Meribella (Dear Mermaid) Chapter 5

BY BLESSING SILVER

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Mother!” she exclaimed happily as her mother’s face appeared on the mirror. “Meribella” her mother voice called, emotions noticeable in it.
“Mother,” she cried “I was so worried, I’ve had series of nightmares and I was so scared” she touched the screen as if she could feel her mother’s skin in her palm.
“I’m fine my child, Elliot had no idea we helped you escaped. He thinks you’re still here hiding in Tarania,” Bella breathed in relief, a palm on her chest.
“I’m so happy to hear that mother..
“How are you, are you okay there Bella? Just hang on for a while, I’ll get you when everything’s calm here, you–
“Mother ,” she cut her statement “I’m fine, I met a very nice person and he helped me. I’m living fine with him, I was just so worried about you and Keenan” she said and her mother sighed.
“Keenan’s safe too, she left to get some rest. I’m glad to know you’re safe there too, I’m so happy” Lana said, a smile across her lips.
“Remember to always put that bracelet on, you have to live a good life too”
“I know mother and I’m trying my best to get used to life here. It’s not really difficult” she said.
“I feel so relieved,” Lana’s hand touched the screen from the other side and Bella placed her palm on it, feeling nothing physically but something connecting spiritually and emotionally.
“I love you mother, please take care of yourself. You have to live, okay?”
“I will, especially since you want me too,” she smiled “I love you too. Someone’s coming, I have to go now”
“Yes mother” her face slowly faded from the screen and she rested it on her chest, smiling happily.
She was filled with ecstasy, hearing her mothers’ voice and confirming her safety. She knew it was for a while, sooner or later Elliot will realize she had left Tarania for good, he was no fool and she had to think about an alternative before he does.
She shook the helpless thought aside and stood up, it was almost noon and she was hungry already. She decided to wait a bit more, she could while away time with movie then heat up the food later. She stood up and moved to the living room, settling on a couch she changed the TV channels to Hollywood squares, a movie sitcom and relaxed to watch.
She smiled at it, the people on TV fascinated her. She had little knowledge of what was being said but seeing their action even in a small box fascinated her.. she awed.
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Maurice threw the bouquet into the sea and watched as it swam further, fighting the tears he stood up and tucked his hand in his pant pocket.
“Mom,” he called, his voice soft and filled with painful emotions “It’s six month already, I have no idea when I’ll visit again but I hope you rest peacefully when I’m gone. I promise to bring Joliet along when I come next, I promise to bring a big bunch of lilies for you, you loved them a lot. I remember when you started addressing me as lily when I was seventeen, I had to warn you to stop but now I realize the true meaning, you wanted to show me I was one of the best things in your life, one of the majority,” he smiled wryly “I love you so much mother, I wish you hadn’t die and I also wish you continue to rest peacefully. I love you” he said and gave the bouquet, now faraway a mild smile.
He looked at the sea, contempt crawling out of his eyes. He hated it. it gave him memories and took his mother as a price.
He looked around, still hoping he could find the necklace but he knew better so he moved away when he realized he was gaining attention, one thing he avoided.
That was why he preferred visiting the sea at early dawn, it gave him a quiet time to pour out enough hateful words to the sea and to talk alone and peacefully with his mother, though gone he always felt her presence and he knew she was always watching out for him wherever she was.
He walked away, it was noon. he had an hour free before he goes for evening class, he decided to use the free time to purchase clothes and other stuffs for Bella.
He got into his car and inserted the key in the ignition, he adjusted the breaks and drove to a big boutique few metres away.
.
He parked his car on a lane and got down then walked into the boutique, the cold air coming from the air condition hit him first then sweet smell of perfumes, he moved to the receptionist and told her of his orders, she responded politely and called on a sales girl to assist him with female wears.
“I need jackets, dresses, skirts, shirts, two shoes, a pair of fancy sandal and a flip flop” he instructed the sales girl who nodded.
“We have all that, come with me”
He followed her to a lane and they got to a section filled with lots of female wears, cosmetics, and deodorants.
He picked the ones he assumed bella would love, after the clothes he went for the shoes, picking a flat hedge shoe, a tennis shoe and a boot he walked to the sandals section, he pick a pearl stony sandal with flat butt and a pink pretty Mickey mouse flip flops . He dropped everything in the shopping basket and got few underwear, a deodorant perfume and a lotion cream, he wasn’t familiar with female private things but he knew them so he picked whatever he saw and threw them in the basket.
The girl took his shopping basket since he was done and led him to the cashier, he stood while they calculated the things he bought.
