Leanna By Miu

Firstly, my parents. When I announced that I wanted to study in the states, my mother cried for days. My father, although supportive, still couldn"t hide the loneliness in his eyes, and the twins avoided me, not talking to me for weeks before they realized that I"d be gone for four years and would only be home during Christmas and breaks. They cried and insisted on sleeping in my room up to the day of my departure.

Now that we could all support ourselves, my mother had somehow lost her purpose. She and my father would just manage our family business, but since our maternal cousins operated even that, they didn"t have anything to do.

Thus, I had bought a building near our store, renovated it a little and turned it into a vocational school. I had invited prominent chefs around the world to teach and let my mother managed it. I also urged her to enroll so she could have a degree in the thing that she was pa.s.sionate about.

It worked like a charm.

Every day, my mother would busy and enjoy herself in managing, sending invites and advertising her new school.

Secondly, my father Leon, was a natural hardworking person, and when he had nothing to do, he would disa.s.semble and a.s.semble parts of his cars. Although my father would sometimes visit the store to help, he would mostly spend his time on our farm and ranch.

In a piece of land beside our house in front of our farms and hacienda. I had asked an architect to design a toy store and gallery.

I plan for my father to busy himself with big remote control toys like cars, planes, tanks, boats, which used real mini parts.

Besides from farming and playing with big toys, my father also loves to paint. The gallery would exhibit and sell his works. It had been so long since my father last held a paintbrush. It was high time he gets in touch with his hobbies.

Thirdly, the twins. It was a bit tricky what could make the twins happy. It was a good thing that they were distracted at the moment with their investments.

"Sis will just be on the other side of the globe, waiting for you two. When you finish high school, you can be together with sis." I said to them when we were lying on the bed in my bedroom. It was dark and cold, and not even a silhouette could be seen.

Lance hugged me tightly, "sis, you have to wait for us. Sis is hopeless. We have to be together with you so you won"t get sad."

I smiled and stroked his hair. "That"s right, so be good and do your best so you can join me in the states."

"Mmmm..." Lance mumbled before sleepiness overtook him.

I caressed his hair some more and about to stroke Lawrence"s hair when the latter said, "sis, we can go with you to the states. We can start our high school there. We can migrate."

I stared at him, trying to discern his expression in the dark.

"Lawrence, mother and father grew up here. Their life revolves here. It"s difficult for them to suddenly pack up and leave. If you come with me, who would take care of mother and father?" I explained with a soft and gentle voice.

"....."

Lawrence didn"t speak for a while.

"Sis... Are you going to be alright by yourself?" With an innocent tone, Lawrence started to sniffle.

I smiled and gently caressed his small cheek. "Your sis is strong now. Whoever bully sis will regret it."

After much time rea.s.suring him, he also fell asleep with tears in his eyes. After that, I too followed them to dreamland.

----?----

Meanwhile, in the master"s bedroom.

Lean was engrossed in seemingly chatting with someone in front of her computer.

"Have you gotten the papers ready? How many minutes will it take to get to Artem University coming from there?" Lean stared at the papers in her hands and glanced at the person on the computer screen.

"Not far, about fifteen to thirty minutes." A familiar male voice replied.

"Then we"re all good. E-mail me the papers for signing."

"What signing?"

A deep voice suddenly asked.

Gyaaghh!!

Lean screamed and turned to see her husband, Leon, standing at the door, looking at her with questioning eyes. Lean rose from her seat and hid the computer screen behind her.

"Nothing! You scared me…. Do you want to take a bath? Or do you want to watch TV...?"

Leon slowly approached her until he was just standing inches away from her.

Lean smiled sweetly and brushed her hand over her husband"s cheek. "Or... do you want.... me...?" She shyly smiled and looked at him lovingly while Leon closed his eyes and smiled at her – then suddenly grabbed her by both shoulders and shoved her aside.

Before Lean could register what was going on, Leon already took a peek at the computer screen and those pieces of papers on the table.

Lean gasped for air and ran, but Leon grabbed her by the collar.

"Y-you...!! YOU BOUGHT A HOUSE IN NEW HAVEN?!!"