บท 1: Hello Again
"I shouldn't have come." The young woman grumbled to herself. She slowly opened her car door, and put one foot out onto the street. Before actually getting out, she snatched a small leather bag from the seat beside her. She clutched it and sighed as she breathed in the outside air.
"Come on, Bella, you need to calm down." She coaxed herself. "You came for Mariel. How could you not show up on your own best friend's wedding day?"
Her hands trembled as she closed the car door and locked it. Nervously, she straightened her expensive, brand-new dress. She had just bought it at a famous fashion house in New York, at a price that made her shudder. The summer breeze ruffled the fine strands of her red hair that fell in waves over her shoulders. If only her anxiety was as manageable as her hair.
Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the house she knew so well. Thankfully, the once rocky path was now cemented, so she didn't have to worry about the tips of her high heels getting caught between the rocky crevices. Faintly, she heard slow music coming from the back of the house. Mariel was having her wedding ceremony at home. The backyard of the house was quite spacious and could be arranged in a beautiful rustic style, just like the old days when they celebrated Mariel's seventeenth birthday. Mariel told him on the phone a while ago that the backyard has never been changed except for being painted a new color every year. Even the big swimming pool, which Bella loved so much, was still there.
Bella entered through the open side door, crossed the kitchen, and came out into the backyard where there were already a few guests. The song she heard was live music from a male band. They had their own stage across the pool.
Some of the guests had already arrived, occupying the chairs arranged beside the pool. No one she recognized. She breathed a sigh of relief. At least she didn't see that person. The person who had made him nervous since he received the invitation from Mariel Harrison.
She was still on the back porch, staring at the beautifully decorated backyard of the Harrison family home, when a voice startled her.
"Isabella Ross! Is that you?"
Bella turned her head. A curvaceous, large-breasted woman who had been sitting in one of the invitation chairs got up and greeted her.
"Bella! For God's sake! I'm glad to see you again!"
The woman hugged Bella tightly. Her plump body almost crushed Bella's thin bones. Slowly, Bella remembered who this woman was. The way she hugged her was a clue. "Brenda! I almost didn't recognize you either. I thought you were an invited guest!" Bella laughed, a little breathless from the tightness, but hugged Mariel's cousin back.
Brenda Harrison released her hug and now looked at Bella intently. "You look as annoying as ever." Brenda's lips twisted into a frown. "Let's see, why are you still so slim and beautiful after eight years? You're like a vampire that never grows old! You're really annoying, Bella!"
"If I also said you haven't changed, would you take offense?"
Brenda laughed. "What do you mean by this?" She pointed at her own breasts cheerfully. "No, I don't. I'm proud of mine. Unfortunately, the rest of my body has gotten bigger too. So now you understand why you annoy me, right?"
Bella laughed and hugged Brenda again. "You're still beautiful, Brenda. All Harrison women are beautiful. That's what your grandfather used to say."
Brenda shook her head. "You're still invincible, Bella. I've read your novels. They're all best sellers, aren't they? I didn't think you'd become a successful writer." Brenda looked Bella up and down with appraising eyes, then shook her head. "I feel like a hobo standing around you. Let me see your dress." She took another look at Bella's outfit. "Alexander McQueen, right? I've seen this model in Vogue magazine. You're making all the guests here feel inferior, Bel."
"Brenda. I'm not that bombastic. Should I change into a normal dress? I feel terrible."
"No, please!" Brenda laughed. "I'm sorry, Bel. I was just joking. Even if you wear pajamas now, you'll still be the coolest one here."
"Well, that's enough about me then, Brenda. How's Charlie?"
Mariel told Bella that Brenda was married to Charlie, her boyfriend since high school. Although she was happy, Bella also felt jealous. Life had been so easy for Brenda for so long. She was a woman with a simple way of thinking. Her ambition was limited to being a housewife and having many children.
