The Extra Place Setting

"I think that's everything." I looked through the contents of the partially full trolley, then back at the paper.

"You forgot green peas," Leo reminded, peeking over my shoulder.

"Right!" I marched past the frozen food section and toward the vegetables area, with Leo wheeling the trolley behind me as he followed. How could I have forgotten the green peas? I needed it to make dad's favorite salad.

"Isn't this quite a lot for a two-person Thanksgiving dinner?" he asked, leaning forward over the handle of the trolley and watching me as I looked through the various packets laid out to find a good set of peas.

"It is when you look at it like that but we're big eaters, especially my dad. You would be surprised if you saw how big the turkey is."

We walked over to the check-out section of the supermarket, joining the long queue which I wasn't surprised to see. It was the day before Thanksgiving after all. I back-tracked so I could stand next to him near the trolley handle with my purse already in hand.

"It's real sweet of you though." Leo's words caught me by surprise. I looked up to see his eyes fixed on mine, with an odd amount of warmth in them. Was that a compliment? Clearing his throat, he broke his gaze, eyes scanning the content of the trolley as he explained, "I mean, for you to trouble yourself this much to make a nice dinner for your dad."

I smiled, realizing what he'd meant. "I try. We haven't had a proper Thanksgiving together in years because of..." Leo nodded, understanding where I was going with that. "Last Thanksgiving had been spent eating take-out with him when he got home from work really late. And the one before that, him and my mom had fought over who I'd spend it with. I can't remember the last time I spent a nice Thanksgiving with him."

The line got shorter, and I paused talking momentarily as Leo moved the trolley a few spaces forward.

"Besides, I barely see much of my dad since we moved here except on the weekends but even then, he's working in his study. Since he's the sole earner supporting both of us, I can understand why he's so busy all the time. This Thanksgiving, I just want to spend some proper time with him."

"That's...really considerate of you."

I smiled at Leo. "It's what families do."

He absorbed my words like he would that of a teacher's in a lesson. It's almost like he couldn't relate to my words. Knocking my elbow with his, I said lightly, "You would know, with your big family dinner coming up."

All too soon, the warmth in his eyes was sucked away and replaced by the usual distant look, the expression he most often wore. "Sure," he muttered halfheartedly. There was more to it than just that word of reluctance but I didn't ask as we pulled up to the cashier. 

"Thanksgiving shopping, eh?" she chirped as Leo and I started to unload the several food items and ingredients I had selected. I nodded with a smile at the older lady. "We got fresh turkey too!"

"No thank you," I declined. "Got one back home."

She continued to scan in the rest of the items. Leo passed by my right to start placing the items in the plastic bags for us to take while I was busy keeping an eye on the sub-total flickering on the price display screen, a little too busy maybe that I barely registered what the lady said next.

"Looks like you'll be cooking up quite a meal together."

"Sure thing," I nodded along, absentminded in my task of fishing out money from my purse when the full meaning of her words hit me. Looking up, I started waving my hands at her like a chicken as the beginning touches of a hot blush graced my face.

"Oh...no, it's not what you think. We're not a - uhh..." I hesitated, my eyes flying to meet Leo's to urge him silently to speak up.

He had stopped mid-action, the rustle of the plastic coming to a pause as he smiled at me in an almost endearing way. Why wasn't he saying anything?

"We're not a...what, May?" His tone was dripping with sugary affection and it was the first time he'd addressed me using my nickname. I didn't like the way it sounded coming off of his lips, in an artificial moment such as this one where he was simply challenging me to complete that sentence. Somehow, it angered me.

The old lady exchanged a glance with Leo, and observed the heated flush of my face before giggling shyly. "Oh, to be young and feel love's first touch."

Leo shot her a dazzling grin, blinding her with his pearly white teeth and good looks. I could've sworn she almost fell off her chair. Embarrassed beyond words, I simply slapped the exact dollar bills and change required for the payment on the counter and stalked over to Leo, bumping him away hard with my hip and grabbed the rest of the bags. He gave an over-the-top farewell to the cashier, grabbed the receipt and followed me out of the supermarket doors.

