After Carly's night spent at a luxurious apartment on the elite side of New York, she finally got back to the McDonell household the next day after class. Angel was mightily relieved to see her sister safe and sound. She also made sure Carly had a bite of her cupcakes. Leo was also happy to see her back. When they were alone late at night in Leo's room, when the whole house was asleep, they couldn't help but cuddle each other. As much as Carly enjoyed being close to him, there was something different about how she felt. And she had a feeling she had a good reason why.
With André still in New York for the whole week, he would sometimes call Carly to meet up for lunch somewhere, and she would gladly comply. She had to keep him happy, and with Red Lion watching her every move, she had to go through with being Loren Jenkins.
Red Lion finally furnished Loren's apartment. As much as Carly was excited to see the place furnished with expensive ornaments and furniture, a big part of her knew she was swimming even deeper in dangerous waters. If her sister or Leo were ever to find out about all this, how would they react? She couldn't think about that now. However, she promised herself one thing. Once all this with André was over and Red Lion got whatever he wanted, she was going to call it quits and leave this life of Loren Jenkins behind her.
With a double life now in play, Carly had to find a way of playing her role as Loren Jenkins, without affecting her normal life as Carly. Red Lion and Hugo decided it was best for her to have another phone specifically for communicating with André, Red Lion, and her fake uncle, whom neither she nor anyone else would ever meet. Hugo would play the role. He would only call and text her using her uncle as an alias. It was best to keep her own life and Loren Jenkins' life separate, so having two separate phones seemed ideal. Hugo also created a social media account for Loren Jenkins to make it look like she was active like anyone her age would.
Carly also did her level best in that week not to seem out of character with her sister and the rest of the McDonell family, especially Leo. She went to college early in the morning, and whenever André wanted to meet with her for lunch, she would go to the apartment. From there she would dress up in the clothes only fit for Loren Jenkins and do a little bit of makeup. She didn't have to rely so much on Jane. Afterwards, she would meet up with André. When lunchtime is over, she would go back to the apartment, change back into her old clothes, and go back to college. The whole thing was tedious, but if she were to keep up with the double life, this was merely the price she had to pay.
After the week had passed, André returned to Mexico. Before leaving, he visited Carly at the apartment. Though they didn't spend the night together, they talked and enjoyed each other's company over dinner and a bottle of wine. With André in Mexico, it gave Carly a bit of breathing space and allowed her to return to her normal life entirely. However, every now and then, André would call or text on the phone meant for Loren Jenkins. In return, Carly would reply, keeping their relationship going.
As for Angel and Leo, after their little incident in the kitchen that night, the two started to act weird with each other. Whenever they met at home or at work, they would do their best to avoid each other, not even to stop and say "hi." No one paid them any attention. As for Eric, it was normal for him to experience tension between the two. Only this time, it wasn't tension over an argument that was keeping them apart. The only people who did notice something off between the two were Amanda and Diana.
Whenever the two of them were alone, they wouldn't talk to each other. If they did, they would either talk of things regarding work or simple small talk. Whenever someone like Eric appeared, they would feel relieved because they wouldn't have to deal with each other anymore.
If they had to deal with assignments together, the work would be the only thing keeping them busy, and they would talk less. In some cases, especially on field assignments, they had no choice but to talk to each other, for they had to interact with other clients. It took some time for the two of them to be comfortable with each other like before. They never used to talk much, but being in each other's presence was one thing that didn't bother them until that incident in the kitchen.
A month had gone by since Angel joined the McDonell Construction Company. With a healthy salary, Angel planned to save some money in order to deal with some outstanding debts her mother had failed to pay back while she was alive. With some money from her old job and her salary from the construction company, she thought it was time to pay back some of those debts. She planned to start all of that from her old neighborhood.
On a Saturday, Angel decided to go to Manhattan. She had Bill take her, but he couldn't stay because he had other errands to run. By ten in the morning, Bill pulled over in front of the house Angel had once lived in.
Angel stepped out of the car, and the first thing her eyes landed on was the big poster sign in front of the small black gate of the house. Since her mother mortgaged the house, the bank took it after her death. Angel herself wasn't aware of the situation from the beginning, and she thought maybe she could be able to buy the house back if necessary.
