I Knew You Were Trouble When You Walked In
Chapter Two.
Leland was waiting patiently in the car, watching closely at the small yellow bricked house that sat two houses from he corner. He had been waiting for at least two hours, when he saw the front door open slowly and Isabelle walking towards him. She reached the window of his Hummer and rapped softly on the window.
"Wanna come in for a coffee?" She asked, her voice soft, "he just rang and said he won't be home until after dinner. I asked where he was going but he laughed and told me it wasn't my business."
Leland smiled to try and comfort her, "Let me just call Beth and tell her."
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Zahli was the first to greet Leland as he walked into the quaint home. Her big smile highlighted her dimples, and she outstretched her hands to be picked up. Leland willingly did so, and walked through the lounge room and into the kitchen where Isabelle was making sandwiches.
"I made you one. Thought you might be hungry," she smiled, handing a crusty roll to Leland, and pushing a coffee mug in his direction.
"Thanks," he nodded, taking a bite from the sandwich, "I'm sorry about how I acted at work. We just get so many women who have the shits with their boyfriends and try to send their ass back to jail."
Isabelle nodded, knowingly, "it's okay, you were just doing your job."
"Wasn't any reason to be judgmental." Leland responded.
For the first time, Leland saw the bright blue eyes that harboured so much pain and anguish. He felt himself staring at Isabelle but couldn't bring himself to look away. She was beautiful. She looked too young to be a mum, and too respectable to have a drug addicted partner.
"How'd you end up like this?" The words came out before he could stop himself.
"He was my first boyfriend. He ticked all the boxes, y'know? He was amazing until I fell pregnant. Maybe he didn't want a baby that would get my attention more than he did. Who knows? We moved here because he wanted a 'fresh start'. He took me away from my family. I have nothing here. I can't work because I have no where to take Zahli and I'm too scared to put her in childcare in case he takes her. Trust me, I don't understand how I ended up like this either."
Leland shook his head, not able to understand how any man wouldn't want to have the beautiful woman in front of him and the gorgeous baby snuggled up in his arms.
"I've thought about moving back to Chicago but I don't know. Something has always stopped me." Isabelle sighed, before pulling her coffee mug in between her hands.
"Maybe you're supposed to be here. For whatever reason." Leland said the words to comfort her, but he would never be able to comprehend how true his statement was.
"Wanna come in for a coffee?" She asked, her voice soft, "he just rang and said he won't be home until after dinner. I asked where he was going but he laughed and told me it wasn't my business."
Leland smiled to try and comfort her, "Let me just call Beth and tell her."
------
Zahli was the first to greet Leland as he walked into the quaint home. Her big smile highlighted her dimples, and she outstretched her hands to be picked up. Leland willingly did so, and walked through the lounge room and into the kitchen where Isabelle was making sandwiches.
"I made you one. Thought you might be hungry," she smiled, handing a crusty roll to Leland, and pushing a coffee mug in his direction.
"Thanks," he nodded, taking a bite from the sandwich, "I'm sorry about how I acted at work. We just get so many women who have the shits with their boyfriends and try to send their ass back to jail."
Isabelle nodded, knowingly, "it's okay, you were just doing your job."
"Wasn't any reason to be judgmental." Leland responded.
For the first time, Leland saw the bright blue eyes that harboured so much pain and anguish. He felt himself staring at Isabelle but couldn't bring himself to look away. She was beautiful. She looked too young to be a mum, and too respectable to have a drug addicted partner.
"How'd you end up like this?" The words came out before he could stop himself.
"He was my first boyfriend. He ticked all the boxes, y'know? He was amazing until I fell pregnant. Maybe he didn't want a baby that would get my attention more than he did. Who knows? We moved here because he wanted a 'fresh start'. He took me away from my family. I have nothing here. I can't work because I have no where to take Zahli and I'm too scared to put her in childcare in case he takes her. Trust me, I don't understand how I ended up like this either."
Leland shook his head, not able to understand how any man wouldn't want to have the beautiful woman in front of him and the gorgeous baby snuggled up in his arms.
"I've thought about moving back to Chicago but I don't know. Something has always stopped me." Isabelle sighed, before pulling her coffee mug in between her hands.
"Maybe you're supposed to be here. For whatever reason." Leland said the words to comfort her, but he would never be able to comprehend how true his statement was.