Bella

by D. J. Barrett

  “You are a beautiful Violet.” Anna said tearfully. She turned to me and said. “Thank you for letting us stays here Bella. You are kind lady.”

  “It’s not a problem I am happy to have you both here.” I reassured them. I showed them around Lighthouse Cove, and then we all went for some lunch at our favourite restaurant. It was very busy as it was Boxing Day. The food was very nice; we decided to have roast duck with orange sauce. For dessert we had New York cheesecake. When we arrived back home, I wasn't expecting to find what I did. I knew straight away something wasn't right. The back window had been smashed. I went directly upstairs to my bedroom. Marco was sat on my bed.

  “What do you want Marco?” I demanded.

  “Bella you know what I want.” He snapped. I knew I couldn't say no to his bribes, and that he could keep on asking at any time. I had no choice I had to call his bluff.

  “You can tell everyone, what you saw that night. However, we both know you are a bigamist and our marriage isn`t legal. So I will tell the police.”

  Marco wasn't listening and laughed in my face. He told me I had two days to give him another ten thousand pounds. If I didn’t fulfil his request by then, he would tell the whole family about Simon and I.

  “I don't have that kind of money just to throw away Marco. But one thing is for sure, I don't want you seeing Violet. Your parents are here to see their granddaughter for the first time, don’t spoil it for them at least.”

  Fortunately Marco left. I knew our secret would have to come out. What would people think, brother and sister sleeping together? I thought. Victoria knew something, but not that Simon and I had actually slept together, or the fact I had his child, then again neither did Simon. I tried to put on a brave face and went downstairs, but my mood wasn't very good and Claudio knew something was up. I had just got engaged and could lose the man I wanted to marry. Claudio put his arm around me.

  “Are you tired Bella, maybe you have taken on too much. You need to slow down a bit.” He was right to some degree. I had taken on too much, but that was the least of my worries. My life was going to be completely in shatters if Marco got his way. I tried my hardest to entertain Anna and Emilio the best I could, but it wasn't easy. Over the next two days I was on tender hooks waiting for Marco to show up. I decided I had to tell Claudio before Marco showed up again.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Iknew if I told Claudio that would be the end of us. I called Simon first and told him what Marco had said. Simon told me he would at my house within the hour.

  He arrived and we both asked Claudio to come into the reading room.

  “What's the matter with you both?” He asked.

  “Marco is blackmailing me.” I told him.

  “What do you mean Bella? Why would he do that?” He asked with a very concerned look on his face.

  “Marco came to the hotel room when I was staying in Tuscany. He caught Simon and I in the bathroom together.” 'What do you mean? Why were you both in the bathroom?” He asked confusedly. I could feel my face turning red. I quickly told him that Simon was helping me get out of the bath. The lies started to fall out my mouth.

  “I was in pain and couldn't get out of the bath. Marco must have come in and thought we were up to something; unfortunately the door to my room wasn’t locked and he came in. Then Marco asked for money, saying he would tell everyone that Simon and I were up to no good. I was worried and didn’t know what to do. We tried explaining to him, but to no avail. So I gave him money. But he came back the other day asking for more.” I looked at Claudio. He looked hurt and angry.

  “Why would Marco lie about you both? Surely he wouldn't do that unless he had something to blackmail you with?”

  “Please Claudio forget what Marco said. I just had to tell you, before he did. I know I have to tell everyone.”

  Claudio put his hands on his face, his eyes were full of tears.

  “I have to think Bella.” He left the room, headed upstairs and packed his things.

  “I’m going back to Tuscany. I will call you in a few days, I am sorry Bella, I love you but, I don't know what to think. When you were in Tuscany, I did think that you and Simon where exceptionally close.” Claudio gave me a kiss on my cheek. “I will call you, I promise.” Claudio left and how could I blame him. What a mess. Simon took me in his arms and I cried.

