ISABEL (Unedited)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

POV: James

"It isn't the first time that you're seeing him here now, is it?" I smartly responded.

"Last time I remember, you couldn't stand his presence," she replied, coolly.

"Well. We couldn't be mad at each other for long," I smiled.

She raised an eyebrow at me. "We? You were the only one that had an issue with him," Bell said.

"Oh, would you please swallow your pride and admit that you called him here and apologised," Janet revealed.

I bit my bottom lip, as Bell's attention came back to me with a smirk on her face. "You were saying?"

"Janet is right," I admitted. "I was tired of the whole bad blood thing and I wanted to end it. So, I called him over and worked things out."

Aaron was like my son. I couldn't stay mad at him forever. I admit, what he did was stupid and unnecessary but at the end of the day, I still had to take care of everything. I promised his father that I would. Aaron was a wild cat that I wanted NOWHERE near Bell but, I couldn't stop that from happening. One way or another they would be friends, (hopefully not). Or maybe something more, (somebody kill me if it does happen).

Earlier that day, I woke up feeling different. You know when you know that everything is alright but then there's just something that's missing? Something felt off. My wife and kids were okay, so what was missing? Aaron? Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Bell? I did miss her but I couldn't talk to her till I forgave Aaron. Dang.

"So, you're not going to forgive Aaron?" asked Janet for the millionth time, as she walked into the room.

"Good morning to you too, my lovely wife," I responded.

"James, be serious for once."

"No, I haven't had my breakfast but I am hungry. I could eat a cow."

She frowned at me, as she got her handbag and walked out of the room after she had said, "Your breakfast is in the kitchen."

When it comes to Aaron, I don't know. I wanted to talk to him but at the same time, I wanted him to notice that, what he had done was wrong. I didn't have anything against him, I was not good at holding grudges. I just hated the fact that he had gone beyond his word. I mean, wasn't he the same guy that didn't want anything to do with Bell and then out of nowhere, he was the same guy that was eating her lips. Yes, EATING! I could've had a heart attack by just thinking of what could've happened next. My poor Bell had already endured a lot and now, Aaron walked into her life by creating a scene in a restaurant. People were now on Bell's back as they await her public humiliation when Aaron leaves her.

Aaron was not a one-woman man! That's why I couldn't allow Bell near him. I loved them both but.......no! Bell was a fragile person and Aaron went around women like he was using toilet paper. My Bell was not a toilet paper. I loved her too much to allow her to be heartbroken again. I couldn't judge Aaron for him being a man whore. If you knew his past, you'd know why.

I had managed to think about it and then I decided to let things fall in place and gave Aaron a call. I was tired. If Aaron and Bell were 'gonna be more than friends', in the future then, that's what God wants, right? Who was I to stop that from happening?

Aaron later came over and we went to the garden, were we could talk privately. I wasn't nervous or anything, I just wanted to get it over and done with. I wanted my brother, son and friend back.

"I'm sorry, James," he said.

I looked up at him and smiled. "What are you sorry for?" I managed to ask. I actually asked on purpose just to see if he had actually realised his mistake.

"Going against my word, exposing Isabel to the world, making you angry.....I'm sorry for everything," he genuinely said.

Aaron was not a guy of too many words. He mostly expressed himself through his actions and for him to have actually apologised the way he had, even if it was short, I knew that it came from the heart. I was grateful for that, I really was.

"It's okay man, what's done is done," I replied.

"No! It's not. I disappointed you and that was not my intention. I just wanted to help Isabel. It didn't even occur to me that I had wanted to get back at her for not kissing me at the party. I know that at times I can be a jerk but at that moment, I wasn't the Aaron that played around. I changed. I am no more the Aaron that loved messing around with different women. Ever since the accident, I became a better person. I became the old me before the wild me. I guess, I got tired of that life. I don't want to be a man whore, anymore. I know that you don't believe me but with time, hopefully you see what I'm talking about."

I just looked at him in silence, as I took in what he had just said to me. He was right, I didn't believe that he was a changed man. C'mon! It was Aaron that we were talking about. But Aaron was a man of his words, well excluding the one of Bell. But he was a man of his words.

"I'm just glad that we got this over and done with," I said.

"Yeah, do me a favour."

"Depends on what it is."

"Just don't tell anyone about this conversation."

I laughed. "It's too late for that," I replied, as I pointed to the kitchen window, where Janet had been watching us.

POV: Isabel

I was so happy that Aaron and James had worked things out. That also meant that I could talk to James. Oh gosh, I missed him. I missed talking to him and all his jokes. I missed my James Bond.

Aaron just stood quietly with his hands into his pockets, all cool and collected. He was a very quiet guy. He didn't talk much, either.

"I missed you," I told James.

"Everyone always misses me," he smiled.

Days later, I heard a car pull up at my driveway, in the middle of the night. I was on the sofa watching catching up with some series, when I heard a knock on the door. I stood up and looked through the window and I saw Aaron. Aaron was at my house? Why?

"Who is it?" I asked, just to be sure.

"Aaron."

I opened the door for him and he entered. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

He looked exhausted, as his shirt was untucked, his hair was a mess and frankly, he wasn't looking so good. "I am worn out and since your house is closer, I decided to stop by and ask if I could stay over for the night. I just came from work and I don't have energy. So, do you mind?"

I couldn't help but notice that his voice was so dry and weak, but it got more raspier than it originally was. He couldn't even stand at one place. Indeed, he was a hard-working guy. It wasn't his first time staying at work that late nor was it the last. "I don't mind at all. Should I show you to your room?" I replied in concerned tone.

"Yes, please."

I led the way to his room and when I opened the door, he walked right in and without hesitation fell backwards onto the bed. Wow. He was really tired.

"Aaron," I called out to him.

Silence. And then he started snoring. He was out like a light, (laughing).

"Aaron," I called out once more to be sure that he was fully asleep.

He was dead asleep. He couldn't sleep with his clothes on nor could he sleep on the bed the way he had. So, I pulled him fully onto the bed and removed his shoes and socks. I then took off his pants, shirt and tie, as he was now lying in bed in nothing but his boxers and a V-neck vest. I covered him with a blanket and placed his head firmly on a pillow, then I switched off the lights and went to continue my series.

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