"What was that?" I spun around. The strength of my voice didn't match that of the furious glare I was giving him.

"What?" he asked innocently.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I hissed, "Why didn't you deny that we're a couple?"

"Tell me this Makayla, are you a frequent shopper at this supermarket?"

"What does that have to do with-"

"Answer the question."

"...no," I grumbled.

"Well then, what difference does it make what she thinks of us? It's not like you'll ever see her again."

Observing the silence that followed, Leo smirked knowingly, "Exactly," then instructed me to follow him. I did, maintaining my quiet although I was fuming on the inside. Sure, he was right. It didn't make any difference whether or not she thought we were a couple as she was just some random stranger working in a supermarket chain but there was more to it just than that. Leo liked finding entertainment in silly little plays such as these. Besides, that affectionate purr of his back there was still ringing through my head. I didn't like fake plays.

I watched and followed Leo as he walked through the car park and toward a car parked further down the street. It was a beautiful black Mercedes Benz, one that my dad would have killed to have. Without hesitation, he opened the passenger door and my eyebrows shot up in surprise. I opened my mouth to remind him that stepping into cars that did not belong to him was, in fact, a crime but stopped as the the driver stepped out and addressed Leo.

"Mr. Harper."

"Put these bags in the trunk, Greyson," he ordered coolly.

"Yes sir."

The driver took the groceries from me and Leo wordlessly, and followed Leo's instruction.

"Get in," Leo spoke, and I realized he was holding the door open for me. "My driver will take you home. You can't be carrying all this with you."

Leo had his own chauffeur? Didn't only rich families have their own personal drivers like this sharply dressed 'Greyson' fellow? I held back the questions I had and stepped forward, ducking my head and settling into the leather seat. I expected Leo to join me but instead, he shut the door and bent down to look at me through the open window.

"Greyson will drop you home and help you with your groceries."

"T-thank you, but what about you?"

He shook his head, blonde strands falling in front of his eyes and covering them from my view. "I don't have any plans to go home quite yet."

"Oh, well...okay."

With a firm smile, he greeted, "Well then, happy Thanksgiving Makayla."

Leo straightened, moving away from the window and told Greyson my address before stepping back from the car. His driver entered and started the engine, and soon we were driving away from the supermarket and toward the direction of my house. I turned back in my seat to see Leo already walking away from the supermarket.

Several questions had sprung up in my mind and I wondered when I would get the chance to discover the answers to them. I'd never thought that Leo was a rich guy. He definitely didn't act like one. In fact, he hadn't even given me a chance to wish him a happy Thanksgiving back. Was it because he was afraid I would start to interrogate him?

Settling into the cool leather of the car, I hugged my arms around my stomach and rested my head back. I guess I would have to wait another four days to see Leo Harper, let alone, try to figure out who he really is. And just when I'd thought the Dark Lord was the only complicated one of the group.

**

The house was positively clouding with the aroma of delicious food. With an apron thrown on, hair pulled up into a bun and a spatula in hand, I was totally rocking the image of a cook-book lady. I could hear loud footsteps sound down the hallway and without delay, dad's head popped into the kitchen for the billionth time today.

"Smells good, May," he commented, sniffing the air. "Looks good too," he said, gesturing at the kitchen counter where I'd already set the completed cranberry sauce, and green peas salad. I gave him a stern glare and raised my hands up in the air, flicking my palms back and forth in shooing motions.

"I told you you can't come into the kitchen until I'm done cooking!"

Dad let out his booming, hearty laugh and stepped in, brown eyes twinkling happily at the sight of his daughter cooking up a Thanksgiving meal. "You've been in here for hours now. Are you sure you don't need a helping hand?"

"Yes."

His eyebrow raised. "Really?"

"Positive. Now go." I started to push him out of the kitchen, hearing him chuckle 'alright, alright'.

"I'll be in here, watching the game, not spying on your cooking."

The disadvantage of having an open kitchen that connected to the dining and living room was that anyone could see what I was preparing. I wanted the meal to be a surprise to dad but I could tell from the head popping up and disappearing behind the couch that he didn't want a surprise. I bet his nose told him more than his eyes ever could.

