Leo had a smile on his 507Please respect copyright.PENANAjHoFFH4CGb
face when he brought himself to a comfortable position. He never had 507Please respect copyright.PENANAvpl5XifHF2
this excited yet happy feeling within himself just by staring at the 507Please respect copyright.PENANAgiF6OabIbQ
face right in front of him.507Please respect copyright.PENANAsGIIqrXMDv
It was morning and the 507Please respect copyright.PENANAUyexf0meIO
sun rays managed to seep into his room giving it a wonderful golden 507Please respect copyright.PENANAC80oj8Dofx
glow. But nothing in his room shined brighter than the woman sleeping 507Please respect copyright.PENANAcvBdxx80Y1
next to him who had the lovely skin colour of bronze that shined 507Please respect copyright.PENANABWYYh8aSWa
brilliantly in the morning sun.507Please respect copyright.PENANAkx6iCu93of
Carly had joined him 507Please respect copyright.PENANAk05dcRVuHW
last night after she had watched a movie with Angel, Eric and Oliver. By507Please respect copyright.PENANABUbrsyGhFe
then, it was already late, Kim had left a good two hours ago and almost507Please respect copyright.PENANA7ywFOtynuL
everyone in the house had gone to sleep, except from the two love 507Please respect copyright.PENANAkzHrKYW4r8
birds, of course.507Please respect copyright.PENANABOIHmDOutf
It was good she came, 507Please respect copyright.PENANAbtJOThWzzb
Leo thought to himself as he continued to stare at her. She was still 507Please respect copyright.PENANAe6iIaiASWs
sleeping and she looked beautiful, no doubt in his mind that she was. He507Please respect copyright.PENANAxM6v5YzHNU
wished time could slow down so that he could look at her for just a 507Please respect copyright.PENANAf81RQiaS4O
little while longer. Sooner than later, he would have to wake her up.507Please respect copyright.PENANAseoJgXi4rP
He stretched his hand 507Please respect copyright.PENANA1FJoynJnHO
and ran it through her lovely silky black hair. For an African American,507Please respect copyright.PENANALDVz2peXRh
her hair was gorgeous. He tucked away a strand of her hair that was on 507Please respect copyright.PENANAMhmlBgrKdo
her cheek. When his hand brushed over her cheek, ever so gently upon 507Please respect copyright.PENANAqnXkbre9iJ
pulling it away, her eyes slowly flew open.507Please respect copyright.PENANA5KIvFMz8yP
"Morning, sleepy head," said Leo with a smile.507Please respect copyright.PENANA1nDecadJHX
She didn't respond as 507Please respect copyright.PENANAWXIfVvfcxg
she smiled through her sleepy eyes and closed them again. She still 507Please respect copyright.PENANAg0zHG5yONN
looked so beautiful with that goofy smile on her face, he thought to 507Please respect copyright.PENANAyH1VE6uZ67
himself. Leo chuckled.507Please respect copyright.PENANA2ecV1ULMiR
"It's already morning?" she asked as she opened her eyes again and looked at him.507Please respect copyright.PENANAE6LJTjIxNy
"Sadly, yes," he replied. "You know what that means."507Please respect copyright.PENANApPlzgTXZwA
Carly groaned like a little girl who didn't want to wake up to go to school as she covered her head with the bed covers.507Please respect copyright.PENANAbdq0Ujzx5c
Leo continued to chuckle. "Come on, you know the drill." He sat up and uncovered the bed cover covering her head.507Please respect copyright.PENANALn8fdZIkvY
"Fine," she said as she gave up and sat up on the bed. "I really hoped that I could stay a little longer."507Please respect copyright.PENANAkj2EVscUPf
"You're right. But I 507Please respect copyright.PENANAYKjF6ZVLbC
better get you out of here before anyone wakes up. It might be a weekend507Please respect copyright.PENANAYHhChpqV2F
but there are still a lot of early birds around here."507Please respect copyright.PENANARENiAmglG6
Carly smiled at him. "Like you?"507Please respect copyright.PENANAH87bT2jlAh