He hoped Bella would like them, well she didn’t have a choice, he had notice how she still acted uneasy, timid and shy when she was with him, he knew she didn’t trust him completely. Of course he didn’t trust her completely too because he didn’t know her and he wanted to. He wants to know her, be her friends and assure her that she could trust him, he wanted them to act more like friends and teach her things she didn’t know, to assure her that she was safe with him and was free to ask or tell him anything. He knew she must’ve had a rough time in the past since the death of her parent, coupled with the absence of close friends and relatives; she was alone. Her life must’ve been tough. He only understood the feeling of loosing a parent but she had lost two and it must’ve hurt a lot.
He had no idea how long she’ll stay with him but he wanted her to live well during those periods, he wanted her to look at him as a friend and he was going to do it..
He had helped her, the little he expected was her trust and closeness, he was her only family now.
The cashier handed his bills to him and he paid then got the receipt, he remembered he also had to do the groceries, they were almost stranded of food stuffs. A deep sigh escaped his lips.
He head to his car, pulling the door open he dumped the clothes on the passenger’s seat, got into the drivers’ and drove off to his work.
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Bella used a kitchen paper to take out the hot food from the microwave, she closed it and dropped the plastic plate of food on the kitchen counter. She took a plate from the drain board and poured out the steaming pasta in it, she threw the plastic plate into the sink and took the food to the sitting room, she set it down on a wooden table stool and went back to the kitchen. She opened the fridge and took out a can soda the turned to walked back to the living room, she stopped and turned back then closed the fridge door, she smiled at her good job then took the soda to the sitting room.
She sat on a chair, shifting the table so she could watch the cartoon being displayed on TV, she started eating.
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She finished the meal with a satisfaction sigh, a smile carved on her lips she took the plate back to the kitchen and dropped it in the sink, she threw the empty can of soda in the trash basket and took another can from the fridge, her gaze caught a pack of cookie and she took too before closing the fridge. She dropped the snack on the wooden stool them settled to watch spongebob, the name appeared on the television screen.
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She was done with the meal in few seconds and her eyes were beginning to falter, she rested on the couch with a sleepy moan and placed her head on the headrest, she stretched her legs on the arm rest in comfort, she wriggled and made her body relax. Darkness enveloped her her minutes later.
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It was 7:02 when Maurice drove into the estate, waving back at the security guard who waved at him in a greeting gesture he took the left turn to his apartment and pulled into the driveway few minutes later, he pulled out the keys and got down, taking along the bags that almost weighed him down. He had done grocery and also lady shopping so it had to be heavy. He tucked the keys in his pant pocket and took the bags to the porch, getting there he unlocked the door from the outside and twisted the knob before moving in. The first thing that caught his attention was Bella, she was fast asleep the couch, the two days ago clothe still stuck in her body and her hair spiralling all over her face, he smiled, good thing he got a hair band and pin from a small hair shop kiosk, he guessed Bella would need it and he was right.
He gently closed the door with a feet and walked gently to the kitchen, he dumped the grocery bag in the kitchen unit, promising to unpack then when he has had some rest and maybe with Bella’s help.
He took the bag containing her clothes to her room and gently placed them on the bed, getting up a small smile formed on his lips and he moved to his room. Getting there he dropped his bag pack and pulled his shoe, shirt and trouser off, clad in only a singlet and a boxer short, he picked his iPod and dialed Diane’s number.. it rang.
“Hey sugar,” her voice filled my ears and I smiled.
“Ah! I can never get tired of hearing that voice”
“Ugh! Such a flatter”
“You know I’m sincere my love. I’ve missed you so much, I can’t wait for your arrival”
“Stop being a baby, I still have modelling shots until a week. I’ll be back then and besides we video call almost everyday..
“That’s nothing like seeing you sweetness, I can’t wait to have you back Diane. I’ve missed every bit of you” he said, the loneliness filling his heart.
“I’ve missed you too babe” she said. “Jolie isn’t spending the holidays in NY right?”
“Yes, she’s only staying for a week. Such a relief. She can be a be a butt pain most time”
She laughed “That’s Jolie,making things go her way but you can’t deny that you miss her”
“Of course I miss her, she’s my only sibling but I can’t also deny that she’s a pain in the ass”
“True,” he heard distant but near murmurs then a ‘yes’ and ‘ok’ response from Diane.
“Diane?”
“Maurice, We’re about to take the final shots for tonight. I have to go” she said.
“Oh..okay..I love you”
“I love you too” she ended the call and I put down the phone with a happy smile. Hearing Diane’s voice somehow strengthened him.
He loved her so much and he couldn’t wait for her to come back from Paris.
He slipped his feet into his flip flops in preparation to make dinner, he knew Bella must be hungry when she wakes up. She never rejects food.
The thought made him smile as he turned, his smile vanished when he saw Bella, standing close to the open door, looking solemnly at him with a sad frown and her lips pouted childishly.
His countenance changed to a questioning frown as he moved to her….
Has she been eavesdropping?