CHAPTER 9

ALEKS

Inside the luxury jet filled with people who were practically strangers and who had power I didn't at any given day, I was feeling all out of sorts. I had no real idea where exactly Leukas was from, only that he had Greek heritage, and that knowledge was doing me little to no favors at that moment. If we were to land in Greek, I would have had even less control of my surroundings. I had no idea where Greece was. I had no idea where I stood with Leukas, let alone Jason. What if they tried to take my kids and just get rid of me? I knew very well what Jason had the means and capacity to do. I knew very well why his name was barely said out loud in the underground. How would I even have escape him if I had to? How could I have protected my kids if need was? How had I once again landed myself in a position I bad sworn to myself I would never be in, only this time, with the two most important people in my life, the two people who are my life? It hurt me to even acknowledge that I may have made a big mistake. Maybe Alexei had been the safer option. He at least had had some emotion towards me, unhealthy as it was. In the huge plane, with Lanthe, Jason, Leukas and five guards, I saw no one who would care about me or my life.

My troubling thoughts were interrupted by my son's voice. "...Aleks, are we supposed to be ignoring the fact that none of what is happening makes any sense, or are you going to explain why we are in an Airbus ACJ320neo with a bunch of rich people who keep staring at us? Is this another kidnapping, because if it is, I completely approve of the transportation?"

"Adrian!" I reprimanded, unable to help my smile at his tone which was too young to be as sarcastic as it is.

"Which part? The part where I called you Aleks or the part where I made a joke about a sensitive matter like kidnapping?" he asked with a tilted head. His hair was a bit curlier than usual since we had not had enough time to tame it after he woke up and I could not help but ruffle it, much to his annoyance which he made clear by an adorable wrinkle of his nose. I couldn't help myself though. My son is just too cute.

"Both parts, Adrian." I said softly, smiling as he stared at me longer than socially acceptable before slowly nodding. Very few people understood that most of the times Adrian did not mean to be rude but he tried to learn what things were appropriate and which were not by saying them and then observing the reactions to them. The concept of sensitivity had never come naturally to him. I was also positive he had said it to get me out of my reverie.

"Hmm." He responded before refocusing on his journal. I wanted to ask what he's writing but I already knew it was some code for an application.

"And how do you know this is an Airbus whatever?" I asked him playfully, knowing how much the word whatever or any word that 'substitutes for real information' annoyed him greatly.

"It's an Airbus ACJ320neo, and it's written on the seats. May I know where we're going?" He asked without looking back at me.

"I guess we'll see pretty soon. Are you worried?"

Adrian looks at me for a while before, thinking, speaking. "You're here. I'm not worried." He said before focusing back on his writing. A mixture of love, pride and fear coursed through me at his words. How I hoped to live up to my son's faith in me.

My relationship with my children was a very close one, and had always been. Because all they'd ever known was the little team we made. The three of us against the world, each of us with roles in our little family. I was the provider of everything. The protector who gave her life for my family. I had tried my best to provide my family with security, safety, comfort and love. I always would.

My handsome and quirky Adrian, the six-year-old boy who had read every book about computers I owned, programmed his own games, created half the recipes in our bakery and designed every bit of his clothing to the last detail, was my rock. He was my voice of reason. A young one that was too mature and intelligent for his own good but one nonetheless. My son was a boy who found affection uncomfortable and shied away from it but would hug his sister as much as she liked. He preferred his own company but always made time for family. His classes were way beneath his intellectual skills because we couldn't afford anything more, but he never complained. He steadied me. He encouraged me and Elena to be better in everything we did and his faith in me was everything to me. He would die for his sister and I.

Elena was undoubtedly our sunshine; our happiness personified. The joy she found in everything turned a life devoid of much into one we wouldn't trade the world for. Her beauty, her kindness and her sweetness was the only joy I'd ever needed. She too, like her brother, was extremely gifted. Her eidetic memory meant that there was no musical instrument she could play; no ballet routine she cannot muster. Her drawing skills were impeccable, and her painting skills were unmatched; unique and riveting. Still she did silly uncoordinated dances more than she performed with the grace I knew she possessed. Still, my daughter preferred to draw pink animals with too plump bodies and disproportionate stick legs as opposed to the masterpieces she could create at will. She loved tea parties and stuffed animals. Still my daughter believes in unicorns and shooting stars. The love I had for my kids was my lifeline.

"Where's Lenny?" I asked Adrian after finally realizing that she'd never come back after she'd gone in search of crayons awhile back. My kids and I had situated ourselves in the comfortable and unbelievably luxurious gold couch area with leather couches, fluffy pillows and a huge flat screen at the front as soon as we were in the air. I had been in a number of jets in my past life but never one so classy and expensive. Sleek white and gold furniture gave the jet's interior a fancy and inviting edge. I got goose bumps just watching my feet walk down the pristine, white floors.

As if summoned by my thoughts, her magical laughter tinkled through the air and I looked across the room to the other one, the one separated from ours by a glass sliding door. A while ago the area was occupied by Luk and his family, their heads bent together as they discussed my fate. A harsh breath left my body as I took in the new sight of my daughter kneeling on her father's legs as she hugs him, little giggles escaping her as they spoke in quite whispers. Leukas' very rare smile knocked my breath away. I could count on three fingers how many times the world, me included, had been graced with such beauty. Beyond devastating beauty. It was almost ridiculous how many people I would have killed to see that smile directed at me once more.

I looked away from the sight of two of my favorite people interacting with a sigh. Despite not knowing her true relationship with Leukas, Lenny already loved him, I could tell. She would be so happy to learn that he was her father and I had no doubt from watching them now that Luk may have been willing to try for a relationship with them. Lenny's heart was huge and open and I had no doubt she would accept her father fully as soon as I told her. It's Adrian I was worried about. Because as long as Leukas avoided me and gave an impression of dislike towards me, Adrian would notice and he would never open himself up to his father. He didn't do too well with change either. He's had his life mapped out since he was four years old, career, spouse, number of kids, net worth, everything really, ridiculous as it was. He would take longer to adjust. Elena on the other hand changed her mind every minute. She had wanted to be a dancer, a surfer, an actress, a teacher, a model, a baker, a pilot and a doctor. She was nothing if not adaptable. I didn't know how the next couple of months would pan out but I realized that Alexei would never be the better choice where Luk was involved and despite everything I hoped that Luk was added to my children's world, even if he shut me out of his forever.

The rest of the trip passed by in a blur of fancy food I ate just so Adrian could do the same, listening to Elena go on like everything is normal as she chatted up everyone in the plane before she curled up in my arms and fell asleep, watched Adrian fall asleep on the comfortable pull-out couches before I placed his sister besides him and then accepting small blankets from the stewardess. I spent the rest of the trip drinking coffee to stay awake at least long enough to land and to think. I thought about the talk I'd have with my kids, my current destination and the dark rings I'd seen under Lander's eyes as I'd hugged him goodbye. Most of all, I thought about Leukas and the fact that I'd truly lost him now. We'd both gotten the closure I'd denied us seven years back.