The news of Leo's engagement to Carly spread like wildfire over the coming days. The news surprised and delighted people who followed such affairs. Messages and posts concerning the couple spread all around social media like a virus. Leo—the most wanted bachelor in New York—has been taken off the market yet again. But this time by none other than Carly Barclay. Surprisingly, Leo also received a message from Kim congratulating him and Carly. She had spent her Christmas holidays out of the States in Japan.
With such attention came sudden pressure on the McDonell family, as friends and family couldn't stop calling after hearing the delightful news. They weren't the only ones under such pressure, as Angel also received the same outcome, especially from those from her old neighborhood. It became so overwhelming at some point that Angel, one day, had to switch her phone off and spent the entire day at home, keeping her mind busy with other things. It was in those first days when she would remember what her father told her about Carly getting married to Leo. It was like he knew all of this was coming. How did he know this was likely to happen? Angel couldn't help but wonder. But it was too late to even try to reach out to him. She wanted nothing to do with him ever again.
As for Leo and Carly, they didn't mind the attention after the big news. Who knew that just after announcing to the world that they were dating, a month later, they would be announcing that they were getting married? For some, no one saw this coming, yet others suspected it, considering that they had kept their relationship a secret for so long. A few others, as much as they wished Leo happiness, couldn't help but wonder what would become of Angel since most people thought she and Leo made a good match. But… that wasn't talked about much, as the make-believe relationship of the two soon faded away like it was never there. In fact, neither Angel nor Leo had paid any attention to it.
After New Year, questions were being asked about when the wedding was to take place, especially from the larger family of the McDonells, who were excited about the news. Though, it didn't concern them that Leo, not too long ago, almost married Kim. It did concern Mrs. McDonell, though, who, just like Angel, also thought that all of this was a mistake. At first, she had slowly started to come to terms with Leo and Carly's relationship. But now with the engagement, her world turned out of its axis just when it was starting to get back to normal. She thought their dating phase may not last long and that they will break up eventually. But that didn't happen. And this engagement had happened so fast, there was no time to think. As disappointed as she was with the whole situation, she had to show to everyone around her that she was just as excited about the wedding as they were. She and Diana were in the forefront of the wedding preparations, just as before when Kim and Leo were to wed. This time around, Angel had to join the fray. Mrs. McAlister, apparently, found herself there, as she was good at organizing such events.
Amanda was another who felt all of this was a mistake. After the news of the engagement, she would retire to the safe haven of her room more often than usual because she knew the pressure that came along with such news. But also, she was disappointed that once again, her grandson had made another poor decision on who to marry. She still felt Carly wasn't the right person for him, but who was she to get in the way of love? During the course of all the excitement going round, especially in the house, she could tell from her family who was excited about the whole thing. Already, she could feel Mrs. McDonell didn't approve of this, not one single bit. Amanda could tell that, despite the smiles on her face, Angel was someone who also didn't approve. There was more to Angel's actions that no one seemed to notice aside from Amanda. It was like Angel was truly holding back from saying what she felt about the whole situation, knowing fully well that whatever she would say would shatter this wonderful dream like glass.
The rest of the family were happy about the whole thing; some of them couldn't contain their excitement, especially Eric and Diana. Eric, who was to be the best man yet again, couldn't help but express how happy he was for Leo. Mr. McDonell, on the other hand, had to have a few words with Leo after the announcement of his engagement. Either way, he was still happy for them both, especially that Carly, who happens to be the daughter of his late close friend, was finally getting the happiness she deserves.
Leo and Carly finally announced their wedding date set for June. Time was short, so they wanted a small wedding with only family members present. Since the Barclay sisters didn't have many family members, a few friends and those from their neighborhood, including Aunt Cathy, were to be invited. Inviting their father was not an option. The last thing anyone needed was more added drama.
Speaking of their father, Red Lion didn't receive the news of the engagement lightly. But as he had promised Angel, he stayed away from Carly and Leo's affair as much as he could. It was clear to see that he couldn't use Carly to his advantage anymore, so he let her be. He had better things to worry about.