She turned to wave at Bill goodbye before he drove off. The little gate that separated the house from the others on either side still stood firm. Her eyes fell on the stone path that led up to the steps and to the brown front door, which stood behind a black iron burglar bars. She remembered the day she had stepped out of the house for the last time. That was the day her mother died hours later, and when she found out the truth about Carly. Even after the bank had taken their house, Angel couldn't come to the house one last time as things were being packed away. Carly and Mr. McDonell had been here. It was sad that she couldn't say goodbye to the house properly.
Standing there looking at the front door brought so many memories that Angel soon felt tears in her eyes. She realized that the door would never open and would never see her mother stepping out of the house to welcome her back home. She shook her head. It would be weird for her to be seen crying in the streets. Yet, this place held so many memories for her, especially her childhood ones. There was simply no hiding away from her emotions.
"Angel, is that you?" came the voice of a woman behind her.
Angel turned around to see a woman wearing a grey silk robe, a white shirt, and pink pajamas stepping out of the house across the street. Her black, thick hair stood in a messy bun above her head. She wore glasses enclosed in a black frame and wore slippers over her feet. Angel gasped in surprise.
"Oh, Aunt Cathy," said Angel as she walked over to her, and the two women met in the middle of the road. Luckily, there weren't many cars driving about. The two women hugged.
"Angel, it is you!" Aunt Cathy exclaimed as she held Angel back to get a good look at her. "Dang, girl, you're looking fine as hell. When I saw that car pull up in front of the house, I didn't expect to see you stepping out of it."
"That's nothing, Aunt Cathy," said Angel, laughing it off.
"Oh, they are keeping you and your sister well. It's good to see you again." Aunt Cathy pulled Angel back to hug her again.
"It's good to see you too."
"We better go inside before people look and see you," said Aunt Cathy as she looked around to see if there were any prying eyes looking out on the street. "We don't want too many people crowding over you this early."
Aunt Cathy stopped hugging Angel. She held Angel by the shoulders, leading her to the house.
They walked up the steps to Aunt Cathy's house, and she opened the door for Angel. Angel stepped into the house. The small foyer and the stairs to her right leading up to the bedrooms. The narrow corridor leads straight to the living room and the kitchen. Angel noticed children's shoes scattered all around the foyer, and the sight of them made her smile. It was the weekend, so Aunt Cathy's nieces and nephews were around as always.
Aunt Cathy led the way to the living room. The neatly arranged coffee couches were set in a semicircle facing the TV hanging on the wall. Angel could tell that Aunt Cathy had just finished cleaning the place. When the kids were around, they left a huge mess at times, especially in the living room.
Aunt Cathy held Angel's hand and directed her to the longer couch where they sat. Aunt Cathy simply couldn't hide the huge smile on her face.
"It's really nice to see you again, dear," said Aunt Cathy. "How's Carly?"
"She's good, thanks," Angel replied. "Gosh, it feels so good to be back here."
"Well, we missed you. The whole neighborhood did. The passing of your mother was a huge blow to all of us."
"I'm grateful you could attend the funeral. It really means a lot that you came."
"Now, tell me. I hear a good friend of your mother took you in. I hope he's been treating you and your sister well."
Angel went on to explain how things have been since she moved to the McDonell mansion. The McDonells accepted the two sisters like family. Angel also included that she now worked for the family company and Carly was at a better college now. Hearing all this made Aunt Cathy feel glad.
"May the Lord bless Mr. McDonell's soul," said Aunt Cathy. She squeezed Angel's hand on her lap. "It's not easy to find someone who can take you in like he did."
"I'm very grateful for what he has done for us," said Angel. "If it wasn't for him, I don't know what would've happened to us."
"It's good he also gave you a job. That old job of yours wasn't giving you much, and it wouldn't have done you any good considering that the bank kicked you out. Do you ever plan to buy the house back?"
Angel didn't answer right away as she looked at Aunt Cathy, then her eyes flew around the living room. From the very beginning, when the bank took the house, she told herself she would do all she could and work hard to get the house back. After getting a good job, she told herself she would try and save. But she slowly started to realize that after staying with the McDonells, her view had started to change. Not that she felt it was better to stay with the McDonells. At some point, after she had made enough to fend for her sister and herself, she would move out of the mansion. But to where? Back to her old house or somewhere new?
