Bella's Choice

Chapter 2: Meeting Aldrich

Suddenly her cell phone rang, disturbing the stillness, but she smiled. The Caller ID showed it was her best friend, Monica. Of all her friends, she was closest to her, and was the heart of the group with her sparkling personality; always busy arranging parties or schemes, especially where boys were concerned.

Anabella trusted her as she was the only one who knew what was really going on at her house. Not that she ever allowed her to come over. For that, she was too ashamed, but she knew enough and was always close. When things got bad, she could always turn to her. Although Monica was a cheerful person and looked like a 'dumb blond', she had shown maturity in a lot of things over the years, something that was not well known in their group.

“Hi, Moni."

“Hi, Bell! You in the mood for a party at my house tonight?"

She could hear Monica was excited - almost out of breath because of it - and she could see her, as if she was standing right in front of her. However, Anabella did need to rest. Her muscles were still stiff after the practice.

“Not tonight, Moni, I really need to rest. Tomorrow is a big day and I must be in top form," she said with a sigh, smiling because of her friend's anxiousness.

“Please, Bell, do come, please, even if it is only for an hour or so." Monica sounded very eager, almost desperate.

What was she up to again? “Moni, I can't come, please understand."

“Bell, pretty please, a hunk of a guy is here, a friend of my brother's, and I want you to meet him. Please come."

In the background, Anabella could hear a shout, as if someone was screaming at her.

“Please, Bell!" It was Monica's brother, Tim. He was twelve years older than they were and a lawyer, working for a well-known law firm in the city. Again, he shouted in a deep voice, laughing, “Please, Bell, come!"

Anabella smiled at this and then said, “All right, Moni, but only for an hour. I do need to have a good night's rest." Reluctantly, she gave in. She knew her friend would not stop until she said yes. Her friend's family was like a real family to her. Over the years, she had learned what it was like to have parents, and many times she would find herself crying afterward, longing for parents like theirs.

“Great. I expect you at seven, and you can leave at nine. Will that be early enough?" There was relief in her voice.

“Yes, that'll be fine. Thanks for the invite. See you later."

With an hour to spare, she stood in front of her closet. She took out a light, cream-colored winter dress with three-quarter-length sleeves. It fell to just above her knees. There was still a chill in the air this late in September and she didn't want to be cold. Long, dark-brown boots completed her outfit. Her long, straight, dark-brown hair hung loose over her shoulders. Even after the winter, she'd kept her tan, which was noticeable on her face, knees and forearms.

She left the house at ten to seven as Monica only lived fifteen blocks from her. It was already dark outside, and stars dotted the sky. A light breeze ruffled through her hair, but it wasn't freezing, which she was glad about. It had been a long time since she had seen her friends, and maybe it would be good to see them all again. She got into her silver Renault Clio, a gift from her parents on her eighteenth birthday. To say she had been stunned to find the car parked in the driveway the morning of her birthday would have been putting it mildly. She had not seen either of them for almost a week, so Roy and Derek handed her the keys.

She'd spent a great morning with them, driving them to the nearest Mugg and Bean, enjoying breakfast together. Like ordinary young people, they laughed about silly stuff. No one mentioned the always absent parents. They had spent the previous night with friends and didn't return home until two days later. It was good to hear her brothers laugh and be the young handsome men they were. Normality was not a word which described them, but on that day, they had come very close to it. They even took a few photos together, which had been framed and now hung in her room. They reminded her that if they tried hard enough, they could be a regular, happy family, the one thing she craved the most.

She had an air of confidence about her, but at the same time she was very humble and shy. Through life's trials, she had learned not to boast in her own abilities but to stay in the background and do her own thing. She had been forced to learn to stand on her own two feet, and not depend on her parents. They never cared or were interested in her life. Although they took great care of her material needs, they emotionally distanced themselves, which bordered on abuse. Their own life and lifestyle were all that mattered to them. Her brothers would protect her at times but only to some degree, before they would leave her alone to fight or fend for herself. She loved her brothers, and she knew there were a lot of sacrifices they had to make to adjust to their parents' way of life, but she could never pay that price.

Her innocence was precious to her. It was a significant issue, or rather an embarrassment to them, especially her mother. They thought she was uptight. She was always proud of the fact that she could still be a lady, watching Mrs. Richter, who played a huge role in her life. Her example of grace and humbleness was the measure of a woman, which made Anabella determined to be similar. She wanted to be graceful, elegant and have respect for herself, with a husband who would adore her. From teachers and classmates, she only received respect and admiration.

In less than two months, she would complete her schooling. She looked forward to the following year as she would be attending the University of Cape Town where she would study physiotherapy, with her focus in sports. She had always loved sports; there wasn't one she had not tried at one time or another. She liked the commitment, the discipline it brought into her life, and the joy of competing. When competing in a team sport or as an individual, she felt that she was accepted for who she was as a person. In the beginning, it was a way to escape her home life, but now it had become her lifestyle.