Her father bent and scooped Kathleen easily up. “Put her down!” the girl screamed, pulling at her father’s arms. “Put her down now!”
“What the hell is going on?” Jack bellowed from the backof the pack still crammed in the doorway. “Is that... ohshitthis can’t be good.”
“Get out of the way Jack!” her father snapped as he carried Kathleen quickly inside.
Her mother followed eagerly behind, her beautiful face pinched with worry. “Ethan, please take care of ah…Kathleen’s daughter.”
They all turned to look at the young girl as she stared fearfully back at them with wide blue eyes. Tears were streaming down herprettyface as she tried to shove her way past them. Ethan seized hold of her shoulders, pulling her back from the doorway. “Just calm down,” he said gently.
Bright, sky blue eyes flashed to him,theyboiledwith anger and fear as she shoved at him again. He seized hold of her slender arms, pinning them to her sides. “Your mother isfine;she just went inside to catch up with hergoodfriends.” The girl’s eyes began to glaze over as his powerstartedtowrap its way into her mind. “You decided to stay out here with uswhile they catch up. Okay?”
She nodded slowly as he released his hold on her. Isabelle nudged him out of the way, seizing hold of the girls limp hands. “What’s your name?” she asked gently.
“Delia,” she replied numbly.
“Delia, that’s a nice name. How old are you Delia?”
The girl continued to stare dazedly at her.“Sixteen.”
“What brings you here?”Isabelleasked gently, trying to break the girl from her trance.
Delia blinked in confusion,andthen her eyes focused fully on Isabelle. “My mom wanted to see yours.”
Isabelle let out a small sigh of relief as the girl began to regainfull consciousness.“I’m sure that they’ll have a good time,”Isabelle said more forcefully, clinging tighter to the young girls delicate hands.
“Yes, they will.Who are you?”the girl asked quietly.
“I’m Isabelle and these are my brother’s Ethan, Aiden, and Ian. The ugly guy with the wet hair is Jack, one of the stooges.”
“Hey!” Jackprotested angrilyat the same time Delia asked. “The stooges?”
Isabelle grinned at Jack as he scowled disapprovingly back at her.“Yeah, that’s what we callour parent’s friendsJack, David, Mike, and Doug.”
Delia frowned, her foreheadpuckeredas her lighteyebrows drew tightly together.“There were only three stooges.”
“You’re forgettingShemp,” Ethan interjected. “Everyone forgetsShemp. Trust me,once you get to know these fourthey are just like the stooges.”
“Hey!” Jack protested again, frowning angrily at all of them. “We helpedtoraise your ungrateful asses!”
“Yes, and that’s why we are the way we are,” Aiden retorted happily, pushing Jack’s shoulder lightly.
Delia smiled brightly as she looked over Isabelle’s shoulder toward the group gathered on the porch. She was a pretty girl with wide, sky blue eyes, and soft, gentle features. Her cheekbones were high and delicate, her mouth full and pouty. She was taller thanKathleen, and leaner, but she had her mother’s curvaceous figure.
At that moment, another set of headlights flashed into the driveway. “Who the hell is that?”Jack’skidding air vanishedin aninstant as they all stiffened in preparation for what was to come.
Delia turned to look, her smile grew wider. “That’s my sisterJess;she rode up with her boyfriend. You probably remember Jess.” She turned back toward Isabelle,her face eager as she looked hopefully at her. “She remembers you.”
Isabelle vaguely remembered Jess. The last time she had seen her, she’d been eight years old. Jess had been a pudgy blond, with bright blue eyes, and a zeal for mischief. They had been fast friends then, as Jess had been the only girl that Isabelle had to play with at the time, Abby and Vicky having just been born. To her surprise, Isabellesuddenlyfound herself looking forward to seeing her again.Jess had been so much fun when they were younger, and it would be nice to have someone other than her sisters to speak with.
“Oh wonderful,” Jack muttered. “I’m going to get the others.”
“I think you should,” Ethan saidsoftly.
They all turned as car doors opened and slammed shut. Isabelle’s brow furrowed as thenightair suddenly shifted and stirred. She glanced worriedly at her brothers, their casual postures were gone. They now stood stiffly, scanning the night. Ethan’s nostrils flared as he scented the air for the source of the sudden disturbance. Isabelle turned her attention back to the car. There were two people standing in front of it, hidden within the shadows of the night.
“Do you feel that?” she whispered.
“Yes,” Ethan said, his eyes narrowingsharply. Aiden and Ian stepped forward, their bodies tense, and their eyes lockedintentlyupon the shadows.
