Chapter 3 Miss Bella

"Buenos Dias! My wonderful supervisor, Aunt Fiona "said Sarah as she waltzed into the bar

"Con gusto! What have you this excited this morning?" asked Aunt Fiona as she looked over to Sarah with a curious smile.

"Nothing, I just got up feeling this great," said Sarah laughing.

"You arrived way too early as well. I hope it is not the new cook, David that has you all giggly and bubbly," asked Aunt Fiona.

"No! Ew! I haven't even spoken to him yet" replied Sarah.

"You're cleaning already too? I need you to fill me in because who wouldn't want to wake up like this every day?" asked Aunt Fiona laughing.

"I'll tell you for 10 pesos" replied Sarah with a mischievous smile and her hands stretched out.

"Such a thief!" exclaimed Aunt Fiona laughing.

Sarah went about the day's work gracefully as it was a sight to behold for everyone that knew her at the bar she worked in.

It was not the first time she carried out her work in such a manner as the day she got her admission back into High school saw her in this light.

"What could it be this time?" everyone around wondered.

Sarah ended her shift earlier than normal for obvious reasons and given it was not her secret to tell, she needed an excuse to leave work---

[Sound of plates shattering]

"Why did you do that?" asked Aunt Fiona as she paced outside from a kitchen at the back.

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean that" said Sarah

"It was a mistake, she didn't mean it" implored the men sitting on the table she was about to clear.

"What is the matter? Why would you do that?" asked Aunt Fiona.

"I feel a slight headache, I think I'm having a fever," said Sarah with the back of her palm on her neck.

"Are you sure about that? David ended his shift a few minutes ago and now you're having a strange fever. I hope I am wrong" said Aunt Fiona with a straight face.

"Aunt! Eww! No! I don't even like him like that. I think I'm just sick. Okay see, allow me to go home and I promise to work extra shifts tomorrow" asked Sarah.

"Okay, that's fine, Tell him to use protection" replied Aunt Fiona, as she burst out laughing.

Sarah shook her head smiling in disbelief at how Aunt Isabella was hell-bent on dragging along her joke and misconception of her and the new cook, David.

"Okay bye, see you tomorrow," she said as she left the bar walking with a limp with her yellow purse at hand. Having walked a few feet away from the bar, she began to walk normally again.

"That wasn't easy," she said to herself letting out a sigh. Sarah journeyed on foot to the school her siblings attended to get them home to prepare for the evening on time.

"What is making you so happy?" asked her youngest sister, Maria.

Sarah smiled in response to her saying

"What do you mean by that? I am always happy"

"No you're not, you are moody half the time," said James looking at his brother and nodding his little head.

"That not true, save me here Jesus--- is it true? Am I not always happy?" said Sarah looking down at him.

Moving away from her he replied---

"No, you're not," with a naughty smile.

"What!" replied Sarah with an extravagant gasp.

"Such betrayal," said Maria shaking her head and smiling.

They all busted out laughing as they wondered what could've been the cause of this drastic change as they walked home.

"Why is this lock so hard to open?" said Sarah while grunting.

[Sound of the lock opening]

"Finally," said James right behind her as they got into their home.

"You guys should change from your uniforms to your home clothes as quickly as possible and meet me right here in the sitting room, we have a lot to do in such a short time," said Sarah loudly.

"What do you mean we have a lot to do?" asked James turning back.

"Exactly," said Jesus as he joined in.

"Dad is bringing someone home today and we have to give a very good first impression so please just do as I have instructed, okay?" replied Sarah in a lower tone.

"Whoa! What? What do you mean bringing someone home?" asked James

"Do you mean like a maid or something?" chipped in Jesus

"No! No! Just cut it guys. Dad is bringing someone home--- I mean like a new wife. That's it, a new wife" said Sarah tired of the continuous questioning.

Her siblings got silent quickly to process what they just heard as they looked at each other.

"So you mean we will be having a new mom?" asked Maria.

"Yes, something like that---But that is if we like her remember? If we like her," replied Sarah

"Now before you boys bombard me with questions again, could you please go change? We have a lot of things to do," said Sarah pointing to the untidied places in the sitting room.

"I need help, James and Jesus won't listen to me," said Maria

"Alright, I'll help you baby" replied Sarah as she lifted her into her arms.

A few minutes later, they all gathered in the living room as instructed by Sarah as they began to clean every square inch of their home as instructed.

"Maria, you and I have our business inside the house. Both here, the walkway, our room, the kitchen and dad's room," said Sarah

Maria nodded in response.

"Well what do we do?" asked James

"You again? I was coming to that" said Sarah looking at him with the side of her eyes.

"Well---what do we do? I and Jesus" asked James.

"You guys have your business outside, pull out the little bushes, dust the walls, clean the gates, "

"The gate?!" asked James.

