NEW BEGINNINGS

CHAPTER FORTY NINE

She pulled up in front of their house. She horned at first but got no response. She pulled out her phone and dialed her brother's number. He picked up after the first ring

"Hello Wanda"
"Hey, I'm around. I'm in front of your house. I thought I told you to wait outside for me"
"Well, the sun was hot and that was like ten minutes ago. You would have had me standing in the sun for ten minutes"
"Whatever. Just come out. I really don't want to stay so late outside today. I have got a busy day tomorrow"
"Yes ma'am"

He said and he hung up. A few minutes later, they both came out. Wanda fought the urge to get down and greet her brother and his wife. They got into her car. Her brother sat in front and Brie sat at the back. Wanda could tell that she wasn't cool with Ken canceling their dinner plans but Wanda didn't mind. She drove on

"So how have you guys been?" She asked
"Oh, we have been good" Brie replied
"Yeah, we have. We had a great honeymoon, thanks to you"
"I didn't do anything. Have you heard from mom?" She asked her brother
"I called her yesterday. She asked about you. You haven't been picking up her calls. She told me that"
"I have been busy. I'm back to work now. I really don't use my phone as much as you think"
"She is your mom Wanda. I understand that you're grieving but you can't close up on everybody. You haven't seen or talked to Helen ever since dad died. You haven't talked to anybody at all. I was surprised that you called today"
"I'm fine Ken, trust me. I'm not affected by dad's death anymore. He's gone and we all have to move on from that"
"It's okay to be not fine"
"I am fine!" She snapped at her brother

She sighed and rolled her eyes

"I'm sorry. I had a stressful day at work and I am really tired"
"Then you should have postponed your outing and headed home to get some rest," Ken said
"No, I have to do this today. I've held on to it for too long and I can't keep maintaining it so I have to let it go"

She said and her brother nodded. He knew that there was no point in reasoning with her. She was as stubborn as ever and she wasn't planning on changing who she was for anything. She drove into her estate about an hour later

"We are going to your house?" Brie asked
"No, we aren't"

She said as she pulled up in front of a very big duplex. She got down and they followed her. She walked to the door and opened it. She walked in.

"What are we doing here? Whose house is this?" Her brother asked
"It's yours. I couldn't give you on your wedding day but I have to now. I've got everything you could possibly need. Chairs, beds, and a 65" LED TV. A stocked freezer. All you have to do is move in"
"I don't know what to say, Wanda. How much did this cost you?" Her brother said, holding back tears

He was so touched. His rent was already due and it was only a matter of time before his landlord came banging at his door and he was getting a new house. He knew his sister was going to get him a wedding gift but a furnished house? He wasn't expecting that. He walked up to her and hugged her tight. Brie was squealing with excitement. She hugged Wanda tight

"Wanda, I don't know what to say. How much did you spend on this, on all of this?"
"It doesn't matter. It's something you would have done for me and besides, it's something I can afford. It is something I can do for you. You have done so much for me, both of you! I couldn't give you that day because of dad's death but I can't hold on to it anymore. There's a stand-by generator if for some reason there is a power outage. This house has everything you would possibly need. I'm sorry your dinner got canceled but you can have your dinner here and move in whenever you want to move in"

She said as she walked ahead. She picked up a document from the coffee table and handed it to her brother. He opened it

"That is the documents of the land and the house. It is all in your name. It's signed by the court already so it's all yours"
"How long have you been planning this?" Brie asked
"Since you first told me that you were getting married"
"But you were not in support of the wedding in the first place"
"Who said I wasn't? I didn't like the idea of the both of you getting married because I thought I would be caught up in the middle of things going sideways and I honestly didn't want to have to choose between my brother and my best friend if anything goes down between you guys but I figured that I should not worry about what I can't control but what I can control and this is what I can control. I can just accept everything that is going on and hope for the best"

Brie hugged her tight. She was grateful for having her even think she knew very well that she didn't deserve her. Wanda looked at her brother and smiled

"What?" Her brother asked
"Well, I already organized a housewarming for the both of you next Saturday and I already paid for it too. I would give you the phone number of the party planner. She is indeed very good. You should give her a call and work with her"
"Are there any more surprises that we should know about?"

Her brother asked and she laughed

"No, that's all," she said