T H E C A L M B E F O R E
Isabelle
Ouch. I wince as the sun forces it way through the shields of my eyelids. Blinking a few times, I adjust to the morning, or the afternoon – I can't quite tell. My body feels like its repulsed with my drinking habits last night and is punishing me today.
I lean myself up on my forearms, my joints sore. Letting out a yawn, I see Thomas who's already stood up next to the bed, getting changed. Worry filters through his face.
"Did I wake you?" He asks, fitting into a clean white shirt.
"I don't think so." I croak, my throat sore. If I'm honest, I don't really know what woke me.
"How are you feeling?" I let out a dry scoff.
"Like shit." I drop back into the pillows. I'd be staring at the ceiling if my eyes weren't sealed shut. It takes a lot of energy out of me to hold my arms out, summoning him back to bed. "Give me a cuddle."
The bed dips with his weight as he crawls up next to me. His large hand flips my body over onto my side and then he drags me into his hot chest. I wrap every part of myself possible around him, sinking into his comfortable warmth. We lay together for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company.
We're disrupted when his phone starts buzzing on the bedside table. We untangle from each other and he reaches over to pick it up.
"It's Amanda." He goes to put it back down. "I'll call her back later."
"No. It might be important." I stop him. He accepts the call and puts it on the bed between us.
"Hey. I wanted to call to see if you'd be able to look after Rex for the afternoon and possibly for the night." Amanda's voice comes out from down the line. His eyes check with me and I smile.
"Yeah. That's fine." He answers.
"That's great because we're downstairs." Thomas and I let out a light chuckle at her.
"Of course you are." He says, picking the phone up to his ear. "Give us two minutes to get up and I'll come to the door." He ends the call and I let out an exhausted sigh. "Come on you." He takes both of my hands and encourages me to stand. Once I find my balance on the floor, he wraps me into a big bear hug.
I stay back to make myself as presentable as possible, covering up the dark circles under my eyes and adding a bit more color around my face so I look less tired. I change into sweats and leave the room going out to where Rex is happily clung to Thomas' legs. Amanda is looking as beautiful and stylish as ever, her long locks of hair pulled back into a high ponytail.
"Hi!" I greet her with a hug. She frowns a little at my husky voice. "Hungover." I quietly say and she gives me an understanding nod.
"Toast, juice and a shower usually does the trick for me. Pain relief if necessary." She lists and I smile gratefully, heading over to the fridge to get out the orange juice carton.
"Now as much as I love having you stop by, why are you here?" Thomas questions, sitting Rex down on his lap after perching on the stool.
"I'm seeing this guy I've been kind of dating. We've planned an afternoon but I don't know what's happening after that. Depends how charming he is, I guess." I let out a chuckle. "So you might have Rex for the night, if you guys don't mind."
"Not at all!" I ruffle his hair as I pass him.
"He doesn't sleep well if he's alone. He's an early bird so be prepared for that. I usually give him a bath before bed, I've got some books and toys with me as well." She gestures to a big bag she's placed on the floor behind her.
Unfortunately, Amanda says there's not enough time for her to stay because she's got to catch a taxi to make sure she's there on time. She gives Rex at least three cuddles goodbye, warning him to be on his best behavior.
"Have a nice time, Amanda." I smile to her. She clenches her fists at her sides, grinning with nerves and excitement.
"God. I feel like I could throw up. I've not been on a date in years." She panics for a moment.
"It'll be fine." I reassure her confidently.
"Yeah. You look great, you're going to have fun. If it isn't right it's his loss and if he's a dick, I'll beat him up." Thomas jokes as we stand at the door.
"Bye Mommy." Rex waves goodbye from my hip. Amanda thanks us again and then disappears, leaving just the three of us.
**
We spend the majority of the afternoon, playing games and watching a movie of Rex's choice. In the evening, I cook dinner which distracts me from my headache. We all eat together, up at the island. Thomas sits with Rex on his lap, getting him to eat all the vegetables even the ones he's not keen on. Seeing him with his nephew just makes him a whole lot more attractive to me. Something about seeing men with kids just hits different.
