I Knew You Were Trouble When You Walked In

Isabelle glanced at the clock on her bedside table; 3:53am. She groaned, rolling over and burying her face into her pillow. Moonlight shone through a crack in the curtains, dancing delicately on her bronzed skin. She stood up, stretching her limbs before throwing on a sweater that was discarded beside her door. Grabbing her phone, she made her way into Zahli's room. She smiled at her daughter; long, brown hair flopping onto her porcelain skin. Isabelle brushed it away, leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on her daughter's forehead. Zahli stirred, but quickly fell back to sleep. Isabelle tiptoed out of the bedroom, slowly walking down the hallway before unlocking the back door, stepping out into the warm, Hawaiian air. She lit up a cigarette, and unlocked her phone. She smiled, seeing that Leland had text her a few hours prior. She sent him back a quick text, saying she had just woken up and couldn't go back to sleep, that she hoped he felt better soon and she'd pop in to visit with Zahli tomorrow morning.

Exhaling the noxious smoke, she glanced down at the vibrating phone in her lap. Leland was calling. A small smile broke out on her face, as she placed the phone to her ear.

"Can't sleep either, huh?"

Leland chuckled quietly on the other end, "Nah, not really. I miss having you next to me."

"Not long now," she smiled. "The nurse said you'd be out by tomorrow or the next day."

"I've been here a week. Seriously, I'm fine. I don't understand why they can't just let me go home," Leland groaned. Isabelle could tell he was rubbing his face in frustration.

"You know why they had to keep you there. They just want to make sure you're alright."

"I don't need you to be rational right now," he spoke, causing Isabelle to giggle. "I need you to say you miss me and you want me home."

"Of course I miss you, and I can't wait til they let you come home." Isabelle shifted in her chair, pulling the ashtray closer to her, and tapping the ash that had accumulated at the end of her cigarette, "Maui called me today."

Leland paused for a moment, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, she didn't know if you were able to take calls, but Cobie really wants to see you. She wanted to know if you'd be able to have him for a few days."

"What did you tell her?"

"That I'd see you tomorrow at the hospital and let you know. She said she's happy to bring Cobie to the hospital to see you, if it looks like you're not going home anytime soon. But I told her you're itching to get out," Isabelle laughed, and heard Leland laugh through the receiver.

"I'll call her in the morning," Leland yawned. "You reckon you'll be able to go back to sleep?"

Isabelle smiled, stubbing out her cigarette, "I'll try. I think you better get some rest anyway. They might make you stay another day if you're not sleeping." A giggled escaped her lips as Leland groaned.

"Like hell. Goodnight baby."

"Goodnight. I miss you baby. I can't wait til you're home," Isabelle bit her bottom lip. She really did miss him. The way his tattooed arms sparkled in the moonlight, and how they always pulled her that little bit closer. She missed the way he kissed behind her ear right before she fell asleep, and the funny things he'd sometimes say in his sleep. Most of all, she missed waking up next to his cheeky grin and chocolate eyes and kissing him good morning.

Isabelle could hear the smile in his voice, "I miss you too. I'll be beside you tomorrow, I promise."

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"Zahli, you have to walk like a big girl now," Isabelle crouched down to look at her daughter, who was lying on the floor in the corridor of the hospital. She had decided she was a fish, and wanted to slide down the hallway.

"Imma fish, mommy," Zahli whispered, before placing her forehead back onto the blue lino.

Isabelle ran a hand through her hair, sighing heavily, "Please baby, mommy wants to go and see daddy. Don't you want to see daddy?"

Zahli nodded, her body still lying on the floor and her forehead still pressed against the lino, "Yes, but imma fish."

"Alright, well mommy's going to walk like a person, and you can swim like a fish. We'll see who can get there first." Isabelle stood up, moving her bag onto her shoulder. Zahli decided that mommy would probably win, and chose to stand up and walk normally. Isabelle tried to stop the small smirk forming on her face. Zahli took her hand, and began to skip towards Leland's hospital room.

Stepping into the room, Isabelle noticed the nurse doing some basic tests on Leland, who was sitting up and following her flashlight with his eyes. Isabelle hoisted Zahli onto her hip to prevent her from racing towards Leland and interrupting the nurse.

"Hey," he smiled, glancing over at the pair standing at the end of his bed, "Hey Zahli."

"I was trying to swim here like a fish, but mommy-" Zahli began before Isabelle shushed her.

"The nurse is just looking daddy over. You can tell him about being a fish once she's finished," Isabelle smiled at Zahli and planted a kiss on her cheek, as she huffed impatiently.

The nurse smiled warmly at Zahli, before turning back to Leland and nodding, "You seem much better. I'll get your discharge papers ready and have you out by this afternoon."

"This afternoon?!" Leland cried.

Isabelle laughed, stepping forward and allowing Zahli to sit on the end of his hospital bed, "Be grateful you're not staying another night." Leland jokingly rolled his eyes, before pressing his lips against hers.

Zahli clambered up to greet her step-father at the head of the bed. She recounted her fish story, causing Leland to chuckle and pat her head delicately. "Mommy wouldn't swim like a fish with you? Aw, naughty mommy."

He glanced over to her, a cheeky glint in his eye. Isabelle rolled her eyes, before falling into the red cushioned chair beside his bed. "Have you heard from Maui?"

Leland nodded as he handed Zahli the television remote for her to press the buttons frantically, "Yeah, she's bringing Cobie over tomorrow morning. Dakota called too. He wants to stay as well."

"Definitely going to have a full house," Isabelle laughed.

"That's the thing," Leland spoke, "It's my weekend with Leiah as well. Where are we going to fit my three kids and Zahli?"

Isabelle sighed, running her hand through her auburn hair, "You'll have to stay at your place for the weekend, I guess."

A groan left Leland's lips, "I've waited a week to spend the night next to you."

"We'll have tonight," Isabelle smiled, leaning forward in her chair to kiss him.

Leland shook his head, "It's not enough. I'll have to go on the road soon, and I don't want to rush through my weekend with the kids so I can sleep next to you."

"What do you suppose we do?" She arched her eyebrow, curiously. A cheeky grin broke out onto Leland's face as he glanced over to Isabelle. "What's that smile for?"

"Move in with me."

"Uh," Isabelle glanced down at her hands, her fingers twisting the fabric of her sweater, "I don't know if that's a go-"

Leland rolled his eyes, taking her hand in his, leaning forward to force her to look at him, "Isabelle, we pretty much live together now anyway. Zahli can share a room with Leiah, the boys have their rooms and we have ours. There's no point you paying rent and me paying off my mortgage. We're wasting money."

She bit her lip, diverting her gaze to Zahli who was watching the two adults conversing as if she were watching a table tennis match.

"What do you think, Zahli?' Leland asked, nudging the girl curled under his tattooed arm. Zahli smiled widely, nodding her head as she looked towards her mom. "See? Zahli thinks its a good idea."

"That's cheating," Isabelle laughing, pushing his arm playfully, "How about, just for now, we spend the weekend with you? We can talk about the rest of it later."

Leland sighed, allowing his head to fall back into the stiff, hospital pillow. Isabelle averted his gaze, staring blankly at the small, crackling television. Zahli squirmed from Leland's side, looking up towards her step-dad with wide eyes. She leaned towards his ear, and whispered, "Whenever she tells me we talk about it later, that means no."

"Zahli!" Isabelle shook her head at her daughter; a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

Leland stifled his laughter, glancing over at Isabelle and settling his hand over hers, "I bet I can get mama to say yes."

Isabelle entwined her fingers with his, allowing the smile to take over her face, "Rude."