Epilogue 1

"Arabella Aramide Hugh Dé Luca!" Angelina screamed, getting out of the master bedroom with Jasmine's hair and a towel wrapped around her body firmly like a second skin. The aftermath shower water, trailed down her body as she carefully walked on the tiled floor. She didn't hear her daughter's voice which meant her daughter was doing something mischievous again.

"Mama" her daughter - Arabella or Ara (which in her local dialect means 'wonder') sauntered out of the backyard with her white gown stained with dirt, her hands, and legs drenched in mud.

"Oh my God," Angelina exclaimed, rubbing her temples. Double work for her, she had bathed and dressed her daughter up to get ready but now everything was messy. "What were you doing in the garden?" Angelina asked to see her daughter giving her the innocent look.

"I went to take out the unwanted plants" Arabella shrugged her shoulders while Angelina pinched her nose.

"Unwanted plants?" Angelina shook her head unbelievably.

"Yeah mama," she responded in a small voice.

"I'm not taking you with me to see grandpa Richard" Angelina raised her chin, clearing her throat to emphasize her words.

Her five-year-old daughter sullen her mouth, she blinked continuously and sniffed, her eyes glistened with tears, "Mama, I'm sorry" she apologized, walking to her mother on her dirty legs, staining the floor before holding Angelina's right leg.

"Hmmph" Angelina huffed, not looking at her.

"Mama..".

"Oh, my baby" Angelina squirted down to her level and took her hands in hers, "don't go to the garden by yourself" she scolded, "You might get hurt by the rose thorn" she kissed her forehead, puking her closer and hugged her, "Mama loves you," she said.

"Arabella loves you too," her daughter responded.

"You know you are the gift God bestows me and your papa" Angelina smiled, "Our little wonder" hoisting her up for another shower.

“I know mama,” Arabella giggled, wrapping her tiny hands around her mother’s neck.

Angelina smiled, closed her eyes as she reminisced the moment she gave birth to her daughter. Arabella was her miracle - a wonder from her name. The doctors were shocked about the turn of events.

Angelina was sure she saw her mother and felt her presence when the light went off at the hospital. She saw her mother’s radiant smile, the portrait she saw at the De Luca’s home couldn't compete with what she saw. Her mother talked to her, maybe it was her mind that conjoined and her yearning to see her but it felt surreal.

“Mama” her voice was small, she wasn't in the labor room again but at the seashore with her head resting on her mother’s lap as her mother ran her hand through her rain. Soothing her, she smiled to the fullest- everything was forgotten, all her worries vanished.

Angelina's eyes opened when she felt a sting on her side and she looked at her daughter to see her smiling.

"I've been trying to gain your attention but it was like…" she smiled and ruffled her hair which made her giggle.

"Mama" Arabella called softly.

"Hmmm" Angelina hummed, doing Ara's hair.

"I'm sorry".

"It's okay bud" Angelina tickled Arabella’s sides making her giggle out.

"I can't wait to see grandpa Richard and Aunty Bell," Arabella said in between her laughter and left her mother to get ready.

_***_

"Please smile," the photographer pointed at a scowling Richard.

Everyone turned and looked at Richard, Angelina raised her brow in question and he huffed, turning his face away.

"Am I not allowed to carry my granddaughter?".

Angelina sighed, glaring at his childish antics, "You'll carry her also" she pinched her nose frustratedly. Those elders were behaving like children fighting for their favorite toys. Richard wanted to carry Arabella but her great-grandpa had beat him to it.

"3,2,1" then the click sound.

"Another one" Richard chimed, hoisting Arabella up to his eyes level before placing her on his shoulder.

"Everyone," he called, “smile," the photographer said with another click.

The long seat was in two steps, Eliana and her husband sat on the sofa while Richard stood at the back with Bell, holding his hand. Aunty Sally, Leonard, Jasmine, Isabelle's mom, Gerald - Aunty Sally's boyfriend, and Nicholas' father sat on the second sofa while Hayden, Nathaniel, and Nicholas huddled Evan on his shoulder and stood by both sides. Angelina and Diana crouched on the floor with them carrying their children on their thighs.

A perfect family portrait.

Dé Lucas took their portrait.

The Walters took their portrait.

The Hughs took their portrait.

The Yukos took their portrait.

The Devins took their portrait.