"Like my dad. Come on, we better hurry."507Please respect copyright.PENANAOe3FoobuKt
They both got out of bed507Please respect copyright.PENANALRdVAnEqVJ
and got dressed into their nightwear covering themselves with their 507Please respect copyright.PENANAGTro6E6LXH
sleeping gowns. They sneaked out of Leo's room and they tiptoed all the 507Please respect copyright.PENANA8mCGTgb21W
way to Carly's.507Please respect copyright.PENANA1sXwigBjXE
"Thanks," said Carly in a low voice when they got to the door. "I'll continue sleeping and we will meet later on."507Please respect copyright.PENANAZfrbNbXTjE
"Great, I'll see you soon," said Leo as he smiled.507Please respect copyright.PENANASI0Z9bMzIh
Carly gave him a simple 507Please respect copyright.PENANA4o9FfC6w0H
peck on the cheek and quickly went in her room. For a moment, Leo 507Please respect copyright.PENANABAz5kgdgB4
couldn't help but stand there for a moment, lost in thought, until he 507Please respect copyright.PENANAFwGx31tXmC
realised that he had been standing there looking at the door. He smiled 507Please respect copyright.PENANAEkbpwoKqu2
at his stupidity as he made his way back to his room.507Please respect copyright.PENANAObqclAbiA8
Just when he got there, he changed his mind and thought he really needed a cup of coffee.507Please respect copyright.PENANA5JKlKWjQIv
He made his way 507Please respect copyright.PENANAOD4P8Tb8Jh
downstairs and before he could make his way to the kitchen when he 507Please respect copyright.PENANAwnSpptVFsF
reached the bottom of the stairs, he heard a noise coming from the 507Please respect copyright.PENANAp9OyOTXxHD
kitchen.507Please respect copyright.PENANAXgnhp1DKjo
He wondered who could be507Please respect copyright.PENANAuIZ19DxXDU
up at this early hour. He knew his dad was always an early bird, but 507Please respect copyright.PENANANyQryTLsvN
when it came to the weekend, Leo knew he wouldn't be awake for another 507Please respect copyright.PENANAQF0Bh68QQj
hour. He made his way to the kitchen and what he saw, shook him a 507Please respect copyright.PENANAEKuseZsJPB
little.507Please respect copyright.PENANAhycyxh42ES
Angel was standing by 507Please respect copyright.PENANAFQ25nVSPOl
the kitchen counter where she had put up the coffee maker to make some 507Please respect copyright.PENANAHtuN5dM3Dq
coffee. Her presence somehow didn't matter to him, but there was some 507Please respect copyright.PENANADeYNYll3tf
thing that shook him the moment he got there.507Please respect copyright.PENANAwjuHQPc64w
Angel was standing, and not on a wheelchair.507Please respect copyright.PENANAXH0HCiAEeK
Sensing someone's presence, Angel turned to the door. When she saw Leo, she neither gave an angry look nor a smile.507Please respect copyright.PENANAs80d15c3Af
"Morning," she greeted as she turned back to the machine on the counter.507Please respect copyright.PENANA7ZZUoULhqu
"Morning," Leo somehow managed to say. "You're up early."507Please respect copyright.PENANAmPObz6tYTt
"I just had to."507Please respect copyright.PENANAu1aQ0ZCh2A
"Ummm," Leo still 507Please respect copyright.PENANAn35kBjRz5K
couldn't believe that Angel was standing in front of him. He expected 507Please respect copyright.PENANAQTsoQ6j3Fn
her to be still on her wheelchair. "Are you going somewhere?"507Please respect copyright.PENANA1Wy9FK1Qrb
"Thought of taking a walk to strengthen my legs a little."507Please respect copyright.PENANANxbloF5Hlx
The coffee maker soon 507Please respect copyright.PENANAqCUAU3df5v
finished making her coffee and the room became slient. Angel went over 507Please respect copyright.PENANA74cZIcKDPi
to the cupboard next to the sink to get a mug. There was a slight limp 507Please respect copyright.PENANAYarT7eyhIN
in her walk, but all in all, she seemed okay and not in much pain.507Please respect copyright.PENANAiFxcpeq8N0
Just as Angel was heading back to the coffee maker, she noticed Leo's eyes on her. She turned to look at him.507Please respect copyright.PENANAqawOBKWI8Y
