Chapter 15

Isabella

I stared at the ceiling with a perfect feeling of well-being and happiness. How good is it to feel like that? I winded back each moment of the day with all the rich details; it was like a movie scene, the places, the laughers, the touches, the most striking words ... it was a good day, for more days like that to come

I took a deep breath and decided that I would pray, but how do I do it right? I didn’t know what words to say. Thus I sat in a comfortable position, closed my eyes, and decided just to let the words flow.

“God, I’m sorry if I’m not doing it the right way; the truth is that I don’t know how I should do it, but I guarantee that my words are heartfelt. Today when I entered the church and heard those words, I felt something so good that my heart opened widely to you; all that Nicolas had said to me before also made me stop and think. Finally, this urge to talk to you arose; somehow, something inside me felt satiated, an indescribable good feeling that I hadn’t experienced before. I want to get closer to you God, and have more of you in my life; in my days, I want to feel what people say, what they feel when they come and convert to you when they have you in their lives, is everything they say real? Because if it is. I want to feel and know those feelings too. Thank you for the day I had; it was wonderful. Thank you for the life I have, for my family friends, and thank you for putting Nicolas in my way; thank you for everything; I am delighted today, thank you, God. Amen”

[...]

The Following day

Marcele: daughter? Come on; it’s lunchtime, she said coming towards me.

Isabella: yes, I’m hungry. We sat at the table, and Aunt Luh served us. Wow, it smells so good

Luiza: I did my best; it’s a dish you love

Isabella: oh boy, let’s see, I said, taking off the lid of one of the cookers. Did I say that I love you?

Luiza: not today

Isabella: Oh, I love you and not just an ordinary love

Luiza: I love you too young lady, she said and left

Marcele: How was it yesterday at the church?

Isabella: it was splendid; I got a very well reception. Mom, you had to see Nicolas singing, he sang a beautiful hymn.

Marcele: seriously, that’s delightful, daughter, and does he sing well?

Isabella: more than perfect, enchanting voice!

Marcela: Well, I’m looking forward to listening to that one day

Isabella: and the message they delivered was also excellent. Today we go again.

Marcele: are you dating?

Isabella: mom! I scolded her as if she had committed a sin and smiled Of course not; we’re just friends

Marcele: um, got it

Isabella: and by the way, he has a purpose; he’s waiting for the right girl.

Marcele: purpose? And Waiting for the right girl? What do you mean?

Isabella: I’m not the right person to explain this to you now; I know very little

Marcele: say the little you know, then

Isabella: long story short, he spends time praying for someone to find the ideal person in the case, hoping that God will make him meet her at the right time, and in the meantime, he can’t get involved with any other girl that’s what I understood

Marcele: and what about it? Could this person be you?

Isabella: only an evangelical girl, I am pondering about it at this moment, and I automatically asked myself: what if I became an evangelical?

Marcele: oh, what a pity you would make a beautiful couple, she said, looking at me right in the eyes and smiling. I liked him even before knowing him just by the way you talk about him

Isabella: oh, mom, stop looking at me like this, I complained, smiling and making my mom laugh too we still were at the table, and Dad comes and joins us. After the meal, I went up to my room again; I needed to study because I had some tasks and assignments to do before karate training. After some studying, I heard my cell phone vibrating on the nightstand next to the bed.

Message:

“sister, I need you ...”

It seemed a little urgent; I got changed and went to her place.

Paula: Glad you came, sister, she said with a bit of embarrassed smile when she met me at the gate. I soon realized that things were not right; we went in and then sat on the sofa in the living room.

Isabella: are you ok?

Paula: today is her birthday, she said with her watery eyes and her head down, and I hugged her tight for more over than a year ago; Paula sister is missing; on a normal day, Paola had left for work and never returned home that day, the police were never able to find out anything concrete about the disappearance since she had no problems with nobody and she was a good person and an exemplary reputation. I almost didn’t know how to comfort her except for some hugs; it was so delicate to talk to her about it.

Isabella: I’m sorry. What about your mother? I asked, holding her hand

Paula: She spent the night staring at her photos, she didn’t have breakfast, she didn’t have lunch, and she’s still crying. My father is also sorrowful, less than 24 years ago she was being born, it’s is her birthday

Isabella: Wow, what a deplorable condition. It must be really awful for them not to have heard from their daughter in such a long time, not to know what happened and where she Is

Paula: for all of us. I miss her; I miss her so much at this moment. some tears fell on her check; I miss our conversations, the care she had for me, and even our fights

Isabella: Oh sweety, I hugged you again; it hurts me to see you like this

Paula: every day, I look at that door, and all I want is to see is Paola passing by; I just want everything to go back to normal and no longer have to see my parents in endless suffering

Isabella: one day it will end, you will have an answer, just believe!

Paula: this is the least we want, answers! Is she alive? This is the question. It’s so bad to live with it; it’s weird and scary too; what if someone had kidnapped her? is she suffering? have they taken her life away?

Isabella: Hey, calm down! don’t think about any of that

Paula: they did something to her. I know it; she would never leave our family like that, she said, sobbing through her tears.

Isabella: only God knows what happened, if they did something to her or not, he will do justice for her, for you.

We talked for long minutes, and I left after she already got better, but I know that I was not doing well in the end.. I got ready for training and went to the gym; I couldn’t stop thinking about Paula during training, how bad I was. So I had the idea of asking her to go to church with Nicolas and me; who knows, maybe she will be a little distracted leaving the house for a change. At the end of the training, I took out my cell phone and called Paula.

Call on:

Paula: hi

Isabella: let’s go to church after 15 minutes?

Paula: I’m not in the mood to go out today

Isabella: it’s not because you’re sad; a little relaxing will do you good

Paula: I don’t know, no, my friends

Isabella: come on, it will be cool

Paula: I don’t want to disturb you and Nicolas.

Isabella: you won’t get in the way

Paula: Are you sure?

Isabella: absolutely!

Paula: alright then

Isabella: at 7:00 I’ll pass by with Nicolas to pick you up, kisses

Paula: alright, kisses

Call off

[...]

Nicolas: Good evening

Isabella: Good evening. Is there a problem for you if I invite a friend to come along? _I ask insecurely, waiting for his answer, sorry but I made the invitation at the last minute and ended up not letting you know; I understand if you do not want to take her with us

Nicolas: don’t say that, of course, she comes

Isabella: thank you! let’s go to her house then

Nicolas: you’re in charge! Where is her house?

Isabella: it is a bit close here, you can follow the avenue directly, and I will let you know when we get to her house entrance

Nicolas: great, so let me get this straight. Did you say she wasn’t well?

Isabella: that’s right. Her sister disappeared just over a year ago. Today it would be her birthday

Nicolas: wow, that’s a pickle

Isabella: it is a tense situation; she is very gloomy today

Nicolas: you did well invite her over

Isabella: I thought leaving the house and relaxing would do good for her.

Nicolas: yes, yes

Isabella: turn around on the next corner; the third house on the right is hers

Paula: Hi guys, good evening

Nicolas: good evening Paula

Isabella: good night darling

We followed in silence all the way, after some long minutes we arrived at our destination.

Nicolas: now I should introduce myself, Nicolas said to Paula when we had already got out of the car; my name is Nicolas; nice to meet you

Paula: mine is Paula, it’s a pleasure too