Make Me Yours

CHAPTER3

Watching her mum being lowered into the grave made her heart sink, the faces surrounding her were a blur of sorrow, strangers crying and wailing like they had been there from the beginning, like they had known her mother better than she ever could. It felt surreal, standing there feeling utterly alone despite the crowd.

As the officiating minister spoke softly about her mother's life, Bella’s mind drifted back to her childhood. Memories flooded in, ones she didn't think she could get rid of, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Her mother's laughter echoed during family game nights, the smell of her favorite meals wafting through their tiny home, and the countless bedtime stories that had shaped them.

Her father died in a car accident rushing to meet her mother in the hospital when he got a call that she was in labor.

She was pregnant with Betty, it was a devastating and trying time, she almost didn't make it out but miraculously, she did. Since then, it's been just the four of them.

They weren't from a wealthy home but their home was modest, filled with second-hand furniture and hand-me-down clothes yet it was rich with love and laughter.

Bella could almost hear her mother’s voice guiding her through life’s challenges, forever encouraging and loving.

“B, we may not have much,” she would always say with a warm smile “but we have each other.” Those words echoed in Bella’s mind as she watched the casket descend to the ground.

Now, She had automatically become a mother of her two younger siblings

Brian, the middle child, who was quite self-sufficient but with a penchant for mischief. Bella was two years older than Brian.

Brian was twenty but he preferred to act the eldest, then there was Betty, the youngest who still clung to her stuffed animals at fifteen as if they were lifelines.

Their parents had played with letters when naming them; Bella, Brian, and Betty, each name held a piece of their shared identity, a bond that now felt heavier than ever.

Just then, she felt a gentle presence beside her. It was Steve who had come to offer his condolences.

“Hey,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “I'm so sorry for your loss.”

She turned to him, grateful for the support but overwhelmed by emotion. “Thank you,” she replied, her voice trembling. “It's just hard to believe she's gone”

Steve nodded, his expression sincere. “I can't imagine what you're going through.”

“You know, she told me she was never going to leave us as dad did, she was sick Steve, I watched her struggle and couldn't do anything about it, I should have been there when she needed me, this is so f****d up man,” she said, unable to suppress her emotions and letting it all out.

“Heyy, heyy, don’t do that B, it is not your fault your mother is gone, she wouldn't want you like this you know, who's going to take care of your big boy and Betty, you're the only one they have now, so stay strong, I'll always be here to cheer you on and I will never stop telling you how proud I am of you”

“I don’t know if I can handle all of these, I don't know how to.” Bella admitted, wiping away a tear that had escaped down her cheek.

“It’s okay to feel lost,” he reassured her gently. You're not alone in this, you have your siblings to lean on too…” he paused “Then there's me” raising a brow and adjusting his black hat proudly, making Bella giggle.

“Did you just laugh?” he teased

“You wish” she responded playfully

“I love it when you're happy B, at least do it for them, they need you now more than ever,” he said, pointing toward Brian and Betty’s direction.

“Let's get through today first, we can figure out the rest together” Steve suggested, offering a small smile and a soft pat on her shoulder before getting up to leave

Bella glanced back at Brian and Betty who were huddled together near the edge of the gravesite, their innocent faces reflecting confusion and sorrow. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on her shoulders; she had to be strong for them now.

As Bella stood there beside him, she felt a flicker of hope amidst the overwhelming sadness. Perhaps with support from friends like Steve and the love of her siblings, she could navigate this new reality.

“My condolences Miss Bella” a voice came jolting her from her thoughts. Dr. Maurice. He had been a steady presence in their lives since Bella was a child.

“Thank you, doctor,” she replied, trying to hold back tears.

Dr. Maurice nodded, his eyes filled with compassion.

“Your mother was a remarkable woman. She always spoke so fondly of you and your siblings. He paused, taking a deep breath, “I know this is a difficult time, definitely not the best time but I need to discuss something important regarding Betty.

Bella’s face dropped at the mention of her sister's name. “What about her?” She asked anxiously.

“I saw her for a checkup last week,” he began, his tone shifting to one of concern.

“Her test results came back and I'm afraid it's not good news.

“Her Kidneys are falling.”

Bella felt as if the ground had shifted beneath her feet, her words failing her

“Wh..what do you mean?”

“How bad is it?”

“She will need a kidney transplant within a year to survive,” he said gently, “without it, I'm sorry, we stand a high chance if will losing her too”

The news hit Bella leaving her breathless. She hadn't even processed the fact that her mother was dead and gone and now she was faced with the possibility of losing her sister too.

“But she's so young, how could this happen?” she asked, the look of confusion written all over her face.

“Kidney issues can be hereditary or develop over time,” Dr Maurice explained.

“I know this is overwhelming, especially with the recent turnout of events but we need to act quickly to get her on the transplant list Bella.

***

After the funeral, Betty was given a few days off of work to rest and mourn. The weight of her mother's death and the uncertainty surrounding her sister’s health still loomed in the air.

“Don’t tell me you're at the clubhouse,” Steve scolded over the phone, his tone a mix of concern and frustration.

“I..I’m fineeee Steve! you don’t have to babysit me youuuu know,” she replied, her speech slurring slightly as she smiled into her drink.

“Have you been drinking?” he asked, his voice rising. “Okay bye, I will stop by at yours tomorrow.” hanging up to avoid further questions.

As she hung up, Bella took a deep breath. Drinking had become one way to drown her sorrows, although sobering up jolts her back into reality.

She turned to leave but bumped into someone, spilling her drink on herself

“Ughh! Watch where you're going, are you blind?” she snapped without looking up.

“You!” came the familiar voice, she looked up to see the familiar face.

Her annoyance faded as she recognized him. “You?… I'm sorry, I didn't see you there.”

“No harm done,” he replied with a smirk

“I’m Luca, we haven't really had any proper introduction, have we?”

“Right, I'm Bella, you could call me B if you…you want,” she said, her speech still slurrying a little bit.

“That's a beautiful name, are you okay though?”

“I mean with everything that happened the other day…you know,” he trailed off.

Bella sighed “It's just been a rough couple of weeks”

“Uhmm, your boyfriend?” he asked cautiously.

“No, no… not my boyfriend and we’re not dating anymore” she admitted.

“Oh okay,” he responded, his brow furrowing slightly.

“I'm sorry I left abruptly, things have been…complicated” Luca raised an eyebrow, concern flickering across his face.

“I lost my mother and now I'm on the verge of losing my sister too, her kidney is failing and I'm helpless. I don’t know what to do, where to begin, I'm exhausted” she said face palming

“I came here to feel better, but I don’t think I am”

“You know you cannot always drink away your problems,” he said softly, a flicker of hope in his eyes

“I'm really sorry for your loss” he added sincerely.

“It's alright, she mumbled, fighting back tears.

“Maybe we could help each other” he suggested

“What do you mean?” She asked, curiously.

“Marry me, Bella,” he said suddenly without any hint of emotion.