"Yes, the gates" replied Sarah.

"How are we supposed to do that? My hands can even reach the top of the gate" said Jesus raising his hands as high as they could go.

"Okay, I see--- just do what you can, alright?" she replied laughing.

They lived in a home that held up to its high standards over the years. The wall of the fence surrounding their home was all white with shades of blue and red in specific areas. This purity extended inside to the walls of their home as everywhere except the children's room was white.

It was beautiful in its early stages but given there had been no repainting work in over 5 years since the death of Sarah's Mum and as so, much of the white walls became brown regardless of the bare grounds being carpeted by fine green grass and flowers at the corners.

Amidst aging, it was beautiful.

As they prepared, they paid as much attention to cleaning the living room and the rest of the house as outside of their home. James and Jesus cleared the little bushes amidst the fine grass, dusting little brown dust off the white walls within the compound as well.

"I think Daddy is back!" said James panting as he ran back inside to the living room to where Sarah was.

"Are you done with your work?" she asked swiftly.

"Yes, we are both done. I and Jesus. He was at the back while I was at the gate... I saw Father's car from afar so I ran to come to inform you. I kinda stained my clothes so... I have to change again" said James still panting.

"Do that quickly and meet us right here in a minute" said Sarah.

"Sure, I'll be quick--- I don't want to miss the entrance," he said smiling.

"Jesus! Jesus! Open the gates!" said Sarah loudly.

"I am at the back, I am coming" replied Jesus in a tone that matched hers.

[The sound of a car horning]

"We are coming!" belted Jesus as he ran towards the gate.

He got to the gates just in time then he proceeded to open them pulling one arm of the gate one after the other to the sides as quickly as he could.

"This thing has never been this heavy," he muttered to himself while pulling the first side of the gate.

As he moved to the second, James appeared from inside the home and lent him a hand as they pulled away the second arm of the gate granting free express to their father to drive in with his new wife hopefully in there, somewhere.

"You weren't wearing this before... Why did it take you so much time to help?" asked Jesus

"Shut up!" replied James. Closing the gates, they both made way to the pavement where Sarah and their sister were in matching dresses.

"Just stand by my side and be calm---don't do anything stupid please," mumbled Sarah with her teeth locked as her father drove in with his wife-to-be in the passenger's seat.

Getting down first was him as he seemed nervous and excited at the prospect of what was about to happen. He skipped in-between steps in excitement over to the other side of the car to the front of the passenger's seat to help his new wife in opening her door.

'I am such a gentleman' he must have thought to himself.

"Welcome to my humble abode, my darling," he said gesturing a pose expressing how welcome she was. Still seated, she smiled in response.

Meanwhile, Sarah and her siblings remained on the pavement just outside the front door unsure of what or when they were supposed to say something if anything. They mutually agreed to remain quiet until it felt right to say something.

"Whoa!" said James loudly.

"Shut up! "Whispered Sarah pinching him slightly.

Back at the car, their father's wife-to-be came down from the car in such a manner that felt straight out of a movie. She had skin with no signs of wrinkling, she was dressed in a proper office suite that fitted her curvy body just right. Donning a lighter-toned skin than the rest of them and brown hair that shone in the setting sun, she looked just like she stepped right out of a movie set.

Hand in arms, Sarah's father and his wife-to-be both walked on the lawn towards the pavement with their arms locked like it was an aisle.

"What is Dad doing?" asked James smiling and slightly embarrassed.

Looking around, Sarah's father noticed a real change in the look of the compound relative to the manner he left it in the morning.

Getting to the pavement where they stood, "Good evening my beautiful children, may we please go inside?" he asked sarcastically.

"Good afternoon--- sorry, good evening. Welcome aunt---Welcome, please come inside" said Sarah as she dragged and pushed her siblings stylishly through the front door. They had remained standing still even after she obliged they went inside.

The sitting room looked elegant and suspiciously neat. Almost like a tidied-up crime scene. It had a scent that felt lush to the nostrils as the ventilation was at a peak at that moment.

Sarah and her siblings sat on a couch opposite where her father and his wife-to-be sat. They were seated opposite each other as it was perfect for the upcoming introduction.

"It is Palm Sunday on a Friday evening!" said her Father as he busted out laughing.

It was just him laughing at this moment as everyone else wasn't comfortable enough yet to understand his little joke.

He carried on laughing hoping everyone else or maybe just someone would join in but this didn't happen and just when it was getting very awkward, his wife-to-be place who was seated beside him placed her hands on his thighs, looking at him directly in the eyes with a forced grin.

"Please stop laughing!" she muttered smiling.

Sarah witnessing this looked away smiling in escape from the hawkishness of it all.

Finally, he stopped, got serious, and then got up to introduce the guest he had brought home---

"This is Miss Bella--- I am pretty sure you know why she is here," he said while standing and avoiding any form of eye contact.