After eating, I go to take a shower leaving the boys to it. Drying off, I change into some shorts and a cropped tank top. The whole day has pretty much passed and I'm still as tired as I was when I woke up. With a yawn, I step out of my bedroom only to bump into Rex who is waiting outside for me.
"Close your eyes." He reaches his small hand out to me. I frown but then offer him one of my fingers which he holds onto. I keep my eyes firmly shut and proceeds to drag me through the apartment. "Open!" He cries out excitedly.
I peak out of one eye first and then the other, grinning at the sight of a pillow fort that's been set up with a sheet and the cushions off of the couch. There's a string of fairy lights and a few candles have been lit on the coffee table. Thomas is laying on his side in it, his head propped up with his elbow, a proud smile on his face.
"Wow guys. This looks so cute!" I beam as Rex tugs me closer to go and sit in it. I edge my way inside, crossing my legs and shuffling Rex into my lap. There's barely enough room in it for all of us, but it's so warm and cosy. "You've been working hard haven't you?" I playfully tickle Rex's sides. He leaps up and runs out, finding a toy.
"How are you feeling?" Thomas rubs his hand in circles on my back. "Any better?"
"Yeah, better now. I'm just really tired." He smiles, leaning up to steal a soft kiss from me. His nose briefly brushes against mine before he gets another peck.
"I love the fort. Such a good idea." I compliment and he sits up to wrap an arm around my middle from behind, one of his legs bent up at the knee.
Rex comes bounding back in after scooping up as many toys as he can possibly carry. He hands them out between us and automatically starts playing with them. I take the little train and make the right noises while Thomas flies his airplane through the space. We play for a short while, stopping when Thomas notices a yawn that creeps out of Rex.
"I think it's time for a bath."
**
Thomas
It took Rex a little more convincing to get ready for bed than I had hoped but after a fair negotiation of him choosing which book he'd like us to read, he agrees that it's time to have a bath and get changed. We swap out his outfit for a matching red set of pajamas with little green dinosaurs on them.
While I've been with Rex, Isabelle has been cleaning up the mess we left behind. She's setting up the bedroom for the three of us which we've decided to share, optimistic in the fact that we'll all fit in one bed. I carry Rex into the bedroom where Isabelle has set a gentle orange haze over the room to calm him down before going to sleep.
I bury him in the fluffed up sheets, in the middle of bed while I take off my shirt. Isabelle snuggles Rex up beside her and I get in the other side, trapping him in between us. Rex's book of choice is 'A Trip To The Zoo.' Isabelle holds it out in front of the three of us and clears her throat.
"On a Friday afternoon, I went to the zoo. There were monkeys, elephants, zebras too." She starts off, pointing to each of the illustrations to match the animal.
"The crocs went snap." I continue. "And the lions said..."
"Roar." Rex quietly imitates the sounds.
"I heard the wolves howl and the sleepy tigers snore." I begin to make snoring sounds, nestling my face into Rex's shoulder to make him laugh. He joins in, overexaggerating the noise.
"A bear rubbed his back up against a tree. A giraffe stood tall, ten times the size of me!" Isabelle gasps along with the story.
"The games were fun, the ice cream was nice. The penguins all danced on top of the ice." Rex giggles at the picture of the huddled up penguins in silly poses as if they were dancing.
"I had the best time on my trip to the zoo. But if you go, don't see the hyenas. I think they'd laugh at the sight of you." Isabelle finishes the book, closing it. "Oh. How cheeky!"
"Again?" Rex questions, giving his best puppy dog eyes. We give in, reading it all over again. Rex quietly asks for a third time, stifling a big yawn.
"Looks like you're too tired buddy. We can read it again in the morning, okay?" I say. We all settle down into the mattress.
Rex cuddles up to Isabelle with one of his hands clinging onto the material of her hoodie. He's faced away from me and I stroke his golden hair for a few minutes. I catch Isabelle fondly observing the interaction.
"I'd stay up and chat but I don't want to keep him up." She whispers, the words barely audible.
"Yeah I know. Such a cock blocker." We let out a short chuckle. I lift my head to get a better view of his face. "Is he asleep?"
