176. Too Much To Ask

Bridgeport, present day...

Two days after she became Mrs. Frost Leigh had a touch of Déjà Vu when Krisis walked in to the dining room with a bouquet of yellow roses and an unreadable look in his eyes.

From past experience, she knew who the flowers were from and she had no idea how to feel about his gesture. She still owed him a lunch date. Or was it dinner? Did it even matter now?

“You have an admirer,” Krisis murmured as he handed her the flowers.

Leigh hesitated before she took them; she looked like she was afraid the roses would scorch her hands or something. Or maybe it was Krisis reaction she was really afraid of.

                                                                  

“Congratulations.” The note read. Nothing more.  Just one word. But Leigh was still touched.

Without saying anything else, Krisis turned on his heel and left the room.

Leigh wanted to run after him, call him back, tell him the flowers didn’t mean anything and she wouldn’t keep them if he didn’t want her to. But she just stood there and stared dumbly at the roses, trying her damnedest not to bury her nose in their sweet scent.

She was touched anew  when Krisis came back with a vase a minute later.

“Does this mean I can keep them?” She asked through her tears.

“Sure you can.”

“Thank you,” Leigh sprung to his arms and kissed him, but she was careful not to squash her precious flowers.

“Your happiness means everything to me, Leigh. I know how important it is to you to see me get along with Thornton. I will try, for you. And if you still want to have dinner with him, I won’t stop you.” Krisis told her as he untangled himself from her embrace.

Just then Lily and Ariel toddled into the room hand in hand.

“Flowers,” Ariel squealed.

“They are so pretty,” Lily clapped her hands, showing her approval. She was talking nonstop now, and asking a lot of questions too. But Leigh loved every moment of it.

Later she called Thornton, and she was disappointed when Celina informed her he was in a conference with the human government.

Celina asked if she wanted to leave a message. Leigh didn’t. She’d just wanted to thank him for the flowers.

As she watched her husband play with their kids on the deck, Leigh wanted to do something nice for Thornton, to thank him for everything he’d done for her and Krisis.

The “something nice” for Thornton, turned out to be a scrapbook.

It wasn’t much, just a collection of photos and memorabilia of their family. 

With the help of all four kids, and Krisis, it took Leigh a week to make and she was pleased with the end result.

Krisis was a little jealous of Thornton when she’d showed it off during a Saturday afternoon braai. He wanted a copy and so did Krimsyn and J.D., as well as Eloise and Devon.

“You have the kids, he doesn’t. This is all he’ll have,” she’d reminded them and they’d grudgingly agreed.

Now, as she got ready to leave for her meeting with Krisis’ father, she couldn’t help but think maybe the scrapbook was a silly thing to give to a man like him.

“Do you think he’ll like it? I mean, he’s wealthy and stuff, he must be used to expensive gifts?” Leigh asked Krisis.

“He’ll be a fool not to like it!  And I’ll gladly keep it if he doesn’t want it,” Krisis assured her with a kiss.

He insisted on driving her to the VC headquarters, but he didn’t come in with her.

He didn’t want to intrude, it was her moment with Thornton, he’d already popped in during the week to thank him for helping them with the wedding.

Thornton was seated at his desk, his door was open but Leigh knocked anyway.

He pushed aside the thick volume he’d been occupied with before her arrival. Their eyes connected and held. He looked amused and pretty much pleased with himself; like he knew all along that sooner or later she’d roll over and come running to him.

“Ashleigh,” he greeted her as he rose from his chair and beckoned for her to come inside.

Leigh took a few steps forward and stopped.

She was nervous. She had no idea what to say to him.

Did she throw herself at his feet and beg for forgiveness for the way she’d talked to him the last time they met? Or did she throw her arms around him and thank him for being there for Krisis when he needed him the most over the past weeks and for making their wedding possible?

“Come in, I don’t bite,” Thornton smiled. It was Krisis’ smile. And Leigh felt herself relax.

“Okay,” she laughed, a short nervous sound, as she closed the door behind her.

“What can I do for you, Ashleigh?” He asked, hovering close to his desk.

