3: Isla del Sol

One chilly morning. Arabella woke up early, as she did every day prior, to cook breakfast and prepare Luke's clothes for work. After checking on her baby, she brushed and tied her long black hair, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and went down to the kitchen. That morning, she decided to fry some bacon and eggs, make pancakes, and brew an authentic Colombian coffee. It's already 6 o'clock when she finished setting the table.

Then, Arabella went upstairs to call her 'husband' for breakfast. She found him lying on his stomach sleeping soundly like a baby.

"Hey, wake up!" Arabella said while tapping his shoulder.

"Hmmm...what?" Luke mumbled as he rolled towards her with his eyes still closed.

"Breakfast is ready," she told him casually.

"Hmmmm...." Luke groaned. Then, he pulled his blanket up to his head continuing his interrupted sleep.

"Hesh! Wake Up! You'll be late," she yelled while hitting him with a pillow she grabbed beside him. Luke rubbed his eyes before opening them to see Arabella holding the pillow ready to strike again. His brows wrinkled, confused about her behavior as he looked at Arabella and the pillow on her hands.

Upon realizing what she just did, Arabella suddenly let go of the pillow dropping it directly on his face before hurriedly leaving the room.

"Breakfast is all ready set, so you can eat first. I... I have to check on my son," she said at the door without looking at him.

Luke tilted his head analyzing the situation as he removed the pillow from his face.

"Weird..." he uttered as he got up and took a shower.

Arabella jolted when she heard the sound of Luke's car. After a moment, there was a knock on her door. She didn't know what to do--- whether to open the door or not since she's still embarrassed by her actions a while ago.

"Arabella, I'm going now. Kiss Saraknib for me!" Luke shouted. She didn't answer pretending not to hear his words, so he left. The sound of his car driving away made Arabella felt relieved.

"What is wrong with you?!" she asked herself hitting her forehead before burying her face on her bed as she punched and kicked her worries away. She stopped when she heard her baby babbling. She smiled while looking at Saraknib stretching his little limbs as he yawned.

"Hi there, little guy. Good morning!" she said gleefully as she picked him up from his crib and cradled him while singing some children's song. Then, they had more mother and son bonding when she bathed him and changed his clothes, a batman frog suit, bought by Luke. She breastfed him.

Still wearing her pajamas, she cradled Saraknib down to the kitchen for breakfast. A note on the table caught her attention.

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Arabella,

I put some cash on your drawer. Go on shopping or eat out. The Mcknights will accompany you. Have fun! :)

Luke

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She rubbed her eyes and read the note again to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating. It's the first time he gave her some cash for shopping and it made her wonder why. Still pondering upon the note, there were knocks on the door.

"Good morning, Arabella. Hi, baby boy!" Shane greeted when she opened the door for them.

"Come in," she said.

"Do you want coffee? Tea? Juice?" she asked.

"I actually came here to eat breakfast. Luke told us that you cook well--- your pancakes are superb!" Owen said excitedly as he went straight to the dining area.

"Pardon him. He's crazy coz' Keira went back to London last night," Shane explained.

"Ei... I am really hungry. I didn't eat at home coz' I was expecting to eat here while Luke is gone. Hehe~," Owen said holding his stomach looking so hungry which made Arabella chuckle.

"Uh... okay. I will make some for you then," she said shyly putting Saraknib on his stroller.

"Yes! Thanks! I will look after your son while you cook. Don't worry, I am good at babysitting," Owen exclaimed. Shane just shook his head on his brother's childish action. Then, the delicious smell of pancakes filled the air.

"Whoah! Now I understand what Luke meant!" Owen uttered stuffing his mouth with the last bite of pancake.

"Yeah! These are really good, Arabella," Shane added before drinking his coffee.

"Uh... thanks," Arabella replied.

Shane looked at her from head to foot which made her worried about how she looked.

"You've stayed with Luke for only a month, but you look like you aged a lot. Is he not a good husband?" Shane asked her. Arabella wasn't sure which made her feel uncomfortable, Shane's comment of her looking old or his question about Luke as a husband--- or maybe both.

"I have an idea. Arabella, go and take a shower. I will make an appointment at PrimRose Salon," Owen told her while pushing her lightly towards the stairs. Her head was full of questions, but they didn't give her the chance to ask them since they took Saraknib to the garden to catch some vitamin D. Her son even seemed very comfortable with their presence.

After 30 mins, she went down to the garden to see Shane and Owen singing and dancing in front of Saraknib making him smile. She couldn't help but smile at the warm view. Before she knew it, tears streaked down her cheeks.

"Hey, are you okay?" Shane asked. She wiped her tears with her hands as she nodded. Owen came pushing her son's stroller towards their car.

"Ready?" he asked. They drove to a neolithic gate made of basalt and granite stones.

"Is this a salon?" Arabella asked as she went out of the car. She was astounded by the architecture unveiled before her eyes.

"Amazing right?! This island is more than what it seems on the outside. Most people think that it is named Isla del Fuego because of the marvelous sunset and the magic it has for romance," Owen explained as they walk through a serpentine granite pathway leading to a huge step pyramid.

Water cascaded from the mouth of sculpted stone serpent heads in every corner of the pyramid into a basin at its foot, where palm trees, reeds, and papyrus plants were growing around. It looked like an oasis.

"Ten years ago, Don Juan Carlos Ramirez and his team discovered the ruins of a lost civilization who worshiped the sun, so this island was originally named "Isla del Sol" meaning 'Island of the Sun'. After further excavation, they uncovered the island's opulent past and it's formidable potential for the future. Therefore, he founded the Suits Brotherhood to prevent the island from exploitation. This salon isn't just a salon either. It uses the traditional beautifying method of the islanders who inhabited this place 2, 500 years ago," Shane added.

Arabella dropped her jaw in awe as her eyes marveled at the island's hidden splendor.