"To be honest, I don't know," said Angel, sounding clueless. "Once, I told myself that I would love to buy the house back. After seeing it now, I don't know what I feel anymore."
Aunt Cathy smiled. "That feeling is normal, dear," she said. "Give yourself time to think things through. Who knows, maybe the universe is telling you that it's time to let it go."
"Time to let go." Angel repeated the words, thinking it over. But that was her home. Was that really how things had to end?
"Or maybe you've gotten so comfortable living with the McDonells that you wouldn't want to leave," said Aunt Cathy.
"I wouldn't like to live with them forever, though," said Angel, turning to look at Aunt Cathy. "They've done so much for me and Carly already. I wouldn't like to take advantage of their generosity. At some point, when I'm able to take care of Carly and myself, I will have to part ways with them."
"Well, you're right about that. They aren't really related to you by blood."
"Yet they still treat us like their own." A huge smile came across Angel's face. "I'm never going to forget their kindness."
"They have treated you well. Before you even decide to move out, you might meet a handsome man who will marry you. Don't you have a boyfriend yet?"
Angel suddenly blushed at the question. Aunt Cathy had always asked Angel whether she was dating or not after she broke up with her former boyfriend, who cheated on her. She thought Aunt Cathy wouldn't bring it up until now. It was just like old times.
"Uh, no," said Angel, licking her lips. "I haven't found anyone yet."
"Liar," said Aunt Cathy. "I bet there are a few men chasing after you. They haven't just found the time to tell you. Tell me, you live with the McDonells, right? I hear they have handsome men in that family. Haven't none of them approached you?"
Angel coughed. "No, they haven't," she said. She simply couldn't tell Aunt Cathy that one of them happened to be dating Carly and the other likes her already.
"Where are my manners? I forgot to offer you something to drink." Aunt Cathy stood up from her seat and started to make her way to the kitchen. "What would you like, Angel?"
"A glass of water will be fine."
Aunt Cathy came back with a glass of water and offered it to Angel. The two women continued to chat. This time Aunt Cathy talked about what had been going on around the neighborhood after Carly and Angel left. Aunty Cathy's two nieces and three nephews came down to the living room, and they were happy to see Angel after such a long time. After catching up with the kids, Aunt Cathy told the children to go have their late breakfast in the kitchen. When they left, Angel couldn't help but smile widely with Aunt Cathy.
"They seem to have grown the last time I saw them," said Angel.
"You know kids," said Aunt Cathy with a chuckle. "They grow up so fast. It must be what they put in the food nowadays."
"Aunt Cathy, there's something I want to talk to you about. The reason why I came here today."
Aunt Cathy noticed that Angel sounded serious, and she shifted in her seat. "What is it?" she asked.
Angel carried with her a white handbag, and she laid it on her laps. She opened it and removed a brown envelope with Aunt Cathy's name on it. She looked at Aunt Cathy before stretching her hand to give the envelope. Aunt Cathy looked at it and then at Angel, confused.
"What is all this?" Aunt Cathy asked.
"I know according to the state I shouldn't be paying off my mother's debts personally," said Angel. "But there are some of her personal ones that I feel I have to take care of myself. Mum wrote down a few names of people she owed in the neighborhood, and I thought it would be best to pay you back."
"Oh, no, dear. I don't need it really. I get what you're trying to do, but you need this for you and your sister."
"I know, but I'm doing fine. It's you I'm worried about. You helped us out even when you were struggling yourself. I never knew about my mother's personal debts until I looked through her diary. I want to make it up to you for taking care of us throughout the years. This gesture might seem intimidating, but I promise it's coming from deep down. You need this more than I do."
Aunt Cathy hesitated for a bit, looking down at the envelope Angel held out to her. She slowly took it from Angel's hand, trying to not to let out her emotions.
"I never expected you to do this for me, Angel," said Aunty Cathy. "You've always been a good person. Your mother must be looking down at you and smiling."
"Don't get all emotional, or else you're going to make me cry too," said Angel, chuckling. She could already feel the tears in her eyes.
"Thank you, dear." Aunty Cathy pulled Angel into a hug. "You've no idea what this means to me. You truly are an angel."
"It's the least I can do. Don't worry about it. You've also been like a mother to me."
