Chapter 37—Isabella

The scent of jasmine and freesia tickle my nose. There are flowers all along the window of this room.

It’s beautiful, just like the rest of the house.

I met Tristan’s brother earlier. The boss, Massimo.

That was a few hours ago.

I’ve been in the room mostly, just wondering what I’m supposed to do now. It seems like I’m just meant to be a sitting duck.

I haven’t eaten since we arrived, so the queasy feeling in my stomach shouldn’t surprise me. Nor the headache that snuck up on me. Both are what you get when you don’t eat enough.

It’s just that there’s too much going on, and I’m on edge. I’m on edge just being here, knowing Tristan is in the same house. We haven’t spoken since last night.

It’s night again. Another day has passed by, and I’m one step closer to the end. What’s filling my soul with angst is I don’t know what the end looks like. I won’t know what the end will look like until I get there.

There’s a knock at my door. The sound makes me jump because it cuts through the silence.

“Come in,” I call out. I’m grateful to see Candace come in, but I bite the inside of my lip when I see the tray of cookies and cupcakes she’s carrying in one hand and the giant tub of ice cream in the other.

“Don’t even try to tell me you don’t want to eat. You didn’t come down to dinner. I’m not having you faint on me again.”

I giggle, and I have that appreciation again for her friendship.

“Candace, you’re like the sugar fairy.” I smile.

“That’s fine. I’m happy to be that. Come, let’s eat. These muffins are still hot from the oven.”

That’s why they smell extra nice.

“Thank you. I will eat.”

She makes her way to join me on the bed and sets the tray down.

“I was thinking we could watch some films, just until we’re tired or fall asleep.”

I smile at that. “That would be cool.”

“Nothing takes your mind off things like a little sugar and a great film. What do you feel like watching?”

“You pick. I think the average person would consider my choice of films boring.”

“I’ll have to raise you one on that since I’ve seen ‘Gone with the Wind’ a hundred and one times, and I could watch it again a few more times.”

I gasp. “What, you like films like that? That’s exactly me.”

“No way.”

“Yes, so you should know that I beat you because I’ve seen it two hundred times.”

She starts laughing. “This is gonna be good. I’ve never met anyone who was into classic films. I like anything, though.”

“My mom got me into watching classic films. She loved all of them.”

“For me, it was just something I got into. The older the movie the better. Look at us talking about films,” she beams. “See, a good distraction, if only for tonight. Do you feel better for laughing?”

“Yeah, I do.” I reach for a muffin and start eating. It tastes amazing and opens up my taste buds to want more. “These are amazing.”

“Thank you. Eat up. We have plenty. I thought it might help you to settle in, especially being in another strange house, and I noticed you looked a little off all day.”

“Yeah, things are going to change again. In a big way.”

“Change could be good. Especially when it’s in line with your goals.”

“Yeah. I just wish…” I’m wary of how much to say. I can’t say much, if anything at all.

She reaches out and touches my hand. “I’m sure whatever he chose to do was well thought out,” she says, and I gaze at her, surprised.

She said he.

“Tristan,” she clarifies. “Tell me to mind my own business if you want, but I sensed you must be sad because of him and not because of the situation. I guessed you stopped wanting to escape a while back.”

I release a labored sigh and relax my shoulders. “It’s wrong of me to feel anything.”

“Why? Who says it’s wrong? Especially if you seemed to like each other before he took you.”

“I don’t know.”

“What did he say?” She looks curious.

“This week is goodbye. That’s basically it. It’s goodbye, and I wish it weren’t.”

“I know him, Isabella, and I assure you he would have thought about all sorts of things before he made that decision. I saw the way he looked at you and what I saw was his heart. I haven’t seen him look at anybody like that in a very long time.”

It means a lot to hear that. “Thanks for saying that.”

“It’s true. Sometimes it helps to hear what others can see. That’s what I saw when I looked at him.” She gives my hands a gentle squeeze. “This week is going to be a very difficult week. We’ll need anything we can hold on to for hope.”

I nod, agreeing.

“I think whatever happens next is what’s meant to be,” I say.

“Yes.”

That is what I have to accept. It will help me prepare for better or for worse.