Chapter 39
I hid behind the marbled stairs as I saw Leo entered the living room with the help of Jacob who has his arm around Leo's shoulders as a support.
Even from afar, I could tell Leo's in a bad shape. His clothes are all torn apart and bloody. His jet black hair looked as if it was ran by chickens. He has a black eye on his blind eye and a massive bruise on his left cheek. Overall, it's all a disaster, I swear.
Judy, his cousin seemed to think so as well since up here, I saw her hurriedly ran towards Leo and touched his cheek, making him wince.
"What happened to you?" hollered Judy as she covered her nose for a second, rolling her eyes heavenwards from annoyance.
"Have you been drinking all day?" added Judy but Leo made no reply. Instead, Jacob helped him sat on the couch.
Seeing him like this brings pain to me. I don't want him to be like this. I just can't.
Leo then rolled his head on the couch, not sitting properly, his arms on the head of the couch. It was as if he is so done with his life.
"What happened to him?" asked Judy to her husband who sat beside her since she knew Leo will not answer her.
However, it was Leo who made the first response in such an annoyed and lazy tone. "Isn't it obvious? I sipped a few pints and got into a lousy fight," after that, he released a sarcastic chuckle.
Judy raised her brow. "You think this is funny?" and with that, Leo went quiet, closing his eyes. Pretending to be asleep, perhaps or just simply sleeping since he looks so tired and beat up.
"The owner of the pub told me Leo got there before sunrise, ordered and drunk a bunch of pints and refused to pay, guessing your cousin here brought no money with him and got into a fight with the customers," uttered Jacob, letting out a soft sigh after that.
"Well, did you paid the pints this moron ordered?" replied Judy, her brow raising.
"Of course, I did, Judy. Let's just say, Leo shattered dozens of glasses there and broken a handful of chairs there," uttered Jacob as he turned to look at the sleeping Leo in front of them.
"What made things worse was your good cousin here managed to break the bones of, let's say, seven people back there and yes, I paid them and their hospital fees already. I also paid them to not tell anyone about what Leo did to them as well,"
"Good Lord!" exclaimed Judy as she slowly shook her head.
"Well, what can you say, love has that kind of effect to your cousin. I guess it runs in the family," replied Jacob, shaking his head in disbelief and releasing a short laugh which made Judy annoyed.
"Excuse me, mister but never did I acted like this just for a moron like you," Judy responded, her voice rising.
And so, Jacob did not replied and just gave her a suspicious smile and shrugged. "It was you who acted lime this before, Jacob. Remeber that time when you beat our house gardener for thinking he was my suitor?" Judy angrily replied.
"you cannot blame me. Everyone in town knows we're engaged and there he was, following you and impressing you with his ugly plants," roared Jacob back.
"He was just being kind enough to show them to me, Jacob. Besides, you're just jealous every plant you touch die. Admit it, you want a green thumb so bad," said Judy as she chuckled at her last sentence but Jacob did not laughed.
"I did not," exclaimed Jacob his voice rising. I can tell he is annoyed but not angry.
"Then what made you burn all his plants, Jacob?" asked Judy which made Jacob's brows meet. His lips into a thin line.
"Wha-what in the heavens are you talking about?"
Judy faked a laughed for a second. "Oh, come on, Jacob. You cannot fool a living soul here especially me. I saw how you sneak past our garden tgat very night holding a torch. I mean, really? A torch of all things? That's so primitive, Jacob. Why not a candle?"
Jacob turned red for a second, embarrassed but quickly shook his head and continued to pretended that he doesn't had any clue to what his dear wife is saying right now.
And so, their benters continues.
The whole time tehy were arguing like kids, Leo was just sitting on the couch, his eyes still closed.
I rolled my eyes heavenwards. Goodness gracious, now's not the time to dig each others' past.
There was silence after that. Up here, I watched as Leo lazily laid in the couch, both Judy and Jacob staring at him with a frown on their faces.
"Let's get you all clean up, Leo," said Judy as she rose from her seat and sat beside Leo to wake him up but before her fingers touched Leo's shoulder, he showed sign that he is already awake or did not sleep in the first place.
"Where's Clem?" he asked quietly, his eyes still closed.
However, both Judy and Jacob did not answered. It was as if they do not know how to speak for a second there.
