An Extraordinary Life

I Will Pay the Bill

"Anyone seen much of Freddie, today?" Joe asked as he began to put leftover tuna salad in a plastic container. "Not like him to skip breakfast and tea, even if for just a nibble."

"Not since he elected to have his cuppa in the garden, despite the temperature," Phoebe looked up from his spot at the table, flipping through a catalogue. "He did tell me this morning he's been struck with inspiration to write, but not after he slammed a few doors and drawers."

"I saw him try to call Winnie a few times, man didn't pick up," Joe commented, thoughtful. "Maybe that's why I saw him put a cigarette out with more force than usual in the back garden."

"Mary invited him out shopping but he said no- she seemed upset with him. I believe I overheard her tell him to cool it with the attitude."

Joe snickered at that.

Isabella continued to look down at the plate in front of her as she scrubbed at it with a blue sponge. She now wished she'd gone with Mary to the shops.

"Everything go ok last night? I wasn't going to ask, but since he's now-" Joe started quietly, at Isabella's side now. It was as if he forgot she was in the room, then remembered, and a lightbulb went off in his head.

"I thought it went well," Isabella's words came out in a whisper, purposefully cutting the man off. She was almost certain Freddie wasn't within listening distance, wherever he was, but she could not take the chance. "He was really kind and helpful, we actually talked a good bit."

"Ah," Phoebe nodded over and over, pursing his lips. "Of course! It all makes sense now."

Isabella put the mug in her hand down, and turned to Phoebe. Joe did the same. They wordlessly watched as Phoebe flipped to the next page of the catalogue, as if he didn't just make an open-ended declaration.

"Uh, care to share with the class, Pheebs?"

Phoebe turned towards the two in the kitchen. "Oh, sorry, thought it was obvious! He's guilty about his poor behavior towards Isabella. And perhaps the rest of us, too."

Isabella's cheeks reddened. "He shouldn't feel guilty. He's a person, and he was frustrated. Nobody's perfect."

From his spot next to the china cabinet behind the entrance into the kitchen, Freddie suddenly felt even worse. How he wished Isabella had chimed in and said Freddie did deserve to feel bad for how he'd handled her moving in.

"You're a good kid," Joe quickly smoothed a hand over her curly hair.

Freddie turned on his feet and headed back towards the piano room. Despite trying his best to be quiet, the sound of the hard bit on his slippers padding against the hardwood was heard by Isabella, Joe and Phoebe altogether. After all, the kitchen was soundless now that Isabella had turned the running water off at the sink.

The three looked at each other wordlessly, until Isabella took a deep breath:

"Think I could bring him a plate?"

Joe exchanged a glance with Phoebe before nodding. "Real sweet of you to offer, but, are you sure? You don't have to if you're not entirely comfortable."

Truth was, Isabella wasn't entirely comfortable, but she had to keep trying. Whatever happened at school didn't matter as much to her because it wasn't the place she woke up in every day and went to bed in every day. Garden Lodge, and the inner mechanisms of daily life there, mattered quite a bit more to her. She had months left of staying there and time wasn't exactly flying.

"No, I want to." Isabella leaned back against the kitchen counter, and wiped her slightly damp hands on her jeans. "Please."

"I for one think it's a great idea," Phoebe smiled. "Freddie's a bit like an old record player—needs a gentle nudge to get going."