"I think so." She nods and lets out a long breath.
"You're tired. We should head off, especially if it's going to be an early morning."
"Yeah. Goodnight." I reach over giving her a quick kiss before turning the light out.
"Goodnight."
**
The mattress is shaking like we're having an earthquake. I wince, squinting my eyes open and rolling over to see Rex jumping up and down on the bed. He's loudly singing gibberish while Isabelle is sat up against the headboard, holding his hands.
Glancing at the time on my phone, it's only just gone seven o'clock. I groan, falling onto my front, burying the side of my face into the pillows, one arm wrapping around my head. As pretty as Isabelle is, the early start has taken a toll on her as well. Her baby hairs are flying away despite her attempt at pining them back. Tired lines frame her eyes but she continues to smile happily at Rex.
"Morning." I croak. At the sound of my voice, Rex bounces into me and I turn in time to catch him and cuddle him against my bare chest. Over his shoulder, I give Isabelle a wink as she yawns. "I think we're going to need some coffee today." I force myself to sit up, gently shuffling Rex off of my lap.
"I'll go." Isabelle nods in agreement, starting to get out of bed.
"No." I stop her. "It's fine. Stay here, I'll bring it in." She gratefully relaxes back into the covers and I smile before exiting.
I drag myself to the kitchen, rubbing my hands over my face. Instantly, I flick the coffee machine on, desperate to wake up. After a few minutes of staring into the empty cups it's ready to pour out. A noise distracts me before I manage to do so and I turn my head.
"Morning." Amanda has turned up, a guilty look on her face. She's wearing the exact same outfit as last night, her high tied back scruffily and her makeup smudged.
"You look like you had... fun?" I tease and she shakes her head at me. "Coffee?"
"Please." She begs, slumping into one of the stools. "I feel so bad." She crumples her face up into her hands. "I'm so accustomed to the early mornings that I just left because I was awake but now I'm thinking I should've stayed. It's not like I can go back now."
"Call him later." I suggest, filling up a mug for her. I slide it across the surface of the island and she catches it. "How'd it go?"
"Oh it was so nice, Thomas. It's made me realize how lonely I've been." She gives me a sad smile behind a long sip.
"You're not alone. You have us, Rex, Mom and your friends." I return but I know what she really means.
Before I get a chance to ask anymore questions, a blonde blur races into the room, excitedly shouting. Amanda scoops him up into her lap. I honestly don't know how he has so much energy. Isabelle is not far behind him and beams at the sight of her.
"Were you a good boy?" She asks him, tickling underneath his chin.
"He was on his best behavior, weren't you bud?" I answer. Isabelle comes over to me and I wrap her around into a hug, the side of her face pressed against the warmth of my bare chest. Her arms briefly tighten around my middle before she peels herself off of me.
"How was it? What was he like?" Isabelle questions, taking the coffee that I pass to her.
"He was so lovely. Nick. That's his name. He's a really nice guy." Amanda nods. "I told him about this one-." She gestures to Rex as he wriggles around, wanting to be put on the floor. He runs off, out of the room. "Which I never and I mean never do, especially not on a first date. It usually takes me a while to feel comfortable enough to open up about it but it felt right to tell him."
"What was his reaction?" I join the interrogation, curious.
"He took it well. He has nieces and nephews and a big family so he's always around little kids."
"Do you want to see him again?" Isabelle raises an eyebrow. A smile curls onto Amanda's face as she thinks over her answer. She opens her mouth to speak but gets cut off.
"Cock blocker! Cock blocker!" Rex sings as he skips back into the room. Isabelle's face goes beetroot red and I let out a laugh. Amanda manages to catch him, swinging him up while he runs circles around the island.
"I'm not sure if I want to find out how he learnt that." She chuckles but narrows her eyes at me.
"No, no. Nothing like that." I shake my head. "I was just complaining, that's all."
"Well, I'm glad you took the hit for me." She jokes as Isabelle cringes at the situation even more. It's not a weird conversation for Amanda and I, we're close like that. I doubt Isabelle is used to this, being an only child and all.
