1 YEAR LATER Arabella was meeting Kieran after work; she had moved out because she was not comfortable with being there while dating him and had found herself a new job where she seemed to function much better. She was even on her way to write a book of her own. Kieran, who started a book publishing house solely for the money, now began to learn about this thing so he could help her out with the publication.She was glad that she had given in and tried to date him, or else she would never understand what this kind of relationship meant. Kieran was so attentive and made her feel like his entire world revolved around her. She learnt to drive and even bought her car.Sometimes she believed that he was going to propose to her because he would bring up discussions that centered around their future home, but then after that, it would be like they were back to base one. She liked base one, but she hated living all by herself. She wanted to move back in with him, and she wanted to begin havi
"I am so happy for you," Ava said as she stood with Kieran and Arabella; they had just got married, and it was truly a joyous day. Kieran had been so quick with the preparations that it took them barely two months to put everything together. "I just couldn't believe that my little one had found love," she added, tears welling in here again."Mom, you need to stop crying; seeing you cry makes me cry as well," Arabella said, blinking back the tears. Her make-up artist had retouched her make-up multiple times because she knew she was getting annoying already, but she could not control the burst of emotions flowing from her body. "Mom," Seraphina said, coming from behind and putting her hand over the shoulders of her mother. "It is a happy day; why do you keep crying? Someone, I mistake you to be mourning." "I am just thinking of how proud your father would have been to witness today.""I am sure he is watching over us from above," Arabella said, holding her mom's hand tightly."Mom, le
"Ara help me set up the table" Ava screamed from down the stairs. She moves back to the kitchen and pushes towards her boiling pot of soup. She stirs vigorously hoping it doesn't cuddle to the sides of the pot. She sighed when she noticed her daughter had not paid attention to her at all. She puts off the stove in front of her and wipes her hand on her apron. She can't believe that she was left to do all the work by herself. Her husband would soon be back from work and it was their turn to host dinner with their neighbors. Once a week they had dinner together and rotated who hosted it. This week was her turn. She glanced at the wall clock on the kitchen wall. Her husband should be back in ten minutes and in thirty minutes her neighbors should be coming in for dinner. Her elder daughter was nowhere to be found. She was probably surging through the mall with full passion unable to buy anything. Her daughter needed to return before the Sterlings came over. She heard the front door squ
Arabella pushed her glasses back up and blinked multiple times at her sister. "What do you want?" she asked, looking down at the money. She was aware that her mom was probably cooking up a storm downstairs and would probably need her attention, but the book she got from the library had so many important hooking points that she could not help but get lost in it. "Mom said you should get a block of cheese," Seraphina said, gesturing to the money on the book. "Do I have to?" Arabella asked, annoyance lacing her voice. Arabella hated every other Friday night because their mom made it a nightmare for them. She had to run around trying to help her mother prepare an award-winning dinner and sit through the adult boring conversation while the blank and aloof Kieran Sterling, who was ten years older, gave her a blank stare. "You know the answer," Seraphina said in a sing-song voice as she turned to leave. Arabella put a bookmark between the pages of what she was just reading. She st
As they all sat down for dinner at the Bishop's residence everyone was complimenting how wonderful Ava's cooking was. In fact, the smile on her face was enough for her to be filled without eating anything more on her plate. "We have great news," Ethan Sterling said. Ethan was the father of the Sterling family and he was quite reserved and spoke only when necessary. "Must be great news" Seraphina murmured. Like her younger sister, she was also uninterested in the going on at the table. She always wondered why she had to eat with the old people and that included Kieran who was five years older than her. "Drop the book, Ara," Ava said with a stern voice. Arabella had been indifferent to the happenings at the table and had her nose buried in the book she brought from the library. She slowly put her bookmark into the pages and dropped the book on the floor beside her. She would rather read those books than listen to the boring adult conversation. If the Sterlings had a child their ag
After dinner, the adults stayed back to celebrate while the kids left. Seraphina went back to watch her late-night shows on the television in her parent's room. Arabella went back to read her book in her room, and Kieran went to pack his bags for school because since he got in through early admissions, he was going for an early quick start program and was leaving in two days. As Arabella opened up her book to read, her mind wandered to the blue-eyed boy who always sat opposite her at dinner, and she thought of how she would not see him again. It was not like she was going to miss him or anything but the fact that she was probably not going to see him again. The adults had some wine before they all retired to bed. Ava made her daughters escort her with Everly to see off Kieran at the airport. The girls, uninterested, watched as the lanky blue-eyed boy went into the departure hall. The girls were taken for ice cream by Everly while Ava had to rush to get groceries for her household
Everly's journey to the hospital was shorter than usual as she prayed that everything was all good with her friend. Everly and Ava had been friends since high school. When they both went to college they lost touch and contact. One day Ava moves in next door and met her high school friend. They rekindled the friendship and their family join in too. Everly had Kieran while she was in her first year of college which was what made the age gap in their children pronounced. They entered the emergency room with urgency. They saw Ava sitting in one of the chairs. Arabella rushed to her mom book still in hand. Both girls had disposed of their ice cream after hearing the distressing news from their mom. "Mom," Arabella said holding her hands. Ava's head was bowed and tears rolled down her cheeks. She did not know the best way to tell the girls that she was now a widow and that they were now fatherless. A young man who looked like he was just in his twenties staggered towards them and went
The Bishop family felt like someone removed the sure boat they were on and now they were sinking deeper than they could imagine. It could only take a huge float boat to save them now. It took them all they could to put together the burial ceremony. The family of the driver had made the family lose their precious family and had come around multiple times to ask for forgiveness and beg on behalf of the son. Ava had promised herself that she was never going to forgive him. She knew that she might try to forgive me but the fact that he was let off with a measly fine that can never bring her husband back to life because he was a first-time offender would haunt her for the rest of her life. "What do you mean you are moving back home?" Everly said in a whisper. "I have thought it through and I'm moving back for the girls and myself. I am not possibly taking care of these girls by myself and most importantly I can not take care of myself" Ava. To Everly, it felt like Ava was overdoing it