Meribella – Episode 18

MERIBELLA EPISODE 18

(Dear mermaid 💝)

“Bella,” he slowly loosened her grip around his wa-ist and turned to her, he saw her eyes dew with tears. “I’m not mad at you,” he says and her eyes lit up.
“Really?” she asked.
“Yes, I was just a bit upset that you almost got into trouble but it’s all gone now”
Bella smiled and wiped a tear that rolled to her cheek.
“Y-you’re crying?” he asked her and she nodded with a huge smile across her l-ips.
“I thought you were mad at me, I was scared you’ll send me away”
“I-i’m not” he said, a little surprised.
“I’m happy Maurice, Thank you” he smiled.
“Just don’t get into anymore trouble, do what’s right and be careful” he said and she nodded before breathing out.
“It’s late, go to bed” he said to her and walked to his room, still finding the fact that Bella cried because of him hærd to believe. He had taken her to be one of those tough hot-headed girls but he guessed he was wrong. People ain’t always what they appeared to be. He reached for the light switch and turned it off, covered him self properly and slept off.
Bella took out the shell and in it, she brought out the mirror and looked at it.
“Mother” she said softly, seconds later her face appeared.
“Meribella, how are you my child?”
“I’m fine mom and you?” she asked.
“I’m fine too”
“How about Elliot?”
“He’s still clueless, he has vowed to find you Bella. everyone still thinks you must’ve eloped to a neighbouring village..
“We have limited time mother”
“Just take care of yourself Bella, that’s all that matters most. I’ll handle the affairs here. Live well my child”
“I am mother, I’ve made friends too” she saw as Lana’s face twitched..
“Perhaps they haven’t figured out….
“No mother, they haven’t. Even though I feel the urge to tell them once in a while, I haven’t, I can’t mother”
Her mother sighed “It’s too dangerous, you really can’t trust too much”
“Don’t worry mother, I trust only one person. He’s a really good guy but I won’t tell him anything about myself. He doesn’t suspect a thing”
“I’m so glad you’re in safe hands Bella”
“Yes mother, I have to go now. please send my regards to Keenan and Goldie. I’ve missed them a lot”
“I’m very sure they have missed you too but we know it’s for the best, Elliot has to get over you first and don’t worry Keenan and Goldie will get the greetings”
“I love you mother”
“Bless you my child” she said and almost immediately blackout took over the screen.
She gently dropped it back in the shell and laid on her bed. Tossing and turning from one side to the other she settled to the left and with a huge smile across her l-ips; she slept off.

*
The next morning arrived with Bella oversleeping, she woke up late than the normal time and yawned. She quickly did the bathroom stuffs and moved to the living room to see an already made toasted bread, fries and tea on the breakfast table.
“You’re awake” she heard Maurice voice behind her.
“I would’ve loved to make breakfast with you” she said.
“You slept in, I had to leave you” he said “Sorry”
“It’s okay. At least I’ll get to make dinner” she said and moved to take her seat while Maurice took his.
They had breakfast and Maurice left for work leaving Bella to watch a comedy sitcom on TV. She found it boring and switched channels, she finally settled for a rom-nce Mexican movie which she found interesting and well, too rom-ntic. She saw scenes she really didn’t understand; like the lip k-ssing. Ordinarily and normally she knew about it, she had once shared a peck or two with her mother and she understood it was thing really close friends do. But the one on the l-ips was what she couldn’t understand, she hadn’t witnessed one before and she hadn’t experienced it too; but it just didn’t looked right.
She shrugged the thought away as a fresher scene took over with guy proposing to the girl. She watched how happy the girl was and even though she found the movie fascinating and somehow weird, she changed it and settled for a music show in it’s place. She ran to the kitchen and grabbed a broom then went back to the living room where she tried to copy the artiste performing, using the broom in place of a microphone; she sang along. And just as you guessed, it was a disaster.
***
Bella slumped on a couch as the music ended; the broom fell beside the couch and finally landed on the floor, her breath escaping from both her nostrils and mouth, in a rush. She was sure she had sang for hours and she felt really exhausted even though it was too much fun.
She stood up from the couch and walked to the kitchen where she emptied a can of coke, she rested her butt on the counter and seeped in gradual air, feeling a lot more comfy and less tired she took out two packs sesame noodles from the kitchen cabinet. She cooked the meal and in no time; finished, she dished it in a plate and had her lunch before washing the plate and draining them. She slipped her feet into her flip flops and walked to the back of the house and then pulled open the door that led to the pool. She walked to it and gently sat then dug her feet into the water; a strong feeling of déjà vu tore through her in,sides and sent a longing feeling to her heart. Thoughts of her family swiped into her inner screen and she sighed it away, she pulled off the band on her hair and let it sway with the wind, she pulled her cloth over her head; left in only her undies, she jumped into the water. The splash sang after her and she swam. The feeling was too good, the comfort; unexplained and the chills; so relaxing.
She went from one end to another in ecstasy, waving fierce waves behind her.
She got to an end and rested there then dived in again and continued the fun. She missed her tail, she would’ve pulled off the bracelet but she couldn’t take the risk. It was too dangerous, Maurice could walk in anytime. She shook the thought aside and dived more into the pool then got out and swam on a slow pace; letting her legs struggle to move. She swiped her hair off her face and took off again, in a faster rate this time.
****