  “I love Claudio so much. Why did I ever have romantic feelings for you? We should have realised that someone would catch us, its incest.” I blurted out

  “Bella I know you still have feelings for me, and you are trying to hide them through someone else.” He said stroking my hair in a caring way.

  “I did but I have genuinely fallen in love with Claudio.” I told him.

  “Bella we have to tell everyone. Victoria knows there is some kind of special connection going on and she told me she knows something about us.”

  “What possibly could she know Simon? Where is Victoria?”

  “She is very angry at the moment; she has taken Luke and gone to stay with her parents.”

  “You need to call her and ask her exactly what she knows.

  I can’t handle anymore Simon. This is too painful for me. Maybe I do have feelings for you. But I’ve tried to supress them. However, I can never let them out again, it’s not right.” Simon walked out the door slamming it on the way out.. I called Marco and told him that I`d told Claudio about the incident, and I would tell everyone else including the fact that he is a bigamist. Fortunately after all of the things I’d lost, Marco never bothered me again.

  Claudio must have taken things quite badly because he didn’t contact me when he said he would.

  Marco’s parents enjoyed their stay. I took them to London and showed them many beautiful sights. I tried to hide how I felt for their sake, although, I think they guessed something was up.

  I decided to talk to Tammy and Roy. I went to their house. Tammy looked so much better. I sat down at the kitchen table, and began telling them everything. The feelings I had for Simon and that we had always had the wrong feelings for each other. The only thing I missed out telling them was having his baby. Tammy folded her arms and Roy shuffled his feet. Neither of them knew what to say.

  “Bella you are a grown woman and only you know what is right from wrong, you know having feelings for your brother is wrong.” Tammy said.

  “I have loved Simon since I was a child. I know it is wrong, but I can’t help it.” I cried.

  Roy looked a bit more sympathetic.

  “You shouldn't see each other anymore, if you have these feelings, it's the only way Bella.”

  I told Tammy that Claudio knew and he hadn`t been in touch since he left. Tammy took me in her arms and said.

  “Bella, everything will be alright. You will see.”

  Over the next year I kept myself busy with the children, and got a job as a secretary at the local hospital. I tried calling Claudio, but he never answered so I gave up in the end. Simon had gone back to in New York, which was probably for the best. All I could do now was hopefully learn from by my mistakes.

  “My life has been full of secrets and lies.” I whispered to myself. Remembering my parents and wishing they were here to give me advice. I missed them so much, not being able to talk to them. Lizzie was busy with her new shop. There was nobody to talk to. If it hadn’t been for the children I think I would have gone crazy. Violet was four and she had such a lovely personality and was a real little chatterbox.

  Christmas time arrived once again. I didn`t really feel like celebrating, but of course I had to carry on for the children's sake. I prepared a turkey. Tammy, Roy and Lizzie were coming over for dinner. Simon stayed in New York for Christmas. I knew it was for the best. I got the tree out of the loft, and started putting it up with the children.

  My phone rang just as we had finished putting the last bit of tinsel on the tree. It was Tammy.

  “I am coming round straight away. I have to talk to you and it can’t wait.”What on earth could be s
o important! I thought.

  When Tammy arrived she looked upset.

  “It’s Simon he’s in Hospital.” She told me

  “Why what's wrong with him?” I asked worriedly.

  “He’s had a nervous breakdown. I imagine it is with all the pressure.”

  I knew I had to fly out to New York, he needed me. Tammy thought that it wasn't a good idea, but I wouldn`t listen. I promised her and Roy that everything would be ok and any romantic feelings I’d had for Simon had gone.

  I booked the flight for the children and myself. At the last moment Tammy and Roy decided to come with us. I called Lizzie to tell her, and she decided to come too.

  That evening we all flew out to New York. We were lucky enough to get a flight together. Christmas Eve was a very busy time. We landed after a long flight. The lights of New York looked really beautiful as the plane came into land. Normally I would have loved the fact I was in New York, but it was difficult under the circumstances we. Roy had paid for us to stay at the Casablanca Hotel in Time’s Square.

