Adriel reclined on the sofa, his arms wrapped protectively around his sick sister, who lay nestled on his chest, her breathing soft and steady as she drifted into a peaceful slumber.
She had thrown up again and was pretty much exhausted.
Adriel's heart swelled with tenderness as he watched over her, his fingers gently stroking her hair in a soothing gesture and placed a kiss on her hand that was tightened on his shirt
The doorbell rang and Adriel carefully placed Luella on the sofa before opening the door to reveal Anastasia "Hey" she smiled
"Hi" Adriel opened the door wider allowing her to come in.
Ana walked in and noticed the fragile girl on the sofa. She faced Adriel "What's wrong with her?" she asked before kneeling beside Luella placing a hand under her shirt to feel how warm her chest was "She's burning up"
Adriel walked up to his sister and carefully shook her "Luella"
Luella groaned and turned around
Anastasia took a try "Luella wake up for me" she said as she stroked her hair
"No" Luella moaned
"Luella baby, get up. I need to put you in the bath" Adriel spoke up
Luella opened her eyes and rubbed them with her fisted hands "My belly still hurts" she mumbled
Anastasia got up and made her way to the bathroom. As she reached the familiar sanctuary of the tiled room, she turned the faucets, allowing the warm water to flow and fill the bathtub with soothing steam. She carefully adjusted the temperature, ensuring it was just right for Ella's sick state.
Adriel walked in with Luella in his arms. Luella was already in her underwear as Adriel had made sure she wasn't kept warm.
"Place her in," Anastasia said turning the tap off
"No" Luella mumbled into Adriel's shoulder refusing to get into the bath
Adriel ignored her and placed her into the tub
Luella's eyes were now red and her skin was super pale
"Luella where hurts?" Anastasia asked rubbing Ella's back up and down
"Belly" Luella mumbled
Anastasia looked up at Adriel "Have you given her medicine?" Adriel nodded "I had her eat then I gave it"
Ana sighed and started giving Luella a cool bath while Adriel went to get her bathrobe
"Someone in her class had the bug, do you think she caught that?" Adriel asked
Ana took Ella out of the tub and handed her to Adriel "Could be, I'll make her a drink, it'll help her"
"Xavier stop," Rose said pushing my face away from her
"Go be lovey-dovey somewhere else" Aidan spoke up removing his gaze from his iPad
A knock on the door was heard and a nurse smiling entered "Aidan here's your pills" she said placing the cup of pills and a bottle of water on his nightstand
She faced Rose "Make sure he takes the blue one in the next 10 minutes and the white one in an hour"
Mrs Hale was at work so Rose and I had come to be with Aidan today
Rose nodded "I'll make sure"
The nurse left and Aidan went back to playing on his ipad
"He's dying to meet that mystery person Xander told him about" Rose smiled
I chuckled "Yeah, I can tell. Luella's sick though when she's better I'll make sure Xander brings her"
"Rose can you give me the bottle please," Aidan asked
Rose got up and passed the bottle allowing her brother to take his pills
His treatment was working very well so far the only con was the pain he was going through
"Xavier?"
I looked at Aidan "Hm?"
"When is Xander bringing that secret person for me to meet?" he asked
"Soon, buddy" he smiled and nodded understanding
Rose came and sat on my lap and gave me a kiss "I love you so much" she whispered hugging me
"I love you too" I whispered into her ear
Xander was at work all day since Adriel was off taking care of Luella. He took the phone calls and emails needed for the day
Xander sat at his desk, engrossed in the pile of paperwork scattered before him. Lost in concentration, he barely noticed the passage of time until a sudden, harsh knock on his office door shattered the quietude. Startled, Xander's fingers paused mid-sentence, his brow furrowing in confusion.
He got up and opened the door to reveal a lady standing there
"Hi?"
"Where's that brother of yours?" The lady yelled pushing past Xander looking around the room
"I'm sorry who are you?" Xander asked
The lady turned and looked at Xander, her mouth gaped open
Her nephew didn't recognise her.
"Xander don't fucking mess around with me, it's Samantha"
Who the fuck is Samantha?
"Xander! I'm your aunt!" she yelled in frustration
He stood at the door very confused.
"Uh, take a seat? I was just going to leave but whatever" he said taking a seat on his chair
Samantha sat in front of his desk "Where is he?"
"Adriel?"
Samantha rolled her eyes "Who else? He owns this place does he not"
Xander coughed "He's at home with Luella, she's sick"
Samantha's eyes widened "See I knew he wasn't capable of taking care of her, she's sick already"
"He's much capable, thank you"
She sighed "Look, I don't know if he told you but I need her custody for the better"
Xander crossed his brows "Sorry who's custody?"
"Luella's"
Xander stared at her "You're pretty funny to be an aunt you know"
"Xander don't get on my fucking nerves"
"In all honesty with what confidence do you come up to our door and mouthing the way Adriel looks after our sister?"
Samantha stayed silent for a couple of seconds "It's what she would've wanted"
"Who?" Xander asked
"Your mother, who else?"
"Yep, not my mother," he said sending off a sarcastic smile
"She's your mother whether you like it or not. She wanted the best for you all"
Xander laughed and nodded sarcastically "Sure, the best. Where was she when Xavier finished school? Where was she when her son was killing himself with drugs and had no parent there?"
She kept silent again
"For my sister's sake just leave, I need to go home. I really can't deal with you today" Xander said getting up
Samantha sighed and got up leaving but looked at her nephew one last time "She was sorry for everything she did" and left
Xander shook his head and locked the office door before finishing off his last sentence and getting into the elevator to head home
I placed Luella on my bed since she had fallen asleep and headed downstairs to Anastasia who was laid on the sofa
She noticed me and immediately tried sitting up. I placed my hand on her leg symboling her to stay as she was. I sat on the other side of the sofa placing her legs on my lap
"She'll be fine, don't worry" she assured me smiling
I was falling for her all fucking over again.
The door opened and Xander walked in taking his jacket off quickly "Don't ever make me stay alone again" he said sitting down on the other sofa
"What happened" Ana softly asked
Xander looked at me "Some crazy aunt of ours Samantha came in"
I sighed and groaned "She isn't going to stop is she"
"I swear to god she's crazy. She really came with some sassy confidence at her big age"
Ana let out a laugh
I was busy rubbing her ankles
"But like I'm being serious, she started banging on the office door, barged into the room yelling your name and the best part is she brought up Vanessa and how her having custody is what she would've wanted"
He continued "And the ultimate part is apparently how Vanessa did it for the best of us"
"She's not okay, next thing you know is she collects Luella from school," I said
"No chance. Gabi knows no one else is to collect her unless its one of us" Xander said
"Your mum's side really is something" Anastasia commented
"Not our mother" Xander muttered
"Sorry" Ana whispered
"He's frustrated, it's fine" I whispered to her