I Need Her

Edward's pov

“No, they are too messy. They don't even make sense…” I told my assistant, Bryan over the phone.

“What? But…”

“Don’t try to reason, Bryan. “ I cut him off, “I've already told you, I don't like their designs. They lack of everything. Get me more ideas, more people. It's not that difficult… look, I'm driving. I'll be there in five minutes. Make sure to not waste my time.” I told him. He probably knows how his inefficiency is getting on my nerves lately.

“Yes, boss.” He said and I disconnected the call. 

I'm already running out of time. This project needs to be perfection, but nothing yet aligns my thinking.

“Morning, Sir Wilson.” The receptionist greeted me once I reached Crystal's, “She is here.” Great. I hope she is what I need.

I went straight to my personal elevator and clicked to the ninth floor. Where I am to interview my possible new designer.

I felt my phone vibrating and took it to check what it was.

It was a message from Jared, my brother. “We are going to the mall. I'm taking Sarah with me. She wants some new paint.”  He's got time to waste. 

“Good for you.” I answered him back.

The elevator opened. I was walking to my office  when another message entered my phone. “You know she wanted to be with you, don't you?” Jared asked. What does he mean?

It took me a while to understand. I was ready to answer but that didn't happen as the last thing I knew, I bumped straight into someone in the middle of the corridor.

The hell…

“Watch out woman.” I said to the girl I bumped into. Now on the floor. So tiny, innocent and frail. 

It's not going to work on me.

“Sir, please, my glasses.” I didn't turn. I know your type, acting like the sweetest thing in the world and then showing your real self. I have already lost a lot because of people like you.  “Sir, I can't see!” She tried again. As if I would believe in such a bad lie…

I reached my office, 535. Different from every office on that floor. It's glass walls, reflecting all the lights. With a perfect view of everything, yet, no one could see what happens inside it. Just like I designed not too long ago when I was still doing faculty. Why is it so difficult to get great designs these days?

I opened the door and there I found Bryan… alone. “Where is she?” I asked him. 

“She hadn't arrived yet.” He said. 

How? The receptionist said she was here.

Where is she? “She is probably lost.” I said to myself already annoyed by the fact that she is late.

Twenty minutes. The time I wasted.

Twenty minutes passed and there was no damn sign for her. 

Bella Miller, civil engineer specialized in designing. Lots of awards for being the best student, having the best school projects, multilingual… a geek. She is 23, too qualified for her age and she is not here.

I got out of the room frustrated, closing the door till a big bang was heard. The last thing I want is to break the glass because of something this stupid.

I leaned against the wall, closed my eyes and took a deep breath. How dare she make me waste my time? Once I opened my eyes, something, I mean someone couched my attention. 

There in the middle of the corridor. That girl from earlier was seated on a bench… sad. She didn't even look up. 

The elevator opened, making me divert my eyes from her, and a man came out of it. Worry was evident on his face as he ran to that girl at the moment he sees her. He hugged her and she and hugged him back as if her life depended on it. Who is he?

They weren't too far, so I could see clearly. Her eyes were swollen, her face in a deep shade of pink creeping through her melanin. Her simple makeup was ruined and her cheeks glowing. Wait. Is she… crying?

Why? 

“Don't worry. I'm gonna solve this, ok.” I heard him say.

Lovers. Their love seems so pure, so… impossible.

He got her stuff and her... glasses on the floor. 

Wait, she hadn't found them till now? Was she...

Damn, She asked me about her glasses and what did I do? She couldn't really find them. What have I done?

I turned and went inside my office again. Bryan was still there and his questioning look wasn't something I wanted to deal with at the moment.

“Quiet.” I said and looked at them again, now through the glass wall.

They were going away, but stopped suddenly.

She turned and looked straight to the office—straight at… me.

Isn't she supposed to be blind?

After some time they were gone, but the guilt for what I did was still there.

“Finnish up here. I'm leaving.” I said and went out before Bryan could say a word.

The ride towards my house seemed longer than usual, I was feeling heavy. When did I turn into such a bad person?

I opened the main door and was met with silence. No warmth.

If only I could call ‘this place home again…

I went to the kitchen to get some water. Memories of today engulfed my mind. Terrible.

