sensation, Veronica knew Leon had taken note of every detail of her home. How else would he know she'd covet this addition to her collection of antique silver animals?
And knowing this underlined her vulnerability.
A movement in the doorway made her look up straight into Leon's appraising gaze. He walked in and sat in the chair opposite as Sonia's words echoed in her ears. Leon has you in his sights to replace his darling Julia.
Acutely uncomfortable, Veronica gave him an under-her –lashes glance. "It's beautiful. Thanks, but why pretend the gift was from Jordan?"
"When I saw it, I remembered your collection. It reminded me of you."
That startled her to looking at him. "Of Me? Why?"
He glanced from her to the ornament. "That night at your cottage you reacted so much like that little animal."
She spluttered on a choked laugh. "Well thanks."
Leon leaned across and touched it with a finger. "Only your mouse-hole is that cottage, isn't it?"
His astuteness was unnerving. "Why get Jordan to fill out the card?"
"It's a way to involve him. Jordan needs more than to worry about his illness." He looked up, his gaze laser keen. "Will you visit Jordan? He'd needs to see you."
His quiet question made her mouth go dry. Jordan's plight made the rights and wrongs of this awful situation irrelevant, but she was still reluctant. "How is he?"
"He's holding his own." He caught her hand, squeezing it. "We'll know soon if you can give him that vital chance."
And that's all the use I've ever been to this family. Julia and Leon saw me as the chance to gain what nature denied them, a child .
"Don't look like that!" He gripped her chin forcing her to meet his eyes. "Veronica, listen to me. If you're not a suitable donor, Jordan will die."
The harsh words jolted her. She clutched at her throat, distressed. "He won't die."
"Yes he can." Leon caught her hand. "Even if you're a suitable donor there's a high chance he could reject your bone-marrow. And with the strain of leukaemia he has, a bone marrow transplant may only grant him remission."
"Why are you doing this?" A giant hand of fear crushed her from the inside out.
Leon's face was so close; all she could see was the searing grey of his eyes. "You already hate me and despise yourself. How are you going to feel if you refuse what may be the only chance of ever seeing Jordan alive? Are you going to be able to live with it? Death isn't for one year or even ten, it's forever."
"It's Veronica," she said, fighting against his hold. He let go and she slumped in the chair.
"Is it?" His scathing glance scorched her. "Then act like Veronica and not a wimp. Jordan's a frightened little boy. He needs to see you."
The scathing indictment scrambled her thought processes. This situation was outside her experience and pushed her well beyond her comfort zone.
"What have you told him about me?" Nervous fingers pleated the fabric of her skirt.
"He knows you're his birth mother and although I've told him you're here, I don't think he really believes me."
"He knows he's adopted?"
"It's my policy never to lie." Leon's glance was hooded. "Jordan's always known of his adoption. He's funny, intelligent and understands far too much about the implications of his illness."
"That's tough."
"It is tough." Leon threaded fingers through his silver streaked hair. "In a lot of ways, he reminds me of you. He takes such delight in simple things and yet he's also such a boy."
The words should have comforted her, but only left her more isolated. This was why I wanted no contact. These memories offer a glimpse of the unattainable.
Veronica glanced at Jordan's photo. "I'll think about it, okay?"
He gave an eloquent shrug. "You've shunned all contact for ten years. A few more hours won't make any odds."
"That's not fair."
"When is life ever fair? When Jordan got sick? When Julia died so young?" He leaned so close she had no option but to meet his eyes. "So you had to make
And knowing this underlined her vulnerability.
A movement in the doorway made her look up straight into Leon's appraising gaze. He walked in and sat in the chair opposite as Sonia's words echoed in her ears. Leon has you in his sights to replace his darling Julia.
Acutely uncomfortable, Veronica gave him an under-her –lashes glance. "It's beautiful. Thanks, but why pretend the gift was from Jordan?"
"When I saw it, I remembered your collection. It reminded me of you."
That startled her to looking at him. "Of Me? Why?"
He glanced from her to the ornament. "That night at your cottage you reacted so much like that little animal."
She spluttered on a choked laugh. "Well thanks."
Leon leaned across and touched it with a finger. "Only your mouse-hole is that cottage, isn't it?"
His astuteness was unnerving. "Why get Jordan to fill out the card?"
"It's a way to involve him. Jordan needs more than to worry about his illness." He looked up, his gaze laser keen. "Will you visit Jordan? He'd needs to see you."
His quiet question made her mouth go dry. Jordan's plight made the rights and wrongs of this awful situation irrelevant, but she was still reluctant. "How is he?"
"He's holding his own." He caught her hand, squeezing it. "We'll know soon if you can give him that vital chance."
And that's all the use I've ever been to this family. Julia and Leon saw me as the chance to gain what nature denied them, a child .
"Don't look like that!" He gripped her chin forcing her to meet his eyes. "Veronica, listen to me. If you're not a suitable donor, Jordan will die."
The harsh words jolted her. She clutched at her throat, distressed. "He won't die."
"Yes he can." Leon caught her hand. "Even if you're a suitable donor there's a high chance he could reject your bone-marrow. And with the strain of leukaemia he has, a bone marrow transplant may only grant him remission."
"Why are you doing this?" A giant hand of fear crushed her from the inside out.
Leon's face was so close; all she could see was the searing grey of his eyes. "You already hate me and despise yourself. How are you going to feel if you refuse what may be the only chance of ever seeing Jordan alive? Are you going to be able to live with it? Death isn't for one year or even ten, it's forever."
"It's Veronica," she said, fighting against his hold. He let go and she slumped in the chair.
"Is it?" His scathing glance scorched her. "Then act like Veronica and not a wimp. Jordan's a frightened little boy. He needs to see you."
The scathing indictment scrambled her thought processes. This situation was outside her experience and pushed her well beyond her comfort zone.
"What have you told him about me?" Nervous fingers pleated the fabric of her skirt.
"He knows you're his birth mother and although I've told him you're here, I don't think he really believes me."
"He knows he's adopted?"
"It's my policy never to lie." Leon's glance was hooded. "Jordan's always known of his adoption. He's funny, intelligent and understands far too much about the implications of his illness."
"That's tough."
"It is tough." Leon threaded fingers through his silver streaked hair. "In a lot of ways, he reminds me of you. He takes such delight in simple things and yet he's also such a boy."
The words should have comforted her, but only left her more isolated. This was why I wanted no contact. These memories offer a glimpse of the unattainable.
Veronica glanced at Jordan's photo. "I'll think about it, okay?"
He gave an eloquent shrug. "You've shunned all contact for ten years. A few more hours won't make any odds."
"That's not fair."
"When is life ever fair? When Jordan got sick? When Julia died so young?" He leaned so close she had no option but to meet his eyes. "So you had to make
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