Leo had a smile on his 508Please respect copyright.PENANAJx9iY1DucG
face when he brought himself to a comfortable position. He never had 508Please respect copyright.PENANAbALlol1ncV
this excited yet happy feeling within himself just by staring at the 508Please respect copyright.PENANAyKiIug2Bl0
face right in front of him.508Please respect copyright.PENANApAlN4TmYFB
It was morning and the 508Please respect copyright.PENANAjCI6WKulSS
sun rays managed to seep into his room giving it a wonderful golden 508Please respect copyright.PENANATAn7gKleEs
glow. But nothing in his room shined brighter than the woman sleeping 508Please respect copyright.PENANAbtwIAdRTFI
next to him who had the lovely skin colour of bronze that shined 508Please respect copyright.PENANADcI11cWI09
brilliantly in the morning sun.508Please respect copyright.PENANA5Djl1u2CNh
Carly had joined him 508Please respect copyright.PENANAbDuC10gZAM
last night after she had watched a movie with Angel, Eric and Oliver. By508Please respect copyright.PENANAKQ1OlFeGKA
then, it was already late, Kim had left a good two hours ago and almost508Please respect copyright.PENANAckMk8jmQVn
everyone in the house had gone to sleep, except from the two love 508Please respect copyright.PENANAlSvLADj8Cg
birds, of course.508Please respect copyright.PENANAV6w9e7iQJB
It was good she came, 508Please respect copyright.PENANAMBWYejtuP6
Leo thought to himself as he continued to stare at her. She was still 508Please respect copyright.PENANAY7ci9FEAQw
sleeping and she looked beautiful, no doubt in his mind that she was. He508Please respect copyright.PENANA6h2W42V8y4
wished time could slow down so that he could look at her for just a 508Please respect copyright.PENANAmsNC6PzYCh
little while longer. Sooner than later, he would have to wake her up.508Please respect copyright.PENANAg0RNqwTSCe
He stretched his hand 508Please respect copyright.PENANAGId1VqGuYf
and ran it through her lovely silky black hair. For an African American,508Please respect copyright.PENANAiPqNYwy1gD
her hair was gorgeous. He tucked away a strand of her hair that was on 508Please respect copyright.PENANAJGz5z8VxGs
her cheek. When his hand brushed over her cheek, ever so gently upon 508Please respect copyright.PENANAcKjI8a1lvX
pulling it away, her eyes slowly flew open.508Please respect copyright.PENANAk756TuF92k
"Morning, sleepy head," said Leo with a smile.508Please respect copyright.PENANA50yRrDEc1o
She didn't respond as 508Please respect copyright.PENANAOuXT3g4kyy
she smiled through her sleepy eyes and closed them again. She still 508Please respect copyright.PENANA2foYdNxPe5
looked so beautiful with that goofy smile on her face, he thought to 508Please respect copyright.PENANA3fsx894uGc
himself. Leo chuckled.508Please respect copyright.PENANAaZypX7RHih
"It's already morning?" she asked as she opened her eyes again and looked at him.508Please respect copyright.PENANAWEZkGTzipf
"Sadly, yes," he replied. "You know what that means."508Please respect copyright.PENANAgS6sudAYpS
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.508Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZaX1C1fbp
Leo continued to chuckle. "Come on, you know the drill." He sat up and uncovered the bed cover covering her head.508Please respect copyright.PENANA1eepuHWAjP
"Fine," she said as she gave up and sat up on the bed. "I really hoped that I could stay a little longer."508Please respect copyright.PENANAa3Co5AsKDN
"You're right. But I 508Please respect copyright.PENANAfpTnfSgjIp
better get you out of here before anyone wakes up. It might be a weekend508Please respect copyright.PENANARFo0uMMx2h
but there are still a lot of early birds around here."508Please respect copyright.PENANABWsIQBC3QG
Carly smiled at him. "Like you?"508Please respect copyright.PENANA3PtUdCjspq
"Like my dad. Come on, we better hurry."508Please respect copyright.PENANAa1VLa6PfL8
