Chapter 4 Settled In

"Did I sleep here?" said Sarah in conversation with herself as she yawned while squinting her eyes.

"Where did this blanket come from too, I don't remember getting one before sleeping" she continued as she got up from the couch she had spent the night on.

She looked at the wall clock in the living room and it read six o clock on the dot. She had gotten up just in time.

"Enough time to sleep back!" She said smiling

Just when she rested her head back on the couch to continue sleeping did she remember the reason she had slept in the living room.

"It's a double shift day--Jesus!" she said in frustration hitting the couch and feeling undone by her decision.

She got up from the couch and tiptoed away from the living room to the children's room so she'd get ready for work and everything else.

Having undressed and now in a towel, she decided to do the dishes from last night and clean the house a little before leaving for work.

She tiptoed her way there as everywhere was quiet and everyone else seemed to be slumbering.

"What?! Where are the dirty dishes?" she said softly as she looked over the empty sink.

"Do we keep dirty plates elsewhere now?" she continued, going around the kitchen in unrest.

"Oh! There they are, clean already? How? Even mine? Who did this?" She asked herself.

She stood in the kitchen for a few minutes after realizing this, questioning herself about what was going on.

"First I woke up with a blanket, in the living room with the TV off, and now the kitchen is this clean and there are no dirty dishes-- what's going on really?" she asked looking up to the ceilings.

Looking out the little kitchen window to her dad's car, it all came back to her.

"Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh," she said nodding her head.

There and then did she recall her father hadn't slept alone that night. Miss Bella was around and there to stay.

She left the kitchen immediately gratified by what she saw and walked silently to her room to get ready for the day's work.

Out of the bathroom, she looked at the mirror in awe.

"I'm so pretty," she said chuckling with her palms on her cheeks.

"Where are my earrings?" she asked herself in a switch.

After getting dressed, she left the children's room to the living room in search of it.

"Oh, Good morning Miss Bella--- I didn't know you were up already," she said as she pranced into the living room.

"Morning Sarah, you look beautiful. Going somewhere?" said Miss Bella with a smile on.

"Yes, I have work today. I will probably be out till evening--- please did you see any earrings around while you cleaned earlier? Also yes, thank you for that, I mean it." said Sarah as she looked around the couch she slept on.

"Yes" replied Miss Bella as stretched her hands forwards opening her palms to reveal the earring.

"Oh, thank you!" said Sarah as she took it from her.

"You are welcome, have you eaten? There is a pot of porridge in the kitchen so I'll be glad if you eat some now or carry it along with you to work" replied Aunt Bella.

"Alright, thanks," said Sarah.

Sarah had been hoping she'd asked as she came across the pot in the kitchen earlier. She wore her earrings, grabbed a plate, and left for work.

"I can get used to this," she said to herself.

Sarah got to the Bar she worked happier than she was the previous day. She cleaned the floor, chairs, and tables before settling to eat the porridge she had brought from home.

"Just as good as I expected," she said while munching it down.

"Are you eating already?" asked her boss.

"No ma'am, I got it from home" replied Sarah.

"Okay, be quick with it" she replied.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, the home was simmering as laughter and joy ensued around the house.

Miss Bella had woken the children up from sleep just as Sarah left the house and this was taken quite well by them as they didn't ask for additional time in bed.

They did their little chores as shepherded by her and had breakfast afterward before continuing the chitchats from last night. Sarah's dad was absent this time too as he took his car once again to the repairperson.

Later that evening,

"Finally! It's 5 pm" said Sarah glancing at her wrist.

"Can you stay till 8 pm?" pleaded her supervisor.

"God forbid no! I'm sorry I have things to do at home. Maybe next time" countered Sarah.

"I was only joking" she replied laughing.

"Thank God! Good night Aunt!" asserted, Sarah.

Sarah left the bar as fast as she could so she would be out of sight before there was a change of mind from her supervisor.

On the way home, Sara felt no distress as she neared the gate of their home. This was the first time in a long time that this occurred. It was a huge relief to her as she felt good in and out.

[Knocking sounds on the gate]

"Thank you, sweetie, but what took you so long James?" asked Sarah as she walked into their residence.

"What happened to your hand? Why is it covered in bandages? Tell me, tell me!" implored Sarah.

"Calm down, chill--- I just, I just"

"He burned it playing with fire in the kitchen" announced Jesus from the pavement

"Yeah, I burnt it," said James looking down at the floor.

"I'm so sorry honey, does it hurt? Let me see it," said Sarah.

"It is fine Sarah, Miss Bella already took care of it. I just have to keep wearing this stuff for a few weeks to prevent infections, that's what Miss Bella said"

Sarah who was scared initially finds relief and makes her way into the house holding her brother's hand.

"Good evening Dad," she says

"Welcome my love, how was the bar today? Hope you behaved good all through" asked her father

"Of course" Sarah replied with a smile

She looked around the sitting room as everyone was seated there except Miss Bella.

"Where is Miss Bella?" asked Sarah

Pointing to the kitchen, Maria replied...

"She's in there,"

Sarah let go of her brother's hands as she made her way to the kitchen. She knocks on the opened door to the notice of Miss Bella then she walks in.

"Good evening" she opens

"You're back already? Welcome, darling. How was it today?" said Miss Vella

"Work was great. I came here for something else though--- James told me about his hands. He lost his way in the kitchen and you helped save his life, I want to say thank you for being there, for being here." replied Sarah

"Thank you a lot Miss Bella, Thank you Mum!" she surmised.

The eyes of Miss Bella lit up as she heard Sarah call her mom. Close to tears, she moved to a Sarah to give her a very hug.

"I love you," said Miss Bella.