During the course of December and January, Red Lion and his organization had been keeping the D.E.A. off their back. And with the plan they had invested in in Mexico, the D.E.A. pulled away from the U.S. to go back to Mexico. Apparently, another major drug cartel had been raided at their main headquarters. After the raid, the authorities searched the place, and they found things they didn't expect to find. They found the other Rubber Ducky USBs that had once belonged to Andre, and in the weapons rooms, they found similar explosives that had been used to set Andre's house on fire. And the added bonus: a blueprint of a house was found in the drawer of the head of the cartel's desk in his office. The blueprint was of Andre's mansion. They would've asked questions about the whole incident, but the leader of the cartel and his major generals had been shot dead during the raid. None of them survived, though one was critically injured and was rushed to the hospital. Sadly, the man died the very next day.
Angel had lost all hope of the D.E.A. catching Carly and the organization she was working for after news of the raid caught her attention one day while she was at work. Still, she felt all this couldn't end like this. Carly couldn't get away with all this, could she? It was starting to look like she just might, and that bothered Angel a lot. If she had to reveal the truth about Carly, then this whole thing would fall apart. She cared about her sister, but she still felt what Carly had done was unfair on Leo's part. And as much as Angel didn't want to admit, she cared about Leo's well-being as well. What was she going to do now?
As for Leo and Angel, they were back on speaking terms since plans for the wedding were underway. They felt restricted with each other, though. It was just like before when Angel had come to stay with the McDonell family. There wasn't as much tension as before, but they only got along like mutual friends. It pained Angel that she couldn't tell Leo to cancel the wedding, as he would only argue with her and bring up the conversation they had in the McAlisters' garden. Besides, the issue of the hacking had already been resolved without a single trace of Carly being involved. Maybe it was for the best, and all this with Carly was meant to be what it is. A secret. She was grateful, though, that Leo didn't share any of this with anyone, especially Eric. Someone like him wasn't going to be quiet about it, and it would create quite a story. Still, Angel didn't like to be quiet about this, for she feared that one day, it might blow over them like a sandstorm that would leave devastating results.
As for Carly, getting engaged to Leo was the happiest decision she had ever made. Not only was she marrying into a good family, but she could finally be rid of Red Lion for good. It wasn't easy to get to this point, but after deciding that she wanted nothing to do with her father, convincing Leo unknowingly into marriage was the best possible course. She had to admit that it all worked better than she had hoped. The engagement had happened too soon, but it was better than nothing. She could finally live the life she wanted without Red Lion constantly on her back. This was her time to shine, and no one was going to stop her.
It was February when Angel, Diana, Mrs. McDonell, and Mrs. McAlister were up and down getting things done for the wedding. Angel, Diana, and Carly had gone out shopping for a new dress on a weekend. They had been going through magazines over the past month to decide which store might have the best wedding dresses. They had decided to go about looking for the perfect dress on a cold Saturday. Whichever store they visited, they would take hours in there, as Carly had to try on any dress she came to like. It was close to lunchtime, and Angel waited alongside Diana for Carly to get changed out of the dress she had been trying on.
"I'm so hungry right now," said Angel as she sat on the plush couch holding a magazine in her hand and looking through it. "If preparing for a wedding is this tiring, I don't think I ever want to plan for mine."
Diana's eyes, though tired, lit up as she sat opposite Angel and leaned forward. "And how would you want your wedding to be like?"
"Small, nothing too complicated," said Angel as she shrugged her shoulders. She flipped another page of the magazine.
"Do you see yourself getting married any time soon?"
Angel looked up at Diana. "Not really," Angel answered.
"Really?" Diana raised an eyebrow. "I see the way you and Eric have been hanging out lately. Are you sure there's really nothing between you two?"
Angel knew Diana was going to point that out. "Eric and I have been hanging out a lot lately because of the wedding. If anything, he at least takes my mind off things for a while. He's really good company."
"And also a handsome man to date, if you don't mind considering."
