Arabella Mason has been living abroad for the past ten years and when she returns home she needs to look for a job. Her brother Alexander knows a job that's available, but he's afraid to tell her about because it's to do with his best friend. Domini...
Alex walks into the house at 6:30pm and places his keys on the hook by the door. He walks into the kitchen where I'm helping the George cookdinner. "Hey, Sis. I heard that you got the job at Hudson Airways."
A smile spreads across my face. "I did get the job. Thanks for telling me about it. I know you didn't want me to apply for it, but when it comes to working closely with CEO's I find the job challenging."
He hugs me. "That's great. Listen, Nico had a temp being his secretary for the last three months and she was recently hired for him to stay on. She will be your secretary, so when you need anything you'll have to tell her what do."
I don't want to be responsible for another person. This will be the first time that I will have someone to work closely with and the woman probably hates me for taking her job from her.
I turn back to the stove and finish stirring the gravy that I was looking after before Alex walked through the door.
The chef tells me that the gravy is done and he pulls out the steak from the oven. He places the tray on the sink and serves out dinner. "Sir, dinner is ready."
"Thanks," Alex takes the plate from him and he moves over to the kitchen table and I join him. He looks at me. "Today I got a phone call from Mom and Dad."
What did they want?
I play with the necklace around my neck. "Okay, what did they want?"
Alex looks around the kitchen before his eyes land on mine. His brown eyes look into mine and he takes a deep breath. "They want to visit."
"When are they coming?" I ask, not really wanting to know the answer.
"They'll be here on Thursday. You can hide out at my place in Santa Barbara on Friday. I'm sure Nico will let you off early since, he's flying to New York for the weekend."
Nico was talking about me going with him to New York, so I might get away with not seeing them for the weekend, but there's nothing I can do about them being here on Thursday night.
I sigh. "It's time that I see our parents, Alex. I can't keep hiding from them."
Joanna walks past the kitchen and I remember about the photoshoot, I'll be going to on Thursday which will delay me seeing the parents awhile longer.
Alex nods. "I knew you would come around to the idea of seeing our parents. I didn't tell them you were here."
A smile spreads across my face. "So, I'll be a secret for our parents visit?"
"Yes," he admits.
"Perfect, but I won't be here for dinner on Thursday. Joanna and I have something we need to do at seven and I'm not sure what time we'll be back home. So, the parents will be your problem until I get home."
He drops his fork. "You'll leave your big brother alone with Mom and Dad while you do god knows what?
I laugh. "That's correct, Alex. You could have told them that it wasn't the right time that they come here for a visit, but you're not going to tell them are you. You think it's best to let Mom and Dad turn up whenever they like and put your plans on hold while they come here." Shaking my head. "I could never do that, Alex. Which is why the parents never wanted to do anything with me when we were growing up."
Alex cuts into his steak and he begins to chew his food. We don't talk too much while we eat our dinner.
I catch him looking at me a couple of times during dinner and it makes me feel kind of uncomfortable. Looking at him I say. "What?"
"Mom, sent some pictures of you that she came across online." He pulls his phone out of his pocket and pulls up a picture of me holding a little girl that I saved, during an avalanche three years ago.
I woke up in the middle night with a nagging feeling that something was going to happen and I walked outside the lodge I was staying in to see an avalanche coming down the mountain. It went through my neighbour's place, where an eighteenth month old girl was sleeping with her parents.
Hearing a cry come from the snow in front of me I start to dig through the snow without any gloves on. "I need help here." I yell.
A security guy walks over to me and he helps me dig through the snow until we reach the girl. My hand touches some fabric and I pull it through the snow and see the little girl that I met this morning with her parents.
I looked at the lodge that was next to mine and it was completely wiped out.
A paramedic walks over to us and he tells us to get into the ambulance as he wanted the little girl and I checked out at the hospital.
I didn't complain as a blanket was wrapped around me. I carried the girl to the ambulance and we climbed in.
At the hospital the girl was taken from me and rushed to the children's ward. Where she would be checked over by a doctor that specialises in children.
When a doctor asked questions about the girl I told them what I knew and they said that they were going to find out if there was someone that could take the girl.
Alex waves a hand in front of my face. "Belle, I've been trying to get your attention for the last three minutes. I was wondering if you're..." he cuts himself off.
"I'm fine, Alex. I was just thinking about the girl I saved." A smile spreads across my face. "She's 4 and a ½ now, and living in Paris with her Aunt and Uncle. I met them when I was at the hospital. I couldn't leave without knowing what was going on with Grace. Her Aunt and Uncle thanked me for saving her. Since, that moment we've been in touch. They know I moved back here and they want me to visit them the next time I go to Paris."
Alex stands up with his plate and he walks over to the bin to throw out the bone. "Nico, goes to Paris every couple of months to check on a company that his father opened when he was a kid. You should tell him that you want to go with him."
I shake my head. "I can't do that." I cut into the steak and start eating dinner. Alex walks out of the kitchen and I hear the TV turn on. When I'm done I scrape my scraps into the bin before walking over to the sink and washing my dishes.
Joanna walks into the kitchen and she jumps onto the counter behind me. "Do you think Alex would let us use the car tomorrow when we go out?"
"Where are you going tomorrow?" Alex asks walking into the kitchen and heading to the fridge. He opens the door and pulls a beer out.
"To a nightclub." Joanna says. "I would invite you, but we know how much attention is taken from us when you walk into a room with us."
Alex takes a step toward me. "You're not going out, Belle. You have to work the next day."
Joanna looks at him "What about Nico and you? I've seen the both of you hang at a pub on Thursday nights and you work the next day. Why is that you're coming up with a different rule for your sister?"
"You're not going out and that's final." Alex slams the door behind him and head to the living room to continue watching whatever's on.
"We're sneaking out. I'll call a cab to pick us up. That way Alex won't find out."
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