LEONA
I brought the phone down from my ears and stared at the screen.
I sent it back to my ears," who's this?"
Once I asked, the line disconnected.
The voice belongs to Dave but why would he call me?
Probably to tell that I am fired because I've absented myself for two days at work and for arguing with him.
It couldn't be him, right?
**. ~DAVE~
After what happened between Leona and I when I overheard her declaring her love for her boyfriend.
I didn't know why I reacted that way. Maybe it was because I was about to have lunch with her but came at the wrong time.
Maybe I should stop being around her. She's someone's wife and mother after all.
I still can't understand why she flared when I asked her about the baby. She was angry but there was fear also.
She looks like a strong woman so what could be her fear?
Wednesday was when we argued and on Thursday, I wasn't at work but came on Friday.
I didn't want to see her and tried so hard not to open her door and get in.
I couldn't restrain myself any longer when I didn't see her come out for lunch.
I opened the adjoined room door to his office.
She was not in the office.
What happened?
I called my secretary and she told me that she has been absent for two days.
Has she left? If she did then why didn't she submit her resignation letter?
Maybe she left in anger after what I said to her.
I really don't want her to quit; I'll do everything to have her here again and I promise not to disturb her. I'll stay within my limit and not bother her.
"Can I have her number?" I asked the secretary.
" Sure." She mentioned it to me and I dialed it on my personal phone.
I hanged up and sat on her desk.
Should I call her or I shouldn't?
What reason will I give if she asked me why I called?
After contemplating and battling with my mind, I decided to give it a try.
I dialed the number and she picked too quickly. I wasn't expecting it.
I wanted to speak but she did first.
She was crying and it's about the baby. And who's Ray? Maybe her boyfriend. I think he's the same person she was speaking to when I barged in.
She sounded restless so I cut her off by asking where they were.
I think she recognized my voice so she paused when giving me the address but I got the most important part.
I knew I shouldn't be interfering in her personal matters but she really sounded like someone who needed help.
I got into my car and drove straight to the hospital.
When I arrived, I went to the reception for her details. I was told the ward they were.
Once I opened the door, I was engulfed in an unexpected hug. "Raymond" she sobs.
I stilled, I didn't know what to do with my hands. She was expecting someone else and I showed up.
Should I hug her back or leave it?
I wanted to hug her but I was pushed back suddenly and her body detached from mine.
"What are you doing here Mr. Anosova?" She snapped and stared daggers at me.
"Does it look like I came to see you? "
I can't help being a jerk, can I?
" Then what are you doing here? " She asked and tried to block the way.
" I came to see someone who's not you. " I gestured towards the room where a baby laid and was sobbing quietly.
"I won't let you in without knowing your reason."
"You have to let me in because I have no reason. It's not like you have something else to hide, I've seen and heard it all." I smirked at her, expecting her to shout at me but she went speechless and her eyes held that fear.
I yearned to touch her and comfort her as my eyes raked her appearance.
Looking at her now, she looked disheveled and miserable. Her eyes were so red from crying I guess.
"Just look at this.." A familiar voice said.
Leona and I turned to see an old man, a doctor.
"The inconsistent father and husband decided to show himself at last." He commented with eyes on me.
It was the same doctor who looked after Leona when I brought her almost two years ago.
"Look, I must've encountered a lot of people in my life which will make it difficult to remember them quickly but I can't forget the man who left his wife to drench in the rain with her pregnancy and later brought her in his own convenient time.
Not that alone, your wife and kid have been here since yesterday but you just showed up when the condition became critical. Why must you be this careless?" He scolded.
Oh no! This old man misinterpreted everything. He always misinterprets.
"What are you saying, doctor? This man is not my husband and in fact, I don't know him at all." Leona rasped and glared at me.
" If my memory is still intact, then I can say that that was what he also said the first time. What's up with you two? If you had some differences why didn't you sort it out before the baby was born?"
" Doctor I said... I said I don't know him.."
" I don't really care about that now. You both can deny each other outside this hospital. Until then, I don't want to hear a word." He said and got into the ward.