"Charlie is fine. He hasn't come yet because he has to leave our children at his parents' house first. The eldest had a bit of a fever this morning, but is better. His grandmother will take good care of him. And, here I am for my dear cousin's big day! Charlie will be happy to see you again. He used to admire you. I'm almost jealous."
"How many children do you have?"
"Three!" Brenda chuckled. "All boys and very wayward. You can imagine what a mess our house is every day."
"Oh, Brenda. It must be so fun to meet them!" Bella exclaimed. She had always loved children.
"You're not going to rush back to New York, are you? I'll introduce the kids to the beautiful Aunt Bella."
"Of course. I have to meet them. By the way, where's Mariel?"
"She's inside. The ceremony is still 40 minutes away. We're waiting for the groom and the priest. Do you want to see her?"
Bella remembered Mariel's message of not wanting to be seen before the wedding ceremony. "I don't want to become an insecure person because you always look so pretty and cool, Bel," she said on the phone. Bella knew Mariel was half-joking. However, after hearing Brenda's compliments to her earlier, Bella thought Mariel might be more serious than she thought.
"Later. After the blessing ceremony is over," Bella smiled. "I wanted to surprise her, because yesterday I deliberately lied about the possibility of not being able to come."
"You've always been teasing each other." Brenda shook her head in amusement. Then, she leaned closer and whispered. "You know he's coming too, right?"
Bella raised her eyebrows. "Hmm? Who?"
Brenda rolled her eyes. "Reef of course! Reef Davis!"
Bella took a breath and exhaled slowly. Calm down, she said to herself. The name shouldn't mean anything anymore now.
Since receiving Mariel's call about the wedding, Bella hadn't slept well. Mariel told Bella that she invited Reef, because Reef was a friend of James, Mariel's fiance. Bella was very nervous to hear that name for the first time in eight years. That's why she had been so nervous since her flight from New York and until now.
"Reef Davis?" Bella pretended to be confused. "Oh, I haven't seen or talked to him since eight years ago. Reef was really invited?"
"Of course. He's a friend of James. I forget where they met. But apparently they're both shooting sports enthusiasts."
Bella tried to hide her nervousness as she asked in passing. "Is he fine?"
"You mean other than his increasingly handsome looks?" Brenda chuckled. "In case you didn't know, I used to have a crush on Reef and made a bet with some of my friends to make him my boyfriend. That was before you became his girlfriend. However, apparently he thinks I'm the type of girl who's more fun to be friends with. Well, what can I say. Of course he's fine, Bella. You'll meet her soon. He's already here. I don't know where he is now." Brenda led her to the center of the invited guests who had arrived, more than before. "Well, there are some of our friends already here. Come on, let's go greet them! Grab a drink, Bel. Take it easy, you don't have to be that nervous."
Bella's awkwardness and nervousness gradually melted away when chatting with some of her high school friends. Some of them claimed to be avid readers of her novels. Bella smiled and thanked them sincerely for their support. They also complimented her, and seemed happy to see her.
Bella began to get lost in the atmosphere. She listened happily to the stories of her friends over the eight years since high school graduation. Some had succeeded in realizing their dreams, just like her. Some were married to their high school girlfriends like Brenda. Bella enjoyed all their stories.
"Bella, darling. You look tired. Would you like me to get you a drink?" Tom Russel, one of her high school friends who now owned a travel agency asked her sweetly. Tom had only been divorced for six months and had been trying to stick to Bella.
"I'd like a cold beer, please."
Tom was wide-eyed. "No, no. Beer is not appropriate for you today. I'll get you a cocktail, okay."
"Okay. Thank you." Bella smiled and her attention returned to her friends who were joking and laughing. For a moment she felt like she was back in the carefree teenage years.
"So, you came too."
That voice. It had been eight years since Bella had heard it, but she would always recognize it everywhere. The voice that used to sound beautiful when saying her name. The voice that she secretly longed for, as well as dreaded. Today, that voice no longer sounded loud and mischievous, but softer, heavier and deeper.
Bella turned her head and she was transfixed like bewitched.
***
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