Aunty Cathy sniffed as she tried not to cry. She stopped hugging Angel and looked down at the envelope in her hands.
"Now that you're here," said Aunty Cathy as she looked up at Angel. "There's something you need to know."
Angel felt a little uneasy all of a sudden. She had a feeling that what Aunt Cathy was about to tell her wasn't going to be pleasant.
"What is it?" Angel asked.
"You're not going to like this, but I think you should know." Aunt Cathy took a deep breath. "It's your father, Angel. He's here in New York."
***
Leo flipped the lights on, and the room lit up under the crystal glass chandelier. His feet echoed around the huge room of the apartment building, and he silently closed the door behind him. He looked in front of him and was greeted by the small arrangement of plush white armchairs in the living room area and a small mahogany bookshelf on one side of the room against the white wall. The place wasn't entirely empty considering that this place was his own apartment. The apartment he was supposed to be living in with Kim after they had gotten married.
He walked over to the living room and dropped his car keys on the glass coffee table at the center. Next to the living room, he had a clear view of the small dining table with only four chairs. He planned to buy a bigger table as time went on, but then he still remained a bachelor. There were so many things he had planned with Kim. There were even a few ornaments that she bought for the place. But the empty walls and slightly dull bookshelf showed that those had long been taken away after they finally called things off. She had the spare key to the apartment once, but she handed them back to him long ago. After all, this was his apartment.
Leo walked over to the dining room and looked out the glass windows. He had a nice view of the city and New York Harbor. He smiled to himself, realizing that Carly would love the place. He still hadn't told her that he had an apartment of his own. Now that he thought about it, he should have brought her here and made it more like their love nest. However, with his parents and Kim knowing about this place, he wouldn't want to risk their relationship being exposed if any of them ever thought of stopping by.
He decided to walk over to the window and pulled out his phone. He thought of calling Carly, for she was at the spa with Diana. They were supposed to be together for the whole day, but Diana caught Carly at the house at the last minute. She wanted Carly's help with picking out an outfit for a friend's dinner party tonight. With Angel already out of the house and Mrs. McDonell also out on her own errands, Carly was the only one available who could help. Carly agreed to it, and Diana thought it would be best to get a manicure and pedicure too.
With Carly hanging out with Diana, he didn't have anywhere to go and thought of coming over to his apartment to wait for her. He looked at his phone contact list to call Carly, but he thought better of it. She did tell him she would inform him when she finished helping Diana. There was no need to worry. He put the phone back in his pocket and decided to go to the master bedroom down the hall.
He entered the bedroom, and the queen-sized bed being the only item in the room, alongside a table and chair. White bed covers covered the mattress. The place looked occupied with how spotlessly clean it was. Leo hired a maid to come clean the place once a week. Maybe he should just move out of the house and stay here on his own. Eric had made fun of him back then, telling Leo it was pointless staying at his parents' house when he could have more freedom if he moved to the apartment. Back then, he was reserving the place for when he got married to Kim. Now that he didn't, he couldn't understand why he still didn't move into his apartment. So much has happened in the last few months, he said to himself.
After the Barclay sisters had moved in, the thought of moving out slipped his mind. Maybe it's because he wanted to be close to Carly. If he did move out and planned to meet with Carly every time she knocked off from college, he might get her in trouble if his mother ever thought of visiting him. She did have a bad habit of coming by unannounced, and Leo wasn't ready to deal with that.
He walked over to the bed, sat down, and leaned backwards to fall onto the bed. He looked up at the ceiling, his thoughts wandering about. He started to wonder what it would be like if he and Carly were to stay together. The thought of it made him smile. He and Carly on this same bed, waking up together in the morning, having breakfast together, and making love wherever and whenever they wanted. His mind pondered the thought until he found himself slowly starting to close his eyes. For some reason, he had started to feel drowsy. While he thought of Carly, his thoughts slowly started to weave into a dream.
He was on his bed, with the bed covers all over him. His eyes slowly opened to see the windows in the room drawn aside, and the sun shone brightly outside. He sat up in his bed, feeling sleepy. Movement on the bed made him draw his attention beside him. Also laying there under the covers was Carly. She was fast asleep, facing the other side. Leo smiled at her, knowing that he enjoyed the lovemaking they had. He turned to look at her, admiring her pretty face as she slept.
