ISSABELLE

Ryan and Issabelle slept till late the next morning. At 8 in the morning, Cathy barged in her bedroom, and asked her, "Mom what is Dad's car doing outside?" She looked around and found them both naked in bed.

Issabelle got up and sat upright while covering her body with a duvet. She flushed with guilt and embarrassment, as Cathy came to a sudden halt on seeing them. Cathy said "Oh" with so much excitement and happiness on seeing both her parents together. She said that this was the most wonderful news, and she would just go and share her happiness with Steven who was waiting down. Cathy kept on repeating, "How wonderful this is. Oh, Mom and Dad, I am so happy for both of you."

Tears of happiness were flowing down Cathy's cheeks, she rushed towards the bed and hugged them both. "Well, Mom I had come for a short visit, to check on you, as you seemed to be so upset the other day. Wait until I tell Steven, and call up Emma Aunt in the U.S. and give them the good news."

Cathy then went down to inform Steven, Issabelle could hear her excited voice even in the bedroom upstairs. Cathy returned back, and announced from the doorway, "Mom Dad, Steven is as thrilled as me. Well, we won't stay back and disturb both of you. Both of you enjoy, and laughingly said, make sure to have safe sex."

"Safe sex" Issabelle repeated the words looking quite worried. Ryan apologized that he should have taken care of that. But that was never an issue, for so long, that he had forgotten.

Issabelle burst out that, "You thought that I have been used to all this stuff, and must have taken adequate precautions. Isn't it Ryan?" A sense of anger, helplessness, and rage overtook her. She just realized the consequences that she would have to face. She burst out fiercely, "Whatever you might believe, but my life does not include intimacy or sex. So I never had to bother about birth control measures or anything. Besides we have more important things to worry about, rather than think about that unlikely chance of me conceiving your child for the second time."

Issabelle than gazed at him properly in the daylight, as it was dark at night. She blushed to see him naked, he did not cover himself with the duvet completely, when Cathy had barged in. His chest was exposed and, there were bruises on his chest and neck, a sign of their lovemaking. She remembered that she had kissed him with equal passion as him. She then touched her lips and found them sore, because of his intense kisses.

Issabelle told Ryan, "Do you remember what Cathy said that she would give this good news to everyone. I think by afternoon the whole town will come to know that, ....."

Ryan completed her sentence by saying, "We are giving our relationship a second chance?" Though Ryan remained unfazed by that, which made Issabelle edgy, she asked Ryan, "Why didn't you stop Catherine, say something to her to stop her, from telling everyone? She thought that just because she found us in bed, she believed that we have made up, and are together now. What we had last night was only sex, nothing else."

"Only sex? Issabelle with how many men have you had sex other than me, to judge that what we had was only sex last night?"

Issabelle retorted back that he had no right to ask her that. "No right at all" she repeated. She said she would also ask the same question to him. She suddenly realized that what she had felt for him last night, was not sex. It was love. She decided she wouldn't tell him or else he would gain an advantage over her if he realized that she had fallen for him for the second time.

Ryan told Issabelle, "Why are you behaving like a hypocrite, you were happy to go to bed with me, to have sex with me, but want to keep it a secret. You don't want anyone else to know about it. Why Issabelle?"

She agreed that well she was a hypocrite, "But Ryan step into my shoes and tell me, how would you feel? Would you want everyone to know about what you have done? You can't imagine how would I face people when you leave this place and go back? Just the way you had done once before. Steven's mother might also have come to know the news by now. How would Cathy feel if her mother in law, criticizes me for that? I am worried about Cathy. There shouldn't be more problems for her."

"Stop worrying about Cathy, she has immense pride and love for you. I have immense faith in her. Since Cathy believes that we have established our relationship than fine let it be that way. It would be fine for her, for everyone and also for us" Ryan said.

"It would be very hard for me, to fool everyone about our relationship", Issabelle said.

"Not harder, than telling Cathy the truth and disillusioning her, because she wants to believe that we are back together? When it already is a hard time for Cathy, what with few months left for her marriage. Cathy is a strong girl Issabelle, and she and Steven both love one another very much. He is there for her, you need not worry", Ryan uttered.

"Ryan what would happen, if God forbid some problem occurs between them, if some situation arose between them, if she required his loyalty and support, what if he doesn't, ...." Issabelle told Ryan.

"I think what you are trying to tell is what had happened between us, and I did not rely on you, supported you, or trusted you. Isn't that what you mean Issabelle?"

"I know that you are talking about our marriage, but I correct you there Issabelle, Steven is not me, and neither Cathy is you, we should leave them alone, let them take chances and make their future. We should just give them our support, love, and prayers" Ryan said.

Ryan wanted to take the pain of all those years away from Issabelle, to hug her tightly, to reassure her, to let her know how much he loved her. Issabelle was but very cold and distant, not like last night. She would not believe him if he told her so. He knew that Issabelle had become bitter towards life. It would take time for her to forgive him. But he would keep trying, and would not lose hope.