For the days that followed Isabella stayed away from both the diner and Dragonfly, or anywhere she was bound to run into Lorelai, and she gave Luke the space he needed to be with April. She kept busy with school, and as far as Luke knew she was holed up in the Library most days, which she was half the time, the other she spent most of her time at a park in Woodbridge.
"Hey Luke, Isabella home yet?" Jess asked.
"Uh, no. At least I haven't seen her walk through the diner as yet, but she could have while I was out back. Do you want me to get her to call you back?" he asked.
"No, I'll try her cell. Thanks anyway. How are you doing?" Jess asked. Though Luke never told him what had happened between him and Lorelai, Liz had kept him informed, and Isabella whom he was extremely close to.
"I'm getting there. Thanks for asking. You coming to visit any time soon?"
"Well Isabella has been doing a lot of pleading and blackmailing."
"I bet she has. She misses you.
"I know. Hey Luke, how she coping? With you know, the break up. She's pretty close to Lorelai, so I would assume she's feeling her absence."
"But why would they not see each other?" Luke said confused.
"I don't think it's that simple Luke." It suddenly occurred to Luke how withdrawn Isabella had been, and how she had stayed away from the diner most afternoons, if not all afternoon. He had assumed she was at the Dragonfly which is where she normally was if she wasn't at the Diner.
"Look, I know you got your hands full, but I think she may be finding it hard. She asked if she could come and visit, and I would love for her to, you know that, but it made me wonder if she's running from something."
"Since when did you become so good with communication?" Luke asked touched at Jess' concern for his Aunt who was a few years his junior.
"Evolvement hey. Just keep an eye out on her. Would hate for her to feel like she no longer has a place to belong."
"Thanks for the call Jess, will look into it and update you."
After hanging up Luke picked up the phone and called Sookie at the Inn.
"Hey Sook, it's Luke."
"Hey, what's up?" she asked surprised that he had called.
"Has Isabella been there lately?"
"Ugh, no. Not since…"
"Since?"
"Since she first got back. It was a little awkward and I guess it freaked her out so she left. I know Lorelai tried to get in touch with her to make sure she was ok but she hasn't taken her calls. Lorelai has tried to catch her at her hang outs but she hasn't been there. Well all except your diner of course."
"She hasn't been here either, I thought she was hanging with you guys and helping out at the Inn as she used to."
"She's probably just giving you space to be with April."
"I'm worried." He admitted.
"So is Lorelai. She was going to start stalking her."
"Thanks Sook, I'll try and talk to her when she gets home."
"Good luck."
Luke was close to pacing when Isabella finally entered through the diner doors.
"Isabella where have you been?" Isabella was about to give him a vague answer but saw the worried look the was all over his face.
"Woodbridge, there's a library there that I've been hanging out at. It's large and comfy, I get all my work done. It's quiet."
"You still have the Diner Iz." He said quietly. Isabella only nodded.
"I know."
"Do you?" he asked. Isabella shrugged not meeting his gaze. Luke took her arm and led her to one of the tables and sat with her.
"What's going on Iz?"
"I feel like the child in a custody battle that nobody wants." Isabella looked away and wiped her eyes and looked back down at her hands. Isabella felt silly saying it out loud, but that's how she felt. For the longest time, she has been the centre of Luke's life and somehow earned her own special place in Lorelai's life, and now with the arrival of April, and the break up, there was no place where she felt she belonged. It was like she lost the closest thing to parents she had.
"Iz…I'm still here, and I'm sure Lorelai is still there, to the best of her capacity. Sookie told me she's been trying to get in touch with you and you've been blowing her off." Isabella shrugged.
"It's ok. I'm ok. It doesn't matter anymore." Isabella said rising from the table and heading upstairs without a word. Luke watched helplessly realising that he has not only neglected Lorelai, but Isabella too. Just as he was about to stand up he caught Lorelai pacing from across the street. He knew she was there for Isabella.
"You're more than welcome to go up if you want." He said looking down at his shoes. Lorelai looked up surprised not realising he'd spotted her. He watched her hesitate for a moment before nodding. Lorelai knew that if she didn't corner Isabella now, she will never get an opportunity.
"She says she feels like a kid in a custody battle that nobody wants." He said as she walked past him. Lorelai stopped, horrified.
"I screwed up. I did that." Lorelai's heart went out to him, it took all her strength not to touch him.
"You didn't do it alone. I helped on this one." She replied quietly before going inside.
Isabella was sitting on the windowsill with hear Ipod on and eyes closed. She didn't so much hear Lorelai's entrance but felt a presence. She took a deep breath before opening her eyes and glancing towards the door where she stood. Lorelai gave her a small wave.
"Hey Kid, you're hard to nail down these days."
"Just trying to not make an uncomfortable situation even more uncomfortable,"
"Oh Iz,"
"It's fine Lorelai, really. I get it. It's a lot more complicated than just being able to pick up where we left off."
"I'm sorry you got the brunt end of the deal Iz I didn't mean to hurt you."
"I know that."
"What are you doing tonight?" Lorelai asked.
"Hanging here. Luke is going to April's parent teacher night, so I was going to help out at the diner."
"Rory's coming home tonight and we're having a movie night. Why don't we drop by here and we can all eat together and we head on over to my place for a movie night. Sleep over." Lorelai watched Isabella's distinct hesitation.
"Come on Iz, it'll be fun." Lorelai felt horrible to see the distrust in Isabella's eyes, as though she's expecting to get hurt.
"Uh sure. I'll let Luke know." She gave in uncertainly.
"I'll see you in a couple of hours."
"Okay. Thanks." Isabella said quietly.
