Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
“Now that things have settled, once I wrap up a few loose ends, I’ll take you out for some fun”
Mirabella smiled, “No need, Uncle Bard. You should spend time with Aunt Eunice when you’re free.
Romeo will take me out.”
At the mention of Romeo, Bard paused, then smiled, “Ah, you’ve got plans with that young man, huh?
Here I am holding you up from your date. Go on then, enjoy your day with him. Don’t worry about us. I’ll make sure Grandpa is well taken care of.
“with you and Aunt Eunice here, I’m not worried; Mirabella beamed, “If there’s nothing else, I should get going.”
She didn’t want to keep Romeo waiting.“Alright, have fun, Bard said warmly, watching her, “And bring Romeo by sometime. I’d like to meet him, see how he treats you. Your wedding’s just around the corner.”
Mirabella cut him off before he could finish, “That’s jumping the gun.”
“You’re practically engaged, and he’s chased you from Solterra to Dawnstar. How’s that jumping the gun? If you say the word, I bet it’ll be a done deal in no time,’ Bard laughed heartily.
“You’re just teasing me now, Uncle Bard. I’m off.’ Mirabella wasn’t aware of the bashful, sweet smile spreading across her face as she spoke.
It was the first time Bard saw his niece with such an expression, and his smile deepened, watching her leave and thinking to himself, “That McMillian lad is one lucky guy to have such an outstanding partner.”
After heading downstairs, Mirabella sent Romeo her location. Before she could ask him to come over, he immediately texted back, [I’ll be there in twenty minutes.]
A smile curled on Mirabella’s lips, [No rush, I still need to check on Grandpa.]
Grandpa was fine, and only then could she leave the house with peace of mind.
Romeo replied, [Sure thing, take your time.]
As Mirabella approached Darren’s bedroom door, she caught a whiff of that distinct smell of liniment—a clear sign that something was amiss. A housemaid, likely not expecting Mirabella’s sudden appearance, paled at the sight of her.
“Ms. Bella”
“Grandpa got hurt? Is that liniment I smell?”
Hearing Mirabella’s question, the maid bent deeply, clearly terrified, “Yes, Mr. Darren had a fall.”
Without hesitation, Mirabella hurried inside.
Meanwhile, Eunice, who had not yet finished her phone call, rushed over from the third-floor bay window where she had a clear view of Serena coaxing Darren to pick up the pace, which unfortunately led to his fall.
Following close behind Mirabella, Eunice entered the room, her expression grim.
The maid knew the incident couldn’t be kept secret any longer. Although Serena had strictly ordered her not to breathe a word about what had happened, if Ms. Bella were to find out somehow and the maid hadn’t reported it, she’d face severe repercussions.
With that in mind, the maid bit her lip and dashed upstairs to find Darren.Mirabella quickly moved forward, passing through the living room to reach the master bedroom. There, she immediately saw Darren lying in bed, his expression twisted in pain, with Serena sitting beside him, seerningly at a loss for what to do.
“Grandpa, did you fell? What happened?” Mirabella rushed to his side, noting his clothes were still damp.
“Bella, you’re here” Darren winced in pain, unable to move, “I just had a bit of a tumble”
“Did you fell outside?”
Mirabella’s question caught Darren off-guard, “How did you know?”
“Your clothes are soaked, and it’s so cold outside. What were you doing out there?” As she spoke, Mirabella turned to Serena, “His clothes are this wet, and you saw it. Why didn’t you get someone to change him?”
“He said he was in pain, so we didn’t dare move him.”
Afraid that moving him might cause a bone to shift or lead to more trouble.
“It’s nothing, I just went for a walk.” Darren grimaced, the pain was too much to bear.
Mirabella gently touched the area, “Is it here where it hurts?”
“Yes, yes, it’s very sore.” Darren contorted his face in agony.
“Let’s have a look.”
Mirabella carefully lifted his shirt, and even this slight movement made Darren gasp in pain.
“Does it hurt here?” Mirabella touched gently and asked again.”It hurts”
“And here?” Mirabella watched Darren’s reaction closely.
“So sore.”
Mirabella prodded gently at several spots, each eliciting a grimace of pain. “There’s significant swelling, indicating muscle tissue damage. As for any fractures or ligament injuries, it’s best to get an X-ray of the lumbar spine at the hospital for a clearer picture”
Though her experience hinted at no fractures, caution prevailed, and she recommended a hospital visit.
“How long would he need to rest if it’s a muscle injury?” Eunice, hovering at the edge of the room, couldn’t help but interject.
