Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ School of Love ❯ Chapter Fifty One ( Chapter 51 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"It's nice to see you again, Rachel," Leia said doing her best to be calm.

"Aye. I wish that I could say the same. If that ring means what I think it means, you might as well kiss Patrick goodbye. He'll be in jail within a day." She moved aside, letting them in.

"My father signed the papers for...this....to happen," Leia said as she pulled out the fresh documents and slid them to Rachel. "It's legal and safe."

"Ye can't even say the word," Rachel muttered as she looked over the papers and they sat down. "You two must be so proud."

"That's enough Rachel," Patrick growled.

"I am," Leia snapped.

Rachel handed the papers back to her with a frown. "Do ye really think that you're good enough for him? Sure ye can throw your money around, but you're still just a lass."

"I love her Rachel. That's more than enough for me."

Leia sighed. "I know I'm not good enough for him," she admitted as she put the papers back in her purse. "And I told him that he could back out whenever he wanted to."

"I want ye both out of my house. What you're doing is a travesty to marriage and a travesty to God."

"Rachel. I'm still your brother," Patrick said, his heart breaking with the way she looked at him.

"No. Not right now you aren't."

Leia stood. "You may not like me, but it was because of me that your family is still doing ok after Michael's death. His wife and child will never have to worry about money again and neither will you."

"I would trade all the money you gave me just to have my brother back...."

"And if I could make that possible I would do it without being asked."

"I don't mean Michael. Aye, I would love to have him back more than anything else. I mean my Patrick. The one who wouldn't disgrace his family so. Now please, leave me be. I have to cook dinner."

Patrick didn't say a word. He simply took Leia's hand and tugged on it while he started for the door.

Leia stopped him. "Don't. This is far enough. I've lost every family member I have. You will one day resent me if you do this, Mr. McClain." Her voice was soft and she was holding back tears. Slowly she slipped the ring off her finger. Glancing at Rachel, she laid the ring on her table so she could see. "I'm begging you, don't walk away from them for some girl. It's not worth it. I'm not worth it." She pulled from him then looked back at Rachel. "Please know that if you even need help that I am not hard to reach." She opened the door and walked out.

"Rachel, do you have any idea what our brother did to that girl? What our family that you're so damn proud of did?" He turned to her, his eyes burning into his sister as he picked up Leia's ring. "When you ran off with boys twice your age, I always took care of you. When they dumped you I broke their noses. When they broke your heart I was there to help. You've already lost one brother, possibly two. Would you rather lose aor gain a sister-in-law?"

He didn't wait for an answer before storming out after Leia.

Leia opened the door to the cab as she pulled out her phone. This was not how she planned for things to go, but nothing seemed to fall into its rightful places these days. She couldn't wait to see Gabe...she just wanted to cry.

Patrick caught the door as she was about to close it. "Hold on lass. I'm coming with you."

"Not this time, Mr. McClain. It's time to just face the fact that we just aren't meant to be together. Yes, I care about you, and yes, I would be your wife. But your sister is right. I don't deserve you and you don't need to lose your family over someone like me." She pulled his hand from the door. "For the sake of your future and your family...just let me go...let us go."

"Anyone who can't accept you as family is no family of mine," he whispered.

"Don't say that. You said once that if you can't rely on family, you can't rely on anyone. Go back in that house, Mr. McClain. They need you," she said as she pulled the door closed.

Patrick stepped back as the taxi drove off. He looked back at the doorway to see Rachel standing there watching him. He saw her face soften as she saw the expression on his. "I hope that ye are happy now," he whispered. Thrusting his hands in his pockets, he started walking. He wouldn't be staying with her tonight. He would find someplace. Right now he just needed to think.

Leia couldn't hold the tears in. As the cap drove off she turned in her seat to see him disappearing in the distance...and she wailed. She cried harder than she had ever cried before. She felt like her whole heart was being ripped from her. She even held her chest to make sure it was still there. When she pulled up to the hotel, Gabe was waiting on the steps as if he just knew. He rushed to her door and had to carry her out. She couldn't move, she couldn't think, she couldn't breathe. It was like her mother's death all over again. She...would never be the same.