"Why are you looking at me like you've just seen a ghost?" she asked.507Please respect copyright.PENANAtpVAF5j2ZD
"Uh..." Leo hesitated. "I'm just surprised that you're walking."507Please respect copyright.PENANAO5PUTnZm3i
"Why? You wanted me 507Please respect copyright.PENANAyjGxkuJ9lK
confined to a wheelchair forever?" Angel raised an eyebrow at him before507Please respect copyright.PENANAkTirvYjtiX
she turned towards the coffee maker and went over to it to pour herself507Please respect copyright.PENANAZv4ZpDKgyP
a cup.507Please respect copyright.PENANAP22ldzYQBf
"Umm, no. I'm just surprised, that's all."507Please respect copyright.PENANACl5JHgc6b9
"The doctor said I should start walking around to strengthen my legs."507Please respect copyright.PENANAmMH88NUXmU
Leo just nodded his head but he was still in shock. He expected her to be confined to her wheelchair a little while longer.507Please respect copyright.PENANAKoPT7YFtVt
"You still don't seem 507Please respect copyright.PENANA470PS92qSf
happy that I'm walking again," said Angel, bringing Leo back from his 507Please respect copyright.PENANA7vEgeGBWaI
thoughts. "I hope you don't think that this will get in your way of 507Please respect copyright.PENANAbLYUNM3TjU
things."507Please respect copyright.PENANA2uhGd7IUhw
Leo was the one to raise his eyebrows this time around. "What do you mean?"507Please respect copyright.PENANAoutSjpjSjB
Angel took a sip of her 507Please respect copyright.PENANAYWxontcjTm
coffee as she leaned on the counter and placed her hand on it. "You know507Please respect copyright.PENANANkvaCqfGja
what I mean. I know Carly didn't sleep in her room last night. She 507Please respect copyright.PENANA7lxApcHIwK
spent her night with you."507Please respect copyright.PENANA7Jt5brUuzq
Leo retaliated, "that's not true."507Please respect copyright.PENANAEdep3fgjZo
Angel smirked and Leo 507Please respect copyright.PENANAW0fcGhagIj
felt his cheeks heat up suddenly. He cursed himself from the inside 507Please respect copyright.PENANAYsIGhrzvDr
still not understanding why he was feeling like this.507Please respect copyright.PENANAPMs6UyZpWE
"Tell it to the person who is now able to walk up the stairs," she said.507Please respect copyright.PENANAiOvnCiJNOW
"Does that matter? Carly is a grown woman, you know?"507Please respect copyright.PENANAg7dApF7olR
"Carly is a grown woman, yes, but that doesn't mean she knows that what she's doing might lead her into trouble."507Please respect copyright.PENANAyBKgF8gzUi
Leo shook his head. "I don't think I want to talk about this with you."507Please respect copyright.PENANAvkxzvVRuTo
"You're right, Leo. It's507Please respect copyright.PENANAfP7DfUL5fK
early in the morning and I would rather walk around the garden to 507Please respect copyright.PENANAIzh8u8HVRE
exercise my legs rather than talk about something that I know I don't 507Please respect copyright.PENANA0aIz2Qugyl
have any control over."507Please respect copyright.PENANAi64ynJDAqD
Leo was a little shocked507Please respect copyright.PENANA2RWMepG8xc
to hear Angel talk like this. Was she finally giving up, allowing Leo 507Please respect copyright.PENANA0eWCIV1o3f
and Carly the chance to be happy? Or was she playing some kind of mind 507Please respect copyright.PENANAIzu7HpisyT
game?507Please respect copyright.PENANA8DlNrFwq9s
She slowly made her way 507Please respect copyright.PENANAZwCWQZsA3z
to the backdoor of the house still with her coffee mug. Leo continued to507Please respect copyright.PENANAoJl5HEoNoN
look at her and something came up in his mind.507Please respect copyright.PENANAN9sTiLsPuY
"How do you know, Carly's room?" Leo asked suddenly.507Please respect copyright.PENANAvnKJ2rR7xg
Angel stopped upon reaching the door and slowly turned to look at him.507Please respect copyright.PENANArtTUANf12A
