SOULS INTERTWINED

Chapter 23: Decisions

"There are friends,
There are family
and then there are friends who become family"

_____

A few days later... 

The Black's residence,

AYAN and Bella were standing in front of a familiar set of doors. The handle was carved of gold and the wood was polished till it reflected the mild candle light. Ornate carvings beautified the door that led to a room that was filled with memories. The smell of the room took the siblings back to their childhood. It was bittersweet as it was not lively anymore. 

Gideon Black was busy with the brush in his hand drawing symbols that didn't exist in the memory of the common folk anymore. A grand chandelier lit up the huge room. Enormous shelf lined the north end of the room that held knowledge of generations, the centre of the room held a huge seating space in which Nesrin Black was seated immersed in a book. The room excluded richness from the carvings on the walls to every fabric used in the room.

Two sets of tiny feet were running around in the room. Six year old Ayan was pretending to run away form his two year old sister Bella who was chasing him with her two tiny feet. Hearts were flowing out from their mothers eyes as she saw her little angel giggling and Ayan making sure to check up on his sister by continuously glancing back. As she ran she was suddenly distracted and she ran towards her father instead. "Daddyyyy" she called in a high pitched voice causing her dad to lower his left hand while his eyes were focused on the paper to pet her head causing her to laugh and grab his hand. 

"Bella, daddy is doing work, go play with your brother." He said softly and suddenly felt something slipping from his hand.

He turned to see his precious daughter holding his silver coloured ring adorned with a dim crystal that she had somehow taken and she was currently testing it's taste. 

Gideon panicked and got on his knees for the second most important women in his life and cried out "Bella darling! How did you take Daddy's ring? That's not edible baby...."

Bella paid him no heed and tightly held the ring using both her hands and laughed as she saw her father's pouting face. "Ayan! Go save your dad" Nesrin patted her son's back with a smile as she knew that her husband can never win against their daughter.

Ayan came up behind his sister and slowly started to coax her, "Bella listen to dad and give it back to him."

Bella just shook her head and held the ring close causing her father to look helplessly at Ayan.

Ayan finally took out his ultimate weapon against his sister, "Bella give the ring back or else brother won't give you this...". This finally caught her attention and she gasped as her brother showed her the ultimate weapon.... Chocolate! (Yes she was born weak towards chocolate)

Her little eyebrows crinkled as she thought hard for a second then finally put the ring back in her father's hands "Have it Daddy". This resulted in her being showered with kisses from Gideon as spun both his kids hard.

Bella's giggles resounded throughout the room. Nesrin's heart was filled with joy watching her family laughing and wished she could stay like that forever just to watch them smile.

"Brother! Brother!" 

Ayan snapped out of the memory as he turned to see how big his little sister had grown. They were here today because of an idea Bella had given to search the room for some clue that their parents may have left behind. Gideon always had kept notes and records of things so they hoped to find any hints left behind. They respected their fathers privacy so they never stepped into the room until today because now they have new allies and they were determined to find out what exactly happened back then.