CHAPTER TEN – SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Aisha and Stella were back at Stella's house, waiting for the other girls to get out of the school so they can call them. They thought meeting up with the group would be better but Stella had no energy whatsoever. Actually she wanted to stay home alone so she can have some time for herself to think. Tomorrow was Saturday, she didn't have to wake up early or go anywhere. It would be rude of her to tell Aisha to go but she really wanted some time for herself.
Aisha, concerned for her friend, wanted to get to the bottom of it. She knew that something was bothering Stella, but she also sensed that Stella needed some alone time to think.
Stella was lost in thought when Aisha suddenly asked, "What was it about the décor?"
She had no idea where that décor came from. Her eyes darted to the vase that she ran into yesterday. She was rushing to open the door for Aisha and ran into the vase almost falling on the ground. It had seemingly materialized out of nowhere, and she had no idea where it had came from. Stella knew that Mimi was dealing with the house while she was at school but, she wouldn't make any changes in the house. Her mother was very particular about the interior design of their house and rarely allowed anyone to make changes.
"I don't know," Stella replied, her voice tinged with exhaustion. She had a lot on her mind, and the mysterious vase and decor was just another worry to add to her list. "I've never seen it before. I'll have to ask Mimi about it."
Aisha, sensing Stella's unease, moved closer to her friend. "You okay, Stell?" she asked with genuine concern. Stella sighed, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on her. How many times had she heard this question today? She hated being in the middle of focus. It reminded her of a painful argument she had with Bloom, who accused her of always seeking attention. That memory still hurt.
"I'm fine, Ash," Stella replied with a weak smile. "Just tired. I think I need some sleep."
Aisha, wanting to be there for her friend, offered to stay the night. But she also knew that her own parents worried when she was away for too long. Stella appreciated Aisha's concern but understood her situation. "Of course I won't mind, are you crazy? Go," she said with a warm smile. Aisha pretended like Stella hurt her feelings, "Not so fast, girl. My parents would get worried if I skipped school and didn't come home. I'll stay a little longer."
Stella's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Sorry," she mumbled, still preoccupied with the mysterious vase. Aisha gently encouraged Stella to open up. "You can talk to me, you know? After everything, you need to get it out of your system."
Stella knew Aisha was right, but she really wanted to sleep and think about everything first before she spoke out loud, her eyes remained fixed on the enigmatic vase. "I know," she said, her thoughts elsewhere. "But I really feel like today drained me. I feel like sleeping only. Do you mind if I sleep? You can hang out here as long as you want."
Aisha, her concern growing, felt a strange apprehension. "Stell, I think it's better if you hold on a little bit longer. After I go, you can close your door. Not that something would happen, but I have a feeling..."
She regretted mentioning her unease to Stella, who lived alone. "Doesn't matter, sunshine. You sleep, and I'll go to school, wait for the girls to come out. You wanted Musa to know about today, so I'll tell her everything, and she can take me home."
Stella agreed with Aisha's plan and nodded her head. All she really wanted at that moment was to sleep and escape from her worries.
The room was filled with an anxious hush, broken only by the sound of Stella's labored breaths. Her eyelids fluttered, struggling against the weight of sleep that clung to them. The voices around her swirled, distant and muffled, until one familiar name pierced through the fog.
"She's waking up. Come here, Radius."
Stella's eyes flickered open, the room swimming into focus. Her mother's worried face came into view, and her heart leaped. "You're home!" Her words came out in a mixture of relief and surprise. Luna's embrace was fierce, almost suffocating, and Stella coughed weakly. "Careful, Luna," cautioned Radius, concern etched on his face. To him, Stella was forever his little girl, no matter how many years had passed. Kneeling at the foot of the bed, Radius enfolded both his daughter and wife in a tight embrace. He had longed for this moment.
"We were so worried, Stella! Where were you? And why are you sleeping in the middle of a school day?" Luna's voice trembled with a mixture of relief and scolding. Stella managed a faint smile. "I'm fine, Mom. Just felt a little funny this morning, but now I feel better."