"I beg your pardon?" she asked politely. Leo wasn't buying it.507Please respect copyright.PENANAWwoWMhFXLS
"The time you came into 507Please respect copyright.PENANAzgBBAntjK2
this house, you were still in your wheelchair and you never made it up 507Please respect copyright.PENANAD8qJZ6RgWW
the stairs. So how do you know where Carly's room is?"507Please respect copyright.PENANAyYcvWmKbiX
Angel smiled at Leo. 507Please respect copyright.PENANA7l3lTy2G3z
"Yesterday when Carly came home and after we argued in the study, she 507Please respect copyright.PENANAwUS3ee4KAV
invited me to come over to her room since she wanted to show me what she507Please respect copyright.PENANA11kd3ohkF0
bought from the mall. With the help of two of the house helps, they got507Please respect copyright.PENANAwGd6D4HvRN
me up the stairs and when they helped me back down afterwards."507Please respect copyright.PENANAHV3urnPLWT
"I don't believe you."507Please respect copyright.PENANAKZkZvAt3WV
"You don't have to, Mr 507Please respect copyright.PENANAWckRm3SRre
Detective," Angel gave him a fake smile. "I don't have to prove myself 507Please respect copyright.PENANANcBiNwTe7w
that I'm telling the truth because you would never believe me and it 507Please respect copyright.PENANA8f9KsNOjal
will clearly be a waste of my precious time."507Please respect copyright.PENANAROF2ihESnQ
Angel turned back to face the door and unlocked it. When she swung the door open, she turned to look at Leo.507Please respect copyright.PENANABfGen0deCO
"I'll be heading out for507Please respect copyright.PENANAJ1vythPgH9
a stroll in the garden. I would have liked if you would accompany me, 507Please respect copyright.PENANAudfVxcNoUl
but, as usual, things wouldn't end so well, would it?"507Please respect copyright.PENANA8Cyf6qDmaN
Leo didn't have to 507Please respect copyright.PENANAE6jB770kOL
answer that question and Angel didn't expect him to. She slowly walked 507Please respect copyright.PENANAqJ8ojsCi7p
out of the kitchen as silently as she could and closed the door behind 507Please respect copyright.PENANAGOZBAZZjfQ
her.507Please respect copyright.PENANAcMnQXIbfUt
Leo stared at the closed507Please respect copyright.PENANAoWDrqYlrRq
door and he couldn't tell if he was angry at Angel like he always has 507Please respect copyright.PENANAybwqSkFnf8
or he was just surprised that she was able to walk around again. Either 507Please respect copyright.PENANAUzZKR1zRJz
way, he forgot about making coffee and went back to his room, feeling 507Please respect copyright.PENANASMYms7QqIL
utterly disturbed.507Please respect copyright.PENANAcdUlJhFkRA
***507Please respect copyright.PENANAibJSuoW5Fz
In507Please respect copyright.PENANAbmVNrUrX7X
an hour's time, almost everyone in the McDonell mansion was awake. At 507Please respect copyright.PENANAIEK9NuMuTq
the breakfast table, Mr McDonell and Amanda were having their breakfast.507Please respect copyright.PENANAvwfnXtK9Ed
Leo and Eric soon came to join them.507Please respect copyright.PENANAdKV5PJTtnq
"Morning grandma, morning dad," said Leo as he sat beside his grandmother.507Please respect copyright.PENANA9ux0rx0j09
"Morning," said Amanda.507Please respect copyright.PENANAqJ62wm0suQ
"Morning," said Mr McDonell who was looking at his daily newspaper.507Please respect copyright.PENANAxtGwckROTQ
"Hope you all slept well," said Eric as he sat opposite Leo and Amanda.507Please respect copyright.PENANAlwxgvOlrTz
"We did," said Amanda with a smile. "And I can see you two boys slept well too."507Please respect copyright.PENANANJed8NY3cI
"I sure as hell did," said Eric.507Please respect copyright.PENANAkwcgMN0ApK
"And507Please respect copyright.PENANAu3y6CbCfjp
Leo has this smile on his face," said Mr McDonell. He might have been 507Please respect copyright.PENANAwi1L1hYfOG
looking at the newspaper, but he was pretty observant.507Please respect copyright.PENANAPnMSPIVtPy
