Gene spent the day on pins and needles. Several times he almost backed out. Each time he mentioned doing so; Leon didn't say or do anything to dissuade him unless Gene asked him a direct question.
"Do you think that I should do this?" he asked.
"I can't answer that." Leon replied. "It comes down to what you can live with. Will you be able to live with yourself if you don't?"
"If you were me, would you tell her?" Gene asked.
" I'm not you and the answer doesn't change." Leon replied.
Gene was so nervous that he couldn't eat. It seemed as if time had slowed to a standstill. To pass the time, Gene asked Leon about his plans.
"So you're really going to move out here?"
"That's the plan." Leon said. "I have to go back to Pittsburgh to take care of business, but then I'm coming back."
"I know that I've asked this before, but what about a job and a place to live?"
"I'll worry about that later, in the meantime, let's get you through tonight. Have you thought about how you're going to tell them?"
Gene shrugged.
"How do you tell your sister that you were going to kill her for money?" he asked. "I mean, Leon, I all but sold her..."
"But you didn't and you didn't kill her." Leon reminded him.
"I know, but I thought about it! When Clay approached me about info on Kev, I should have told him where to go. When he told me to kill her, I should have told him to go fuck himself."
"Who do you think killed him?" Leon asked.
"If I had to guess, I would say Puff." Gene replied. "He had a thing for Kevyn too. He's also the only one who had enough balls to do it."
Leon nodded in agreement. He like Gene was aware that Puff had feelings for Kevyn, but had never acted on them. Puff knew better and Kevyn wouldn't have gone for him any more than she had Clay.
"What do you think happened to him?" Gene asked.
"Who knows?" Leon replied. "No one was ever arrested for killing Clay, but I think that the police would be the least of Puff's worries. I hope that he's somewhere where he can't be found."
"What?" Gene asked when he saw that Leon was looking at him.
"Were you really considering killing Kevyn?"
"Yes."
"How would you have lived with that?" Leon asked.
"Would you believe that I didn't think about that? " Gene replied. "All I thought about was the money. I just wanted to get back to the place I was before Dana left."
Leon didn't comment, there was nothing to say. The important thing at that moment was that Gene was finally realizing that he needed to change and that he needed help to succeed. Leon thought about Barb. He knew that there was something going on with her and wanted to ask, but they had never been as close as he and Louise were.
That didn't mean that he didn't love her; he did even though she sometimes made it difficult. He just didn't understand the way she thought although he tried. The few times he tried to reach out to her were unsuccessful. After each failed attempt, he told her that all of them were there for her if she needed them.
He knew that Barb put a great deal of emphasis on money and possessions and to some degree, he understood. All of them had dreamt of being able to buy whatever they wanted and lush vacations; it was something that they talked about. What he didn't understand was why she was so angry at them. It was an anger that seemed to grow with each gathering.
"One thing at a time." he murmured as he made a pot of fresh coffee. He glanced back at Gene and mentally grimaced. He was glad that he wasn't the one that had to face Kevyn.
On a whim, he decided to call Nadine. He hadn't spoken to her for hours but it seemed much longer. She answered on the third ring.
"Is everything alright?" she asked after they exchanged greetings.
"It is for now." Leon replied. "I'm sorry about the sudden change in plans. Are we still on for tonight?"
"Family is important." Nadine replied. "Your brother needs you and yes, we're still on for tonight. Call me when you're free."
Leon hung up with the knowledge that Nadine was the one. He was honest enough to admit that the speed in which their relationship was building still made him nervous. He decided that leaving for two weeks was a good thing. It would tell him if what he was feeling for Nadine was infatuation or something more.
He poured the coffee and carried the mugs out to the living room only to find Gene gone.
*********
Hans was pleasantly surprised when Juliette called saying that she wanted to talk.
"I thought that you were going to meet with your sisters." He said.
"I was, but I think that we need to talk some more." She replied. "In the end whatever happens between us is our decision and our business. I still plan to talk to them at some point."
"When may I come for you?" Hans asked.
"Come before the kids go to bed. They want to see you. I thought that I could order some coffee and we could talk here if that's okay with you."
He would have much rather talked to her alone, but he didn't say that. He was willing to talk with her wherever she chose; and he did want to see the children again.
"Could the five of us have dinner together?" Hans asked. "We could go anywhere you like. I'm sure that the children are tired of the food at the hotel as good as it may be."
He could almost hear the wheels turning as Juliette debated on what she should do.
"Alright." She said after a few minutes. "They would like that. Is six too early?"
Hans hung up with a feeling of exhilaration. He had already checked on the real estate website available only to vampires for a house suitable for five or more people. He contacted a realtor about two of the houses, but hadn't heard back yet.
To pass the time, Hans called the number of a house in Pittsburgh. It was a house owned by the Sinclaires', but was currently not in use. Hans was going to buy a small home there, but as Patrick pointed out, if he was planning to come back to California; why buy a house? Patrick also reminded him that they were family.
"Feel free to use any of our homes and that includes the ones that we're living in. Our doors are always open to you and yours."
Satisfied that the house was ready, Hans thought about calling his family. He decided to wait until he had something more definitive to tell them. He felt a rush of energy as he thought about everything that needed to be done.
One of the most important things was to meet and talk with the children's father. It was important that he know and understand that he was and would always be their father. Their father also needed to know that the children would be loved and cared for as if they were his own.
The next thing he thought about was the children's education about who and what he was. He stopped himself. While those things needed to be thought about, Juliette hadn't accepted him yet.
With nothing to do for the next few hours, Hans set about baking treats for the kids. He turned on the radio, began to hum and before long; he was dancing to the music from the forties.
Things were definitely looking up.
**********
Louise opened her eyes and looked around. Sometime during the day, Nathan had moved her to the bed and covered her with a light blanket. A happy smile came to her as she remembered hearing the baby's heartbeat for the first time. Even the memory of it filled her with awe.
There was so much to learn and she was eager to learn all of it. As soon as it was dark, she planned to go to a book store and buy several books on babies. She also planned to talk to Katrina and Nathan's mother to ask for guidance.
