Year of Goodbyes Novel – She didn’t expect to see the one person she had dreaded seeing for many years. Liam Jones. ” Bella ? Is that you ? ” Liam asked as he got nearer and looked at the cute little girl in her arms. “WTF is this man doing here? Oh God, please, I don’t need this right now.” She rushed through the gate with her 5-year-old daughter in her arms. “So you married and has got a kid?” he asked. “In fact, you are the child’s father.” She hesitated to speak.
Twenty-five-year-old Arabella steps out of the plane and breathes the fresh air of Arizona. It has been six years since she left, but nothing much has changed except her. Memories of the past came flooding in like an avalanche in her brain. But she’s not here to reminisce. She’s here for her mom. She rushed through the gate with her 5-year-old daughter in her arms and went out to catch a cab. But she didn’t expect to see the one person she had dreaded seeing for many years. Liam Jones. “WTF is this man doing here? Oh God, please, I don’t need this right now. I only want to see my mom. Okay, calmly down Arabella, he hasn’t noticed you yet, so you are safe. Just stroll and look in another direction. He’s busy talking on his phone, so pretend you did not see him, alright?”Bella tried to calm herself. ” Oh , God ! Oh , God ! Please , just this once , hear my pleas. I promise I will go to church often. Just please don’t let him see us.”She recited in her mind over and over again.
Yep! God must be feeling hilarious today because when she came into full view, right on cue, Liam raised his head, and their eyes locked. If you say Liam is shocked would be an understatement, he froze! He looks at Bella intensely and shifts his gaze from her to the little girl she’s holding. Bella stood still, frozen. She couldn’t look away even if she wanted to . Seeing Liam after six years still gives butterflies in her stomach, but, most importantly, she is freaking nervous. Liam strolled towards Bella, and all she could think about was to bolt to the nearest cab, but nope, she stood there frozen, like a dee caught in the headlights as he approached. ” Bella ? Is that you ? ” Liam asked as he got nearer and looked at the cute little girl in her arms. He can’t explain what he’s feeling right now aside from shock at seeing her again, but he is also happy that she’s here. When he looked at the little girl, he couldn’t seem to shake the feeling of joy and protectiveness but, most of all, jealousy. So she’s married and has got a kid. She had moved on, he told himself. ” Liam ! ! Hili ! ” Bella forced herself to act naturally and was happy to see him, although her heartbeat was 200 beats per second. ” Good to see you again ! What are you doing here ? Flying somewhere ? ” She asked with a forced smile on her face that her jaws hurt. ” Ahh no , I’m waiting for someone , my ahm,” but before he could finish what he was saying, they heard a high-pitched voice coming from behind Bella. ” Liam ! Baby , I’m here ! ” The girl ran straight to Liam and showered his face with peckes.
She was tall with short blonde hair, probably a model, Bella thought to herself. The girl looked at Bella with raised brows. ” Who do we have here , baby ? ” The girl asked Liam , then turned to Bella and the baby in her arms, extending her hand. ” Hi , I’m Taylor Liam’s girlfriend , ” the girl smiled at Bella, obviously faking it, but she could see through her mask. She’s pretending to be friendly. ” Tay , this is Bella , my sister Collette’s childhood best friend. Bella, this is Taylor, my ahm girlfriend . ” Liam introduced the two with such difficulty. Today is the first time he wished Taylor was not his girlfriend. ” And who is this little cutie over here ? ” Taylor pinched the little girl’s face hard, making the baby wake up and look around her. ” Mommy , where are we ? ” asked the little angel. She has dark chocolate eyes and long light brown curly hair with the cutest dimple on each cheek. Liam was taken aback by the girl’s appearance.He felt something had pinched his heart, and it confused the heck out of him. The girl looked so familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen that face ” We are still at the airport , sweetheart . Mommy’s going to call a taxi now so we can see Nana , okay ? ‘ Bella explained to her daughter, then looked at Taylor and Liam. ” This is my daughter Sophie . Baby , these are mommy’s old friends, uncle Liam and Taylor.
” Of course , she doesn’t want he daughter to call this fake bimbo auntie. But, if possible, she doesn’t want her daughter ever to see her pretentious face again. ” Okay ! Sssooo , we’ll go ahead , Liam . I’m sure mom’s impatiently waiting for us now.” Bella told Liam and forced a smile. ” Oh , okay , yeah , sure we’ll go ahead as well. Does Colette know you are coming?”He asked her out of the blue . “Ahm, no, I haven’t talked to her after I left,”Bella answered him with sad eyes. Thinking of her best friend pinches her heart. ” Please say hi to Collette for me and tell her she can come by the house anytime, that is, if she still wants to see me,” She added with a sad smile. ” Of course she does . She’s your best friend. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to see you.
