Page 5 of Leon
"You're asking something that's none of your business."
"It is my business." He stated firmly.
"It's the past."
A past that's interfering with my future. The thought was silent, but no less effective. He wanted the truth – to be able to tell his wife that that part of it was a lie. That his father had not slept with her mother. He desperately wanted that assurance.
"Why won't you answer the question? Did you have an affair with her or not? Good God, the man was your best friend."
Instead of being offended and angry, his father gave him an amused look. Downing the drink, he put the glass away.
"We have two minutes to get to the board room. Bring everything. The members are looking for any excuse to veto the votes in favor of keeping the airline."
He strode to the door and Leon watched him in helpless fury. Once again, he had refused to give him what he needed, the bloody truth. Sinking down on the chair, he rubbed his fingers at his temples and closed his eyes wearily.
*****
"You have lost weight."
The observation was made without preamble as the woman took her seat across from Kadian. A smile touched her lips as she watched her best friend scanning the crowded room. Lunch hour at the café always brought with it the corporate set with their three-piece suits and trendy business wear. Aside from the fact that the place was located between an art gallery and a sports bar, Sally's served the best beef burger and cherry pie aroundtown. Kadian was friends with the buxom woman who ran the place like a Gestapo and her table was always made available.
"Thanks."
"Just saying."
Grace made her selection quickly and picked up her glass of water. "Diet be damned, I'm going all out today." She had selected the house special and was not about to feel guilty. "Honey, what's going on? Or should I guess? Your dad is being his usual whiny self, and you're caught between the usual rock and hard place."
Kadian toyed with her bread. "Leon and I had a fight."
"The usual?"
Kadian nodded.
"I suspect that's going to be the case until this impossible situation is resolved. You know how I feel."
"You've made it perfectly clear on several occasions."
Grace waved that away impatiently. She had been one of the witnesses to the secret wedding and at first thought it had been exciting and romantic. Six months into the entire matter had her feeling impatient. "You're married to a gorgeous man, a very wealthy one and you must hide the fact that you are. All because of some damned feud between the two men. I keep telling you to speak your truth and let the chips fall where they may."
"I wish it could be that easy."
She waited until they had been served before continuing. Food was not something that was appealing to her now, but to stop the argument about her not eating, she forced herself to pick at the burger. She had left the bookstore in the capable hands of the part-time staff and made certain her dad had his noon medicine and something to eat. She also had to stop herself from snapping at him when he asked where she was off to. She was twenty-eight and he continued to treat her like a child. What's more, she had a feeling he was comparing her to her mother and the trust was not there.
"It should be that easy."
Picking up her burger, Grace took a huge bite and spent a few minutes savoring the juiciness of the beef.
"He's ill."
"Is he?"
Kadian sent her a sharp look. "You know he is."
"I wonder."
Putting the burger down, she reached for a napkin and dabbed at her lips. "Honey, the man has bitterness entrenched in every pore of his body. He blames your mother for being unfaithful to him and he has no intention of letting it go."
"He's entitled--"
