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Will Aunty Bella Be Fine?
Immediately after school, Dad came to pick Bella up, then went straight to the police station to report that Aunty Bella was missing. He also told the corps about the ransom they demanded. The corps took some information Dad could provide and promised to do their best concerning it.
They got home, and Mom was already there making dinner—which was very unusual of her. Dad sighed, gave her a peck, and narrated how the meeting with the corps went.
Ami left her parents alone in the kitchen and went to her room to put herself in order. But when she got there, she couldn't control her emotions, and she began crying. She cried and was amazed at how she could feel this way about Aunty Bella—someone she literally considered an enemy in the house.
Her parents were attracted by the sound of sobs and quickly rushed to her room to check if she was okay. They met Ami with her head down, hair scattered, and sitting on the floor.
"What happened, darling? Are you okay?" her mom asked.
"Mom... it's Aunty Bella. Will she be fine?"
"Yes, darling, she'll be fine. The corps have promised to do their best about it," her dad assured her.
"And my teacher and classmates also prayed too, Dad," Ami said.
"That's enough reason why we should be hopeful, darling. God answers prayers," her dad said with a light smile.
Her mom hugged her, arranged her hair, and asked her to go take her bath while she and her father went back to the kitchen to continue what they were doing.
She quickly did as instructed and went to sleep afterward.
Her parents, back in the kitchen, were amazed that Ami—their child who they knew to have the wrong impression about her aunty—could be this affectionate towards her. They wondered if they had a better relationship that they kept hidden from them. They questioned if every incident that Bella had related to them about Ami was true or not. But deep down, they really wanted their relationship to remain this way.
Immediately after they finished fixing dinner, they went to Ami's room to invite her to the dining room.
My parents are just doing surprising things these days... Is it that they want to appease my spirit with the thought that Aunty Bella's attitude towards me was what made her disappear? she thought.
"Ami, dinner is ready. Come, let's eat downstairs," they said to her, smiling.
The parents Ami knew would usually scream her name from downstairs to come and eat—that was literally once in a blue moon. Under normal circumstances, they would eat without her. And when she told her mom or Aunty Bella that she was hungry, they'd ask her to eat the remains in the pot or make herself noodles.
Was Aunty Bella the sole reason why her parents treated her that way? Could it be that they were trying to please Aunty Bella by displeasing her?
Ami quickly waved the thought aside. Even if she's wicked towards me, she is in a critical condition right now, and I shouldn't judge her for this. She went downstairs with her parents.
Before she could get to the dining room, she was already salivating from the aroma coming from the kitchen. Mom is indeed a good cook, she thought to herself.
She sat down and began devouring the food before her. But the family was interrupted by Dad's ringtone.
Who could be calling at this time? was the thought that rang through everyone's mind.
Dad picked up the call and placed it on speaker.
They could hear Aunty Bella's voice: "Please don't kill me... please... I'm in pain... please take it easy—ouch, my stomach!" It was clear she was being manhandled.
"What do you want? Stop torturing my sister!" Dad shouted.
The man in charge said with a deep voice, "You have limited time," and ended the call.
A wave of fear washed over the dining room.
"Dad... will she be fine?" Ami asked with a trembling voice.
As the phone call ended, the family sat in stunned silence. Ami's eyes widened with fear, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. Her parents exchanged worried glances, their faces pale.
"Dad, what do we do now?" Ami asked, her voice trembling.
Her father took a deep breath. "We'll do everything we can to get Aunty Bella back safely. I'll contact the corps and see if there's any update on the investigation."
Ami nodded, trying to process her emotions. Despite their complicated relationship, she couldn't bear the thought of anything bad happening to Aunty Bella.
As they waited for news, Ami's thoughts drifted to her own behavior towards Aunty Bella. Had she been too harsh? Should she try to make amends?
What do you think happens next? Should Ami try to reach out to Aunty Bella's captors, or focus on supporting her parents?