My Bella - J.Shelby

I

✦♥︎✦

She paced around the room, stress consuming her small figure. She was beyond terrified by what the consequences of her actions would be.

"Why didn't ya tell anyone Ara?" Her brother Leonardo asked quietly. "We tell each other everything." 

Arabella sighed collapsing beside her brother on the couch. "A didn't tell anyone, Leo. Not a single person. A didn't want it to be real, A wanted to forget it."

Leonardo rubbed a hand over his features. "Ya shoulda told me, A would've helped ya through it. Ya shouldn't o' had to go through that shit alone." 

She shrugged. "What do ya think she's gonna say?" She changed the main focus.

"Fuck knows with her anymore." Leonardo sighed, leaning his elbows upon his legs. "A won't let her do anything to ya."

Arabella shook her head. "Don't, A don't want ya getting hurt in this. Ya've been through enough brother. A can deal with her." 

Leonardo shook his head. "We've never dealt like this with her brother. It were bad enough when we stole from the bakers, but this...we don't know what the fuck she'll do."

Arabella sighed again. "It were ma fault it happened, A deserved it." Leonardo spun to look at her, horror across his features as he grabbed his younger sister's hand.

He lifted her chin with one hand, looking her in the eye. "No person should ever have to go through what ya did. For fuck sake Ara, ya were raped!" His voice raised at the last part.

Arabella fought back tears. "A didn't want any o' ya to know, especially not Cassie, A didn't want her to be worried every time A leave the fuckin' house." A stray tear fell from her tear duct. "A didn't want anyone to know about it."

Leonardo still held her hands. "A would never judge ya, or what ya did. Ya knew ya weren't ready. Ya knew ya couldn't bring a baby into the world under the circumstances. Ya did the right fuckin' thing."

Arabella shook her head vigourously. "She won't see it like that Leo. It gives her another fuckin' excuse to go through with her threat. That baby didn't deserve to be born as a bastard into our family, whether we be gypsies or no. She'll see me as more o' a fuckin' disgrace, a disgrace to the family name, the church. Cares more about her religion than the fact that her own daughter were raped." Leonardo kissed her head, his lips resting in place for a moment.

"Listen to me, Ara. Ya helped me, ya didn't see me as any different when A came back from France. Ya saw me as ya brother, even after everything A did when A returned, ya still see me as ya fuckin' brother. Am here for ya, ya me sister, Cassie won't see ya any different, she loves the bones o' ya. The three o' us made a promise, no matter what fuckin' happens - big or small - we're there for each other, an' we always will be." Arabella smiled at her brother, glad to have him with her. "A love ya Ara."