Bella wasn’t ready to give in, the daft cow (now Fiona wanted to kick her), “Prentice, stop –”
Prentice, fortunately, wasn’t ready to give in either.
“Life, for me, luckily has been a beautiful journey. It put me in this village, it brought me Fee who walked at my side and then Jason and Sally who continue to share that journey with me.” His voice dipped low and his hand took hers from his belly to press it against his heart when he finished, “But, baby, through that long journey, I’ve only ever been home twice. Once, twenty years ago and now I’m home again, with you. You. I know exactly who you are. I just have to introduce you to her.”
Bella was staring at him, lips parted.
Prentice held her gaze.
Fiona hovered.
The tears welled up in Bella’s eyes and slid silently down her cheeks.
Prentice tensed as he watched them fall.
Then Bella spoke so softly, Fiona (even with super-ghostly senses) could barely hear her.
Even so, it hurt to listen to the hesitant but hopeful ache in her words.
“You’re saying… I can be free?”
Prentice closed his eyes slowly but briefly.
Then he put both his hands on her jaw and tipped her face up to his, getting close, his body against hers. “Baby, with me, you can be whatever the fuck you want to be. But most especially, you can be free.”
“I want to be free,” she whispered and you could tell she wanted that, you could tell she’d wanted that forever.
“Then I’ll help you to be free,” Prentice whispered back.
She closed her eyes and fresh tears slid down her cheeks.
“You always did,” she replied.
Prentice made a low noise, like a groan and bent his forehead to hers.
Fiona didn’t close her eyes but she felt her own ghostly tears falling.
Bella opened her eyes and Fiona waited.
Prentice broke the silence. “I can’t promise you heaven, but I’ll no’ let anything harm you.” He paused and smiled. “And Jason will no’.”
“Jason likes me,” she whispered, as if this was an impossibility.
“No, baby, Jason and Sally don’t like you. They both fell in love the first time they laid eyes you.” He touched his lips to hers and finished, “Just like their Dad.”
More tears slid down her cheeks.
These were a different kind.
And when they did, Fiona knew immediately that Isabella Austin Evangahlala was gone for good.
Prentice’s “Elle” had finally awoken and come back to life.
Therefore, Fiona smiled.
Bella threw her arms around his neck, shoving her face there, holding him tight.
Prentice’s arms slid around her waist, bending and twisting his head so his lips were resting on her hair nearly at her nape, holding her back.
“Can I tell you something?” she whispered her question into his ear.
“Aye, Elle, anything,” he replied.
She sucked in a breath and then whispered, “There will be no bitterness. Ever. It took you a long time but it had to so you could give me everything I’ve ever wanted. And, Prentice, the only things in my whole, entire life I ever wanted were you…” She pulled back, he lifted his head, she pushed a finger in his chest and then pointed upstairs. “And them. Even though I didn’t know it would be them, in the end it is.”
His voice had grown hoarse with emotion when he started, “Elle –”
Her hands went to the sides of his head, her fingers gliding in his hair and she cut him off by saying, “If you want me then I’m here. And I hope we have fifty years but if we don’t, if we have five weeks or five days, I’ll never be bitter.” She came up on her toes and put her mouth to his, finishing on a whisper, “I’ll only be happy because finally, finally, finally I have everything I’ve ever wanted and you must know that it was you who gave it to me.”
Prentice stared into her tear-stained face but he hesitated only for a moment before he slanted his handsome head and kissed her.
Fiona popped back to the stream.
She stared at her tent.
Then she giggled.
It took Prentice a day.
It took him a day to breathe life into Bella.
He was a genius!
Then again, Bella had been fiercely in love with him for twenty years so, really, it wasn’t that much of a challenge.
Still.
Fiona wandered into the tent, picked up the guitar, sat on the chair, threw her legs over the arm and she played.
Chapter Seventeen
Fairy Godmother
Elle
Elle was nervous.
Therefore, when the door opened heralding Prentice’s arrival home, she didn’t give it a thought when she felt that special feeling that slid through her when he came home.
Instead, she jumped right before her body froze.
Sally jumped too.
Then she screamed, “Daddy!” and ran headlong toward Prentice as he made his way to the great room, throwing herself in his arms as if she hadn’t seen him in one hundred years.
Prentice scooped his daughter up and held her in front of him but his eyes never left Elle.
“We all ready?” he asked.
At his words, Elle’s heart skipped a beat.
No, it was safe to say she wasn’t ready.
That morning, after Prentice woke Elle early and made love to her, he shared with her his fabulous idea that they would all go out to dinner that very evening. At dinner, he would make the announcement to the children that Elle was going to be a permanent fixture in their lives.
It should be noted that Prentice thought this was a fabulous idea.
Elle, on the other hand, thought it was a disastrous idea.
Prentice had kissed her protestations away, changing the subject by reminding her that the kids needed to get to school but, before that, they needed breakfast.
Obviously, although Elle was terrified at the prospect of dinner that evening as Prentice described it, she had to focus on priorities.