I heard the main door opening and there I saw my brother and my daughter, Sarah.

They looked so happy. If I didn't know them I would undoubtedly tell that Sarah was his daughter.

When she saw me going towards them, she quickly turned to Jered and excused herself, going to her room upstairs. As always.

I feel like everything changed after my wife left… I mean, my ex wife. It's still difficult to believe she had the guts to leave after everything I did for her. The love, patience. I gave her my heart and she threw it away. I gave her all of myself and she made me feel so much pain. The pain of being betrayed by the one you trust the most. Too painful to forget. Too deep to shake…

“Hey Edward. What's up.” Jered asked, diverting me from my thoughts.

“Why are you guys so bubbly?” I asked, not in the mood to answer his question.

“I'm also good, thanks.” He said. His typical bad sense of humor.

“Answer my question, Jared.” 

“You suck, Ed… Fine. We were at the mall and Sarah saw a beautiful couple having fun with their children,” he paused, “she has no mother…”

“I know that…”

“Let me finish.” He cut me off, “And she misses her father.” I know that too...

“She started getting emotional and in the next second she was running away from me. She went to the ladies restroom where I couldn't get in.” He said. Wait, but she seemed so happy earlier.

“A lady offered help, and somehow she did it and Sarah was happy again. She spent this whole afternoon playing with Sarah as she promised to her. Sarah fell in love with her and it was even difficult for her to say goodbye.”

“Who is she? The lady?”

“Hum... Bella. Yep, Bella was her name.”

Bella… I've heard that before.

“Find her whereabouts. I want her to be Sarah's nanny.”

“Oh yeah. That will definitely make her happy.” He said, already existed. I didn't know if it was because of Sarah or that Bella. But, at least I can do that for my daughter. Everything my Christine didn't bother to give her since that day she left, five years ago, when Sarah was just a newborn.

I went to my office at home to work.

This day wasn't productive at all.

I spent a lot of time and straight on someone that didn't even show up. 

And now I am clueless about what to do.

I already have a perfect place for the new condo.

Facing the ocean, surrounded by nature, to live, to relax, to forget. A perfect place for everything. A perfect definition of home.

But nothing so far is good enough.

This is so damn frustrating.

I looked around. The afternoon sunlight was dazzling, penetrating my office. I went to my office's huge window, where I have a perfect view of the garden. I didn't want to think, all I wanted was to divert my mind, but couldn't,

I feel like I'm missing something. What is it?

I heard the door opening, disturbing the silence.

No one is allowed to do that. I hate being disturbed, so it can only be one person. Jared. “What’s up?” I asked.

“I can't find her.” He said.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, “Who's her?”

“Bella. She is invisible, a ghost. None of the Bellas I found matched her description. And she has no social media. How can a person live with no social media?” People that don't care about other people's life, probably.

Humm, Bella... Where did I hear that name?

Isn't Bella the name of the interview girl? She was Hiller, right? No, it was Miller, Bella Miller.

“Come here Jared.” I went to my desk, searched for Bella Miller on my laptop and found her curriculum, the one I read before. 

There was a picture attached to it. I don't remember seeing her pic. I opened it and what I saw blew my mind. What in the actual hell?

“Oh, yeah. That's her. That's Bella.” Jered said.

I got confused, “You mean Bella, the girl who helped Sarah?” I couldn't believe it.

“Of course. How did you find her, by the way?” What? Bella is the girl I bumped into. She was there and couldn't get to the interview because she dropped her glasses.

She didn't make it because of… me.

“Are you sure?” It's not possible.

“Absolutely. There is no way I could forget. She is gorgeous inside out. She was so… electric, her vibe is so contagious. She managed to make me play just dance in the middle of the mall… what a shame. We had a great time.” He said, recalling all the memories he made today.

This is too much to process. What if she recognizes me? 

But, I need her, I need her projects. And Sarah… “Go talk to her tomorrow. I'll send you her address.”

“Right.” He said, “But you didn't tell me how you found her.” 

“She was supposed to be my designer. But she couldn't make it to the interview… lots of misunderstandings. But now everything is going to be solved.”  Hope so…