A Step Closer to Love

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

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

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

"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

Kieran had been a young boy who ending puberty did not do well. His face was filled with enough pimples for three faces. He was tall and lanky and thin. His parents had money and that was the only thing that made the other popular kids hang out with him. The only thing that stood out was his blue eyes. Other kids in the neighborhood always called him the blue-eyed boy. Looking at Kieran now he was not the boy he used to be. Kieran was now a man after all. Thirty-four years of age was not a joke after all. He had matured beyond his days and it did him well. The pimples had disappeared and he was looking well-built and muscular. His face looked chiseled and his blue eyes showed through as he spoke and left a smile. Arabella could the coldness that radiated out of his words. "Welcome to Crescent Bay" sounded like "Welcome to your hell" "Thank you," Arabella said with an unsure tone. She did not feel welcome but she was thought good manners and she needed to thank him. "Shall we" Ever