"I had a very long discussion with myself---yes myself and your eldest sister, Sarah and I felt it was time I introduced you to the woman I had been seeing for a while," he said gulping afterward.

Taking a few steps forward to where Sarah and her siblings sat, he continued.

"You guys are pretty grown now and there is no reason to keep it secret from you anymore. I am ready to get a second wife. I hope you get to like her---I know you will as she is the sweetest thing I have known since your mum passed and I hope one day we can all say that together and mean it," he said.

"This is James, my first son--- Sarah my oldest daughter, obviously--- Maria, the baby of the house, and Jesus, my youngest son," he said while pointing at them individually.

Silence followed as he moved to sit down close to Miss Bella.

Meanwhile, Sarah just opposite where they sat had a quick look at her siblings signaling it was time for them to formally welcome their supposed new mother.

"Welcome Miss Bella!" they chorused.

Miss Bella sat on the couch opposite the kids gushing in happiness.

"Thank you" she replied.

"I know you've all had to deal with a lot since the passing of your mother. I want you to know that I have not come to replace her but to help finish what she started. You don't have to call me Mum---I am comfortable with you all calling me Miss Bella," she concluded.

"That's so nice" whispered James almost teary-eyed.

"We are really happy about your presence. You are welcome, again--- I mean it" said, Sarah.

"Thank you," replied Aunt Bella tearing up with a wide smile.

Sarah's father who was still sitting was not left out as he had burst into silent tears in the background given all that was going on.

Sarah and her siblings all got up to give her to give Miss Bella a hug one after the other.

"Okay kids, we will see you later in the evening. Daddy has to go bring Aunt Bella's things to her new home, here," said Sarah's Dad getting up from the couch and holding his car keys.

"I'll get my hugs when I'm back" he continued as he went through the front door.

"Another Dad joke," said James.

Miss Bella hearing him, looked back responding with a soft smile.

"Are you going with him?" asked Maria.

She had her arms wrapped around Miss Bella's right thumb.

"Yes I am honey--- we have a lot of catching up to do so we will get started once I am back" replied Miss Bella.

She made her way outside to the car as they both drove out.

"Well that was interesting," said Sarah sighing afterward.

"I like her," said James loudly.

"Me too!" Jesus joined in.

"Me three!" said Maria

"You like everyone, Maria," said Sarah.

"It is just thirty minutes past six, so guys go get your rest--- Now!" she said clapping her hands.

"Finally!" replied James.

The rest of the evening went as planned as Miss Bella and their father got back home albeit an hour late. She sat in the middle of the children's room comfortable in her nightgown as she asked personal and general questions of each of them.

Sarah was absent from this gathering as she had promised a double shift at the bar she worked at. She decided to go to bed earlier than normal so she would be able to repay the favor in full.

Meanwhile, still in the children's room Miss Bella and the children continued in interesting conversations about themselves and school experiences.

"James has a girlfriend Miss Bella!" said Jesus as he let out a mischievous smile.

"What! Shut up! That's not true," replied James swiftly hitting him simultaneously

"You can all you want, we both know I didn't lie," said Jesus while laughing

"You don't have to be ashamed about having a girlfriend. It is pretty normal if you ask me," said Miss Bella with a smile.

"Really? I am just fourteen. Does that change anything in case you felt I was older" said, James

"Why would anyone think that?" asked Jesus as he looked at his brother smiling in confusion.

"Yes, it even makes it more normal" replied Miss Bella smiling at both brothers.

"Cat and Dog, the both of you," she said gesturing at them.

Wrapped in her arms was Maria, she slept amidst the bickering from both boys. Given it was past bedtime, she placed her softly on the bed.

"Where is Sarah? I haven't seen her all evening. Seen her anywhere boys?" asked Miss Bella

"She is watching TV in the living room," said James.

"Okay, I think I'll go meet her so we have our talk as well. Goodnight boys!" said Miss Bella

"Goodnight Miss Bella" both boys chorused in response.

She left the children's room closing the creaking door as slowly as she could to avoid waking up the Maria. Finally closing it, she moved into the light coming from the living room as the shooting sounds from the TV got louder as she approached.

Getting there to her surprise was Sarah deep in sleep laying on the couch.

"Do I wake her or leave her to sleep?" she whispered to herself.

She picked up the TV remote to reduce the volume of the TV set. Done with that, she looked over to Sarah unsure of what to do.

"I should her cover her up, it's pretty cold:" she said to herself.

She got into the room she shared with Sarah's father, her husband to get a thick blanket she found earlier.

Getting to the living room, she placed the blanket over Sarah covering her from her feet up to her head as she then put off the TV set then the lights before leaving for her room afterward.

It was a gentle night with a peace that was anew and profound.