Chapter 79 Unfolding
As she had predicted the time Celia would show up, Isabella opted to clean her slightly messy apartment as she was expecting a visitor.
As she wore the last bits of her night wear, her phone dinged.
Expecting a visitor, Isabella wasted no time in checking the message.
It was Celia and she had texted that she was by the front door.
Isabella took a deep breath as she approached the door.
She simply wondered Celia's reaction to her telling the truth.
Isabella approached the door, not too surprised to see Celia carrying a bag of groceries on her way.
The simple gesture solidified her decision of telling the actual truth.
I can't keep lying to the only person that cares about my well being.
Come to think of it, she was never too intent on where I came from.
“Hey you!”, Celia said as she walked in as Isabella opened the door.
“Oh my God Maria! I can't wait to taste the deliciousness you made!”, Celia admitted as she left the grocery bag on the kitchen island.
“Well get settled then! I especially remembered to make something spicy!”, Isabella said.
“Maria! This place looks so beautiful!”, Celia said as she took in the details of Isabella's apartment.
“Thank you.
I keep buying stuff on my way back home!”, Isabella said as Celia took her seat in the living room.
That habit might need to stop if I'm going to have this baby, Isabella thought as she went back to dishing the food.
“Here you go!”, Isabella said, passing the tray to Celia.
“Ouuu this looks so good! How about you?! Where's yours??”, she asked as she didn't see the tray Isabella had also prepared for herself.
“In the kitchen! I couldn't bring both trays so I brought yours first!”, Isabella answered as she headed back to the kitchen.
“Okay! What did you want to tell me? I couldn't focus so well at… mmmmm!”, Celia drawled as she got a taste of Isabella's food.
“This is so good Maria!”, Celia complimented as Isabella came to take a seat beside her.
“Thank you…!”, Isabella started as they made light conversation over the food they were eating.
In no time, they were done eating and Celia insisted on doing the dishes.
After stating several reasons why she should be the one to do the dishes, Isabella still lost to Celia.
“Alright! What did you want to tell me about!?!”, Celia asked as she came to take a seat beside Isabella.
“Yeah that!”, Isabella said as it had finally gotten to the time to tell the truth.
“What's yeah that!?”, Celia asked, having no clue that Isabella was about to drop a bomb on her.
“I haven't been completely honest about who I am…!”, Isabella started.
“How does that have to do with you going to the hospital!? You didn't feel too well this morning! Remember?!”, Celia asked, wondering what Isabella was talking about.
She had suddenly gone from the cheerful master chef to a very unsure lady.
“I'm getting there! I promise!”, Isabella said, peaking Celia’s curiosity.
“Okay! I'm listening!”, Celia acknowledged.
“My name is not Maria, my parents are not dead and I'm not the only child! I literally have four siblings!”, Isabella said briskly before she changed her mind.
She watched Celia's confused face as she managed to ask, “what!?
“I'm being serious Celia!”, Isabella said.
“What do you mean!?
I asked you earlier and you said your name was Maria!
Maria Bertinelli!”, Celia said, wondering what was going on.
“I know Celia! But that's what I told every other person!”, Isabella explained.
“Wow! Ummm that's a lot to unpack!”, Celia commented.
She wasn't going to be aggressive about the news being broken to her as she understood Isabella might have been dealing with something.
“It is! My name is actually Isabella and I came here for a fresh start!”, Isabella explained.
“Isabella!”, Celia repeated, testing the pronunciation of her actual name on her lips.
“Why haven't you told the truth this whole time?!”, She questioned.
“Because…
I wanted a new identity, a new life, away from everyone I ever knew and everything I ever knew!
I wanted to be free!”, Isabella said, reminiscing how Luciano had treated her.
Celia watched as tears rolled down her eyes, affirming her speculation that there was more to what she was saying.
“You can still do that right!? I'm not going to tell anyone who you really are!”, Celia said, patting her back.
“You don't understand Celia! It isn't that simple!”, Isabella said, remembering her baby.
“What's not that simple?! You just have to maintain the life you've been living here!”, Celia said, looking Isabella in the eye as she cried.
“I have been entangled with very powerful forces.
More than I'd like!”, Isabella confessed, her mind subconsciously going to the night Luciano did what he did.
“Now you're confusing me Maria or Isabella!”, Celia said, actually wondering what she should call Isabella from then on.
“What should I call you!?”, Celia asked, trying to lighten the tension.
“Celia, I'm being serious!”, Isabella said.
“I know! You don't need to explain why you did what you did! I totally understand it!
I don't even need to know the details!
What matters is that you're here and you're alright!”, Celia said.
Isabella broke into even more tears as she heard what Celia had said.
“I'm so sorry I had to lie to you earlier!”, Isabella apologized as Celia wrapped her in a hug.
“You really don't have to explain!”, Celia said.
“Now, what happened this morning!?
I kept calling you but you wouldn't pick up!”, Celia continued.
“If I told you promise you won't hate me!”, Isabella started as she wondered Celia's reaction to her breaking the news about her pregnancy.
“Why would I hate you for not being too well!”Celia responded, very unsuspectingly.
“I'm pregnant !”, Isabella admitted, Celia parting from the hug and looking Isabella in the eye.
“You're what!?!”, She squealed looking at Isabella's face and then her stomach, and then her face again.
“I am pregnant Celia! That's why I didn't pick your calls in the hospital!”, Isabella said.
“Oh my God!”, Celia said as she brought her head closer to Isabella’s stomach.
“I might abort it!”, Isabella admitted.