Bella's Choice (28 page)

Monica was also hard hit with it all. Her best friend was in so much pain and it was hard for her to watch. She listened as the grown-ups talked, without uttering so much as a word. Tim had phoned her last night, and it had taken her a while to calm down enough to go over to her parents’ house. Shocked, she heard the story they had just told Aldrich. She had always known what her parents did, but never thought they would sink as low as to sell her. It sounded like a storyline from a book, not real life. How was it possible for parents to be like this? No wonder Anabella refused to t
ake part in it.

Will she ever heal as a person?
After last night’s traumatic experience, will she ever be the same?

She knew enough about her home life―that it was bad―but what happened to her was the extreme; her friend had paid the price. Raped or not,
she had still paid the price. Anger welled up within as tears streamed down her face unhindered, her heart aching for her best friend.

Aldrich slowly came to life thinking of something, he removed his cell phone from his pocket. Once he located and dialed the number, he spoke swiftly with Mrs. Smit.

As he ended the call, Monica asked him about the woman. “Who is Mrs. Smit? Is this the lady that Anabella is seeing for counseling?”

“Yes, she’s Bella’s counselor.”

“Then it’s good that you phoned her.”

“It is.” He stood and left the dining room, and made his way out through the patio doors. He wanted to be alone, he needed to make sense of it all. He remembered her condition the previous night, the devastation on her youthful face, and now this. No wonder she didn’t speak, the betrayal had sent her into shock, and now she was struggling to work it out on her own. Damm them to hell!

The news still stunned him; parents who arranged for their only daughter―for quite a substantial amount―to be a common whore. Unheard of.

Revulsion rose with bile up his throat and he had to swallow hard for it to stay down, taking deep breaths to calm himself.
Was this their family business, the one Mr. Richter had referred to?
He simply couldn’t believe it.

When his thoughts wandered back to Bella, love soared through him for her braveness, her strong will as she persevered, her sweet innocence and her determination not to give in to the lifestyle her parents were clearly living.

He loved her. The thought rushed through him and left a trail of sweetness in its wake. His heart was beating a strong rhythm as all obstacles fell away in an instant. He knew he was right, she was his. She’d shown it in every choice she’d made. He could never doubt her love for him. It was clearly identifiable, her heart belonged to him and he would treasure it for as long as he lived. Standing on the patio with the sun radiating from the sky, he felt contentment with this knowledge, and for the first time since he had arrived, he smiled. It was the golden lining around a dark cloud and he knew all would be well with them.

Chapter Twelve

A
n hour had passed since they’d talked. Both women were now preparing lunch in the kitchen. Mr. Richter and Mr. Hagin sat discussing the future of sport and the effects of politics within it. Both deeply concerned about the negative influence it had on the athletes and the country.

Tim and Aldrich were standing in the shade of the patio, discussing a case they were working on. Not that Aldrich was concentrating much on it anyway, but at least it kept his mind busy. He’d had to restrain himself from checking up on Anabella every few minutes, but it was difficult. She needed the rest, still, he couldn’t help wondering how this would affect her in the long run. Her reaction the previous night had him worried; although the doctor had told them that it was normal. Normal or not, he had to be certain she would be fine.

Now, he stood in the heat of the day contemplating a case while his fiancée was struggling, which in turn made him feel helpless. He wanted to do more than stand around. A few times now he’d thought about Roy’s warning at the airport, and resentment built within him. Not once did they think that she would be in danger from her parents. If he’d known, he could have done more to prevent it.

A few times he’d walked away as anger and bitterness tried to overshadow the immediate concern. He wanted to go over there and tell them exactly how he felt. But then sanity prevailed and he stopped himself.

Anabella had to get up. The incident was crashing down on her with a weight she couldn’t fathom, still shocked at the evil she had encountered at the hands of her parents. The sickening feeling of betrayal that she had experienced in her home had broken her to pieces, leaving a gap in her heart. She wanted to sink into oblivion and sleep forever, but knew it would only extend the inevitable. She had to face this day and move on, could not allow them to have the upper hand. Not after all her hard work.

When she’d looked at herself in the tall mirror, the stranger looking back had eyes as big as s
aucers, glaring at her from an emotionless pale face. She’d never thought of herself as fragile, but at that moment she realized how delicate she really was. How easy it was for people to break someone with absolutely no regard.