Elle helped get the kids ready for school and made them breakfast. Not wasting any time, at breakfast, ignoring Elle’s baleful glare, Prentice informed the children they were all going out for dinner that night.
This was met with loud hurrahs (Sally) and knowing smirks (Jason, but only before he stated, “I hope it’s curry.”).
Later, while she was standing by the door of her rental car in preparation to take the kids to school, Prentice gave her a hard, fast (but effective) kiss. After his kiss, and everything that had happened the last six weeks (especially the last two days), she’d been in such a daze, he’d already climbed into his Range Rover and Jason and Sally were both calling to her before she snapped out of it, got into her car and Prentice followed her down the long, winding drive.
She went directly from the school to Annie’s. There, she banged on the door until her late-sleeping friend stumbled to it, hair mad, face like thunder.
Until she caught sight of Elle.
Immediately Annie’s expression cleared and she bustled Elle into her and Dougal’s cozy cottage. Elle made coffee while Annie got presentable.
Then they sat in the sitting room and Elle started to confide to Annie every second of every moment since she’d come back to the village for Annie’s wedding.
She related about three sentences before Annie interrupted her, called Mikey in America (even though it was super early in the morning) and put him on speakerphone.
Both Annie and Mikey were crying by the time Elle was done.
“I’m so happy for you, girlie-girl,” Mikey said over the phone, tears clogging his voice.
Annie was sitting next to Elle on the couch, holding Elle while sobbing (loudly).
Elle was happy too.
Or, she wanted to be.
She just didn’t trust it.
When her friends got control, Elle told them, “Prentice wants to take the ki
ds out to dinner tonight to announce we’re together and I’m moving in.”
“That’s lovely,” Annie replied, wiping her eyes on the hem of her t-shirt.
Elle looked at her friend. “It isn’t, Annie. It’s nuts. It’s too early. They aren’t used to me yet.”
“Not used to you?” Mikey’s voice sounded with disbelief. “Darling, they seemed pretty used to you when you were making them tuna casserola, as darling Sally called it, and you’d only been there, like, a day.”
“It was two,” Elle corrected.
“Whatever,” Mikey muttered but Elle could hear the grin in his voice.
“Mikey’s point is valid, Bella,” Annie put in. “Kids are pretty adaptable and I’d say they’ve adapted to you extremely well. Especially since, you know, you’re kind of already moved in and even a two year old with learning difficulties would sense you two are together.”
This was true.
Heck, Jason even freaked out at the idea that Elle would stay somewhere else when she was in the village.
Nevertheless, Elle continued doggedly, “But I think Prentice should tell them at home, where they feel safe to have whatever reaction they want to have. And I shouldn’t be there so, again, they’ll feel safe to have whatever reaction they want to have.”
“Precious, they’re kids. Kids pretty much feel safe having whatever reaction they want to have wherever they are and whoever they’re with,” Mikey’s voice came through the speakerphone.
This was true too. Sally, at least, didn’t seem to filter her responses to anything no matter where she was.
“Then we shouldn’t court an emotional scene at the new Indian restaurant,” Elle declared.
“I hardly think you’re going to have an emotional scene. Or, at least, not a bad one. Those kids love you,” Annie put in.
This appeared true. Then again, Jason had always seemed totally okay with the idea of Prentice and Elle until he saw Elle in his mother’s bed. Then he seemed unsure and uncomfortable.
Therefore, Elle didn’t trust that the kids loved her either. Maybe they were getting there but she didn’t want anything to derail that.
“I don’t know –” Elle started.
“Well, I do. I’ve known those kids for over two years, Bella. They’ve been through the mill. Now, even Jason seems to have come to terms with what life has dished out and you’ve played a large part in that,” Annie stated.
Elle shook her head. “He would eventually have come around. Prentice would have seen to it.”
Annie shook her head right back. “Prentice had no clue.” When Elle started to defend, Annie leaned closer. “He didn’t, Bella. I’m sorry to say it but it’s true. For over a year Jason showed no signs of healing… until you showed up that is.”
This was, although it was difficult to admit, true too.
“Okay, then I’ve worn everything I’ve brought,” Elle stated somewhat desperately. “I don’t have an outfit to go out to the new Indian restaurant and tell two children that their mother has been replaced with a virtual stranger.”
Mikey’s laughter could be heard over the speakerphone.
Annie’s could be heard in person.
“Virtual stranger,” Mikey mumbled, still laughing. “That’s funny.”
“I know, she’s a hoot, isn’t she?” Annie asked Mikey, also still laughing.
Elle glared at Annie.
“I’m not being funny. I need a decent outfit,” Elle snapped. “Everyone knows that you have to have a good outfit when you face some life trauma.”
“This isn’t a trauma, Bella, this is a celebration,” Annie returned.
“Okay, you need a decent outfit for that too,” Elle retorted.
“I hate to say it, Annie darling, but Bella is so right. She needs a decent outfit,” Mikey threw out.
“Then we’ll go shopping,” Annie replied casually. “Yeesh, this isn’t rocket science.”
Elle didn’t want to go shopping.
