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Chapter 10

Isabelle leaned on the wall glaring at Frank.

"Look what you've done," Frank whispered fiercely, trying to listen through the door.

Isabelle laughed, "Oh please. If I got what I wanted I would be gone."

Frank stared at Isabelle, "You don't talk like you are five all the time."

"Neither do you," Isabelle retorted.

Frank stood up straight and said proudly, "That is because my mother and father taught me a lot of vocabulary. I am at least five years ahead."

Isabelle scoffed, "Big deal. So am I."

Frank stared at her, "Then why do you call your Dad, Daddy?"

Isabelle frowned, "Because, he is my Daddy and my best friend. Plus, I am still five."

Frank sighed, "I see."

Isabelle's gaze softened, "I know that it must be hard for you. I don't know what would happen if my dad got hurt. I don't know what it is like to be in your shoes, but we are more like each other than you would like to believe."

Frank cocked his head, "What?"

Isabelle sighed, "Your mommy told me how you can't have brothers and sisters. I can't either."

Frank looked down, "Why do you care?"

Isabelle sighed, "It doesn't matter."

Just then the door began to open.

Frank jumped away from the door and stood by Isabelle's side. Isabelle and Frank looked at the door startled.

Martin stood in the door way shaking his head, "Oh, Isabelle, honey you have really gotten us in trouble this time."

Isabelle glanced at Frank and back at her father startled, "Daddy, did I get you fired again?"

Martin shook his head, "No, darling, just the opposite."

Isabelle frowned, "What did I do?"

Martin shook his head again, "You are now to come to work with me every day…"

Isabelle ran up and gave her father a hug, "Yay!"

"But, I will still need to work," Martin cautioned.

"Oh, I will be extra good, Daddy, maybe Jen will want my help," Isabelle chattered excitedly.

Martin smiled, nervously, "Well dear, she does…"

Isabelle beamed.

"She wants you to be Frank's playmate. You are to keep him company every day, during the breaks, at school, and after school," Martin finished.

Isabelle frowned, "What?"

Frank scowled, "Excuse me, doctor, but I don't…"

Martin shook his head, "It is your parent's decision Frank, not mine."

"I need to talk to Mr. Pane and Jen, Daddy! I cannot be friends with him!" Isabelle frowned.

Martin folded his arms, "Isabelle, you chose to misbehave, and now you are in a bit of a pickle. I am afraid you will have to pay the consequences."

Isabelle folded her arms and began to pout, "But I don't want to spend time with an arrogant brat."

Martin scowled, "I do not want to ever hear those words come out of your mouth again, Isabelle. Am I understood?"

Isabelle bowed her head, "Yes Daddy."

"Now, go play with Frank. I have to work some more," Martin ordered.

Isabelle nodded, sulking, as she watched the door close shut once more.

Martin shut the door behind him and sighed.

Jen smiled, "So is she willing?"

Martin nodded, "More or less. She will be coming every day, however, being respectful, I do not see how this plan is going to work."

Jen grinned, "In time those two will be very close. Maybe they will find they need another friend."

Martin nodded, but muttered under his breath, "Or maybe she will be stubborn and they will clash again."

Alex cleared his throat, "If we have quite figured out the situation, then I would like to continue my recovery process."

Martin nodded, "Yes, of course. I apologize."

The two children walked back to Frank's room sulking. Isabelle entered the room first, followed by Frank.

She turned around to face Frank, "This is all your fault, if you could just learn to be nice."

"My fault?" Frank shouted, "If you learned not to go running to your Daddy every time something went wrong, then we wouldn't be in this mess."

Isabelle scowled, "Well because of both of us, we are both stuck in this mess!"

Frank shook his head, "This is your fault."

"You still act like you are five," Isabelle muttered.

"What?" Frank asked, defensively.

"Oh, you heard me," Isabelle snapped.

Frank threw his hands up in the air in exasperation, "Ugh! I just don't know what to do!"

Isabelle sat down on the floor, crossing her legs Indian style, and folding her arms, "So we are in the same boat."

"If only I could go for a ride," Frank whispered.

Isabelle looked up at Frank in surprise, "Ride what? A boat?"

Frank rolled his eyes, "Horses."

"You like horses?" Isabelle gasped.

Frank stared at Isabelle like she was stupid, "Like horses? Are you kidding? We own a stable. I have my own horse."

Isabelle's mouth dropped open, "I just… I didn't know that boys liked ponies too."

Frank bristled, "Brave knights went to battle on horses. Horses were not meant to be a girl's pet."

Isabelle nodded, "I love the story of knights, especially the knights that had a lot of camels."

Frank cocked his head, puzzled, "What?"

"Well, there is a story that my daddy tells me. It is about this king, named Arthur and his amazing wizard servant, Merlin. Arthur has this pretty wife and these knights that use knives to fight enemies who try and attack the lot of camels…" Isabelle tried to explain.

Frank smiled, "My dad used to tell a story about a guy named King Arthur too, and the Merlin guy!"

Isabelle stood up in excitement, beaming.

Frank's smile fell, "I loved listening to that story, but when he got sick, he stopped telling it to me. He got too tired. I wish he would get better…"

Isabelle put a reassuring hand on Frank's shoulder, "My dad will make yours get better. I promise."

Frank looked at Isabelle, hopefully, "Do you really think he can?"

Isabelle nodded, "Yes. If anyone can help your dad, it would be my daddy."

Frank smiled, but quickly shrugged Isabelle's hand off his shoulder.

Isabelle looked at him in shock and in frustration and turned her back to him. She walked over to his bedroom window and stared at the stables below.

Frank followed her gaze and smiled, "Do you like to ride horses?"

Isabelle leaned her head on the glass window, "Yes. My mommy and daddy have only taken me once. It was at a carnival, and the horses were forced to go in circles. I loved every minute of it. I felt like a princess in the stories Daddy told me about."

"Would you like to ride one of our horses?" Frank questioned.

Isabelle turned around, her blue eyes twinkling in excitement, "Oh, yes!"

Frank grinned, "Do you want to go see the horses?"

Isabelle nodded her head, enthusiastically, "Oh please, can we?"

Frank nodded and Isabelle jumped up and down in excitement. She ran over and gave Frank a hug and jumped back in shock. Frank stood there just as startled.

"Sorry," Isabelle whispered, shyly.

Frank shook his head, "Don't worry. My dad told me girls don't really have cooties."

Isabelle laughed, "That is what my Daddy told me too."

Frank turned around and looked back at Isabelle, "Last one to the stables is a… arrogant brat."

Isabelle giggled and charged down the hall. The two children ran together to the stables. Isabelle burst forward and beat Frank, only by a couple of feet.

"I was right!" She crooned.

Frank stood by her, catching his breath, "About what?"

"You are an arrogant brat!" She laughed.

Frank laughed too, "Come on. Let me tell you about our horses."

Isabelle grinned and followed after Frank. Maybe being friends with Frank Pane wouldn't be so bad after all.

Author's Note: I hope you liked it! I loved writing it. Yes, I do realize they sound very mature for their age, but I blame their parents. ;) Anyway I really do hope you like it and the new chapter will be posted soon! Thanks again for the support! :D