One Hour to Midnight (8 page)

She watched the blonde, her heart jerking in her chest. "And you're surprised?"

Even now, Veronica struggled with the enormity of Yannis's deception, his calculated cruelty, the immorality of not only his actions, but Leon's and Julia's too. They had all preyed on a love-starved girl's infatuation.
 

Oh yes, it was more than time to kill off Ricki.

Was Andreas heading along the same path? Was this the root of Leon's concern?
 

Sonia's eyes narrowed. "Not really. Yannis was an unfeeling bastard, but does that make him any different from Leon?"

The question lay there like a gauntlet thrown into the silence, a challenge Veronica wasn't prepared to touch.

 
"And if I were you, Ricki, I'd be very concerned. If Jordan survives, will he suffer the same fate?"

Veronica took a slow, hurting breath, hand clenched tightly. The silence in the room suddenly so intense, the squabbling of brightly coloured parrots in the trees outside the window could be clearly heard.
 

"I go by my given name now, Veronica." She lifted her chin, shoulders straight. "Jordan isn't my concern, Sonia. I relinquished my rights."
 

The words hurt, but they needed to be said.

Every moment since her arrival here had only served to reinforce Kathleen's words. Jordan was not her child, had never been her child since the day she'd given him to Leon and Julia. And this was an acknowledgement far too long in coming.

"Veronica?" Sonia raised one well-shaped eyebrow. "What brought that about?"

"Could it be that the entire Karvasis family killed off the naïve, gullible Ricki?"

Dull colour ran up under Sonia's fair skin. "Are you lumping me in with them?"

Memories of her previous encounter with this woman surfaced and with it a quirk of black humour. What was it Kathleen always said?
If the cap fits, wear it.

 
"Why are you here?" Veronica was suddenly impatient with this woman and whatever agenda she was peddling.

"I thought when he adopted Jordan Leon would butt out of my life. What a joke!" Sonia gave an inelegant snort and paced in front of the window. "Now, I've a new man in my life. José wants us to marry, and me and the children go and live with him in Argentina."

"And?"

"Leon won't have a bar of it." Sonia's pacing grew more frantic. "It'll do Andreas good to leave Melbourne and the toxic taint surrounding his father's name."

Veronica frowned. "And what has this to do with me?"
 

Sonia stared at her, expression arrested. "You really don't know do you?"

"Know what?" Apprehension leaked through Veronica's astonishment.

Sonia laughed, shaking her head. "And you said naïve, gullible Ricki Langdon was dead?"
 

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about." Veronica wondered if this was how Alice felt after she'd fallen down the rabbit hole.
 

"That's what's so funny. Don't you know Leon has you in his sights to replace his darling Julia? Can you persuade Leon to be reasonable? So José and I can marry?"
 

She wants me to plead her case with Leon.
Veronica's patience evaporated.
 

Sonia, like every other Karvasis, was a user. How she dreamed up this ludicrous idea was anyone's guess.
 

As if I can persuade Leon to do anything.

Chapter Five

V
eronica dozed in the recliner, exhausted after the physical endurance test.
 

"How are you feeling?" A nurse placed a parcel on the table beside her chair.
 

Veronica grimaced. "I had no idea I was so unfit."

The nurse chuckled. "Scary isn't it? Here's a delivery to cheer you up."
 

Intrigued, Veronica sat up. The parcel was light and odd shaped. Surprise gifts were few and far between and she savoured the moment. Why was Leon sending her gifts? Veronica opened the attached card. The childish writing set her heart thudding.
 

Veronica.

 
Dad helped me choose a gift to thank you for your help.
 

Jordan.

It was too much. Leon didn't play fair! Veronica held a trembling hand to her cheek.
When had the Karvasis family ever played fair?
 

This gift was Leon's idea. Jordan couldn't leave his hospital bed. She opened the parcel and the breath caught in her throat.
 

Nestled in tissue, a silver mouse, bright ruby eyes in an inquisitive face peeping from a hole in the base of a tree trunk. The tiny animal was perfect in every delicate detail. She loved it, ran a finger over its surface and turned it up and found hall marks. It was an antique and she knew it was no junk shop find.
 

With a hollow, sinking 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 a tough choice. Were you forced into bed with Yannis? Forced to relinquish the child born of that liaison?"

"Of course not." She was shaken by his vehemence.

"Here's your chance to make amends. To see your child and get to know him."

His words battered against a bruise that had never quite healed. "You've never changed."

"Meaning?"

"The world still revolves around you, Leon, and your demands. First you want my baby and me out of your lives." She snapped her fingers. "Now, when circumstances have changed, you expect me to meekly comply with your new rules."

"Tell me, Veronica, why did you agree to come here, and be tested?"

Heat rushed up into her face. "Who could refuse? And you had to know I'd agree, before you approached me."

Leon nodded his expression grim. "I gambled on you caring enough to help, although after seeing you in that night club, I had my doubts."'

Anger mingled with embarrassment. Little did he know how out of character that night was for her. "I see. It's perfectly okay for a Karvasis to prey on an infatuated teenager, but heaven forbid that a grown woman can enjoy a night out and a few drinks with friends."

Colour seeped up under his tan. "When have I ever said I approved of my brother's actions?"
 

Long supressed anger slipped its leash. It was more than time this man learned she wasn't the same teenage girl, easily intimidated. "You didn't need to, Leon. Kathleen always told me that actions speak far louder than words."

The anger that flared in his eyes made her nervous. "Meaning?"
 

"Why Leon," she mocked, her voice soft and exceedingly bitter. "Could it be because you ended up with my child? The same child Yannis used as barter to pay off his debts?"

The accusation ricocheted in the plush, hospital room bouncing off the tastefully decorated walls as if they wanted no part of such an awful accusation.

Leon's harshly expelled breath was loud. He stood, his hand clenching and unclenching into a tight fist. A red tide of colour ran up into his face and then receded, leaving him deathly pale.
 

"If you were a man, I'd knock you senseless for that remark," he said through clenched teeth.

He walked out the door, shutting it with a genteel thud as he left.
 

Veronica inhaled a shaken breath.

Did I just weather a storm force hurricane?

~***~

"It's all good news, Ms Langdon." Professor Carey beamed as he came through the door. "You and Jordan match on all ten points."

"Thank God." Giddy with relief, she brushed away tears.

"There's no reason to cry." He patted her shoulder. "You should be cheering."

"It's relief."
 

"So I was told when Karvasis reacted the same way."
 

"Leon was crying?" She looked at him, incredulous.

"Hey, don't be too hard on him, Ms Langdon. He's human and has been carrying this load alone for a long while."

His words stirred mixed emotions. Thankful she could give Jordan a good chance of going into remission, but her joy was tinged with sorrow. Would she lose even this tenuous thread of belonging?

Professor Carey was brisk. "It'll be a week before Jordan's ready for the transplant. Use those days to rest and soak up sunshine. It will give Jordan a boost. Okay?"