They both got out of bed508Please respect copyright.PENANAOHsOV14Gei
and got dressed into their nightwear covering themselves with their 508Please respect copyright.PENANAmsSTZ6PTgL
sleeping gowns. They sneaked out of Leo's room and they tiptoed all the 508Please respect copyright.PENANAyXNkReCG2h
way to Carly's.508Please respect copyright.PENANAe79iR3YPFL
"Thanks," said Carly in a low voice when they got to the door. "I'll continue sleeping and we will meet later on."508Please respect copyright.PENANAZZBrVbICQ3
"Great, I'll see you soon," said Leo as he smiled.508Please respect copyright.PENANABQQNibc1yo
Carly gave him a simple 508Please respect copyright.PENANAsIoVWqSU1T
peck on the cheek and quickly went in her room. For a moment, Leo 508Please respect copyright.PENANAPSQ2D5uuLW
couldn't help but stand there for a moment, lost in thought, until he 508Please respect copyright.PENANAIvilhvEpYX
realised that he had been standing there looking at the door. He smiled 508Please respect copyright.PENANABHDkulUyqL
at his stupidity as he made his way back to his room.508Please respect copyright.PENANAtSSnSDc7V0
Just when he got there, he changed his mind and thought he really needed a cup of coffee.508Please respect copyright.PENANAYVsw2nIi1q
He made his way 508Please respect copyright.PENANA1VuYoGQVLf
downstairs and before he could make his way to the kitchen when he 508Please respect copyright.PENANAnX8gaB3aKq
reached the bottom of the stairs, he heard a noise coming from the 508Please respect copyright.PENANAnKiFOr25ju
kitchen.508Please respect copyright.PENANAeiNsIt2fbj
He wondered who could be508Please respect copyright.PENANAjgISgW4ljl
up at this early hour. He knew his dad was always an early bird, but 508Please respect copyright.PENANA7aTwHdbVJ1
when it came to the weekend, Leo knew he wouldn't be awake for another 508Please respect copyright.PENANAZbA1Uj0I1g
hour. He made his way to the kitchen and what he saw, shook him a 508Please respect copyright.PENANATa9AG3XUv4
little.508Please respect copyright.PENANANsznMJrMSn
Angel was standing by 508Please respect copyright.PENANAIuSktTIenR
the kitchen counter where she had put up the coffee maker to make some 508Please respect copyright.PENANA7AAfeXbKnt
coffee. Her presence somehow didn't matter to him, but there was some 508Please respect copyright.PENANAANpYQMIlyn
thing that shook him the moment he got there.508Please respect copyright.PENANAnvWLeYNuWq
Angel was standing, and not on a wheelchair.508Please respect copyright.PENANApYSG525cJx
Sensing someone's presence, Angel turned to the door. When she saw Leo, she neither gave an angry look nor a smile.508Please respect copyright.PENANA5uK40B2Ahb
"Morning," she greeted as she turned back to the machine on the counter.508Please respect copyright.PENANALMsAHEJxdV
"Morning," Leo somehow managed to say. "You're up early."508Please respect copyright.PENANAYb7hOqVvfJ
"I just had to."508Please respect copyright.PENANAgrXpLVbBeb
"Ummm," Leo still 508Please respect copyright.PENANAiPFDOz4zVz
couldn't believe that Angel was standing in front of him. He expected 508Please respect copyright.PENANAIpxaBsXNVL
her to be still on her wheelchair. "Are you going somewhere?"508Please respect copyright.PENANAHyV6bCjHCU
"Thought of taking a walk to strengthen my legs a little."508Please respect copyright.PENANA5rkrW06dBC
The coffee maker soon 508Please respect copyright.PENANAk3cANLp1LS
finished making her coffee and the room became slient. Angel went over 508Please respect copyright.PENANAfBGvzhq0X4
to the cupboard next to the sink to get a mug. There was a slight limp 508Please respect copyright.PENANABstXKXgjae
in her walk, but all in all, she seemed okay and not in much pain.508Please respect copyright.PENANAp9ruyQQGib
