The Morning After

On the way to his apartment, Henry never uttered a word. He kept doodling in his phone.

Henry does that when he gets nervous or when he is sad.

The driver-Williams-looked very concerned.

He has never seen Henry so emotional before...Especially not over a woman that's for sure.

Henry's mind raced and his heart broke. Not because of lost love but he felt sad knowing he may have hurt Isabella.

He laughed and shook his head at how unfair he was to expect her to be with him.

A married man. How could he face her on Monday or Tuesday or ever? Henry was traveling to see his family this weekend.

He wanted to cancel his reservations. He wanted to comfort her. To explain certain things to her. To at least say how sorry, he was.

Meantime...Bella woke up with a nasty headache the next morning.

Of course, she would. The woman hadn't slept the whole night.

She reached for some aspirin in her medicine cabinet. She took double the required dosage and crawled back into bed.

It was almost 8 am and she breathed a sigh of relief when she remembered that it was Saturday.

Henry was on the flight to Los Angeles. Memories of Bella lingered through his mind. He was arranging meetings. Several of them.

One thing was for sure, no matter how busy Henry pretended to be, Isabella Blake never left his thoughts.

But he was a man. A strong man that isn't easily shaken up by stuff like that. Or so he thought.

Whichever way, Henry; the rich and powerful man had to tell himself over and over that he was "not going to break"

He had several meetings lined up but he also wanted to spend time with his children. Avry and Dmitry.

Avry was beautiful. She was 11 and Dimity had just turned 9.

Henry loved his children. He loved his family. Yes, Henry loved his wife too.

He was welcomed to his mansion back in Los Angeles by his beautiful wife Sarah and children.

They were awaiting to have brunch with him.

A large platter was prepared in the yard with food and drinks of all kinds.

All their 4 servants were neatly dressed and ready to serve him whatever he wanted.

Henry was treated with great love and respect by those who knew him well.

That night, Henry was in the study going over some documents for a meeting that he had planned on Sunday with the head of some major corporations.

Sarah walked in wearing very little. "Come to me baby...it's late", she said in a very seductive voice.

Henry smiled. He still remembered the first time that he and Sarah had met. She was still beautiful and maintained a great figure even after two children.

"I will be there soon", he replied.

Sarah was a wild one. She grabbed the files and tossed them aside, demanding that her husband gave her what she wanted. His love and affection.

She kissed him passionately as she undressed Henry. "How can I deny my wife anything", he said as Sarah giggled.

After their steamy season was over Sarah retired to their master bedroom leaving Henry to finish up his work.

Sarah was used to Henry and his workaholic ways and so she took whatever she wanted whenever she wanted.

She understood that the man she married was powerful and won't always be around. But when he comes home, she ensures she is fully satisfied

Henry's mind was still on Isabella. He picked up his cellphone and called her. She didn't reply.

Moments later Henry saw a photo coming in on the company's chatroom. It was a picture of Bella.

Looking seemingly drunk and disorderly at a club. "Runaway Staff Gone Wild", the post read.

Henry was fuming. Bella had gone out that night to have fun.

Her heart was broken, feeling low and the old man in her kicked in.

She decided to go clubbing. She decided to free her mind.

She wanted to show Henry that she was happy. Free. A bird who can fly wherever and whenever it wants.

Henry was angry. He remained calm and he kept calling her cellphone to no avail.

He messaged Ms. Dominique and asked her about the photo.

"It is not my business what my staff does with their personal time but where is this exactly?", he asked.

"I think it's the Dark Hole. This place around 45th Avenue where people go to party," she said.

Henry also instructed Ms. Dominique to have him on the first flight back to Jersey.

He immediately called William. William is Henry's confidant, his friend.

The same one that drove him and Bella to dinner.

He took care of Henry's apartment while he is gone and takes care of Henry's business. ALL his business.

"Go to the Dark Hole. Find Bella. Take her to my apartment. Don't let her leave. I will be home by morning", he demanded and hung up.

Henry was still very upset. His eyes were red like fire. But he showed very little emotion. He picked up his shorts from up the floor.

