The stillness in the room crept into Isabella's heart as she focused
on remembering the details to those blurry days of her life. "For the first
few days after Jackie's death and my mother's sudden absence, I'd convinced
myself it was all a dream. Stubbornly, since being stubborn is a strong
trait in my family, I proclaimed to those around me that I would wake up
momentarily and Mum and Jackie would be right there to meet me." She
stopped and snorted at her stupidity. "What an imagination, yes? I've
always had a bit of an overactive one. Always blurring the line between
reality and fantasy. It's why Malone says I'm a good writer. It also lowers
my credibility among adults. That's why no one really believed me when I
first told them about Gabrielle...."
Gabrielle was in her early twenties when we first met. No one was quite sure of her past life before coming to New London, and no one was sure where she went on her day off, Sunday. She had Sunday off because, once we moved to New London, Father decided we had to show up for church every week, sit in a front pew and behave like normal people. Jack and I joined the choir. Jack, for his age, had a very sweet treble voice.
Just weeks after my life was turned upside down, Gabrielle announced she was pregnant. And she told everyone the father was my father. I knew then, and even know now, that cannot be true. I remember the way my father looked at Mum, and I see, even now, the way he looks at her, and he is far too in love for what Gabrielle says he did. It is impossible. There is little these days I trust and believe in, but one of those is that my dad is more in love with my mum than words can express. John Roxton fathering another woman's child was impossible.
But rumors grew, and as did Gabrielle's stomach. Soon Nathaniel Woods was born. And now, instead of Gabrielle being my nanny, I became Nathan's.
And, as the anniversary of my brother's death approached, my father began to seek comfort in Gabrielle. I hated every minute of it.
One night, after I watching Nathan all day and then putting him to bed, he awoke screaming in the middle of the night. I tried my best to quiet him but nothing worked. Gabrielle stalked in and screamed at me before sending me for a bottle. I returned with it, but in a daze from sleepiness and with poor eyesight in the dark, I tripped and the bottle fell and shattered.
That is the first time she beat me.
******* Her words hung in the air for minutes as she struggled to regain her composure and wipe the tears from her face.
"I think that's enough for this evening, Bella," Challenger announced with no room for argument in his tone. Outside the sun was setting and the moon was peeking its head over the trees. "We've all had a very emotional day. It would be best if you got some sleep. Unless of course you want some dinner."
"No, sir, I'm not very hungry." She didn't look it either. She looked sick to her stomach.
"Since Finn is back, she can sleep in my bed tonight. I'll sleep on the couch," Roxton announced.
She smiled her thanks. "You don't have to, John. I can sleep on the couch."
"No, Isabella. I insist."
"Thank you," she said quietly. "I'll just go get my bag."
Isabella walked barefoot to Finn's room, removed her bag and sleepily crashed into Roxton's room.
Wordlessly, everyone else either retreated to their own rooms or fixed himself or herself some dinner.
"Look at this," Finn announced, coming out of her room with a small metal object and a photograph in hand. "This must have fell out of her bag."
Those awake, Veronica, Roxton, and Malone came over to the table where she'd laid it and studied the objects. The picture was more recent, maybe a year ago, and showed Isabella, a blond boy and a Zanga boy a couple years older. On the back was scrawled, "Isabella, 13, Layton, 12, Cobi, 15."
"There's your boy," Roxton said, pointing to the blond boy in the middle before drifting his gaze to the metal object. His hand fell to his pinky to find his signet ring still in place, but there it sat before him along with Marguerite's locket on a chain.
"That's my ring."
"And that's Marguerite's locket," Veronica said, momentarily taking her eyes off of her future son.
"If there was any doubt." Roxton started.
"You know as well as I that there wasn't any doubt, Roxton, just look at her!" Malone cried. "Every part of her that isn't you is Marguerite. There is no denying it."
"I wonder what Jack was like?" Roxton mused. "Is going to be like, rather. I bet those two get into lots of trouble."
"You'll have your hands full," Malone laughed.
"What about you? Seems Isabella and Layton get along famously. I see lots of trouble there too," Roxton replied.
"Cobi? That's what Assai calls her son, Jacobi," Veronica said.
"Yeah," Malone agreed.
******
When Marguerite fell asleep that night, she had many things on her mind. Internally she was grieving for the son who wasn't even born yet. He wasn't even a thought that was on anyone's mind before that day. But she didn't expect such a vivid and painful dream as she had that night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Isabella! Isabella! What happened to Nathaniel's blanket?" an unfamiliar voice called through an echoing hall.
A girl of twelve stepped out of a room with a white blanket firmly in her curled fist and an annoyed look on her now familiar face. She stormed down the hall and the scene panned to follow her. She tossed the blanket into another open door, avoiding a nicely dressed servant who made his way out of the room with dirty dishes.
"I'm going to Layton's," she cried harshly and turned heel.