It was towards evening by the time Bella had gotten out of the pool, dried her clothes and pulled into a clean one, dried off the water from her hair and bound it then pulled her feet into her flops. She walked to the living room and switched the TV to a music channel, she let it play a bit loud then moved to the kitchen and danced as she took out the ingredients for dinner meal. She set them on the counter before dropping a pot of water on the gas ring which she turned on. She let it boil and took to slicing the onion for the fries, she peeled off the useless part and set the onion on a chopping board, she picked a smaller knife and chopped the onion bit by bit, she kept swaying her butt to the music and for a second she lost concentration to the work at hand..
“Ouch!” she yelped when she chopped part of a finger, she left the onion and lifted the wound to her face; it was bleeding profusely, she frowned at it and winced as a pain tore through it.
She breathed out and moved to bathroom sink, she washed the blood off the tip of her index finger; where the wound laid.
She wrapped it up with a foil when she was sure the blood had stopped gushing. She moved to the living room and lowered the TV volume before going back to the kitchen to continue dinner preparation… Which she rounded up to after a little difficulty.
****
Maurice arrived when she was rounding up, they exchanged little greetings and he went to his room. He loosened his tie, pulled off his shoes and stayed on the bed. He got off and pulled his upper clothing, left in only a T-shirt and short; he walked to the kitchen. Bella was now setting the table.
He took a seat while Bella took hers, they started eating. Halfway through the meal he noticed the foil paper wrapped around her index finger tip.” What happened?” he asked, leaving the meal and taking her hand; Bella gaze followed.
“I unintentionally cut myself while cutting an onion” she said.
“And you used this?,” he took the foil paper off first and examined the not-so-deep wound. “It could be infectious”
“It helped cover it”
“It’s still wrong. I’ll treat it after dinner” he let go of her hand and they continued with their dinner.
Once they were done he beckoned on her to follow him to the living room and she sat on a couch, he took out the small first aid box from the kitchen and squat close to her on the couch, he took her wounded finger and began treatment..
Bella watched as he medicated the injury, she’s watched his handsome face tilt from one side then to another and his eyes; the very pretty eyes she loved so much, watched his hands as they worked. She looked at his wavy hair as it fell to the front, adding more to his beauty. She could never stop loving him and she knew that. She had always wished that one day she’ll hear him say ‘He feels the same way she feels, for her’ It was nearly impossible and the chances were very thin, almost nearly invisible. But she loved him, right from first sight. She had never loved anyone that way. Of course she loves her mother and her friends as well but Maurice own was special, it was the kind she had never felt for anyone; it was special and so calm.
Maurice bandaged the wound before setting her hand gently on her lap, he looked at her, Bella’s gaze was strangely on him. It was as if she was looking at him and not at him but at something he possesses, her gaze was on him but faraway.
“Maurice,” her l-ips moved but her gaze never shook. “Can you ever love me?” his brows struck “Even a teeny weeny bit?”
.
____  To be continued

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