Bellatrix

So Close and Yet So Far

CHAPTER 39

Gabriel

Mum had suddenly gone all pale and looked like she was about to collapse. I panicked and rushed over to her, checking if she was okay, but her eyes were focused towards the entrance, and as she pushed me aside, she started crying uncontrollably and made her way forward. I turned to see what was getting her so worked up, and when my eyes fell on my Bella, I just froze with shock. I tried calling out her name, but words could not even come out of my mouth! As though paralyzed, I couldn’t feel any part of my body. I just stood there and watched in silence as mum approached her, and they both cried while hugging each other. Mum was an emotional wreck, and especially after my Bella introduced our daughter. OUR DAUGHTER! Oh, Heavens, all that was unfolding in front of my eyes had to be a dream, I thought. I couldn’t believe that FINALLY my Bella had come home and that too with our daughter. I had so many questions? But that could wait, I just wanted to take in the view in front of me. My Bella and our daughter looked so beautiful. The blue hair was a big change on my Bella, but it suited her well. It looked really good on her.

ATHENA LILLIAN KNIGHT! I AM A FATHER !!!

I continued to watch them without saying anything. Not that I didn’t want to, I was just unable to! My precious princess seemed like such a happy baby. She looked like an angel! When she burped and then started to laugh, I thought that was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. I wanted to have both my Bella and my princess in my arms, but my body failed me, and I stood where I was like a stone statue. When mum came back to the couch, my Bella came closer, and I managed to lock eyes with her. Her eyes were all puffy and red from the crying. Dad approached me, and he whispered in my ear to snap out of it and go to her! I nodded in understanding and tried to walk towards her. Thankfully, I gained feeling in my body, and fortunately, my legs, which felt like rubber, didn’t cause me embarrassment by giving up and me falling flat on my face. I held her hand and led her to the guest room, and she followed me without making a fuss or pulling her hand away.

I locked the door when we entered, and without even thinking about anything, I cupped her face with my palms, and I bent down and kissed her intensely. She wasn’t expecting it, and I felt her body tremble, and she tightened her grip on my princess, who slid her tiny hand into my hair. I pulled back slowly and turned to look at her only to find her staring at me with her beautiful green eyes, I then turned back to my Bella and asked if I could hold her. She just nodded, yes. “Hello my beautiful princess, I’m your daddy” I softly said as I picked her up. I can’t put in words what I felt at that moment, holding my daughter in my arms for the first time, I just couldn’t believe it! If this was a dream, I didn’t want to wake up! She smelled heavenly, then again, what did I expect? She looked like an angel. Her tiny hands were tracing my face as though she was trying to figure out who I was. Then she let out a wide yawn and rubbed her eyes with her hands. “I have to get her bag. She needs her bottle, and she is tired. It's passed her nap time.” My Bella said. I offered to get the bag and hesitantly tried to hand over my princess, but she comfortably rested her head on my chest and didn’t show any signs of wanting to go back to my Bella. I was overjoyed. Did she sense that I am her father? My Bella then said that she would get the bag. She opened the door only to find the bag placed outside. Atleast some one was thoughtful enough.

My Bella took a bottle out of it’s warmer and asked if I wanted to feed her? She obviously noticed the scared look on my face because she came over and asked me to sit, adjusted my princess in my arms and placed a feeding cloth on her chest and guided me how to hold the bottle to feed her. My princess gave us an irritated and impatient look, and as soon as the bottle dummy got into her mouth, she pulled on it so fast as though she was starving. I found this so cute and funny and couldn’t help let out a little laugh and said, “Daddy’s so sorry for making you wait my princess” I watched as she fed on her bottle, I couldn’t take my eyes off her, she was just too adorable. As her bottle emptied, her eyes became droopy, and before I knew it, she fell asleep.

My Bella gently picked her up and lay her on the bed and adjusted pillows on either of her sides. She then turned to me and said that we should talk before my princess woke up.

Where should I start? I had so many questions and didn't know what to ask first. I decided to ask where she was all this time? After she answered, I was in total shock. How could she have been so close yet so far! She hadn’t left the city! Yet no one could find her! She then gave me a summary of all that happened, including when she found she was pregnant and right up to when she met Arianna and Jacob. I didn’t interrupt her and listened attentively to every word she said. When she was done, with tears in my eyes, I asked, “My love, why did you not trust me? Did we mean so little to you that you found it so easy to leave Jacob and I behind? I know what you saw and heard hurt you, but if you only confronted me, we could have cleared everything up there and then. Do you have any idea what I had gone through without having you around? My life has no meaning if you are not in it! Did you stop for at least a second to think of how your decision to leave would affect the rest of us? It also ruined my relationship with Jacob and even with Mum and Arianna. Dad kept trying to reassure me that you would come back, and you finally did!"

She was clearly annoyed with everything I said and looked very uneasy. She walked over to my princess, adjusted the cover over her and turned back to face me, and said in a serious tone, "Gabriel, a lot has changed over the past year. I have changed! Yes, I was perhaps selfish in running away, but I had to think about myself for once! I agreed to come today because you deserved to know that you are a father, and I don't want to deprive Athena of having her father in her life. You will be able to visit her whenever you want to, but we are not moving back here!" I looked at my Bella with surprise and anger and told her loudly, "IF YOU THINK THAT I AM JUST GOING TO LET YOU WALK OUT OF MY LIFE AGAIN, AND THIS TIME WITH MY DAUGHTER, YOU BETTER THINK AGAIN!"