"No you aren't! You have some questions to answer," the voice growled in return.
A woman with strawberry blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun stepped from the room as she tried to run off. The woman grabbed Isabella's wrist and spun her back around. A slight pop could be heard echoing through the hall and Isabella grimaced.
"Where did the bruise on Nathaniel's forehead come from?"
In a tight voice, the girl, obviously holding back tears, answered, "I don't know! I wasn't watching him when he got it."
"Exactly! You have to pay attention to him," the woman returned and cuffed her soundly on the left side of her head.
"Henry had him, Gabrielle! Layton and I were fencing!" she cried, tears slipping down her cheeks now.
"But I told you to watch him!" She raised her hand again to slap her when a shout entered the hall.
"Don't touch her!" An elevenish boy bolted into the room and pushed the woman out of the way. Gabrielle grabbed the boy and pushed him into the door, where he hit his head. Then she clutched Isabella by her injured wrist and her throat.
The boy looked up at her with hatred, blond curls sloppy and blue eyes screaming lightning bolts. He picked himself up and buffed out his chest bravely.
"I'll tell her father what you do! And my parents will know too! You'll be run out of town," he shouted.
"Layton, don't bother," Isabella said weakly.
"If you tell anyone what happened here, your friend will not be able to come out and play for many weeks. I doubt she'll even be able to walk. Now get out and keep this to yourself." Letting go of Isabella's neck, she pulled Layton up and pushed him towards the door. "Get out!"
His eyes locked with Isabella's and the girl whimpered and nodded.
He ran out.
"As for you." Gabrielle said, pushing her away roughly. "You get out, too. Go clean up and make up and excuse for the wrist. Go on. Watch your attitude and mind you don't tell your father."
Isabella ran off just as Gabrielle added, "Not that he'd believe you."
Bella woke up and just couldn't get back to sleep. She made her way into the main room of the tree house. John was fast asleep in the couch, snoring rather loudly. She giggled and approached the table. A photograph her and Layton and Cobi was there, as long as her necklace with her father's ring and her mother's locket. She quickly picked up the necklace and closed her fingers around it. She couldn't believe she'd let it fall out of her bag. If it had been anywhere else and she'd lost it.. She'd kill herself!
Isabella missed Layton and Cobi. They were her best friends and the only ones who knew about Gabrielle. Cobi, the heir to the chief of the Zanga village near the tree house, often visited New London and Layton and Isabella often made long treks to the Zanga home. Isabella sighed and resolved she better go back to her bed, so the rest wouldn't worry. She grabbed the picture and went into John's room to at least try to sleep.
Author's note: Okay, that's all for now. Umm, review and tell me what you think. I took a little liberty and gave Assai and Jarl a one-year-old son, Jacobi. Hope you enjoyed!
Gabrielle was in her early twenties when we first met. No one was quite sure of her past life before coming to New London, and no one was sure where she went on her day off, Sunday. She had Sunday off because, once we moved to New London, Father decided we had to show up for church every week, sit in a front pew and behave like normal people. Jack and I joined the choir. Jack, for his age, had a very sweet treble voice.
Just weeks after my life was turned upside down, Gabrielle announced she was pregnant. And she told everyone the father was my father. I knew then, and even know now, that cannot be true. I remember the way my father looked at Mum, and I see, even now, the way he looks at her, and he is far too in love for what Gabrielle says he did. It is impossible. There is little these days I trust and believe in, but one of those is that my dad is more in love with my mum than words can express. John Roxton fathering another woman's child was impossible.
But rumors grew, and as did Gabrielle's stomach. Soon Nathaniel Woods was born. And now, instead of Gabrielle being my nanny, I became Nathan's.
And, as the anniversary of my brother's death approached, my father began to seek comfort in Gabrielle. I hated every minute of it.
One night, after I watching Nathan all day and then putting him to bed, he awoke screaming in the middle of the night. I tried my best to quiet him but nothing worked. Gabrielle stalked in and screamed at me before sending me for a bottle. I returned with it, but in a daze from sleepiness and with poor eyesight in the dark, I tripped and the bottle fell and shattered.
That is the first time she beat me.
******* Her words hung in the air for minutes as she struggled to regain her composure and wipe the tears from her face.
"I think that's enough for this evening, Bella," Challenger announced with no room for argument in his tone. Outside the sun was setting and the moon was peeking its head over the trees. "We've all had a very emotional day. It would be best if you got some sleep. Unless of course you want some dinner."
"No, sir, I'm not very hungry." She didn't look it either. She looked sick to her stomach.
"Since Finn is back, she can sleep in my bed tonight. I'll sleep on the couch," Roxton announced.
She smiled her thanks. "You don't have to, John. I can sleep on the couch."
"No, Isabella. I insist."
"Thank you," she said quietly. "I'll just go get my bag."
