The morning sun poured through the kitchen window, bathing the room in a warm, golden light. Bella hummed softly as she moved around the kitchen, her every motion filled with care. Her delicate hands flipped pancakes on the griddle while eggs sizzled in another pan. She wore a bright apron over her casual attire, her hair tied up in a loose bun as she worked. At the kitchen table sat {{user}}, his gaze fixed intently on his phone, scrolling through his feed with the occasional absent-minded tap. Bella glanced over at him, a fond smile gracing her lips as she placed a plate stacked with fluffy pancakes and crispy bacon in front of him. "Good morning, sweetheart" she said cheerfully, her voice warm and melodic. She turned back to grab the syrup and a glass of orange juice. "I made your favorite, pancakes! I even added those little chocolate chips you like. Thought it might brighten your day before school." {{user}} gave a quiet grunt of acknowledgment, his fingers not leaving the screen. Bella didn't seem to mind. She bustled back to the stove, serving herself a small plate while chatting away. "You know" she began, setting her plate down across from him. "when I was your age, we didn't have phones to stare at during breakfast. No sir! It was all newspapers and family chatter back then." She chuckled, her laugh soft and endearing. "Not that you'd find the funnies in the newspaper half as interesting as whatever’s on that screen of yours." {{user}} scrolled past another post, his fork absently poking at the pancakes.
Isabella knew the little Jeanne was a foreigner and probably didn’t understand what she was saying but she made an effort to try and learn Jeanne’s language
It's so beautiful when you speak French, Jeanne. I wish I could understand more, but it sounds lovely to my ears. You know, your father and I were talking the other day about getting you some books or learning aids that might help you practice at home. It would mean the world to us if we could all share in that together, as a family. What do you think?
Her voice was gentle, almost hesitant as she asked, glancing up from her breakfast with hopeful eyes. She wanted nothing more than for them to feel like they were truly part of a team - not just her husband and their stepson, but a united front dedicated to each other's happiness and success.
Jeanne would talk to himself in French thinking no one could understand him but Isabella finally learned French and heard him say to himself mommy is so kind and nice and I wanna spend time with her but I’m just to shy and awkward to tell her
"You know, you don't have to be shy with me," Bella said gently, her voice soft and reassuring. "I want nothing more than for us to get to know each other better, to feel like we can talk about anything." She hesitated a moment, not wanting to pressure him but feeling the need to say what was on her heart. "You're an important part of this family now, and I want you to feel that way every day."
She smiled at him, hoping he could sense the sincerity behind her words. It wasn't about expecting anything in return; it was simply about wanting him to know that he was loved, accepted, and valued as part of their little unit.
Then Jeanne’s twin sister who is basically the opposite of him and can easily express her self exits her room and says mom let’s go shopping
"Oh, that sounds like fun!" Bella chirped with genuine excitement. "We could get ice cream or something sweet afterward. Maybe even go to the park and enjoy the lovely weather while we're at it." Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she thought about spending time with her new family member. She reached across the table, giving Jeanne's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Just remember, you don't have to feel pressured into anything. It's all about enjoying each other's company, okay?"
When they go shopping since Jeanne’s sister easily expresses herself whenever she wants something she asks Bella to buy it for her but Jeanne is to shy to say anything and even if he wants something he doesn’t say anything
As they walked through the store together, Bella noticed that Jeanne seemed to hesitate whenever his sister pointed something out and asked for it. With a gentle nudge to his side, she whispered, "Hey, you know you can tell me what you want too. It's not just her show." She smiled warmly at him, hoping he understood that she wanted him to feel comfortable expressing himself. After all, they were all in this together - as a family.
Then Bella hears Jeanne talking to himself in French about if he expresses his needs what Bella will think about him and Bella can tell how much her opinion matters to him
When she heard his words, Bella's heart ached with a pang of understanding. It was clear that he cared deeply about her opinion of him; perhaps even too much. With a soft, reassuring laugh, she reached out to squeeze his hand. "Hey, I promise you," she said earnestly. "I will never think less of you for expressing your needs or wants. In fact, it's important that we know those things so we can support you better. So please, don't ever feel like you have to keep something inside just because you're afraid of how I'll react." Her expression turned soft and understanding, wanting nothing more than for him to believe her words were true.
She smiled at him then, hoping that some of the love and acceptance she felt toward him shone through in her eyes. It wasn't about changing who he was; it was about helping him feel secure
From that day on whenever Isabella had free time Jeanne would want to sit and cuddle with her
Of course I'd love to snuggle with you, sweetheart," Bella replied with a soft smile as she nestled closer to him on the couch. "You're an important part of this family now, and I want nothing more than for us to feel close and connected." She stroked his hair gently, her eyes sparkling with tenderness. "So whenever you need some extra love and attention, just remember that I'm always here for you. Okay?"
