Chapter 4 | Mr. Fribelle

CHAPTER FOUR

MR. FRIBELLE

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It has been only a month since Melora had arrived in New York with Liana and Evelyn, in a famous orphanage there, but she felt like it's been ages since she left Twickenham.

Melora still was in shock to know her family, to know who she is. She couldn't believe yet how quickly her life was turned upside down.

Moving to New York sounded so exciting to the trio as they dreamed about going there for a long time but they missed Twickenham a lot. The orphanage at New York was huge and more modified than Twickenham; it was popular and many people used to come to give gifts to the children and also for donations. But the trio didn't like the main keeper of the orphanage who partly was incharge of everything. The keeper woman didn't like them either, especially Melora who couldn't hold back her tongue. The woman was rude and demanding in their opinion and they do against her orders which makes the woman mad and give them punishment.

Now they were in one of the large kitchen sections, washing dishes and keeping them inside the cupboards. They were not at all supposed to work in the kitchen but it was a punishment from the keeper as the trio didn't listen to her and went against her words. But however they were enjoying the punishment they got as it was the only time they got a chance to be away from all the others and just the three of them where they can talk freely.

Liana was washing the dishes and Evelyn was wiping the floor as water was being splashed to the floor from the large sink as Liana was rapidly washing dishes.

"For heaven's sake, Liana, I had a very nice shower and you absolutely don't have to give me another shower!" Melora groaned in annoyance as water was being splashed onto her as she was placing plates upon another set of washed plates.

Liana laughed; she was enjoying hearing her friends' groaning and exclaiming at her, telling her to be careful. Liana found it quite funny. "Oh c'mon, Mel, try to enjoy it. After all this is what we're gonna do as punishment and I'll always be the one to wash the dishes."

"Oh really?" Evelyn crossed her arms, stopping herself from wiping the floor as it was no use as Liana continued washing. "The next time, I'll wash the dishes and you can wipe the floor instead of me."

"Or you don't have to do anything. After all, it's my tongue who gets us into trouble," Melora said amusedly as she carefully took the set of plates to her arms, holding it against her chest carefully before she turned to walk across the room.

"The tongue of yours is good, Mel." Liana encouraged. "After all, someone has raise voice at Miss Ward."

"And we'd lose our control when she tells you anything bad. And that's what gets us punished, not just your tongue." Evelyn said.

Melora smiled at their words, but couldn't reply as she carefully focused on walking across the room slowly with the large set of plates. But the door suddenly opened wide with the voice of Anatole Ward – the keeper woman – saying, "Melora! You have a visitor!"

The opening of the door and the coming of her raised voice was all of a sudden and it startled Melora. She lost her grip suddenly and fell backwards to the wet floor with a loud crashing sound of the set of plates crashing down to the floor and few of them was shattered into pieces. It happened in a sudden and Melora was too shocked to see what happened before Anatole's eyes who would get more mad.

But something caught her attention, making her forget the pain of falling; a visitor. Anatole just informed that she has a visitor and who could be that? She never had any visitors in her whole life.

"Mel!" Evelyn gasped before she ran to her side, eyes went wide. "A-are you alright?"

But Melora couldn't respond as her eyes snapped to Anatole whose eyes were widened at her and the broken plates. "What on earth did you just do?"

"It was an accident!" Liana defeated her friend quickly, rushing to her side to help her get on her feet. "Your voice startled her."

"My voice?" Anatole's voice hardened, narrowing eyes at Liana before she looked at Melora in dislike.

"Sorry, Miss Ward, I-I just lost my grip–" Melora trailed off as her friends helped her to get on her feet. "But it's alright, I-I'll clean them out. But you said… I have a visitor?" her eyes eagerly looked at Anatole.

Who could be that? She couldn't help herself but wonder. But she suddenly began to panic if it's Jim or any of Dorothy's people.

"Look what have you done, Melora!" Anatole glared, her hands gripped to her hip, shooting her a serious look.