He leaned down onto the bed with his elbow propping him up to continue looking at her. He ran his hand through her long, black hair. Carly murmured as a smile came across her face. Leo leaned closer to kiss her cheek, but Carly suddenly turned to face Leo. What Leo saw next, stunned him.
"Morning, Leo. You're up early," said Angel with a smile on her face.
Leo remained fixated for a moment. Just a moment ago, he was looking at Carly. Now, he was looking at Angel. Her thick black and red hair splayed around the pillow as she slept on her back to look up at him. A wide smile appeared on her face, and her face had a glowing ambience that he felt so drawn to it. This isn't right, Leo told himself as he looked at Angel. But for some reason he failed to look away.
Angel stretched out her hand and placed it on Leo's cheek. He gasped softly at her touch, which sent ripples of electricity on his skin. He had never felt this way before. The fact that it was Angel giving him this kind of feeling felt even more weird.
Angel continued to smile at him as her thumb stroked his cheek lightly, sending chills down Leo's spine. As much as Leo wanted to slap Angel's hand away, he simply couldn't do it. The whole scenario unfolding in front of him had him fixated. For some weird reason, he slowly started to feel that this was where he belonged.
He found himself bringing his arm around Angel's waist. The bed covers still covered her body, but he could tell that she was naked underneath. The thought of it excited him a little, drawing himself closer to her.
Angel's thumb came over Leo's lips, and she stared at them hungrily. The look she gave suddenly stirred something in Leo. In response to it, he pushed Angel's body closer to his. Her body felt so warm and soft against his. Angel grew startled at his sudden reaction that she chuckled.
"Leo, what is it?" she asked.
"I don't know," he said, feeling confused that he did what he did and felt what he felt. This wasn't right, he kept telling himself. Why do I feel like this?
Angel's gaze grew soft, and Leo noticed her start to blush. He couldn't help but appreciate her beauty all of a sudden. Her lovely smooth skin, her perfectly set lips that parted slightly, just waiting for him to kiss them. Her deep brown eyes were set on him, drawing him closer to her. Her beautiful black and red hair splayed all over the pillow portrayed her like a beautiful goddess. What made matters worse was that he was dying to remove the bed covers covering her body. For once, he was curious to see what lay under there. He found himself blushing at the thought. His heartbeat quickened, and Angel must have noticed it because she smiled at him.
"What are you waiting for?" she asked him. "Make me yours, Leo."
Leo didn't know what to do next. Should he do it? No, you shouldn't, his mind kept telling him. However, his body was saying something else completely. The wild animal wanted to devour her right there and then.
Her hand on his lips flew into his hair, bringing his face closer to hers. Leo didn't expect this from Angel, but it excited him even more.
"Make me yours, Leo," she said this time in a whisper. Her voice and her breath enticed him even more. Moreover, her strawberry-flavored shampoo filled his nostrils, drawing him in.
Angel's eyes closed as he drew closer, and just as his lips were about to touch hers. His phone rang.
Leo jolted up from his dream right away, sitting upright. For a moment, he didn't know what was happening until he realized that his phone was buzzing in the pocket of his leather jacket. He quickly removed it and found that it was his grandmother calling.
Before answering the call, Leo took deep breaths to calm himself. His heart was pacing, and he couldn't put a finger as to why he felt so confused and at the same time bewildered. He looked at his phone, and then swiped the answer button to the side.
"Hey, grandma," Leo greeted Amanda, trying his best not to sound off.
"Leo," said Amanda, "are you busy right now?"
"At the moment, no." Leo leaned his elbows on his knees and, at the same time, rubbed his sleepy eyes. "I'm waiting on someone to call me. We had plans to meet this afternoon."
"Oh, okay. Bill was supposed to pick up Angel in Manhattan after running some errands. However, there's something else he's supposed to pick up somewhere, and I'm afraid he might delay Angel a little. Can you pick her up instead? That's if you'll find the time."
Leo silently sighed. It just had to be Angel, he thought. He couldn't meet with Angel when he already had plans to meet with Carly. What should he tell Amanda?
"I'm not sure if I'm going to manage that," said Leo. "My friend is bound to call soon. Besides, Angel could use the bus if she can't wait for Bill."
"Oh, I wouldn't like her to use the bus," said Amanda distastefully.
