Page 8 of Finding Redemption

“Damned right we will.”

ChapterFive

Brooke

After adding a little more product,I secured Bella’s hair into a perfect knot on top of her head.With the gray capri pants, off-white tunic, boots, and armbands, she was Rey personified.By the time I stepped back to inspect her with an approving nod, she was practically vibrating with excitement.

Grabbing my phone, I took a few pictures of the birthday girl to send to Sariah since she hadn’t returned to the bedroom yet.

“Let me see!”Bella glanced over my arm at the screen as I selected three of the pictures to send to my friend.“I look so pretty.”

“You are beautiful,” I agreed with a smile, tucking the phone away after hitting send.“I think it’s time to put on my cloak, and then we can start your party.”

Her happy glow dimmed.I wasn’t sure who I was angrier with, her friends or the faceless nanny, Kayla.Taking her smaller hands in mine, I crouched down in front of her.

“When I was a little girl, I didn’t have any friends,” I confided.

“Why?”

I shrugged, fighting the knot of emotion that tried to choke me.“There were a bunch of reasons, most of which I didn’t understand until I was much older.But I have friends now.Riah is one.”

“And me,” Bella announced, her little fingers twisting in mine until she was the one holding my hands.“I’m your friend too, Brooke.”

“And I am your friend, Bella,” I said softly.“You don’t understand yet, but trust me when I tell you that having a few great friends is a million times better than having many people who are just pretending.”

“It’s not about friends.”Her chin wobbled.“I just don’t want to be lonely anymore, Brooke.”

Heart breaking because I got that more than she realized, I pulled her in for a hug.“Yeah, precious.I completely understand.”The endearment slipped out without my giving it much thought, other than it felt natural to say to Bella.Pulling back so I could see her face, I offered her an encouraging smile.“How about, for the day, we not care about what anyone else thinks is cool?”

She nibbled her bottom lip but gave me a nod.

I straightened and reached for my cloak.“Yay!Okay, let me think… You are Bella-Rey, my faithful Jedi warrior slash bodyguard.I need to be escorted to the most prestigious party in the galaxy, but the dreadful Sith Lord wants to kidnap me, Princess Brooke.”

“Yes!”She grabbed her lightsaber and flipped it on.“I’ll protect you better than any other Jedi, Princess Brooke.”

“I know you will.You have my complete faith, Bella-Rey.”

After I put the cloak on over my dress and tucked my hair beneath the hood, she helped me strap on a lightsaber—just in case the Sith Lord ambushed us and we needed an extra weapon.Adjusting the hood down over my face, I clasped my hands together.

“Ready?”she asked solemnly.

“Ready,” I affirmed, pressing my lips into a firm line to keep from grinning.I’d never had so much fun at a party before, and technically, the party hadn’t even begun yet.

Eyes on the floor in front of me, I gave my trusty Jedi complete control, allowing her to escort me through the treacherous halls, down the winding staircase of doom, and into the great room of despair—or so Bella-Rey assured me.We arrived unharmed.I could hear laughter and voices while instrumental versions of Disney princess songs played in the background.

And then we stepped into the party, and I sensed my new friend freezing up.

I peeked at the others in the room, seeing men in dress shirts and slacks.A few women were dressed in designer dresses, but the majority of the mothers were dolled up as sexy versions of various princesses, while little girls stood around in groups of threes and fours, dressed, I assumed, as their own favorite princesses.

“Do you sense danger, Bella-Rey?”I asked quietly, trying to pull her back into our make-believe world.

She reached her hand up and grasped mine.“They’re going to think I look stupid.I should have just been Tiana like Kayla said.”

“DoIlook stupid?”Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a few people look our way.Giggles reached my ears, some amused, some in that irritating, high-pitched, mean-girl way that made me want to pull someone’s hair.Not all of them were from the little girls.

Bella-Rey’s brow furrowed, her brown eyes raking over me critically.“No.You look beautiful.And mysterious.But also like a princess.”She huffed.“It’s a princess party, Brooke.And I’m not a princess.I’m a Jedi.”

“Exactly.”I squeezed her fingers and then released her, once again folding my hands together in front of me.“They’re just jealous because they aren’t awesome enough to have their own Jedi bodyguard to protect them.How sad.”

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