Angel smiled at Diana, doing her best not to say anything. The last thing she needed was to give false hope. Even after so much time had passed, Angel still couldn't bring herself to accept Eric as more than just a friend. He still hadn't probed her either, but one day, he might just do so. And with his cousin getting married, Eric might feel pressured to act. Angel had to be ready for it.
"Carly seems to be taking too long," said Angel, as she didn't want to delve into the conversation any further. "Let me go and check on her."
Angel stood up from her seat and made her way to the dressing rooms. As she entered the room, there were three changing cubicles inside. Carly was the only bride-to-be, so it was easy to see which cubicle she was in. As Angel made her way to the cubicle, she heard Carly suck her teeth and mutter out loud.
"Argh. When will this man ever leave me alone?" Carly muttered. "I already told him I'm useless to him. Why doesn't he understand that?"
Angel approached, and the sound of her footsteps made Carly aware that there was someone outside the cubicle. Angel knocked on the door.
"Carly?" Angel called out. "Are you okay in there? Do you need help with your dress?"
Carly opened the door to the cubicle. She was already out of the wedding dress and wearing the clothes she came in. She had her phone in hand, and Angel couldn't help but guess who she meant from her earlier statement.
"No, I'm good," said Carly. "Their dresses are really lovely, but I feel none of them are for me."
"Well, we still have a lot more stores to visit. It's only the beginning."
"Great. I think we can get a move on. Isn't it lunchtimeyet? I'm starting to feel a little lightheaded."
"Same here. We've been up and down all morning. We need a little break. You were muttering something about a man leaving you alone or something. What is that about?"
Carly's eyes grew wide with surprise, as she didn't expect Angel to have heard what she said. She looked down at her phone and then back at her sister.
"Oh, it's nothing, really. It's some guy from college who hasn't stopped bugging me for a while. You know how it is when someone is getting married. Men you never knew start popping up in your inbox."
"Mm, well, I wouldn't know since I haven't been down that road," said Angel as she smiled at her sister. She had a funny feeling that Carly might as well be lying. "But I have heard of such stories. Don't let them distract you. Remember, you only have one man in your life to focus on."
"I will. Thanks, Angel. It's nice to know that you're here with me helping me out with this."
"What are sisters for? Come on, get your bag. We don't want to keep Diana waiting."
Carly took her bag and put her phone in it. Just as she walked out of the cubicle, Angel stopped Carly by holding her shoulder.
"Just to be clear, Carly," said Angel. "If there is anyone giving you trouble, you can always talk to me about it. You know that, right?"
"Got it." Carly smiled at her sister and started to make her way out of the dressing rooms. Angel couldn't help but look at her sister before following as well.
Carly wasn't the only one who had to worry about getting ready for the wedding. Leo was at his parent's house that day. He had been visiting the house more often than usual, but he would always go back to his apartment. Right now, he was in the living room with Eric discussing the desired dress code for the men. The organizers had already planned on which suit color Leo would be wearing and for the groomsmen. What was left was which designer to visit to have Leo's suit fitted. As they talked, Amanda came into the living room.
"Hey, Grandma," said Leo as he saw Amanda and went over to help her come into the room. "I didn't expect you to be up. I was thinking you might be taking your nap."
"Oh, I wasn't sleeping at all," said Amanda as she smiled at him. "Was contemplating life."
"Now that she's here," said Eric as he turned in his seat to look at his grandmother, "she can actually help with picking the designer of your suit."
"Oh, why do you trouble me with such nonsense?" Amanda asked, looking annoyed. "My days of planning for weddings are pretty much done and dusted."
"Don't act like that, Grandma," said Leo as he brought her close to the chair he was sitting on. He came to take his seat. "You're going to help me look through this magazine and pick which design you like. It's fine with the color; just the design is what's important."
Amanda grumbled as she took a magazine from the pile Leo had presented to her. She furrowed her eyebrows as she opened it. She couldn't help but frown with displeasure. Eric and Leo couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. Eric soon excused himself as he went to the kitchen to get snacks and hot drinks.
When Amanda and Leo were alone, they were silent for a while until Leo turned to look at Amanda.