Leo didn't know what to say next. It was clear to see that his grandmother wasn't going to have Angel take public transport.
"Why don't you ask Eric to pick her up?" Leo asked. Eric would do anything for Angel, Leo thought to himself.
"He's busy with other things, and he went out with your father somewhere. Please do this little favor for me, Leo. I feel bad for making Bill do other things, hence impeding on Angel's plans. You'll bring her back home, that's all."
Leo sighed. There was no escaping Amanda's whims now when she had put it like that. If he refused, she would complain about how bad of a grandson he was. Moreover, she's stubborn enough to do that even for a week. It's things like this that made Leo wonder why he couldn't tolerate his mother when Amanda can be much worse.
"Okay, I'll pick her up," said Leo, giving in and rolling his eyes. "Will she be leaving anytime soon?"
"I don't know," said Amanda. "That's where you have to call her. She did say she wasn't going to stay for too long."
Leo sighed, and this time he didn't care whether Amanda heard it. "I'll call her right now."
"Thank you, dear. I'll see you soon."
Amanda quickly cut the call, and Leo couldn't believe what had just happened. He looked at his phone and looked for Angel's phone number. Just some time ago, he had wanted to call Carly, but one call from Amanda turned things around.
He found Angel's number and called her. It was then that he remembered his dream. Was this really the time to call her? Before she could think of cutting the line, Angel answered the call just after the first ring.
"Leo, hey," she came at the other end of the line.
Leo's mouth suddenly went dry, and he didn't know what to say next. Her voice reminded him of what she told him in his dream, telling him to make her his. His heart started to quicken as he sat there, stunned over what to say.
"Hello? Leo, are you there?" Angel asked.
Oh, no, he thought to himself. If he didn't say anything any time soon, he might just make Angel worry over nothing.
Leo cleared his throat. "Sorry about that," he said, feeling the words coming out of his mouth scratch his throat. "Hey."
Leo wanted to slap himself on the forehead. He shouldn't have said that to begin with. A simple hi would've sufficed.
"Hey," said Angel. Leo could tell that she sounded a little confused. There was silence between the two before she said, "Uh, you called."
"Oh, yeah," said Leo. You're so stupid, he told himself as he winced. "I called to ask if you would like to take a ride back home."
"A ride back home?" Angel repeated. "Bill told me he will be passing by after running an errand."
"Well, he's been sent to do something else, and he might take long. So I've been told to pick you up and take you back home."
"Oh." Angel sounded a little surprised. "If that's the case, I can easily take the bus. I know you made plans with Carly today. I wouldn't like to intrude."
"I'm not with Carly at the moment, so I wouldn't mind."
Leo, what the hell? he screamed on the inside. Did he just offer himself to take her home? This was so not him.
Angel on the other end remained silent, obviously trying to take all this in. It must be awkward for her as it is for me, Leo thought to himself.
"Leo, it's okay," said Angel. "Moving back and forth will be a waste of time and gas. I'll take the bus. Where is Carly? How come she isn't with you?"
"She's with Diana at the mall. My grandma suggests I take you home. She feels bad for taking Bill elsewhere, and she really doesn't like the idea of you taking the bus."
"I see." Leo could imagine Angel slowly nodding. "And if you don't bring me home, you're in big trouble with her." Thank goodness, she got the gist, Leo thought to himself. "Okay, you can come pick me up then. I'm almost done with whatever I wanted to do here. I'll share with you the address."
"Sure. I'll see you then. Bye."
"Bye."
Leo cut the call and dropped himself heavily onto the bed with a huge groan. He set his phone aside and rubbed his face. This can't be happening right now, he said to himself. Talking to Angel was so awkward. More awkward than the time he helped her from falling over her stool that time. After dreaming of sleeping her, talking to her afterwards will be crazy awkward.
He stopped rubbing his face as he looked up at the white ceiling. Why did he dream of her in this very bed? Leo couldn't tell why and how it came about. One minute he was sure it was Carly right next to him. Angel appeared out of nowhere like a magic trick. He replayed the dream in his mind, and it surprised him how he felt ready to make love to her as if he meant it. The scent of her strawberry shampoo apparently came to mind, as if he could actually smell it. The feelings he had in his dream came welling up inside him again. Right now, the vision of Angel in his bed and covered in the white sheets was all he could think about.