She’d broken down and cried until only dry sobs wracked her body. Exhausted, she went to the bathroom and showered, inspecting herself as an observer would. Cold and detached, she moved her fingers over every inch of her body. She noticed the bluish marks left from the fingers that had grabbed her fiercely, and purple marks on her breasts where the man had bitten her. Although she wasn’t in pain, it was sensitive to the touch.

Calming herself down enough, she left the bathroom, the pair of long pajamas she’d borrowed from Monica covered her from head to toe, giving her some confidence when she approached the stairs. Muffled voices trailed up as she ventured down, holding on to the railing for support, her feet awkwardly tilted to the sides so as not to rest on her raw and bruised soles.

As she approached the living room, conscious of how she must look, she could see Mr. Richter in conversation with a visitor. This man looked familiar in so many ways, but she knew she had never met him before. He smiled at her, his eyes soft and welcoming, and she returned the smile without hesitation.

“You are awake!” said Mr. Richter excitedly, calling everyone. “She’s awake!”

Immediately, they rose to greet her.

Aldrich made like lightning.

Tim had no idea that his friend could move that fast, but it seemed that he could. And he grinned. He was already around the corner, throwing the door open and running toward Anabella in seconds. From the time he’d met the young woman, Aldrich had been distracted and on several occasions, his mind had wandered resulting in Tim having to remind him of where he was. He envied his friend, seeing as he was still searching for the elusive perfect woman.

“Bella. My love!” Joy was displayed on his face. He couldn’t conceal his emotions anymore. By now, it was obvious that he loved her. With one sweep, he took her in his arms and held her close, enjoying every part of her against him, his heart overflowing with the sight of her.

He’s still here. He didn’t reject me,
Anabella thought in amazement, her heart pounding as she bathed in his appraisal. These lines of thought had plagued her the most the moment she’d opened her eyes. Would she see him again after last night? Would he still be interested in her?

Now, seeing him still very much present soothed her sensitive heart and she chased away all the doubts she had anticipated. She giggled as she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him fiercely. Burying her face in the softness of his neckline, she inhaled his closeness, his strong arms barricading her from anyone else. Relaxing in his contact, she absorbed his love as it filled her with strength and hope. She loved him so much. Her heart felt bigger than before knowing he was with her. However, they were not alone, and this became even more obvious when someone cleared their throat.

“Please put me down, Aldrich,” she asked, giving him a peck on the lips, feeling shy with all the attention as chuckles filled the air and knowing that the room full of people was looking at her curiously. As she pulled away from him she smiled, seeing the joy and relief in his handsome face. His eyes were reflecting his heart, and all she could see was love in the blue depths shining down on her.

When he put her down, she flinched with pain. Realizing his mistake, he cringed, lifting her quickly as he muttered an apology to her. She forgave him instantly as she wrapped her arms around him. She knew it wasn’t intentional; not like anything her parents had done. He placed a kiss on her cheek and walked to the couch. Not to be the cause of any more pain, he sat her down and took a seat next to her, holding her hand as he watched her intently.

“Thanks, love.”

His eyes sparkled when he heard her repeat the tender words. He placed a kiss on her forehead. “Are you all right, Bella?”

“I’m fine,” she assured him.

He studied her for a few seconds more before he turned away and waved the unknown man closer while he rose.

“Dad, I want you to meet someone.” Pleasure filled his voice as his dad walked to them. He gleamed with pride as he watched her.

Dad.
She felt faint. She couldn’t believe she was meeting his father. She swallowed hard. Aldrich spoke often about his father, and she had always wanted to meet him, but not like this. He was a man that Aldrich admired. What would his thoughts be regarding her? She wanted to hide away in shame, but the man’s reassuring smile convinced her that it was all right.

“Anabella, this is my dad, Thomas Hagin.” Finally, his father and Bella were meeting each other for the first time. Aldrich knew his father would love her, and he was not disappointed.

“Pleased to meet you, young lady.” A smile adorned the older man’s face, so very like Aldrich’s smile.

She returned his greeting with genuine friendliness.

“So, this is the young woman who holds my son’s heart captive in her hands.” He took her hands into his larger ones and held them close to him, crouching before her. His milky-blue eyes radiated affectionate care; she detected no falsehood within them.

How on earth was I so lucky to find not only one but two men who look at me with wonder, as if I’m the best thing that has ever happened to them? How is it possible?