The lie hung in the air, but it didn't escape Radius's notice. His concern deepened, and he gently turned Stella to face him. His fingers brushed her bruised arm, and Stella flinched, a jolt of pain shooting through her.
"Stella, what is it?" Luna's eyes scanned her daughter's form, her worry intensifying.
Realization dawned on both parents simultaneously as they saw the telltale marks on Stella's skin. Panic seized their voices, their questions tumbling out in a frantic chorus. "Who hurt you? Who did this?" Radius's face flushed crimson, his jaw clenched in controlled fury. Stella's mind briefly wandered to Brandon, her father had acted just like him, but she quickly pushed the thought away. This wasn't the time.
"Mom, Dad, I'm fine, please calm down. It's nothing. It was a bully from the street, but he got what he deserved. I'm fine, I swear." Her words were strained, and she wished she hadn't sworn. Radius's gaze remained fixed on her bruised arm, and Stella could see the storm of protectiveness raging within him.
They had wanted her to move to the city, to be closer, to watch over her more. But Stella had fought for her independence, for the life she cherished in Gardenia. They respected her choices, just as she respected theirs. With only a year left before college, Stella knew the city was inevitable. For now, Gardenia was her refuge, a place where she'd grown up surrounded by caring friends.
Radius and Luna never wanted to harm Stella's life in any way possible. They had become parents so young, they knew how Stella felt. Their parents had tried to stop them from having a child so young, but they wanted Stella more than anything. They took the risk and that risk was now a huge miracle. "Let's go downstairs, I think there's more we should talk about." Said Luna, still looking at her daughter like she would disappoint any time soon.
Stella was so relieved to have her parents back home. She wasn't able to sleep comfortably at nights because she always had this feeling like someone was watching her. She wasn't a baby, and she had walked through the house so many times just to make sure that no one was there. But the feeling continued, even when she had her friends there for sleepovers.
"Honey, where is this vase from? It looks good in the hallway, but how come you didn't mention anything?" Stella shared everything she got for the house with her mom, who was obsessed with decor. But hearing her mother's confused voice left a heavy fear in her.
"Mom, I thought you bought it and someone just delivered it home," Stella replied to her mother. Why was her throat feeling dry?
"No, baby, I didn't buy it," her mother replied, her own worry growing. They didn't have any enemies, but there was a businessman obsessed with Stella's parents' factory. He had offered so much money that Stella was sure if her parents had accepted the offer, they would have lived a rich life without needing to work. But Radius and Luna wanted to leave something behind for Stella, so they had resisted.
This businessman had been sending "gifts," more like threats, to the house. Stella's parents had dealt with the police, but now, what was this vase doing here? Radius moved quickly toward the vase, and Stella thought he might crush it.
"Dad?" Stella murmured. Radius took the vase without giving Stella much of a response and started to inspect it. There seemed to be nothing wrong with it. "We're throwing this away," he declared. Luna rushed to take the vase from his hands. "Radius, this vase looks expensive. Can't we at least gift it to someone?"
"Luna, this is getting out of our home. Now," Radius said, his voice firm but soft, showing his wife that this conversation had ended. Stella cut into the conversation, "There's one more thing. There's also a decor piece on the front door. I have no idea where it came from, but it wasn't there this morning."
Luna turned to Stella, confused. "You left home this morning? I thought you were sick."
Stella sighed inwardly. "I did leave for the market."
Radius, who had taken both the vase and the decor outside, inspected them deeply, as if waiting for them to speak and tell how they got in the house.
"Dad, come in. There's nothing else, I promise." Assured Stella.
They were eating dinner, but none of them had said anything since they sat down. Luna decided to step forward to break the awkwardness.
"Baby, I'm sorry to tell you but we can't stay much longer. Only the weekend. We'll go shopping for the house and your needs. Also wanted to make sure you got your keys back, so you can shop for anything you need," she said.