"I know she went here, Judy. Don't you dare fool me," Leo added with such a defeated voice. It's as if he's close to crying any minute now.
Still, Judy did not answered. Jacob and Judy remained quiet. For a second, they looked at one another and there, I saw Jacob shrugged.
"Please, just tell me where she is, Judy,"
Judy then closed her eyes for a second and responded with such a low voice, "She already left, Leo,"
With that, Leo opened his eyes, his eyes all red from crying, "wha-what do you mean she already left?"
"She got here first last night, Leo and she already went back to the future," Judy replied, her eyes on the ground.
Leo straightened from his seat, clutched the seat hard and said, "That's not true. Please tell me the truth. Where is she?"
"I already told you. She already left,"
Leo then rose from his seat, began walking frantically around the room, biting his forefinger, "Bu-but she told me she will be staying here for a week, Judy. She promised!"
"I'm sorry for that," uttered Jacob with such a sad expression.
"But she promised, Judy! Please! Clem would never do that! I know her! Please, tell me that truth!" Leo stopled walking, his back touching the wall, he then pulled his hair hard due to frustration.
"I told you, Leo. She already left last night,"
"But she told me she would stay for a week!" Jacob insisted, he then messaged his temple for a second and when Judy and Jacob made no reply. That's when things turned worse, he began punching the wall as he let out such a frustrated scream that I know, is close to crying.
Judy was about to rose from her seat to stop her cousin but her husband stopped her before she could and said, "Just let him be,"
And so, Leo just continued punching the wall with such force and after a minute, he grew tired. Slumped down on the ground, his knees touching his chest, his fist bleeding, his head hidden to his kneecaps and there, he cried so hard to the point it was the only thing we all could hear here.
I've never heard Leo cry like this. This is just too much, this is breaking me apart. I cannot stand this anymore but at the same time, I know I need to be strong.
What I need to do is to stand up, get to Mister Douglas' office, used the time machine to get back to the future and be done with it. However, my heart tells me otherwise.
It was telling me to get up, ran towards Leo, comfort him and tell him I would never leave him.
I am so torn apart. I am glued to my position. To my eyes at Leo in the corner of the room as he cried so much.
When he finally stopped, I saw Judy rose from her seat and slowly went to Leo and smoothened his back.
"Let's get you change your clothes, Leo," she uttered as she kept rubbing his back. She then looked at her husband and nod at him.
With that, Jacob stood and went to them and helped Leo get up from his feet.
But before Jacob could come close to him, Leo spoke, "Why did you tell her where the time machine is, Jacob?"
"Clementine deserves to know it, man," answered Jacob and I could tell even from afar that Leo was about to open his mouth and say something but he just chose to remained his mouth shut and nod at him.
As soon as Leo rose from the ground, his face was so red from crying. I knew any second now, they would be going upstairs and so, I hurriedly yet silently got up and ran towards my room.
Though I still could hear them, the sound of their heavy footfalls.
"She promised, Judy," I heard Leo uttered with such a weak voice.
"It's okay, Leo. It's okay. Let's just get you change so you can sleep here tonight," I heard Judy replied.
The next thing I heard was the closing of the door.
With that, I am all alone with silence. And with that, I don't know why my feet took me here in my room instead of going straight to Mister Douglas' room in order for me to finally use the time machine.
With that, I slumped down on the ground, my back against the wooden door and there, my tears betrayed me. They began to fall one by one.
I then covered my mouth to stop myself from sobbing. I don't want them to hear me.
What is happening to me? Why is this hapoening to me? Why?
First, I was informed that my grandfather was long dead and now, Leo is here, crying and so am I.
I mist've been crying so long to the point the last thing I remebered was me, falling asleep with such a tired eyes.
By the time I woke up, that's when I realized I had fallen asleep in a sitting position with my back still touching the door and now, my back hurts so much.
When I turned to look outside the window from me, I knew that it was already around midnight.
I rose from the ground, yawning as I messaged my back for a second. I went straight to my bed and sat there.
For minutes went by and I was still sitting, not doing anything.
And in just one snapped, I left my room and began walking, and walking.
The last thing I know, I am already knocking at a very familiar door. That's when I realized it was Leo's door.