"I'm going to go take a shower." Isabelle excuses herself with an embarrassed smile before slipping out of the room.
"Are you bringing Isabelle to Mom's for Christmas?" Amanda lowers her voice after making sure she's completely gone.
"I haven't ran it past her yet but hopefully."
Every year Mom has family and friends over for Christmas to celebrate all together. She has done ever since Dad left. I think she does it so she's definitely not alone.
"Do you think you'll ask Nick nearer the time?" I question.
"Potentially." She shrugs. "We've got a few weeks yet so I'll just have to see how it goes." The idea sparks a smile on her face. It makes me grin seeing her happy again.
**
Amanda doesn't stay for much longer. She's repeatedly thanked us for looking after Rex after picking up on how many times we've yawned since she arrived. With the three of us here, Rex is all played out by the afternoon. She takes him needing a nap as the perfect opportunity of driving them back home.
We stand in the hallway at the door, seeing them off. She carries their bag while Rex is clung around her front, almost asleep. We say our goodbyes, Isabelle at my side, and I tell Amanda to text me when she gets home. She disappears and I shut the door behind her. Isabelle sighs and rests her head into the cushioning muscles of my chest.
"I'm so tired." She whispers, closing her eyes. I loop my arm around her, taking her weight for her.
"Same." I agree.
"Do you want to go back to bed?" I narrow my eyes with a mischievous smirk.
"To do what exactly?" She glances up at me with a smile and then shakes her head.
"So that's a yes?" She asks, holding her hand out.
"Indeed." I take it and she leads the way.
**
The evening has quickly crept up on us. We spent a few hours lazily napping and hanging out in bed until we realized the time and noticed how hungry we were. For dinner, she teaches me one of her meals and then we eat it together.
After failing to convince her to join me, I go to the gym alone for a quick workout. I'm still so wrecked for the lack of sleep I got, I don't even know how I'm able to get myself down there. Coming back, I jump straight into the shower.
It takes me a few minutes to dry off and brush my teeth, getting ready for bed. I haven't heard any movement from inside the bedroom so I gather that Isabelle has already gone to sleep. My feet pad out to the door and I slowly edge it open.
To my surprise, she's awake. She's laying in the golden light of the lamp, on her front on top of the white covers. She's wearing a cropped shirt and a thong, her head stuck in a book. I sidle up to the bed and then fall beside her, gently placing my hand on her ass. She ignores me, continuing to read as I circle and sometimes squeeze her.
I stare at her, her long dark eyelashes, her button nose, her pink parted lips, the way she's desperately trying to avoid looking at me and concentrate on her book. Dimples form in her cheeks when she gives in and smiles to herself. I'm obsessed. How could I not be?
She's so effortlessly addictive, without even trying. She seems more present than anyone I've ever met whether it's the passion or the softened excitement in her honey brown eyes or how her smile is infectiously contagious to everyone else in the room.
"What?!" She puts her book down and laughs at me.
"Okay. I'll stop." I let her go and shuffle myself underneath the covers.
I lay on my back, closing my eyes and wait to hear her move to get into bed. Eventually she does but I don't feel her touching me so I crack an eye open. I see that her back is turned away from me so I take that as an invitation to cuddle up behind her. I pull her into my lap and she softens into my bare skin. Dotting kisses on her neck, she hums happily, tickling her fingernails over my arm.
"Goodnight." She whispers.
"Night. Sleep well."
**
Isabelle
I stir to the sound of Thomas' voice. Blinking a few times, I reach out to touch my finger tips to his exposed back. He's sat up, the phone to his ear.
"Okay. Yes." He keeps saying over and over and over again. Instantly, I get a bad feeling, a weight dropping in my stomach. It wakes me up immediately and I prop myself up on my forearms. I cock my head around to Thomas' face to see tears in his eyes and fear on his face.
"What? What is it?" My voice cracks through the question.
"Okay. We'll be there soon." He hangs up the phone, his eyes wide and scared. It's beginning to scare me now.
"What? What's happened?" I reach around, comforting him.
"Sam's in hospital. He's been put in a coma."
-Frankie Kate