Belle And Beast

Ch6: Behind The Blue Door

The spring daylight diminished in an array of purple and pink hues. My eyes strained to find the glowing green orbs I had seen only moments before, but they had vanished. Disappeared in the rose and lavender light that covered the white-picket-fence style home.

I followed Beckett up the four wooden steps that led to the white-painted front porch. It was decorated simply, with a few wicker chairs and a bench swing alongside a dozen pastel throw pillows. The simplicity of it all went quite well with the dozen or so fruit trees that encompassed the house.

A heavenly scent of citrus fruits and honeysuckle assaulted my nostrils as I took a deep and calming breath. My mouth began to water longingly for any of the ripe fruits that hung mockingly from the trees. My ears focused in on the buzzing of busy bees until the clearing of a throat broke that concentration.

I looked under my eyelashes with a sharp turn of my head. Beckett looked back at me from the front door when I realized I was a good few feet behind him. He was unlocking the front door with a set of keys he had pulled out of his right pocket. I neared while the keys jingled and clanged until the lock clicked open.

The door swung open. "After you!" Beckett's arm stretched out in front of me as I stepped into the warm and welcoming home. I took a deep breath in. Earthy scents of rain-soaked dirt and sandalwood filled the house. "Mom, we're home!" Beckett hollered behind me while closing the front door. 

"Belle!" A slight figure clad in a yellow and bobbing brown curls ran towards me to collide straight onto my hips.

"Hey, Kiddo! What's up?" I replied, breathlessly. I looked down to meet Poppy's brown, ecstatic eyes. Placing my hand on her forehead, I felt that it was rather warm. I looked down to see that the yellow was a plush robe she had wrapped herself in. 

"Nothing much! I'm only a little sick..." She said, noticing I had felt the heat of her skin. I gave her a slight smile.

"Sure, Kid," I smiled down at her and hugged a bit tighter. I'd never really known sibling love, after all, I was an only child. Poppy coughed once into the crook of her elbow before Claire came in with a warm and inviting smile.

"Belle! I'm so  relieved you could come and babysit Poppy!" Claire said while wrapping her arms around my shoulders in a tight, bear hug.

"Oh, it's no problem, really!" Claire had released me from her hug and smiled at me. "Not like I had plans or anything!" I laughed while her smile spread.

"How was your first day at school?" She asked enthusiastically while leading me through a hallway. Her hand was on my shoulder, guiding me, while Beckett and Poppy hung back and exchanged playful banter. I giggled inwardly and sighed. How adorable!

"It was fine! Pretty uneventful, actually. I was lost most of the day, although the Choir teacher Mrs. P seems pretty awesome! She helped me a lot!" I laughed once again as Claire nodded her head in approval.

"She is a fantastic teacher! And so spunky!" We both giggled while we walked into the kitchen. Beckett and Poppy headed towards where I assumed the living room to be while Claire began to describe Poppy's routine for the night.

We went over a list of emergency contacts, numbers including Mr. and Mrs. Owen, Beckett, and the next door neighbors. I listened carefully to every word until one name popped up on the list and I just couldn't pull my eyes away.

Callum.

His name was written in Claire's neat and pristine handwriting. I wondered about this elusive brother I had yet to meet. Did he have his father's warm brown hair or maybe his mother's raven hair? Were his eyes as expressive as Poppy's? I began to form a picture of what and who Callum Owen's was within moments.