He went into his children's bedroom. Kissed them softly and proceeded to the master bedroom and slept next to his wife. All this time thinking about Isabella Blake. That woman!!!

TAMING ISABELLA

"Leave me alone. Get off me. Let me go. I hate you people", Bella screamed as she kicked and scratched William who was trying very hard to take her away from the man who was grinding on her behind at the club.

Bella reeked alcohol. The cheap kind. She was dressed with long jeans and a spaghetti top and flip flops.

"Henry said I should take you home," William said as he struggled to pin this woman down.

"Henry is dead to me," she yelled and she puked all over William, collapsing into his arms.

William didn't care about all the mess. He just wanted to ensure he followed the instructions of his boss.

He took Bella into the car and drove her to Henry's apartment, in spite of her defiance.

William had a hard time moving Bella's dead weight around.

She was even heavier unconscious. He took her to Henry's bedroom where he left her.

When Henry returned home the sun was just rising from the horizon.

He met Bella sleeping like a dead woman his bed. She looked a mess.

The room smelled like liquor. "Definitely the cleaners would have to come and tidy up," he said to himself.

Bella looked like a truck had run her over. She wasn't conscious of her surroundings.

He looked at her with pity. He allowed her to sleep off her hangover.

Henry called in the helpers to prepare food for Bella. Soups and all other dishes.

He felt responsible for the state of this woman.

He should have left her alone from inception.

Now he felt the onus was on him to help her heal.

Even though he'll have to live without her.

It was about 2 p.m and Bella was still asleep. She must have had a lot to drink.

The maids had already prepared food and arranged to have clean clothes for her.

Henry decided to move Bella into a guest room in order to have his room cleaned up.

He looked at her with such pity. His heart sank in a hole as he recalled all that had happened.

"What is it about this woman I love so much?", he questioned himself as he leaned over to pick her up from the bed.

��Take your hands off me!" Bella eyes opened, looking at Henry with such hatred.

Henry did not listen to Bella as he literally dragged her into the other room as she struggled to break free from his hold.

"Henry please....I beg you. Take me home. This is illegal. I will call the police", she screamed.

"Hush Bella...Stop yelling...I promise to take you home. Let's get you cleaned up and fed first," he replied in a stern but caring voice.

Henry left Bella sitting on the bed, telling her that there were clean clothes in the closet and she could choose whatever she wanted to wear.

Bella went into the bathroom. Still staggering. Feeling upset in her stomach.

The place was so clean. So, porch. Equipped with everything someone needed. She filled the tub with warm water and bubble bath. She stepped in.

The water made her feel so much better. Bella sat in the tub, reliving the pain she felt over the past couple of days. Being in that tub made it so much easier to cry.

She let it alllll out.....

Henry stood beside the bathroom door.

He contemplated whether he should try to speak with Bella.

He wanted to much to be with her. He made several attempts to knock the door.

Henry tried to recall the time in his life when he felt so weak because of one female. He didn't have any recollection.

Truth is he couldn't explain why this woman made him feel the way he felt.

Eventually Henry decided to take his chances. When he opened the bathroom saw Bella sitting upright in the rub.

He realise she was crying. Bella did not even recognize Henry's presence.

Henry removed his clothes and stepped into the tub, worried that he would be rejected.

Bella didn't say a word. Instead she made room for the man that she so strongly desired.

Henry washed Bella's skin. He had flashbacks of the photo he saw and the men that surrounded Bella at that dirty nasty club.

He scrubbed her skin even harder, trying to remove any remnant of dirt left back from so much contact at that place.

But no matter how much Henry scrubbed, the jealousy he felt could not be washed away.

Henry left Bella to finish in the tub. He asked her to meet him in the kitchen afterwards.

"This place is so huge, I can't find my way to the kitchen," Bella though as she looked around.

She slid her hands on the walls. They were unique. These paintings must have cost a fortune she said, as she awed at each one of them.

Her hair was still damp. She was wearing a maxi dress with pink flowers. She looked like a little girl. Her face looked refreshed and she smelled like Irish spring.

"Bella !!", she heard a voice behind her. It was Henry.

He stood there looking at her. He was getting dressed. It looked like he had just taken a shower.

