When You Close Your Eyes

Taking in a breath, Isabelle squeezed her eyes closed, trying to stifle the sensation of nausea which twitched in the pit of her stomach. It wasn’t the first time, since she had woken up that morning, she had felt more than a little unwell, but she knew that there was no getting away from it, even if the idea of curling back up in bed was tempting, she knew that she merely had to sit it out.

It had been a couple of days, after her conversation with Lionel, a few days past, but still he hadn’t called, something which irked Isabelle a little, even if a part of her had been expecting it, she was slightly disappointed that she hadn’t heard from him. She knew that it had caught him off guard, the idea that she was pregnant again had come out of the blue, but still she was slightly hurt by his reaction, even if it was a little sudden. She had been hoping for a better reaction the second time around.

Taking in another deep breath, she shifted her weight a little before the sound of the bathroom door opening and closing reached her ears, causing her to lift her head, her blue eyes settling on Grace who stood in the door way, a soft expression on her face. “Are you OK?” she posed softly, sitting down beside her sister.

Isabelle, who’d moved to make a little room at her side, shrugged. “Morning sickness sucks” she noted softly “But it’s nothing I can’t handle. Where’s Isla?” she posed, her fingers gently fussing with the hem of the t-shirt she wore.

Grace watched her for a couple of seconds before she shook her head. “She’s downstairs with Sam” she mused softly “The last time I saw them, he was attempting to give her breakfast, but I figured I ought to come up and check on her madre. You’ve been up here for a while now and I thought I’d come and see if you were OK” she added softly.

Isabelle offered her a soft look before she nodded her head, offering her a small smile. “I’m OK” she noted softly “I mean, morning sickness is no fun, but I am alright” she added before she pushed herself up to her feet, moving to brush her teeth.

Grace offered her a slightly dubious look before she pushed herself up to her feet, her blue eyes meeting her older sister’s via the mirror which stood ahead of her. “You know” she mused softly “You and Isla are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you want” she added gently. She didn’t want to interfere, whatever happened between Isabelle and Lionel was their business and their business alone, but she wanted to offer her sister a little reassurance, even if she was hopeful that she and Lionel would figure things out, she wanted her to know that she had her back.

Isabelle, who’d moved to pull her blonde hair up into a ponytail, mulled her words over for a couple of seconds before she nodded her head, offering her a small smile. “I do know that” she mused softly “And I’m very grateful for that” she added as she moved to pad into the bedroom that her sister had lent to her, her eyes briefly peeking towards the phone which sat on the end table.

Grace, who’d followed her out of the bathroom, followed the line of her stare before she shook her head, a soft sigh falling out of her. “You know” she noted gently “I didn’t quite expect that you two would be expecting another bump so soon after Isla” she mused, breaking the silence which had settled around them.

Isabelle, who’d moved to sit down at the foot of the bed, jumped a little at the sound of her sister’s voice before she lifted her head, offering her a soft smile. “Neither did I” she noted softly “But I am excited that we are, even if it did come along a little sooner than we’d planned for, I can’t wait to meet this little one” she added, her hand gently brushing over the front of her shirt.

Grace watched the movement of her hand for a moment before she shook her head. “He’s an idiot, Belle” she mumbled softly “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like the guy, but this…he’s messed up, Belle” she added, her voice soft and kind.

Isabelle allowed her words to hang around them for a couple of seconds before she shook her head. “I know” she mumbled softly.

Grace admired the soft expression she wore before she reached her hand out, gently taking a hold of Isabelle’s which fiddled with the bottom of the shirt she wore. “You two have been together for years” she noted softly “You’re married and you’ve already got Isla, and he’s worried that it’s going to be too much too soon? Isabelle, you two are the best couple I know and I can’t believe that he’d even need to think about it” she added, shaking her head a little.

Isabelle allowed her words to hang around for a couple of seconds before she shook her head, offering her sister a soft look. “I don’t blame him for being surprised” she noted softly “I mean, I’m as surprised as him, but after last time I thought…I thought maybe he’d be excited. We are…were in a good place” she added, her fingers gently pulling at a loose thread which stuck out of the duvet.

Grace watched the movement for her fingers briefly before she shook her head. “I didn’t just come up here to check on you” she mused softly.

Isabelle quirked a halfhearted smile. “And here was me thinking you were looking out for you big sister” she teased feebly.

Grace offered her a weak smile before she shook her head. “Leo” she breathed softly “He texted me a little earlier, asking if it was Ok to come by and I told him that it was. He’s downstairs with Sam and Isla” she added, her hand gently squeezing Isabelle’s.

“He is?” Isabelle squeaked.

Grace nodded her head. “I told him that me and Sam would be going to work pretty soon” she noted softly “I figured that you’d want to talk to him alone, but if that was wrong, I can stay” she added softly.

Isabelle shook her head. “I’ll be fine” she noted softly.

Grace offered her a slightly dubious look, wordlessly asking if she was certain, before she nodded her head, pushing herself up to her feet. “I’ll send him up” she noted before she ducked out of the room.

Isabelle watched after her for a couple of seconds before she shook her head, a soft sigh falling out of her mouth. She knew that there no avoiding it, even if it was likely to be tense, she and Lionel did need to talk, but a part of her was worried, even if she did want to put things right between the two of them, she doubted that one conversation was going to be enough.