Oh My Belle

The Woman Who Raised Me

Andrea's POV

I brushed the squeezed crust off my dress, breathing shakily as I opened the sliding doors leading to my Mom's ward at St. Luke's hospital. Today was her birthday and the fourth year since being sober after suffering a partial stroke.

Ali on seeing me smiled widely. “Andy. It's been a while…”

“How's she doing today Ali?” I asked, staring at my Mom's stiffened body on the wheelchair.

From the moment I started to understand the difference between good and bad. I discovered my Mom suffered from a severe smoking and drinking addiction.She would turn sober sometimes, promising to stop and then suddenly I would catch her hiding inside the closets, clogged in a heapy steam of smoke.

If not for the stroke. I was certain she would be sprawled in a dark corner of Bellingham City, clogging her windpipe with at least three cartons of cigar.

Ali sighed, staring at me with sympathy. “Nothing has changed since the last time you visited. How are you holding on?”

Ali wasn't just a nurse working at St. Luke's, she was my mother's second cousin and the only family I knew. My mom kept a lot of secrets, the most blaring one the secret identity of my biological father.

Because of her big secret the likes of Lena could trample on my self worth, turning me into a topic up for discussion.

I wiped the spittle dripping from her slightly ajar lips, revealing the cake with a big smile. “Happy Birthday Mom. Once you're all better, we can go on that vacation to the Maldives.”

The Maldives. My mom's dream vacation spot. I was making promises I couldn't keep because of my red account balance. However whatever would help speed up her recovery was all that mattered even if it meant I had to tell a white lie.

After blowing off the candles, Ali sat beside me watching my mother's sleeping figure, thinking aloud.

“Sammy was once full of life, a breath of fresh air. Then she met your father and everything changed.”

I poked, getting fed up with the secrets. “Dont you think it's time I meet him?... My Dad.”

Ali stared at me, pressing her lips into a thin line. “Ali, I'm not in the position to speak on behalf of your Mom on the whereabouts of your father. Only she can answer that question.”

Not that I wanted to know who he was because I wanted to rekindle the non-existent father, daughter bond. I had questions only he could answer one of them why he broke Mom's heart beyond repair. There were some drunken nights when she would cry herself to sleep, reminding me that I looked like him.

The doors slid open, Lena and Sierra walking in with balloons and a boxed cake. I froze, gaping at them in disbelief. Their audacity threw me completely off guard, making me shudder with controlled rage.

Ali, who had no idea what went down between us, hugged the two, welcoming them the way she always did.

“Lena, Sierra. I was about to ask Andy why she didn't come with the whole squad.” Ali chirped delightedly, oblivious to me seething.

Ali, including my Mom, considered Lena and Sierra as Family. When Lena's parents divorced, she came to live with me for a while before moving in with her Gran. That was how close we once were.

Lena kissed my Mom on both cheeks, holding her hands gently. “Happy Birthday Miss. Sammy. We are all praying for your quick recovery.”

She purposely made sure I saw the ring glowing bright enough for Ali to notice. Ali exclaimed, holding her hand.

“Lena, is that what I think it is?!”

Lena smirked, nodding her head affirmatively. “I wanted to share the good news myself. But Andrea threatened to tear me apart.”

Ali furrowed her brows confused, looking at my direction for an explanation. “Andy why didn't you tell me Lena's engaged?”

Lena corrected, her voice seeping with animosity. “Married… I’m married Ali, no longer engaged.”

Ali placed a hand on her lips, expressing shock. Of course she wanted to attend Lena's wedding. She literally raised us both from our teen years.

My mood turned sour, the birthday spirits ruined. Lena had the nerve to show up on an auspicious day to stir up trouble, fully aware there was no coming back from what she was about to do.

Ali noticed the tense mood between me and Lena, pointing it out. “Lena… Andy, what is going on between you two?”

The last time Lena and I were involved in a fight, it was physical with blood and hair falling off from both our heads over a stuffed barbie doll. At least we reconciled over a carton of Oreos and Ali's stellar baked bread.

This time around the situation was different, the rift between us beyond repair.

Lena interjected, seeing I didn't want to speak. “Zayn and I are married. He is my husband.”

Ali stood like a statue, choking out. “Zayn?... Tell me you're joking Lena.”

Whatever relationship Lena had with my extended family was ruined as well. Ali would never see her the same again.

I rose on my feet, sending cold daggers at Lena and Sierra. “The two of you get the f**k out!”

Lena shrugged her shoulders, pouting with satisfaction. “This is payback for trying to ruin my reputation at work… Fattie.”

The moment she called me Fattie, Ali descended on her, stunning me with the way she gripped both Lena and Sierra like they weighed nothing, throwing them out.

Ali exhaled sharply, turning red with rage. “How did I not see it? I should have known that girl never saw you as her friend, but a competition. Someone to covet and steal from.”

I feared Ali would end up blaming herself or worse enter into an episode of depression over something way out of her control. It was nobody's fault that Lena turned out to be this way. All Ali did was to treat us equally without making Lena feel left out.

I hugged her, whispering quietly. “It's not your fault she turned out that way. It's nobody's fault but hers.”

Ali pulled away from the embrace, looking me in the eye. “Promise me you won't allow her or anyone to make you feel less of yourself or self worth. I trained you to be better than that.”

Ali was right, she trained me to be a fighter who knew her worth. But this weight loss journey I embarked was to find myself, bring back that vibrant, beautiful woman who lost herself in the process of trying to escape her demons.

And I was going to see it to the end.

Make my comeback and prove to Lena that she could never be me even if she tried.