Advent Stories #8- Ambush in Provence

‘Sloane, I can explain.’

‘Good. Start talking because I would like to understand just what the fuck you think you’re doing.’ Sloane takes menacing steps into the hotel suite, tired, hungry and in need of a stiff drink, her sister had better have an explanation for what she did. A damn good one.

‘It’s not what you think.’

‘Did you get married to a man you met two days ago?’

‘Yes. But-’

‘Then it is exactly what I think that you have lose your mind. What is this some delayed juvenile delinquency you didn’t get to act out?’ She dropped her bag on the chair, arms folded looking squarely at her older sister, feeling every inch the older sister.

‘I was going to tell you guys-’

‘After your first child?’

Bella sighs, ‘I deserve that.’

‘Oh. You do, do you?’

‘Sloane…’ there is that voice that can melt a thousand hearts along and get away with murder.

‘Don’t.’ It doesn’t work on Sloane.

‘I’m not trying to. I’m sorry. I was going to tell you everything once we got back into town.’

‘No, you’ll start now.’

Just then Kaiser lets himself into the room armed with croissants and coffee and pastries, no idea what he was coming back to.

‘You must be the husband.’ Sloane accosts him the second he steps through the door.

‘Shit…’ Kaiser sets down the coffee and pastries, he was not prepared for this. Not yet anyway, he too just broke the news to his brothers and they’d been tough on him, he was yet to tell their mother. ‘I’m Kaiser nice to meet you.’ He held out his but withdraws it at Sloane’s look of condescension.

‘Who the hell raised you?’

‘Sloane!’

‘Loving parents until last year, and then my mother. So I’d watch what you say about my parents.’ Kaiser retorts.

‘So you’re one of those rebels without a cause who didn’t stick to the lessons your parents handed down to you. Or you were raised in a barn.’

Kaiser puts his hands in his pocket, she has a point to be angry; this is not a great first impression. ‘I apologise, I know this is a lot to wrap your head around.’

‘Kaiser, this is my sister, Sloane.’

Kaiser widens his eyes a fraction, he’d heard all about Sloane, Bella loves her a lot, they are close, very close, and incredibly fond of each other.

‘Yes, she’s the youngest and can be the craziest.’

‘Oh you don’t know the half of it my dear.’

‘Excuse us.’ Bella and Kaiser head to the bedroom to talk. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know she would show up, I should’ve known but-’

‘Hey, hey, it’s not your fault and I understand. I would be just as pissed if this happened to one of my brothers. Which they are.’

‘You told them? What did they say?’

‘A lot. But they’re my brothers, they support me as I’m sure your sisters will too…eventually.’

Bella sighs, she should have known Sloane would be able to track her down, with the reach of her husband…they don’t call Harper Fitzgerald tech genius for nothing, his tech company develops applications that can do damn near anything. ‘Can you give us some time?’

‘Are you sure? I want to stay and talk to her.’

‘I’m sure. This is on me-’

‘No, it’s on us. We took this decision together.’

‘And I don’t regret it.’

‘Me neither. I love you.’ Kaiser smiles a little before pulling her close, ‘I’m so sorry you’re about to go into the lion’s den.’

Bella laughs shortly. If only he knew. Angry Sloane is everyone’s worst nightmare and she is about to be hers, ‘have you told your mom?’

‘I might as well now, get the madness over with.’

‘Oh man.’

Kaiser envelopes her in a hug, swaying them from side to side gently, he loves her. In such a short space of time he has never been surer of anything, he is utterly in love with Bella. It is the craziest thing to have happened, this only happens in fairytales but here he was with a woman he’d met merely two days ago, on the way to their lifetime together…and it doesn’t get better than this. Right here, right now, with them. ‘I love you.’

‘I love you too.’ One more kiss and then they head out to face the music.

Sloane hadn’t taken a seat, hadn’t even taken off her coat, she stands arms folded, leaning against the wall. She seized up the couple when they walk back into the living room she wanted nothing more than to beat Kaiser with her Birkin and spank Bella for good measure.

‘I know I am not your favourite person right now, and I understand your upset, I’m sorry, I really am, but here’s the thing, I love your sister. I know we’ve just met and these things should take some time to grow but it is what is and here we are. I love Bella and we did not take this decision lightly. I hope one day you’ll come around to that. For what it’s worth, and the trouble this has caused you, I am truly sorry.’ There he said as much as he could, time for him to face the wrath of his mother.

With just the two of them Sloane turns to her sister, ‘start talking.’

Bella looks down at her feet, shriveling at Sloane’s glare. Of all her sisters she is the closest to Sloane, a little too close, because they tell each other everything. At least they used to until very recently. ‘I know you’re mad at and you deserve to be but please hear me out. Please?’

Sloane heard the desperation in her sister’s voice, something more was at play and she needed to hear her out.

Both sisters sit opposite each other…time for some truths.