Just as Angel was heading back to the coffee maker, she noticed Leo's eyes on her. She turned to look at him.508Please respect copyright.PENANAyLVlHBHQOv
"Why are you looking at me like you've just seen a ghost?" she asked.508Please respect copyright.PENANAoDQQjwb4ge
"Uh..." Leo hesitated. "I'm just surprised that you're walking."508Please respect copyright.PENANAVbvZU1T3up
"Why? You wanted me 508Please respect copyright.PENANA2A5HB1zdb3
confined to a wheelchair forever?" Angel raised an eyebrow at him before508Please respect copyright.PENANA6gnU5TdIXY
she turned towards the coffee maker and went over to it to pour herself508Please respect copyright.PENANAnmNEqkvfNn
a cup.508Please respect copyright.PENANAb6H1XmqZdG
"Umm, no. I'm just surprised, that's all."508Please respect copyright.PENANAp8EIZjaBom
"The doctor said I should start walking around to strengthen my legs."508Please respect copyright.PENANAT9D8s5KTJm
Leo just nodded his head but he was still in shock. He expected her to be confined to her wheelchair a little while longer.508Please respect copyright.PENANAds6vI01Ybi
"You still don't seem 508Please respect copyright.PENANAUhg9QPDLuo
happy that I'm walking again," said Angel, bringing Leo back from his 508Please respect copyright.PENANAt6488G3Ul2
thoughts. "I hope you don't think that this will get in your way of 508Please respect copyright.PENANANRc1YB8PnH
things."508Please respect copyright.PENANAFyWC4HKFEZ
Leo was the one to raise his eyebrows this time around. "What do you mean?"508Please respect copyright.PENANAlAnPh3Bpzw
Angel took a sip of her 508Please respect copyright.PENANAePeR6FPiEq
coffee as she leaned on the counter and placed her hand on it. "You know508Please respect copyright.PENANACz91laxAmD
what I mean. I know Carly didn't sleep in her room last night. She 508Please respect copyright.PENANAhGvYtphxDm
spent her night with you."508Please respect copyright.PENANAiWLKbDx2Rn
Leo retaliated, "that's not true."508Please respect copyright.PENANADsTV5yWeUw
Angel smirked and Leo 508Please respect copyright.PENANAkBvEF9WqHQ
felt his cheeks heat up suddenly. He cursed himself from the inside 508Please respect copyright.PENANAow5dRVTqft
still not understanding why he was feeling like this.508Please respect copyright.PENANAA7aGUX29YK
"Tell it to the person who is now able to walk up the stairs," she said.508Please respect copyright.PENANA7Wy3sfQy3D
"Does that matter? Carly is a grown woman, you know?"508Please respect copyright.PENANAyf26ZfbeZf
"Carly is a grown woman, yes, but that doesn't mean she knows that what she's doing might lead her into trouble."508Please respect copyright.PENANA3lOYTTgF8e
Leo shook his head. "I don't think I want to talk about this with you."508Please respect copyright.PENANA92AxSEH5jt
"You're right, Leo. It's508Please respect copyright.PENANAxm5sgdEUNc
early in the morning and I would rather walk around the garden to 508Please respect copyright.PENANAIHzh8azQ0y
exercise my legs rather than talk about something that I know I don't 508Please respect copyright.PENANA5N7AIS0JCn
have any control over."508Please respect copyright.PENANAODGOjGc99o
Leo was a little shocked508Please respect copyright.PENANAJnEtIc2nfi
to hear Angel talk like this. Was she finally giving up, allowing Leo 508Please respect copyright.PENANACNvEnjYOZD
and Carly the chance to be happy? Or was she playing some kind of mind 508Please respect copyright.PENANAhYNiICMjuo
game?508Please respect copyright.PENANA3UcAJYrPSn
She slowly made her way 508Please respect copyright.PENANApG8mk8l2h8
to the backdoor of the house still with her coffee mug. Leo continued to508Please respect copyright.PENANAI668ItORhC
look at her and something came up in his mind.508Please respect copyright.PENANAza2pxm6SNV
"How do you know, Carly's room?" Leo asked suddenly.508Please respect copyright.PENANAk0ETIUIBvW