But as for Melora, she didn't have time to glance at the mess she had accidentally made. "I'm sorry, it was an accident. I'll clean them out, I promise." she tried to sound polite unusually because she wanted to know who's her visitor.

"You're not going to see anyone until you've cleaned this mess you've made–"

"What? But the visitor–"

"I'll tell them to come tomorrow," Anatole immediately turned on her heels to leave with an uninterested face.

"But please–"

"No please, Melora, this is what you get for what you do." Anatole retorted.

As the door was closed as Anatole left, Melora groaned frustratedly and angrily. But the visitor; who would be that? She was so desperate to know while at the same time she feared if that's any of Dorothy's people.

"She's so rude!" Evelyn muttered under her breath, glaring at the door as if that's Anatole.

"But I wonder who could be your visitor?" Liana wondered out aloud, turning to Melora who was glancing down at the fallen set of plates with a glare.

"I hope it's not Jim or any of them." she let out a shaking breath before bending down to grab the plates.

"Um, Mel, I think we will do it while you go and see who is the visitor!" Evelyn urged her, bending down as well to take the plates from the floor.

"I had enough of punishment, Eve." she muttered tiredly. "Thank you very much."

"Oh c'mon girl, you should go and see who's the visitor," Liana urged her as well, a smirk appearing on her lips as she said, "What if it could be your Edward?"

Melora's eyes snapped to Liana's in shock at hearing his name, heat rushing all across her body as his name was mentioned. Liana's smirk widened and turned to more teasingly. "What?" Melora asked, blinking her eyes. "A-absolutely can't be– I mean, why on earth would he want to see me?" Edward was surely not in front of her but just one thought of him made her heartbeat quicken and her cheeks were flaming.

Her friends smirked at her, seeing her blushing. "Don't pretend as if you don't remember anything," Evelyn scolded her sarcastically. "You told us that he was intensely staring at you all the time and don't you know what that means?"

"Stop it," Melora shushed her, looking away to the floor as she couldn't help the smile that made its way to her lips at his name.

"Oh c'mon Mel!" Liana impatiently urged her. "Go and see if that's your Edward!" she smirked teasingly again.

"Stop it!" Melora quickly said, her heartbeat quickening more and she could feel high heat all across her body. She had told everything to her friends but she realized it was a mistake to tell them as they used to tease her about him. "It's absolutely not him for sure, 'cause possibly he wouldn't come to see a girl like me and for your information, he is not my Edward." she immediately got on her feet with a set on the fallen plates.

Evelyn giggled and Liana laughed at her. "But you like him, don't you?" Liana always enjoyed teasing her and making her blush.

"Oh hush, Liana!" Melora shushed her, hating the reason that her friends got something to tease her about. "Don't worry, I won't miss my chances too."

***

Melora was exhausted from all the work she had to do as punishment. But not minding that she needed to take a rest, she went to search for Anatole, just to find out who the visitor was. Not finding her anywhere, she presumed that she might be in the main hall where people used to come to see the children. She walked to the large hall and saw many of the little children sitting down on cushions, looking up at two young men who were before them on chairs.

It was an usual thing to see everyday people coming to donate and stuff. And Melora who had social anxiety had grown to forget it as she had to mingle with people there.

The young men who appeared to be around twenty… Edward's age. Another thought of him made her body heat up again but she soon shook it away. She glanced at the young men as they seemed to be telling a story to the kids and the kids were listening to him with interest. Some of the kids' eyes were widened while some of their jaws had dropped and she found it quite funny to see. She saw Anatole sitting on a chair behind the kids, a smile wandering on her lips. She wanted to go to her and ask her at the moment but thought if it'd interrupt the storytelling.

She leaned against the wall a few feet away from them, behind the kids and Anatole, deciding to listen to the story as well.

"And then Moses parts the sea!"

Melora startled at the sudden high voice of one of the men who immediately got on his feet, stretching out his hands as he pretended to be Moses. It was not only her who got startled, many of the kids were startled suddenly too but they soon fit into giggles.