"Do I?" Leo asked.507Please respect copyright.PENANAEIyeOVzrf0
"Of course, dear," said Amanda. "That smile is even making you look more handsome."507Please respect copyright.PENANAAkie2UfH1F
Leo507Please respect copyright.PENANA0eZGNWwX5l
continued to smile. And he knew the reason why. He noticed his cousin 507Please respect copyright.PENANAHJKmCKHJCv
looking at him across the table. Leo couldn't help but feel that Eric 507Please respect copyright.PENANAwVgbypRmAK
knew the reason too.507Please respect copyright.PENANAUomdDZPbAG
"Do you have any plans today, boys?" Amanda asked as she drank her tea.507Please respect copyright.PENANA9MSsWD6DQI
"No, granny," Eric replied as he got two slices of toast. "It's a weekend after all."507Please respect copyright.PENANAdu5sVe81nw
"I just wanted to know. It would be nice to spend some quality time with you two handsome grandsons of mine."507Please respect copyright.PENANAkvPYeDRAh7
"You would," said Leo. "We aren't going anywhere."507Please respect copyright.PENANAMuatFI2Wdo
"Lovely."507Please respect copyright.PENANAoeFOHAlMNM
A few seconds later, just as Leo was pouring tea from the teapot into his cup, Angel walked in.507Please respect copyright.PENANATuOFx4HjnW
"Morning, everyone," she greeted.507Please respect copyright.PENANAwudiVs1bZs
Upon507Please respect copyright.PENANAJVDbQW8UGp
hearing her voice and seeing her face, Leo spelt some tea on the table.507Please respect copyright.PENANAg5J8xiZegP
Some almost poured on his trousers, but he was very lucky.507Please respect copyright.PENANACAKE7vcRKo
"Oh, my, careful, Leo," said Amanda. "You would have got burnt."507Please respect copyright.PENANAGVqFr65Hvz
"I'm fine," said Leo as he cleaned up the spelt tea with a napkin.507Please respect copyright.PENANAiUv71jG3GI
"Oh, morning, Angel," said Amanda, then she gasped. "I didn't realise that you're walking and not on your wheelchair."507Please respect copyright.PENANAaopz0H5lST
Eric507Please respect copyright.PENANAvBZYwNO2Iu
quickly turned to look at Angel and he also looked surprised. Mr 507Please respect copyright.PENANALlpRb4e6Iv
McDonell smiled at Angel. Leo groaned as he realised that all that he 507Please respect copyright.PENANAOhKKRLyQUU
had seen earlier wasn't a dream.507Please respect copyright.PENANAYTEIhSE4OW
"Yes, the doctor told me that I should start walking to strengthen my legs a little," said Angel.507Please respect copyright.PENANAOXy9ZAqOLv
"Well, that's good," said Mr McDonell.507Please respect copyright.PENANAcuklZ7CTIo
Eric stood up from his seat and drew out a chair next to him for Angel.507Please respect copyright.PENANAIEnXZe4UkB
"You can take a seat here," said Eric.507Please respect copyright.PENANAy71JfQx7WT
"Thank you, Eric," said Angel as she slowly but gradually made her way to the table and sat down.507Please respect copyright.PENANAIPG2nR0Mg5
"It's good to see you walking again, dear," said Amanda.507Please respect copyright.PENANAYWlYR5Hjkm
"It does feel good, Amanda," Angel smiled.507Please respect copyright.PENANA13z8ga4Q2R
"So does that mean you will be going back to work anytime soon?" Mr McDonell asked.507Please respect copyright.PENANACTaCIyiIAu
"I've been given more time from work to recuperate before I go back."507Please respect copyright.PENANAKa6v0J1eDZ
"Okay, then. If you don't mind, I would like to talk to you about something. And Carly too. After breakfast, that is."507Please respect copyright.PENANAUA2ZPxakHM
Angel nodded her head. "Of course."507Please respect copyright.PENANAP3ZHhbFYay
Leo507Please respect copyright.PENANA9NJl9nbMZp
couldn't help but feel that something was up. Could it be that his 507Please respect copyright.PENANACJbRXLh4cU
grandmother had told his father about Angel working at the company? Leo 507Please respect copyright.PENANAk7vkWCOaug
hoped she hadn't. And if she did, he hoped his father had disagreed with507Please respect copyright.PENANADXcIzXsBFR
