LOGINShare
Unit I
Last Updated:
2023-07-03 05:16:30"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 squeak open. She pushed her head through the kitchen door to see her daughter enter with a huge pout on her face."Seraphina help me set the table," Ava said.Seraphina was expecting to be scolded for being home late but her mom was overwhelmed and just needed to get the job done before they sat down to dinner. Seraphina knew that she was going to get an earful from her mom later that night.Seraphina moves and begins to set that table. She knew that the Sterlings were coming for dinner which made her mom go into a crazy frenzy to impress the neighbors. Once every two weeks Ava outdid herself in her cooking competition."Mom, where is Arabella?" Seraphina asked her mom."Her nose is probably stuck in a book somewhere upstairs. I have been calling her but it seems she did not hear me" Ava responded handing her daughter a bowl to place at the table center.Seraphina moved swiftly back and forth from the kitchen to the dining table. She was exhausted from touring the mall all afternoon with her friends but she dared not complain or else she would be grounded."Ara" Ava screamed once again.She needed someone to run to the nearby store for some cheese and since Sera was already helping her out there was no way she could send her to the store. Arabella needed to get her nose out of the book and help her mother win the championship in the neighborhood."Sera see what Ara is doing. Take give her this to run to the store for a block of parmesan cheese now" Ava said pulling out some money from the pocket of her apron.Seraphina collected the money from her mom and ran upstairs to her sister's room. She pushed the door open and saw her sister sitting there a huge book in hand and her glasses slipping over her face.Arabella was not aware of her sister's presence in her room. Seraphina put down the money on her sister's book. Arabella looked up the smile turning into a frown.Related chapters
A Step Closer to Love Unit II
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
Last Updated : 2023-07-03A Step Closer to Love Unit III
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
Last Updated : 2023-07-03A Step Closer to Love Unit IV
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
Last Updated : 2023-07-03A Step Closer to Love Unit V
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
Last Updated : 2023-07-03A Step Closer to Love Unit VI
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
Last Updated : 2023-07-04A Step Closer to Love Unit VII
FOURTEEN YEARS LATER. "Hana have you gotten all you need for your trip next week?" Ava asked her daughter. Ava had moved back to Japan with her kids. While they were in Japan both girls got new name. Arabella became Hana and Seraphina became Yuna. "Haha(Mother in Japanese), you have asked me a billion times and I have responded a billion times that I have everything ready and my bag is ready for my trip next week" Arabella said."I just want you to be extra ready. You have never been away from home before" Ava said. When Ava moved back with her girls from Crescent Bay City she held on to them with her dear life and never allowed her out of her site. "And I would be with Aunty Everly all the time" Arabella responded. After her university Arabella began applying for jobs all over the country in the bid to escape from her moms constant prying gaze. She loved her mom but every time she tried to do something her mom was constantly breathing down her neck. After she lost her husband
Last Updated : 2023-07-04A Step Closer to Love Unit VIII
"Hana call us as soon as you land," Ava said holding her daughter tightly. "Haha, I would," Arabella said holding her mother tightly. Up until this moment, she had thought that going away from her mother was the best decision she had made after deciding on what to study, but at the moment she felt that leaving her mom was not going to be okay at all. Her mother was overbearing but she knew she only did it in her best interest. Now Arabella did not care how many times her mother repeated a statement she only wanted to hold her tightly till she could not again. "Mom, can I also say goodbye?" Seraphina asked. Ava reluctantly pulled from her daughter and gently rubbed her face and allowed Seraphina to say goodbye. "Ane(elder sister in Japanese), I would miss you," Arabella said holding on to her sister. Leaving home was scarier than she thought it would be. "Ara be good and call often and be good to Aunty Everly," Seraphina said. Since they lost their dad both girls grew closer to
Last Updated : 2023-07-04A Step Closer to Love Unit IX
During the whole twelve-hour connecting flight from Japan to Crescent Bay, Arabella read the books she had prepared. She studied English and Literary Studies and did a small degree in book editing. She was going to become a book editor at a publishing start-up company at Crescent Bay. As soon as she landed at the International airport at Crescent Bay she put a call to her mother to let her know she had landed safely. She knew that her mother would be worried and constantly check the time and her phone to ensure her daughter was safe. "Oh Ara, have you gotten to Crescent Bay?" Ava asked as soon as she put the call to her ears. "Yes, Mom I am fine and well," Arabella said. "Have you seen Everly?" Ava asked. "No Mom, I have not been able to call her to tell her that I arrived. I just called to tell you I have gotten here safe and sound and that I love and miss you" Arabella said. Ava felt a hot tear roll down her cheek. She still felt uncomfortable letting her little girl out of he
Last Updated : 2023-07-04
Latest chapter
A Step Closer to Love CCXXXIV
"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, let
A Step Closer to Love CXXXIII
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
A Step Closer to Love CXXXII
"A trip?" Arabella asked, taking up the blanket and covering herself. "Yes, a couple's trip," he said, dropping the phone back on the table and walking to her. "What about work? Aren't you going to work again?" she asked. "Are you afraid that you would live broke?" he asked in a teasing tone."Of course I am," Arabella said before tilting her head. "I am jobless now; at least one of us needs to work so we can live a happy life," she added."You know that I do not mind you still thinking with us," Kieran said. After the trial, Arabella decided to stop working there even though Aurora was no longer there. How could she work there after everything that happened? She would be able to face her co-workers if that were the case. "I am sure I will get an offer soon from one of those companies," she said, and he sat beside her. "And you know you do not need to work again; I can take care of you and as many children as you want to have," he said with a wink. "Children?" she said flustered
