo was standing. His younger brother's eyes appeared to be focused on the clouds that were now rolling in. David put a hand on his shoulder, which got Leo's attention.
"You okay?" David asked concerned.
"I'm fine." Leo replied, before looking to the ground, "I guess I just feel guilty for having said some of those things to her."
"Don't." David assured, shaking his head, "Our mother deserved to hear every word of that and you know it."
"Still..." Leo protested with a sigh.
"You don't need to say it, little bro." David replied, "I already know. Come on, we should go back to your place before someone rips off whatever the hell the Count sent you."
"Hey David." Leo said as the two turned back towards the car.
"Huh?" David asked.
"Thanks." Leo replied with a smile.
"No problem." David said, returning Leo's smile
To be Continued....