  It was too late to visit Simon. So we unpacked our things and I put the kids to bed, then we had a drink. We had our very own executive suite with a living room, so we could be near the Children. I couldn't believe one minute I was in England and the next I was in one of the most famous Cities in the World. I was really tired and needed some sleep.

  I woke up 10 o’clock the next morning the same time as the children. After we’d had our breakfast we set off to see Simon. The Doctors told us that he was in a bit of a bad way and hadn’t looked after himself for a quite a while. I was shocked when I saw the state of him.. He was unshaven; and his clothes were hanging off him, because he had lost so much weight. I wanted to cry. Was this the result of what he and I had done?

  Tammy as usual fussed over him like a mother hen. Lizzie was trying to act as normal as possible, but I could see she was very upset. Roy decided to pay and have Simon treated at the best Hospital he could afford. He was a millionaire, and could afford it. His parents were very wealthy people, and had passed their business on to him, they had luxury Hotels everywhere. I sat down next to Simon, not knowing what to say. I took his hand.

  “Simon please tell me what's wrong, I want you to be well again. Mother and father would be devastated right now if they were still alive.” He looked at me with sad eyes but didn’t say anything..

  The Doctor told us it could take months for Simon to get better. Later that day he was transferred to a private Hospital which had the best facilities money could buy, and set on lovely grounds.

  Even though we arrived on Christmas Day we slept most of it. However, we still managed to celebrate Robert’s birthday. I gave my birthday celebrations a miss that time due to the circumstances. We decided to celebrate Christmas on Boxing Day. Simon was clearly too unwell to come with us, so we left him to get some rest.

  Roy took us to a lovely restaurant, La Bottega, in Manhattan, a lovely Italian restaurant and we all had homemade lasagna. We decided to open our presents when we got home. I wanted to keep things as normal as possible for the children, so I already gave them their presents before we left for New York

  Manhattan was just magical, what a place to be. I could see why Simon loved New York so much. After our meal, we went back to our hotel. I couldn't sleep very well, because every time I closed my eyes I could see Simon. I also wondered what Claudio was doing. I just wished he had contacted me. So many things were racing through my mind, so by the time the alarm went off I hadn’t slept at all. I splashed my eyes with cold water and looked at my reflection in the mirror; I looked more like thirty three not twenty three.

  Drastic measures were needed, so I decided to get my hair done and have a facial. Tammy offered to look after the kids while I did a bit of shopping and bought some new clothes.

  Later that day we went to see Simon. Tammy and Roy went off to talk to one of his doctors and I went to see Simon. He was sitting in a chair playing his guitar. When I entered his room he stopped playing and looked up at me with tears in his eyes.

  “Bella I just can't be without you. I have tried so hard but you are my life. I don’t know what to do.” He said softly.

  I took his hand in mine..

  “Let’s just get you better first, everything else will come later.” I said tenderly. What else could I say?

  We were allowed to take Simon out for the day so we went to the top of the Statue of Liberty; the views were amazing; you could see for miles. It was a lovely sunny winter’s day.

  After we had taken Simon back to the Hospital we went to Central Park; the children loved it. There was an outside ice rink so we all tried our hand at ice skating. I wasn't very good, and kept falling over. The last time I fell over a man bent down and picked me up. The winter’s sun was blinding me so I couldn’t see properly, I squinted and looked up.

  “Claudio, what are you doing here?” I was shocked.

  “Ben called me. Tammy had given him my number.” Why would Ben do that I wondered. We hadn’t exactly been close lately and he hadn`t visited Tammy in a long time. Claudio helped me up and we all went for a hot chocolate.

  “I’ve missed you Bella, I couldn't call you, I was so hurt. Ben told me about Simon and that Tammy was worried about you. I had to come. She told me that you would be in Central Park.”

  ”So this wasn’t just a coincidence Claudio?”

