My life didn't please me, so I created my life.
-Coco Chanel
ps,
I am still taking requests for what you would like to see in the third installment, so drop me a message if you have any ideas!
...
It would be the first time they all hung out in a while. Isabelle wanted to make sure her family and close friends all had a great evening, even if it meant spending absurd amounts of money on good food and spectacular entertainment. In another life, where she had not already been married, she would have considered this gathering to be an engagement party. But really, she just wanted to see everyone's lovely faces before things could change again.
The backyard of the Institute had been decked out in formal decorations with complicated flower arrangements and enormous glittering ribbons. There was a bar and a band situated in the courtyard.
Currently, Izzy was trying to clean the multitude of layers of chocolate off of Liam's face and hands and even his shirt front, "You really like that chocolate fountain, don't you?" She laughed as he licked the fingers she hadn't gotten to yet.
"Yes. It's good, Mommy."
"I'm glad you like it-"
"Isabelle, there's someone at the door for you." Clary whispered to her after returning from the family room to feed Alaya.
Isabelle looked away from Liam and saw the gravity in her friend's eyes. Her face had gone pale and she looked nervous, "Who is it?"
Clary just shook her head and pushed past Isabelle to rejoin the party.
"Okay then…" She picked Liam up, careful not to get chocolate on her blush colored silk dress. His mini tuxedo was already quite covered with the stuff, despite her efforts to remove it.
Isabelle's spirits plummeted when she walked into the foyer and saw who was standing there.
"Isabelle, please-" Robert said sternly as she began to turn around.
"I need you to leave." Isabelle growled through clenched teeth.
"I just want to say one thing and you can do with it as you'd like." He looked tired, like he had slept in ages. Dark circles surrounded his eyes and his hair had grayed even more since the last time she'd seen him, just a little over a year ago.
"Really?" Isabelle snapped, "Today, of all days, you had to come and interrupt-" She cut herself off and brushed her hand over Liam's face as he began to talk, "Who is that, Mommy?"
Robert looked at his grandson as if it were his first time seeing him, "Oh, Liam. You've gotten so big." He held his arms out, eyes pained, "Can I please hold him-"
"Don't you dare." Isabelle held her son away from him, "You're not going to screw up your family and force your way into mine just to screw that up, too. Liam doesn't need a sorry excuse for a grandfather-"
"Iz…" Simon had appeared in the doorway and he didn't say anything else, just came in to take Liam from her and then left.
Isabelle covered her face with her hands, trying to keep her tears back, but Robert just kept talking, "I messed up, Isabelle. You think I don't know that? Not a day has gone by where I don't regret what I did. And seeing that my own child hates me and my own grandchild doesn't know who I am just amplifies my regret and my hatred for myself. Isabelle." There were tears in his eyes and his voice cracked, "I am so, truly sorry for what I did. And I am so sorry for hurting you."
Isabelle stood there with her lips pursed for a moment before responding curtly, "Okay."
"I've already spoken with your mother and Alec." Robert took a deep breath in, "It took me awhile to get to you since when you set your mind to something, it's very hard for you to let it go. And I know you really did not want to see me if you didn't have to…"
Izzy nodded, then spoke hesitantly, "I don't think you should come in now...but we can talk-all of us-tomorrow."
Robert nodded once and that was enough for Isabelle. She gave a half smile and then closed the door, leaning against it as she sighed.
…
"You okay?" Simon pressed close to Isabelle, whose eye makeup was slightly smudged and eyes were red. He squeezed her hand in his and stroked his thumb over her cheekbone, "What happened?"
The party still went on around them as they stood off to the side by the drink bar. Isabelle drank tequila shots and Simon had a glass of champagne. Isabelle's mood had dropped since her father's return and Simon could feel the negative energy rolling off of her. With each shot, though, she grew less and less anxious.
"I'm great." She wiped at her eyes, "He...just...wanted to...apologize." She wasn't drunk, just tipsy, but she had trouble finding her words.
Simon brushed hair out of her face and smiled, "And did you forgive him?"
Izzy shrugged, "I'm not sure. We're going to talk tomorrow."
"Really?"
"Uh huh." She took a bite of a lemon and pouted, "Simon?"
"Yes, babe."
"Where are our kids?"
Simon looked out over the party and laughed, "Layla is running around with Beau and Mia, Kaden is drinking what I think and hope is cranberry juice with Magnus, and Liam is dunking himself in the chocolate fountain."
"Oh God." She leaned forward and dropped her face into her hands, "I'm getting too drunk for this." A giggle cut her off, "At least I don't have to drive home."
"True-okay, Liam, that's gotta be enough." Simon rose from his seat and quickly grabbed his son before all the chocolate was able to cover his body, "You're a mess, an actual mess." He winced, "And the party just started, too."
"Give him to me. I think you're being dramatic, Si. It's not all over. Just his face, his hands, his shirt, and his...hair?"
"Exactly."
Isabelle blinked slowly and bent down to kiss his cheek, "At least you taste good-"
"Come on, stop being lame and join the party!" Jace shouted from the midst of the festivities.
