Hi here is another chapter and I hope you all enjoy. If you are a Roxy fan then you might want to skip the next-well all of the chapters following this one.

Disclaimer-Nothing is mine

Please Read and Review.

Glory Days

Chapter 8-Mother And Child Reunion

Isla and Roxy have a talk as Joey goes looking for his daughter.

For a moment they stared at each other and then her mother—and wow, that was a strange word to say even in her head—dropped down a little so that they were level.

"My God you look like your father" she said as if contemplating something.

"Where is he? Can't imagine they've let one of the girls loose without an armed guard"

"He's coming" she said confidently. That was not exactly true but she was not going to let a complete stranger bully her into anything.

And that was what her mother was, wasn't she? And it wasn't like Isla had anything to do with that.

"I suppose he didn't tell you I wanted to see you. That I've wanted to see you for a while?"

She shook her head slowly.

"No I didn't think so"

And there was that strange smile again. As if Isla was behaving exactly as her mother wanted her to. It was strange, it was so, so strange and quite frankly it made the hairs on Isla's neck stand up for some reason. It was like all those lectures they got in school about stranger danger and getting into people's vans if they didn't know her.

Besides she wasn't sure what to make of it. Wouldn't her Dad had told her if her Mum wanted to see her?

She was sure he would have done.

"Are you coming back now?"

"Not really you see…I've gotten married. And we've got a little boy. You've got a brother. And I thought you might want to see him. To be a part of our family" she smiled and Isla blinked feeling really, really unsure of what to do next.

A brother.

Wow.

"What's his name?"

"Oscar"

Oscar.

Wow.

"Look" her Mum said standing up and Isla got the impression despite the fact that she was only six, that her mother was not impressed with Isla acting slow on the uptake but really what was she supposed to do? Leap into her arms like she knew the woman? Even if Isla had been older she wouldn't have done that. She was a Boswell they didn't fall over at the first sign of affection—well Uncle Billy did but then again did Uncle Billy really count?

"So you came back for me?"

"In a manner of speaking. You see Isla. I don't know what you know about me or what that family—" she said that word through slightly gritted teeth and then continued as if nothing had happened.

"Has told you about me but I was not ready to be a Mum back then. I was very young and I assume that having you meant that your Dad and I would be living together, living our own lives free and independent of control but I had forgotten the grip in which your grandmother I suppose she is now, has him in. You see we didn't like each other. I mean we really didn't like each other and your Aunt Aveline and I really didn't like each other—your Uncles were alright I suppose but…but Joey had been everything to those two and I was the evil bitch taking him away from them and by God they made sure I knew it"

She carried on talking and Isla got the impression she had wanted to say these words to someone for years. She was speaking as if she never wanted to stop and Isla wondered if she had forgotten she was even here. Her eyes seemed to be scanning the road though what she was looking for Isla did not know.

"I don't have a problem with Nan"

Her Mum snorted not looking as if any of it was funny.

"No I suppose you don't" she said bitterly. "She's got you in the flock and poisoned you against me. Christ I hate the pair of them. Aveline couldn't lift a finger without Joey being there like a puppy dog. No wonder the woman won't leave home. They won't let her. You just remember my girl that if you want a life you aren't going to get one there. You need to get away before they ensnare you into the family trap"

"You sound like your mad" Isla said finally.

"No not mad. Free. Hell of a difference"

"If you say so. Still doesn't explain why you left"

"Because I had to. Because Isla that house was killing me. I couldn't do anything with you. I couldn't wash you or feed you or hold you because every second of every day your Nan was there telling me I was doing it wrong because it wasn't the Boswell way. I was tired and aching and Aveline was there making snide comments about my weight and my figure and your Dad tried but…but he was out all the time in those days trying to earn cash for our own place and then half of it went to the family! And I thought about taking you with me but I wouldn't have made it to the motorway without one of them following me and then it would have been a whole thing. I never had a family like Joey's and in terms of a custody battle well…I knew how the land lies but my biggest regret is that I didn't try and take you away with me because I should have done. I should have taken you far, far away from them all"

Isla listened. The picture that was being painted was a far cry from the one that she had of her family. She was not sure what was happening right now but she knew that her mother had a different view of her family than she did. Sometimes Nan and Aunt Aveline were irritating—especially Aunt Aveline when she wanted the bathroom—but she had never seen them as mean or cruel. She had never thought of her family home as stifling to someone.

