by Anthology
“B . . . but, uh, um . . . how did he know I was divorcing Eric?”
“He didn’t know you were leaving him. Honestly, he thought Eric had kicked you out. He wanted me to go get you and make sure you got home safely. I assured him that whatever had happened, you needed the time to think and be alone.”
“Thank you. I did. It was scary though, driving across the country by myself. But I’m so happy I did it. I needed to see that I could.”
“That’s what I’ve heard from our women in the office. I figured you’d need the same thing. It’s going to be okay. You are stronger than you think.”
Isabella’s face lights up with the compliment. She even blushes a little, and is unsure how to respond.
To help her keep her obvious embarrassment at bay, Taylor just continues, “It really is best for you to stay in California to fight him, but it’s not required. You will have to go back for the court dates, though. I think it’ll be easier if you are there.”
“I can’t go back there. I’m afraid he’ll never let me leave. Or worse, he’ll try to be a good husband again and try to convince me to stay. It’ll kill me to go through all this again. I know he’ll go back to the man he is today once I give in. I can’t do it again. I just can’t.”
“No. I don’t want you to go back to your home with him. I want you to find another place to live in the meantime. At some point, he’ll give up and stop fighting. Honestly, how long can he fight before looking like an idiot? If he’s been cheating, there’ll be evidence of it. He can’t really say he wants to be married if he’s been running around.”
“I don’t have evidence. I just know that he smells different when he comes home, and he’s not all wound up when he’s been gone for a few days. I’ve found a phone number and a few receipts, but nothing for sure. Even if he’s not cheating, he doesn’t care at all about how I’m doing. I want out.”
“And you will get out. I’ll help. Isabella, you can come stay with me. I have a two-bedroom apartment and no roommate.”
“I don’t know. How will that look for his argument in the divorce?”
“We’ve been friends for years, and I’m the only friend you have nearby, so I’m sure it’ll look normal to the judge. Where else would you go?”
“Taylor, we barely know each other. We can’t be roommates. Besides, Eric will freak out if I live with a man. Look at how crazy he is knowing I’m living with Daniel, and he’s my cousin.”
“Trust me, Isabella, it’ll be fine. Eric has nothing to say about where you live. Even better, if you are serious and do not to want to fight for anything besides your car and clothing, you can stay with me for free and use it as an argument that it was all you could afford until you found a job. Then the judge will see that you are trying not to spend his money and that you are serious about wanting out with nothing from him. It might make his fight futile.”
“I need to think about all this.”
“I understand. But please come have dinner with us.”
Isabella agrees, no longer angry at Taylor or Daniel, and understanding why Daniel talked to Taylor to begin with. However, she does still wonder why he’d come here to help.
Chapter Thirteen
THE WEEK PASSES quickly and Taylor has been dropping hints here and there about Isabella going back to California with him. She is so confused. Daniel had told her he would support whatever decision she made. He wanted to have her around, but knew the stress of traveling back and forth would wear on her, especially if Eric put up a fight that lasted a while.
She avoids answering both of them, confused about what the right decision is. She knows she’d love to be in California again, but how could she live with Taylor?
“Bella, I know you’re nervous about living in California,” Daniel says, “but I know you loved it there and it’ll feel like home. I don't want you to think that I'm trying to send you away. I'd love for you to come home for good, but I know you love California. You never know how it'll work out.”
“Daniel, I want nothing from Eric. How would I even manage to live out there now? I don't have a job. Hell, I don't even have work experience.”
“Bella, first of all, Taylor says you can stay with him and it’ll appear that he’s helping you out. I can send money from the trust I’ve set up. You'll be fine. I wouldn’t let you go if I didn't think it was a good idea.”
"But I barely know Taylor. It’ll be awkward. We’re basically strangers. At least you’re family."
“Bella, you’ll fall right back into place with Taylor. He’s the same guy he always was. I know you like your privacy but, since Eric is a lawyer, I knew you’d need help. Taylor will make sure you are taken care of.”
