*****
"I'm trying to calm down enough to call her." He had left the hospital, telling the doctors to call him if there was any problems. They had ended up giving her a sedative to make her sleep after the violent crying jag.
"The way I feel right now, I want to jump on the plane and find her and give her a piece of my mind. How can a mother be so damn callous? And what's worse, she calls herself a child of God. I want to wring her bloody neck for putting Leanne through this."
He had called a family meeting and as usual, they had come. All of them had left what they were doing and were gathered inside the large conference room assigned for board meetings.
The Friday morning had dumped several inches of snow from the sky, giving everything a glistening white fairytale look. But the beauty of it all was lost on him. Dropping into the chair next to the window, he raked restless fingers through his hair.
"I'm prepared to offer her money, anything it takes, just for her to be here for her daughter."
"That would only make matters worse for you and Leanne." Andreas sat next to him, touching his arm lightly.
Glancing over at his wife, he continued. "You recall how difficult it was for Lori's dad to accept me, don't you?" When his brother nodded, he resumed, sending a tender smile in his wife's direction. "He was a piece of work, and I know my darling wife does not mind me saying so."
"Not at all." Lori crossed the room, to perch on the arm of her husband's chair. "He was a drunken lout who only cared about the next bottle. He constantly embarrassed me. When Andreas told me he wanted to meet my father, I panicked."
"You made so many excuses." He linked his hand with hers. "That I began to get suspicious."
"He never came around." Lori mused. "He never accepted any of you." Her eyes touched the family who had adopted and welcomed her without question.
"When I discovered you were slipping him money, I was so angry and further humiliated." Squeezing her husband's fingers, she leaned over to kiss her brother-in-law's cheek. He looked so tormented that she felt her heart going out to him. "I want to suggest something."
"Anything. I'm open to any and all suggestions. That's why I called this meeting."
"Let me talk to Leanne. Let me tell her of my situation."
He hesitated at that, a look of uncertainty clouding his eyes. "She's very private and stubborn as hell."
"Let me try."
"All right." He nodded. "I'm going to try and reason with her mother, try and have a conversation to see if I get anywhere first. And then we do it your way."
"Are you sure you want to do that?" his father asked with a frown.
"What harm can it do?" he wondered grimly. "I love her and because I do, I'm willing to do anything."
*****
"Who's this?" The strident tone demanded.
After dismissing his family, he had sat here in the conference room, trying to gather the courage to make the call. But first, he had called the clinic and was told that Leanne was still sleeping. That was something at least, he mused grimly.
"Mrs. Wilcox, this is Christos Kostas, your daughter's fiancé."
"What do you want? I already said my piece and there's nothing to add. You knocked up my daughter and have her living in sin. She's a disgrace and I've told her so myself."
He had to take several deep breaths to level out his temper.
"Your daughter is one of the loveliest person I've ever met and I'm head over heels in love with her."
"Good for you. The Bible clearly states that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. If Leanne wants to get mixed up in your sordid life and end up going to hell, then that's her problem."
Deep breaths again as he felt his control slipping away. "The Bible also says 'Judge not, lest you be judged. Matthew 7:1.'" His tone was steely.
"You have no right to cast aspersions on my family. If you did your research, you would realize that Kostas Enterprises has a sterling reputation and that has been the case for more than two hundred years. My ancestor started out producing olives in a little known village in Greece."
"Theodorus Kostas spent most of his life researching his product. We give to charity and our business dealings are always above board."