"I don't know what to say"

And just like that her mother's demeanour changed and the bitter, sad woman was gone and she managed a smile though it did not meet her eyes. Isla wondered if any kind of happy thoughts or feelings would ever be shown in her mother's eyes. The same eyes that she had.

"Nothing darling. There is nothing you can say or do. There's nothing you and your Dad can do. He was…he is the only man I have ever loved and had he chosen me, protected me things…well…what does it matter now if things could have been different? But that doesn't mean that you and I cannot see each other. If you want"

Isla wasn't sure what she wanted.

Her mother bent down and touched her arms gently.

"You don't have to make any decisions now Isla. But here's my phone number. You call me anytime day or night when you've had enough or when you want to escape and I can help you. Because you're a part of me too, and a part of you will always want to be free"

Isla took the card and put it in her pocket. She was not sure what she was going to do with it.

She was horribly unsure of anything right now.

Her mother gave another weak smile and then stood up slipping her bag back on her shoulder.

"I should go now" she said softly. "Don't tell your Dad you've seen me will you? He'll try and take you away from me. They've got him welded to the wall in that house"

And then she was gone, up the embankment and out of the park before Isla could do anything. She watched her go in silence and then sat down on the wet grass blinking furiously. She was so, utterly horribly unsure of everything right now.

Even her Dad.

She sat there thinking for a very long time.

So long in fact that she did not even realise that it was growing steadily darker and colder.

The problem with public parks in this city Joey thought furiously was that they were too fucking big.

He had been tramping around for about half an hour through a park when he saw her.

Isla was sat her back against a tree her bag next to her staring into space. She had the look on her little face of someone who was thinking hard about something so strongly that she was in danger of hurting herself.

Considering that was a look not often out of place on Billy's face when he was making the important decision of what jam to have on his toast in the morning it was not a look he was unfamiliar with.

It was just strange seeing it on Isla's face.

"Have you got any idea what the time is?"

She jumped and looked at him and then looked around and Joey realised with a swoop in his stomach that whatever she had been thinking about had distracted her long enough for her to not notice him approach her which was…frightening considering he could have been…well…anyone.

"Sorry Dad" she said finally. "I guess I was lost in my own head"

"Lost in your—Isla I told you always make sure that you are home before dark. And what have I said about the park?"

"Grandad said to get lost" she said shrugging. "Where else was I supposed to go. Everyone else has a normal family to go home to."

"What does that mean?"

"It means their Nan isn't flashing her knickers to the neighbours as she's brawling with her husband's tart. Especially considering she has not divorced said husband"

Joey carefully said nothing. Personally he thought his Mam and Dad should just sign the papers and get done with it but his Mam had to be taken to that point slowly and with caution and his Dad was going to be a bitch when it came to it. The family had always been a back up as far as he was concerned—he loved his kids Joey would admit that—but when the mood took him and then left him it was always nice to have someone there.

Christ he should have never let the man back into the house.

"Yeah well it's over now. And your not to mention it cause your Nan is upset"

"Heaven forbid we upset Nan"

"Isla what's gotten into you?"

"Nothing just…well…nothing" she said finally picking up her bag.

"Well it's clearly not nothing is it?"

She opened her mouth and Joey got the impression that she was about to tell him something but then she shut it. It was odd and dare he say it he was more than a little hurt by it. He prided himself on having a good relationship with Isla and an honest one where she could come to him with anything regardless of the time, the place and the problem.

To see her closing herself off now was odd. It reminded him (as the phantom ache in his heart reminded him off) of Roxy when she had been getting ready to leave and she seemed on the cusp of telling him but then changing her mind because he knew that he would have done anything and everything to stop her.

"It's nothing Dad. Really"

He wanted to press he really did but it was cold and it was getting dark and though he didn't want to admit it he found that his sudden realisation that his daughter resembled the woman who had smashed his heart to pieces had knocked him more than he wanted to admit.

She walked past him not waiting for him and started walking towards the car.

And instead of confronting her he simply followed her up the embankment towards the JAG and away from the park completely missing the small red car under the trees half hidden from view and the woman who was watching her chaos take shape with a small smile that promised nothing good.

And there you go, I will bring you the next chapter sooner rather than later.

Next Chapter-Aveline goes to the hospital sparking the family into chaos and Isla gets advice from Martina and a hefty dose of manipulation from Roxy.