Panic began building up inside me. What in the hell am I doing here? I should be inside Mister Douglas' office, not here.
Yet, I can't seem to slap myself and stop. Still, I kept knocking since I heard no answer and Leo bothered not opening the door.
For some reason, I instantly knew something's wrong. Despite the roaring fact that I knew I would regret this so much, so freaking much, I began knocking the door hard but still, Leo did not answered.
I know Leo perfectly well. He doesn't sleep so much in this house as he told me. That ever since his parents died, he can't seem very well. Well, except when he's sleeping beside me, as I confessed.
My cheeks turned red with that thought but I mentslly cursed myself for acting like this in such a bad situation.
I know Leo not answering the door should not be taken such a big deal but like I said, for some reason, I knew something was wrong.
And so, I hurriedly retrieved my hairpin from my hair, making my hair fall down and then, like how Leo taught me, I unloked his door using only a mere hairpin.
I opened the door with such a rush but not wide enough to see me. I still need to hide, I am just here to make sure he's okay. That everything's okay.
I have no plan on showing my face to him, on talking to him. I am just here to make sure he's sleeping or doing something he always does such a reading and writing.
However, I almost faint when there, sitting on the ground, his back touching the side of his bed, I saw his silhouette and there, he has a gun pointed to his head.
I did not think twice, everything happened so fast, believe me. I ran as fast as I could towards him and snatched the gun from his hands and threw it away from him.
My fists are all curcled up beside me as Leo slowly raised his head to me. I then sat in front of him, his eyes following me. Surprised enveloped him.
I looked at him, he was freshly changed into his decent clothes. No traces of bloody anywhere though I could see his bruishes from the fight.
After a second, I slapped him hard in the cheek but Leo winced only for a second, he doesn't seem hurt from my slap.
So, I slapped him again and again and again and again as I hollered, "What are you doing to yourself!?"
Leo then stopped me, held both of my hands and so, we are looking at each other. I knew I am looking at him with such anger but Leo was looking at me as if he cannot believe I am here in front of him. As if I am nothing but a figment of his imagination. of his insanity.
And with, I did not think twice once again and I quickly wrapped my arms around him so hard to the point I think he couldn't breath any longer.
"You are so, so, so stupid!" I cried as I tucked my face to the crook of his neck as I sobbed hard.
After a second, he returned my hug, saying, "I thought you already left me, Clem,"
I shook my head, "Why did you try to kill yourself just because you thought I left? So what if I already left? You need to continue your life, Leo!"
Leo made no reply. Instead, he tightened his hug around me, "I thought I'll never hug you again. I don't even have a picture of you, Clem, "
And there, he cried once again. Hard. I smoothened his back, "Shhh, it's okay. I am here, Leo,"
But Leo did not stopped. I've never seen a man cry so hard like him. For some reason, my heart softened because of this.
"You promised you'll give me a week, Clem. Why did you leave me?" Leo asked.
"Because it's breaking me to spent more time with you, Leo knowing I need to go back. Knowing I can't stay," I replied with such a defeated voice.
I was about to say something more when Leo slowly crossed the short distance between our lips. And so, we kissed.
I've never been kissed like this before. It was hard but not brutal and forced. It was as if Leo was pouring all his love to me through this kiss.
Leo then held my should and waist to keep me from stumbling and so, I wrapped both my arms around his neck as we exchanged such a passionate kiss.
After a minute, our kiss ended, both of us catching our breaths. When I looked up to Leo, there I saw a tear falling down to his cheek.
And so, I wiped it using my thumb and uttered, "A-and I am sorry for leaving without a word, Leo," and then caressing the long scar on his face.
"You still need to leave, right?" Leo exclaimed.
"Turns out, Miss Dolores wrote a letter to me before she died informing me of the tragic death of Grandpa months after I was transported to this era," I replied, my eyes on the ground.
When I turned to look at Leo for a second, I saw him sadder than ever. It was as if, he too, was mourning despite not knowing my grandfather at all.
"I'm sorry for that, Clem," murmured Leo.
"Am guessing you need to go back right away to attend to what your grandfather left behind for you," he replied with such a forced energetic voice but I could tell, deep down, his heart is breaking like what's happening to me.
But that all changed when slowly, I shook my head to him. He seems confused at first.