Elle wanted to look into buying islands so she could sweep Prentice, Jason and Sally away to one. Prentice could build them a house. Elle could home school Sally and Jason. And the world could stay at bay, no photographers, no Carver Austin, no nothing that would threaten their happiness.
“I know the perfect place!” Annie announced and Elle’s body jolted. “It’s in the next village. They have posh shops for tourists. Fabulous clothes. Gorgeous. We’ll go there!”
Witnessing her friend’s excitement and knowing how much Annie loved to shop, Elle’s heart sank.
It stopped beating when Mikey declared, “When you and Prentice get married, Bella, there better be log throwing.”
Elle stared at the phone with wide eyes and parted lips.
Then she whispered, “Married?”
“Yes, married. You can’t live in sin forever even if it is with a broody-hot guy who, from the sounds of it, is very good at sin,” Mikey noted.
Elle immediately regretted the depth of her sharing.
“Yes, you can, Mikey,” Annie objected.
“No, you can’t, Annie,” Mikey retorted.
“Don’t be so traditional,” Annie replied. “It doesn’t become you.”
Elle wasn’t listening to them.
She was thinking about Prentice and being married.
Having his ring on her finger (again). Belonging in his house. Belonging in his life. Belonging to his children.
Belonging to him.
For always.
She remembered the first time he’d asked and how happy she’d been.
No, not happy, ecstatic, thrilled, overjoyed, over the moon.
This time, older, wiser (both of them) and sensing the beauty of their lives, rather than youthfully expecting it, she wasn’t over the moon.
She was…
There were no words to describe it.
“Married,” she repeated, still whispering.
“Bella?” Annie called but Bella’s eyes remained on the speakerphone.
“Mikey?” she asked softly, “do you think I’ll have my fairytale?”
There was silence for a moment before Mikey replied, “Girlie-girl, of anyone I’ve ever known, except Annie who already got hers, you’re due.”
She was due.
Boy, was she due.
Elle grinned at Annie.
Annie grinned back.
“Hello! What’s happening?” Mikey shouted, Annie and Elle giggled and shortly after they let Mikey go back to sleep and they went shopping.
Prentice called while Elle was in the changing room of the posh clothing shop, about to step into the fourth dress she’d tried on but having a stack of sweaters, jeans and blouses that were in her “to buy” pile.
When she saw his name on the phone, she panicked.
How did she answer? “Hello, Prentice,” or “Hey there,” or “What’s up, Pren?”
She went with, “Hi,” and felt like an idiot.
Proof positive that it was too soon to tell the children she was moving in. She didn’t even know how to answer the phone when Prentice called!
“Baby,” he replied in his soft voice that did sweet, funny things to her system and she immediately stopped feeling like an idiot.
Elle shook off those sweet, funny things and asked, “Is everything okay?”
“Aye. We’ve a booking for six. I’ll be home at quarter to. Can you have the children ready?”
Instantly, Elle was unsure.
She knew what her ready meant but what did his ready mean?
What if she did something wrong?
“By ready, what do you mean?” she asked hesitantly.
“Out of their uniforms, in something presentable and not at each other’s throats.”
Elle sighed in relief. She could probably do that.
Depending, of course, on Sally’s mood.
“Yes, I can have them ready,” Elle replied.
His voice went back to soft when he murmured, “Thanks, baby.” Then he asked, “What a
re you doing?”
She looked at herself in the changing room mirror and froze.
He was going to think she was a pampered, spoiled rich girl, loads of cash in the bank, no job, nothing to do but shop.
She should be at his house, mopping the floors, making homemade bread, hand washing delicates, inventing wholesome family recipes, not out gallivanting with her best friend and spending hundreds of pounds.
She began hyperventilating.
“Elle, are you there?” he asked.
“Yes,” she wheezed.
“Are you okay?”
No, she was not.
Elle forced herself to sound (somewhat) normal, “Yes.”
“You sounded strange.”
“I’m fine.”
There was a pause and then he asked again, “What are you doing?”
Elle wondered if honesty was the best policy.
Apparently, she wondered too long.
For when Prentice’s voice came at her, he sounded borderline unhappy, “Elle, are you with Annie?”
“Um… yes?” she asked as if he could confirm that she was indeed with Annie.
“What are you doing?”
“Um…” she muttered but didn’t answer.
“Elle.” His voice held a warning.
“We’re shopping,” she blurted then closed her eyes tight.
“For what?” he pressed.
Elle opened her eyes and explained on a rush, “Clothes. See, I didn’t think I’d be staying this long, definitely not staying staying, as in, moving here. I’ve run out of clothes. I’m recycling outfits. I need clothes.”
She held her breath waiting for his answer which came at her in a voice filled with relief.
“Thank God.”
Elle blinked.
Then she enquired, “Thank God?”
“Aye, baby,” he replied softly. “Thank God you and Annie aren’t perusing a litter of border collie puppies for Sally. Or buying her princess dresses. Or arranging five-star accommodation for your trip to London to take Sally to Harrods. Or something equally mad.”
In all that had happened, Elle forgot about the trip to Harrods.