“How are you, little one?” His sincerity was genuine, something Anabella couldn’t miss, and she loved him immediately. He was everything she had wanted in a father―she’d observed this with just one glance. He was honorable, kind, and filled with tenderness, yet powerful and strong as if nothing could touch him. An older replica of Aldrich with more gray in his dark hair; it simply distinguished him from the rest. Now that they stood side by side, the similarities were so obvious she couldn’t help but smile brightly up at them.

“Mr. Hagin, I am pleased to meet you. Please accept my apologies as I haven’t made much effort to look presentable. What kind of an impression will you have of me? In my pajamas at…” she paused and looked pointedly at Aldrich. “What time is it exactly?” A twinkle of delight played over her face.

Aldrich smiled. “11:30am.”

“In my pajamas this late in the morning,” she continued, eyes filled with amazement as she looked at him.

They chuckled at her playfulness.

“Yes, it is a crying shame. Don’t let it happen again,” he teased playfully, already liking her tremendously.

“I’ll do my best not to.” She grinned.

But all playfulness disappeared as he asked with watchful intention, “Are you okay, dear?”

“Yes, sir. Now that I am safe, I’m just fine.” She beamed brightly up at him. Even to her own ears her response sounded truthful; something she hadn’t felt for a long time.

Everyone swallowed at the lump forming in the throats. Her youthful vibrancy and honesty touched them, although her body said something differently.

Aldrich couldn’t believe he was looking at the same woman from last night, her capacity to recover was one of the reasons he loved her. Admiration for this woman flooded him once again.

Happy to see her out of bed, Mrs. Richter and Monica joined them, with Tim just behind his mother. Hugs and kisses rained down on her as each took a turn to greet her, all the while Anabella laughed and joked with them to ease the discomfort she could sense emanating from them.

Mrs. Richter asked her what she wanted to drink, and then brought her a warm cup of coffee. By now, Aldrich was sitting next to her allowing her to lean against him, while supporting and comforting her at the same time.

Seated around her, the small group fell silent and Thomas cleared his throat.

“I have to ask, Anabella, how did you get away?”

When she looked at him the sparkle in her eyes dimmed as fear and distress replaced her cheerfulness; the wounds still raw and open.

They all realized at that moment that the road to recovery would be a long and difficult one for her.

She grew silent for a moment, swallowing at the tears that threatened to erupt. “It was the strangest thing,” she said, her voice steady as she glanced from one to the other. “I fought like crazy against the man’s onslaught and tried desperately to escape. But the man was too strong for me.” Her voice hitched and she took a gulp of air.

Aldrich squeezed her hand supportively and she continued, blinking away the tears. “I remember looking up to the ceiling asking for help. Just before that, I noticed that my brothers were being held down. My father stood to the side, a blond in his arms, while my mother was next to me telling me to relax. I couldn’t do it and continued to struggle with all my strength. A calm and peace I never experienced before captured my thoughts. It was a fleeting feeling―like a clean breeze that filtered through the stench―and all the fear was gone. That’s what helped me to act quickly. I knew I had to relax in his arms. It was a natural reaction, and the moment he thought I’d played along, I kneed him and ran as fast as I could.”

Silence fell in the living room as a sob left her lips. She wrapped her arms around Aldrich, and he buried her in his allowing her to cry. Tears streamed down his face, his throat dry from unshed emotions. He held her trembling body and rocked them both to calmness. Words of endearment left his lips as he spoke to her softly; he could feel her relax into him.

After a few minutes, a shiver ran down her spine and she grew quiet, just resting in his arms. He could feel her breathing had returned to normal as she placed a tender kiss on his open neck. “Thank you for being here,” she said softly.

“There is no other place I’d rather be,” he replied. “You are my life, Bella.”

She smiled at him, the people around them momentarily forgotten.

With a clearing of the throat, Tim bid
them farewell and went to work.

Monica also excused herself, said goodbye, and held her friend in a tight grip.

Mr. Hagin followed suit and in a gentle voice said, “When you feel better, you need to come for a visit, all right? Be strong dear. If you need a father figure and you will let me, I will be honored to fill that role.” Sincerity was written on his face.

Anabella looked at him and knew why she’d immediately fallen in love with this man; not because he was Aldrich’s father, but because he accepted her as his daughter, unconditionally. Tears filled her eyes, and when she reached out to him he bent to hold her firmly to him, like a father would hold a daughter; secure and warm, and full of love toward her.