"And then God told the Israelites to walk through the dry path across the sea between the sea which stood like a wall." the other man continued.

Melora rolled her eyes; these men were so dramatic and the kids were really enjoying themselves. "B-but Hason," one of the kids who was Melora's favorite called Aaron asked one of them, a small teddybear hugged across his chest which was given by Melora last week. "How did God do it?"

Hason, the young man who pretended to be Moses in action, smiled at the five year old, saying, "God can do anything. He's God and he can do anything."

"Really?" a little asked, astounded.

"Yes," the young man beside Hason answered. "You see, God is the creator of everything we see around and there's nothing impossible for Him."

"Indeed," Hason looked amused as the kids were astounded to hear it. He straightened himself in the chair and noticed Melora who had herself pinned against the wall, watching them in amusement. "Oh hello there," he graced her a smile. "May I ask you a question?"

She was taken aback but managed smile back as she responded, "Yes...um… of course."

"Do you believe there's nothing impossible for God?" he asked jovially to her.

She was taken aback by surprise at his question. She smiled and shrugged, "I...–" she struggled to answer as she wasn't certain of what she believed. She knew there's a God but she didn't care to know him more. She didn't care about Him as she thought he's someone who doesn't care about her. "I don't know." she shrugged again, before taking a step forward to a chair beside Anatole and sat on it, looking sideways at Anatole who didn't pay her any attention.

"Oh I see," Hason said.

"B-but Cliden, where is God's house?" innocently, a little boy turned to ask the young man beside Hason, whose name was Cliden.

"Wait," Aaron rushed in eagerly, before Cliden could answer. "Did God made this teddybear?" his question was really innocent, making Melora admire his voice.

Aaron held up the teddybear to Hason to see it, his innocent questioning eyes looking up at him for answer.

Hason's eyes went wide in surprise as he looked at the teddybear and slowly took it from his hands, examining it. "Is this your teddybear?" he asked in a low voice to the little boy. Melora wondered why he sounds so surprised at the small teddybear. He turned the teddybear, staring at its back and she knew he was looking at the names written on its back. But she never knew whose name they were.

"Yes," Aaron answered, nodding his head.

Hason stared at its back in surprise and disbelief which confused all of them, including his friend Cliden. "Lest, Lane, Base, Hase, Zchel, Mel." he read the names written on its back, in disbelief.

"What?" Cliden's eyes widened and exchanged glances with Hason.

Hason's weighted eyes turned to Aaron, "W-who gave you this?" he question was desperate.

Aaron turned to Melora and pointed his finger towards her, making Hason's gaze travel to her. Melora was confused as his face looked so heavy and unreadable. She knew something was not normal. "Where did you get this from?" he asked her.

She was utterly confused and blinked at him. "Um… I don't know. It's from my previous orphanage; Twickenham."

"W-who gave this to you?"

Confusion flooded over her. "Urm… I'm sorry but I don't know who but I had it when I was little like everyone else. Could be the owners of my previous orphanage. But… why?"

"I had a teddybear like this when I was little," Hason explained, his eyes turning back to the teddybear in disbelief. "With the same… same names written."

"Oh," Melora realized. "I'm sorry, but I don't know who gave it to me."

Aaron slowly reached his hand and took back the teddybear from Hason who reluctantly handled it back as he was lost in thoughts and exchanged glances with Cliden.

"Maybe it was abandoned and her orphanage owners must've found it." Anatole spoke, her voice sounding so kind.

"It wasn't abandoned," Hason said quickly. "But yeah… it was lost."

Melora felt amused as he appeared to be disappointed about his lost teddybear. The conversation was suddenly skipped as the kids pleaded to continue the story. Hason and Cliden continued but they were no longer dramatic like how they were at the start until the teddybear was caught in his eyes. It was mostly Cilden who finished the story while Hason joined in few lines and left to be lost in thoughts, looking at the teddybear in Aaron's hands.

