The Artist

Chapter 20

"Hi. I didn't think you were actually gonna show, you've been avoiding me for months now" Andre chuckled nervously as he opened his door welcoming Leona.

"I did though" Leona smiled shyly as she entered.

A week after Leona and Ashley talked, she finally prepared and made up her mind to break the news to Andre. She was nervous as hell but she knew that in spite of what he thinks or does, the child was hers as well and she knows she'd have to take care of it and love it no matter what.

Layla had hang out with Andre that week and when he took her home, he had tried to get Leona to go out to dinner with him once more. Leona decided that that was the perfect opportunity to do this so she had accepted his offer but suggested that she would rather if he cooked for her and that she'd definitely be there.
So Leona had left Layla with her parents since it was a weekend and they hadn't got much chance to spend time together of late. Then she got in her car and drove over to Andre's.

"I'm really surprised you did though, I mean you've been turning me down and avoiding me like a disease" Andre said to her.

"Sorry about that" Leona replied.

"No, its okay. You're here now, and I've cooked my specialty. Trust me I tried" Andre chuckled leading Leona to the dining room.

"Mhmm, spells great though" Leona chuckled.

"Well I did pasta, but in case you don't want that I also have Mac n cheese. It's the best I could do"Andre said as he lifted the cover from the meals.

"Andre, everything looks and smells great. Don't worry you know I'm not that fussy anyway" Leona smiled.

"Well then in that case I hope you'll enjoy it" Andre replied as he pulled out a chair for Leona.

"Thank you" Leona smiled as she sat down carefully.

"Wine?" Andre asked as he took up a bottle of red wine waiting for Leona's reply.

"No, no thank you" Leona replied a little too fast before quickly adding a "I'm trying not to be so much of an alcoholic" to cover any suspicion Andre may have.

"Would you like some juice then?"

"That'd be great" Leona responded to which Andre poured some apple juice in Leona's glass before heading over to sit in his seat.

All throughout dinner, they talked about a lot of things, ranging from artworks, movies foods among other things.
After dinner Leona offered to help Andre clean up to which he insisted that it was OK and she was the guest so he'd be more than happy to do that by himself.

Andre suggested a movie since it was pretty much still early. During the movie Andre couldn't help but noticed how beautiful Leona was. He didn't know when his feelings for her had gotten this strong but he knew he needed her in his life and he'd do anything to have her being apart of his life.

"Why won't you let me in?" Andre asked after a while.

"W-What?" Leona asked a bit taken aback.

"I mean, I know I hurt you bad in the past and I'm sorry there's not a day goes by that I don't regret my foolish behavior. But I'm trying to make things right, so why won't you let me in, give me a second chance to prove myself?"

"Andre, please I..." Leona began in a whisper but was cut off.

"Leona, I know you think I'm gonna hurt you again but I won't I promised you. I love you" Andre confessed.

"What??" Leona asked shocked with wide eyes. Had she heard him right?

"I love you Leona, I've started loving you four a while now. Please I want you to be apart of my life" Andre confessed.

At this Leona just couldn't keep her secret to herself so she just dropped the bomb. It wasn't exactly how she had planned on doing it but she needed to get it out her system.

"I'm pregnant!"

"What!?" Andre asked shocked. How could this happened? He was trying to get her back and now she was telling him she was pregnant? Does this mean that he had lost his chance?

All those thoughts were swimming around in Andre's head he hadn't even noticed he haven't respond to Layla but was staring at her like she had grown two heads for a long while. It wasn't until Leona got up mumbling a shaky "I have to go" before he came back to his senses and stopped her.

"Wait!" Andre rushed out grabbing Leona's arm.

"No Andre! I'm not gonna stick around so that you can deny its yours and throw me out again" Leona respond her voice shaky and eyes filled with tears threatening to fall at any point.

"What?" Andre asked shocked. Here he was starting to think she was carrying another man's child and didn't even think of the possibility that it was his.

"That night... The night you slept here, that's when it happened wasn't it?" Andre asked as realization set in.

"Yeah" Leona whispered nodding her head as tears started their path down her cheeks.

"Oh God. I'm gonna be a Dad again? I'm gonna be a Dad again!" Andre chuckled as he pulled Leona into a hug.

This wasn't how Leona thought Andre would react, she thought he would freaked. She couldn't help it as she returned his hug laughing in between tears.

"Leona I love you so much. Please will you be my girlfriend?"Andre asked as he pulled away from the hug taking Leona's face in both hands.

This seems like a dream to Leona but a surprisingly good one so she nodded her head yes to Andre.

"I love you" Andre said again before bringing his head down and placing his lips on hers in a passionate kiss. It was like years of untold feelings were being poured out into this kiss.

"I love you too" Leona mumbled against Andre's lips as they pulled away slightly to catch their breath. This caused a wide smile to appear on Andre's face before he brought back his lips to meet Leona's ones.