Somebody that I use to know

Chapter 7

Belle's pov

"How am I settling in?!" I thought to myself, "there's no bloody way I'm staying here any longer!"

"She's doing well, she somehow lost her voice but she's doing good, it'll be a while before she does. But anyway, let's sit down. I cooked your favorite in honor of Belle being with us this evening" Bailey said raising a class, toasting my arrival as if it was a good thing.

We all sat around the kitchen table that was next to the living room and ate dinner all together like an actual family would. I just sat there and stared at my food for a while. I wasn't that hungry after all that had happened today either.

"Hey honey, maybe Belle would like to see the kids? if that's okay with you that is" Bailey asked Arnold, giving a weird look.

"You fucking call him honey?! What the hell is wrong with you?!" I sat and thought to myself.

"Sure, I'll go get the little ones, you both stay here and continue eating. He then left up the stairs, to the main house to get the kids.

"Why the hell do you call him honey?! You guys aren't bloody married?! Are you?.." I asked looking stunned at her. Our eyes locked with one another. "Look, I told you he wants the perfect family, right? So to have that, we have to like that to keep him happy so he won't harm us. I know it is hard but I've been doing this for a whole threw years now. If you want to live, play along, I know what he did was wrong and can't get away with it but he has and is. Now shh. He's coming back".

Little pitter-patter was heard upstairs. I could tell they both could walk, little feet letting them take them places whenever and wherever. I was happy for her, just wish it didn't have to be like this. Why did he want us anyways? Did we mean that much to him?

"Mommy! Mommy!" Brenda called out, running in front of Arnold holding Brevyn, "Did you miss us? Did you miss us? Of course, you did silly goose!" she giggled.

"Hi sweetie, mommy did miss you both very, very much. Now I have someone I want you to meet" Bailey said as she walked over to where I was sitting.

"This is your aunt Isabelle, or you can call her Belle for short, she's gonna be staying with us now. Make her feel welcome" she added.

Welcome my ass. I wasn't doing this another minute, I have no idea how my sister did for three years cause I can't go three days without going bloody insane. I just sat there and took deep breaths. I let her do all the talking and explaining. The kids were well behaved-more well behaved than most kids I've seen in my life. I don't know what Arnold has been doing to them but it works pretty well. Brenda stood still and waited for him to get her, her own chair he had for her and Bailey held Brevyn in her arms, feeding him some sweet potato. How could they all live like this? This wasn't normal, wasn't meant to be but yet it's happening before my very own eyes.

I just sat there still and picked at my food, still not hungry. I could hear everyone talking but I didn't bother to join in-cause I'd tell Arnold exactly how I felt about what he's doing to us. I'd tell him off, and that'd get me killed and I wanted to survive this nightmare I was living in-so I did as Bailey told me to do.

"Time for bed Brenda, you have a big day tomorrow with me and Brevyn at the fair. We have to get up bright and early to get the best rides" Arnold said standing up, proud and tall, wiping his face with a napkin.

"Okay daddy," Brenda said running up tp Bailey with her hair following behind her, "I love you mommy, I'll see you tomorrow morning".

"Goodnight honey, I love you too" she replied.

Arnold walked over to Bailey, gave her a kiss, took Brevyn and went upstairs with Brenda.