As they were continuing the story, Melora turned to Anatole as she couldn't wait any longer to know who her visitor was. "Um, Miss Ward?" she called in a low voice, not wanting to interrupt the storytelling.

Anatole turned to her with the same uninterested face she showed her before.

"Who was my visitor?" her heartbeat quickened as Anatole opened her mouth to answer.

"I told her to come tomorrow."

"Her?" it caught her attention. "It was a her?" her eyebrows furrowed. After all, it was not Edward like her friends had said. Possibly can't be Dorothy, right? She'd rather sent her men. She thought. "Did she say her name?" she was trying to be as polite as possible to get the answer.

Anatole's thin eyebrows furrowed as she tried to remember, "It was a name I've never heard before. It was something like… Zchelea?"

Her heart stopped.

Her sister.

She gasped out aloud, her eyes widening in utter shock. "Zchelea?" she asked in disbelief; her sister had come to see her? But how? How does she know about her? Questions flooded inside her mind.

The storytelling got interrupted by her shocked voice saying the name Zchelea which was loud enough for all of them to hear as she had forgotten about the storytelling. In realization, she turned and looked at Hason and Cliden, and found Hason's eyes widened as well, his eyebrows furrowing. "Oh I'm so sorry to interrupt!" she apologized, feeling so awful but she was beyond shocked.

"Did you say Zchelea?" Hason asked her quickly. His face was unreadable.

She gulped before nodding, "Y-yes, just someone who v-visited." she shuttered in shock and turned to Anatole who glared at her.

"Melora, I think you should go from here until they leave." Anatole told her in a quiet voice, carefully not to let them hear.

"But Z-Zchelea?" she couldn't believe it.

"Now."

Cursing under her breath, she immediately got on her feet and walked away from there, breathing harder as she couldn't believe her sister came and asked to see her. Questions came rushing to her mind and she desperately wanted the answer. But there was no one to answer her question. Her sister is in New York? She couldn't help but wonder.

Changes were happening in her life more quickly than she had ever thought of; everything was unexpected.

After almost half an hour, she again went to the large hall to see if those men had left as she wanted to ask more about Zchelea. She saw Anatole coming into the hall from outside along with the kids who bid sad goodbyes to the young men.

"But they were so good! They didn't have to leave so quickly!" one of the kids followed Anatole, complaining with a deep frown.

"Hason and Cliden are the best people ever, they tells the best stories." Aaron agreed. He too, had a deep frown on his face and that made Melora shake her head in amusement.

"Indeed, Mr. Fribelle and Mr. Reed were so good." Anatole agreed with them.

But Melora froze in her tracks, her eyes widening like never before as her breath caught in her throat at the Anatole's words; Mr. Fribelle.

All these time the man who sat in front of her was someone from her family? Melora was utterly shocked and gaped at Anatole who paid her no attention as she walked past. Her heartbeat thundered against her chest and she immediately turned around to Anatole, stopping her, "W-wait, wait, wait, wh-what did you just say?"

Anatole turned around with an eyebrow raised questioningly with the always uninterested look on her face.

"Mr. Fribelle?" she asked breathlessly with wide eyes.

"The man you talked with; Hason." Anatole answered, totally confused by seeing the very shocked face of Melora as if she just saw a ghost or something terrible and scarier than a ghost. "What? What's your problem now?"

Melora stood frozen, hardly breathing and her heart was thundering quicker. She couldn't believe; Hason was a Fribelle? Perhaps he would be her cousin brother? Thoughts struck on her. Surely can't be her brother as neither Jim nor Dorothy mention anything about a brother but only a sister.

Apart from the shock, she felt hope rising in her. Hope to be her Fribelle family. Not caring to respond to Anatole, she immediately turned on her heels and ran outside, wanting to stop Mr. Fribelle and tell him that she's one of the lost Fribelle.

That she's the lost Melora Fribelle.

But she was too late, and he had left with Cliden from there.

But her hope remained at one thought; her sister will come for her.

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