Chapter One Hundred and six

Sitting down there and seeing pictures of her family members brought fresh tears to her eyes. The pictures of her brother showed just how much she had missed in his course through childhood. There were lots of pictures, seemed like their father was busy storing up these memories for the right time when they were going to meet again, the sad thing was that unfortunately her mother never got that opportunity and privilege she had been granted. Time was really short, Bella thought.  She could see that she had missed a significant part of their family life and hoped that she had enough to make up for the time lost. 

She went out of the room to continue her tour of the place. She saw a whole lot of interesting things, the kitchen itself was so family like, that she began imagining herself making meals for them. She was not a good cook but one thing she knew was that practice made perfect, she could remember her few lessons with her home teacher at Jay's place. God, she missed that woman even though she was old school. She promised herself that she would seek her out someday, even if it would be to thank her for her time and energy.  It was really sad that she had left without a chance to say goodbye. This had not been the plan, she had just wanted to go see her mother and then return to the arms of the one she cared about, too sad, that too was out of the picture. 

Bella began wondering just what kind of job she would be needing to supplement herself. She had not any valid certificate and the best she could be employed as would be as an help to a store or something. She had successfully ruined her life, and she was beginning to pay the price for her foolishness. She needed to figure out something she would be able to do, she no longer wanted to be self dependant on anyone again. She wanted to rebuild her life, all she needed was some time, lie low and then come out to face the world squarely and best prepared this time. 

She fixed herself a quick lunch from what she obtained from the refrigerator. Her father had showed it to her, asking that she warmed it before eating. She felt better and was ready to continue her tour of the place. She stepped outside the building this time to explore the yard. Those flowers drew her attention to themselves again. They spoke of her mother, smelled like her too, they were her favorite, and Bella could nearly feel her mother's presence. She closed her eyes and let her imagination course through. She was still regretting not being there for her mother. Bella spent a lot of her time out there before going inside the sitting room area. She was becoming bored and was feeling pretty well cooped up. No one to talk to, no one to keep company with and not even a phone to keep company with. She was not one to fancy things like television, her mother was always on the screen so it was no new thing to her,  she had avoided it so as not to see her mother. Now she was never going to see her again, she was never going to see that beautiful woman speaking there again. Her funeral had been really low key, not worthy enough for one with her personality. A day after, the television station had done a memorial for her on screen, observing a minute silence for her. Bella felt it was not enough but she was in no place to complain. 

She had dozed off on the sofa when her brother returned from school. He was excited, "It feels so good to come back and meet someone home and not just an empty house ", he said to her when he came inside. Bella smiled but deep down, her heart tugged with guilt. She should have stayed behind with him but instead because of the treatment she was getting from her father at the time, shw had turned heels and ran with her mother. She was going to have to make up for the years she had cost him and she was going start immediately. 

"I'm really sorry we left you kiddo", she said to him and they wrapped each other in a tight hug.