“I do’'t mind that you told him, that’s not what bothers me. I know I’d probably have to tell someone about what’s been happening. I’m a little embarrassed, but I would’ve been with anyone knowing, not just Taylor. I’m more worried about living with a virtual stranger. It’s weird.”
“I know it’ll be a little weird at first, but it’s not like living with a complete stranger. You can count on him, trust him, and maybe even make some new friends. Maybe your dream will come true and you’ll get to stay in California.”
* * *
As Taylor packs the rental car with his things, he’s a little disappointed that Isabella hasn’t agreed to come back with him. Besides wanting to help her through this divorce, Taylor remembers how wonderful she was to be around in high school, and wants to help her get that back. She’s so insecure and broken.
Taylor opens the car door and turns to Daniel. “Sorry I couldn’t convince her to come with me, Daniel. I tried. Good luck getting her to see that she’s worth much more than Eric ever gave her.”
“I know, and I appreciate it. I’ll keep working on her. I know she’ll love being back there. She was so happy to move out there in the first place. As much as I wish she’d make this her home again, she belongs there. Now to convince her.”
“Good luck, man.” Taylor climbs into the car, rolls down the window, and closes the door.
“Thanks. Have a safe trip. We need to get together more often.”
“For sure. You need to get your ass out to California sometime”—Taylor starts the car and backs out of the driveway—“soon.” Then he leaves for the airport.
Inside, Daniel doesn’t know what to say to Isabella, but he’s determined to find a way to get her to California.
Instead of hunting her down, Daniel goes about making his calls to all his shops to secure a few more days off. He wants to spend some time with Isabella, so he could try to persuade her.
Hours pass and, when Isabella finally makes an entrance, he’s buried under a pile of paperwork. “Where is Taylor?”
“He left today. He’s got to get back to work.” Daniel doesn’t even lift his head when he responds to her, acting a little nonchalant, in hopes of making her want to ask questions. He wants her to think it’s her idea to keep talking about it.
“Oh. I guess I didn’t realize he would leave so quickly. Well, does that mean you’ll be going back to work tomorrow?” Isabella tries to hide the disappointment in her voice.
“Nah. I took another few days off. All of the managers have things under control. I knew I hired a great bunch of guys, but this is the first time they’ve really been put to the test. I hope it’s all as good as they say when I get back. Thankfully, I can check the numbers and stuff from home. It all appears good.”
“I’m so proud of you, Daniel. It’s so nice to see you doing as well as you are.” The genuine smile Isabella wears and the warmth in her eyes tells Daniel he’s doing the right thing.
“Thanks, Bella. So, want to go out to dinner tonight? My treat, of course.”
“No thanks. I think I’ll just go back to my room and read before bed.”
“Bella, it’s early still. Don’t hide away. Let me take you out. We don’t have to go far or be out long, but you need to get out of your room.”
&
nbsp; “I’m not hiding. I just want to be alone.”
“That’s hiding. I don’t want you to be alone. You’ve been alone for too long. Let’s go around the corner for pizza. We’ll just eat and come home.”
Isabella thinks a moment, but when her stomach grumbles loudly, she can’t hide the fact that pizza sounds really good. “Fine.”
Daniel puts his things away and ushers her out the door before she has the chance to change her mind.
Both the short drive to the pizza place, and the wait for their food, are filled with uncomfortable silence. It upsets Daniel, because they’ve always had an easy going relationship. Eric’s presence in her life has done far more harm than good. Daniel studies her, wondering how he can get her back. Once the pizza arrives, though, Daniel can see bits of her old self poking through. Isabella loves her pizza.
“Oh. My. Gosh, Daniel. This is so good. Thanks for forcing me to come,” Isabella says with her eyes closed and a full mouth.