So I’ll see you around? Maybe you can come to the house and meet my parents? I’m pretty sure they missed you too and will be happy to know you have returned and see that you have a cute little girl. You are like family to us, Bella, you know that, right?” Liam stated, looking intently at Bella and her daughter. He came close and pecked her forehead and her daughter’s as well. Liam seemed reluctant to leave, but Taylor looked bored and impatient, so they went to their car, but then he stopped and turned right back and asked Bella. ” You know what , why don’t we drop you off at your house? I mean, we practically live in the same neighborhood. We are just two houses apart , after all . ” He offered . ” No , it’s okay , Liam , we can take a cab . I don’t want to bother you or impose . We’ll be fine.”Bella declined as gently as she could, but the Liam she knew didn’t take no for an answer. Now her nervousness has come back in full force. ” No , I insist , and you will not be imposing.
As I’ve said,we live near each other. It wouldn’t be a bother Bella, and your daughter is tired. I know you are too, from the flight. So, please allow me to bring you home, or Collette will skin me alive if she finds out I left you here.”He insisted and even made a joke about her sister. ” Are you sure it’s okay ? ” Bella asked shyly and glanced at Taylor, who was already sitting in front of the car, looking irritated. ” Yeah , of course , it is . I’d love to hear about your life for the past six years.”He smiled at her, making those two cute dimples come out of his cheeks. The dimples she so adored growing up and the same dimples she had seen every single day for the past six years. ” Okay , if you insist . I appreciate it very much,” Bella then accepted Liam’s offer, which made him very happy. He suddenly pecked Bella’s cheek and pecked Sophie’s head, then took the luggage and put it in the trunk. Then, he guided Sophie and Bella to the back seat. Bella didn’t know she was holding her breath up until now. She stood frozen. What just happened?! Why did he peck Sophie and her with his girlfriend around? “Oh, I shouldn’t have come, but my mom needs me now, and besides, she hasn’t met her grandchild yet. All she saw were pictures and constant phone calls from them. So now it’s time they met.”She mumbled to herself.
Her mom was so devastated when she decided to run away after graduation. She didn’t tell her why at first, but she had no one but her mom for support when she got pregnant. Now her past seemed to catch up with her. The problem is, can she handle what’s going to happen? Can she honestly say she’s over him when, in fact, she cannot, even if she wanted to ? Every day she is reminded of that one night, one happy memory that she can keep for a lifetime. But that’s what it is, a memory. He had moved on and forgotten about her, and that was obvious , or so she thought . The ride home was not so pleasant for me. Taylor’s constant flirting with Liam irritates me. I tried to tune out Taylor’s irritating voice and looked at the scenery outside , how I missed this place . It brings back memories of both happiness and sadness. I stole a glance at Liam and looked in the rearview mirror to find him staring at me. I automatically averted my gaze, and instantly my face heated. I know I probably looked flushed right now. I gathered my daughter closer to me to cover my face and looked outside once again . I was busy looking at the scenery that I didn’t hear when Liam asked me something. ” Bella , ” Liam called my attention again.
” Huh ? Oh , I’m sorry I didn’t hear you . ” I replied nervously. “I asked, how’s life in Denver?”Liam told me, smiling at me from the mirror. ” It was fine , and I got my degree . I was a Kindergarten teacher for two years before l decided to quit and come home. It was a tough decision because it would be hard for Sophie to be in a new environment, but Mom needs me here . I guess you know she’s not feeling okay, right?”I looked at him, and he nodded and smiled sadly. ” Yeah , I heard what happened to her at the facility. She had a mild stroke, right? So we went to visit her at the hospital , but she didn’t mention you were coming home. So that means you’re staying for good?”He asked with hopeful eyes and gave his dimpled smile again. That smile got me into trouble many times before. And it has the same effect on me even after so many years. ” She didn’t tell me about her condition until a nurse from the hospital called me. Sol resigned right away from my job and packed our things.
I’ve applied to a local school here as a kindergarten teacher, and I have an appointment this Monday with the Principal.” I told him, focusing on the view outside to avoid eye contact. ” Wow ! So proud of you babe , you’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I can still remember when you were younger and used to hang out with Collette. I always see you trying to teach a group of teddies and Collette how to read.” He said, laughing a bit. He didn’t realize that he just called me babe . I, on the other hand, am feeling hot and awkward.I can see Taylor’s face turned sour. “Hahaha yeah, you used to tease me nonstop then until I started to cry, and Collette would always go after you with a stick in her hand . How is she , by the way ? I she married?” I also laughed at the memories and missed my best friend, but I was just scared she would not talk to me because I left without saying goodbye. ” No , she’s not , but soon , she just got engaged two months ago. She has her own boutique in town and her fiance, Todd, is a lawyer.”He informed me. ” What about you ? Where’s your husband?”He added.I was taken off guard by his question.I panicked for a while but was able to regain my composure. ” I don’t have a husband . He left me when I was pregnant,”I said with a calm tone, and looked at my sleeping daughter, who was now starting to stir, and opened her eyes.
