THIRTY-SEVEN
Sunday evening
(One month later)
She can feel Phil's eyes on her as she cuts into a slice of roast beef. Renee was really good at cooking a Sunday roast – her roast potatoes were to die for – and Bella had almost missed the feeling of sitting around a dinner table with her family. It was a lot more comforting than eating hospital food from a plastic tray.
Although, looking through her eyelashes, she can feel the anger spilling out of her stepdad.
Maybe she hadn't missed it that much.
"How does it taste, baby?" Renee asks, staring at her with eager eyes. She looks older and more wrinkles are ethced into her forehead. Bella wishes she could take her away from here.
"It's really good, Mum. You know how much I love your cooking."
"Clearly not enough considering you never come home anymore." Phil's voice is venomous.
"I wonder why." Bella shoots back; Renee looks uncomfortable.
"You're an ungrateful bitch, Isabella. Everything your mother and I ever did for yo-?!"
"Everything you did for me?" To her surprise, Bella's voice is strong, unwavering. "What did you do? Make my life a misery, beat my mother, take your anger out on me? Please, Phil, I think I know which one of us is the bitch here."
Standing up from the dining table, Phil stalks towards her, pint of beer in hand. Without hesitating, he pours it over her head.
Silence falls over the dining room. The tension is palpable.
A rich, sour smell fills Bella's nostrils.
"Fuck this, I'm not a pathetic sixteen-year-old anymore, I'm not doing this."
"Excuse me? Don't use that tone on me, young lady."
"I will talk to you however I want. You're not my father, you're not even family to me. I absolutely fucking hate you."
Stalking out of the room, Bella shakes with rage. Tears burn her eyes, and her hands ball into fists. Grabbing her overnight bag from the hallway, she begins to tie the laces of her boots.
"Bella, baby, don't leave. Please. You know what he's like." Renee's voice is pleading. "I've only just got you back."
"Yeah, and I would have come back a long time ago if he wasn't still here."
"Bella, he is your father…"
"No, Mum, he is not my father. He is a horrible man." Bella holds her hand out. "Come with me, please. You don't have to live this life with him. Come back, with me, we can find a flat together…start over fresh?"
Renee glances back into dining room, where Phil still sits, muttering swear words loudly.
"You can hear how he's talking about me. Please, Mum."
Renee looks sad.
"I'm sorry, baby, you know I can't."
"Fine. Just don't expect me to put up with him too. I'm sorry, Mum."
"Bell-"
With one final sigh, Bella shuts the front door behind her, shivering in the chill of the English winter air.
She sits at the same bus stop that she did many years ago, in a stupid black dress, hoping to impress the boy she loved.
Now, she knows exactly where she's heading. She's heading to him.
She's heading home.
Bella is a strong woman now, we love to see it!
Wish I could give you all hugs for being so patient with me, I appreciate every single one of you!
Happy reading :D