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                              All About Leda
                              By Addie Butaud
                                  © 2000

CAUTION!  This story contains mature subject matters.

	Two days after Codi had arrived in Swans Crossing, Elia returned 
from Mexico.  She was curled up on the couch reading a book when the 
doorbell rang.  She got up to answer it.

CODI:  A place this big and no servants, what are they thinking?

	She opened the door and was staring into the face of her father.

ELIA:  Hello my daughter.

	Codi fell into his embrace and began to sob.  Jimmy and Callie 
came into the foyer and saw the reunited parent and child.

JIMMY:  Welcome home Captain.

	Codi stepped back from Elia and wiped her tears away.

CALLIE:  So what did you find out?

ELIA:  Perhaps we should go into the living room and have a seat.

	As the four walked into the living room, AJ woke from his nap 
caterwauling.

JIMMY:  I'll go get him.

	Codi sat back down where her book was.  Elia sat across from her 
and Callie sat next to him.

ELIA:  I talked to dozens of witnesses and they basically said the same 
thing.  Leda staggered to the railing of the ship, stepped up on it, 
lost her balance and fell overboard.

CALLIE:  I can't believe that.

CODI:  I can.  Leda drank … a lot.  And if she was taking her medication 
too, then…

ELIA:  Drugs and alcohol were found in her system.

	Codi let out a nervous giggle.

CALLIE:  Is something funny?

CODI:  No, just ironic.

ELIA:  You find irony in the way your mother died?

CODI:  Leda hated water.  She said that it was a thief and it robbed her 
of her sanity.

	Elia looked hurt by Codi's words.

ELIA:  That was my fault.

CODI:  No sir, it wasn't.  When I was ten, Leda was diagnosed as manic-
depressive.

CALLIE:  She was manic-depressive?

CODI:  More manic than depressive.  Her highs could last for months.  
The only time I would see her was when she'd come down.

CALLIE:  You've been here for two days.  Why didn't you say something 
about this sooner?

CODI:  It's not something I'm comfortable talking about.

CALLIE:  She was my mother too.  You should have told me.

CODI:  The woman you remember as your mother, I didn't know her.

	Codi started to cry uncontrollably.  She pulled her knees up to 
her chest and wrapped her arms around them.  Callie got up and knelt in 
front of her.  Then she grabbed her sister's hands.

CALLIE:  I'm sorry I snapped at you.

CODI:  It's not that. … I just … I don't understand why she took me when 
she left.  She didn't want me.  When I was old enough, she dumped me 
into my first boarding school.

ELIA:  I am so sorry.

CODI:  It's not your fault.  Callie told me that you never stopped 
looking for us.  See, you thought we'd be together.  You had no idea 
that she'd dumped me.

	Jimmy walked into the living room.

CALLIE:  Where's AJ?

	He pointed behind him.  AJ came crawling into the room.  When he 
saw Elia, his little face lit up and he quickened his pace to his 
grandfather.

ELIA:  There's my boy.  Come see your old granddad.

CODI:  He's so cute.

	She picked up a family photo of Jimmy, Callie and AJ off of the 
end table.

CODI:  Are there any family photos of us?

CALLIE:  There used to be, but I haven't seen them in years.

ELIA:  That's because I have them in an airtight, waterproof box in the 
sub.  I did not want anything to happen to them.

CODI:  If it's okay with you, I'd like to see them.

ELIA:  Of course.

CALLIE:  You know what?  I have one.

	Callie got up, ran out of the room and up the stairs.  She went 
into her room and opened her closet door.  Searching the top shelf, she 
found what she was looking for.  She took the mahogany box down and 
brought it over to her bed.  As she slowly opened it, her thoughts went 
to the day her mother had given it to her.

**FLASHBACK**

LEDA:  I have something for you.

YOUNG CALLIE:  I like presents Mommy.

LEDA:  I know you do sweetie.  Here.

	She handed her six-year-old daughter a beautifully wrapped 
package.  Callie carefully unwrapped it not wanting to rip the pretty 
paper.

YOUNG CALLIE:  It's a pretty box.

LEDA:  It's a keepsake box.

YOUNG CALLIE:  What's a keepsake?

	Leda pulled Callie into her lap and hugged her.

LEDA:  A keepsake is something special that reminds you of something or 
someone.

YOUNG CALLIE:  So the box is a keepsake because it will make me think of 
you.

LEDA:  Yes. … I have something to tell you, but you have to promise 
Mommy that you will never tell anyone.

YOUNG CALLIE:  Not even Daddy?

LEDA:  Not even Daddy.

YOUNG CALLIE:  Okay.

LEDA:  Mommy and Codi are going away for a little while.

YOUNG CALLIE:  Why?

LEDA:  Something's wrong with Mommy's head.  I need to go away for just 
a little while so I can be the best mommy I can be for you.

