Plus one

Chapter 29

🌹 Talia 🌹

We arrive at Leon's penthouse. We park our cars and Leon comes to help with Malia. She jumps into his arms and he carries her to the elevator. I take the tote bag out of the back and join them. Lia and Leon talk about something while I stand there spaced out. There's a ding and the doors open. Leon opens his front door and we walk in.

I've been here once before when Leon needed something from here but I haven't seen the whole apartment. I put the tote bag on the coffee table and take a seat on the couch. "Lia can you help me with something." says Leon.

"Yes"

"Please wait for me here and close your eyes. I have a surprise for you." Malia comes to me and sits right next to me. She closes her eyes and I smile at her. Leon comes back with a big box. "Malia open your eyes" She does as he says and she gasps at the box. He gives it to her and she opens it to unveil a teddy bear. Lia takes it out of the box and I look at the bear and I'm shocked. It's the same bear I gave to him when I told him that I loved him. I look at Leon but he's already looking at me. I mouthed What?! And he smiled and looked at our baby.

"Malia if you press the belly and it should say something" he says and I freeze. Please don't be the same bear.

She presses the belly and the bear speaks "I love you" It's my voice. He must have taken the I love you part from his bear and put it in Lia's bear. "It's Mama's voice" she says smiling.

"Yes, it's mama's voice. So you can have her all times with you." He says to her.

"Baby we have something to tell you." Said and they both looked at me. "You have always asked me about your father. And I always said he is working hard for you. Well, I think it's time to meet your father."

"Really? I get to meet him today?" She squeals

"Baby he is right here. Your father is Leon" I say it finally out loud for her to hear. She turns around and jumps at Leon.

"Daddy" she yells. And Leon and I laugh.

...

A few hours have passed and Malia is taking a nap on the couch and I'm preparing something to eat. Leon on the other hand is somewhere talking about business. I'm preparing a lasagna Malia's favorite.

Leon walks in and seats in the barstools. He looks angry. "You want to talk?" I ask him while grating Parmigiano Reggiano. He looks up at me and signs. "Remember that hotel in Monaco that I wanted." I stop and look at him. I nod because now I know exactly what he's talking about. I've seen this hotel and it was terrific. "Well I've been tracking the owner for some years and now Richard you remember him." I nod "Well he just called me and said that she left it to someone else."

"Didn't you tell me that she was close to selling?"

"Yes she was and I don't understand why she changed her mind. But whatever today is a special day and I shouldn't ruin it. Can I help you with something?"

"Can you get me a baking dish please?" I ask and he looks for what I asked.

...

We finished preparing the lasagna and we put it in the oven. We are watching TV while Malia sleeps between us. "So what's in the bag?" Leon asks.

"Well I promised you Malia childhood so here we have everything from pregnancy till now. Plus a few letters that I wrote to you. I hope it helps you."

"Thank you for everything but we need to discuss something else."

"Tell me"

"Well now that Malia knows the truth maybe we should introduce her to the family." He says. I turn my head to him and look at him. "Not in public. I don't want people to know about her."