The clock on the microwave read a quarter past four which gave me another 45 minutes to get everything ready. Determined, I turned back to the task at hand and continued to work on finishing the rest of the cooking.

**

Dad refused to sit still and watch as I set the table for dinner. I had managed to finish cooking everything spot on time, and there was still ten minutes left on the clock before 5:00 P.M came about. That's when dad came swooping in, no longer able to hold back and helped me move everything from the kitchen to the dining room table.I wanted the organization to look perfect as I was picky on the lay-out and worked on the place-setting, while he brought in the food.

I didn't realize the mistake I was making until he carried the last of the meal in, setting the oven-roasted turkey in the space I'd made for it in the center. Dad cleared his throat and said my name softly.

"Makayla?"

I hummed underneath my breath in acknowledgment.

"It's just the two of us this year."

"I know but don't worry. I cooked a lot for your big belly." I shot him a grin then went back to folding the forks and knives into the napkin using a special technique that mom taught me long ago.

"May..."

There was something about his tone that urged me to look up at him. I was met by a serious, almost grim face. There was a faint smile on his lips but it wasn't genuine.

"What?"

I followed his gaze and looked at the table, wracking my brain over what he was getting at when I saw it. Two place settings had already been done, and here I was...working on a third. Briefly shocked with my subconscious actions, I released a nervous laugh and dropped the napkin on the table, the cutlery forming a loud clang against the surface.

"I-I guess old habits die hard."

"May," my dad repeated, much softer this time.

"No, it's fine. I'll just clear it up."

His hand reached out and stopped me, curling around my fingers.

"Dad?"

He shook his head. "Leave it."

I frowned. "No. It's not like she's here anymore. Let me just-" His hand tightened around mine and when I looked up, he shook his head at me. Not in a condescending way, like a parent would if they were scolding their child. But the gentleness in his eyes was almost consoling - it was like dad was trying to tell me he understood. I stopped struggling against him and nodded with a smile.

"Okay."

As we started to settle down, dad added jokingly, "Besides, you know what they say. Always leave an extra place setting for an unexpected guest."

I grinned at his effort to try and make me feel better, to try and distract me from the thoughts that had formed in my head each time I looked at that unoccupied chair. Behind the smile that dad wore, I could tell he was trying just as much not to think about mom. If she had been here, the mom that used to love and look after me several years ago, she would have been proud of the meal I'd made.

But no - now was not the time for regrets and 'what if's to be swimming around in my head. It was the time to form new memories of how fun Thanksgiving can be if spent in the company of those you loved most. I wanted to enjoy this meal with the man in my life that I looked up to, my dad.

Just as I was about to start serving the soup for both of us, the doorbell rang. I set down the soup bowl and glanced over my shoulder at the front door.

"Who could that be?"

I shrugged. "Dunno. I'll go check."

Making my way through the living room and toward the front door, my hands shook by my side. 'Snap out of it Makayla,' my mind instructed my heart, mocking the foolish fantasy that started to build up inside of it. Though I longed for the presence of my mother, despite what she'd done to break our family apart, I knew there was no possible way she was the one behind that door. I braced myself for the inevitable disappointment as my hand curled around the door knob and swung the door open and yet...it wasn't disappointment that hit me.

My heart beat faster, swelling up with an emotion that I could only place as a result of joy, followed by inklings of confusion. Because I had no logical reason to feel happy. It wasn't my mother that stood on the front porch. It wasn't my mother that was shooting me a happy, almost shy, grin. It wasn't her that I felt happy to see, when moments ago, I'd been longing for her presence.

It was Damien.

--------------------CHAPTER END---------------------

A/N: Thoughts, anyone? There's a lot going on in this chapter that probably won't make sense to y'all, but let me just say that the story is just beginning to delve into the crux of the plot from this chapter onward. And oh! What is Damien doing on May's doorstep, on Thanksgiving no less?

Let me know what you guys think of the chapter! 

And a belated Happy Thanksgiving to all that celebrated. ^_^

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