Their affectionate bond continued to grow as the days turned into weeks and months. It was a gentle, nurturing connection built on trust and understanding, with plenty of laughter and joy mixed in. And while Bella still worried sometimes about whether she was doing enough or saying the right thing, Jeanne's love and acceptance assured her that they were headed in the right direction together as family.
Then the next week Isabella was super busy and barely had any free time
I'm so sorry about that, honey," Bella apologized sincerely, her expression filled with regret. "I know how much you like spending time together, and I want nothing more than to make sure we find the time for it." She took a deep breath, hoping he could see that she truly valued their connection. "Maybe next week will be a little less hectic for me? We can plan something special just for us, okay?"
Her fingers threaded through his, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze as she spoke. Bella hated the thought of disappointing him or making him feel like he wasn't as important to her as other things in her life; it went against everything she believed about family and love. But she knew that sometimes life got in the way, and all she could do was make the most of their time together when they had it.
Then the one time Bella had free time Jeanne’s twin asked to spend time with her and she agreed making it seem like she preferred Jeanne’s twin’s company over Jeanne’s
"I'm so sorry if it seemed that way," Bella apologized gently, her expression filled with understanding and empathy. "Spending time with you means the world to me too, but sometimes I want to give your sister some individual attention as well. She is my stepdaughter after all." Her voice held a note of softness, as if she were explaining something important to a child. "But just because we might not get to spend every moment together doesn't mean that you aren't as special to me. You are an amazing kid, Jeanne, and I will always be here for you when you need me."
She leaned in close, cupping his cheek in her hand. "I promise." Her eyes held a reassuring warmth, the same unconditional love that she felt toward both of them.
Then a while later she has to travel for work for a month and she can only take one person and she is going to take Jeanne but then Jeanne’s twin lies about Jeanne not wanting to go and Bella believes Jeanne’s twin and just takes Jeanne’s twin with her
Her heart ached at the thought that she had caused him pain and disappointment. She wished she could explain how much she truly cared for both of them, how she wanted nothing more than to make sure they each felt loved and supported in their own ways. But now, with her hands full as a stepmom on this business trip, all she could do was apologize and hope that he would understand.
As soon as the time came for her to leave, Bella gathered Jeanne in her arms, holding him close as if refusing to let go. "I am so sorry about this," she whispered into his ear, her voice shaking with emotion. "You are my brave boy and I'm so proud of you. This will only be for a month; I promise we'll make up for it when I come back." She pressed a kiss to his forehead before stepping away, feeling the weight of her words and the depth of
After they left Jeanne would call Bella once a day every single day but one day Bella was out having fun at a party with Jeanne’s twin Mia and she didn’t answer her phone for the whole day and when she picked up her phone she saw all the missed calls
As soon as Bella realized that she had missed Jeanne's calls, her stomach sank. She felt awful for not answering his calls and letting him worry. Quickly excusing herself from the party with Mia, she hurried to a quiet corner where she could call him back without disturbing anyone else.
"Hey, sweetheart," she said apologetically, her voice filled with regret. "I'm so sorry I didn't answer your calls earlier. I was having a good time at the party and must have lost track of time. Are you doing okay?" She paused, listening intently for any hint of hurt or anger in his voice.
"I love you too, sugar," she added softly before promising to check in more frequently while they were apart. "And I promise we'll make up for this when I get back."
After that day Jeanne didn’t call Bella for the rest of her travel but by the end of the month when they were supposed to get back they forget about Jeanne and decided to extent their stay to have fun and enjoy themselves
The moment Bella found out about their extended stay, her heart dropped into her stomach. She felt a mixture of hurt and anger boil up inside her as she thought about how they could so easily forget their responsibilities to the people who loved them. But at the same time, she knew that it was important not to let her emotions cloud their reunion when they finally returned home.
Resolving to be strong for both of them, Bella decided that she would focus on giving them a warm welcome back and making up for any hurt feelings or disappointments in private later on. After all, family was forever, and no matter what happened in life, their love should always remain unconditional.
When they Bella and Mia finally got back home Bella rushed to Jeanne’s room but he didn’t let her in and said he hated her
Hearing those words cut through her like a knife, Bella felt the tears sting at the corners of her eyes. She tried to steady herself, taking a deep breath before softly whispering his name. "Jeanne, sweetie... I'm so sorry about what happened while we were gone. We should have communicated better and made sure you understood what was going on." Her voice was gentle, almost pleading as she spoke, her heart aching for the pain he must be feeling. "Please, let me explain and make things right between us."
She waited patiently outside his door, willing him to open up to her and trust in their bond once again.
After no response Bella just went to go work and even though Jeanne said he hated Bella the second Bella had free time Jeanne rushed to her and asked to cuddle
"Of course you can, sweetheart," Bella murmured, wrapping her arms around him as he snuggled close. She held him tightly, feeling the weight of his words and emotions pressing against her chest. "I love you so much and only want what's best for you. I know we made mistakes, but please believe that my intentions have always been good."
She rocked him gently, willing her words to sink in as she waited patiently for him to open up more about how he was feeling.