Blinking herself out of her horrifying thoughts, she forced herself to focus on the identical faces before her. “Ah, nothing. How are they going to stay here? I mean, Kathleen is mom’s friend fromschool;she fainted when she saw her last night! They can’t possibly stay here!How can any of them possibly explain that none of them have aged in the past twenty five years?”
“Stefan took care of that. His powers are really strong since he’s so old!” Abby breathed reverently. “He’s made it so that whenever Kathleen, Jess, and Delia look at mom, dad, and the stooges,they see people that look like they’re in their forties.”
Isabelle gaped at them in surprise and horror. She could forge people’s memories, but only a moment or two of them, and it always left her tired and drained. She couldn’t begin to imagine the amount of powerit would takein order to accomplish such a feat, itmust be astronomical.“He can do that?” she breathed.
“Yeah, isn’t that awesome!? Can you imagine what else he must be able to do?”
No, she couldn’t, and she didn’t want too. She shuddered involuntarily as her sisters continued to prattle on about Jess’s boyfriend. “Isabelle.”
She jumped in surprise as her mom’s head appeared in the doorway. “Yeah?” she asked shakily.
Her mother frowned as she stepped fully into the doorway. “You okay?”
“Yes,”she lied.
Hermother’sgaze rapidly searched her face, but Isabelle forced herself to remain calm and serene, even though inside she was a seething mass of turmoil. “I see you’ve heard the news.”
“Yes.”
“It will only be for a little while, and Jess goes back to school in two weeks. Plus, the new house will be finished soon.”
Isabelle nodded numbly.“It’s okay mom.”
“Well, until the house is ready, I was wondering if um...”Isabelle’scold chill became a frozen iceberg asa knotof fearformed in her stomach, and herterrorfrom earlier blazed back tofiercelife. If somebody shared a room, there would be more beds open at the other house, and Aiden was leaving soon for football practice, too soon. Please no, shebeggedsilently. Please. “If you wouldn’t mind staying with the guys, and Jess?”
Isabelle’sshoulders slumped as her silent pleaswent unanswered. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but Aiden leaves for college on Monday, and Ian leaves in a week and a half. In no time at all you’ll actually have more privacy over there.” At any other point in time,Isabellewould have jumped at the opportunity, but now the thought made her stomach cramp painfully. “It will also give you a chance to catch up with Jess. You two were close as children,” her mom continued.
“Do you think they’re soulmates mom?” Abby asked excitedly, completely unaware of Isabelle’s silent terror.
Her mothersmiled softly as she shook her head. “I don’t know honey,maybe.”
“That would be so awesome!”Abby gushed, ever the romantic at heart.
“So Isabelle, what do you say?”her mom asked, her violet blue eyes intent as she studied Isabelle hopefully.
Isabellewanted to say no, she wanted toscreamno, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Her mother had been so sad after Ethan had told her he had run into Kathleen. The nostalgia, and pain in hermother’svoice when she’d spoken of her old friend,had torn at Isabelle’s heart. This was her mother’s chance to catch up with Kathleen, to spend some time with herfriend, and to regain some of the time she had been forced to give up. That she had given up for all ofthem. Well, mostly for her father, but for them too. Her mother would do anything forher;Isabellecouldn’t refuse her this simple favor, no matter how unhappy it made her. It would only be for a couple of weeks, she could handle a couple of weeks. Nothing bad was going to come of it.She hoped.
“Sure mom, no problem.” She had to choke out the words past the painful lump in her throat.
Her mother beamed at her. “Thanks Isabelle, I owe you one.” More than one, Isabelle thought silently. “Why don’t you guys take some drinks down to the building site,” her mom suggested to the twins. They bounced eagerly off the bed and fled down the hall, bickering over which one of them would get to serve Stefan. “I think they have a crush on him.”
“Yeah,” Isabelle muttered absently. Her mindwasalready focused on how she was going to get through the next weeks.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah mom, I’m fine.”
“Do you need a hand moving your stuff?”
***
Two hours later Isabelle was greatly regretting the fact that she had turned down her mother’s offer of help, opting to recruit Abby and Vicky instead. They had done nothing but talk her ear off about Stefan, and how wonderful and amazing he was. She had a pounding headache, and she swore that if she heard his name one more time she was going to scream.
Not to mention, they were almost no help at all. She had only packed three bags, and two suitcases to take with her.She hadalreadypacked most of the things in her room in preparation for the move to her new home, so she had very left to take with her.
Ethan opened the screen door for her when they stepped onto the porch. He took one of the suitcases from her as he glanced amusedly back at the twins. Theywere each carrying one small backpack, while she had both of her suitcases, and a bag. “Taking a break?” she askedirritably.
He flashed a grinat heras he walked back into the house. “Damn right. It’s hot as hell out there. I can see you have a lot of help.”