A Step Closer to Love CXXXI
Arabella rolled over, and she landed right into Kieran's hands. She looked at him like it was an offence for her to do so. She peered at him and then covered her eyes with her hand. She could not believe what she had done over the night. If her mom heard she was going to give her a long lecture and then have her head afterwards. She looked at him, and she was tempted to trace her finger across his face in frustration. "Sleep so much more," she was startled to hear him talk as his mouth moved without even opening his eyes. "How long have you been awake?" She muttered, feeling shy that he had caught her staring so much that she could drill a hole into his face. "A while now," he said, his eyes framing open like a princess that was cast under a spell but was now liberated all of a sudden. He pulled her closer as he wished they could somehow get closer and maybe even mesh together. "Should we go home? Everly must be worried searching for us," Arabella murmured into his chest. He opene
A Step Closer to Love CXXX
"Somewhere, like where?" she asked shyly, dropping her head so their eyes would not meet. "You would see," he said, lifting her head gently. "But we have to make sure that the ride ends first," he said, looking around. He had thought that they were going to have a moment there, but seeing how things turned out, he could not wait to be out of there. Finally, the ride was over, and he drove out of the amusement park to a hotel. "You brought me to a hotel?" she asked in shock as they drove into the underground parking lot. "Why?" she asked now that her tone was in a hushed whisper. "I told you we should come somewhere, and you agreed," he said as he drove by the cars looking for a place to park. "That was because I thought you said that we should go someplace nice," she muttered, looking around like they were sneaking around. "Why are you looking around like we are committing a sin?" he asked, noticing how uncomfortable she got. "It is not that...""Am I being clueless? Am I jumpin
A Step Closer to Love CCXXIX
Kieran paid the operator to let the ride go in a loop three times, and Arabella wondered why he did that."Why?" she whispered to him."To have some alone time," he replied with the same wink from earlier. She gulped down hard, wondering what he was thinking.As the ride got into the tunnel, Arabella held the hand of Kieran tightly with her eyes closed. She had no time to think of what he might have meant with the wink and statements because the ride was definitely scarier than she had expected it to be. She looked at him when she felt his firm hand hold her face and turn it to him. "Are you scared?" he asked, dropping a kiss on her lip. "Kieran," she said in a hushed whisper as she looked around. "There is no one here, and I have been waiting all day just to get that," he said before dropping his head for another kiss. She placed her hand over her mouth because he could kiss her and therefore kissed the back of her hand. He took her hand from her mouth and began to drop multiple k
A Step Closer to Love CCXXVIII
Arabella could feel Kieran's excitement for the date, and she wondered why they got so lucky. They went on every ride in the park like they had been waiting to do this. Arabella was more proud of the fact that a handsome hunk named Kieran was with her. In every line, they heard murmurs of people talking about how handsome he was. She was not letting any of that bother her because she could disagree with them; he was a beauty to behold. She did not let the nasty comments, such as those criticising his choice, get to her. He glued to her like gum on the sole of a shoe, and it must have infuriated the crowd the more because of the kinds of dirty glances she received from them. Kieran was always pushing back her hair and staring at her while holding her hand tightly and dropping random kisses on her forehead. She was shy, but she liked how he marked his terror so openly. She was on a date, and she was going to try her best not to be affected by any of that. "Should we go there?" Kieran
A Step Closer to Love CCXXVII
"Do you want to explain why you are here?" Kieran asked. Arabella had expected him to scream his lungs out, but he was wrong. Myabe's drive down has calmed him down. "It is a stupid reason; I don't want to tell you," Arabella murmured to herself. She had wanted to hear an apology so much that it felt like her self-worth depended on it. She turned her head to the side so she was looking out the window. "Look at me," Kieran said softly. "Look at me," he said again, this time turning her head with his hand gently. "I am so ashamed of myself; I don't know what I was thinking," Arabella said again. Seeing Kieran had somehow triggered something in her. It was like judging her actions without even saying anything. "Tell me, I want to know why you dressed up and left the house to come here when you should be resting.""Okay," she said as she heaved a sigh. "I wanted an apology so bad." "What?" "See, I knew you would judge me.""Ara, I am not judging you. I just want to understand what y
A Step Closer to Love CCXXVI
"Why are you laughing?" Arabella was shocked. That was not the expression she was expecting from her. "Dearest Arabella, you must think the world revolves around you," she said, leaning in that she was seated at the edge of her seat. "Why do you think I would apologize to you? I did what I did, and I would do it again and again if need be.""You are not sorry for kidnapping and assaulting me even though you ended up here?" Arabella asked. "Of course, if I had the chance to, I would do it again. Can you imagine how hard I worked? I worked hard on Kieran, and you swooped in from nowhere and decided you wanted to take him from me. Oh, please, like you deserve him," Aurora said, leaning into the chair. "If you are here to ask me for an apology, I am afraid that you have to go back without one today and that you need not expect one from me," she said, looking at her nails like she had gotten a fresh set of nails. "Arabella, I think one of the problems you have is that you seem to overra
