Fairytale Come Alive (Ghosts and Reincarnation #4)(131)
“I just did,” he clipped, still angry, probably because he had to share something difficult or, since he was a man, because he had to share at all.
“Yes, but before you said,” her voice dipped low and she assumed a (very bad) Scottish accent to indicate she was mimicking Prentice, “‘You need to redecorate this f**king room, Elle.” She pressed closer and went back to her own voice. “You didn’t tell me why.”
“Now you know.”
Her expression for the first time in weeks grew uncertain. “I’m not good at decorating.”
“Ask Sally, I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to give you some ideas,” he bit out, obviously not noting her expression and he was also not being humorous but flippant.
Bella decided (wisely) to ignore his flippancy and teased, “I’m not sure we want a room decorated in pink and purple with plentiful amounts of glued on glitter.”
“I don’t give a f**k what it looks like, just as long as it’s something that’s ours.”
Fiona glared at her husband as he obviously didn’t feel like letting go his anger even though Bella had given in.
Prentice always could hold a mean grudge.
Bella was more patient with it than Fiona ever was and she leaned in further and whispered in his ear, “I’ll see to it Pren.”
She kissed his jaw and tried to move away but Prentice’s arm tightened.
“What I said doesn’t mean –” he started but Bella cut him off.
“I know.”
“You know I love it when we –” he began again only for Bella to interrupt him again.
“I know.”
Fiona started dematerializing as Bella kept whispering something about having to do something about Prentice being grumpy in the morning.
This was difficult for him, she knew, and he didn’t need an additional witness, even her, who he didn’t know was there.
Luckily, Bella knew it was difficult too and she was doing a fine job in making it easier.
Fiona stopped dematerializing when the doorbell rang. She fully materialized and watched both Prentice and Bella’s heads swing to the door.
“I’ll get it!” Sally shrieked from upstairs and Fiona’s body turned to watch her daughter run headlong down the stairs.
No, strike that.
Fiona’s body turned to watch with unadulterated fear as her daughter ran headlong down the stairs.
Fiona’s lass had been knocked over by a car, she was fully healed now, the cast off and she seemed no worse for the wear. It would be an even bigger tragedy if, after surviving that, Sally broke her neck falling down the stairs.
“Sally, be careful,” Bella called, unadulterated fear heavy in her tone and Fiona let out her nonexistent breath (whilst Bella did the same audibly) when Sally made it to the bottom, turned on one foot, nearly toppling over, and dashed to the front door.
Bella and Prentice both made their way toward the great room but they didn’t have to approach the door because the caller announced himself and when he did this, he did it loudly.
“Mikey’s home!”
“Hurrah!” Sally screeched, beside herself with glee. “Mister Mikey’s here!”
Prentice turned his eyes to Bella.
Bella did the same to Prentice and shrieked, “This is brilliant! Mikey’s great at decorating!”
Then she too ran forward, throwing her arms around Mikey while Sally jumped up and down and clapped.
Fiona’s eyes moved to Prentice and she saw he was standing frozen, staring at Bella swinging around in Mikey’s arms. He looked arrested in time, his eyes glued to the two friends, his face filled with awe as if he was watching a miracle occur.
At first, Fiona thought this was strange.
Then, slowly, her eyes slid to the friends and she too stared.
This scene couldn’t be any more different than the one that happened in Fergus’s entryway three months before.
Bella, in jeans and jumper, her feet bare, her face makeup free, her hair in a messy bunch on top of her head, her arms around her friend, her mouth laughing, her face aglow.
She was not detached, quiet, remote and cold, wearing a fancy suit, posh shoes with her hair all twisted in an elegant bun.
She looked not only like she belonged in a family home in the wilds of Scotland but like she was created to live this existence.
Bella pulled away from Mikey but kept her hands curled on his shoulders. He still had his hands at her waist and he too was looking down at his friend’s face with wonder etched in his features.
“I can’t believe you’re here!” she cried. “What a tremendous surprise and perfect timing. Prentice wants me to redecorate the bedroom and I have no clue.”
Mikey blinked and for a moment Fiona thought he might very well cry.
He pulled himself together just as he pulled Bella close again and drawled to Prentice, “Then I’m here in the nick of time, as usual. Decorating is not Bella’s forte.”
Prentice had moved forward and was offering his hand, now smiling warmly at Bella’s friend while he greeted, “Mikey, good to see you, mate.”
Mikey shook his hand and then leaned back, proclaiming dramatically, “Good to see you too.” He gazed down at Bella and asked, “Girlie-girl, what’s in the water here? Because I want some of it. You look ten years younger and he’s hotter than hot and since he was hotter than hot before, he’s off-the-scales hotter than hot now.”