YOUNG CALLIE:  But why does Codi get to go and I don't?

LEDA:  Because I need you to stay here and take care of your father until 
I can come home.

YOUNG CALLIE:  Well when are you coming home?

LEDA:  I don't know.  But I have something for you to put in your box.

YOUNG CALLIE:  A keepsake?

LEDA:  Yes, a keepsake.

	Leda handed Callie a picture of the two of them and Codi that 
Elia had taken in London.

**END FLASHBACK**

	Callie was brought out of her forgotten memory by the sound of 
Jimmy's voice.

JIMMY:  Hey, what's taking so…

	He noticed the tears in her eyes.

JIMMY:  What's wrong baby?

	Callie wiped the tears away.

CALLIE:  I remember.

JIMMY:  What do you remember?

CALLIE:  My mom told me she was leaving.  I didn't remember until I saw 
this box.  This! Damn! Box!

	She threw it against the wall. When it fell to the floor, the 
bottom gave way and an envelope dropped out.

JIMMY:  What's that?

	Callie looked at it.

CALLIE:  I don't know.

	She walked over to it and picked it up off of the floor.  It was 
addressed to her father.

CALLIE:  It's for Dad.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Codi and Elia sat quietly in the living room still on separate 
couches.

ELIA:  So, what grade are you in?

CODI:  I'll be a sophomore.

ELIA:  And your grades?

CODI:  Straight A's.

	Codi took a deep breath.  She was sitting in the same room with 
the man she had wanted to meet her entire life and she did not have a 
clue what to talk to him about.

ELIA:  I'm sure you have several questions you wish to ask me.

CODI:  I know I do.  I just … I don't know where to start.

ELIA:  That's understandable.

CALLIE:  Dad.

	Callie was standing in the archway of the living room, holding 
an envelope.

CALLIE:  This is for you.

ELIA:  What is it?

CALLIE:  It's from Mom.  It was under the bottom of my keepsake box she 
gave me.  It fell out when I kind of threw it against the wall.

CODI:  Why'd you throw it against the wall?

	Callie took a deep breath to slow her heart rate.

CALLIE:  I remembered what she told me when she gave it to me.

	She looked at Elia.

ELIA:  What did she tell you?

CALLIE:  She told me she was leaving and taking Codi.  She made me 
promise not to tell.  I guess I repressed the memory.

	She handed the envelope to her father and took her son from him.  
He carefully opened the envelope so he wouldn't rip it.  He took piece of 
paper out and read it to himself.

	
My Dearest Elia,
	I'm not sure when you'll get this or if you will ever receive it, 
but I had to write it.  I'm not well.  I haven't been for quite a long 
while.  I can no longer control my emotions.  I don't really know how 
to explain it.  I just know that if I don't leave now, I'm going to 
drown.  I'm taking Codi with me.  I need something to remind me of my 
life.  I need a reason to get well.  I don't know when I'll be back.  
Just take care of Callie.  I know she'll take care of you.
							I Love You,
							Leda

	Elia folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope.

CODI:  What did it say?

ELIA:  Oh.  I'm sorry.  Here.

	He handed it to Callie and she sat next to Codi.  After Callie 
read it out loud, Codi put her head on her sister's shoulder and cried.

CODI:  So to her, I was just a keepsake.  I guess she just decided to 
put me in storage.

CALLIE:  I'm sure that's not how she meant it.  It's obvious she was 
already pretty ill.

CODI:  Stop it!

	Codi stood up and started to yell.

CODI:  Stop making excuses for her!  My whole life people have made 
excuses for her.  'Your mother was going to be here, but she had urgent 
business in Brazil.'  'Sorry Codi, your mom had to fly to Thailand.'  
'Leda's in Spain for a month.'  When I did see her, she was always too 
depressed or too drunk to actually spend time with me.

CALLIE:  Codi, you have us now.

CODI:  I know that.  I just wish I knew why my life had to suck beyond 
belief.

	Elia stood, went over to his youngest daughter and embraced her.

ELIA:  Perhaps your mother left a clue somewhere.

	Codi was quiet for a few minutes.

CODI:  Whenever we were together, she was always writing things down in 
a journal.  And every year it was a different one.  The only problem is 
that I have no idea where they would be.

ELIA:  I'll find them.  Then hopefully we'll find our answers.

CODI:  How are you going to find them?  No offense, but it took you 
fourteen years to locate me and that wouldn't have happened if Leda 
hadn't died.

	Callie stood and grabbed Codi's hand.

CALLIE:  He'll find them.

	A flash brightened the room.

CALLIE:  James Clayton, I hope for your sake you did not just take our 
picture.

JIMMY:  Just capturing a family moment.

	Codi smiled.  She finally had the family she'd always wanted.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Questions or comments?  addiegirl@hotmail.com