Angel stopped upon reaching the door and slowly turned to look at him.508Please respect copyright.PENANA9PpjuwcVrQ
"I beg your pardon?" she asked politely. Leo wasn't buying it.508Please respect copyright.PENANA4n6IyEoSQh
"The time you came into 508Please respect copyright.PENANACKpHlS9sZo
this house, you were still in your wheelchair and you never made it up 508Please respect copyright.PENANAwDOgrWtQvK
the stairs. So how do you know where Carly's room is?"508Please respect copyright.PENANApp8ktt6w0h
Angel smiled at Leo. 508Please respect copyright.PENANAcZItqIDc7V
"Yesterday when Carly came home and after we argued in the study, she 508Please respect copyright.PENANAu8UHplX2gM
invited me to come over to her room since she wanted to show me what she508Please respect copyright.PENANANHvDitOx5C
bought from the mall. With the help of two of the house helps, they got508Please respect copyright.PENANADYADkeVwld
me up the stairs and when they helped me back down afterwards."508Please respect copyright.PENANAhHKNWapxwf
"I don't believe you."508Please respect copyright.PENANA95KPtQjdC5
"You don't have to, Mr 508Please respect copyright.PENANAdFHNwgZUDp
Detective," Angel gave him a fake smile. "I don't have to prove myself 508Please respect copyright.PENANAn4jMWkPb36
that I'm telling the truth because you would never believe me and it 508Please respect copyright.PENANAWEPbTl3ESH
will clearly be a waste of my precious time."508Please respect copyright.PENANAi6SCtRtvfl
Angel turned back to face the door and unlocked it. When she swung the door open, she turned to look at Leo.508Please respect copyright.PENANAc9nDPh3LND
"I'll be heading out for508Please respect copyright.PENANA9HHtRBnQYH
a stroll in the garden. I would have liked if you would accompany me, 508Please respect copyright.PENANAsxCjwZmQ78
but, as usual, things wouldn't end so well, would it?"508Please respect copyright.PENANAqRdBVC7LU4
Leo didn't have to 508Please respect copyright.PENANAanIj4vApYH
answer that question and Angel didn't expect him to. She slowly walked 508Please respect copyright.PENANA1KjInDE0XQ
out of the kitchen as silently as she could and closed the door behind 508Please respect copyright.PENANADrsWDNHOp5
her.508Please respect copyright.PENANAWNv1yE8dyv
Leo stared at the closed508Please respect copyright.PENANAz3ls6xZKs1
door and he couldn't tell if he was angry at Angel like he always has 508Please respect copyright.PENANAQjiqln9Vsy
or he was just surprised that she was able to walk around again. Either 508Please respect copyright.PENANASOjoYQ63dm
way, he forgot about making coffee and went back to his room, feeling 508Please respect copyright.PENANAgSyDe2hv9x
utterly disturbed.508Please respect copyright.PENANAyO9rVQclAN
***508Please respect copyright.PENANAQzrCwUkrmo
In508Please respect copyright.PENANAATmRX6C14N
an hour's time, almost everyone in the McDonell mansion was awake. At 508Please respect copyright.PENANANXfJGAzkc4
the breakfast table, Mr McDonell and Amanda were having their breakfast.508Please respect copyright.PENANATpAKw9VD2P
Leo and Eric soon came to join them.508Please respect copyright.PENANAz3Q3fkfoO8
"Morning grandma, morning dad," said Leo as he sat beside his grandmother.508Please respect copyright.PENANAneKqjRavwL
"Morning," said Amanda.508Please respect copyright.PENANARgMBk4Ocet
"Morning," said Mr McDonell who was looking at his daily newspaper.508Please respect copyright.PENANAH6dSFCHecq
"Hope you all slept well," said Eric as he sat opposite Leo and Amanda.508Please respect copyright.PENANA7X2tkqud9y
"We did," said Amanda with a smile. "And I can see you two boys slept well too."508Please respect copyright.PENANAgiW74jCR1q
"I sure as hell did," said Eric.508Please respect copyright.PENANA50B7E3P9HT
"And508Please respect copyright.PENANAmlGFqUecCM
Leo has this smile on his face," said Mr McDonell. He might have been 508Please respect copyright.PENANAmgtFyRPC5j
