Life Without You

Chapter 76 - Being Set Free

Leon was finally released from rehab.

His liver was healthy, his voice had returned, and his emotional and mental capacity was improving. It was a miracle to see how fast he recovered.

The first place Leon went to was his parents' mansion. He set-up a little recording studio in a small vacant room at the basement. After he finished recording a demo of his new song, he emailed the demo to his Avon team. The breath-taking nature at his parents' place was quite therapeutic that he looked forward to going on walks with his father and his dog, Woofy* every morning. How he missed Sky a lot but he knew Andy needed her more than he did. The stars and the occasional sight of the entire Milky Way greeted him in the evenings while he laid down at his favourite spot on the roof. He missed Ariel very much and would still call her but he needed his own space to heal for now.

With months of healthy eating and daily exercises, Leon was proud to see that his abs and muscle definition have returned. The three other properties that he tried to offload were finally sold. Leon used its proceeds to pay off the entire mortgage of his parent's mansion and settle his debts. He was getting closer to becoming debt-free. The remainder from the proceeds would be used to purchase his new home, but he was not in the hurry to buy one for now.

"Oh Leon, you know you can stay here forever if you want to," his mother said to him one day during their gardening.

"I still want my own space in the end, mum," said Leon.

She laughed while they tended to the gardens together.

"So, is it official? You're dating Ariel?" she grinned.

"Yes, and I'm definitely in love with her."

"Why not go to her?"

"I will once I'm ready."

"Aren't you missing her?"

Leon put down his shovel, "I do. Everyday. I also miss Andy and Sky. I just want to make sure I'm right for her this time cos I don't wanna mess up again. Till then, I'm still sorting myself out and she knows that. I'm doing this more for me than I'm doing it for her."

Mrs Waltz looked worried, "You think she can wait for you?"

"I know she will," Leon said confidently and continued gardening.

———

Ariel's anxiety did not fade off as much as she'd like.

"Must be my imagination. Resilient...come on, be resilient...," she muttered to herself as she rubbed her temples. Ariel kept looking at her social media for no apparent reason except to read random comments over and over. Were people still supporting her? Do they still like her? She'd peer through the curtains once in a while, worried about being spied on. So far, there were no suspicious people lurking around and her bodyguards were now going the extra mile to shoo off any lingering passers-by.

"We're worried for you, Ariel," Rita said to her one day when Camila and Beth came down for a visit. They noticed Ariel pacing back and forth around the house for no apparent reason. "This ain't you anymore."

"Sorry, guys. I'm fine, don't worry..." Ariel's voice spelled stress than assurance. Sky walked up to her and placed her paw on her thigh in an effort to calm her down. The dog had grown bigger now.

"Missing Leon?" asked Camila.

"Yes, very much," Ariel sighed.

"Gosh...where's that good-for-nothing idiot when you need him the most!" Beth criticised.

"Beth, he's sorting out his own issues. He's still there for me," Ariel got upset that her friend insulted her other half.

"Really? The news said he got out of rehab and he's now staying with his parents. Not once has he come over to see you and Andy, not even his dog!"