A Step Closer to Love

Ethan walked in to see Everly still holding the hand of Arabella.

“I did not know our guest had arrived. Everly why did you not call me when she came?” Ethan said.

“Because you hate it when I disturb you when you are playing your games,” Everly said.

When they arrived she went to tell her husband that Arabella had arrived but she met him playing his favorite video game. Ethan retired almost six years ago and ever since then, he devoted his time and energy to playing video games.

He only came out of the game room whenever it was mealtime. Everly could not understand but he seemed to never miss mealtime and was always on point. A perfect example is just now, she was yet to call him to join them for dinner but he had come out without fail. How was he doing it?

“Why would you say that darling?” Ethan said with a guilty smile across his face.

“Ara, I’m so glad you are here, finally another person to keep me company with these men in this house. I have a husband but I have to talk to myself and also I have a son but he is never home. Men” Everly said finishing her sentence with a sigh.

Asides from the reason that Arabella was her friend’s daughter she was finally happy to have some other person in the house apart from her husband and son who have decided to leave her all to herself.

Everly noticed that she began to slip into depression so she signed up for multiple language classes and dance lessons. That way she would not be in the house constantly keeping to herself.

When she used to stay home all day she had Ava just the next day. Anytime she needed company she knew where to go but recently she had been all alone with her thoughts and it’s been overwhelming for her.

“You always make me and Kieran the villain in your story,” Ethan said pulling out the chair at the head of the table and sitting down.

“Can I have dinner?” he added.

“Come sit here,” Everly said pulling out one chair for Arabella. She sat and looked at the old man in her front.

“Good evening Mr. Sterling,” She said which made his head shoot up.

Both parties were busy exchanging words that they forgot about why they were fighting in the first place.

“Arabella” Ethan exclaimed.

Although he was barely close with any of the girls it is still lovely to meet her after a long while. Ethan has only hung out with them because of his wide and most times he could have sports banter with Richard.

“It’s so good to see you after all these years. I must say you are now a beautiful young woman” Ethan added with his eyes crinkled up in a smile.

“Thank you for the compliment sir,” Arabella said her head going down.

“Isn’t she so polite and respectful?” Everly asked as she proceeded to set down the dinner in her hand.

“Can I assist with anything?” Arabella said standing up.

“Sit back down, I got it tonight,” Everly said.

“Thank you for the meal,” Arabella said before taking a bite off the plate in front of her.

“Stop saying too much thanks. Anything for you. You now belong to the family. You are my daughter now” Everly said going to get the rest of the meal.

Arabella ate silently as she devoured the delicious-tasting food that they got at Spice Symphony.

Arabella finished her meal and helped with clearing the dishes. She wanted to wash them when Everly came out to meet her.

“Oh don’t worry Gracie would take care of it” Everly said snatching the gloves out of her hand.

“Have a good rest. You have to go to work tomorrow morning” Everly said.

“Okay, then Mrs. Sterling. Thank you for the meal and the warm welcome” Arabella said bowing her head.

“No need to thank me. I’m happy to have someone to call a daughter and also call me Everly” she said holding her.

“It feels weird to call you by your first name” Arabella confessed.

If her mom heard about it she was going to have her head. She would never dare call the adults in her family by their names.

“I insist” Everly said.

“Now run along” she added pushing Arabella towards the direction of the stairs.

“Ara, I forgot to mention this” Everly said which made Arabella stop in her tracks and turn back.

“What is it?” Arabella asked.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

For some reason that she couldn’t pinpoint, she knew she would not like the news that she was about to hear.

“Kieran is a head executive at the editing company you are going to work for. He would be taking you to work tomorrow so be early. I would wake you up anyways”

Kieran was working in the same company as she was? Why did she just learn about it now? It was not as if she knew beforehand she would have rejected the offer. If she did not see him now she would have probably forgotten all about him.

“Okay, that’s fine. I was wondering how I would get there anyways” Arabella said composing herself.

She did not know but something about Kieran did not sit right with her it felt as if he was proud and not welcoming. She did not care anyways she was not here for him. She was here to finally achieve her dream of being an editor. She was glad it was a start-up so she could easily rise through the ranks.

“Good night Mrs… Everly,” Arabella said changing Mrs Sterling to Everly when she saw the look on the woman’s face.

“Good night darling,” Everly said blowing her a kiss.

Arabella entered her room and sat on the bed. She called her sister while she tried to arrange her luggage. She picked out what she was going to wear on her first day of work. She was overly excited.

“How was your trip?” Seraphina asked her.

“Tiring, I forgot how I hated planes. Imagine I had to cross over again” Arabella said with a laugh in her words.

She was seriously missing her family and she wished she could fly right now to be with them.

“How is Mom?” Arabella asked.

“She has gone out to meet with the ladies,” Seraphina said.

Ava was a woman who was a social butterfly. The girls referred to the ladies as Ava’s friends. The ladies were a group of house wives who gossiped.

“Is she doing well without me?” Arabella asked.

“You’ve been gone less than a day,” Seraphina said in a teasing tone.

Seraphina knew that that night her mom was going to cry her eyes out.

“Do you remember Kieran?”