Isabella walked barefoot to Finn's room, removed her bag and sleepily crashed into Roxton's room.
Wordlessly, everyone else either retreated to their own rooms or fixed himself or herself some dinner.
"Look at this," Finn announced, coming out of her room with a small metal object and a photograph in hand. "This must have fell out of her bag."
Those awake, Veronica, Roxton, and Malone came over to the table where she'd laid it and studied the objects. The picture was more recent, maybe a year ago, and showed Isabella, a blond boy and a Zanga boy a couple years older. On the back was scrawled, "Isabella, 13, Layton, 12, Cobi, 15."
"There's your boy," Roxton said, pointing to the blond boy in the middle before drifting his gaze to the metal object. His hand fell to his pinky to find his signet ring still in place, but there it sat before him along with Marguerite's locket on a chain.
"That's my ring."
"And that's Marguerite's locket," Veronica said, momentarily taking her eyes off of her future son.
"If there was any doubt." Roxton started.
"You know as well as I that there wasn't any doubt, Roxton, just look at her!" Malone cried. "Every part of her that isn't you is Marguerite. There is no denying it."
"I wonder what Jack was like?" Roxton mused. "Is going to be like, rather. I bet those two get into lots of trouble."
"You'll have your hands full," Malone laughed.
"What about you? Seems Isabella and Layton get along famously. I see lots of trouble there too," Roxton replied.
"Cobi? That's what Assai calls her son, Jacobi," Veronica said.
"Yeah," Malone agreed.
******
When Marguerite fell asleep that night, she had many things on her mind. Internally she was grieving for the son who wasn't even born yet. He wasn't even a thought that was on anyone's mind before that day. But she didn't expect such a vivid and painful dream as she had that night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Isabella! Isabella! What happened to Nathaniel's blanket?" an unfamiliar voice called through an echoing hall.
A girl of twelve stepped out of a room with a white blanket firmly in her curled fist and an annoyed look on her now familiar face. She stormed down the hall and the scene panned to follow her. She tossed the blanket into another open door, avoiding a nicely dressed servant who made his way out of the room with dirty dishes.
"I'm going to Layton's," she cried harshly and turned heel.
"No you aren't! You have some questions to answer," the voice growled in return.
A woman with strawberry blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun stepped from the room as she tried to run off. The woman grabbed Isabella's wrist and spun her back around. A slight pop could be heard echoing through the hall and Isabella grimaced.
"Where did the bruise on Nathaniel's forehead come from?"
In a tight voice, the girl, obviously holding back tears, answered, "I don't know! I wasn't watching him when he got it."
"Exactly! You have to pay attention to him," the woman returned and cuffed her soundly on the left side of her head.
"Henry had him, Gabrielle! Layton and I were fencing!" she cried, tears slipping down her cheeks now.
"But I told you to watch him!" She raised her hand again to slap her when a shout entered the hall.
"Don't touch her!" An elevenish boy bolted into the room and pushed the woman out of the way. Gabrielle grabbed the boy and pushed him into the door, where he hit his head. Then she clutched Isabella by her injured wrist and her throat.
The boy looked up at her with hatred, blond curls sloppy and blue eyes screaming lightning bolts. He picked himself up and buffed out his chest bravely.
"I'll tell her father what you do! And my parents will know too! You'll be run out of town," he shouted.
"Layton, don't bother," Isabella said weakly.
"If you tell anyone what happened here, your friend will not be able to come out and play for many weeks. I doubt she'll even be able to walk. Now get out and keep this to yourself." Letting go of Isabella's neck, she pulled Layton up and pushed him towards the door. "Get out!"
His eyes locked with Isabella's and the girl whimpered and nodded.
He ran out.
"As for you." Gabrielle said, pushing her away roughly. "You get out, too. Go clean up and make up and excuse for the wrist. Go on. Watch your attitude and mind you don't tell your father."
Isabella ran off just as Gabrielle added, "Not that he'd believe you."
Bella woke up and just couldn't get back to sleep. She made her way into the main room of the tree house. John was fast asleep in the couch, snoring rather loudly. She giggled and approached the table. A photograph her and Layton and Cobi was there, as long as her necklace with her father's ring and her mother's locket. She quickly picked up the necklace and closed her fingers around it. She couldn't believe she'd let it fall out of her bag. If it had been anywhere else and she'd lost it.. She'd kill herself!
Isabella missed Layton and Cobi. They were her best friends and the only ones who knew about Gabrielle. Cobi, the heir to the chief of the Zanga village near the tree house, often visited New London and Layton and Isabella often made long treks to the Zanga home. Isabella sighed and resolved she better go back to her bed, so the rest wouldn't worry. She grabbed the picture and went into John's room to at least try to sleep.
Author's note: Okay, that's all for now. Umm, review and tell me what you think. I took a little liberty and gave Assai and Jarl a one-year-old son, Jacobi. Hope you enjoyed!