Chapter 18

Leo found himself back in the living room where he found the others freely talking amongst themselves. He wondered for a moment how they could all be talking after what had happened earlier. But then he realised that Kim wasn't even in the room.

"Leo," said Amanda as she looked up at her grandson. "Are you calm now?"

Leo paused for a moment before he could answer. "Yes," he said. "Where is Kim?"

Everyone in the living room turned to look at him, wondering whether he had hit his head or something.

"Kim's at the patio with my mum," said Eric. "You aren't going to shout at her, are you?"

Leo shook his head. "No. Actually, I'm going to apologise for the way I've been treating her lately."

Eric raised an eyebrow at his cousin. Amanda smiled. Carly had a scared look on her face. As for Angel and Oliver, their faces showed that they didn't mind at all. Oliver even went on eating his sandwich that he got from the kitchen.

"Wait, what?" Eric asked as she stood up from his seat. "You want to apologise to Kim all of the sudden?"

"Let him do it," said Angel. "Mr McDonell must have told him that he went a little too overboard with the way he treated her."

Leo didn't want to agree with Angel. She guessed right and that, annoyed him a little.

"I think you're doing a good thing if you ask me," said Amanda. "You aren't supposed to treat a lady like that, you know?"

"Yes, I know," said Leo. He was in no mood for a lecture, he had to talk to Kim. "I'm going to the patio."

Leo soon turned around, walked through the corridor and out in the patio where he found his aunt Diana and Kim seated around the white garden table with a box of tissue on top of it.

Kim had been crying. She was blowing her nose with her red teary eyes when Leo stepped in on the patio. When she noticed him, she tried to hide her face as she wiped her tears with another tissue.

"Leo," said his aunt. "I think now isn't the right time for this."

"I'm not going to say anything that's going to hurt her even further, aunt," said Leo. He paused before he could continue to say, "I actually came to apologise."

Kim looked up at him while Diana was a little shocked at first, but her lips were soon raised into a smile.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Kim," Leo continued. "You don't deserve it and for that, I truly am sorry."

Kim sniffed and tried to smile through her sad face. "Aren't you still mad at me for being a little clingy at times?"

"Well, yes, but I realised that I've been treating you unfairly."

"So, does that mean we're okay now?"

Leo gave her a little smile which was pretty hard to put up but he had to just to make her feel better.

"Yes, we are."

Kim smiled brightly as she wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes. "You don't know how much this means to me, Leo."

Leo nodded his head. "We better go inside. We delayed supper and I think my little cousin is really hungry."

"Oh, my little, Oliver," said Diana. "I hope he's okay."

"I saw him eating a snack, so, I bet he's fine. Shall we go back inside?"

The two ladies agreed and went back inside with Leo as he held the door open for them to get in the house. When the three found themselves in the living room, there was Mrs McDonell who clapped her hands excitedly.

"Oh, I'm so glad you decided to apologise to Kim, Leo," said Mrs McDonell. "Look at how your apology has made Kim so happy."

Most people in the living room wanted Mrs McDonell to stop talking her nonsense before Leo could throw another outburst. Besides, she was the one who invited Kim over for dinner and made things worse from the beginning. She was blowing air to the remaining glowing splinters when it proved to be a struggle to put out the first fire.

Kim blushed while Leo tried to keep it cool that he held his neck for a little. His mother was far beyond irritating.

"I would rather suggest you don't say a word, dear," Mr McDonald whispered, who stood beside his wife and noticed that Leo was feeling uncomfortable. "You have done enough damage for one night, don't you think?"

The smile on Mrs McDonell's face soon disappeared. Amanda who noticed the pair, couldn't help but smile to herself.

"Now, that everything's all settled, who's up for supper?" Diana asked.

"We all are," said Oliver. "I'm starving."

"Then let's all make our way to the dining room," said Mr McDonell. "Mum, I'll help you out."

"Thank you, sweetie," said Amanda as she smiled at her son.

"And I'll help Angel," said Eric.

"No, I'll help her," said Oliver who stood up quickly and found himself behind Angel's wheelchair.

"Thanks, Oliver," said Angel giving a small laugh when she noticed the scowl on Eric's face.

Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes at Angel. "Even my little cousin has been captured by her charms," he thought to myself.

Everyone slowly left the living room and went to the dining room. Mr and Mrs McDonell sat on both opposite ends of the table. Amanda sat next to her son on the right side of the table, alongside Angel, Diana, and Kim. On the other side sat Oliver, Eric, Leo and Carly.

"Now, that we are settled, mum, can you give us a prayer to bless the food, please?" Mr McDonell asked.

"Of course," said Amanda. "Let us pray...."

After the loving prayer, everyone started to dig into the meal. There was lovely Italian dressed chicken with baked potatoes, green salads and spiced rice.

"How do you like the food, Kim?" Mrs McDonell asked.

"Oh, it's lovely," said Kim. "It's very tasty."

"I know," said Oliver who couldn't get enough of the chicken. "The chicken is really delicious."

"You better slow down, Oliver," said Diana. "You're going to get too full, too quick."

"He really can't get enough of it," said Angel as she looked at Oliver who was chewing at the thigh of the chicken. Angel couldn't help but giggle and Eric couldn't help but smile at her. Leo noticed and he couldn't help but roll his eyes in irritation.

"He's a young boy," said Amanda. "Let him enjoy all the food he can eat."

"But not too much," said Angel as she looked at Amanda.

"Angel's right," said Diana. "I don't want my child looking obese."