"3,2,1" then another click sound, the photographer wrapped up his camera.

Angelina smiled at her grandparents, hugging them warmly before walking to her father and his girlfriend.

"Papa" Angelina grinned at her father, looking at his same features. Her father was a big man with a rugged face.

"Denike" her father ruffled her hair playfully to receive a jab on his side from his girlfriend.

"Ow" Richard muttered, "You are too violent sweetie" he pecked Bell's forehead and Angelina made a disgusted face.

"Ewwww, PG 13 here" she covered her face before laughing out loud.

Angelina stopped laughing when she saw Bell holding Richard's arm clingingly as she bit her lips.

Nervousness or anxiety, Angelina thought.

"Tell them" she heard Bell whisper to her father and she ready herself for anything that was coming.

"What is it you want to tell us," Angelina asked, clicking her foot on the floor.

"Nothing," her father laughed awkwardly.

"I'm not taking that from you, papa" she glared at him, making him flatter his lips.

"Everyone come over" Richard gestured with his hand for them to come closer.

"We want to make an announcement…" Belle said shakily as she held onto Richard’s arms for support.

"Let me do the talking sweetheart" Richard smiled and pulled her closer to him while Jasmine cooed with a dreamy face.

Richard cleared his throat, inhaled in, "weareexpectingababy" Richard said in one breath and exhaled loudly, patting his chest.

Everyone gawked at him because they didn't understand what he said, "Are you rapping?" Jasmine pouted.

"Is that another language?" Aunty Sally said.

"Do you understand him?" Jasmine asked, turning to Eliana.

Nathaniel and Nicholas had a knowing smile on their face as they watched the couple in front of them.

"Congratulations," they both said simultaneously, and Angelina whipped her head to look at them dumbfounded.

"Cong-what!".

"You'll become an aunty soon," Nathaniel said, pecking Angelina's cheek adoringly.

"Aunt…?" her eyes widened in realization, "You are pregnant?!'' she screamed while Bella nodded meekly.

Jasmine squealed and pulled Bell in for a hug, "Congratulations Isabella".

"This moment calls for a celebration" Hayden chimed.

"Yeah…" Jasmine was interrupted when the photographer barged in.

"Your daughter…" he began.

"Aramide!" Angelina called, picking up her gown as everyone rushed outside.

They were shocked by what they found. Oh god, Angelina exclaimed internally.

Arabella was fighting with a boy.

“Aramide!” she called,” stop now!” Angelina walked to where her daughter was and pulled her from the boy before helping him to his feet. The boy's mother came running as she yanked the boy from Angelina.

“I'm sorry for my daughter…” the other woman raised her hand.

“Forget it,” the woman said and took her son away.

“What’s the meaning of this?!” she asked no one in particular as she dusted her daughter’s gown.

Arabella pouted her lips, looking at the ground,” he pushed mason and I pushed him back then we started ...” She responded before raising her thumb to her father.

“What?!'' Angelina looked at her husband who wasn't looking at her.

Angelina walked to Nathaniel, turned his jaw to look her in the eyes as she smiled sweetly, “ do you have anything to do with this?”.

He opened his mouth to talk but was interrupted, “family always helps family and I always protect my person” Arabella mumbled which shocked Angelina.

“What”.

“It was grandma Elaina who taught me but father told me to be fearless,” Arabella smiled.

“Yeah’ correct,” Elaina smiled,” you did well”.

“Granny!” Angelina cautioned, “ she is too young to understand all these '' she gritted her teeth.

“She's young yet smart, intelligent, and cool”, Hayden ruffled Arabella's hair.

“We are family and family protects one another”.

Angelina shook her head and crouched to her daughter's height level, she smiled lovely,” you did well in defending mason my girl” she caressed her face,” but not everyone worth your time, saliva and fist” she pecked her forehead and hugged her.

“Okay mama” she nodded in understanding.

“That's my baby, you did well” Nathaniel high-fived her and carried her.

Diana came to where Angelina squirted.” There's nothing wrong with what she did" she said, “she's like me a firecracker”.

“I understood that she's temperate but fist doesn't solve everything” Angelina sighed.

“In my world fist, courage, boldness, loyalty, and fairness solve anything and everything, just teach her what is good and not and let her kick the assholes' asses” Diana patted her back and left with others.

~**~

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