her and that he wanted to talk to Angel about something else.507Please respect copyright.PENANA9NC2OmnzZH
Angel507Please respect copyright.PENANA81EfpT8E1L
poured herself a glass of juice and looked up at Leo who had looked 507Please respect copyright.PENANAMbfI40gs9h
away after he realised that he had been looking at her since she sat at 507Please respect copyright.PENANANlzkvFkIVZ
the table. Angel ignored him as she got some toast.507Please respect copyright.PENANASrOlikmiE6
While the others continued to have breakfast, Oliver and his mother, Diana, joined them.507Please respect copyright.PENANA8jrs9MrUWf
"I'll507Please respect copyright.PENANAqoSrwd1evf
be in my study if you need me," said Mr McDonell as he drank the last 507Please respect copyright.PENANAoccMdNrbh0
of his coffee. "Angel, you can join me in the study when you're done."507Please respect copyright.PENANAUX5dmmMjX5
"Yes, I would," said Angel.507Please respect copyright.PENANAlMdmWJ0BXI
Mr McDonell soon left the dining room.507Please respect copyright.PENANAUVt3xDZXkF
"I see that you're not sitting on your wheelchair, Angel," said Diana.507Please respect copyright.PENANAg7rt7Il72Y
"Yes, I'm not."507Please respect copyright.PENANAgSvY530mEi
"That's nice," said Oliver. "It would be so much easier now taking you around."507Please respect copyright.PENANAGgqM8pD8Md
"Why? You want to take me around the house? I never got that opportunity since I wasn't feeling too well."507Please respect copyright.PENANAssWbBpODZ8
"Yes, I would."507Please respect copyright.PENANANKV0yNYClu
Angel smiled at Oliver, sitting next to her. "Charming."507Please respect copyright.PENANAOZPNTQvKF3
"I'm afraid that's the one thing all the boys have in this house, charm," said Diana. "And sadly, no one can say no to them."507Please respect copyright.PENANAnSvFZjwSLT
"Well, it doesn't work on me," said Amanda.507Please respect copyright.PENANAO6htJxGfEg
Almost everyone at the table laughed, except Leo.507Please respect copyright.PENANAZj75MpZNcY
"You can take me around the house after I'm done talking with your uncle, okay?"507Please respect copyright.PENANAK56ErxeHmZ
"Yes."507Please respect copyright.PENANA8mo4Z0LnNi
Leo507Please respect copyright.PENANAjbicJ6qGjF
soon found himself standing up, ready to leave the table. He had had 507Please respect copyright.PENANAfRhKfMCqdW
enough of his breakfast and he certainly had had enough of everyone 507Please respect copyright.PENANAzBGU3DKm8B
talking about Angel.507Please respect copyright.PENANA3U373aG3PH
Surprisingly, Angel also stood up from her seat at the same time as he did. The two of them looked at each other for a moment.507Please respect copyright.PENANASUEqcj5GWN
"I'll be going to see Mr McDonell in his office now," said Angel as she drew away from the table.507Please respect copyright.PENANAWjCGh3swn2
"You'll find us here," said Amanda.507Please respect copyright.PENANAFPmeSwNMTq
Before Angel could find 507Please respect copyright.PENANA1B3vLclOvg
her way out of the dining room, Carly soon came in. And she paused upon 507Please respect copyright.PENANAvKJEWCOuYD
seeing her sister, standing on her own.507Please respect copyright.PENANA1RsWP464Ic
"Wow, Angel," said Carly with a surprised look on his face. "You're walking again."507Please respect copyright.PENANA1OnR1cmI6f
Angel only smiled. "Yes," she said. "You should have your breakfast and come to the study."507Please respect copyright.PENANAm3PFdUHZk8
"To the study? Why?" The excited look Carly had on her face, soon disappeared.507Please respect copyright.PENANAR7WOl8CISH
"Mr McDonell wants to have a word. You'll find me there."507Please respect copyright.PENANAicrl0LAIXU
Angel made her way out of the dining room while Carly stood there wondering what Mr McDonell wanted to talk about.
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