"Mum?” Tommy came running to her, jogging her memory.
He was the reason she had come.
Stepping back further away from Mark, she turned to find her son staring up at them eyes wide open with a big smile on his face. All this time they had been embracing each other and Melissa didn't even realize it until Tommy showed up.
"Oh, my son." She hugged him in her arms as tears filled her eyes. "I missed you so much, honey." She sniffed kissing him on the cheeks.
"Stop mum, I'm not a baby anymore." He said laughing. "Mum, have you come to make daddy get better?" He asked, glancing at his father.
"No, I came to get you. We are going home now." She turned her gaze to glance at Mark who stood watching them.
Seeing them together brought joyful tears to his eyes. That day lying in a pool of his blood, hearing Melissa's sob as she screamed his name, he thought he would never see them again.
All this while Melissa had not noticed Mark was supporting himself on a walking stick. He looked thinner and worn out. Not as strong as she last saw him but she was glad he had woken from his coma.
"Let's go, say goodbye to your father." Briefly closing her eyes she took a deep breath. It was hard for her to leave him but she had to. She was not going to let his presence sway her from her plans.
Tommy's call for his mother had attracted people in the hallway. They all come out including the furious old Mr. Johnson.
“Who let this vicious woman into my home? Mary get the security to kick her out and take the boy.“ Mr. Johnson ordered
“I'm leaving with my son. You have no right to keep him away from me” Melissa carried Tommy to leave but the security stopped her.
She had known that they wouldn't let her go so she brought her security along.
Drawing out her gun, she pointed it at the old man. “Try and stop me”
She held her son in one hand and a gun in the other, ready to shoot anyone who dared to get in her way.
The six bodyguards protecting the Johnson family stood before her.
"Melissa' please put the gun down." Mark's mother pleaded with her. She tried to calm her down so as not to scare the boy or hurt him but Melissa didn't back down.
"Step away from my granddaughter."
Just in time Mr Edward came with his men and stood beside her with guns in their hands ready to shoot. "We finally meet, Johnson." Mr. Edward said, looking at his enemy face to face.
"Edward, how long has it been? Twenty, thirty years since they took you away. I see you have grown some balls to come from your hiding place." The two stood nose to nose.
"You set me up, you bastard. You had me thrown in jail so you could take Helena from me. For years I have been waiting for this day. The day I see your angry face and do this." He punched Mr. Johnson in the face. "That's for the ten years I spent in jail." He said shaking his hand to ease the pain.
"Grandfather, are you okay?" Mark held Mr. Johnson protectively.
"Get these lowlifes off my property and if they resist, shoot them." Mr. Johnson ordered.
"Grandfather stop this. Please let all calm down. Melissa let Tommy down so we can talk." Mark said walking towards her.
"I'm not here to talk, I only came for my son. You can visit him anytime you want but he can't stay here."
"I said shoot them if they don't leave." Angry Mr. Johnson commanded taking a gun from one of his men.
"No dad, no one is getting shot today. Mr. Edward please just leave. Let's talk once everyone is calm." Mark's dad tried to separate the two groups.
"We are leaving and there is nothing to talk about. Grandpa lets go." Melissa turned ready to leave.
"You're not taking the boy." Mr. Johnson stopped them.
"Grandfather, that's enough. Melissa, please let's talk. Give me a chance to explain everything." Mark went after Melissa.
"Mark, I want no explanations from you. I never want to see you or talk to you again." She held her son stepping away from him.
"Melissa please." He pleaded holding her by the elbow.
"Lisa take Tommy to the car." Stepping away from Mark she gave Tommy to Lisa who had joined them.
"It's okay son, go with your aunt." Mark nodded at Tommy when he hesitated to take Lisa's hand.
For a few seconds, they stood staring at each other. "I'm glad you're better now." She bit her lip as Mark drew her closer.
"Melissa I missed you." He touched her cheek holding her gaze.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this Mark. I have to leave with Tommy.." She stepped back as tears filled her eyes. "I'm sorry." Turning away, she wiped the tears that fell down her cheek.
"Mark, Mark are you okay?" Sasha rushed to him followed by her parents and his parents.
"I'm fine." He glanced from her to his mother.
"The guests are waiting, let's go back."
Standing there Melissa looked at Sasha's hand in Mark's. With his parents beside her, it was evident the Johnsons had accepted her and Mark chose to be with her.
With a heavy heart, she walked away disappearing down the corridor despite how hard Mark called out to her.