Surprised to see her aunt had joined them, Mirabella answered truthfully, “Typically, bed rest for three to four weeks is necessary. He’ll also need some pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication. But given Grandpa’s age, it might take four to five weeks for a full recovery. Plus, there might be conflicts with his heart medication, so we’ll have to adjust his prescriptions accordingly.”
Serena, sitting at the bedside, murmured with concern, “How could that be?”
“If it’s a fracture, the duration of bed rest could extend to eight weeks for a minor one. A severe case might even require surgery. Could you please step out and find someone to help? I want to help Grandpa change his clothes.”
Lying in discomfort was no small ordeal.
“I can help; Eunice stepped forward confidently.
As Serena reluctantly moved aside, she couldn’t help but overhear their exchange.
“Just coordinate with me,’ Mirabella, who had often helped her Grannie Grace with such tasks, was adept at it.Eunice, observing Mirabella’s expert movements, felt a pang of sympathy. How many times had this child repeated such tasks to perform them with such ease?
Changing clothes for an immobile person, especially a man, required both skill and strength.
Mirabella noticed the emotion in her aunt’s eyes and explained lightly, “I used to do this for the Melton family’s old lady, so I’m experienced.”
“Your foster parents’ mother? Why were you, a child, doing this? Where were the adults?”
Didn’t the adults care?
“They weren’t as good at it as me.”
Mirabella’s simple response hinted at more to Eunice, who felt a deeper ache for her.
Thankfully, it was winter, and Darren’s outer garments were the only ones damp. The inner layers were spared.
After changing him, Mirabella and Eunice helped shift him to a more comfortable position.
That was when Bard rushed in, seeing his wife and niece tending to Darren on the bed, with Serena standing aside.
Bard hurried to assist, and after a moment asked, “Bella, your granddad’s alright, isn’t he?”
Mirabella summarized the diagnosis for him and then called for a basin of warm water. “Granddad can’t use this ointment. It’ll react with his current medication and could cause an allergy. We need to clean it off and apply something else.”
“I’ve got it Bard said, taking the towel, soaking it in the warm water, wringing it out, and then gently wiping off the liniment from his father’s lower back.Mirabella lifted her gaze to the servants nearby. “Who applied the ointment to Grandpa? Why didn’t you consult me first?”
Now, the servants could no longer keep silent, one of them sheepishly admitting, “Serena instructed us to. She said a little ointment would suffice, and there was no need to alarm everyone.”
Serena panicked, her internal alarm blaring. She thought, “Weren’t you instructed to keep quiet? And yet you spilled the beans, you coward!”
Mirabella’s gaze once again settled on Serena.
“I heard Grandpa groaning in pain, so I just wanted to apply some ointment on him.” Serena scrambled for an excuse, “Wasn’t Uncle Bard looking for a word with you? I didn’t want to disturb you two, so I didn’t ask”
Darren, worried that his granddaughters would start arguing over him, quickly interjected, “I’m fine, no need to worry. It’s just a scratch.”
“I’ll go grab some medicine from my room.” Mirabella didn’t continue to argue with Serena. Once she returned with the ointment, she instructed her uncle, “Apply this three times a day, a thin layer should do. It’ll help with the swelling and the pain.”
“Pain relief sounds good. Good.” Darren could hardly move with the pain. The medicine was just what he needed.
“Come with me.” Mirabella shot a glance at Serena.
Serena followed, her pride slightly bruised.
“Go ahead and apply the ointment to Dad. I won’t watch. I’ll wait outside.” Eunice found an excuse and quietly followed them.
Mirabella led Serena to the adjoining parlor and regarded her coolly, “Was it your idea to take Grandpa out fora walk in the garden?”
Her chilly demeanor intimidated Serena, who murmured defensively, “What’s it to you?”Mirabella’s eyes flashed with displeasure, “Haven’t learned from last time, have you?”
“I already explained last time, it wasn’t on purpose. I just wanted to take Grandma out to enjoy the snowscape in the garden. I didn’t anticipate the icy path, the wheelchair slipping. None of that was expected. If I had known it could’ve caused Grandma to fall, I would never have taken her out!”
Mirabella replied icily, “Last time, Grandma hadn’t even fully recovered, and you insisted on taking her out into the cold. The staff warned you, but you did as you pleased. Now, with the temperature below zero, you suggest Grandpa go for a walk outside. And in non-slip-resistant slippers. What were you thinking?”
“I didnt think it through. I just wanted to relive the old days, walking with Grandpa, that’s all.”
“Did the adults really let you walk in a blizzard when you were a child?”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.