2.
As she slept Isabel wrestled in her sleep. Darkness covered her thoughts but the words of an unknown man could be clearly heard.
"You will always be mine," he said.
"I've never been yours," Isabel said into the unknown.
"Oh but you have and you will be again. It's our destiny my love, you'll see soon enough and you'll see me."
Isabel awoke to Michael shaking her shoulder. She sat up a little too quickly thankful she was still sitting on the couch since the dizziness made her want to lie back down.
"What are you doing here Michael?"
"I came to check on you."
"Me or your heir?"
"Hey you know that's not fair."
Isabel shook her head as she started to feel slightly normal again. "You're right I'm sorry."
"Are you okay," he said coming to sit at the arm rest of the couch. "You seemed like you were having a bad nap."
"Just a dream that's all."
Michael moved uncomfortably in his spot. "You're not pregnant again are you? We're not expecting twins or anything?"
Isabel shot him a look, "Very funny," she said.
Though in all seriousness she knew it wasn't funny at all. She had all ready gotten pregnant once from a dream who was to say that if she dreamt about Michael like that again that she could end up pregnant. Or worse, what if she could get pregnant through a dream but by the other man in her dream? A chill ran down Isabel's spine. She had no idea who the man was. His face had been cloaked in darkness and only his voice could be heard but in his voice she could hear malice and control.
"Have you eaten anything," Michael asked thinking that was the reason for Isabel's shiver.
Isabel shook her head still too nervous to speak. Michael made his way over to the kitchen and Isabel threw the blanket onto the couch and walked behind him.
"What are you doing?"
Michael looked in the fridge, "Making you something to eat what does it look like?"
"Um, no you're not. Michael I'm fine."
"Yeah sure I can see that by the dark circles under your eyes. It's just a sub sandwich and apple slices alright? Look Iz, if you're not gonna take care of yourself then at least take care of the baby."
"I don't know if I can," Isabel said placing her hands on the counter and looking down. She then looked up at Michael. "Seriously Michael, what are we thinking? Why would we even want to bring a baby into this world, with the lives we live it's too dangerous. We are constantly looking over our backs every second if not from Valenti then someone else and we are constantly lying. Do we really expect a child to go through that to put him in the way of added danger that our lives cause?"
Michael stopped messing with the food at hand. "I've thought about that too but you know what I've also thought about? I've thought about the kind of dangers that the rest of the world goes through. I've thought about the kind of parents this kid will have. You'd be a great mother Iz, I know that. I doubt I'd be as good a parent as you but I sure as hell would try and I've thought about how right this all feels. I know it's strange, I mean the two of us having a kid together but in an odd way I can't imagine having one with anyone else."
So there it was Isabel thought the one thing she had always been afraid of admitting out loud but now that Michael had there seemed to be no harm in doing so.
"I can't imagine it with anyone else either. At the same time though I'm not sure if I'm quite ready for a relationship."
Michael nodded. "Me neither since I just got out of one."
"You broke things off with Maria, why?" Isabel asked fearing what the answer might be.
"She was too flighty and plus we were always arguing. I just don't think it would've worked," Michael said giving her the half of the answer that she wanted.
Isabel just nodded and accepted it. "Guess I should call things off with Alex."
"Just because I broke up with Maria I don't want you to feel like you need to do the same thing. I want you to live your life the way you want Iz, not out of obligation."
"Isn't that what you're doing?"
"Not really. You and the baby don't seem like an obligation to me, it's more of a purpose and that's something I've never really had before."
Isabel stared at Michael for a short time. They had always been open and honest with each other but never this much. It was kind of refreshing in the sense that it somehow made things better, made them closer in a way they didn't think was quite possible on a friendship level.
Still though she would call things off with Alex. He didn't deserve to have a girlfriend who was pregnant by another guy much less be in a relationship with a girl who had a baby in high school. He deserved so much more than that.
Isabel shifted her feet. "So are you gonna let that food spoil or what, I'm starving."
Michael smiled glad that Iz had found her appetite. "One sub, apple slices, and a glass of milk coming up."
Isabel smiled at Michael and went over to take a seat at the kitchen table content on watching him work.
