Once she had stepped away from Jack, Isabella made her way out the back of the house to begin her struggles of whether or not she should call George.
Just as she had talked herself into doing it, making herself realise whether he liked it or not they had a son and he needed to come first no matter what, Sophie appeared around the corner.
“What are you doing back here?”
“I… er… nothing.” Isabella mumbled back, half smiling to make her mess of words seem believable.
“Iz.” Sophie looked at her sternly, knowing her well and it was obvious this was nothing.
“It just feels weird being here, you know?” Isabella expertly turned this into something different.
“What do you mean?” Sophie frowned, concerned with what she was referring to.
“Here at Jack’s, with all his family and friends. I used to know a lot of them and now they’re all strangers. I get it’s my fault but I’ve barely even spoken to his parents and they were always so nice.”
As she began talking, she realised this cover up story was more the truth than made up. She had just tried to knock it back into her unconscious where she wouldn’t ever have to feel the pain of dealing with it ever again.
“Everyone still loves you Iz, they never turned their back on you.”
“I know.” She nodded back. “But I did it to them and they should hate me for it.”
“Come with me and I’ll ensure you have a very good sociable night.” Sophie grinned and Isabella didn’t doubt that would happen at all.
“Sure, just one minute.” She replied praying that Sophie would agree to it.
And she did, walking off and giving her a few more minutes alone.
Pulling her phone from her pocket she didn’t think twice about calling George, clicking on his contact and holding the phone to her ear.
After many rings it finally went to voicemail causing her heart to shatter and her stomach to twist in knots. But she didn’t give up.
Dialling it again and again she kept trying, eagerly and desperately wanting him to pick up. Too just hear his voice. To know he was okay.
“Hello?” He finally answered on her tenth ring.
She paused.
Not knowing what to do or say.
She just silenced.
In panic she ended the call, pulling the phone down from her ear as her whole body was shaking, her breathing turning into light panting.
“Oh my God.” She whispered.
It took a matter of minutes before her phone began ringing in her hand and looking down at the screen in pure hope of George, it wasn’t. It was Joe.
“Hey.” She answered, her voice still shaky yet he didn’t seem to notice.
“Stop ringing George.” He said almost immediately, taking her completely off guard.
How did he know?
“What?” She asked, trying to play dumb but it obviously wasn’t going to work.
“He’s not safe to be around, you know that.”
Biting her lip, she looked up to the ceiling.
“How did you know I called?” She asked not wanting to play around.
“I told you I would hand back the ring and I did. I also saw the mess he has become and he himself told me you should stay away. He called me right after you called him Isabella.” Joe warned and what he was saying should have been scaring her, but it did the complete opposite. It made her want to get in contact with him more.
“Okay.” She replied, causing an awkward pause of about 30 seconds before Joe spoke.
“Okay? That’s all?” He asked.
“Yes, okay.” She replied and ended the call just like that.
*
A good few hours had passed of Jack driving around trying to release his anger while his two year old son sat beside him, oblivious to what was going on but happy to be joining his father.
Pulling back into his drive, he looked to the clock displaying 10.21pm.
Harvey was now sound asleep, well and truly done for the day so he got them both out the car and began heading back towards the house to where the party was still in full swing, everyone unaware of what had previously gone on.
As Jack got inside he headed straight upstairs to put Harvey to bed, before turning around to see a certain Ellie standing watching him.
“Shouldn’t you be asleep?” He raised a brow, in hope of avoiding whatever was going to be discussed.
At 4 years of age, Ellie understood more than Harvey. She understood when her parents were disagreeing. She understood when they were mad at each other and she never liked it.
“I couldn’t sleep.” She replied, looking down to her feet. “You and mummy are both sad and I thought you were gone forever.”
That was enough to break Jack’s heart, making him realise his old ways of dealing with problems affected the children in a negative light. He could no longer storm off and take a few days to himself and come back in hope they would kiss and make up. Now they had three children, all who needed them.