"To tell you the truth, life back there was not interesting at all. It was only Miss Dolores and Grandpa who kept me companied and now that they're both gone, I guess I have no reason to be there anymore," I said as I held both of his shoulders as he looked at me straight in the eyes, his brows meeting in confusion.
"I guess, the real reason why Grandpa sent me here in the first place was totally not for the sole purpose of killing Mister Douglas but to, at least, have a life. To have a meanigful life. A life I looked forward to live every single day with a man whom I want to grow old with,"
I gulped before saying, "and that man is you, Leo,"
"I love you, Leo Finley," I finally uttered. It was as if, the secret I've been for a long time now was finally set free.
At first, Leo was just looking at me, his face unreadable. It's as if he doesn't have a clue what am I saying.
For a second there, my heart began to beat really fast for fear that he doesn't love me anymore. That he cannot utter those three words to me since I left him last night without a single word.
However, after a second, his face lights up and there, he smiled at me and planted so many kisses to my face. First to my forehead, to my temples, under my eyes, to my cheeks, to my chin and at last, to my lips which made me chuckle hard.
"And I love you too, Clementine Wright so fucking much,"
"I thought I'll never get to hear you say that, you know," he added as he tucked my hair behind my ear.
I jokingly rolled my eyyes heavenwards, "no cussing please," but tgat only made him chuckle.
"You don't know how happy I am right now, Clem," exclaimed Leo, grinning from ear to ear.
"Well, besides, men in the future aren't as charming as you, you know," I responded and with that, Leo wrapped his arms around me once again which made the both of us chuckle.
Now, Leo's back touches the cold ground while I am on top of him. I then laid my head on the crook of my neck as he draped his arm around my back.
"I do want ten children, Clem. Just so you know," murmured Leo to my ears which made me turned red.
"Leo!" I exclaimed as I tried tobhid my embarrassment.
"I was just kidding, Clem," replied Leo, chuckling.
"Though 9 is such a fine number," added Leo which made the both of us chuckle.
It was Leo who initiated the kiss between us once again. We're kissing like we are about to die any second now, ua clinging to each other.
Me on top of him and his legs trapping me in the middle. My fingers just ran from his neck to his face then to his hair as we kept on kissing.
Leo meanwhile has hands to my waist and since I am wearing such a thin gown, I could perfectly feel the warmth of his fingertips which brought chills down to my spine.
I mentally cursed myself for moaning when I felt Leo's hands running from my waist to my stomach then under my breasts and finally, to the side of my breasts. At the sound of my moan, both of us were surprised but none said anything about it.
I badly want to slap myself and hide in the corner for being so bold because I don't know what came up to me to run my fingertips under his shirt.
Leo let out a soft moan for that which somehow made me continue what I am doing. Leo then stopped kissing me and brought his lips to my neck, sucking it. Definitely leaving kiss marks to my neck.
The whole time, I just hid in the corner of his neck, touching his bare chest as I let him kiss and suck me in the neck up to my bare shoulders.
I did not noticed that my fingernails are already digging right into his chests but Leo said nothing about it.
Instead, he just keep on doing what he did and my eyes turned wide when I felt him going lower, right into my breats.
However, surprised enveloped me when Leo suddenly stopped. There, he sat on the ground, bringing me with him. Now, I am sitting on top of his lap. He was still catching his breath.
I gave him such a confused look.
"We need to stop this before I could no longer control myself, Clem. We should do this right after we're married," he whispered, giving me such a charming smile.
With that, I knew I chose the right man. That I love the right man.
I enveloped my arms around him and planted a kiss to the tip of his nose.
"Then when are we getting married?" I jokingly asked as I laughed.
However, Leo turned red because of what I just said which made him more adorable than he already is.
"Oh, why the rush?" Leo asked as he playfully raised both his brows, wiggling it which made me blush more.
"Don't tell me you're drooling just by thinking of us doing you know," he stated which made things worse.
" I do not, mister!" I roared back as I pray that the ground would open up and swallow me whole.
-----
A week went by, Leo and I are back to his house down the country. Leo, as a way of giving giving back to Martha, decided to buy a house of their own in London since her son, Henry was now working as a clerk nearby.
Martha's grandsons were also granted a full scholarship by Leo, assuring them he'll finance all their academic expenses.
