Two Weeks Later
"What color do you want?" Luca asks, he stands in a paint store with Isa and Deacon, who volunteered to help Isa and Luca paint her first bedroom
"I want?" Isa asks, giving him the look
"Yes, pick any color you like" Luca explains.
Isa looks at the rows of colors, never having seen so many in one place. Not to mention having a choice. The two men watch her patiently, in just two weeks, it seems like they are looking at another girl.
Isa has gained a bit of weight back, giving her an overall happy disposition more frequently. Isa decided to grow her hair out, and at the moment it is at the wild stage, but it only makes her look better. Instead of nightmares, she sleeps soundly with fewer visits to Luca's bed. Isa's new clothes are appropriate for her size, even if they were for eight year olds and Isa's birth certificate says that she is in fact 10. She wears a red baseball shirt with blue pants this time. Her eyes now stay brown and her smiles have become less rare to see. Isa's eyes land a lilac color and she smiles
"May I have that color?" She asks, pointing to the color strip
"Of course, I think it is really pretty" Luca answers.
After paying for the paint can, the group goes back to the Luca's home where they begin to paint Street's old room. With all three of them working diligently, it is done by night fall. They stand back and look at the room.
The light purple surrounds a white window frame that catches a last of the sun's ray. The dark wooden floor jumps out with the light contrast from the walls. The closet is slowly filling up with belongings and clothes. There is a small lamp that Hondo gave Isa that is not turned on yet. A small night light is on in a corner next to Isa's bed. There is no furniture other than a mattress and blankets, but Isa smiles wider.
"Thank you" she says
"Of course Isa" Luca says, then Deacon looks at the time
"It's almost 5, we should probably go" he says "ready for your first time at a restaurant, Isa?"
"Very, sir" she answers, taking Luca's and Deacon's hand. The drive was quiet as the men talked in the front and Isa intently looked out the windows, still getting used to not having to walk everywhere. At the restaurant, the team meets the three
"Hey guys!" Street greets, who is holding Chris' hand. Hondo stands to their right, Nichelle standing with him, her bump more than noticeable. Tan holds Bonnie between his arms on Street's left. And Annie has come with Lila and Victoria on the end, the boys wanting to stay home
"Hey everyone!" Luca greets, Isa smiling shyly. As they sit down, Annie says
"Hey David" She leans in and kisses Deacon. Isa watches, not sure why they do that, she gives Luca the look again
"It's how people show their love for one another" Luca explains, he leans down and kisses her head "like that"
Isa hugs him and Luca wraps his arm around her. The group sits down and begin to look at the menu. Isa looks at the words, her eyes immediately going to the price.
"Isa, just get what you want" Luca says, she sits between him and Lila, who is next to her mom
"What I want?" She asks for the second time that day
"What you like to eat" Lila chimes in, Annie already telling her about Luca's new family member "I like pasta, so I'm going to get pasta"
"I do not know what I like" Isa says, slightly embarrassed.
But Lila only smiles, making Isa smile a bit too, the feeling of shame melting away.
"The burgers are good here, if you like meat" Lila suggests.
Isa looks at the number
"Isa" Luca says patiently "I'm buying, alright?"
She nods "if you want it, just order it"
"Ok, thank you" she says with a shy smile, Isa turns to Lila "I am Isa. What is your name?"
"I'm Lila" she answers, the two begin to talk. Well, mostly Lila, but Isa happily listens. Luca turns to Deacon and Annie
"Smart idea bringing Lila" Luca says to Annie and Deacon
"It was Lila's" Annie says "they're close enough in age. And I figured she could help Isa, you know, transition"
"I think that Lila is brilliant" Luca says.
As the food arrives, Lila starts eating as does the rest of the group, Isa looks at her kids burger and tries to cut it. Her grip on the knife is awkward as it is too big to be cutting the way she is
"You don't do that with a burger" Lila comments, a look from Annie makes her add "if you don't want to"
"I do not?" Isa asks "how do you eat it?"
