In Honour of the Heart

Chapter 41 : Broken wings

Isabelle looked at the sleeping face of Suzan in her nearby seat and her heart melted like butter. Her girl was her world. Isabelle was not very happy with the way she had to lie to Suzan but she didn't have much choice.

Almost everyone was asleep in the air plane. Only she was restless and unable to close her eyes. There was no point in stressing over something which she couldn't change but her heart had cried and cried as she had left Tokyo. she was God's strongest soldier so she was given the hardest battles. Her life was changing and she was afraid. Isabelle agreed that this transition was on finally finding herself but it was not easy. Isabelle kept on repeating to herself not to be afraid of stepping out in the world again. But her fear was not baseless. Anyway she had to live. So she was going to do it. Ethan was with her and she was thankful for that.

Her gaze went to a man, sleeping in few seats ahead of her. He was clad in a blue and white T shirt and jeans. A khaki jacket was worn carelessly over his relaxed shoulders. His eyes were closed but just the thought of those gray eyes spread warmth in Isabelle's heart.  She didn't want to remember that man. Then why did he still continue to haunt her? Even when she closed her eyes, she could see his face in front of her eyes. Why had he lied about getting married to Sachiko? Was not it enough that he had left her alone once before?

Isabelle again scolded herself for bringing Ethan to her mind. She didn't want to. She was done with men as of now. Till now, she had lived in a fairy tale and she still wanted to cling to it. But the price was too high. It was time to face cruel reality now. Isabelle doubted if she will find any peace in the turquoise waters of Indian Ocean this time.

“What are you upto?” A wonderfully male voice asked her and Isabelle looked up. Ethan was standing in front of her.

“This and that.” She tried to smile but it didn't come naturally.

Ethan stuck his hands in the pocket of jeans.

“Not able to sleep, huh? Still worried?”

She gestured towards the empty seat near her and asked him to sit there.

“I don't know but I still doubt if I made the right choice in leaving Isaac. And I am troubling you too much. You shouldn't have came Ethan.  You did so much for me. And you had to postpone your travel due to me.”

Ethan leaned back and settled against the back rest.

“You think too much Isa. Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes few wrong choices, even good people. Isaac didn't deserve you. Open your eyes Isabelle. You were made for higher things. Once you start believing in that, your fears and insecurities will evaporate. Please trust me.”

Isabelle dared to look back in his gray eyes. For a minute, her sorrows and worries were forgotten. She forgot to brood on Isaac too. Her words were hardly a whisper.

“Right now, I am sitting here, far from every problem, flying to a paradise with my sleeping baby. But soon my daughter will be awake and start questioning me. How long I will keep on hiding things from her?”

“Why don't you give yourself a break from worrying? It is not going to help you and I am sure, you will be able to manage Suzan. With time, things will become clearer and you will know how to deal with it.”

Isabelle looked at him as if she wanted to consider what he said.

“What about Isaac? He may demand to see her.”

Ethan smiled.

“Why don't you cross that bridge when you come to it?”

“But what will I do when that time comes? I don't know a single thing about divorce, child custody or solo parenting. I even don't know about lawyers or alimony. “