Chapter 61

Athena was surprised when Leo offered to drive himself, not letting any of his bodyguards to come with them. She climbed into the car and watched him insert the key in the ignition and the car started. The gates opened and out they went. She wanted to ask him so many questions, how Sean was feeling, if he is getting better and also why he fired Frank but looking at the man who behaved like he was alone in the car, she couldn t say anything and just let him drive them.
Soon, they turned into a familiar road and she frowned and glanced at Leo but he didn t even look at her, she looked at their surrounding, she has known the place all her life, she has been born there and grew up there and didn t leave until three months ago when Sean had come to pick her himself. Why were they in the slum? What could Sean possibly be doing there? She looked at Leo again but he hasn t even glanced at her and if he noticed her confused state, he didn t let it show. Soon he turned into another familiar road, there was no street she doesn t know of but some she doesn t visit often and the street they were in was one of them.
Looking at Leo again who ignored her; she gulped and decided to wait till they stop so she would know what was happening. It wasn t long, Leo parked in front of a small bungalow, the building looked old and like something that would collapse any moment but one glance at the foundation would tell you that it would still last for a few more years. She glanced at Leo and that was when he looked at her, he sighed before saying, "this is Sean s origin."
Athena didn t say anything but the shock on her face and her eyes widening spoke volumes. Leo chuckled, "you wouldn t know unless you were told. He grew up in this house and only left when he was eighteen. That was when we both went to the city to search for greener pasture. This house, no matter how small or old it looks, holds a lot of memories for him, happy ones, sad ones and annoying ones. He bought the house but he refused to renovate it, according to him, he said the charm would be lost if he renovates it. So all he does is make sure it s in good health. Don t be fooled by the exterior, the interior is preferable," he chuckled again.
"Sean lived here?" Athena finally found her voice.
"There is so much more you don t know about him, beneath that smiling, rich, handsome face, lies a lot of pains that even you can t handle. With a drunkard for a father who always hits his mom and him whenever he couldn t find money to drink, you are sure to know he has gone through a lot. Or is it the time he abandoned them to run away with a rich woman? Or when he lost his sister or his mother?" he shook his head with a sigh, "Sean has been through a lot, Athena, I should know for I have been by his side all through the time. I used to think growing up without parents is the worst thing that can ever happen to someone but in Sean s case, I found out I had it better. It s better to grow up without parents than to have an abusive father, especially if you have to watch him beat you mom from six years of age and when you grew older, he started beating you as well. And then your little sister has to sit in the corner and cry while she watched you and your mom being beaten like children with a belt. Not to talk of your father owing a lot of people and then running away, leaving you at fifteen to pay off his debts and take care of your mother and your sick sister."
Tears had already blurred Athena s vision before Leo could finish his story, she couldn t help but imagine such pain and also she wondered if she could hear such pain in Leo s voice, imagine Sean who had to go through it the pains that he feels.
"Sean needs someone to make him happy, he may be rich and can get whatever he wants but he has never truly been happy. Sometimes, Sean used to be angry at his wealth, he often cries out, wondering why the money came now he doesn t have his mom and sister to spend it on," he looked at her, "Sean is the only man I know who often looks at his account balance with disgust, not because there is not enough money there, but because there is so much that he doesn t know what to do with them. Although he is supporting a lot of charity organizations and orphanages, he is still not happy. If I m being honest, the only times I have seen genuine smile on Sean s face were the times you were around. I had been so happy that finally he has decided to live a little and was grateful that you came along his way, so imagine my anger and disappointment when he told me you went back to Frank, do you understand why I hated you that time?"
Athena closed her eyes; she hates herself already and wouldn t be surprised if the whole world hated her. "I told myself I wasn t going to say this but I know Sean, the last thing he would do is hold you against your will and as you have made it obvious that Frank is who you want, he has no choice but to let you go and if he sees you now, he is going to believe that you came back for him out of pity and pity is a word Sean hates a lot because he has been pitied all his life and he doesn t want to be pitied again. Why am I telling you this? It s because I know he would push you away, so I m going to ask you, if you know that you are not going to stick with him, if you know that you are going to give up on him, if you know that you are going to leave him again, say so now so that I would take you back. It would be better if you don t show yourself to him ever again because, Athena, if you hurt Sean again, I am going to make your life a living hell and even the option to commit suicide would be taken from you."
