Page 45 of Levi
I nod, not trusting my voice until I can get my backbone in order again.It’s a little early to be drinking, but I have a feeling I’m going to need it.
Levi walks over to a cart, and fills two drinks with an amber colored liquid.He quickly tosses one glass back, then refills.I finally will my legs to move, and walk over to the large window of his suite that overlooks the little town.
“I’ve waited so long to finally have you in the same room again.I think I might be dreaming,” Levi says as he comes to stand behind me.“I know you don’t believe me, but I have been looking for you from the moment I woke up from my coma.”
I roll my eyes, and a goofy grin spreads across his face, as he sees it in the reflection.He really expects me to believe that.
“I find that hard to believe, Levi.With your resources, you could find anything, at anytime, anywhere.Please don’t try and fill my head with bullshit.I was born at night, but I wasn’t born last night.”
“It’s not bullshit, baby.I’ve looked for you and Halo the entire time; ask Mitch or Dean.They’ve been with me the whole way.Linc and Olivia can confirm it too.They’ve been running the law firm while we’ve been dashing all over the world with tips on your whereabouts.Every time William or Dean found something, we jetted off, no matter how small the lead was.”
What?That makes no sense.
“Levi, come on, Mr.Buttons knew where I was.I was a phone call away.”
“Burt Buttons died a week before I woke up from my coma,” he fiercely states.
The words echo in my ears and my knees go weak, making me almost drop my drink.That can’t be true, we would’ve known about that.Brody would’ve heard something and told me about it.Surely the government is more organized than that.
I start to shake my head and stumble to the sofa to sit down.I need some space to think about this.He’s mistaken.
“I promise I’m not lying.Mitch has all the paperwork to prove it.Brody Jackson came to handle the funeral arrangements and then made another trip to finalize his estate weeks later.”
My head snaps over to Levi, who is seated on the sofa with me, but at a safe distance.
“No.No that can’t be.Why would Brody handle those arrangements?Only family deals with that,” I counter.He must be mistaken, or is trying to pit me against him.My anger builds in the silent pause.“I hate you Levi.You’d do anything, or say anything, to get what you wanted.I mean, it’s your job to persuade people to believe what you tell them.”
He looks as though I’ve slapped him, and if he were any closer I might.How dare he try and turn me against Brody.A man who’s been with me this entire time.Brody has been nothing but kind, and honest, and loving to me and my daughter this whole time.
“Saylor, I’m not lying, I promise on our daughter.Brody is the only nephew of Burt Buttons, the late District Attorney of Los Angeles.I can show you the proof.Mitch even met with and interviewed him while I was still in the coma.”He whips out his phone and texts something.“He and Brody know each other from their time in the military.Burt Buttons hates Linc and I because we always beat his ass in the courtroom.He and Linc have had a horrible rivalry since graduating law school.I think he saw my bombing as an opportunity to try to retaliate against us.”
My mind is having such a hard time focusing, that I don’t even hear Mitch and Dean come in with boxes of files.They place them in front of me, and I jump up out of my seat.This is a set up.Surely, they are wrong about this.
“No, this is all bullshit.How dare you come in after two years and try to ruin things for me.You’ve ended our marriage and moved on and so have I,” I yell.“You really are a piece of work.What, Blaire run out of prostitutes for you to give you the perfect public image, and now you think you can come here and ruin what I have with Brody?To think that I’d believe some made up paperwork you had your guys falsify?”
“I’ve never moved on from you Saylor.I’ve been holding vigil, looking for you and our daughter.I received those two letters and almost went mad when I read that you thought I’d moved on.It was only the newborn photos that kept me from losing my mind.Seeing her finally gave me the hope to continue to live and continue looking for you.”
He looks so sincere.This is not the strong, confident man that I dated and married all those years ago.Wait, what about the other photos?
“What about the other photos?”I ask.I sent pictures of Halo every few months, updating her growth.
“What other photos?We only received the one letter about you leaving and the one about Halo’s birth.”Levi snaps his head over to Mitch and Dean, and they both look just as confused.
“Saylor, we only received two letters in the mail from you.I personally made sure to check the mail before anyone else did,” Mitch says, and my stomach bottoms out.I have to set my glass down on the table to free my hands, so that I can wrap them around my body.
“I-I sent one every few months updating you on her.There were several photos included.Her first birthday, I sent an entire roll of film,” I say but don’t recognize my voice.Brody made sure to run into town to send them off to his contacts before making their way to LA, to throw off where we were located, in case the person responsible was watching or intercepted them.“You promise you didn’t get them?”I ask, losing the battle as a sob leaves my throat.Why would he lie?Or Mitch or Dean for that matter?
Levi shakes his head and stands to walk over to me.I know if he touches me right now, I’ll fall apart.Holding up my hands, I stop him.
“Please don’t touch me,” I whisper, and he nods but doesn’t move from in front of me.
“Baby, I love you and our daughter more than anything in this world.You have to believe me.”
I brush the back of my hand against my eyes to keep the tears from falling.What in the hell is going on and why are there so many interferences?
“Then why did you throw me away?Why did you humiliate me in front of the world and then send me divorce papers?”I begin softly, and am yelling at the end.
He lets out a long sigh and goes back over to the sofa.He pats next to him, and I follow him without second guessing.Once he’s sure I’m not going anywhere, he slides off the cushion and onto his knees in front of me.His shaky hands bolt down on my knees and he looks up into my eyes.The spark that is always there when we touch ignites through my body, but I try to ignore it as I brace myself for what he’s about to reveal.