Stella glanced at her mother, appreciating the effort. "It's okay, Mom. I know you skipped work just to see me. Thank you, and I'm sorry I worried you this much," she responded.
Griselda had called her mother, informing her that Stella wasn't present in class today. Her parents tried to reach Stella, but her phone was dead. She hadn't thought much about it at the time; her day had been long and catastrophic. Her parents were so worried, they called her friends, but none of them picked up. Stella knew they didn't pick up to avoid lying to a parent. She had good friends.
Radius cleared his throat, making sure he had their attention for what he was about to say. "Stella, sunshine. I think it's better for you to come to the city for a few days. We'll talk to the school. It's the beginning of the semester anyway. The girls would help you catch up, I think," he said, leaving both Stella and Luna stunned.
"Dad, we've been through this," Stella said, her voice steady.
"Honey, that was before I knew there were things sent to the house. And one of them being inside. Your mom called Mimi; she thought you were the one putting the vase in the hallway. Do you know what this means?" Radius's voice unintentionally grew louder. He was worried for Stella, of course. After that obsessed man he'd dealt with, he didn't want his daughter in the middle of anything.
"Baby look, I'm sorry I yelled. I just want you to be safe and sound," he added, his voice softer this time. Stella looked at her father, her brows furrowed. "If there's anything, since when do we run away from it?" she asked, her confidence rising.
Radius watched his daughter, proud of her. She was a reflection of Luna and him, but she was also his little girl. "We don't run away, Stella. We're taking precautions. I'm not risking your life again, no."
Stella couldn't help but think of Brandon. He spoke just as clearly as her father when it came to her safety. In just two days, he'd already started taking measures for her protection. When she'd thought about changing her life, she hadn't imagined it would happen this fast. 'I also want a better planet, where people can see that climate change is real and not some political game,' she thought to herself. It was worth a try.
"Then can't we just increase the security precautions, Dad? We can put cameras everywhere and... Oh, we can get a dog! No, we can get two... three dogs!" Stella's parents watched her, a small smile lingering on the corner of their mouths.
"I think Stella is right. Gardenia is a safe place; no one would go that low to hurt a girl who has nothing to do with any particular business," Luna added. She was, of course, worried for Stella. She'd do anything to protect her. But Stella was also right; her baby girl was seventeen years old. She'd taken self-defense classes, and they lived in the safest neighborhood in town. There were plenty of lawyers, police officers, firefighters, and even some retired fighters or boxers living on their street. They all knew and loved Stella. That was the main reason Radius had agreed to let Stella live in Gardenia in the first place. Besides, Mimi had been hired for her job because of her karate skills. Luna wanted to ensure that anyone who entered Stella's life could defend her. They didn't have any enemies they know of, but their parents, Stella's grandparents, were from prominent families with significant wealth. They were always in the public eye. Radius and Luna never went anywhere without security. They didn't want the same for their daughter. But she still had to be safe, so they made sure Stella's security wasn't just a bodyguard, but the whole town. Luna thought Radius might be thinking along the same lines. They looked at each other, both knowing this was for the best. Because Stella was away from them, people often assumed they didn't care much about her. Becoming parent that young, they probably think Stella is a mistake in their life. They can think whatever they want, as long as their daughter is safe, Luna doesn't care about the rest. They never went anywhere public where the media or business people might be. Stella wasn't in the spotlight, and that was the greatest protection they could offer her.
"All right. Three dogs and cameras everywhere. Plus, I want a security cabin just outside," Radius declared, his eyes sparkling with determination.
Stella's enthusiasm waned, however, when she heard her father's last offer.
"Dad, no," she responded, her voice as firm as his earlier statement.
"The whole street has security, remember?" she shot back, unwilling to back down.
"Yeah, okay then," Radius conceded. Stella looked at him, her suspicion growing. Her father accepting something this quickly was unusual. She wondered what was he thinking.
