Chapter 25: Chapter 25
Annabelle's POV
I was worried about Arielle when she came crying into Stefan's room. I saw how helpless Stefan looked when she was upset about her mom's absence. It broke my heart to hear that she'd been picked at by her friends. The little girl didn't deserve this. I tried to think of a way to cheer her up and forget the bitter experience. It worked and I was glad. The look of pure happiness on Stefan's face made me glad that I was the cause of it.
I loved the way Arielle connected with me. She was getting attached to me slowly as I was getting attached to her. I loved children and the little ones whom I used to teach at my dance studio were very attached to me. I felt honored that Arielle was willing to go to preschool if I went with her. I saw the look of appreciation again on Stefan's face and it made me happy.
I don't know why I felt so happy when he appreciated me. I didn't know why I felt this strange connection with Arielle, but I felt happy here at Stefan's house. It seemed as if I had been living here for ages. Gran and Audrey smiled appreciatively at my close connection with Arielle. I felt blessed to be among such an awesome family. I wasn't alone anymore.
Arielle and I made 3 trays of Popsicle for all, with different innovative ingredients. We made lemon yogurt strawberry popsicles, Nutella fudge popsicles, and watermelon popsicles. Arielle was excited to taste them once they had solidified. Arielle was beyond excited, she was ecstatic. I was content that I could make her happy. Beth took her for a bath and I cleaned up the kitchen and went to my room to freshen up.
Every time I looked at the locked door which connected mine to Stefan's bedroom, I missed his warm embrace and tingling citrus smell. I missed his intense gaze which melted my core every time he was near me. I missed his touch. I missed being in his arms, although I had just been with him in the afternoon. I had to keep myself busy or else I would get lovesick from all that was missing. Sighing, I went downstairs to spend time with gran and Audrey.
Audrey was reading some article in a magazine aloud to gran, and she was smiling when I entered the room. I had Martha bring us coffee and some of my cupcakes.
"Come, my dear," Gran said, stretching her arm towards me. I went to hug her and sat beside Audrey, eyeing the magazine.
"Have some cupcakes. I don't know how they've turned out. Haven't tasted them," I said smiling as I offered them the tray of cupcakes that I had made earlier.
"These have come out delicious dear," said Audrey, eating two, and licking her lips. I smiled at her, satisfied that she liked them so much. Gran too agreed to her.
"By the way, thanks for bringing Stefan home. I knew he would respond to you. He really likes you," said Audrey, looking at me and grinning meaningfully. It felt awkward hearing it from her. She was his mom after all.
"No, no, he was tired, so he came home with me,'' I said quickly trying to save the situation while my cheeks turned red.
"Rubbish dear. He is so happy nowadays. If you had seen him before, always scowling and ready to snap everyone's head off. It's easy to figure out why. " Gran said, smiling at me as she helped herself to my cupcakes while sipping her coffee. I absorbed this piece of information. I knew he had an unhappy marriage but I didn't know it was that bad.
"I perfectly agree with Ophelia. Why don't we show Anna, Stefan's old albums? I think she would get an idea," Audrey said. She got up and went to Stefan's study to get some of his photo albums. My interest was piqued and I wanted to know more about him.
"Adrian is very keen on photography, so we have loads of pictures clicked all the time. Stefan keeps them in his study," Gran explained as I nodded. We finished the coffee and I collected the mugs and tray to the kitchen.
When I returned to gran's room, Audrey had spread out a number of albums for me to see. There were pictures of Stefan with his brothers when they were very young. In one, Stefan was dressed up as Superman and Claire dressed up as Minnie Mouse. They both looked so alike being twins. Another was at the beach carrying Adrian and Julian when maybe Stefan was around ten. In one Claire was dressed up in a beautiful peach gown ready for prom night and Stefan looking dashing in a tuxedo. In one picture a four-year-old Stefan was swinging between Nathaniel and Audrey, grinning from ear to ear. All the pictures were so adorable, no wonder Stefan cherished them.
"The children are very attached, they always have each other's back," Audrey said looking at the pictures lovingly. I could see that they were attached as a family. Not that I didn't know but I loved their childhood pictures more.
"Look at this, it's a picture of Stefan's wedding," said gran eyeing the picture as she passed it on to us. " I think it's the only one at the wedding. Stefan's destroyed all of them. Maybe he missed this one." I eagerly took the photograph from her hand. I was glad that Stefan missed one. I wanted to see Claudia and know more about her.
I looked at the picture and gasped seeing Claudia's face. She looked very different than I had expected her to look, seeing Arielle. She had black hair and chocolate brown eyes, a scowling face as she stood newly married beside Stefan, wearing a beautiful off-shoulder wedding dress. Did she look pissed off at her own wedding? But it was Stefan's face that drew my attention. He looked pissed off, with clenched jaws, standing at an arm's length from his bride. I was confused. Both looked like they were being forced to marry at gunpoint. Then why did they marry in the first place was the question that popped into my mind. None of the family members liked her so it wasn't an arranged marriage. But what was more baffling was that Arielle didn't resemble her at all and neither did she resemble Stefan. Then whom did she resemble?