"Grandma," started Leo. "Why do I feel like you've been avoiding me of late?"
"What do you mean?" Amanda asked as she looked at him.
"Well, ever since I announced my engagement to Carly, I can't help but notice that you've been a bit distant. Is something the matter?"
Amanda sighed. "If I tell you what's wrong, you'll hate me for it."
"You know I can never hate you, Grandma. Now, tell me… what's been bothering you?"
Amanda rolled her eyes. There was no escaping this now. "Remember that day at the Thanksgiving dinner when I asked if you were happy with Carly?" Leo gave a nod of his head. "Well… I don't want to be the one who ruins your parade, Leo… but I don't think Carly is the right woman for you." Leo groaned. "Don't get me wrong here. I know it's like the issue with Kim all over again, but I'm just saying how I feel."
Leo scoffed. "Well, I shouldn't be surprised," he said. "Mum would be happy to know that this time around, you both agree on one thing."
"Wait, did she say something?"
"Yes, she did. In the end, she came to the conclusion that it was my decision, and if I was happy with Carly, then she would let it be. She still feels I should have waited a little longer before I proposed."
"I agree on that too. Maybe then you wouldn't have ended up making such a silly mistake."
"It's not silly, Grandma. I'm serious. Apart from Kim, which other woman have I ever been serious about?"
"If you want me to be honest with you, I thought Angel would have been perfect for you. But as always, your scatterbraingoes for shining things that aren't even gold when the true treasure has been standing in front of you this whole time."
"I've never liked Angel that way. What makes you think that I ever did?"
"The way you would look at her sometimes gave you away. You might think I don't know what makes you tick, but I do. You may smile with Carly and look happy, but there's something with the way you interact with Angel that's different. Maybe I'm wrong here, because clearly your heart has already made up its mind. But I see things differently."
Leo sighed. "I'm sorry you thought that way, Grandma. But I really don't have those kinds of feelings for her."
"But you have had them at some point, haven't you?"
Leo stopped himself before he answered the question. A big part of him wanted to say "no," but something held his tongue as his thoughts wandered into his memories of all those times when he and Angel were alone. As he thought of them, he realized just how much he had forgotten about those incidents. He had been too busy with the weeding that he sort of pushed them to the back of his mind. His talk with his grandmother had brought them back, and for a moment, he felt his heart start to flutter.
Amanda noticed the look in Leo's eyes. It was as if he had just broken out of a spell, and that made her realize that he had had such feelings for Angel but had blocked them out somehow. She didn't want to interrupt as she let him get lost in his thoughts. But it was not meant to be, as Eric soon appeared with a tray of cookies and hot cocoa.
"Here we go," said Eric as he set the tray on the coffee table next to the magazines. "Have you two found anything interesting?"
"No, not yet," said Leo. Amanda looked at him as she noticed the look in Leo's eyes slowly start to fade. "We're still looking."
Amanda sighed as she felt she had something there. Maybe Leo and Angel just weren't meant to be, she thought to herself. But still, she wasn't going to give up hope. Somewhere inside Leo was something he was keeping away, something he didn't want to acknowledge. Deep down, he really did have feelings for Angel. Amanda could only hope that he would realize it sooner rather than later.
As the months flew by quickly, and after winter had ended, the wedding preparations were on course. By the end of March, the venue for the church service had been booked at St. Patrick's Cathedral way before. The reception was to be held at the McDonell's mansion, as they already had a beautiful garden and lawn to host a few guests that had been invited. The wedding card invitations had already been printed and sent to the designated guests. Carly's wedding dress, after a while of searching, had finally been bought. Attire for the bridesmaids, the groomsmen, and the bridegroom had long been sorted out. A caterer had been chosen, as that was taken care of by Angel and Mrs. McDonell. Professional makeup and hair stylists had been booked for the event. As well as the florist and photographer. The most important thing, though, was that the bride's and groom's wedding rings were finally ready. Leo and Carly's honeymoon to Italy had also been booked, as they were to stay there for two weeks.
