5. Stella turns 19. The family secret is revealed.
1364 Words
Stella had spent her summer days reading to Sophia and helping her with her affairs as she had directed her to do so.
One day, Stella got a call from her mother, Leslie...she felt surprised at hearing her mother's voice after so long, she wondered what was wrong.
" Hey, how are you Stella?"Leslie asked, overly sweet.
" Oh hey, Leslie, how are you?" responded Stella.
Leslie was taken aback by her daughter's informal use of her first name.
" Oh, well...can you call me mom?" She asked.
" Oh, sorry, sure mom." She said flatly, she hugged herself.
" Well, we have some very good news, your father and I are moving.
Dad landed a great job in Egypt. We will be there for three, maybe four years. He has a huge opportunity to lead an architectural firm.
I of course, will be with him, as his main designer." She sounded excited.
" You can get through your last year of high-school, stay with auntie Sophia." She said.
She doesn't even know I graduated early, she thought to herself.
She responded," Cool mom."
" Stella, look we are excited to go to Egypt. It will give us a chance to work together and work on our marraige too."
Stella said," No problem mother. When do you leave?"
Her heart was breaking. How could her parents be so cold to her.
" Well, as soon as possible. We better say goodbye now, I have to go. Bye Stella, good luck with your studies."
Stella said goodbye, she had a lump in her throat.
She just didn't get it. Her parents didn't seem to want or care for her, "what did I do?"
She turned her attention to the one who loved her, made her feel special, Sophia.
Sophia was slowly declining.
Stella would spend the next few months visiting with her, take care of her.
She put off her college education. She made the decision. Her great aunt was all she had.
Sophia was happy to have her....
A few months later...
Towards the end of the year, Sophia called Stella to her bedside.
" I'm ready for you to go back home my love, I don't want you here when I die.
I want you to remember me whole, as I am now." She said as she smiled at her.
Stella reluctantly agreed. "I want to be with you Auntie, what will I do without you?"
Sophia frowned, she knew what she said next would impact Stella's life forever.
" Stella, I need to tell you something, you might hate me for telling you this, but I need you to know the truth." She said breathing hard.
" Please tell me Sophia?" She said leaning forward.
" Your mother had an affair, she cheated on your father."
She paused to catch her breath.
"You Stella..you were born from that affair. I know that they treated you...well different.
They tried to move past it. Every time they look at you, they see that old wound.
I'm sorry...please forgive me...I'm dying and you needed."... she wiped her old eyes.
"You needed to know. I love you Stella. I truly do."
" Who is he, who is my father then?" She was crying.
" He was Baron's younger brother Levin. He died.
Your uncle Levin, he was your birth father.
Your mother was very upset when he suddenly died in a car crash.
Your dad, uh...Baron I mean, he thought it was strange that she was so very upset, inconsolable.
Leslie finally told him the truth right after you turned two.
Stella, I'm so very sorry." She said breathing hard.
Stella smiled, but felt despondent, she finally understood why her parents treated her different.
She kissed her aunt goodbye.
" Thank you, I love you so much auntie." She was numb.
She pondered everything that her auntie had told her.
She was feeling angry about all of it....
A week had passed, it was her 19th birthday.
The Jennifers had coaxed her to go out to the same restaurant she had met them at last year.
She wore baggy jeans and a football jersey. Her hair was all messed up.
She wore no expensive dresses or perfume, nothing fancy this time.
Her friends gave her a small cake and told her to blow out the candles, "Make a wish!"
She made a silent wish...She grabbed her jersey and twisted it as she closed her eyes.
" Don't let me be alone tonight."
She blew out the candles.
The door flew open immediately after that wish and in walked Drake Palmer.
He looked like a king in a gray Armani suit that fit like a glove, he was long and lean and her wish come true.
She watched him enter. He had a certain swagger.
She thought he was there because of her wish. She smiled at him.
He didn't see her. He looked at his gold watch.
Just then a lanky blond with a large bosom dressed in a tight gold dress came sauntering in.
She ran to Drake and kissed him hard." Hello you!"
" You look ravishing dear." He told the woman as he kissed her cheek.
Stella frowned. He was her wish not the fake t**s woman, she felt fire in her gut, she was still angry at her parents.
Stella stood up and looked intently over at his table.
The two Jennifer's stood up, trying to stop her from embarrassing herself.
She wasn't looking very good tonight, dressed like a boy.
They held her back. She pulled away and ran to the table.
She slapped her palms on the table in front of Drake's spot, claiming his attention.
The woman he was with laughed at her, seeing her dressed in a football jersey.
" What does he want?" She asked Drake as she laughed, deliberately calling Stella a he.
Stella looked down at her clothing, she was embarrassed.
She didn't care anymore, she looked up at him, her green eyes were looking very fierce.
Stella ignored the laughing woman.
She wrapped her hands around her jersey, then just froze.
Drake was staring at her.
She almost turned back around.
Just do it quickly then he can laugh at me too if he wants.
" About what you said to me in that note. Okay."
That's all she said to him.
She turned and walked back to the booth, to her friends. She said goodbye to the two Jennifers.
She never looked back at him.
Oh Jeesh, I really said that to Drake Palmer, oh jeesh!
The Jennifers watched her with their mouths open in shock.
She got into her car and went home, alone again on her 19th birthday.
She doubted that he would see her tonight, he did have a date.
Stella went down to the kitchen and made some popcorn.
She put a TV show on. Sitting there cross legged, she watching a sad, dramatic Korean soap opera.
About an hour later she heard the doorbell ring.
Wiping her eyes, she went to see who it was.
It was him.
Stella ran her hands through her hair.
He came, he actually came!
She unlocked the door and opened it, walking back to the TV room to shut the show off.
Drake came in. He swaggered a bit, he knew why she called, he was going to give himself to her tonight.
The blond at the diner was shocked when he had left without her.
He watched her nervously cleaning up her popcorn mess.
Drake stood at the room entrance with his arms folded over his chest. He waited patiently.
She smiled at him and offered him a drink.
He was quiet, he saw her red eyes. She had been crying.
" Are you okay, I mean all alone on your birthday again?"
She smiled. "You came, well actually I was watching a sad show, the character dies at the end so"....
He said," Ah, I see. Get naked for me then." He had waited a long time for her to contact him, he needed her, now!
Stella nodded.
Naked for him. That only means one thing, he does want me.
- Writer
