4 Ten Years Ago

"Ella are you ready? We will be late in our flight. We need to be there earlier for the checking in" Gabriel her brother called out to check on her.

"In a minute" she wipes the tears on her face and take a last look in the mirror, then took a small picture frame that was lying there and walked slowly out of the room.

On their way to the airport was quiet. Silence dominates all throughout the drive.

Gabriel take a look at his sister and couldn't help but pity the girl. He was 8 years older than her. They grew up together but got separated when he turned 18 and Ella was ten, because he had to study and train to succeed and take over their fathers business..

Ella was left behind with their mother. While growing up  she  rarely  got chance to get to know their father after their parents divorced, she was five  then. Gabriel was 13 years old and had barely understand the real reason of the separation. Ella and Gabriel chose their vacation to be spend with one another, and gotten much closer, even more despite their distance with one another.

He was very protective of his little sister, and She in turn idolized her brother and every vacation time they got excited to see each other, constant phone calls wasn't enough for them to bridge the loneliness  they experience due to the separation.

When their mother was diagnose with throat cancer 2 years ago, Ella and Gabriel see each other less and less.

Ella got busy looking after their sick mother , while Gabriel was on his final year in college and work in their company as his training.

She become very shy girl because of this circumstances. She does"t have friends she only have their mother, who became very sick day after day despite undergoing medication. Their mother  was a singer/songwriter,  but quit singing when she got sick and spent her time writing songs on better days. The royalties to her compositions kept coming and help a lot in their expences and medical bill. Their mother left a farm that later on, turn to a resort back on their father's hometown. She will be staying there until she turn eighteen to decide what she want for herself, in the meantime she will be under their father's supervision.

When she reach their farm she got excited and tried to find things to take her time, she divides her time with looking after the resort in one day she spend checking on her flower garden the flowers are send to be sold in the city and their  green house produces for their personal  consumption, another time she visit their animals and learn to become a livestock farmer, she would check on fruit trees on other days, the vegetable and  fruits they harvested also we're sold in the city they have regular customers to their products and all of these took her time to avoid the boredom and loneliness, and the pain of losing their mother. But she still cries at night because she misses her mother and her brother come to visit her every weekends, while her father once a month or even once every two months.

She is not close to her father but she remember how her father would carry her on his shoulders and sometimes play with her when she was young and they were all together . Those were the good old days.

Now her father has another family and when he visits his wife and his step-daughter sometimes come with him.

She doesn't like her step-mother  she is very inquisitive  always try to know everything and asking questions she don't like to answer. Her step-sister always took her father's attention when he tried to talk with Ella or when he's with her. She once overheard Stephanie telling tales about her to her mother that was completely untrue.

All of that she just store in the back of her mind she doesn't want to cause any disaggreement in the family, she just suffered in silence anyway they will be there for a short time.

The resort was the only inheritance her mother left to her and her brother she look after it , because it belongs to her and Gabriel but this will be handed over to them when she turn eighteen.

One day when she returned home, after her visit with the horses getting it ready for the guest who has reservation for the weekend, She went straight to her room to take a bath. Gab will come to visit for the weekend .

"Oh dammit!" She said aloud she can't find the keys to her room, she want to use the bathroom because her bladder is full. She entered the room next to hers it is not locked she opened it this morning before going out  she will use this bathroom instead as she turn the knob and open it she scream.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my room?" A man who is in the act of putting his shirt on was shocked when he heard her screamed.

"As far as I'm concerned this is the room that Gab assign to me ". He take a good look at Ella. " You must be Gab's little sister nice to meet you at last. " He  smiled and put out his hand to handshake but Ella ignored it and said.

"Would you mind if I use the bathroom?" Without waiting for a reply she step inside and slam the door.

"Be my guess" he was still in awe to finally meet Gab's little sister whom be only hear about, when his friend talk about his family. A little naive but very pretty. He smile and continue on what he is doing.

Ella on the other hand was so embarrassed as she recall how she acted Infront of her brother's friend. When she went out of the bathroom he was not there anymore probably he went out to explore. She thought she was going to apologize next time they meet. rehearsing all over her head try to compose the words of apology.