looking at the newspaper, but he was pretty observant.508Please respect copyright.PENANA0conhpTuKg
"Do I?" Leo asked.508Please respect copyright.PENANAsHwno9cd59
"Of course, dear," said Amanda. "That smile is even making you look more handsome."508Please respect copyright.PENANA16vWLuAHBu
Leo508Please respect copyright.PENANARKp3PR2a2s
continued to smile. And he knew the reason why. He noticed his cousin 508Please respect copyright.PENANAeisvnDGgdC
looking at him across the table. Leo couldn't help but feel that Eric 508Please respect copyright.PENANAkHddvqmvJY
knew the reason too.508Please respect copyright.PENANAitQgjEvM01
"Do you have any plans today, boys?" Amanda asked as she drank her tea.508Please respect copyright.PENANAAx4QyixslR
"No, granny," Eric replied as he got two slices of toast. "It's a weekend after all."508Please respect copyright.PENANAxOgWlBLqKH
"I just wanted to know. It would be nice to spend some quality time with you two handsome grandsons of mine."508Please respect copyright.PENANAOvlxkGIv9Y
"You would," said Leo. "We aren't going anywhere."508Please respect copyright.PENANAXTLxDurLWv
"Lovely."508Please respect copyright.PENANA6w9IutAHMe
A few seconds later, just as Leo was pouring tea from the teapot into his cup, Angel walked in.508Please respect copyright.PENANAYK67RIfQ5f
"Morning, everyone," she greeted.508Please respect copyright.PENANArUF25A5ZjI
Upon508Please respect copyright.PENANAxTF1Q85VfV
hearing her voice and seeing her face, Leo spelt some tea on the table.508Please respect copyright.PENANAZveMSXh2EY
Some almost poured on his trousers, but he was very lucky.508Please respect copyright.PENANAYyJMaUcCmG
"Oh, my, careful, Leo," said Amanda. "You would have got burnt."508Please respect copyright.PENANApWzRYnxQUy
"I'm fine," said Leo as he cleaned up the spelt tea with a napkin.508Please respect copyright.PENANAd0YMAn6rUl
"Oh, morning, Angel," said Amanda, then she gasped. "I didn't realise that you're walking and not on your wheelchair."508Please respect copyright.PENANA8uHJT3KukY
Eric508Please respect copyright.PENANA5v1vDZ8dgC
quickly turned to look at Angel and he also looked surprised. Mr 508Please respect copyright.PENANA1wFRJtAf20
McDonell smiled at Angel. Leo groaned as he realised that all that he 508Please respect copyright.PENANA7XwHsdia9q
had seen earlier wasn't a dream.508Please respect copyright.PENANAcN5Fs3vDbS
"Yes, the doctor told me that I should start walking to strengthen my legs a little," said Angel.508Please respect copyright.PENANAFvIkKtlzZy
"Well, that's good," said Mr McDonell.508Please respect copyright.PENANA29yR2kLTwS
Eric stood up from his seat and drew out a chair next to him for Angel.508Please respect copyright.PENANAn5zQZmMOkN
"You can take a seat here," said Eric.508Please respect copyright.PENANAeAcyngL0nr
"Thank you, Eric," said Angel as she slowly but gradually made her way to the table and sat down.508Please respect copyright.PENANAE8gND56Pda
"It's good to see you walking again, dear," said Amanda.508Please respect copyright.PENANAqfqcEeJF7g
"It does feel good, Amanda," Angel smiled.508Please respect copyright.PENANAYd4ygDCyfz
"So does that mean you will be going back to work anytime soon?" Mr McDonell asked.508Please respect copyright.PENANAjtaOTvhKfF
"I've been given more time from work to recuperate before I go back."508Please respect copyright.PENANAMnfFTDZN56
"Okay, then. If you don't mind, I would like to talk to you about something. And Carly too. After breakfast, that is."508Please respect copyright.PENANAgTsjKk170z
Angel nodded her head. "Of course."508Please respect copyright.PENANADriMXQdgHS
Leo508Please respect copyright.PENANAvlToPXQG5O
couldn't help but feel that something was up. Could it be that his 508Please respect copyright.PENANAjDwG3W2srV
