Bella was in tears by now and Sam was trying to comfort her. It would truly be traumatic to have your friend become your mother and I can't imagine how she feels. I looked at her father and then at Gill who had not even an ounce of shame on her face.
"I love Gill and I would highly appreciate it if you respected that and respect my choice." he said.
Bella did not answer and looked the other way probably overwhelmed by everything. Sam patted her back while the rest of us did not move. Gill sighed loudly and picked up her fork to start eating. Was she ever really Bella's friend? I looked at the fork in her hand and made it become hot just before it touched her lips. She screamed and got up from the chair then she fell back and landed on the floor with her bottom.
"Gill!" Luke shouted and from the looks of things he is the only one worried about her,"What happened darling?"
"The fork was burning. It burnt my lips!" she screamed as tears started falling from her eyes.
Luke hugged her and she started to calm down while a servant came to clean us the mess at the table.
"So much for a peaceful dinner." Sam said sighing,"Dee, why don't you help your grandpa to carry Gill to the room."
"She's not hurt she is just being dramatic." Michael said sarcastically.
Gill's swollen red eyes shot open to glare at him as if she wanted to kill him.
"See?" he asked pointedly.
My eyes locked with Sam and he looked at me helplessly so I got up and helped Gill stand up. She purposefully fell on me and I had to push her away slightly.
"My leg is hurting." she whined and Luke kisses her hand lovingly but she rolled her eyes,"I am in pain and you pushed me away?"
"That is why you should have married someone with energy so he could carry you I stead of clinging to your grandsons." Ray said coming to stand beside me.
"Boys, behave yourselves!" Luke shouted glaring at Ray and I,"It seems the newcomer has made you all brazen."
He glared at me and I blinked innocently at him. He took Gill from me and lifted her up in his arms. His bones cracked and he put her back down and to continue her act she fell dramatically. I moved back to give her more room for her act and she stopped moving. Luke could not stand straight after lifting his wife and Gill was forced to get up on her own. Luke was shaking as he straightened his back and Sam got up to help him.
When Sam returned downstairs, Bella was sitting with the girls and she seemed a little bit happier. He took her aside for a few moments and because we were all quiet I could hear their conversation.
"Your dad's asleep. Gill is complaining about her leg." Sam said and Bella sighed in disinterest,"He is still your father, Bee."
"I wish he wasn't."
"Then you wouldn't be you. Maybe we wouldn't have even met and our children wouldn't be who they are. I know you hate him but the kids...."
"The should know him for the monster he is."
"What did he do?"
"He killed mom."
Sam fell silent and I heard Bella's heart beat quicken as if she was having a panic attack.
"I can't bring myself to forgive him. Mom was bedridden and weak.....he and Gill....."
She started crying and Sam tried calming her down. A few minutes went by and she was calmer than earlier.
"Let's not talk about it. Once he's gone you and I are going on a nice romantic date or maybe even a getaway....what do you think?"
"Just a date. Dee might feel unwanted if we stay too long." Bella answered.
"Whatever you want my love."
She giggled shyly and a few seconds later they came in just as Gill was coming down. Bella came towards us and sat down with us in silence. Gill was fake limping as she came closer to us and for some reason she decided to take a seat next to me.
"Is it usually this cold here?" she asked me.
"I don't know. I slept for most of my time here."
"You are a heavy sleeper?" she asked moving closer and I stood up to stretch so I wasn't close to her.
"Yeah. I'm actually even sleepy." I told her yawning then I said to Bella,"Ma, can I talk to you?"
Bella looked surprised to be hearing me say that but she agreed anyway. We went outside where the moon was shining in a half crescent. I led her to the garden and we sat down on the grass.
"So what do you want to talk about?" she asked,"Did something happen?...I mean apart from today's drama."
I smiled at her she smiles back at me sweetly. For a moment the mental image of my real mother and Bella seemed to become one.
"What did your father do exactly?" I asked,"I think I have a right to know if I'm your son now."
She sighed loudly and lay back on the slightly moist grass and I did the same to make her feel comfortable.
"Were you ever betrayed by someone close to you?" she asked me looking up at the moon.
"Yes. My uncle, remember?"
"Oh.....stupid question....well I was pregnant at the time, with Ray, and I had gone to visit my parents because mom wasn't feeling too well. Sam couldn't came along so I took Gill with me to get her away from her toxic ex. Mom's health started to get better with me around and even dad seemed happy.....I guess he was happy for completely different reasons." she stopped to wipe a tear from her eye and then she.laughed at herself for breaking down in front of me,"Sorry. I got a little emotional. Where was I?"
"He was happy for different reasons."
"Yeah.....That day mom had managed to get out of bed and she wanted to surprise dad. She got all dressed up and even did her nails and makeup and I led her outside to where dad was grilling some ribs. I was looking at her face the whole time, her last smile.....then when it faded I turned to look at what had surprised her so much and saw dad with a half naked Gill in his arms."
She started sobbing and I sat up to pay her back. She started crying harder so I took her head and put it on my lap. A few minutes later she was quiet again and she started talking.
"She died on the spot and I had a premature labor. I couldn't even mourn her properly." she finished.
I hugged her tightly and felt her trembling and then she started crying again. When she was calm again we sat in silence for over five minutes.
"You should go." I said to her,"You deserve a trip with dad."
She pulled away from me and her eyes were suddenly vibrant again and her tears were dry. She looked me up and down and then looked at my ears.
"You heard us?" she asked.
"I didn't mean to. I can't control my hearing." I apologized smiling at her.
Her face brightened up and she sat straight with her legs crossed. Her usual smile had returned to her face and she took her phone from her pocket.
"Where should we go then? Tell me what you think."
She showed me some photos of nice holiday getaways and I can say they were all breathtaking.
"I don't think I am the right person to choose." I confessed.
"Oh please. I have gone to all the places the others have chosen for Sam and I so it is your turn now."
"Where did you meet?" I asked feeing happy that she cared about my opinion,"Or what did it look like?"
"It was on a beach when I was turning eighteen." Bella said smiling,"It was late at night and very warm for some reason. He was swimming and damn.....he was hot!"
The way she looks right now is like she is as happy as can be. She looked at me with widened eyes after realizing what she had said and I laughed at her.
"Just continue." I urged her and she happily did.
"He walked towards me with his wet long hair; he had long hair back then, then he said the most unexpected thing: I've got hair in my eyes but I can see that you are beautiful, I'll cut it to see you more clearly." she giggled and then continued,"I could see through his flirting and turned him down and I must say I doubted that he would cut his hair but the next morning when I saw him again boom! His hair was gone."
"He cut it for you. How romantic."
"He continued with his flirting and man where his pick up lines so cheesy."
"So go to a beach and relive those moments. Too bad he can't have long hair this time."
"I'll get him hair food and even give him head massages. I know for a fact that dad won't stay for a short time."