Arabella

Prologue

Prologue

August 1996

Celia Westbrook was five hours postpartum, a seven-ounce child wrapped in a pink blanket nuzzled in the crook of the new mother's arm. Scott Westbrook hummed softly in his sleep, the lanky man's body spread across the cushioned hospital chair. A knock came from the entrance of the private room causing Celia to grin widely.

"Hey there, Mama," Alice, Celia's best friend greeted quietly as she entered the room, the weight of a baby carrier causing the woman's shoulders to appear lopsided. "How is my goddaughter? I'm safe to assume I'm her godmother," Alice pulled the plush pink blanket to the side slightly to view the newborn. "Cel, she's gorgeous."

"I know, she's perfect," Celia commented, smiling down at her daughter.

"Nobody's perfect," Alice joked, pulling the buckles away from her four month old son who was laying in his carrier.

"Not Arabella, she'll be perfect - I'll make sure of that," Celia murmured, gently outlining the baby girl's facial features with the pad of her index finger. Alice cradled the gurgling boy in her arms, leaning in to place the children side-by-side.

"Well, I can tell you one thing: they are a perfect match, best friends made by best friends." Alice smiled warmly, letting her head gently lean against Celia's. Celia nodded slightly, her mind elsewhere. Alice continued to talk but Celia's eyes were glued to the corkboard that was mounted to the wall next to her.

'Wanted: Newborn models for baby clothing line debut!'

April 2004

The Westbrook's new van pulled into Alice Armstrong's circle-drive, the disturbed gravel causing a slight dust to form around the vehicle. Arabella was quick to pull at the van's back door handle, a bright smile spread across her face as her eyes searched for her favorite blonde boy. Alice waved from the porch, nodding toward the barn.

"He's out in the barn," She shook her head with a knowing smirk. The eight-year-old sprinted toward the red building, her rain boots squishing through the swampy conditions.

Xander's arms moved carefully back and forth, the rake in his hand evenly distributing hay around the stall. His head tilted to the side as he heard a small voice mutter a disgusted 'ew' at the smell of the barn. A smile formed on his face as he turned to face her, leaning against his rake leisurely.

"What do you want?" He taunted playfully, cocking an eyebrow. Arabella's smile only grew, her attention finally shifting to the small figure behind her best friend. Large balck ears, big brown eyes, a shiny pink nose. The girl was mesmerized by the newborn creature, her hand reaching forward to stroke it's head; the calf's long eyelashes flitted up and down as it inspected the girl in front of it.

"Bee, don't go any closer-" Xander warned just moments before an angry noise came from the side of the stall where the mother cow had been grazing on hay. Arabella inched closer, her fingers sliding across the calf's coat with gentle curiosity.

Xander eyed the mother cow, her body language telling him that she would protect her calf from the unknown person in the stall. The cow charged toward the pair just moments after Xander's hands reached forward and grabbed the back of Arabella's arms, pulling her out of harm's way. The two stumbled clumsily out of the stall and quickly shut the gate behind themselves. Both children's breathing was labored, their hands shaking with unspent adrenaline. Their breathing began to even after a while, their wide eyes finally meeting.

"Why didn't you listen to me when I told you not to get close to the calf? Are you deaf?" Xander yelled, the worry in his voice sounding more like anger. Arabella leaned forward, throwing her arms around Xander's shoulders and pulling herself into his chest for a sudden hug.

"Thanks for saving me, Xan." She whispered against him. Xander froze upon the unexpected contact but his body quickly melted into his best friend's embrace. The pair slowly stood and the farmboy led the girl to the barn next door where the farm cats lived. They put together a few tins of dry kibble and bowls of water for the farm cats before heading back to the farmhouse. The Wolfe farmhouse was a quaint yellow home with white shutters and a door the color of a Georgia peach. As they approached their safe haven, the Tomlin twins scurried over from the neighboring farm. The four children met in the middle, the twins looking Arabella up and down, confused.

"Hiya Xander," Andy and Luke said within seconds of each other.

"Hey," Xander replied, nodding toward the girl next to him. "Bella's gonna come down to the creek with us." The boys' faces puckered, the idea of spending the afternoon with a girl causing their expressions to sour.

"But she's... She's... She's a girl!" Andy groaned, avoiding Arabella's look of defeat.

"Yeah, good of you to notice," Xander threw his arm around her shoulders, pulling her forward. The Tomlin twins looked between one another before slowly following behind the pair.

"Xan, I don't mind going back to the house-" Arabella peeked over Xander's shoulder to seek a view of the pouting boys. "You guys can go without me." Arabella stopped to turn around, but Xander quickly pulled her back to his side.

"You're coming, Bee," He said, leaning forward slightly to kiss her forehead. "You're my girl."