His phone beeped beside him, bringing him back to reality. When he checked it, Angel had sent him the address. Grateful for the distraction, Leo quickly got up from his bed and made his way out of the room. He didn't think twice about how he was going to handle himself when he met Angel.
***
Angel and Aunty Cathy had gone around the neighborhood; visiting those Angel had been so familiar with when she stayed there. Most of them had been around since her childhood, so when they saw her, they couldn't express just how happy they were to see her. As much as she would have liked to stay and chat with most of them, she had important things to do with so little time. Those she had to pay back, she had to talk with them privately. All of them appreciated the gesture Angel portrayed, even if it wasn't necessary. Angel would brush them off, saying it was more of a gesture of gratitude.
Angel and Aunt Cathy were walking back to Aunt Cathy's house around 1 p.m. Some of the neighbors escorted them. As they neared the house, most of them had gone back to their homes, saying their goodbyes to Angel and telling her to visit them soon.
"Angel, aren't you going to say anything?" Aunt Cathy asked as they slowly approached her house.
"Say what?" Angel asked.
The two women now stood in front of Aunt Cathy's porch in direct view of Angel's old house in front of them across the street. They were many trees along the pavement and they happened to be under one.
"About your father," Aunt Cathy answered.
Angel didn't think about it while she was visiting the neighborhood. The first time Aunt Cathy brought up her father, Angel drew a blank. She didn't know what to say, and when Aunt Cathy pulled her out of her thoughts, Angel said she didn't want to talk about it. That was when she decided to go out visiting the neighborhood.
"I don't want anything to do with him," said Angel.
Aunt Cathy studied Angel for a moment. "He came by here about a month ago," she said. "He was asking about you and Carly."
"Did he first ask why we weren't staying at the house anymore?"
"He did. He also wondered about the bank taking over the house. I told him about the passing of your mother."
Angel raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing he already knew about that."
Aunt Cathy didn't say anything as she gave a nod of her head.
Angel scoffed. "Typical," she said. "He knew, and he didn't even bother to show up."
Aunt Cathy put a hand on Angel's shoulder. "He couldn't face you after your mother died because he knew you weren't going to tolerate him being around."
"Is that what he told you? He should've at least attended the funeral if he ever cared that much at all."
"He asked me to deliver a message to you if I ever saw you again. I didn't want to tell him where you were, and he respected that. But he says he's here to stay in New York."
"Is he alone? Or does he have a new family now?"
"I'm not so sure about that. He gave me his phone number. I'll send it to you."
"No, thanks," said Angel as she turned to look down at the house across the street. She folded her arms. "I don't want anything to do with him. He made things pretty clear from the start when he abandoned us."
"I know he hurt you, your mother, and Carly. When I saw him, he looked like a different man. I could tell that he really wanted to talk things over with you and your sister. Yes, he showed that he wanted nothing to do with you from the start, but I'm guessing for him to come here; he wants to make amends."
"Just because he looks like a different man doesn't mean his intent has changed. I might have been young back then, and I'll admit, I didn't understand some things. However, one thing was for sure: he was selfish; all he ever thought about was himself." Angel turned to look at Aunt Cathy. "It was always about him; it was never about us."
"There's no hiding from the fact that you're his flesh and blood. I say you hear what he has to say." Aunt Cathy pulled out her phone and went through it. "Maybe if you get to talk to him, you might change your mind."
"Don't bother sending me his phone number. I don't want to see him, and he shouldn't be acting like he cares when he's obviously pretending."
"Well, just in case you change mind, I'm sending it to you anywhere. Hey, look at me." Aunt Cathy held Angel's shoulder to make Angel turn to face her. "People deserve second chances, and I know you, Angel. He might have hurt you, but I know you'll do the sensible thing and talk to him. He's your father after all."
"He stopped being my father a long time ago." Angel looked like an angry child, and Aunt Cathy couldn't help but chuckle because the expression made Angel look even cuter. She pulled her into a hug.
"I know. But for him to reach out now means he wants to connect with you and your sister." She gently pulled Angel away to look at her. "Do me a favor. Whenever you're ready, find the time to meet him with Carly. I know your mother would've wanted that."
Angel tried to put up a smile, but it didn't stick for long. She nodded her head, agreeing with Aunt Cathy, who smiled.
