I Knew You Were Trouble When You Walked In
Chapter Five.
Isabelle flittered between the kitchen and the dining room for the majority of the evening, with Zahli taking things like napkins and a plastic bowl full of green beans to the table. Leland watched from a bar stool positioned by the kitchen bench. He couldn't understand how anyone would want to leave this. It was perfect family harmony.
Zahli tapped his leg, "Leymand?"
Chuckling slightly, Leland picked her up and propped her on his knee, "Yes, Zahli?"
"You gon' sit with me?"
Leland nodded, asking Isabelle if she needed any help, before sitting down at the table; little Zahli sitting on his left. With her tongue poking from her mouth in concentration, she picked up the tongs and attempted to put some vegetables on her plate.
"You need some help, sweetheart?" Leland asked, taking the tongs from her little hand and putting some beans on her plate.
"Fank you, Leymand."
Isabelle joined them shortly with a small plate of chicken schnitzels, settling them down in the centre of the table. They ate quietly with Zahli being the only instigator of conversation.
After dinner, Leland helped clean up the plates and watched in awe as Isabelle took Zahli to bed. She read her a quick story, kissed her porcelain forehead and shut the door.
"Goodnight Leymand!" Zahli called out from her bed, which caused both Leland and Isabelle to giggle.
"I think she's taken a liking to you, Mr Chapman," Isabelle smiled.
"My name is Leymand," he laughed, following Isabelle through the short hallway and into her lounge room.
Leland decided it was probably time to head home, and thanked Isabelle for a great night. She smiled hesitantly and trailed behind Leland, until he reached the front door.
Isabelle felt her heart beating in a way it never had before. Her stomach was tying knots that the Scouts would be jealous of. She didn't want Leland to leave. She felt safe and secure knowing he was there.
Leland turned around to thank Isabelle once more. He kept his hand on the door handle, and told her that if she ever needed him, he had left his phone number on the kitchen bench. Isabelle politely thanked him and said goodnight.
But no one moved. They remained where they were. Silent.
Zahli tapped his leg, "Leymand?"
Chuckling slightly, Leland picked her up and propped her on his knee, "Yes, Zahli?"
"You gon' sit with me?"
Leland nodded, asking Isabelle if she needed any help, before sitting down at the table; little Zahli sitting on his left. With her tongue poking from her mouth in concentration, she picked up the tongs and attempted to put some vegetables on her plate.
"You need some help, sweetheart?" Leland asked, taking the tongs from her little hand and putting some beans on her plate.
"Fank you, Leymand."
Isabelle joined them shortly with a small plate of chicken schnitzels, settling them down in the centre of the table. They ate quietly with Zahli being the only instigator of conversation.
After dinner, Leland helped clean up the plates and watched in awe as Isabelle took Zahli to bed. She read her a quick story, kissed her porcelain forehead and shut the door.
"Goodnight Leymand!" Zahli called out from her bed, which caused both Leland and Isabelle to giggle.
"I think she's taken a liking to you, Mr Chapman," Isabelle smiled.
"My name is Leymand," he laughed, following Isabelle through the short hallway and into her lounge room.
Leland decided it was probably time to head home, and thanked Isabelle for a great night. She smiled hesitantly and trailed behind Leland, until he reached the front door.
Isabelle felt her heart beating in a way it never had before. Her stomach was tying knots that the Scouts would be jealous of. She didn't want Leland to leave. She felt safe and secure knowing he was there.
Leland turned around to thank Isabelle once more. He kept his hand on the door handle, and told her that if she ever needed him, he had left his phone number on the kitchen bench. Isabelle politely thanked him and said goodnight.
But no one moved. They remained where they were. Silent.