“Please call me Leigh,” she told him.

“Okay, Leigh, it’s nice to officially meet you,” In a flash he stood in front of her. He took her hand and kissed it gallantly. He was a charmer, and Leigh could see where her son got his skills from, besides his daddy of course.

“I came to drop this off. It’s a gift from me and Krisis, to thank you for everything you’ve done for us. I also wanted to apologize for my behavior when we first met. I had no right to speak to you in that manner, and it wasn’t my place to judge you,” she held out her hand, their fingers brushed lightly as he took the gift box from her.

 A delighted sound rushed through his lips when he looked inside and found the scrapbook.

For a long time Thornton seemed to be lost in his own little world; he leafed through the pages and cooed over the photos of the kids, smiling and laughing at her commentary.

“Thank you. It’s the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me,” Tears glistened in his eyes when he finally peeled himself from the scrapbook.

“You’re welcome,” Leigh swallowed back her own tears, she’d had no reason to worry, he loved her gift.

“Would you like to sit with me, and tell me all about the photos and the kids?” He asked when he saw she was about to leave.

Even if she’d wanted to, she couldn’t have said no, he sounded eager and lonely, like he rarely had anyone to talk to. And Leigh realized then she wanted to spend a little more time with him. She wanted to know him and understand his motivations; but she also wanted to see Krisis through his eyes.

“I’d like that,” she murmured as she took a seat in one of the armchairs.

Thornton buzzed Celina and asked her to bring in some refreshments before he joined Leigh and opened the scrapbook again.

“So, tell me about this one-” he laughed as he pointed at a picture of Kristian playing with a small set of drums, a gift from Krimsyn and J.D.

Over small cups of espresso and croissants, smiles and laughs were shared and a quiet understanding was born, they had much more in common than they’d initially thought, they were on the same team, there was nothing they wouldn’t do for Krisis.

Much later, with the scrapbook aside and their cups empty, Leigh found herself drawn to the big glass windows. Thornton joined her and they both watched the city come alive under the darkening sky.

“You still owe me dinner,” Thornton reminded her as he bumped her shoulder gently.

Leigh smiled. “I know. It’s just that with everything going on, I just need a little more time, to get my bearings.”

“I understand. Whenever you’re ready.”

She could just hug him then, she liked that he wouldn’t push her or force matters. And for that reason, dinner with him was quickly added on her bucket list of things to do before everything went up in flames.

“You know about Ariel’s prediction, right?” Leigh turned slightly from the window to look at him.

Thornton nodded, but said nothing.

“She did exceptionally well in her tests. It’s inevitable. I know it. And Krisis knows it too. That’s what scares him the most, knowing there’s nothing in the world he can do to prevent it. If it’s not natural or accidental, and it turns out to be Beau, Krisis will want to retaliate. I need you to promise me you won’t let him, you’ll do everything in your power to make him walk away from it,” she pleaded with him.

Thornton looked devastated. She was asking for the impossible. He could deal with their vampire community with swiftness and ease, but Krisis was…law unto himself, especially where she was concerned. He’d proven it plenty of times in the past.

Leigh knew it was unfair, what she was asking of him, but she didn’t know anyone else who would be tough with Krisis. She couldn’t go to J.D., Cameron and Devon; they’d all feed and fuel his rage, and maybe, just maybe, help him get revenge.

“What’s so bad about revenge?” Thornton asked.

Leigh could see right through him, he wanted her to keep talking, so he could buy himself time and avoid making promises to her.

“You become its slave. If Krisis retaliates, someone will want to retaliate for Beau and it will never end, it will be one big vicious cycle. The kids will need him, and they should be his only concern.” Leigh explained.

 A sharp rap on the door pulled them from the window.  Krisis rushed through.

“You said I should pick you up?” He reminded Leigh from the door.

Thornton rushed up to him and offered his congratulations once more, allowing Leigh a brief moment of respite to compose herself.

When she finally approached Krisis, the tears that had clouded her eyes just moments before, were gone.

They left shortly after that, with Leigh feeling vaguely disappointed because Thornton had not made her the one promise she needed...