Patrick walked and walked and walked. He felt like he should drink, but drinking meant going into a bar. Drinking meant dealing with people. Right now he felt like he hated the world. It was rather...well, numbing. He was pissed at his sister. well, more hurt than pissed. After everything he had done for her over the years the one time he needed her the most and this was what happened. She couldn't even accept his choice.

Once he had simmered down, he found the nearest bench and sat down to make a call. "Rio. It's me. How...is she?"

Rio looked over at Leia who was soaking her pillow with tears while Gabe tried his best to get her to talk. "What...exactly happened?"

"My sister happened," he sighed. "Needless to say she doesn't approve of Leia." He could hear something in the background which made him freeze. "Is she...crying?"

Rio stood and walked into the next room. "I was in the hallway. Sorry. I'm in my room now. Just some stranger crying."

"You've never been a good liar, Rio. That's why I called you." He sighed and shook his head. "Honestly. How bad is it?"

"She won't even talk to Gabe. Gabe said...he hasn't seen her this shut off or this broken since her mother was killed," Rio said in a low voice. If Leia knew he was talking to Patrick she would surely flip.

"I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

"Please...don't come. Not until she's calm or at least until you tell me the whole story. She might not want to see you."

"She called off the wedding because of what my sister said," he explained. "She doesn't want me to lose my family."

"That's very...selfless of Leia..." Rio said slowly. "Look, if you came over, she would only send you back. The only way you are going to get her is if your family is ok with this wedding. That seems obvious enough."

"I can't talk to my family right now without blowing up at them," he explained. "Right now I just want to see Leia."

"Talk to your family first." Rio hung up.

He was going to strangle him and he was going to enjoy it. Hanging up his cell phone, he took in the night air and closed his eyes. This was going to take every ounce of cunning and patience that he could muster.

Leia snuggled to her pillow. "Leia..." She said nothing.

"Gabe...I need to talk to you."

Gabe looked at Leia. "I'll be right back."

Rio led him into the hall and started telling him what Patrick said.

Patrick knocked on Rachel's door. It was already nightfall so the kids were in bed by now. Richard opened up the door and he was ushered inside. "Rach," he said, his voice detached yet stern. "Ye have no right to try and rule my life."

"I'm just trying to look out for ye Patty. Can't ye understand that?"

Patrick's eyes narrowed as he glared at her. "If you insist on this, then let me tell you this. After today you will never see me again. You will never hear me again. It will be as if I am no more, because you will be dead to me."

"Patty, think about this. We're family."

"Then start acting like it! I love her, Rachel. I really do! Can't you just be happy that I'm happy?"

Gabe stroked Leia's hair. "Sweetie...it's been hours...you have to eat something..." he whispered.

Still she said nothing. Rio couldn't even offer her a dry pillow. It was as if she was only a different planet.

There was a knock on the motel door. A figure shifted uncomfortably outside.

Gabe looked at Rio as Rio went to the door. "I told you not to-" he stopped when he saw Rachel. "Who are you? Maybe you have the wrong room?"

"You must be Rio. He said you'd be the scrawny one," Rachel said as she smirked. "My name is Rachel. I'm Patty's sister. Is...Leia here?"

Rio looked back at Leia who seemed almost dead. "What do you want?"

"I want a drink, but I'm here to talk to her."

"Gabe," Rio said. Gabe pulled from Leia and met Rio at the door. "The sister."

Gabe looked Rachel over. "You got some nerve coming here. You got what you want. Can't you just leave her alone?"

"Listen boy. I could break you with one arm. If it wouldn't be considered a hate crime I might just do it so don't take that tone with me. I came here to talk to the winy little brat. Now will ye let me in or not?"

"No," Gabe said as went to slam the door. Leia stopped him and he stepped back. Her tears were dried but it was apparent she had been crying for hours. Her eyes were puffy and her face was a light red. She opened the door and looked at Rachel.

"The winy little brat doesn't mind seeing her," she said in a mellow tone.

