When Storm Clouds Hover

52: Izzy - Atilla

It had been six weeks since the funeral. The living room in the girl's boarding house was strangely quiet when Izzy got back from swimming. She remembered that Zara, Tal, and some of the other girls had gone to debating at the boy's school. They'd be back by six. Izzy switched on the electric fireplace to heat the room and headed to her dormitory to change her clothes, that were damp from a flash storm she'd been caught in on the way back from the aquatic center. She put them straight into the laundry.

Izzy was happy to have the remainder of the afternoon to herself. In the kitchen, she made herself a strawberry smoothie, and then headed back to the living room where she curled up on the couch to read her book. She had just turned the page when the sound of her phone vibrating interrupted her flow. Izzy hadn't been expecting to receive a call. Since her Mum had died, she'd kept her phone close, but hadn't heard much from home lately. Mia was busy preparing for her end of year uni exams and her dad never called her. She scrabbled through her backpack, searching for the buzzing mobile.

Glancing at the screen, Izzy saw that it was Mia. She was pleased to hear from her. She'd been worried about her sister at home on her own looking after their dad. Izzy had sent her multiple messages, but she always got back a short reply saying they were doing okay, and that she shouldn't worry.

Izzy could only imagine how quiet the house must seem without their mum. Since Nan had left, everything seemed to have fallen on Mia, including the shopping, cleaning, and paying of bills. Before long, Izzy realised Mia was crying on the other end of the phone.

'Iz...It's Attila. He's gone,' Mia said quietly between sobs. 'He dug out under the gate, and we've been looking all over, but we can't find him.'

It took a moment for Izzy to comprehend what her sister was saying.

'Have you checked the vet down in the village?' Izzy asked, urgently. 'If someone picks him up, they will take him there, surely?'

Mia was quick to assure Izzy they'd checked everywhere they could think of. And that their vet had promised he'd call if anyone brought in a Jack Russell and so had the RSPCA and the council.

Izzy tried to calm Mia down. It took all her self-control to make it sound like she was only mildly concerned. She was beside herself. 

What if Attila ran out in front of a car and got run over? He was so impulsive. It could easily happen.

In a voice, faint and lacking conviction, Izzy tried to convince Mia that Atilla would be home soon. 'He's a smart dog. He won't be gone long,' she said. 'When he gets hungry, he'll know how to get home.'

Izzy hung up the phone feeling deeply depressed. She couldn't believe it. Attila had never run away from home before, but the whole family could tell that he was heartbroken without their mum. She sat quietly, all alone and unsure of what to do, for what seemed like hours.

When the girls arrived back at the boarding house, there was an instant infusion of noise and activity. Zara was the first to enter and she immediately came into the living room to check on Izzy. Though one look at Izzy's troubled expression and she sat down next to her on the couch. Izzy burst into tears and cried and cried in her friend's arms. It was the first time she'd really cried since her mum had died and she was now so overwhelmed with grief, she was inconsolable.

Before long, their friend Priya, followed Zara into the room to find out what was going on. She had replaced Em in Izzy's dorm after the fallout and had been doing a great job of looking out for Izzy lately. 'You look like you could do with a cuppa,' Priya said kindly. Izzy nodded helplessly, tears streaming down her face.

Priya  left the room in a hurry.

There was nothing Izzy could do. If she was at home, she could have headed out to look for Attila.

Perhaps, if I'd been there, he never would have left.

Suddenly Izzy felt overpowered by anger. She'd thought she'd seen the worst with her mum dying. But it seemed the universe still had more to throw at them. It was all so unfair.

Oh Attila, please baby, come home soon?

Priya was back from the kitchen with a hot cup of English breakfast tea for both Izzy and Zara. She hovered like a mother hen, as Izzy took a sip. It tasted good; warm and sweet. Izzy felt herself calming down. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater.

'Should I get someone to help you,' Zara asked with concern. 'The house mistress will come for sure if you need her.'

Izzy shook her head and budged up on the couch to make space for Priya.

'You sure, love?' Priya said, sitting down next to Izzy.

Izzy nodded. 'I'll be okay.'

The three girls sat in silence, sipping on their warm beverages, until the bell rang for chapel.

Izzy was in desperate need of an affirmation. She reached down deep until she could hear her mum's voice in her mind:

Once you choose hope, everything is possible.

Feeling stronger, Izzy picked herself up and headed to the bathroom to wash her face. She was gripped by a sudden conviction that Atilla would be back. His return was all she hoped for now.