Let My Hands Do the Talking (Completed)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

They went back into the room where April and Anthony are at.

Anthony is seated in the first chair. April is seated in the third chair with an empty seat on each side of her.

Liana doesn't want to sit beside her. Seeing her and Dylan hug and talk the way they did as if they are very familiar and friendly with each other doesn't sit well with her. Who is this woman really to him.

Maybe you could call it jealousy. This is not a trait that Liana usually have toward someone else. She's usually an appreciative person and content with what she has.

That's where the problem comes in. April has something that she doesn't and that is a close relationship with Dylan. Anyone can tell from just seeing them together.

Liana walks in close behind him. She is so relieved when he taps April on the shoulder and ask her to move over to the seat next to Anthony. She's smiling so hard on the inside.

Dylan takes a seat next to her and Liana next to him.

Anthony takes out his computer and places it on the middle of the table. He sends out a conference call to the hotel.

On the screen appears a group of men. Two men are seated at the table. One of them is very old and the middle aged man next to him appears to be his son. There are four men standing behind them.

"Before we get this started," Anthony says, "might I remind every one to speak clearly and keep your movement to a minimal so that the screen doesn't blur."

The oldest man on the screen introduces all of his acquaintances. "My name is Arthur Howard Sr. and I am the owner of the hotel. Again I apologize for being late. Next to me is my son Arthur Jr. who has been overseeing my hotels for the past few years. Behind me is the manager of the hotel that you guys stayed at. He apologizes for not speaking directly to you guys before you left the city. The rest of them are our lawyers. This call is being recording."

Anthony smiled. "We're recording as well. I wouldn't expect anything less."

April opens her briefcase and take out some paper with some important information on it. She is all business when she speaks, no smiles.

This is the first time that Liana hears her speak aloud.

"I would like to read out all of the facts that my party is aware of before you guys say anything. Please don't interrupt."

From the moment she started talking Liana knew that she had to be deaf. Her words are clear but the way she says them underlines that she had a lot of voice therapy.

All the signs that she was deaf were there from the beginning. When Chelsea said something to April earlier she ignored her as if she hadn't heard her. Then there was the signing and Anthony asking for everyone to speak clearly. She must read lips.

Arthur gave her the go ahead.

"First I would like you to explain what exactly caused the elevator to malfunction."

He explained.

"You have confirmed my suspicions. Are you aware of the dangers and risks that your elevator put Dylan and Liana in. Had that one last line of chords standing broke, the elevators would have fell to the dungeon and all of that rope and equipment would have crushed them."

Liana began to sweat and her chest began to ache. She doesn't want to hear just how near death she was. Her nerves began to get the best of her. One of her legs began to shake and tears come to her eyes but she quickly wills them away.