“We’re not sad baby girl and I wouldn’t leave you, I promise.” He tried his hardest to reassure her but he knew full well it wasn’t going to work.
“Does mum know you’re awake?”
Shaking her head, she clung the bear Jack’s parents had brought her to her stomach.
“Come here.” Jack replied, scooping her off her feet and carrying her back into her bedroom.
Placing her down on the bed, he climbed in beside her until she was comfy and snuggled up into the covers.
“Now sleep because we have a fun day tomorrow.” He whispered and wrapped his arms around her until she fell into a deep sleep.
Getting up to go and check on Mia, he was about to turn the light on when Jess appeared behind him.
“Shit, you scared me.” He cursed, stepping away from the bedroom and turning to look at her.
“Where’s Harvey?” She asked, her tone full on serious.
“In bed.” He responded. “Don’t worry, I didn’t kidnap my own son.”
Jack’s sarcasm wasn’t going to win with Jess right now. Even though he had every right to be mad at her, running off and taking both her phone and a child with him wasn’t an impressive move in her eyes. Especially when he was that fuming.
“You pulled off the drive already going three times the speed limit Jack. It’s not funny.” She spat.
“I can handle a car Jess.”
Walking into their bedroom, he ran his hand across Mia’s tiny head before flicking the switch back off and pulling the door to.
“I don’t care, that’s not the point. You took Harvey with you when you were mad. You could have fucking crashed.”
“Are you seriously going to pull the bad Dad move on me right now? Because you know that’s fucking bull.” He quipped, making his way towards the stairs.
“Don’t you dare do that ever again.” She warned, ignoring anything he had just said.
The glare in her eyes was a full frontal warning from Jessica Montague, but by the look on his face you could tell it went straight over Jack’s head.
Not even looking back at her he made his way down the stairs to once again join the party. Spending the rest of the night drinking until he knew it would be a painful wakeup call the next morning.
*
Stretching his arms out in front of him George stubbed out the still lit cigarette in an ash tray close by before standing up.
Pausing for a moment while everything went black and dizziness overtook him, he then began walking towards the window.
Staring out onto an eerily looking street, lamps were lined up yet none of them working, scraps and unwanted goods were thrown about on the side of the road and no sight of a single being.
No one dared left their house at this time in fear of coming into harm’s way.
It was far from safe but it was all he had and what he liked to call home.
As George placed his hand down on the ledge, his palm came in contact with a ring.
The ring that Joe had met up with him to return.
The one that belonged to Isabella.
He hadn’t thought about her much over the past 7 months.
This wasn’t the fairytale you read in books where the two lovers longed for one another and one day they would reunite and realise how stupid they had been.
He hadn’t actually thought of her once until he had seen Joe and then all memories had come flooding back.
He was still completely lost.
Lost in the damage that had been caused the day Isabella had broken up with him.
The way he had dealt with it and the way he had acted leading up to that day.
He was here in Brighton. No richer than before, proving what a complete idiot he had been.
The rest of the guys had pretty much disowned him that day.
Continuing their business and protecting Steph’s bar, while he still kept one thing in mind.
Killing Stan and getting back what was his.
It hadn’t quite happened that way and he still didn’t understand why.
…
Twisting the small ring in between his fingers, he still didn’t feel anything. He was completely broken and torn inside, no longer being able to understand emotions, understand what it was like to care.
He felt like this a few days after he lost his parents and it was then he had turned into the heartless being everyone had always known him as.
It was a repeating cycle and he knew very well he wasn’t going to be able to stop it this time.
No woman was ever going to be able to change him.
…
“Tell me what happened.” The voice of James Jenkins appeared in the doorway from the kitchen.
“You want to know how badly I fucked up? It’s not going to help. That money will never be mine.” George replied, not even looking his way.
“That was because you were working alone before. Now you’re joining up with a professional.” Was the sickening reply from James as he slouched down against his sofa, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table in front of him.
“We can be a team George Shelley. You owe me that much for letting you stay here.”