You Need Me

Chapter 62

When Viola opened her eyes the next morning, Leon was still sleeping beside her. She looked at his smooth dark hair, his beautiful face, his peaceful breathing. She touched the tip of his nose and from there, her fingers slowly moved down to his lips and stopped. This pair of lips. Viola stared at them dreamily. Were they the same lips that touched all over her body last night? Viola blushed at her own thought. That was so embarrassing. How should she face him from now on? Viola covered her face with her hands.

Suddenly, she felt a hand touching her bare back.

"I don't mind going for another round, you know?"

She lowered her hands and in front of her was Leon grinning widely at her – his body turned sideways and his head resting on his hand.

Viola panicked and quickly turned the other way.

Leon hugged her from behind. "Why are you being shy now?" He kissed her neck. Viola's heart almost stopped.

"Don't do that..." Viola said softly. "My heart... cannot take it."

Leon could see her ears were all red. He whispered into her ear. "I can't help it when your reaction is this cute."

"Please..." Viola begged.

He chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Alright. I'll stop myself now. Don't want to risk you running away again." He got up from the bed and put on his dressing gown. "Let's get ready. We are going to visit your father soon."

***

George was preparing lunch when he peeked through the kitchen window and saw a car stopped in front of his house. He turned off the stove, took off his apron and quickly went to the front door to meet his guests. When he opened the door to welcome them, a smile beamed from his face as soon as he saw his daughter getting off the car.

"Dad!" Viola ran to her father.

"Viola!" George hugged her daughter. "I miss you so much!"

"I miss you too!" Viola returned the hug.

"Good afternoon." Leon greeted from behind.

"Hello, Leon. Good to see you again." George waved at him. "Come in, you two." George led the couple in.

As she stepped inside, Viola felt a sudden emotion rushed through her body. I'm home. The last time she was here was when the mob came to destroy her everything. A tear dropped on the floor.

"Viola?" Her father panicked when he saw her tears. "Are you alright?"

Viola wiped away her tears and smiled. "I'm okay, Dad. Sorry..."

George hugged her daughter again. "It's alright, Viola. Don't cry. Everything is okay now."

Leon observed his surroundings. He recognized the interior. It seemed that his father-in-law rebuilt the whole house exactly as it was before.

"It took a few months to rebuild the whole thing." George told them as they sat around the table and ate the lunch George had prepared.

"I'm glad it has returned to its original state. Nobody would have thought that this is the same house as that was completely destroyed months ago." Leon complimented.

"Have you been here too, Leon?" Viola asked.

Leon nodded. "I picked up your phone, remember?"

Viola's eyes blinked. "Ahh.. that's where..."

George watched his daughter and her husband laughing happily and smiled in relief. He thought about his late wife. I wish you can see our daughter now, Julia.

After the lunch, Viola helped George with the clean-up while Leon tried to figure out how to make coffee in the living room.

"Walter came the other day." George said as he washed the plates by the kitchen sink.

"Walter did?" Viola was helping with the drying.

"He came to apologize... about everything." George continued. He turned off the faucet and dried his hands on the apron. His eyes looking outside the window. "Frankly speaking... I still cannot forgive him for how he treated you."

"Dad..." Viola smiled and leaned on her father. "I'm okay now. I am really."

"And that girlfriend of his, came too... Tellsa's daughter." George added.

Viola turned to him. "Nora too?"

"I asked her to leave. I just... couldn't..." George remembered how he almost lost his daughter that day. "I felt bad afterwards. She stood out there calling the door for quite some time... I mean, she is pregnant... what if..."

"Her child with Walter is safe, Dad. I was even there when she delivered her baby!" Viola said cheerfully.

A look of relief passed George's face. "Thank goodness... I may not be able to forgive them but... the child is innocent."

Viola smiled at him. Not an ounce of bitterness on her face. "I hope you can forgive them someday, Dad."

***

"Are you sure you don't want to stay here tonight?" George asked as Viola and Leon were about to leave.

"We can't, Dad. We have to go back to Bellfield tonight." Viola sighed.

"I apologize. This is my fault. There was a sudden..." Leon tried to explain.

George shook his head. "No, no. Don't mind this old man. I know you are busy. You do your things." He patted Leon's shoulder. "Come again next time."

Leon promised him.

"We are leaving now, Dad. I'll come to see you again." Viola hugged her dad.

George hugged her back. "Okay." His eyes teary.

"Oh and..." He pulled away from his daughter and wiped the tears in his eyes. "I was wondering about it just now..."

Viola cocked her head to the side. "What is it?"

"Don't you feel hot wearing that?" George pointed to her outfit. A black long-sleeve turtleneck and a pair of jeans. "I mean, I've never seen you wearing anything like this back then."

"That is my fault too. Last night we..." Leon tried to explain but Viola was quick to shut him up.

She elbowed Leon in the chest, making him choked. George was startled.

"We are heading back to Bellfield tonight and the wind is stronger there. Don't want to catch the cold." Viola smiled nervously.

"Pfffttt..." George could not hold the urge to laugh. His laugh broke out. "Hahahahhaha!!"

He patted Leon's shoulder again while wiping the happy tears from his eyes. "Right. I'll wait for the good news then."

Leon nodded and smiled. Viola quickly dragged him away before he embarrassed her more in front of her father. They bid their farewell to George and left for the airport.