AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ihavehadtroublesleeping ever since the Big Teddy incident over a week ago. I started talking to a therapist a few times a week to help me process it. It was Alex's idea and I rejected it at first, but I soon agreed.
Thankfully, it's already been helping, although I still have nightmares. My therapist is telling me I'm making good progress already, but that I should be patient. I've also been feeling sick to my stomach most days. I think it's the anxiety from what happened, and I'm hopeful it will go away soon.
Speaking of the Big Teddy incident, Alex is refusing every single interview request that comes his way, which makes Bella’s report on it very popular.
Just three days after it happened, Bella was in a morning variety show to give her statements on it. Just one week after that, she no longer worked for Alex, but for another network. She chose the highest bidder, according to Bella herself.
We are now watching her live debut in her new job. She’s not the anchor, as she always wished for, but she’s a street reporter covering police cases for prime-time news.
“Um, looks like Shorty is doing well at her new gig!” Alex says, snickering at the screen.
“You call her Shorty?” I ask him, amused.
“Only when I’m envious of her. She hates it!” And then he full-on laughs.
“Aunt Bella wanted to do news on the TV, right?” Harlan asks, the scar on his forehead still healing. The doctor said it should mostly disappear thanks to his age.
“Yes, Harlan, why?” I reply to him.
“Because then I’m happy for her!” the kid slaps his knees with enthusiasm. “If I get to be a photographer when I grow up, you’ll be happy for me, right, Miss Liv?”
“Absolutely right, sweetie!” I hug him and give him a kiss on the side of his head.
“You still want to be a photographer, buddy?” Alex asks, and Harlan simply nods. “Then why didn’t you ask Santa for a camera?”
“Because my phone— Wait!” Harlan leans forward to better face his dad. “Did you read my letter to Santa?”
Alex looks at me, his face red as a tomato. “Caught in the act, daddy!” I say, a snort escaping me.
“Parents need to read the letters to Santa, buddy, just to know if the requests are appropriate. You know, Santa is old, it’s not everything he can bring on the sleigh…” he says.
“Oh!” Harlan seems appeased.
He starts to distract him with more questions when my phone rings. It’s Bella, so I promptly put it on speaker and place it in the middle of us for all to hear on the couch.
“Did you see it?!” Bella asks, completely hyper on the other side of the line.
“We’ve all seen it, Bella!” I say.
“Yeah! Congratulations, Aunt Bella!”
“Congratulations, Shorty!”
“Ugh, here he goes with ‘shorty’ again…” Bella says, quickly changing her mood. “I already called mom and dad, okay? Mom is all worried and thinks I’ll die on my first assignment, and dad said this is the next best thing to me going to the Navy.”
“Ha! Typical!” Alex shakes his head while smiling.
“Where are you headed to next?” I ask.
“We’re going to Concord tonight, following a murder story — oh God, I still can’t believe this is all happening! Aunty is going after bad guys, Harlan!”
Harlan is dismissive throughout most of this conversation, but when Bella mentions catching bad guys, his eyes twinkle to the level of stars.
“Like a super-hero, Aunt Bella?” he asks, leaning onto the phone.
“But without a cape, bud!” she says, excited. “Well, I have to go!”
“Be careful, Bella!” Alex says in tone of warning.