I followed him, ignoring Leona's annoyed face.
Once I set my eyes on the baby, I felt an unexplainable overwhelming feeling. Is this the baby I actually wanted dead?
My heart did a flip and I felt undue excitement surge through me.
I rushed to him and brushed a thumb on his tear-stained cheeks. His eyes were close but he opened them when he felt my touch.
His beautiful blue eyes danced and he smiled lightly. It was warm and heart fluttering.
"Is he finally eating?" The doctor asked and began to examine him.
"I was giving him but.."
"He won't take it." The doctor concluded.
"Can you try giving him, maybe he might take it from you." The doctor passed me the bottle.
" No way! He won't feed my baby." Leona snatched the bottle.
So now she has admitted that she has a baby?
"Then do you prefer him to die from starvation?" The doctor queried.
I think that really gave her a fright so she handed it back.
As much as she doesn't want me to feed him, she also doesn't want to lose her baby.
I've really not fed a baby before and not even my supposed daughter but I feel like doing it.
There's always a first time for everything.
I sat properly on the bed and carried him in my arms, he nestled into my chest and yawned adorably.
I brought the bottle to his lips which almost looks like mine.
Wait..mine? I paused the food halfway to his mouth.
If my eyes aren't deceiving me, then this baby is my young mirror image.
Why must he look so much like me? He looked like me when I was a baby. If I had died then my relatives would've said I've been reborn after looking at this baby.
"Why are you staring at him as if it was your first time instead of feeding him? Or wait, don't tell me you're just noticing the resemblance.."
The doctor's voice brought me back from my thoughts.
Leona gasped so I turned to look at her but she quickly looked somewhere else.
"No doctor, it's not what you think. I was just admiring his handsomeness." I replied and placed the tip of the bottle in his mouth.
This is really awkward. Who would've imagined that I would be doing this?
His pink lips wrapped the bottle and he began to suck gently.
Oh wow!
"Just look at that, I told you he'll be fine once his dad is around. I think my work is done, all you guys have to do is make sure he eats, take his medicine, and have enough rest. And if possible, you guys can patch up. Be happy in front of him and he'll also be happy. Don't argue unnecessarily when he's with you else he won't heal."
" But doctor I said I don't know this man.." she tried to say.
" Here we go again! I'm out, the baby is discharged." The doctor said and left.
There was silence in the room after the doctor left.
I could feel her eyes on us.
I wonder where her boyfriend went off too.
After feeding him, I tried putting him on the bed but he clung so tight on me.
Leona came forward to take him but he ignored her and buried his face in my arms.
When she tried to force him, he began to cry.
"Let him be, I'm sure you don't want him to start crying."
She stepped back and began to pack his things into a bag, after that, she sighed the discharge papers.
"We're leaving." She stated.
I got up with him and walked to the door.
"When I mean "we ", I meant my baby and I."
She stretched her hands to take him.
" Fine, I'll drive you home."
" We have a car already, we don't need your help."
" Alright, that's fine but that doesn't stop me from going home with you because it looks like your son enjoys being with me than you."
" What?"
" Yes Leo, I'll plead that you let go of your massive pride and ego for the sake of this baby. I might not be the father but what is more important is that he's comfortable with me like he would with his father and if this is gonna aid his recovery, then why not compromise certain things for his sake?"
Her eyes soften.
" How's it gonna work when you're constantly yelling at me?"
" I promise not to do that again," I told her sincerely. " Not even when you annoy me," I added.
"What? You think I'm the cause of our arguments?"
" Not actually but you're not calm either but hey, let it go. I thought we just patched things up as the doctor said."
She glared at me before replying, " Yes, let's go."
Thank God she finally agreed.
****
When we arrived at her house which was smaller than I thought, I sat on the couch with the baby and she disappeared into one of the rooms.
After what seemed like forever, she appeared dressed simply in a plain dress.
"Mama." The baby called from where he sat on my lap.
"What's his name," I asked when she came closer.
"Leonard." She stated.
