Chapter 14
Jeff spotted Matt over the other side of the baggage claim. He looked at the girl next to him. Her frame was very similar to Leah’s. He tightened his grip on her hand and pulled her away from the caracal.
“Jeff where are we going? We need to get our bags.”
“Just follow me.” He said flashing her a smile as he pulled her across the crowded area.
“Jeff!” Leah said as she pulled on his hand trying to stop him.
Jeff did stop. He turned to Leah and took her other hand in his. “Trust me ok? Just follow me.” He said smiling. Leah looked unsure. Jeff placed a soft kiss on her lips and she nodded and Jeff led continued his mission across the baggage claim area.
Matt smiled as he and Colleen watched Jeff led Leah over to them. He noticed Jeff kept turning around to Leah. Jeff stopped three meters in front of them. Leah walked straight into his back. Matt smiled slightly as Jeff looked around and brought Leah to his side.
“Leah, I want you to meet someone.” Jeff said as he pointed to the two people that stood in front of him. “This is my brother Matt, and his girlfriend Colleen.”
Leah’s face fell. She stared at Jeff then turned to the people he had pointed out. She studied Matt. But her eyes fell on Colleen. It was and exact replica of herself. Leah couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t’ say anything. Had Jeff thought of this? Had he only wanted to come here to do this? To show her the sister she wasn’t even sure she had? Leah locked eyes with Colleen. Colleen smiled but Leah couldn’t. She could only think of one thing to do. Run. So she did. She turned away from them and ran as fast as she could out of baggage claim and out of the airport. She leaned on the wall outside of the doors and tried to regain her composure. She had a sister. She had an identical twin sister.
Matt looked at Jeff who sighed and looked after where Leah had run. Matt stepped up to Jeff with Colleen at his side. Jeff looked at them both. Before Jeff could go after Leah Matt hugged him. He had missed him so much even thought they had parted on bad terms. When Matt let him go he turned to Colleen and kissed her on the cheek.
“I had better go find her.” He said. Matt nodded.
“Do you want us to get your cases?”
“Yeh thanks. There are four of them and they all have bright blue ribbon on them.”
“We’ll meet you out front.” Matt said as he watched Jeff jog out of baggage claim.
“That didn’t go as planned.” Colleen said as she and Matt looked of the cases.
“It must be a shock. She didn’t know anything about it. You did. She didn’t even know I was going to be here and that I’m Jeff’s brother and that I’m dating you, her sister.”
“I guess but I hadn’t exactly thought she would run out on us.”
Jeff stood outside the doors that led into the airports. He looked over the car park. He couldn’t see her anywhere.
Leah looked up and saw Jeff looking over the massive car park. She moved from the wall and stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt him jump slightly but when he looked over his shoulder he breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m sorry.” Leah said softly as Jeff turned around.
“It’s ok. I guess it’s kind of a shock huh?”
“Yeh a bit.” She replied in a sarcastic voice.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be Jeff. You brought us here to start a new life together, but I never knew what else you had planned. I had no idea you had a brother and that…that I have an identical twin. I never thought it was possible, I mean when Colleen and me talked it all seemed so…so unreal but it was great to believe, and that is all I thought it was…something that we could believe but never find out the truth. But now…” Leah said as she sighed and walked away from Jeff a couple of paces before turning back. “But now all of that has changed. It’s real Jeff. I have a sister. I didn’t think I had any family. And she’s dating your brother.”
Jeff took a slow pace forward before reaching out for Leah. “I know it’s strange, but I thought you would be happy you met her and you’ve got the chance to get to know someone who will love and care for you always, throw thick and thin.”
“You mean you won’t?” Leah asked as she pulled away from Jeff and walked over and sat on an abandoned bench. Jeff walked quickly to her as she buried her head in her hands, hiding her tears.
“That is not what I mean. I will ALWAYS be with you. But something’s that you may feel you can’t talk to about girls’ stuff. Things that I don’t know anything about. But never ever doubt my loyalty to you. Please promise me that.”
Leah dropped her hands and stood up. “I can’t promise anything anymore Jeff.” She offered him her hand and he took it. “Come on. Lets go find my sister.” She said as she pulled Jeff up against her.
“Leah.” He said pulling on her hand. “If you can’t promise me anything then when we get married we have to make vows to each other…how do I know that you…that you will keep them...they are just like promises. Promises about spending the rest of our lives together. I don’t know if I can be with someone who can’t promise me that…”
“Jeff. What are you saying? You don’t wanna be with me? That you don’t believe that I will mean the vows I will make to you? I can’t believe this Jeff. Right now I am more confused than I have ever been. But the one thing in my life that was steady, was always there and kept me safe is going to leave me in a strange country with no money, no friends no nothing. Thanks Jeff thanks a lot.” Leah said before she left his side and ran across the car park and out of his site. Jeff was to stunned to say anything. He kicked a coke can that was on the pavement across the road that Leah had just fled across.
What was he going to say to Matt and Colleen? ‘By the way, Leah and I just had a fight and she took of and I have no idea where she is and I don’t know where to go look for her.’
Jeff sighed and turned around and headed back to the bench. Questions flying through his head. Would she still want to be with him? Would she still want to be his wife? Would she ever speak to him again? He loved her with all his heart; he hadn’t meant the words her said to her. But how was he going to fix this one.
He sighed as he watched Matt and Colleen spot him and walk over.
back to Chapter 13