The month of April meant that everything had to be confirmed and ready for the big day. Angel and Eric, who were in charge of the guest list, had to finalize it to see who was coming and had planned out the seating arrangements for the reception. Carly and Leo had to make sure to take their wedding attire for the final fitting. The McDonells' house was busy, as there were decorators who would pass by along with Mrs. McAlister. Since the reception was to be held at the McDonells', everything had to be perfect, and that meant some decorating items had to be bought in advance for the big day.
Everyone residing in the McDonell mansion worked extra hard for the wedding, while some were working harder than most. Angel had to make sure that as the sister to the bride, everything was going on smoothly. Seeing as it was the last month, the pressure shouldn't get to the bride before her big day. Eric was also doing the same for Leo as the best man. No one wanted the future bride and groom to get stressed out with the days towards the final day passing by so fast. Angel might not be the chief bridesmaid, as Diana was picked to be the matron of honor, but she did her best to be there for her sister like any chief bridesmaid would, giving her emotional support.
As the day drew closer to the wedding day, pressure was mounting, and Angel simply didn't have time to rest, as demands from the caterer or other vendors for the wedding would sometimes call her when something came up. Diana, Mrs. McAlister, and surprisingly, Mrs. McDonell would help chip in as they noticed it was too much for Angel.
With two days left before the big day, Angel was walking out of the donut shop in the early hours of the evening. She had been running around the streets of New York with Bill, making sure to get some last-minute items. Tonight was their rehearsal dinner with a few family members before the big day. They decided to have it two days before so as to have some downtime, especially for those who had been busy with the whole wedding. There was to be no bachelor or bachelorette party, as some people wanted to get themselves ready for the big day.
Angel was making her way to the car, eating a chocolate-dipped donut. She hadn't eaten, and the sudden need for food got to her since she and Bill had finished running their errands. Bill suggested stopping at the donut shop, as it was the only food store in sight. Angel made sure to buy plenty so as to share with him as well.
Angel's phone started to ring in her small handbag. She sighed. Her phone had been ringing non-stop for the past month, and she wouldn't be surprised if it had anything to do with the wedding. She stopped to get her phone after she placed her eaten donut back into the box when, all of a sudden, someone bumped into her shoulder from behind. The box of donuts fell to the pavement. Luckily enough, none of the donuts fell out. Angel was just about to bend over to pick up the box when the person who had bumped into her offered to get it.
The man bent down, took the box, and slowly straightened up. He was tall, and he wore a black trench coat and a black hat over his head. His brown eyes met Angel's, and a smile came across his face as he handed the box back to her.
"Here, I'm sorry for the trouble, Miss," said the man politely. "I got distracted and didn't see you there."
"Oh, not a problem, thank you," said Angel as she took the box from him.
The man gave a tilt of his head and walked past Angel with a smile on his face. Angel couldn't help but watch him go. An odd feeling came over her as she watched the man walk down the block. Then she remembered that her phone had been ringing and took it out from her bag. When she checked who it was, she found it was Eric. Angel called him back as she made her way to the car. Bill was kind enough to come and open the door on her side as she got in.
"Hey, Eric," said Angel as she sat inside and Bill closed the door. "I hope there isn't any last-minute errand I need to run. I'm so beat."
"I know, but that's not why I called. I just arrived home, and I realized that you aren't here. Where are you?"
"Still up and about. But we're done now. I had to stop by a donut shop to get something to eat. I'm so hungry." Bill entered in the driver's seat. Angel offered him a donut, and he took one.
Eric chuckled. "You should have thought of coming to eat at the rehearsal dinner. Don't eat too much."
"Well, I was too hungry, and I hadn't eaten the whole day. I swear, this wedding is going to kill me."
"Tell me about it. I can't wait for it to be over."
"I should take leave from work, like for a month, just to recover. I'm up to my neck with all this. If this is how awful preparing a wedding is, then I would rather have a small party and forget about it."
Eric chuckled. "I get what you mean. But that has to be decided by the groom as well, don't you think?"
"Yeah, whatever. Bottom line is, weddings are just full of pressure."
