Sun May Shine | Paul Lahore

Chapter 1

A flowerbed surrounded the quaint little home, as well as a brown picket fence — which in all honesty needed more than just a repaint. However somewhere in the back of her mind, Bella could recall a young girl with a head full of chocolate curls lapping the perimeter of the house, a girl with eyes much like her own clenched shut whilst she squealed in delight as a cotton-handed woman ran after her, tickling her sides so that she laughed until she couldn't breathe.
She also remembered a bedroom with walls of sunshine. That when light streamed through the open window it seemed to glow in an almost heavenly way. The little girl with the chocolate locks used to play with her dolls there, along with another girl — but her hair a deep shade of auburn. She had freckles on her nose and a crook in her two front teeth, that Bella always made fun of.

As her father pulled up to the house, the front door coated in dried red paint chips swung open, due to the force of a rather petite and mousy woman. For being of such a small size, the woman walked with an incredible amount of jolt in her step. Bella analysed the woman, who though somehow so familiar to her, seemed so incredibly different at the same time. Her hair was tucked behind her ears, yet still stuck out wildly in numerous directions, and looked as though it hadn't been washed in a good few days. Though Bella wasn't one to judge, she had partook in her own week-long periods of tying her hair up, never to be released until her mother had to physically wash it herself.

The faded flannel hanging from her shoulders had a fair few stains coating it, along with some rips and shreds here and there. Though, Bella couldn't talk, with the amount of times her mother had to sew her own clothes, she was surprised the woman's fingers weren't peeling.

As she took hesitant steps out of her father's cruiser, Bella finally took notice of her aunt's jaded expression, weakly masked with a loving smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, yet still made them shine all the same.

"Oh my gosh! Look at you, all grown up!" Donna gushed at she took Bella into her arms, squeezing with all of her might. Releasing the blushing girl, but keeping her at arms length, she rested a hand against her cheek — something that Bella couldn't help but lean into. "And so beautiful. You look just like your grandmother did at your age." Bella couldn't help but feel a bit of pride swell in her chest.

"Thanks aunt Donna, you look great."

With a playful roll of her eyes, Donna gave her niece's hand a gentle squish. "You don't have to lie to me Bells', I'm not quite the sight for sore eyes right now."

Bella didn't notice her father stroll up next to the pair, until he clasped a heavy hand onto her shoulder making her jump with fright. "Well, when have you ever been Don'." Her aunt threw her brother a pointed look, sticking a finger in his face.

"I wouldn't be one to trash-talk with that thing hanging above your lip."

"...what do you mean."

Bella rolled her eyes as the two siblings bickered back and forth, feeling a sudden surge of courage overcome her and decided to make her own way into her aunt's home.

Though it had been years, Bella could still remember it like the back of her hand, every corner of every room imprinted into the back of her mind. She had spent the majority of her summers there, up until a few years back when the constant visits became tedious to her. Losing contact with a good few of her old friends and family members. She gravely regretted the decision, but all she could do now was make up for the time she lost.

The living room was almost the exact same, apart from a new paint job on the walls which gave the room a more neutral tone, compared to the previous one. Vibrant orange wasn't the best look.
Her father and aunt Donna had now moved to the kitchen — also a replica from the way it was a couple years ago, with her aunt teetering round the kitchen whilst Charlie sat comfortably in one of the kitchen chairs. "You want anything Bells', Ms Gregory from next door baked a whole load of pies yesterday, givin' them round the neighbourhood and gave us two in thanks for our Coralline." The little woman was holding up what seemed to be apple pie, with another placed on the table before her. There were only two slices taken out of that one.