Chapter 16 -- Seize.
"You already read it?" Della was taken aback when Leith had approached her two day prior to their previous meeting, asking if they could have coffee.
"Yes, once I began; I was so intrigued. I couldn't stop." Leith chuckled lightly looking at Della with a different look.. it hid some sort of sympathy and pity. Della noticed it as well, he seemed much warmer and treated her like an egg. Her worst fear had came to life ;people would always pity her after reading her work. That was something she didn't want. They were seated across each other in Starbucks, her choice. She put a strand of her brunette hair behind her ear as she waited for him to say more..
"…and?" She questioned taking a sip from her black coffee.
"My question is to what extent would someone have to be hurt to write such pieces of work?" Leith looked at her by the skin of one's teeth, it made her uncomfortable. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.
"Writing is purely fiction." She tried to cover up the mini nervous breakdown down she had just had in her head.
"I assure you darling, I have been reading for a long time and I have criticized one of the best authors right now in the business and I'm not going to be ignorant enough to say it's purely fiction." He said his gaze focused sorely on her.
"Adela, you can talk to me?" Leith tried to lay his hand on top of hers but she quickly shifted. Her phone rang and she thanked the lord up above for the distraction.
"Excuse me." She said walking away from their booth. It was an unknown number, she wondered who it might be but that changed when she heard her mother's panicked voice.
"Hello? Adela?" Marcela's voice could be heard from through the receiver, a part of Adela was happy rather glad that she actually cared about her but knowing her mother, she would say something mean right after.
"How are you?" Adela said walking towards the washroom area.
"We need to talk." Marcela said in a hurry.
"You finally want to talk?" Della asked just to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. A small smile crept on her lips but she knew her mother always disappointed her so she frowned and decided to expect the worst.
"Yes about your father." This was the first time Della had ever heard her mother's voice shaky with fear, she wondered why?
"You are married, Marcela."
"No, Adela he is not a good man. I can't tell you over the phone but you know what we should meet."
"I'm in Starbucks right now near Verona ave, maybe I could wait for you here." Della said quickly. She knew her mother was just being dramatic as always, she probably felt guilty for being the world's worst mother. Marcela was selfish and still selfish, why did she care about Della all of a sudden?!
"No, can we meet at your apartment. Just give me the address and I will wait for you there." Marcela sighed. "I have to go." She hanged up the phone. Della thought it was really weird, how her mother was acting.
"Is everything okay?" Leith asked in a concerned tone when he saw Della return to her seat, looking quite appalled.
"Yeah, it's just i have to get home right now." She said. Part of her wanted an excuse to get away from this conversation. She didn't want to explain why and how she came about her writing. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to publish her work, if everyone would give her pity looks right after. She wanted people to admire her, she wanted to empower others but not receive sympathy.
"Oh..." Leith looked at her suspiciously.
"I need to pick up my son from school." She mumbled and he nodded. Obviously lying because Andre was going to pick up Leo as planned. Something about her mother reaching out to her, made her excited. It was like something she had been yearning for ever since she was an infant.
"Very well then, we can always reschedule. It was nice having this little chat with you." Leith said politely and she nodded before making her way out, leaving him all alone. Although he didn't seem bothered by it, on his part it was progress… for Garreth's request.
-
"How are you darling?" Garreth McCarthy chuckled as he gulped down his expensively scotch. It was a bad habit, he could not go a day without one or two or six glasses.
"Shut up you asshole!" Jeanine spoke on the other side of the phone. She was fuming with anger and beyond angry.
"I assume you have received my little gift? I didn't know if you would like it wrapped in a bit of pink or red or black but you seem like a red type of girl. You radiate danger... huh?" Garreth snickered.
"What do you want?" Jeanine asked feeling like she was being put on a tight corner with nowhere to run. Garreth laughed without any remorse then hanged up the phone. He laid his phone on his mahogany table, watching it ring and vibrate. He knew she would call immediately after—
He loved having people at his mercy. He gulped down his scotch and slammed the glass on the table, loving the burning sensation of bourbon on his throat.
He looked at the picture frame at the corner of his desk of his daughter. He felt beyond proud, he felt like he had archived something so pure and innocent for the first time in his entire life time. His phone kept on ringing and ringing, it was fun at first until he found it rather vexatious. He put it on silent and stared at the view of New York Skyscrapers.
-
"My friends think you are the coolest." Leondre said to his father who gave him a grin.
"I think you are the coolest." He ruffled his son`s blonde locks.
"Where is Albane?" Leo said curiously, Albane had been the one fetching Leo from a school lately. Leo loved it, the door being opened for him while his teachers and friends stared in awe. He felt like royalty. From being given a ride by his class teacher to having a personal driver.
"Today, I decided to fetch you myself. Don't you want me here buddy?" Andre faked a hurt look as he kept his eyes on the road.
"Albane is pretty cool but you are much cooler." Leo said pulling his tie off. "Where are we going? Hopefully not home."
"Where do you want to go?" Andre asked him.
"China, Japan, anywhere with anime-" He laughed.
"Let's go cart racing, how about that?"
"Woah! Really right now?" Leo smiled sheepishly. "I have always wanted to try those but mom never approved."
"Well, i have to warn you though. I'm the king of racing-" Andre smirked.
"I'm the King of video games, Grand theft auto. I will beat you in a second." Leo said removing his blazer, he always hated the uniform. He removed it any chance he got, throwing his blazer and tie in the back seat of his father's Audi r9.
"We will see about that, bud." Andre muttered in a mischievous tone.
-
"I hate you, Garreth McCarthy." Jeanine muttered in distress as she continued dialing his number which went straight to voice mail.