Secret Love

Bella stood there in her kitchen looking out the back door sipping her coffee. She watched her sons swim in their pool. Her daughter and son-in-law were sitting on lounge chairs. If people looked at all of them together, she would pass as their sister as she looked too young to be their mom. Her son Matthew who is her oldest was born when she was 16. She and her husband had to get married by order of their parents but they seemed okay with it because they were so in love with each other. They never stopped loving each other until the day he passed away from terminal cancer. The door opened and Ethan, her youngest, came in. He kissed her cheek and went upstairs. Matthew came in and kissed her forehead and went upstairs. After their father died, Matthew and Ethan temporarily moved back in. Matthew had an apartment in New York City and flew to their home in Cleveland to be with her before his father passed away. Ethan came home from Ohio State University where he been living. Ethan was doing online courses while Matthew was working remotely for his job while being with her. Her daughter, Ellie, and her husband, Nick, live a couple blocks over from her house and were over every chance they get. Abby who was Ethan’s twin sister, went back to college a couple months ago. She was going to the University of Tennessee. She calls once a week to check in.

“Mom?” Ellie asked.

“Bella?” Nick asked.

“Hey guys I was just deep in thought,” Bella said.

“Thinking about Daddy?” Ellie asked.

“I always will,” Bella said.

“Mom,” Ellie said.

“Can you get your brothers, it’s time for a meeting,” Bella said.

“Okay,” Ellie said. She went upstairs. Nick came over and hugged her.

“We are here for you, Bella,” Nick said.

“I know and thank you Nick,” Bella said.

“I love being here with you and everyone, I feel like I belong here,” Nick said.

“Of course you belong here,” Bella said. Ellie, Matthew, and Ethan came downstairs.

“Have a seat everyone,” Bella said. They all sat down. She looked at them.

“Matthew, Ethan, I appreciate you both for being here with me since your father passed away, I know you didn’t want me to be alone but it’s time for you both to go back to your lives,” Bella said.

“Mom,” Matthew said.

“Mom,” Ethan said.

“Ethan, go back to campus okay, it’s time, Matthew, go back to New York, it’s time,” Bella said.

“Mom,” Ethan said.

“Boys, I’m going to be okay, your sister and Nick are close by okay, I’m not completely alone, your grandparents are nearby as well when they aren’t traveling,” Bella said.

“Mom, we just don’t want you in this house all alone,” Ellie said.

“I’m okay baby girl, I know you guys would be over a lot anyways but I don’t want to keep you guys from resuming your lives, you all put so much on hold to be here for me, I will be okay I promise,” Bella said.

“She’s right, kids, your mother is a strong woman, your grandpa and I will be around if needed,” Angela said.

“She’s right, we will be around here for her, we have no travel plans for the next four months,” Seth said.

“You know Abby was able to get back to her life without issues,” Bella said.

“We love you, Mom, we love being here with you,” Matthew said.

“I know honey but it’s time to go home, you have been here for the past two years, I’m sure your boss wants you back in the office,” Bella said.

“He understood why I worked from here,” Matthew said.

“Ethan, there is only so much you can learn from online courses, you need to go back to in person classes,” Bella said.

“I know Mom, you’re right, I just will miss you so much,” Ethan said.

“I’ll miss you guys too but I can’t keep holding you guys back from your lives outside this house, you all need to get back to the way things were before your father passed away, I’m going to be okay,” Bella said.

“We love you Mom,” Ellie said. Ellie, Matthew, and Ethan hugged her. The guys went to pack. Ellie spoke quietly with Nick.

“Mom,” Ellie said.

“Yes honey,” Bella said.

“I’m going on a business trip next month, I will be gone for three weeks, can Nick come around here while I’m gone,” Ellie said.

“Ellie, he’s family,” Bella said.

“I know, I just wanted to make sure it’s okay,” Ellie said.

“Of course, he’s always welcome here,” Bella said.

“Okay we will head home then,” Ellie said. Ellie and Nick hugged her and left.

“Honey?” Angela said.

“Hey Mom, hey Dad,” Bella said.

“We love you sweetheart,” Seth said.

“Call if you need us,” Angela said.

“I will,” Bella said. She hugged them and they left. She sat down at the table and thought about everything.

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Quick note from author:

Thank you for reading my stories. Please don’t criticize the way I write by pointing out the ‘he said she said’ parts. I want my style to be different from others and want everyone to know says what in my stories instead of everyone guessing who said what. It’s the way I have always written since I started over 20 years ago. Please only send positive comments and reviews. Keep the negative stuff to yourself. It will not change my way of writing and I won’t change my way of writing so keep those negative stuff to yourself. Have a good day and thanks for reading.