Only Warren knew of Belle's heartbreak. But it was becoming increasingly harder to hide. Warren had sworn that he wouldn't tell…well more like Belle had threatened him, and a threat from Belle was enough to shut him up.
She wasn't like herself. It was a new place and it always took them a while to adjust, usually with a new mishaps…but Belle hadn't done anything like she usually had. Dinan was a pretty place and Maggie had managed to drag them all out, even their father, out to a picnic down by the river. They were now known as the Johnson family. Maggie Johnson, Fred Johnson, Belle Johnson & Warren Johnson. But it was so hard to call their father Fred as he simply couldn't stand the name and besides.. Giovanni sounded so much better, just like he was currently lecturing Warren on why he preferred it. "You'll be the one getting a lecture in a moment if you don't stop blurting that name all over town." Maggie scolded, throwing the plastic plate at him. "I barely got to bring you out today! Stansfield would lock you up if he realised you've been discussing the name." Maggie moved to fuss over her children, slapping Warren's hand away from the potato salad and eyeing Belle.
"La chérie, what's the matter?" She asked gently. "Would you like me to serve you up some lunch?" Maggie added, frowning as there was no response from the young blonde. "Warren, what have you done to your sister?" Maggie hissed, swatting him with a napkin. "Nothing, ma. She's just acting funny." Warren eyed her sister, noticing her gaze on the river. "Belle, snap the niquer out of it." Warren hissed, flicking her knee with his finger and she finally turned, glaring at him. Before Belle could protest, Maggie but in. "Warren, cut the language. I know French too." She warned. "Are you hungry or have I made all this food just for your father?" Maggie reached for her plate. "I have Math to do." Belle shrugged her off, getting out and walking away from the group, pulling her cardigan further around her as she headed up the path.
"Fred, go after her! She'll barely remember the way home and we don't need our girl lost on the streets." Maggie told him firmly and with a glare, Fred rose up and moved after his daughter.
"Fuck." Fred muttered, examining the broken window in the side of their house. Someone had broken in, and they'd only been here two days! What assholes. He grabbed his baseball bat from the shed before sneaking in through the backdoor. He followed the noises that he heard before he frowned, lowering his bat. He heard crying and that was strange. Burglars usually didn't cry until after he hit them. He headed up the staircase, pausing on the landing. It was coming from Belle's room. Poking his head through the door crack with a tight grip on the baseball bat, he sighed.
Belle was a tough girl and had been for many years. So seeing her curled up on her bed and crying into her textbook was rough…real rough on her old dad's heart. "Belle?" He spoke loudly, trying to get her attention. Belle stiffened, aware of his presence but she didn't respond. He moved closer, finally noticing her ripped cardigan and scratches. "You broke the window." He murmured, setting himself down beside her. "Am I in trouble?" Belle's timid voice came in response, which shocked him. She sounded like a little girl and Fred certainly hadn't had a little girl in years. He eased her onto his lap, shaking his head. "Not at all. I don't give a fuck what your mother thinks about that darn window. Probably needed repairing anyway." He held her carefully. "I know it isn't your mother that's got you all fucked up. But are you going to tell me?" He asked and Belle sighed shakily. "I made a mistake but I didn't know it was a mistake until I'd already done it." She gripped his hand gently. "A mistake that requires us to leave Dinan?" Fred sighed.
"I fucked someone. And then they left. They thought I was just wanting a moment, but I wanted more. I wanted someone nice, papi. Someone that wasn't caught up in all this crap. And he doesn't even want to see me again." She dissolved into tears on his lap and he gritted his teeth. "I'm gonna kill that bastard." He growled. "No papi…you can't.." Belle trembled, clinging to his shirt. "That doesn't fix my problem. Death doesn't fix a broken heart." She spoke, numbly and Fred gripped her tighter. "I'll let your mother deal with him then. But I've gotta sort out those scratches, glass is not pretty to cut yourself on." He muttered, lifting up her cardigan. "I'm fine." Belle hissed. "No, your not. Your fucked up and I'm gonna fucking fix it." Fred spoke firmly and groaned as heard a voice downstairs. "Language!" Belle shrieked, dropping her picnic basket with a thud. "You better go to her before another window is broken." Belle muttered. "I'll fix your problems, las belle femme. Don't you worry." He kissed her forehead and headed down the stairs, leaving Belle to cry to herself.
Translations:
La chérie = Dear/honey/sweet.
Niquer = Fuck
las belle femme = Angel/babe.