All three people who were busy in their bantering stopped the instance, they heard Bella laughing. Her laugh was mesmerizing, like music in the air. This was the first time they had heard her laughing so carefree.
Her laugh was not mechanical like her walking and talking was. It was ethereal. They all turned towards her, looking at her with dumbfounded expressions. When Bella noticed their gazes on her. She stopped abruptly. Only then did she realise, she was actually laughing. This thought made her surprised too.
"Wow, Bella, you can laugh," spoke Mike with a surprised face.
Anna elbowed him as she said, "brother Mike wanted to say your laughter is lovely. Would you sing Christmas carols with me?" she asked, walking towards her and holding her hand.
"Christmas carols?" Bella repeated in her same monotonous voice.
But it did not dishearten Anna. She smiled and nodded, "hmmm, we did not do more on Christmas just put some lightning on the door, decorate the tree and then eat a feast brother Alex made. And lastly, we sing some old Christmas songs together to welcome Santa Claus." she explained her
"But Santa Claus is already gone." pointed Bella, weren't Evelyn and saint Nicholas left for their work. They were not going to come back here, not any time soon at least.
"Huh! Bella, how could Santa Claus be gone, is Christmas night. Santa Claus will come today." Anna told Bella, "come let me tell you the story behind Christmas."
"Later, right now we have a lot of work to do, we are late this year," said Mike, shaking his head.
Anna nodded, it was already late evening and they had not done anything, not even started.
"Alright, since we have an extra hand of Bella today, we will do work on time," added Alex, to not make them feel pressurised.
"I will not give you my hand," added Bella, before anyone could say anything.
Alex was stunned looking at the girl who was hiding her hand. Both Anna and Mike burst into laughter again, holding their stomachs.
Bella looked at all of them weirdly.
"Bella, I mean you will help me with cooking, you will. Right?" he asked politely.
Bella tilted her head, as she looked at his expression then nodded.
"Come now, have your energy drink and start working" Alex passed the coffee to everyone.
Once everyone sat on the sofa with their drink
"Mike, you will decorate the lighting, and help aunt Sharon with your house decoration too. Anna, since you wanted the Christmas tree, you will be the one to decorate it. Bella and I will cook food." Alex assigned duties as they all nodded.
They all finished the coffee and started working, Mike left for his house to see his mother's condition and help her with everything. Her mother was eating sandwiches when he entered.
"Mother, how are you now?" he asked, closing the door.
"What can happen to me, I am always fit and fine, you are the one who always worries about me," she added with a smirk.
Mike shook his head, no matter how serious her condition is, she would always be a lively person
"Yeah, I know you are the best mother. Go and change your clothes. I will put some lighting here. Then we will go to Alex's, he is making a feast today." he replied, hugging her.
"Poor boy, he is the one who always treats us. When I am the elder one here," she added with a downcast expression.
"It's alright mother, there is nothing like mine and yours, between us and Alex. Plus he saves us from getting food poisoning by not letting you cook," he replied with a chuckle.
Sharron who was listings seriously and nodding her head in between was surprised to hear the end of the sentence,
"Michel Wilson, what did you say?" she hit his back with an angry expression.
"Hehe," I said nothing mother, it was all your guild that was making you hear things." he replied laughing "now go and change we are late," he said pushing her towards the bedroom.
"Hmph, let's see how your wife cooks, then we will talk again," she mumbled before entering the room as Mike just shook his head laughing.
With that, he opened the drawers and took out last year lightning. He put them near the balcony and rooms and on the door, connecting them with wires. He switched on the light and the whole house started twinkling with multiple colours.
Just then her mother came out in a new dress given by Evelyn to them. It was a red dress with black thread work and small stones near the neck and borders.
"You are still looking like a 20s mother. My girlfriend had a good choice," he replied as her mother came out. The dress was fitting her perfectly and the red colour adding a rosy hue to her dull complexion.
For once Sharron nodded her head, getting agreed with her foolish son,
"Yes, Evelyn is a good girl, too bad her father took him back. He must have realised that his daughter was making a mistake by choosing you," she added once she walked out.
"Come on, mother. I am not that bad, you know. All the girls like me." he boosted when his mother nodded again.
"That has never stopped to amaze me," she added with a serious face. Which made her son pout, then she looked around.
"The house is looking wonderful son," she added and it immediately changed his expressions a smug look taken his face as he put a hand on her shoulders.
"It is n, see your son is very talented," he added but when he saw a mischievous look on the face of his mother, he added, "now, let's go. Otherwise we will be late for the dinner. I Don't want to eat cold turkey and that extra cheesy Christmas tree," he replied, pushing his mother out of the house.
Her mother shook her head as she murmured, "glutton" and they walked out.