Chapter Forty-four

As soon as he saw his stepsister, Mikey knew something was definitely amiss. He had ordered her favorite chocolate flavored ice-cream. He noticed she had a knack for ice-cream considering the fact that whenever she had serious issues with her mother, she would find solace in the coldness of ice-cream. Talk about a snow queen, she definitely was one. "Sup sis, you look dashing ", he said trying to lighten her mood and gloomy soul. She gave a sad smile and sat down opposite him, "I just have thirty minutes Mike. How did you know I love ice-cream, hmmmmmmmm... ", she asked as she took a spoon. He shrugged and said, "Did I tell you, I'm observant". They laughed, she would certainly do well with a great deal amount of laughter so he opted to tease her. "How's being a slave going Bella? ", he asked her, "Asshole, I'm not a slave, I'm his favorite person ",she said admist smile. That was definitely Bella his sister. They chatted for a while, she could feel her burdened soul lighten with the weight of what she had been bearing inside. Mikey wanted to know why she put up a distress call but she was not sure whether it was time to tell him, "I just needed someone to talk to ",she said. "Well, you got one ma'am. Mikey, at your service ", he said performing a mock bow while they were seated. She was laughing again. Something was eating her up, he could feel it. They few times he had spent with her had taught him all he needed to know about her personality. He just hoped that jerk was not hurting her. The siblings kept on chatting about random stuff and only broke apart a little when he said, "Your mom has been ill Bella ",but she quickly asked him never to speak about that woman to her again, "That woman sisy, is your mother. You just don't shut her out like that ",he chipped in. "Bro, if you want us to enjoy our ice-cream in peace with no objections, I suggest we skip her story ",she said with anger. And that was all on that issue. If only she knew that her mom was down with cancer, she would never say this but then, he was not about to soil her mood. She was already going through something. Their chat went back to it's happy state and they talked a lot for an ample amount of time. Jake had to come remind them that time had been far spent and thirty minutes was over, so they needed to go home before alarm was raised. They bade each other goodbye and Mikey headed home. "Thank you so much Jake ",she said as she got inside, she was feeling better at least. "You welcome Miss ",he said and gave her a wink from the mirror. She was better and that was more than enough for him. She kept humming softly all the way home, it was definitely a good sign. 

It was not until she got home that she started missing his presence again, there was this gloomy chill in the house that scared her to her bone marrow but then she gave herself solace that all was well. He would be back in the evening hale and hearty, she hoped. She dropped her stuff, took a quick shower and went in for lunch, she managed to push some morsels down her throat and then she headed to the study. She picked up a novel by Kay Hooper 'Stealing Shadows 'and went to her room. She took out a glass of orange juice from her mini refrigerator and half layed on the bed, reading. She read for a while before deciding to retire to bed. She was exhausted and needed a nap. Gulping the entire content of her glass, she closed the book. She went to the bathroom sink, rinsed her glass and had it overturned, that's when she slept. He would be back when she woke up.