He looked so handsome. It should be illegal for anyone to look so gorgeous she thought.

Henry took Bella into the kitchen. A wide variety of meals awaited her including her favorite chicken soup.

Bella still felt ashamed of her behavior. She tried to hide it.

"I have a headache she said", squeezing her eyes shut and massaging her forehead. Henry gave her some sparkling water, leaving the kitchen, returning with two aspirins.

Bella took them and started drinking her soup. She felt so much better in her stomach.

"What were you thinking Bella?", Henry asked politely. "Anything could have happened to you at that place", he said.

Bella never replied, dropping the spoon in the bowl of soup, sitting up from the table to leave.

Henry grabbed her hand in time, pulling her close to him, hugging her tightly and pressing his lips on forehead.

She tried to push him away but his strong arms prevented her from getting away.

"Don't ever scare me like that woman. I can't lose you," he whispered.

He was rubbing his hands through her hair and she allowed it for a while. That felt so good, she thought.

Then suddenly out of nowhere she screamed, "Henry please let me go. I am not your woman. You have your family. They need you. I don't need you. Actually, I don't want you", she said.

Bella knew she lied to her teeth about not wanting Henry.

Henry is all she wanted. At least that's how she felt. But she had to fake her feelings.

Every word that Bella uttered hit Henry in his chest real hard.

He felt every statement stab him to the core. "I will take you home now", he said, letting her go.

Henry ordered the helpers to pack the remainder of the food so Bella could carry home.

He knew she was putting up a front, pretending to be strong. Henry knew that Bella wasn't doing fine.

Her words were strong but her body language displayed so much pain.

On the way home Bella never said a word. Henry wasn't a talker and with this tension now between them, she wasn't expecting any better.

Henry helped Bella to carry the bags of food inside.

She walked slowly behind him. She didn't know what she felt. Whether it was nausea, hurt, guilt, regret or loneliness.

"Thanks Henry", Bella said, as she looked at him placing each container of food so flawlessly in the refrigerator.

"I will call later. Are you going to be alright?", he asked. When Bella didn't reply he turned and walked away.

Bella went into her bedroom and called her mother.

She knew that was the only person she could trust with such information. The only advice she would actually listen to.

"Mom...I have missed you", Bella sobbed. "Honey are you OK", her mother Janet replied.

"I am fine Mom. I just needed a friend to talk to that's all. How are you feeling", she questioned her mother.

"Well my child, the chemotherapy makes me feel sick but the doctor says my markers are going down," she said.

Janet was diagnosed with Colon cancer about two years ago and Bella had her placed in a center in California.

Bella's entire salary or the better part of it goes into taking care of her mother's medical bills.

Bella didn't mind. She loved her mother. This woman stayed and took care of her and her siblings when their father ran off with some younger woman.

"Mom. I am in love with a married man", she said. Silence took over the phone. "Mom say something," Bella cried.

"Isabella. God is not going to bless you with another woman's husband," Janet said very firmly.

"But mother...I..I love him and life is too short to be mopping around,", Bella said trying to feel justified by her behavior.

There was a constant beeping on Bella's end of the line. There was a call waiting from Henry.

She ignored the call and stayed on the phone with her mother.

Bella knew what her mother said were true. She just wanted to hear it herself. She wanted strength and reason to let go.

She knew right from wrong. Bella was raised in a Christian home but somehow got distracted by the world and moved away from God.

It was always her mother's wish that this prodigal daughter would return home. To the heart of worship. To the God who kept her all this time.

The beeping continued and finally Bella told her mom she would call her on Monday.

"Bella...I love you. Don't throw your life away. Again..." Janet said before hanging up the phone.

Bella didn't really want to speak with Henry. But she knew he won't stop calling if she didn't at least communicate with him.

"Hello Henry" she answered. "I have arranged for you to take the next three days off. If you need more time let me know", he said.

"I ...I can come to work," she insisted. But he said "no you will remain at home. I have arranged for Ms. Dominique to finish the proposal".

Bella knew that she couldn't contend with Henry when it comes to stuff like that.

He is very demanding in a sexy kind of way. She agreed and they both hung up the phone.