The Devil's Sweetheart

Watching Francis zoning out of the thoughts, Leena patted his shoulder. ''Francy?''

Leena's slight hit brought Francis back to the current world. His gaze shifted to the surroundings at once, then to Leena again. ''I am sorry. I got carried away for a while. Where were we?''

''You were telling mom distanced herself from you. Why? How did she get close to Max_.''

''Leena,'' Francis stopped her. ''It's better if you don't know some things. It's all in the past.''

''I am sorry if you are hurt,'' Leena whispered with a downcast face.

''Silly child. I am not mad at you.'' Francis chuckled, shaking his head. ''Tell me when did you know about the locker?''

''When I was fourteen.'' Leena sheepishly replied. ''I was checking your room if I can get anything valuable, but then I found a small stamp size picture fallen close to the safe. I was curious to know why mom's picture was in your room.''

''And you hacked into it?'' Francis added to her.

''Had I hacked, you will not be able to key in the same password, and I would be caught red-handed. I am not a dumb girl to do that.'' Leena continued. ''I know you are curious about the hands I played, but I will not answer it,'' Leena added. She has got tricks under her sleeves to find impossible to possible, which she keeps to herself.

''Good! You have turned into a sly fox,'' Francis proudly said. He has taught Leena to make more tracks than necessary, and some in the wrong direction. Before striking her, one has to think of her tricks at first.

''Speaking of the fox, I have recently written a poem. Do you want to_?''

''Stop right there. I want to sleep peacefully today.'' Francis shuddered at a certain memory. Once when Leena was young, she has written a poem on some hello poetry and red cow. She then forced him to send it to a newspaper channel, and Francis still regrets doing so.

''Okay. I will tell it to Devin then.'' Leena pouted, and the atmosphere turned silent for a while. ''I want to see you happy again,'' Leena whispered, looking into his eyes.

''Am I not?'' He questioned back. He constantly asks himself how his life would have turned out if Heather was by his side. He obviously knows the answer, but still, he does that because he can at least dwell on that fantasy for a while.

''I want you and mom to get together_.''

''That's never going to happen!'' Francis rebuffed instantly. Not before he confessed his feelings, Heather gave a tight face slap by admitting her feelings to some other man right in front of him. He doesn't want to soar any heights and then gets drowned in depths of sorrows. He will spend with her memories alone in this life.

"Why? If you are scared of confessing, I will help you both_''

''End of the discussion, Leena. I am going inside.'' Francis left the room, signaling her to follow inside after a while.

''Argh!'' Leena frustratingly kicked her legs into the air in frustration. ''Francy deserves all the happiness in the world. He has given up his life taking care of mom and me. The time has come to take care of him.''

"Ugly Devil and Lovely Angel. Leena is requesting your presence_''

Not before Leena completed her words, her minions flew on her shoulders.

''It's been a long time, Goddess Leena,'' Devil said.

''She has been enjoying with her husband. Why would she remember us?'' Angel replied.

''Alright, I will hear your rantings when I am free, angel. But now we got a task.''

''What is it, goddess?'' Devil asked.

''We are going to unite Francy and my mom.''

''Yay! We are in.'' Both Devil and angel replied in unison.

''That's the spirit.'' Leena nodded her head. ''Hail to Heather, Francis. Let's give them a name.''

''FranHea?'' Devil said.

''Yuck. Not good.'' Angel replied. ''HeaFra? How is it?''

''I want to puke.'' Devil replied.

''What about Heacis?'' Leena added but dumbfounded when she repeated the familiar name. ''OMG! It's Heacis mansion. My poor Francy. How much love he had for mom?'' With a heavy heart, Leena went inside the home, thinking of ways to couple these two.

.....

Laying on the bed, Heather groaned in frustration when the memory of Francis holding her was continuously replaying in her mind. Even now, her heartbeat was echoing in her ears. ''Stop it, Heather. You have a grown-up daughter already. You shouldn't be thinking of him.''

Heather closed her eyes to get rid of his images, but to no avail. She grabbed her mobile and clicked the images icon, and opened a picture. Tracing her fingers, Heather smiled. She had taken his pictures secretly when he was stepping into the car or going into the garden. ''It feels like you haven't aged. You are looking more mature and handsome. Even after two decades, my heart still beats the same for you.'' She whispered with a faint smile.

Francis is her secret. Her beautiful secret. Everything was going smoothly until she went to study Medicine. Francis rarely comes home and talks with her. Heather thought he got busied with company affairs, but she was wrong. Her heart broke when she learned he is seeing someone. But, she was determined to confess her feelings even if he accepts or not, then life took a strange path after that cruise ship incident. She doesn't regret the incident because she got adorable baby Leena.

Heather's thoughts interrupted when she heard a knock on the door. Closing her mobile, Heather got up to open it. As expected, it was her daughter.

''Hi, mom. Had your dinner?''

''Not yet, Leena baby. What about you?''

''I had outside,'' Leena replied, and silence prevailed for a while.

''Leena.'' Heather started. ''I_me_Francis in the study room_.''

''Francy already explained, mom'' Leena held her arm and smiled assuringly. ''You don't need to worry about that.'' For now, Leena doesn't want to put her mom in an awkward situation. After listening to Francis's story, she had a gut feeling that someone has interfered in their lives without them knowing.

''Francis is in home?'' Heather asked in a stupor. 'Didn't he run away telling me that he has urgent work at the office?'

''Yeap. Let's go and have dinner. Everybody is waiting for you.''

''Leena, I am feeling a little tired. Can you ask Grace to send it to my bedroom?'' Heather pleaded. She can't face him today. No, at least for a week until her heart calms down.

''Alright, mom,'' Leena said before walking out.

Heather closed the door and slumped on the bed in frustration when he appeared again. ''Why are you torturing me?''