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Well, Emmanuel supposed ‘you’ now included him and Leonardo.
“What about Concetta’s father?” Emmanuel asked, although he was certain of the answer.
“He passed about five years ago,” Darsh informed him.
He felt an unexpected sadness. Emmanuel didn’t expect the news to have any effect on him. However, since reading Concetta’s diary, he was curious about everything to do with the woman who gave birth to him. A moment of silence followed, prompting Darsh to check in.
“You still there?”
“Yeah. Thanks for the three a.m. updates. We’ll talk later. Also, thank you for putting the security in place.”
“No problem. Larson is still being problematic?”
“He’s calmed down some. My Mom told him she would speak with him tomorrow.”
“You still want security to remain as is?” Darsh asked.
“Yes. He is far too unpredictable right now.”
They ended the call, and Emmanuel used the washroom. Since he had so many things on his mind, he was tempted not to return to bed. In a few hours, he would share with Leonardo who their birth father was.
Emmanuel wondered how his brother would take the news. Would it change how he felt about their mother? Leonardo was very protective of her memory. Well, he would soon find out. They had made arrangements to have dinner at Frank’s.
Emmanuel decided holding Doc in his arms was a better alternative than over thinking in his washroom. He slipped into bed.
“Your early morning meetings are becoming a habit.” She voiced, startling him.
“Sorry if I woke you. Darsh was returning the favour.”
“Well, that is to be expected.”
She squealed as he tickled her.
“Is that so?”
“You know how he can be.”
“Well, since we are up…” Rolling her onto her back, he continued. “The least you can do is help me get back to sleep.”
“Dinner won’t be anything fancy. I have to throw it together last minute.”
Emmanuel looked around Frank’s dining room. Although it was set formally, at least the table wasn’t set for a five-course meal. So, by Frank’s standards, this wasn’t fancy. Emmanuel wasn’t sure he was much up for eating. All he wanted to do was get the news over with. He and Ivy walked past the dining room, into the den where Leonardo sat waiting.
Frank was right. Leonardo didn’t look like he was in the best mood. His hair looked dishevelled like he had been running his hand through it. He didn’t look like he had slept. Well, his mood was about to get worse. Or at least Emmanuel thought it would.
Their greeting was barely cordial.
“I was summoned, and here I am,” Leonardo announced once he saw Emmanuel.
“I thought we should discuss this face to face,” Emmanuel answered as he and Ivy took a seat together on the sofa facing Leonardo.
Ivy asked if he wanted her by his side when he broke the news. Part of him had wanted to relieve her of the arduous task of being at his side through yet another family revelation. He wanted to, but the thing was, he needed her with him.
She kept him grounded. His wife could see things he couldn’t. So, she was with him because he needed her. God, he hoped all the upheaval would be behind them soon. When they could come up for air, he was going to whisk her away somewhere and make all this shit up to her.
“What do you have to tell me?” Leonardo asked, looking from between Frank, Emmanuel, and Ivy.
“After I read, um… our mother’s journals. I was certain I knew who our father was. I left so I could confirm it. You deserve to know.”