  “No Bella, I came here to see you.” I hugged him and didn’t want to let go. This felt like one big dream.

  We decided to go out and celebrate. We headed back to the same Italian restaurant as the night before, but this time we had one of their famous pizzas. By the end of the night, I was feeling rather tipsy. With the cold night air I felt extremely tired and unwell. Maybe I am coming down with something. I thought. When I woke up the next morning I was sneezing and coughing; I had caught a chill. Claudio looked after me and the children all that day. The day after I felt much better and we went to see Simon. I told Claudio it was better that he didn’t come under the circumstances and luckily he understood.

  Simon seemed a little better, but I knew he had a long way to go. Roy asked him if he wanted to be transferred to a private Hospital in England. Roy pointed out we would all have to leave at some time and would feel better if he was nearer to us. Simon decided to stay in New York a while longer and maybe be transferred at a later date.

  The following day, we all went to the Empire State Building. New York was a beautiful city and I would have loved to have live there. Claudio must have read my mind.

  “Bella would you like to live here?" He asked.

  “I would love to, but I have too much back in England." Roy and Tammy took me to one side.

  “Roy has a gift for you Bella.” It was a little white envelope with an address written on it. I was confused.

  “I don't understand.” I said.

  “Go to the address Bella you will see.” He said with a sincere smile on his face. We took a taxi to the address and arrived at a beautiful apartment block. We went inside and Roy opened a door to a really luxurious apartment..

  “Why are you showing me this Roy?”

  “It’s yours Bella, all yours.” He then put the keys in my hand.

  “I don't know what to say. Thank you so much.“ I hugged him and Tammy and I could feel tears welling up inside me.

  “You need some luck Bella, you can use this apartment as a holiday home, or if you want you can live here, it’s up to you.” I looked around the apartment.

  “It must have cost you a fortune Roy. Why do you want to help me?”

  Because Money is no object to me, and you are like the daughter I never had. All of you children are very special to me.

  I loved Tammy and Roy like they were my own parents. Even though I hadn`t known Roy that long, he was just like a father.

  We visited Simon again before we left for England. We had to go back sometime and the children needed there normal routine.

  We arrived back on
New Year's Eve and I settled the kids to sleep. Simon came back with us for the New Year. Doctors had told us it would do him good to be around family for a while. We slept most of the day as we were all jet lagged.

  Tammy decided to throw a party later that evening and had prepared lots of lovely food and drink.

  Claudio once again popped the question on the stroke of midnight. I didn`t really think it was a good idea with Simon the way he was but I didn`t want to turn him down again.

  I would have preferred he’d left it until Simon had gone back to New York because the look on Simon’s face showed he clearly wasn't happy about the engagement.

  I loved Claudio, but I felt he wasn't really being very sensitive about the matter.

  Surprisingly Ben decided to visit Tammy. He looked a lot older in the face, and looked more and more like Father. He told us that he had locked himself into his work, and felt that keeping his distance from the family helped him. I was really angry with him for being so selfish.

  “Where were you when you’re mother was ill?” I shouted

  “Tammy isn’t even our mother but Lizzie and I have shown her more love and support than you have.”

  “I’m sorry! It was my way of dealing with things. I didn’t mean to hurt anybody.” He said sincerely.

  I still couldn’t help thinking he had been selfish.

  After the holidays were over, Claudio had to return to Tuscany, and I went back to work. Violet was five that year and was about to start school. Robert started nursery, and was looking more like Simon every day.

  Spring soon arrived and Claudio had only visited three times since the New Year as his work kept him very busy. At Easter Claudio decided to set the date for our wedding. I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. So then he started questioning me. Claudio questioned me.

  “If you love me Bella then getting married shouldn't be a problem.”

  “You know I love you Claudio! I just think it would be better if we get married next wear, when Simon is completely healed. The doctor told me that he’s making good progress and I don’t want to go and ruin that. I just want everything to be perfect that’s all.