grandmother had told his father about Angel working at the company? Leo 508Please respect copyright.PENANA5PfhPwzUNM
hoped she hadn't. And if she did, he hoped his father had disagreed with508Please respect copyright.PENANA5cSYNBgYzM
her and that he wanted to talk to Angel about something else.508Please respect copyright.PENANAMIojBHeYJX
Angel508Please respect copyright.PENANAUYtmwfDW8W
poured herself a glass of juice and looked up at Leo who had looked 508Please respect copyright.PENANAW7j5JPPh3q
away after he realised that he had been looking at her since she sat at 508Please respect copyright.PENANAgPAETssQwI
the table. Angel ignored him as she got some toast.508Please respect copyright.PENANABZp00ySENU
While the others continued to have breakfast, Oliver and his mother, Diana, joined them.508Please respect copyright.PENANAuZPtjtP7S7
"I'll508Please respect copyright.PENANAsiwfMmOF36
be in my study if you need me," said Mr McDonell as he drank the last 508Please respect copyright.PENANA85Odf1rtPj
of his coffee. "Angel, you can join me in the study when you're done."508Please respect copyright.PENANAgUh9BL93dI
"Yes, I would," said Angel.508Please respect copyright.PENANAiIl0FKzBY5
Mr McDonell soon left the dining room.508Please respect copyright.PENANABRtA5wf8EF
"I see that you're not sitting on your wheelchair, Angel," said Diana.508Please respect copyright.PENANAt90p6HS2wH
"Yes, I'm not."508Please respect copyright.PENANAh5Z5ftdv7M
"That's nice," said Oliver. "It would be so much easier now taking you around."508Please respect copyright.PENANAkXp6YajG1Z
"Why? You want to take me around the house? I never got that opportunity since I wasn't feeling too well."508Please respect copyright.PENANArx3jXa45Mg
"Yes, I would."508Please respect copyright.PENANA8IGRzIyDPk
Angel smiled at Oliver, sitting next to her. "Charming."508Please respect copyright.PENANAVeP1aodU10
"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."508Please respect copyright.PENANAtsOkcTlIPc
"Well, it doesn't work on me," said Amanda.508Please respect copyright.PENANA81wmMtSZDq
Almost everyone at the table laughed, except Leo.508Please respect copyright.PENANA57llAYFS2D
"You can take me around the house after I'm done talking with your uncle, okay?"508Please respect copyright.PENANAd9svDFKCfh
"Yes."508Please respect copyright.PENANAgWrGwWdBgT
Leo508Please respect copyright.PENANANTgscWKAb3
soon found himself standing up, ready to leave the table. He had had 508Please respect copyright.PENANABGYAsM8kLw
enough of his breakfast and he certainly had had enough of everyone 508Please respect copyright.PENANAHzgIhCloyZ
talking about Angel.508Please respect copyright.PENANAs9LgFvtZqe
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.508Please respect copyright.PENANAGGb9eqxw5d
"I'll be going to see Mr McDonell in his office now," said Angel as she drew away from the table.508Please respect copyright.PENANALcAeQ6axdO
"You'll find us here," said Amanda.508Please respect copyright.PENANA4oSq6W7nxj
Before Angel could find 508Please respect copyright.PENANAMHJFdq2PB1
her way out of the dining room, Carly soon came in. And she paused upon 508Please respect copyright.PENANAyxLvuY1shT
seeing her sister, standing on her own.508Please respect copyright.PENANADBoJoTi29j
"Wow, Angel," said Carly with a surprised look on his face. "You're walking again."508Please respect copyright.PENANAchNnXfj6kA
Angel only smiled. "Yes," she said. "You should have your breakfast and come to the study."508Please respect copyright.PENANAePtrGFl2yj
"To the study? Why?" The excited look Carly had on her face, soon disappeared.508Please respect copyright.PENANAA93esPMUbK
"Mr McDonell wants to have a word. You'll find me there."508Please respect copyright.PENANA3CEbbbFFSd
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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