A Step Closer to Love

Arabella woke up a bit later than she usually did. She felt exhausted from the day before and the day before that. She traveled in and then immediately had to resume work.

She partially blamed her mom for what happened to her. Her mom had insisted that she states back to attend her snobby cousin’s wedding when she was barely interested in her.

Arabella sat in her bed staring at the wall in front of her. ‘It would be wrong of me to go on a break after spending only a day. It would give Aurora more reasons to bully me’ Arabella thought inwardly.

Her phone vibrated on the bedside stand she looked at the screen and it was her mom.

“Hello, Okaasan” Arabella said putting the phone to her ear.

“Hana, you left us and forgot about us,” Ava said in an accusing tone.

“Mother” Arabella cried out.

She knew her mom and she was the best at manipulating someone emotionally. She did it every time Arabella went to college and did not call her mother. She spoke with her mom when she landed in Crescent Bay but did not call her mom the previous day.

Things were hectic at the office and then she had the dinner that was supposed to be a welcome for her that later turned into a drinking contest between all of her colleagues.

“I can’t believe you would and can go a whole day without talking to me who carried you in your womb for nine months,” Ava said.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“I miss you too Mom I have just not had enough time to adjust” Arabella responded.

Her mom was one special being. She was worried about her daughter but did not know the right words and expressions to make herself and her daughter feel better.

Ava was skeptical about sending her daughter abroad but after she left although she missed her she was glad she allowed her to go. She would not have forgiven herself if her daughter missed out on doing all she wanted because her mother was afraid of what was outside in the world.

“How is Sera?” Arabella asked.

She had chatted with Seraphina into the night the previous day but she knew that her sister was probably busy all day if not she would have called to know how her day went.

“She was suddenly called into work again during her leave because one of the celebrities caused a major scandal,” Ava says explaining.

“Oh that’s too bad guess I would not be able to get through to her until evening then”, Arabella said and her mother hummed in response.

Arabella and Ava chatted a little more before Arabella told her mom that she needed to get to work. Ava was going to bed while Arabella was just preparing to go to bed.

“Goodbye, Mom” Arabella said as Everly stuck her head through the door.

“I knew you were an early riser so I came to tell you to sleep in. Whenever your company drinks like maniacs they stay back and go in to work by noon so you can rest more” Everly said.

“Oh my God that is such good news. Thank you, Everly”

For the very first time in Arabella’s life, she was grateful that she could get more sleep. She laid back down.

“I would let you get more sleep. I would wake you up before Kieran would be ready to leave” Everly said closing the door as she left the room.

Arabella snuggled under the covers and closed her eyes. Soon sleep and dream world engulfed her.

A few hours later Arabella was sitting down at the sinking table for breakfast. Ethan was sitting at the head of the table while Everly walked multiple times from the kitchen to the dining room trying to set the table.

Everly had insisted that Arabella does not help her with the table setting. Everly was overjoyed with Arabella and how she even offered to help with the table setting.

Kieran walked in with the phone in hand and head hung over. It was like he was reading some thing important over it.

“Good morning” hr murmured not looking up but sitting beside his father on the head of the table. Everly had insisted that Arabella must be seated beside her.

“Good morning” Arabella replied.

She was in a hurry to tell Kieran she would not be going with him but decided against bringing it up in front of his parents.

“We are having brunch because of your reckless drinking,” Everly said sitting down and dropping the plate of pancakes in her hand to the table.

“Arabella did not drink,” Kieran said dropping his phone to the table.

“I am talking about you,” Everly said.

“Your mom and I had to drag you up the stairs yesterday,” Ethan said with a strong glare.

“I am sorry,” Kieran said.

To Arabella, Kieran saying sorry was so strange. Who would have thought that the strong and confident man at work was not that strong? It felt very strange to her that he said sorry so easily.

“Yeah, why don’t you say point blank to us to keep shut?” Everly said.

She knew her son very well. He only said sorry so they don’t keep talking about the same thing all through breakfast.

“He said sorry why don’t you drop it?” Ethan said. “The pancakes would go cold while we wait for you two to work out your differences” he added.

“Am I no longer allowed to have opinions or say anything in this house anymore?” Everly said. The happiness and joy that overwhelmed her yesterday had been taken down a notch and now she was only left with the comments of her husband once again.

She was still excited about getting a date with her new daughter but that was not enough for her to get by with.

“Mom” Kieran breathes out slowly. “He did not mean that” he added.

Arabella was getting uncomfortable at this point she wanted to stand and leave as it seemed like a family intimate moment.

“Let’s just have the meal,” Kieran said before Arabella could make her mind up if she wanted to stand up or not.

“Let’s say a prayer,” Everly says going to hold the hands of Arabella. They say a prayer and everyone goes digging in.

“Thank you for the meal,” Arabella said before reaching to take a pancake.

“It would not kill you two to also thank me for the new too,” Everly said.

“You did not even make this,” Ethan says putting a chunk of pancake to his mouth.

“Mom dad please” Kieran said.

He has had to separate his parents argument many times than usual in these past few months. It was getting exhausting and to think they are still fighting in the presence of the new girl.

“Okay fine” Everly said choosing to finish her meal in silence.