"I can sense you named him yourself."
"Well..."
The door opened and a young man who was a bit taller than Leo appeared.
"Raymond," Leo muttered and ran to hug him.
So this is the asshole who left his wife and baby to suffer? My blood boiled with a mixture of jealousy
I placed the baby down, took long strides, and yanked Leona from his body.
I pulled him by the collar and out of the room.
"How dare you, moron." I landed a punch on his face.
I've always thought of the day I'll have the opportunity to beat him for being careless with his wife and baby and now is the time.
"You didn't care about her when she collapsed in the rain and almost got run over." I gave him another punch.
" I thought you changed but it seems it's your habit of leaving your girlfriend or wife during her most difficult times. You left her again when she needed you most but you came after the storm was calm. What kind of a father are you?" I lost count of the number of punches I was throwing.
"What are you doing?" I heard Leona.
"What I've been planning to do long ago." I raised my hand to hit him again.
"Please stop!" She shouted.
I glared at her.
This is one problem with girls, they're so foolish when they're in love. How can she stop me from beating the man who has done nothing but leaves her in her in bad times?
"Hey, stop being an emotional fool and allow me to deal with him," I said and turned to hit him.
" Stop it okay? He's my brother!" She yelled and came to stand in front of him.
"Your brother?" I brought my hand down.
"Yes, my brother." She replied.
That explains it. That's why he didn't fight me back when I was hitting him.
I didn't know what to do. I just beat an innocent man for no reason at all.
"Hey man, I am sorry. I didn't know.." I rubbed my neck.
God. What have I done?
"It's okay." He chuckled. "I think I deserve it anyway. I was actually not there for her during those days and now."
" But I am still sorry. I didn't know what came over me and..."
" It's okay Mr. Anosova. I'm actually glad that there's someone apart from me who actually cares for my sister. I'm really happy."
Someone apart from him? What about the father of her baby?
Leona scoffs.
He turned to her and stroked her cheeks. " I'll leave you guys, I need to freshen up and nurse my face."
He took Leonard from Leona and walked inside.
I was so embarrassed, I couldn't even look her in the eyes.
She stood in front of me and folded her arms to her chest.
"Are you happy now?" She asked calmly, taking me by surprise.
"It was a misunderstanding I am sorry." I apologized.
" So now tell me, what was that I heard the doctor saying and now you said the same thing to my brother. I don't want to believe that you were the man that..."
" Yes Leo, I am the man who brought you to the hospital the day you passed out in the rain." I let out.
" What? You're him?" Her dull eyes brightened, all hatred and anger vanishing.
" Yeah."
"Oh my God! I knew it somehow but I just wasn't sure." She said and a smile passed her face.
"Thanks for helping me that day and now. I can't deny that my son actually likes you. I've always wanted to see you and tell you how grateful I am but I didn't know you were my boss all along and whom I've been arguing with countless times. Either ways, I am glad I met you finally."
" It's okay, don't embarrass me with those sweet words, I am not used to them." I chuckled.
" But you recognized me, right? Why didn't you reveal yourself to me?"
" Well, I didn't feel like it."
" If you had done that, then I would've been a lot nicer to you."
" And that's what I don't want; People who pretend to like me because of something I did for them. I like people who're real to me."
She stared into nothing and took her lower lip into her mouth.
"What happened to your hair?" I don't know why she cut it.
She looked surprised. "Nothing. Shall we go in now?"
She asked but was already walking towards the door with a slight smile.
My hand reached out to her and pulled her back.
Our eyes locked and I found myself drowned in her beautiful eyes.
"Are you married?" I whispered hoarsely.
"Why?"
"Just answer me." My voice sounded desperate.
"No, I am not."
Once those words left her lips, I couldn't help myself. I crushed my lips on hers in a frenzied kiss.
That was all I needed to hear. I feel so relieved.
As long as she's not married, I don't mind making her MINE.
I'll deal with the father of her baby later but for now, let me enjoy this kiss with her and many more of it in the future if possible.
.
.
.
***