"Good," said Aunt Cathy. She looked behind Angel. "I've never seen that car pull up over here before."
Angel turned around and saw Leo's black Porsche pull up in front of her house across the street. As soon as the engine died, Leo got out of the car. He looked around the street, and his eyes fell upon her old house. Angel continued to look at him and noticed the black leather jacket he wore over his white shirt and black trousers with black timberland boots. His blonde hair flew slightly with the wind, making him look like a model straight from a magazine. Aunt Cathy looked from Leo to Angel and raised an eyebrow.
"Angel, do you know him?" Aunt Cathy asked.
"Yes," said Angel, turning to face Aunt Cathy. "He's Leo McDonell."
"Oh, he's the son of the man who took you in." Aunt Cathy smiled, as she looked at Leo. "He's so handsome. He doesn't have a girlfriend, does he? You two would make a great couple."
As much as Angel wanted to say he's already taken, she kept her mouth shut. Leo looked away from the house and saw Angel standing across the street. Aunt Cathy nudged Angel with her shoulder to let her know that Leo was looking over at them. Angel looked at Leo, and out of nowhere, a smile appeared across her face.
"Come, let me introduce you to him," said Angel as she held Aunt Cathy's hand and dragged her down the street.
Leo watched Angel approach with an older woman next to her. If no one had known better, they would've mistaken the two for mother and daughter. When Angel and Aunt Cathy came close to the car, Leo put up a smile.
"Hey, Leo," said Angel. "This is Aunt Cathy. She's almost like my second mother and has been with Carly and I since we were little. Aunt Cathy, this is Leo, the son of Mr. McDonell."
"Nice to meet you, Aunt Cathy," greeted Leo.
"The pleasure is mine," said Aunt Cathy. The two shook hands. "I'm so glad to see Angel doing well. I have you and your family to thank for being such good people."
"It's nothing," said Leo. "Angel and Carly are almost like family now."
Angel didn't expect Leo to say that, and she quickly turned to look at him. She didn't know what to make of what he said, and she tried her best not to look surprised. Did he really mean it? Leo noticed her looking at him, and he looked back at her with a smirk.
Aunt Cathy couldn't help but stare at the two and a jumpy feeling swelled inside her. However, she didn't want to say anything in case she made either Leo and Angel uncomfortable.
"We better be going now," said Leo as he turned to Aunt Cathy. "It would've been nice to stick around so that you could tell me some embarrassing stories about Angel, but there is somewhere I have to be." Angel suddenly blushed.
"Oh, I have plenty of those," said Aunt Cathy with a giggle. "Stop by anytime, and I'll tell you."
"Okay," said Angel, trying to end things quickly before either Aunt Cathy or Leo said anything to embarrass her any further. "It's time to go."
Leo smirked even more after seeing Angel blush as she did. He didn't know why, but he enjoyed mocking her a little.
"I'm glad you came by to see us, Angel," said Aunt Cathy, turning to look at Angel. "I know we ended our conversation on the wrong foot, but I do hope you will take what I said into consideration."
"I will," said Angel.
The two women hugged each other. As they did so, Leo walked over to the other side of the car to open the door to the passenger seat. After embracing each other, Angel went over to the passenger side, where Leo held the door open for her. She thanked him as she entered the car, and Leo closed the door. When he walked over to his side, he said his goodbyes to Aunt Cathy.
"You take care, Leo," said Aunt Cathy with a huge smile. "And do take care of Angel for me."
Leo gave her a nod and entered the car. Before he could start it, he noticed something was wrong. He turned to look at Angel. She was staring ahead, but deep in thought.
"Angel? Are you okay?" Leo asked.
Angel turned to look at Leo. For the first time in Leo's eyes, she looked deeply troubled. Did it have to do with what Aunt Cathy had said earlier? Leo wondered.
"No," Angel answered. "I don't think I am."
Leo didn't know what to say next. As much as he wanted to know what the problem was, he didn't want to push her into telling him.
"Want to talk about it over lunch?" he asked as he started the car. What is wrong with me today? He asked himself.
Angel didn't expect him to make such an offer, but she gave him a nod. Leo put the car in drive and drove off. Aunt Cathy stood in the middle of the road as she watched the car go.