"I know. I'll be waiting. Bye."
Angel cut the call and continued to munch on the donuts. It didn't matter if she finished them now. Something told her she might just have enough room for dinner.
Bill drove them home, and despite the heavy traffic, they managed to get home in time. As Angel walked through the front door, she was greeted by Mandy, who took the bags from Angel's hands.
"Here, let me get those," said Mandy. "You must be exhausted."
Angel sighed. "Yeah, I am," she said. "What time is the rehearsal dinner?"
"Not long. I hear it will be in an hour."
"Great. That gives me enough time to freshen up and rest. Have our other guests arrived?"
"Not everyone. I bet some will be here soon."
"Okay, thank you."
Mandy went on ahead, leaving Angel in the foyer. Angel rolled her shoulders as she slowly made her way towards the living room. She could hear a number of people talking and laughing in there. She took a little peek and saw Carly and Leo seated together on the couch, with some of the family members Angel had become familiar with over the course of this month. Most of them were Leo's aunts, and they couldn't stop commenting on how grand this wedding was going to turn out. Leo and Carly were all smiles. Angel couldn't help but look at them, and a small smile played across her face. It was nice to see the whole family happy.
The sudden ache in her shoulders made Angel realize that she was better off going to her room to take a hot bath. Before she could leave, Leo suddenly looked in Angel's direction, and their eyes met. For a moment, time froze, and it took Angel's aching body to remind her that she should turn around and leave. But it was already too late, as Amanda, who sat next to Leo, spotted her.
"Oh, Angel, you're back, dear," said Amanda. Everyone's head turned to look at Angel.
"Hello, everyone," said Angel as she smiled. "I didn't need to interrupt."
"Oh, you aren't interrupting anything," said Vanessa. She had come back to New York two weeks ago for the wedding. "We were just talking about how beautiful the place is going to be for the wedding. I know Mrs. McAlister did her magic touch, but there's no denying just how hard you've worked, darling. This wedding will be a huge success because of your effort."
"Thank you," said Angel. She didn't want to make this all about her, as she already started to notice that Leo and Carly looked oddly at her. It was their moment, so she decided it was best to go. "I need to go to my room and rest up. I'll meet you all outside for the rehearsal dinner."
Angel quickly turned around and made a beeline for her room. When she entered the room and closed the door behind her, she couldn't help but pant a little. What happened just now, and why was she feeling like this? Angel didn't know why, but she remembered that moment when Leo and Angel shared a look. Strange. She and Leo hadn't been interacting much with each other as the months got closer to the big event. Yes, they would meet and talk to discuss plans, and usually Carly or other people were around. They hadn't had that one-on-one conversation or, better yet, looked at each other like they did in what felt like forever. It felt strange to Angel, especially when she would see Leo every day. She shook away the thought, telling herself she was just tired and needed to get in the bath.
An hour later, the dinner rehearsal took place outside. A white tent had been set up with the tables and the white flower arrangement all set up for the wedding. At the high table sat the future bride and groom, as well as the three grooms and the three bridesmaids. Diana, the matron of honor, also sat at the high table. The rest of the family members took their places at the tables arranged in front of the high table.
The rehearsal dinner went on very well, and after it was done, people left the tent and went back to the house. Angel walked beside Carly and the two other bridesmaids, who happened to be close cousins to Leo and Eric. The two cousins couldn't help but talk with excitement with Carly about the wedding. Angel could only listen on, as she was too tired to even speak. For the whole of the rehearsal, she sat there in silence and only spoke when she was spoken to. She was too tired, and after having a hot bath, all her body wanted to do was rest. Just as they were going up the patio, Angel soon realized that she had forgotten something. She stopped as the women went on ahead, not paying her much attention. It was then she remembered.
"My phone!" she muttered. She quickly turned around, heading back to the tent, passing a few people who were making their way to the house.
From afar, the tent looked empty, so when Angel got there, she was surprised to find someone there, facing the high table. Angel hadn't realized that the person had stayed behind.
"Leo?" Angel called out to him.
