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Chapter 49 – Better Late Than Never

“Okay,” I tried to calm my breathing, forcibly chanting inside my head.

Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts.

I wouldn’t say that I agree one hundred percent on my parents’ proposed setup but I got to admit that the whole picture of being a happy family and so on and so forth was a bit tempting. Somehow, it wouldn’t feel quite right to have Dad and Mom under the same roof. I mean that could be World War three and I wasn’t even exaggerating.

“I knew you’d see it our way,” Emma said batting her eyes at Winfred who replied with a playful smile. “I mean, it’s better late than never.”

I think a shudder just shot down my spine. Ugh. It was torture just looking at them all starry-eyed and whispering closely to each other’s ears and giggling every now and then.

Stop! I forced the thoughts out of my mind.

The thing is, I’ve always pictured my Mom as a prim and proper, iron-faced lady with a block of ice where her heart should be. On the other hand, Winfred—Winfred, Winfred, Winfred—had always been portrayed in my mind like a gallant knight in shining armor, who’s sweet but always composed.

What they were doing in front of me, which was too horrible to describe, will no doubt, scar me for life.

Just when Mom and Dad were about to get all lovey-dovey with each other, my phone rang.

“It’s Leon,” I muttered absently, thinking if I should answer it or not. Luckily for me, my parents wouldn’t be much to rely on so, out of impulse I received the call, my hands trembling as I pressed the phone on my ear.

“Sarah,” Leon said, his voice a little hoarse but soothing to my ears. I closed my eyes, waiting for him to speak again, imagining the expression on his perfectly stunning face. “You have to get out of there.” He sounded urgent.

“Why?” I demanded. Was he so devoted to make me disappear from his life? The thought just sent a wrenching feeling in my chest.

“Sarah, is Winfred there? Let me talk to him. It’s important,” he said firmly. Perhaps he didn’t want to talk to me anymore.

I handed the mobile phone to Winfred who took it rather reluctantly before I marched to the bathroom and took an ice cold shower. It felt good for a while; the icy water numbing my brain, but soon the memories came rushing to me. No matter how I tried, I couldn’t get Leon off my mind.

There was a few urgent knocks on the shower door and I realized it was Mom.

“Sarah, could you hurry up, please,” she said.

When I came out of the bathroom, Emma was already done packing. From outside my room, I could hear Winfred’s hurried footsteps all over the place. I couldn’t blame him. The house was big enough to house in a baseball field.

“What’s with the hurry?” I asked Mom as I towelled my damp hair.

“Here,” she said handing me my cardigan. There was an edgy look about her. “We should go.”

“You mean now?”

“I mean now,” she muttered.

I didn’t pester her about it. I knew better than to argue with my mother when she’s having a PMS. Something told me that I wouldn’t want to know what was bothering her.

A few more minutes and a blue Hummer screeched to a halt in front of the mansion. Automatically, the vehicle’s door opened.

Leon came running into the house and without a word, helped us carry the baggage into his compartment.

“What’s happening?” I started to ask.

“Sarah, we’ll tell you once we’re on the road okay?” Leon didn’t even look at me when he said that but I could feel the edge in his voice as he paced back and forth the driveway.

“I’ll create a diversion,” Winfred said once he was able to corner Leon who seemed a little too distracted to even pay attention. “I’ll meet you there,” Dad said giving me and Mom a brief hug.

I watched as Dad’s Fortuner disappeared into the road before we let ourselves in the Hummer. Becky was on the backseat, eyeing gingerly at me every once in a while. It struck me just how I missed her but we could catch up as soon as we get there—wherever we were going.

Kidnap barked happily and jumped my lap as soon as he saw me. At first he looked excited, but once Leon revved the engines, Kidnap burrowed his brown head under my arm, whining.

The gauge was already on forty even before we hit the road. A few seconds later, Leon hit ninety, his eyes fixed intently on the road. When I looked back at Winfred’s house, several cars were already parked in front of it. People started swarming around the gates, perhaps looking for Leon.

“Where are we going?” I held onto my seat as we overtook a sports car.

“To the airport,” he replied, his face still void of any emotion. “Someone has tipped the press about you. We have to get you out of L.A. and fast if you didn’t want paparazzi stalking you around. It could be messy. And we don’t want that.”

“But our flight’s not until four, right Mom?” I turned to ask Mom, who was obviously too busy clutching on the backseat to say anything.

“Dad’s at the airport right now to ready the jet. If we could beat the press people to the airport, we should be fine.” Leon’s expression stayed blank as he swerved from left to right, avoiding other vehicles and beating the stoplights.

“But it should be you they want. What would they possibly want from me?” I was so confused, with the nausea and the constant swerving of the car, I could barely think. When I glanced back, a couple of vans were already trailing behind us. “Are those—“

“Press. They’ll want anything that’s got a potential for being the next talk of the town. Most of it is just ugly and downright chaotic. So I don’t want you or your family involved in this. Someone tipped them about me and Nathan and you though I couldn’t imagine anyone else capable of doing that besides him,” he muttered through his teeth, his voice low and dangerous.

I shook my head. “Nathan couldn’t have done that,” I blurted without even thinking.