” Mommy , are we there yet ? ” Sophie asked me. ” Not yet , sweetheart , but almost , ” I replied and helped her sit in a comfortable position on my lap. Sophie’s eyes landed on Liam and she smiled. Arabella Mom and I have been happily chatting about our lives for the past six years while Sophie is in her Nana’s lap. My mom was over the moon when she finally held Sophie in her arms. Mom has never let her go since we arrived. She showered Sophie with peckes and just stared at her, but I could see the worry in her eyes when she glanced at me. ” Bella , are you sure of this ? I told you I was going to be just fine. You didn’t have to come back home.” She told me, worry evident on her face while glancing at Sophie. I looked at my little girl, busy playing with her Nana’s scarf. The truth is I’m scared right now, but sooner or later, I have to face the music and just let God do his magic. I cannot hide Sophie forever. She deserves to know her roots and meet her father . When she started asking about her father, all I said was that he was away on a very secret mission. My heart shatters every time she asks why she doesn’t have a dad and why her classmates have one. She often asks if her dad hates her . That’s why he didn’t want to see her. I cry myself to sleep every night, hurting for my little girl. That is why I decided to come back.
I want to see if Liam can recognize his flesh and blood. The look on his face when he saw Sophie was priceless. I was hopeful, but then he masked it with disappointment. It crushed my heart. ” Mom , I’m sure , I think it’s time , ” I told her tiredly and looked at my baby with sad eyes. Then we heard a thunderous knock on the door, almost banging. I got up, and as soon as I opened the door, I was tackled to the floor by an outraged woman. Collette, my best friend, was hugging me so tight I almost choked, I patted her arm to let me go, and we stood up. ” Where have you been ? ! Why didn’t you call ? Did I do or say something wrong that you have to go away and hide?!”She fired so many questions that I had whiplash. I am catching my breath from her death grip just now. Sophie started crying. She thought Collette was attacking me, so I went to her right away and took her in my arms.
She stopped crying instantly and buried her face in my neck. Collette had a shocked look on her face. ” You have a daughter , and you didn’t tell me?!”She glared at me,looking at my daughter and then back to me ” Hello to you too , Collette . I’m fine , by the way, thank you for asking,”I told her in a very sarcastic tone and rolled my eyes. ” Why don’t you both sit down ? I’ll go get some tea.” My mom said, standing up and went to the kitchen. ” Well ? Are you going to tell me ? What happened, Bell?’ She asked in a somber tone now. ” This happened , ” I replied , pointing to my daughter, Sophie. “Baby, this is auntie Collette, mommy’s best friend.”I urged Sophie to lift her head and look at Collette. As soon as she did, Collette gasped loudly. “Hello, auntie Coyet,” she said shyly, not able to pronounce Collette’s name correctly, and laid her head on my chest. Collette looked at me incredulously, eyes wide, mouth hanging I smiled at her weakly, feeling sorry and sad that she had to know this way. I know it is wrong of me to hide what happened that night.I was just so hurt and confused and scared that she might get angry, but judging from her reaction right now, she’s more hurt than angry. ” Bella , you have to tell me , or I will go crazy. My mind is running a hundred miles per minute here. Tell me I’m not mistaken. Tell me she’s not who I think she is.”She begged with tears in her eyes. I started to tear up as well and nodded slowly.
She covered her face and sobbed. I feel so sorry that I wasn’t able to stop the tears myself. ” Mommy , why are you and auntie Coyet cwaying?”Sophie asked and wiped my tearstained face. I pecked her hand and smiled at her. ” We are just so happy to see each other again, Princess. These are tears of joy, right Collette?” I turned to Collette, who seemed to get a hold of her emotions. ” Yes , yes , baby , I am just so happy to see your mommy again and to meet you . Can you hug auntie Collette too?” She agreed, smiling at Sophie, and opened her arms for her. Sophie looked at me, asking for confirmation, so I nodded and let her go down and walk to Collette’s waiting arms. Collette hugged her tight and started crying again , pecking her all over her face.
“I am so happy to meet you finally, baby. I will spoil you with toys and clothes. You wait and see. Then you will meet your gra, ahm my parents. They will adore you and spoil you too.” She told Sophie, and Sophie’s face lit up like a Christmas tree upon hearing the word toys. I glared at Collette, and she glared back at me. Then, my mom came back with our tea, and she took Sophie with her and told her she would show her my baby photos. I looked at my mom and thanked her with my eyes . I have some explaining to do to my best friend, and I don’t want Sophie to hear it. Collette and I were staring at each other when they left the room, waiting for who would talk first. Finally, I cleared my throat and started talking.