When You Close Your Eyes

“Are you sure that you want to go in there?”

Isabelle, who’d moved to step towards the living room, paused a little at the sound of Lionel’s voice before she turned slightly, offering him a small reassuring smile. She knew that he was nervous, from the moment he had arrived in Isla’s nursery, he had looked uncertain about the prospect of talking to her mother and father, but Isabelle knew that there was no avoiding it, even if it was likely to be less than pleasant. She knew that they couldn’t avoid speaking to her parents forever.

“I’m sure” she noted softly “I mean, I would have liked to avoid this for a little while, but I don’t we have that option anymore” she added, offering him an impish smile in an attempt to lighten the mood. She knew that it wasn’t going to be pleasant, after the first time, neither her mother nor her father were likely to take it easy on him, but she knew that they couldn’t simply duck out of it, even if it did seem like a more preferable option. She knew that it was simply something they had to get through.

Lionel admired the smile she wore for a moment before he shook his head, something which caused Isabelle to step towards him, pressing a soft kiss against his cheek. “You’re going to be fine” she mumbled softly, her forehead gently resting against his.

Lionel offered her a slightly dubious look, wordlessly enquiring if she certain, before the sound of someone clearing their throat reached his ears, causing him to lift his head, his dark eyes settling on Marco who stood ahead of him, an undecipherable expression etched onto his features. “Marco” he squeaked.

Marco spared him a small look before he shifted slightly, stepping out of the door way. “Are you two going to join us?” he posed, his voice firm.

Isabelle noted the tone of his voice before she shook her head, a soft sigh falling out of her mouth. “Papa…”

“I don’t want to fight with you, Isabelle” Marco interrupted, his voice softening a little as he peeked towards his daughter “The last thing I want is to cause trouble, but this isn’t the first time, sweetheart, and I am worried. This isn’t just about the two of you anymore, you’ve got Isla to think about, bump too, and I don’t want to see the two of you mess this up again” he added, his expression soft and warm. He didn’t want to be a problem, whatever happened between Isabelle and Lionel was between the two of them, but he was worried about them, even if they did seem to have patched things up. The last thing he wanted was to watch the two of them mess up something which, for years, had been good.

Isabelle allowed his words to hang around them for a couple of seconds before she shook her head, her blue eyes peeking shyly towards her father. “Papa…”

“I just don’t get the two of you” Marco mumbled, cutting her off “One minute, things between the two of you seem to be going well, and the next, you’re fighting again, and it worries me, Isabelle. I want the two of you to work it out, I like you together, but it isn’t just the two of you anymore, is it?” he added, his eyes briefly peeking down towards her stomach. It had come as a surprise, when Grace had accidentally let slip that Isabelle was pregnant again, Marco had been more than surprised, but part of him was excited, even if he was slightly worried about Isabelle and Lionel’s relationship. Part of him couldn’t wait for his second grandchild to come along.

Lionel, who was stood quietly beside Isabelle, followed the line of the older man’s stare before he sighed. “It is my fault” he mumbled softly “It scared me, when Isabelle told me about the baby, it knocked me for six, but I shouldn’t have reacted like that, not after last time. It worried me, the idea of having another baby so soon after Isla, but me and Isa, we talked, and we’re working on figuring things out” he added, his voice soft and earnest.

Marco mulled his words over for a moment before he shook his head, a soft sigh falling out of his mouth. “This isn’t the first time, Lionel” he noted, his voice flat and even “And that is what worries me. You promised me, after last time, that you’d do your best to figure this out and I’m worried that you’ve not. My daughter, she loves you, and the last thing I want is to watch her get hurt” he added, his eyes briefly peeking softly towards Isabelle who stood beside her husband, her fingers nervously twisting in her blonde hair.

He knew that he couldn’t change her mind about him, for years, Isabelle had been more than smitten with the argentine, but still he was worried. The last thing he wanted was to watch his daughter get her heart broken.

Isabelle allowed her father’s words to hang around them for a couple of seconds before she stepped forwards, gently moving to take a hold of her father’s hand. “I know you worry, Papa” she mumbled softly “And I know we’ve not exactly given you a reason to stop worrying, but this…this is what I want” she added, gesturing between herself and Lionel.

“Isabelle…”

“He messed up” Isabelle interrupted softly “When I told him about the baby, he should have reacted better, but we’re working to figure things out, something I want. I know we’ve had a few bumps, both of us have had our moments, but I want this, Papa, and I want for you and for madre to understand that. It’s not going to be perfect, but it is what makes me happy and surely that is what you want, isn’t it?” she posed softly as she gently moved to take a hold of Lionel’s hand, offering it a soft reassuring squeeze.

Marco spared a brief look down towards their hands before he lifted his head, flicking his eyes between the two of them. “He makes you happy?” he posed softly. He knew that it was true, for a while, Isabelle had seemed her happiest with Lionel around, but still he wanted to ask. He wanted to hear her say it.

Isabelle quirked a soft smile before she nodded her head. “He does, papa” she mused, softly peeking towards Lionel who offered her a small smile in return.

Marco watched the interaction between the two of them for a brief moment before he nodded his head. “Alright” he mused softly “But you two know that you need to figure this out, right? You two are good together and I’d hate to see that spoiled” he added gently before he padded away, mumbling something about getting breakfast ready.

Lionel watched after him for a brief moment before he felt Isabelle’s hand squeeze his, something which caused him to startle a little before he quirked a small smile, moving to press a soft kiss against her temple. He knew that it would be a while, after what had happened, he knew that it was going to take some time for Isabelle’s parents to warm up to him again, but he was hopeful, even if things were likely to be awkward for a while.