He won't go

CHAPTER 14: From South Africa, Cape Town to America, Los Angeles

LISA

‘Mr Tatum is really something else’ Lisa thought as they all stood in the kitchen, except Leigh, ‘his really genuine and sweet’ she thought. Alex joked about with Jessica and Lisa now saw what Leigh was talking about. Lisa decided to open their relationship status a bit just to test the waters.

“So, Jessica how long are you and Alex dating now?” If Alex could kill Lisa at that moment, she would have been dead by death stare.

“No, we not dating” she giggled

“Oh, my bad, I just thought since the two of you get alone so well and the energy you two share… you know there was something”

Jessica gave Alex a look that he has never seen from her before, he didn’t know how to handle it. Luckily for him Mrs Hale announced that supper was ready. He made a mental note to kill Lisa after diner. They all sat around the dining room table waiting for Mr Hale and Leigh. The table was set with name tags, Mr Hale refused to have more than 7 people sitting around his table, and he regarded anyone who sat on Liam’s seat as disrespectful. The head of table was labelled for Mr and Mrs Hale, on Mr Hale’s right sat his children, Lisa sat next to her father and Leigh sat next to her mother. The seat in between Leigh and Lisa has been left open for the past 3 years. To the left of Mr Hale sat Channing, Alex and Jessica. Everyone knew about the reason behind the open seat besides Channing, he questioned the open the seat and Alex informed him that they will discuss the open seat on their way home. Mrs Hale thanked Alex for this. Mrs Hale excused herself from the table to see where Mr Hale and Leigh was.

MRS HALE

Mrs Hale knew the moment Leigh left the kitchen that something bad was going to happen. She watched the people around her and saw happiness and joy, she finished up in the kitchen and announced that dinner was ready. Mr Hale and Leigh was the only people who never sat the table, after waiting for a moment Mrs Hale went to see what the holdup was. The words that she was about to hear broke her heart, just like the day Liam died.

“I’m sorry Leigh, I cannot forgive you unless you can bring my Liam back”

She entered the lounge to find Leigh on the floor sobbing, this sight brought back the memories of the accident. She kneed down next to Leigh embracing her in a warm, motherly hug.

“Dinner is ready, you can start without us” Mrs Hale said sternly to Mr Hale.

Mr Hale got up from his seat and headed towards the dining room.

“Sweetheart, he doesn’t mean that. I can’t make excuses for him, but he forgave you a long time ago. He hasn’t admitted it to himself though”

“He wouldn’t say something he doesn’t mean mommy” she sat in her mother’s lap while her mother stroked her hair and cried.

“Sshhh, one day he will see the need for forgiveness”

“Anything can happen while I’m gone mommy, and he doesn’t want to forgive me. I have to leave here with a heavy heart. How am I able to have a clear conscious knowing my own father would rather want his dead son in his life, instead of me?” 

“He has never said that Leigh”

“I would have felt much better if he said that. Go eat, I’ll go wash up” Leigh said getting up walking towards the bathroom.

“Leigh, don’t forget that his your father and that he will love you no matter what”

Mrs Hale entered the dining room to find everyone including Mr Hale talking and enjoying their meal.

“How dear you sit there and act like you never killed the last spark of hope for that child, she is your daughter and yet you treat her like she was the driver of that truck. Liam is dead, his never coming back but Leigh is alive at least have the decency to treat like she is. If you don’t forgive her, I swear to you Erik and I’m serious you going to lose another child.”

Everyone around the table was silenced by Mrs Hale speech, Lisa realised what was happening and the same for Alex.

“How dare you speak about my son in that manner, if she had been more careful and observant he would have been enjoying this diner with us. She took a part of my life that she can never give back, and another thing Jean you can’t lose something you don’t have.”    

“Daddy, how could you say that about Leigh? She is your daughter and she regrets that accident just as much as you want your precious Liam back. You cannot go on living with all this anger and hatred towards her like she asked for that truck driver to jump the robot. Let me re-phrase mommy’s statement. You going to lose ALL your children if you going to be this way”

“You do not raise your voice at me young lady, I am your father and you will respect me. Nothing you or your mother says will change the way I feel towards Leigh. He was my last hope for at least one of my children to be something other than this dance thing you make as a career, I do not stand behind you or your sister when it comes to your choice of work. You are lucky for this big break, if it wasn’t for you going to manage this event you would have been a nothing. Adam might have treated you poorly, but he was your financial backing and you know it. Without him, your dance can do nothing for you”

Lisa didn’t know what to say, while tears rolled down her cheeks. Mr Hale hurt her...... bad.

“I refuse to stand here and allow your narrow mind to shatter the dreams and love my daughters have for dance, what do you think Liam was doing when he was done with his school work. He was dancing Erik, he loved dancing just as much as the girls does. I’m sorry to burst your bubble that included your son being an engineer or a scientist”

Mr Hale broke down in tears when he realised that his actions towards Leigh was nothing but wrong. He never expected Liam to be a dancer as well. He was a clever student and very hard working, both of his daughters danced from a young age and he blamed this for their dance ambitions.

“I’m sorry, I’m extremely sorry for my ways and my words and everything. I was so consumed by the fact that Liam was not coming back that I actually thought my life was over. I know that saying sorry won’t change what I did and said, but I do ask for forgiveness with time. Leigh, I don’t expect your forgiveness but I do forgive you.”    

The evening never went as planned but a lot of loose ends was tied up. Leigh got the forgiveness she basically lived for and Mrs Hale finally had her family back together and happy.

At about 12:45 everyone left the Hale’s residence and parted ways. Jessica and Alex planned to talk about the ‘Lisa in the kitchen’ story the following day. Leigh and Lisa’s flight leaves at 8 in the morning.  

At 4:30 am Leigh’s alarm clock burst through the house, who would have thought at this hour Disclosure’s ‘Help Me Lose My Mind’ would be playing on the radio, both sisters loved this song so they were off to a good start to a very long day. They got ready to leave, they arranged with Alex to pick them up at 5:15 to drop them at the airport. Leigh is naturally faster than Lisa when they got done so she made them coffee while she waited.

Their departure time came closer and closer. The tension grew within Lisa not knowing what to expect from LA, she hated not knowing what’s to come since it drove her crazy. Leigh and Lisa never said a word to each other the entire morning, except when the greeted each other or when they excused each other when being in the way of each other’s paths. They arrived at the airport just before 5:45, the placed their luggage on a cart and ensured that all the bags were locked and secure. At 6 they head to check in their luggage and ask the questions they had about their flight. They head to get breakfast with Alex to thank him for everything he has done for them the past few weeks. In silence they drank their coffee and ate their light sandwiches. At 7:30 their flight was called and they hugged Alex goodbye, as they turn to hurry to the gates they were greeted by their parents. Lisa did not want to see her parents, she knew she would cry unlike Leigh who hardly ever cried or showed emotion. They hugged their parent’s goodbye and walked to the gate they were allocated to. The air hostess greeted them a bit too chirpy for this time of the morning. ‘She must be from another planet’ Leigh thought taking her seat. Not long after they sat the plane took off and they were airborne.