"What's obsese?" Oliver asked after swallowing his food. Every grown up at the table looked at him then at themselves.

"I would rather Angel tell him," said Eric.

"Why me?" Angel asked.

"I know you will explain better. Besides, it looks like you will be helping him out with a lot of things from now on if mum is busy."

"Like what?" Diana asked.

"Almost an hour ago, she agreed to help him with homework on a Friday."

"That's so nice of you, Angel," said Diana as she turned to look at Angel beside her. "You know, I've been trying to get him to do his homework early, but he doesn't want to."

"Angel must have done something to Oliver," said Leo. "And I'm afraid, it isn't a good thing."

Angel looked at him and tried her best not to show how annoyed she was. She knew Leo was being mean though people on the table didn't seem to notice. There was a battle between the two which they would rather keep to themselves.

"You're wrong, Leo," said Amanda. "She's done a good thing. She's an angel just like her name."

Leo felt like he was going to puke. Angel was getting all the praise now. He felt like leaving the table, but he did his best not to for it will seem rude.

"I think so too, grandma," said Eric.

"Angel said, if I do my homework, we will go watch a movie together in the home theater," said Oliver.

"I'm surprised you got him to agree on this, Angel," said Mr McDonell. "He's very stubborn."

"He asked if he wanted to watch a movie with Carly and I," said Angel. "So, I told him we can when he does his homework."

"Smart," said Diana. "You two sisters really are something."

"I think so too," said Carly as she took a sip of her juice, looking at Kim who sat opposite her.

"Okay, enough family affairs," said Mrs McDonell. "How was work, Leo?"

"It was fine, mum," said Leo, glad that his mother changed the topic, yet uneasy with how the conversation was going to turn out.

"That's nice. I hear you're working on a deal with the Chinese. When are we expecting them?"

"During the course of next week. Friday to be more precise."

"I hope you have most of the paper work ready, Leo," said Mr McDonell. "We need the presentation and the deal to run smoothly."

"Eric's been helping me out with it," said Leo.

"Alright," said Mrs McDonell. "Things will go well, that I know. How about you, Kim?" Mrs McDonell turned to look at Kim on her left. "How has the modelling been for you lately?"

Angel and Carly both turned to look at Kim. They both realised now how Kim somehow looked like those models cut out straight from a magazine. It's because she already was one herself.

"Same as always," said Kim with a smile.

"And how about your father's law firm?" Mrs McDonell asked.

"Running well as usual."

"I should really pay him a visit. It's been such a long time. You have a really loving family. It's just sad that things aren't the way they are supposed to be."

"I wonder what you mean by that," said Amanda.

"You know exactly what I mean," said Mrs McDonell as she raised her glass of orange juice to her lips.

"I won't elaborate further." Amanda gave her daughter-in-law a wide smile.

Diana cleared her throat as she soon got her glass and drank her juice quickly.

"Kim, darling, since it's so nice having you around, you should be coming to visit us more often. I miss having you here."

"That's very nice of you, Mrs McDonell. I'll be coming by more often."

"That's nice, dear. Even after all that had happened, I still consider you to be family."

Leo was already done with his meal and he realised he had had enough for one night.

"May you please, excuse me," he said as he slowly stood up from his chair.

"But where are you going, Leo?" his mother asked.

"I'm done eating, mum," said Leo. "I prefer I go to my room and rest before I start to finalise on some papers."

"Well, I was really hoping you can stay around a bit and chat. There is no harm in doing so, is it?"

"I would really like to, but I've had a long day. Kim," he turned to look at her. "I'm afraid I'll have to leave you here at this point. I really have to go."

"Now, wait a minute, Leo," his mother's voice became a little intense. "It's wrong to leave your guest halfway through dinner."

"Mum, most of us here are already done with our meal. And may I need remind you that as much as Kim and I have a history together, she's your guest tonight and not mine."

Mrs McDonell grew pale. She opened her mouth to say a word but not even a sound came out. Others at the table were either looking at each other or staring at their almost empty plate, making sure not to stare at those talking at the moment.

"Let Leo be, Bertha," said Amanda. "He has a lot of work to do, so, he better go and rest."

"I didn't ask for your opinion," said Mrs McDonell.

"But she's right though," said Mr McDonell.

Before Mrs McDonell could say anything, Kim spoke up:

"It's fine, let it be. Leo must be very tired and has a lot of work to do."

"Okay, dear," said Mrs McDonell, feeling a little disappointed. "You're free for now, Leo."

"For now or never?" Leo asked.

"Don't start, son."

"May I remind you who started all this in the first place?"

Before his mother could reply, Leo already drew away from the table and left the dining room as quickly as he could.

"Well, he has no shame," said Mrs McDonell.

"I think you've to adress that to someone else, don't you think?" Amanda asked.

"Goodness, just what I needed," Mrs McDonell raised her hands in the air.

"I think I've had enough of this drama for one night," said Mr McDonell as he stood up from his seat.

"Please take me with you, son," said Amanda. "Remember, we have a lot to discuss."

Mr McDonell left his seat and helped Amanda with dragging her wheelchair and they soon left the dining room.

"We better start working on your homework, little man," said Angel, as she addressed Oliver, sounding like all is normal.

"Yes, let's go," said Oliver as he also stood up from the table.

"I'll come and help," said Eric.

"Me too," said Carly.

Soon, Angel with the help of Eric, Oliver and Carly left the table, leaving Mrs McDonell, Diana and Kim at the table.