There was a noticeable coldness between my parents when Magnus and I visited that evening. Like Izzy had theorised, it seemed as though Mother had already made her mind up about whether or not her relationship could be saved. To make matters worse, Father could sense it, and the knowledge hung between them like eighteen years of betrayal.
"How goes your work, Robert?" Asked Magnus.
We once had a stage where Magnus would call my Father 'Mr Lightwood'. It didn't stick. My boyfriend gained familiarity with people quickly and although he was usually very polite to both of my parents, he didn't have a whole lot of respect for my Father.
It was fair enough. Father didn't hold Magnus in such high esteem either.
The two of them got to chatting about things I had never taken much interest in. I tried to engage Mother instead; I hated to see her looking so uncomfortable in her own house. Father being there hadn't much bothered her when it was only a part-time occurrence. Things were different with them living together, though.
People say that when you start to live with somebody, you learn a lot about them that you may not have wanted to know. I was almost completely certain there was nothing more Father could do to take Mother by surprise but maybe this kind of contact time was over stepping the line in and of itself.
As for Magnus' proposition that I should live with him; it had been a day I'd yet to give him an answer. On the way over Magnus had been joking - at least I hoped that he was joking - that now would be a great time to tell my parents that we were going to live together. I still refused to accept or decline.
When Izzy got home she ran into the living room practically skipping in glee. In her hands was a black folder, which she held out towards my Mother.
"I have had the best day!" She announced. This was unexpected, as it was a school day. Usually Izzy came home complaining about at least one teacher or task.
Mother took the folder from her and set it down on her lap as she opened it. Her puzzlement was all over her face and it didn't go away when she held the paper contents of the folder in her hands.
"Are they scripts?" She asked. Then, smiling, added; "You're in a new play?"
"Not quite..." Said Izzy. "It's information about auditions. I met Camille in the City. She gave it to me."
Today, it seemed, would be the day of unexpected things. I probably shouldn't have been particularly surprised that Camille and my sister had contact without me knowing. The two of them had really seemed to hit it off. It was just strange to see the two halves of my life beginning to merge without my knowledge.
"Camille as in... Belcourt?" Mother questioned, astonished. She spared a quick look to Magnus who looked only a little less surprised than us.
I reminded myself to find out if he'd known about Camille and Izzy meeting, or if he'd only expected it knowing his Cam's behaviour quite well.
"Your ex-wife?" My Father asked. He looked distinctly unimpressed with the idea that any of us would keep in contact with Camille.
"Cammie is more like a... Sister. I suppose." Magnus reasoned, looking thoughtful. "She took quite a liking to Isabelle at Woolsey's party."
I gave Magnus a subtle kick in the shin. My parents were still a little touchy about me taking Izzy to that party. Father turned his attentions to the papers Mother was leafing through.
"You want to go to all of these auditions?" She asked in a voice that was equal parts supportive and concerned.
"As many as I can." Izzy smiled, grabbing some papers and bringing them over so that I could see.
"Always cast a wide net in the beginning." Magnus nodded. He'd been there when Camille emerged and for her entire rise to fame. I assumed that he knew what he was talking about.
"You expect us to let you take time off school so you can be an extra?" Father scoffed, tossing one of his sheets down carelessly onto the coffee table. "Focus on your studies. Don't waste your time."
"It isn't all extra-stuff, Father." Izzy defended herself in a condescending tone. "And, anyway, experience is experience."
"There are some good directors here." Magnus added in an attempt to be helpful. He pointed to a name on the sheet I was reading, but I didn't know much about the industry and didn't recognise it.
That was when Father started to look at Magnus like his very presence offended him to the core. Which was about the same time I noticed my levels of defensiveness rising. My Father couldn't just stand there treating my boyfriend like filth and telling my sister she couldn't pursue her dreams.
"I don't care about the Directors." He said as he glowered. "Isabelle needs to study if she wants to get into College."
"Isabelle doesn't want to go to College anymore..." Mother interjected. This surprised me, because I had been under the impression both my parents agreed on Izzy's future plans. Turns out there was divided support after all.
Isabelle bit her lip and tried to look anywhere but our Father's eyes. Clearly she had not been expecting to have this conversation so suddenly. Our Mother reached out to take hold of one of her hands.
"Excuse me?" Father seethed.
"It's better to have a lot of experience than a slip of paper saying I have a degree." Isabelle declared, getting some of her confidence back. "That certificate doesn't guarantee me work."
"Now, Robert..." Mother contributed calmly. "Alexander didn't go to College and he's doing just fine."
"Alexander works a dead-end job as a glorified checkout boy." Said my Father. I stiffened and so did Magnus, on my behalf. "He shares an apartment with two other low-income teens to make ends meet!"
"Robert!" My Mother gasped.
I never realised I was ashamed of my life until he put it that way. Suddenly my world looked so small and worthless. Every boy wants to make his Father proud of him and I had clearly failed in that regard beyond miserably.
"Ignore him Alec, he's a dick!" Izzy snapped.
"Don't talk about your Father that way." Glared the Father in question.
"Then don't talk about my brother that way!" His daughter replied. I got up and put a hand on Izzy's shoulder to will her to calm down. Defending me wasn't going to get her any closer to these auditions of hers.
"I think you need to go." Said my Mother. For a second I thought she was talking to me or Magnus but her eyes were trained solely on the man she had once been married to.
He didn't move.
"Maryse, I have the right to discuss Isabelle's future." Said my Father.
"True, but you've hardly said a thing about Isabelle." Mother countered. "Get out and come back when you're ready to be reasonable."
"I'm being reasonable now." Said Father.
"I said get out!" Mother shouted. The sound of it echoed ever so slightly.
Collectively, everybody in the room looked upwards. Where Max's bedroom was. As far as I knew this was the first time he'd been in the house for one of their arguments.
We all waited for a moment to see if he would stir or come downstairs. After a while we looked at one another. Then my Father stalked out of the room, defeated. Nobody said a thing until we heard the front door slamming.
Another mobile post from no-computer-land today, so as usual I'll check it when I have access. I haven't named the next chapter yet but I should post it soon. Thank you for reading! Also sorry for not replying to the recent reveiws, I do appriciate when you send them. (And I was happy to see you agreed with me about keeping Alec more independant).