Martha, meanwhile was now working as a head mistress of a orphanage near their house which she is so happy about.
It was all she talked about when she along with her sons and grandsons visited us the other night.
"Clementine, the children were just so bright nad lovely. I can't wait for them to meet you and Mister Finley," exclaimed Martha, a huge smile planted on her face.
Now, it was just Leo and I in the house. To my surprise, he came home with a big brown dog last night, saying that he found him in the street on his way here.
"What should we call him?" I asked him as I scratched the dog's ears which made the dog yawn.
"Browny?" He suggested as he sat beside me, his arms around my shoulders.
I shook my head at him, "Doesn't like the sound of that,"
"What about doggy?" He added, laughing.
I faced him for a second, raised my brow, "Are you kidding me?"
"Well, Kitty would be a great name. Oh, don't look at me like that, Clem. It's hilarious, you have to admit. Sometimes, we gonna spice things up," he then wiggled his brows at me.
I rolled my eyes heavenwards, "Are you out of your mind? Never in a million years would I name our dog Kitty,"
Leo just shrugged at me, laughing. I turned my eyes towards the dog who was sitting on the ground in front of me, his head was on top of my lap,
"What about Ian?" I suddenly blurted out.
When I looked at Leo for his comment, his brows are meeting. "Why Ian of all names? Don't tell me that's the name of your ex?"
I gave him a funny look, "What are you talking about? I don't know anyone who goes by the name Ian. It's just the first name that popped to my head, okay? "
The truth is, I do know a guy named Ian. The only thing is, he doesn't really exist since he's a fictional character. Ian is my book boyfriend.
"Ian it is," I exclaimed as I scratched Ian's head which made Ian's tail wiggle and in the corner of my eyes, I saw Leo chuckled.
"Who's the good boy?" I said as I kept scratching Ian's head, he then sticked his tongue off.
"Definitely not Ian," I heard Leo murmured beside me but I chose not to pay any attention to him.
Later that night, Leo and I decided to give Ian a decent bathe which was a pain in the ass to bathe to the point Leo and I ended up being wet all over.
Leo said Ian would be sleeping in the living room in which I agree for now but tomorrow, Ian would surely sleep next to us.
Leo and I were already lying on bed and that's when I noticed Leo seems to not get comfortable in his sleep. It was as if something was bothering him.
I tapped him in the shoulder, "Hey, what's wrong?"
Leo just nodded at me but made no reply.
I was on the verge of sleeping when suddenly, the door burst opened and there, Ian came running to us and jumped to the bed.
When I looked at Leo, I thought he'll be annoyed and insist that Ian should be put off the bed immediately. Instead, Leo was just quiet and just observing Ian with such a nervous look which made me confused.
I then scratched Ian's head but I was surprised when I saw Ian wearing a necklace and has a silver ring on as its pendant.
I held it to my hands, "Where did this come from?"
And that's when Leo finally spoke. He rose from the bed and kneeled in front of me. My eyes turned wide when Leo held my hand and looked me straight in the eyes and that's when he asked me the world-shaking question.
"Clem, will you take my hand, walk down the aisle and let me be the person you'll grow up with?"
Leo then bit his upper lip due to nervous. His hands shaking and he is sweating right now.
"I thought exactly! What took you so long anyways?" I exclaimed, grinning.
Leo gave me a confused smile, " is that a yes?" He then scratches his head.
I rolled my eyes heavenwards, "of course that's a yes, you goofball!"
And with that, Leo wrapped his arms around me and planted a kiss to my cheek. Then, he slowly removed the necklace from Ian's neck, removed the ring and slipped it to my finger.
"You have no kdea how nervous I was about all this. I thought of proposing to you while having dinner with our friends but you once mentioned that you hate attention from the crowd. I even thought of writing a poem but I am not much of a poet. Dear Lord, despite having such lousy voice, singing a self-composed song even crossed my mind," Leo narrated as he continued rubbing my ring.
"to tell you the truth, I was losing ideas and that's when I saw this dog wandering all alone in the street," he uttered and scratched Ian's head.
----
Hello, guys!!
We are down to the last two chapters of the story. Now, if you're sick of reading this novel, feel free to stop here since the next chapters would only be the epilogue. :)
Anyways, have a nice day!