Leo turned around to find Angel standing there at the entrance. It was like Leo had been lost in thought for a second. Angel slowly made her way towards him.
"I'm guessing you're imagining you and Carly seated there on that day," said Angel.
"Yeah, I was," Leo said with a small smile on his face. "I'm guessing you came back for your phone." Leo held up Angel's phone in his hand.
"Yes, I was." Angel came close and took it from him. "Thanks."
The two of them looked at each other, clearly with nothing to say. Leo broke eye contact first as he looked at the tiny light bulbs above them.
"What Aunt Vanessa said earlier was true," he said, looking all around him. "Mrs. McAlister did a fine touch with her designing skills, but there's no denying that you really had a big part in it." He turned to look at Angel.
"Oh," Angel started to blush. "No, I wasn't alone. I mean, Diana and your mother have helped a big deal. We just want to make this wedding perfect for you and my sister. So, this is nothing."
"No, but it is to me. I hate to bring this up, but, for someone who tried to warn me about Carly, you went on with this whole wedding thing like all of that never even happened."
Angel's heart sank. This was the last thing she expected to hear Leo say. So he still hasn't forgotten about what was said that night.
"I… I didn't want to bring it up again after realizing that I might have jumped to conclusions too quickly," said Angel as she looked at her feet. "I mean, everything was resolved, right? They found the culprits who had hacked us and killed that drug lord in Mexico. For that, I haven't really taken the time to apologize for what I said."
"You don't need to, Angel. Like you said, it was all resolved. Besides, I don't want to dwell on it. It's in the past, and we need to look forward to the future, right?"
"Yeah." Angel looked up at Leo. She put up a smile. "I'm so beat right now. All I want to do is go to sleep."
"I figured. You've done so much already. And for that, I want to say thank you."
Angel shook her head. "You don't need to thank—"
"No, Angel. I do. I know you and I haven't talked much because of how busy we all are. But I see how much you've put into this. And honestly, I don't know how to repay you for what you've done for me, your sister, and most of all, my family. Don't tell Eric I said this, but you really are one of a kind, Angel."
Angel didn't know what to say as she looked into Leo's blue eyes. She had been avoiding looking into them the whole time they talked. Now, she was caught like a fish in a net, and she couldn't look away. She felt her heart beat so fast, and her cheeks blushed even more. Soon enough, she felt something heavy in her chest that made her feel mightily uncomfortable. Why was she feeling like this? She had to ignore what she felt as she took a deep breath to gather her composure.
"What I'm doing now isn't enough for what your family has already done for me and my sister," said Angel. "If you really want to repay me, I want you to promise me one thing."
"And what's that?" Leo asked, looking curious.
"No matter what happens, please take care of Carly."
Leo couldn't help but notice that Angel sounded serious. There was a look in her eye that Leo had never seen before. As much as he knew Angel was serious about her sister's well-being, this promise meant more to her than anything, and it showed in her eyes. It's like she was anticipating something would happen. What could it be? Is it because this marriage was more serious to her than he thought, or was it something else?
"I promise I will," said Leo. "You don't need to worry."
Angel smiled as she was assured that Leo would keep his word. Soon her eyes gave themselves away as they turned sleepy and she yawned. Her body was really tired. Thank goodness she didn't need to run around tomorrow, as she would need to help with the final touches at home. That meant sleeping in for as long as she wanted.
"Goodnight, Leo," said Angel. "I'm off to bed."
"Goodnight," said Leo.
Angel turned around and started to make her way out of the tent and back to the house. Leo watched her go, and for some reason, he was glad that they talked. He felt like they hadn't had a normal conversation for a long time. Though the promise she made him swear to keep bothered him a little, he didn't take it to heart as he watched Angel drag herself back to the house. She had already worn a white sweater for the cold evening and loose white cotton pants for comfort's sake. There was no doubt in Leo's mind that she was going to sleep like that as soon as she crashed on her bed.
As she disappeared out of sight and Leo stayed in the tent, a soft breeze blew by, and the words of his grandmother from a few months ago came back to haunt him.