Looking at him, she could feel the threat in the car, the threat in his voice and the threat in his pitch black eyes and she knew then that he would do whatever he said. But he didn t have to, she wasn t planning on leaving Sean again and she was definitely not going to do it now, not after hearing what she did. "I love him," was all she could say and it was all Leo needed to hear.
He sighed and nodded at the house, "he is inside, do you want me to wait for you?"
Athena shook her head and got down from the car, as long as Sean is in there, she won t be going anywhere. She heaved a sigh and walked towards the house. There were dried leaves all over the small yard and everywhere was quiet that she could hear the sound of her own breathing. She turned and saw Leo still looking at her and she sighed and turned back to the door. She wanted to knock but decided against it and turned the old looking doorknob. The door creaked open and she stepped into the house. Leo was right, the interior looked more modernized than the exterior; the house was dark with only the light from the setting sun that was seeping in through the windows illuminating the house. She stood in the middle of the living room, not knowing which direction to take and at the end, she decided to open the only door she saw which she believes was the bedroom for she could see the kitchen by her right. The room was a bit brighter than the living room, the windows were opened and she could feel the gentle breeze seeping in through them. There was a little bed in the center of the room and it looked roughed, evidence that someone has been lying on it. There was a small wooden chair by the window and a small table beside the bed. She could see different types of medicines on the table along with a small picture frame.
In the picture was a woman with long wavy brown hair which looked unkempt even in the picture. Beside her and smiling brightly was a young girl who looked about six to seven years old with platinum blonde hair that was flying around her face. The woman had her hands on her shoulders, obviously trying to keep her at a place while she laughed and the girl seemed to be trying to run away or run to something. The picture envisioned the love and happiness between the mother and daughter, even though they looked poor, they still looked happy.
Athena was drawn to the picture and she found herself wishing to meet them, even if it was for a minute. She approached the table and picked up the frame, it was then she noticed that the woman had big beautiful hazel eyes and they reminded her of Sean s eyes so much.
"What are you doing here?" she heard behind her and gasped, nearly dropping the frame but was able to catch it before turning to look at the man that was standing in front of a door which she believes must be the bathroom. He was shirtless with only a black track hanging loosely on his waist. She looked back up at his face to see him staring at her with a frown, "how did you find this place?"
"Um…Leo brought me," she answered.
He looked at her, noticing the plaster on her forehead, he frowned, "shouldn t you still be in the hospital?"
"I left this afternoon."
"Why?" her answer seemed to have enraged him, "were you discharged?" she shook her head and that annoyed him more, "do you want to die?"
She shook her head and closed her eyes, opening them, she met his gaze, "I m fine, Sean, besides, I m more worried about you. You ran out of the hospital and…"
"I hate hospitals," he interrupted, "staying there aren t going to help me recover, I m much better now than when I was there."
"But TB told me about your health, he said you have a concussion and also, I saw that wood fell on you, you need medical attention to heal."
"I m fine, I m healing."
She sighed, "Sean…"
"You shouldn t be here," he interrupted.
"I was worried about you, I need to make sure you are okay."
"Well, you have seen that, I m okay. It s time for you to go back to the hospital."
"But, Sean…"
"No buts, Athena," he was in front of her in quick strides and grabbed her hand, taking the frame from her; he dropped it on the bed and started pushing her towards the door.
Athena turned to him, snatching her hand from him but he placed his hands on her shoulders and started pushing her out of the room, "Stop, Sean, you need to let me attend to you, I m sure you are hurt more than you are admitting."
"I don t need your help," he said, opening the front door and pushing her out, "go back to the hospital."
"Sean, you have to…" he shut the door on her face before she could finish. She tried to open the door but he had locked it from inside. She knocked, "Sean, please, let me in, we need to talk. Sean," she called and knocked but the door didn t open. She turned then and saw Leo leaning on his car door, she was surprised to still see him but it only lasted a second as she remembered that Sean had pushed her away.