Rachel huffed as she looked at her. "Ye look like a drowned rat."

"Go to hell," Leia spat and slammed the door.

Rachel caught the door before it closed and pushed it open without any trouble. "Sit down. We need to talk about your relationship with Patty."

"Yeah well, I changed my mind. Get out of my room before I call security."

"Why do ye want to marry him?" She wasn't budging from her spot. She had gotten out in the cold to come down there. She wasn't going to just leave without finishing her business.

"None of you fucking business," she said. "Gabe."

"Yeah," Gabe said as he grabbed the phone to call security.

"I did what you wanted. I gave you what you wanted. I have left him alone now leave me alone and get out!"

"I want my answers. He wants to marry you for some reason and I'm trying to figure out why that is, because for the life of me I can't understand. If someone had told me I wasn't good enough to marry Richard I would've done everything in my power to prove them wrong. I certainly wouldn't just roll over and let him go."

Leia was losing her patience. "I have no family, Rachel. My mother is dead and my father is dying. I have no brothers, no sisters, no grandparents, and no aunts and uncles. I know how important family is. I know what it's like to lose them and if I could, I would do anything to get my mother back...even kill." She sat down. "I won't stand in the way of family. I won't make Mr. McClain resent me later."

"Trust me lass. The only person he's resenting right now is me," she sighed. "Family is important, but if you want to be his family you can't be so willing to let him go. You should have put your foot down and fought him rather than come back here and wallow in self pity."

She looked at Leia, still frowning while she thought of how to put this nicely. "Patrick already knows that I don't care of ye want to get married. I don't like the idea, but he's my brother. I want him happy."

"No offense, but I don't need your advice and I don't want it. You should leave before security shows," she said as she went to the other room and shut the door.

Rachel shrugged and started for the door. "You two are my witnesses. If Patty asks, I came by and told her that she can marry him if she wishes. I don't want him pissed at me because she's upset."

"Yeah, now I can see why I have such dislike for Mr. McClain. It runs in the family," Rio said as he slammed the door and Rachel's face then locked it.

"She's a bitch."

Rachel took the cell phone out and dialed Patrick's number. Of course it went straight to voice mail. He was ignoring her.

When Gabe went to check on Leia but she had passed out on the floor. Exhaustion had finally caught up with her. He picked her up and put her in the bed while wiping her eyes that had tears still coming from them.

The next morning Patrick found himself at a Denny's. Oh how the mighty had fallen. He shifted through what he thought was eggs, watching the news on the fuzzy television. Today was just great....

Leia handed her bags to the bell hop who put them in the trunk of the limo. Gabe had one of her hands while Rio was rubbing her back. "You sure about this?" Gabe asked.

"I just want to go home," she said as she got into the limo.

Patrick looked at his cell phone, wondering if they were awake yet. He'd given her a night. She should have calmed down by now. Dialing her number, he waited for her to answer.

Leia looked at her phone. It was Patrick. For a moment she put it back in her purse but it kept ringing. When It finally stopped it was quiet for a whole minute before it started ringing again. Gabe and Rio looked at her as the driver watched the road while they headed to the airport. Slowly, she pulled out her phone. "Leia Johnson," she said. She would have to get use to answering her phone like that now that she was a president.

"Leia...? I want to talk. Can you meet me?"

"There isn't anything to talk about. I'm going home," she said softly. For once, she didn't bother trying to sound strong. She was too tired. She just wanted the pain to go away.

"Leia, come see me. Please?" She sounded awful. He'd never heard her sound so broken.

She wanted to say no. Man did she ever want to say no. But she gave in to her heart. "Alright...where are you?" she asked softly.

"I'm on the corner of 4th and Broad Street," he replied as he checked the street signs. He wanted to see her to make certain that she was alright. Every single word she spoke sounded full of pain.

"I'm just a block away," she said and hung up the phone. She gave the driver the address as the boys looked at her. How many times had she broken things off with him only to meet up and talk it over? Things would be different this time. She wasn't changing her mind even if her heart was breaking...she was doing the right thing...right?