A Waltz With Wolves (Book II in The Harrison Inc. Series) | ✓

Chapter Thirty-Four: Stuck In Scotland (Part II)

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After breakfast, everyone retires to the living room, the kids having gone outside to play in the rain puddles. I'm in the kitchen by myself since it's empty in here. I think Sebastian knows that I'm trying to avoid him. It isn't the smartest plan, but the only one that I can think of doing.

I get up and decide to take another nap in my room, but right when I do, Sebastian comes into the kitchen. He pauses when he sees me, then smiles weakly. I do the same, but somehow goose bumps accompany my grin.

"Why are you hiding out in here?" he asks me. By his mood, he seems unfazed by what we spoke about outside earlier this morning.

"I'm just thinking," I reply. "I hope my family isn't giving you a hard time."

Sebastian shakes his head and sits next to me on the island. I coach myself to breathe normally. "No, not at all. They're probably the nicest people I've ever met. And I can't get enough of their accents."

Sebastian proceeds to speak in the worst Scottish accent I've ever heard. And I laugh - it feels good to do so. But quickly, my somber mood returns.

"I never asked you about how meeting Genina went," he then says. I toy with my fingers and avoid his eyes. He immediately knows that something is wrong.

"Let's just say it didn't go how I expected it to go."

I didn't want to give too much away. If anything, telling Sebastian about Ramona's threat would leave him worried; it's clear that Garrett and Ramona work closely. I don't want him to feel like this is somehow his fault since Garrett's influence is drenched in the issue. But Sebastian continuously insists on me telling him what happened. And when I look into his eyes, it looks like he genuinely cares. So, I tell him everything. And I hide my face from him so I can cry. And once Sebastian sees me crying, he becomes angry. Not at me, of course, but at the situation. He conceals it well, but I'm positive that he's going to involve himself.

I quickly wipe away my tears and dry my face. "Please, just let it go. I knew it was a stupid idea to even go over there in the first place. I mean, twenty-eight years?" I sigh. "I'm just going to let it go."

"You're going to let it go?" Sebastian asks, insultingly. "You?"

"Yes?" I reply unsurely.

"No, that's bullshit."

"Sebastian -"

"No. No, just stop. Leslie, you out of all people can't just let shit like this go. This is your mother. Your real mother. And you're going to let it go?"

"So, you want me to call Ramona on her bluff? Taint my name in the media a-and ruin my reputation?"

Sebastian scoffs. "Fuck that. You really think she'd be dumb enough to 'expose' you? That would look bad on her, Leslie. Think about it."

I do think about it. And I realize he's actually right. But still, there's a heavy fear plaguing me.

"I still can't do it, Sebastian. It's best if I just move on."

I get up and start for the sink, but Sebastian grabs my wrist and stops me. He stands with me, still holding on to me and gathering the courage to say what he's thinking. I wait with bated breath before he speaks.

"Months ago, I was sitting in my room with a bed full of women I didn't even know, absolutely miserable. Almost every night, my life looked like this - pumping myself up with drugs, partying, drinking, sleeping with any woman who wanted it. Just...filling the void inside of me with 'things.' Why? Because I was too scared to confront my demons. So, I covered them up. And they slowly began to eat me alive as time went on, draining any happiness I had left. But then you came along, and...and you taught me how to accept the fact that it's okay to feel. And you taught me how to face my fears head-on. Without you, I wouldn't have met Gloria's kids and read her note. I wouldn't have done a lot of things; who knows what I'd be doing now; where I'd be?