"Take it in your hands" Lila explains "grab it and bite it"
"Is that not rude?" Isa asks
"No, it's meant to be eaten like that. Finger food I call it" Lila says "Americans like to eat with their fingers"
Isa nods, putting down the cutlery and taking hold of the sandwich and taking a bite. Once she figures it out, Isa eats quickly, not stopping
"You don't have to go so fast" Luca says patiently, placing a hand on her right leg, making Isa look at him "food is meant to be enjoyed, and it will always be available to you, Isa"
Isa pauses and sets the burger down
"Right, sorry" she says, face going slightly red
"It's alright" Luca says, he watches her for a second as she doesn't eat. He doesn't know what to say, so Annie helps
"Something wrong, Isa?" Annie asks her. Embarrassed, Isa explains quietly
"Just learning to not think some one will take it away, Mrs. Kay. A bit harder than I thought is all" Annie nods
"Well, everyone has a plate here, and if we all have a plate. It means we do not need yours" Annie says
Isa nods, thinking she understands, starting to eat again, slowing down astronomically. Enjoying the taste. Luca turns to Annie, giving a nod of thanks
As the group is exiting the restaurant, Isa walks with Luca and Lila. Lila talks to her about her day and a new movie she is watching tonight, then she goes on explaining what a movie is to a curious Isa. Then she hears them. Their voices growing loud with every step, even if they are twenty feet away from the group. Isa grips Luca tighter, alerting him. He stops.
"Isaac the Idiot! His dad behind bars! His mom six feet down! Where you find Issac, you find the freak show!" The Council shouts, all them starting to laugh.
The boys wear team uniforms from various sports. Even if the team never said anything, their parents still ended up learning about their activities, and finding their kids better ways to spend their afternoons. The Council come closer to the group.
"Isaac the Idiot! His dad behind bars! His mom six feet down! Where you find Issac, you find the freak show!"
The team, and their respective spouses/couples/family, move closer to Isa. Most of the group stops at the sight of the little protection squad. But the group knowingly stares at the boy with the sandy brown hair and harsh green eyes, who walks towards Isa.
He wears a basketball jersey and knee shorts. Despite the warning to not mess with her, he can't help it- not that that is a valid excuse
"How's your new freak show of a family?" He asks, spitting in Isa's face. Luca is about to step in when Isa takes a step closer to Mitchel, her new life giving her new strength.
The boy takes a step back, thinking she is going to fight him, but Isa merely wipes the spit away. She says
"Want to learn something for a change, Mitchel?"
"Go ahead, Freak" He teases "humor me"
"If I am a freak and this is my freak show family" Isa says, voice confident "then I would not want it any other way. This is my family"
"Is that so, Freak!" Mitchel shouts "better than your jailer father!"
"They are, Mitchel, they really are" Isa answers, taking her hand away from Luca "so go ahead and call me a freak. I would rather be a loved freak, than someone like you"
The adults try to hide their smiles, especially Luca who is trying not to laugh.
"Is... is that right?" Mitchel asks, confidence faltering as Isa's grows
"Yeah, it is, Mitchel" Isa says "I am not afraid of you, not anymore, none of us are. Go back to your friends, Mitchel, because you will not find any standing there"
The boy looks at the group, they all look at him sternly and Mitchel knows that his days of tormenting Isa have finally ended. He walks away, the Council following his lead
At home, Luca is sleeping when he hears the sound of footsteps. Slowly opening his eyes, he finds Isa standing in a white tank and blue pajama bottoms. Knowingly, he moves over to let Isa lay next to him. Luca pulls the covers up around the two, creating more warmth in the cold night. Tears glisten in her eyes, making Luca pull her close
"I am sorry" Isa whispers, snuggling up to Luca "I tried to stay in the bedroom"
"You tried, that's all I will ever ask of you" Luca says, letting his friend rest her head on his arm "I don't mind, I quite like it actually"
"You promise?" She asks
"I promise" Luca whispers
Isa nods. Feeling safer, her eyes begin to close. For a moment, Isa lays her head by Luca's chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. Before she falls asleep, Isa whispers
"I love you"
Luca doesn't answer right away, his own eyes now filling with tears, he kisses her head and answers
"I love you too"
When he woke that morning, Isa was still asleep. Luca watched her sleep peacefully as he thought back to how this all started. Luca guessed that the team might have different answers on how this whole story began. Maybe it was the pills, the St. Sandler, or maybe just when he decided to go to work early.
But Luca knows that it all started when he met his best friend sitting in a tree. His name was Isaac Adler. And it would end with a little girl sleeping in his arms. Luca smiles looking at her, finding his happily ever after with his daughter Isa Luca.
Thank you everyone for sticking with me as I finished this story. The idea was all there, but trying to connect the points took longer.
I hope you enjoyed!