Throwing me a questioning glare, Leon glanced at the rear view mirror and hit a hundred and five. “How can you be so sure he didn’t?”

“How could you be so sure that he did?” I threw the question back to him.

“He’s capable of it,” his expression hardened.

“Doesn’t mean he’d do it,” I muttered defensively.

His hands clenched tighter on the wheel that his knuckles turned white. “Why do you always let him get away with everything?” he retorted, frustration evident on his face as his eyes smouldered on me.

“Leon, car!” I pointed at the fast approaching sports car and Leon managed to avoid it by a hair’s breadth. I couldn’t believe I almost died but once I sorted out my thoughts, I gave him an answer.  “Because, Leon, he’s your brother and you have to trust him.” I managed to yell through my chattering teeth.

“It’s too late for me and Nathan,” he shook his head with a hint of regret on his cerulean eyes.

“Better late than never,” I mumbled managing a little smile. Leon and Nathan finally seeing eye to eye and doing whatever stuff it is that brothers do; I’d love to see that someday.

With an angry grunt, Leon slammed his fist on the wheel and totally let the matter drop. His phone rang. Almost mechanically, he picked it up and answered the call.

“Dad? We’re almost there…” The gap between his brows furrowed as he cursed under his breath. “Where?” he paused to listen to Arthur. “How about the back? Any other way? No… I got a plan… Okay.”

Broodingly, Leon put the phone on the dash board and turned to me.

“We’re too late. They’re already in the airport and I don’t think we can shake these two off our tail,” he eyed at the two speeding vans constantly following us.

Becky cleared her throat. “Why don’t we hide in some hotel until they get tired and leave the airport? Then we’ll make a run for it.”

With a sigh, Leon shook his head.  “Out of the question. They’d find us right away. But I have a plan. I’ll lure them to me then you’ll make a run for it while they’re busy.”

“That’s a plan?” Becky chided nervously.

“If you’ve got a better idea the table is open,” Leon replied nonchalantly, still concentrating on the road. When Becky didn’t complain, he gazed at me momentarily. “I’ll come after you when I can,” he said with his sincere crystal blue eyes gazing at me.

Before I could even respond to him, I caught my breath as he slammed on the breaks. I didn’t even realize that we’re already at the airport.

The lobby was full of reporters and people with cameras, so as the driveways and walkways to the boarding area. In an instant, as soon as the car stopped, pairs of eyes shifted anticipatively of us. Good thing the windows were heavily tinted so they couldn’t readily see us but in a matter of seconds, my heart was already racing like a stampede was coming.

Becky made an incomprehensible sound like, “Ung,” then  pulled the hood of her sweater up. “Don’t you have like… body guards?” she asked nervously at Leon.

“I fired them,” he shrugged scathingly. “I probably should get replacements.”

“Yeah, but I guess it’s too late for that now,” Becky mumbled, her eyes wide with perplexity.

With a humourless laugh, Leon put on a pair of sunglasses and started to get out of the Hummer but before he did, I caught his arm.

“Are you going to be alright there?” My hands were shaking. I knew he’s Leon Walden but I have a feeling that it wouldn’t be as simple as he put it.

He just nodded and pointed to an emergency exit door. “Go straight. If were in luck, Dad will be waiting for you on the other end… I hope.”

The people started to swarm to the lot. They were almost at us when a red Lamborgini skidded to a halt just in front of the lobby, not too far away from us. The tires screeched angrily against the pavement that it caught the attention of almost everyone in there. The driver had the hood of his red sweater pulled up so I could hardly guess who it was.

Another black convoy car followed wherefrom two big muscular men in black suits emerged. One ran in front of the Ferrari as though barricading his huge built between the crowd and whoever drove the sports car.

The hooded driver stepped out of his car coolly in a very movie star-ish way. He seemed to take something from his pocket— perhaps a cell phone—and pressed it on his ear.

Coincidentally, Leon’s phone vibrated on the dash board.

“Leon, phone!” I muttered still petrified on my seat. If Leon heard what I said, he didn’t give a hint. I grabbed the phone and saw the caller I.D. “Nathan,” I mumbled, grabbing Leon’s hand and handing the phone over to him. “Answer it!” I yelled in panic.

Vacantly, Leon did what I told him and once he put the phone on, I turned to the hooded guy in red. He pushed the hood off his head, revealing effortlessly dishevelled dirty blonde hair. When he removed his sunglasses, I would’ve bet my life it was him.

“Nathan,” I mumbled again, staring incredulously at Leon’s brother. What the heck is he doing?

I didn’t need to hear what Nathan had to say through the phone. There must’ve been a million cameras flashing everywhere as the crowd started to swarm around him, giving us a chance to escape. But I could clearly read the word from his mouth.

“Go.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yay! An update finally. And Yep. This story is coming to an end. I'm not going to say how. I can only say that you'd be surprised. And for that I have a poll.

How would you want the book to end.

a. And they lived happily ever after (cliche right)

b. Something unexpected but not necessarily sad

c. Book two!

d. Boo! Let's wait til chapter 105!

And don't forget to vote okay? So I'd know if you like it or not :)

BTW, I really love the song on the left. Just sayin'. XD