So Simon and Isabelle forgot about Liam's mess and dragged him to the dance floor, where they surrounded themselves with their family's never ending energy and let go of all their worries to enjoy the night.
…
The next day, Isabelle woke early to beat the rush of screeching children to get ready and prepare breakfast, giving Simon time to sleep in. She had been kept up all night, not just by the alcohol she had consumed, but also the thought of having to see her father again and possibly knotting off old ties with him. Her stomach hurt and churned with nausea, but she bit back her nerves as best as she could in order to function properly.
Everyone must have been wiped out from the party last night because they slept soundly, even when she returned from walking Beau.
There was still half an hour until she had to meet with her family in Idris at her father's office, but she really wanted to make sure she didn't leave without at least saying goodbye to Simon.
Isabelle went upstairs and brushed her fingers through his hair to get him to wake up, "Hi." She spoke softly when his eyes fluttered open.
"Hi." He mumbled sleepily, "Why are you all dressed up?"
"I'm going to Idris, remember? To see the Inquisitor, otherwise known as my father." She sighed and stood up, "I just wanted to say good morning before I left."
Simon sat up, the muscles in his upper body tensing beneath his shirt as he did so, "How are up so early after all that tequila?"
"It's only nine o'clock, Si. And I feel extremely nauseous, but I'm dealing with it." Isabelle smiled, "How are you feeling? Did that champagne really mess you up?"
Simon covered his face with his pillow and laughed, "Babe, I had shots with you, so don't even try me right now."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Izzy leaned down to pluck the pillow off his face so she could kiss him square on the mouth, "I made breakfast and took Beau on a walk to make things easier for you while I'm gone. Don't let the kids have any sugar this morning, Simon, I mean it. They were bouncing off the walls last night."
"Babe, I know how to take care of our kids." Simon moaned, "But thank you anyway. I truly do love and appreciate you."
…
Isabelle arrived in Idris expecting to stay for at most an hour, but ended up getting nearly a full day with her family. It had been a long time since they had all been together and she felt warmed by the thought that she might not need to worry about not seeing them all together again. Robert's zoology was sincere and frankly, Isabelle was tired of holding grudges and harvesting negative emotions. She thought it was time to forget about all the drama and start fresh. As long as her mother was okay with it.
By the time Isabelle got home, the sun was setting and her makeup was creasing from smiling and frowning so damn much. She felt a little bad because she had told Simon she would be gone for no more than two hours, but he had to deal with the kids by himself all day.
"Mommy's home!" Layla was the first to see Isabelle in the doorway to the kitchen. She waved from her seat at the table, where Simon had, by the looks of it, just begun to serve dinner. He looked up from their plates and smiled at Isabelle, relief flooding his features, "Hey, babe."
"Hi." Isabelle went around the table, handing out kisses until she got to her spot and sat down next to Simon, "How was your day?"
He shrugged, "Wonderful. I took the kids to the park, wore them out so that they would not be crazy, and when we got home, they napped for four hours…" Simon gestured to their children, "Now here we are."
Isabelle struggled to hold her laughter back, "Really?"
"No, they were awful. Just terrible." Simon chuckled, looking at Liam, "Yeah, I'm talking to you, bud."
"Mama said no." Liam exclaimed, "I'm good."
Isabelle pursed her lips, "I'm not sure what 'Mama' he's talking about because I never said that."
…
After Simon and Isabelle finished tucking the kids in, they fired up the shower and prepared for bed. They decided to end their night with a few glasses of wine in bed.
"I was right." Isabelle said into her pillow, "I have finally taken a hold on life and learned how to control it. My family is back together and my babies are healthy and…" She looked at Simon through her lashes, "My husband is sexy as ever. Didn't I tell you life would go smoothly from now on?"
Simon laid down next to her, draping his arm over her waist, "Famous last words."
"Not for me and not for us." Isabelle climbed on top of him and waited for him to sit up with her straddling his waist until she spoke again, "Well...tonight might be a little rough, I guess." She winked, "In a good way."
Simon chuckled and ran his hands down her back, "God, I love you." He kissed her neck until she moaned and then pulled her in for a tight embrace, "Here's to a renewed life filled with chance and happiness."
Isabelle raised her wine glass and touched it to Simon's before taking a short swig and giggling, "You're so cheesey, but…" She leaned her forehead against his, "That's why I love you."
He bit his lip and kissed her, "You love me?"
"More than you'll ever know."
…
So that was the final chapter of Stop and Stare. Congratulations! You've made it to the end! There will be a third installment, though it will be shorter and probably more...dramatic (is that even possible at this point, though, because we all know I tend to do the most with these stories).
So anyway, thank you all soooooo much for reading. I really appreciate all of you and your wonderful feedback.
On with the next story (which I have already started writing, so you won't have to wait long)!
Here's to new beginnings,
Hayley
ps,
I am still taking requests for what you would like to see in the third installment, so drop me a message if you have any ideas!