Daniel just laughs at her in response. That’s the girl he grew up with. Not stuffy, prim, and proper, just genuine and full of life.
Chapter Fourteen
THE NEXT FEW weeks pass much the same, except when Isabella keeps refusing to get out of the house, Daniel finally goes in to work. He makes sure to call her during the day, and always gets back early enough to drag her out to dinner. She doesn’t always protest, but usually tries to. By week two, she just gives in and doesn’t even argue. In fact, she’s ready for him when he comes home, much to his surprise.
“Wow, Bella. I guess you’re feeling better. Ready?”
“I’m not feeling better. I’m just tired of arguing with you. I need to eat and, apparently, we can’t do it here. So, yes. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
Daniel’s only response is a full, deep belly laugh. He laughs so hard, he can hardly catch his breath. Isabella just stares at him, not at all amused. She still somehow feels like she has no control over her own life.
Dinner is typical, not full of conversation, but comfortable. Both eat quickly, then head back home. In the car, Isabella’s phone dings with an incoming text message.
Eric: We have our first court date in two weeks. You need to be present.
Isabella: I will be there.
She throws her phone back in her purse and huffs a little, catching Daniel’s attention.
“Bella, who was it? What’s wrong?”
“It was Eric. We have our first court date in two weeks, and he told me I have to be there. I already knew about it, but he has to make it seem like he’s ordering me, and I feel like I’m jumping at the directions.”
“Do you need me to go with you? Or are you okay with just having Taylor there for you? I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Let me think about it. I’m not really sure. I guess I actually need to talk to Taylor to see what to expect from this appearance.”
“You haven’t talked to him since he left?”
“Um . . . no, I was embarrassed to call him. What if he doesn’t really want to help me? What if I made him mad by not going back there with him?”
“Bella, he’s not mad. He knows you’ve been pushed around and need to deal with all this. But you do need to talk to him if he’s going to be your lawyer. He needs to be able to help you. Has he tried calling you?”
She drops her head so she doesn’t have to make eye contact, and responds in almost a whisper, “Yeah. A few times.”
“Bella.” Daniel’s voice booms across the car. “You need to communicate with him.”
“I’m sorry. This is all so embarrassing. How do I talk to him about this? I know I’ll have to with strangers, but I’m afraid he’ll see me as weak and pathetic when I tell him everything.”
Daniel pulls up to the house and turns the car off, then turns and says, “Bella, you aren’t weak or pathetic. You left. Maybe you let things go farther than they should have. Maybe you should’ve seen the warning signs. Maybe, maybe, maybe. It doesn’t matter. You left him. You’re working on your independence. None of that is pathetic.”
“You make me sound so much stronger than I feel. I feel lost, like I don’t even know who I am or what I want in life. I’ve got to be the most pathetic twenty-three year old ever. No degree, soon to be divorcee, with no job and no life. Hell, I don’t even have a place of my own.”
“Bella, this house”—Daniel points in front of them—“is yours. I can leave now if you want me to. I love it here, but know it’s all yours.”
“Daniel, I didn’t mean it to sound that way. I don’t want you to leave. In fact, it feels more like your place than mine. I just meant, I haven’t earned anthing. It’s all been given to me. Kinda pathetic, if you ask me.”
“Well then, I’m not asking you. Stop saying you are pathetic. There are women far older, and with much less of their own when they leave their horrible marriages. Then there are others who never get the courage to leave, or just stay for the material things. I say that’s what is pathetic.”
Unable to speak, Isabella nods at him. The confidence he has in her is a bit overwhelming. She hasn’t felt supported in a long time. Briefly, she wonders how much different life could have been had Daniel been able to make her see how bad Eric was for her.
She’s not sure how long they sit in silence, but Daniel is being so patient with her. Letting her work through her issues without pushing her is something he’s always been good at. Not that she ever really talked too deeply with him, but she knew he could tell when she was upset. He just made sure to be present. Daniel was hands down the perfect best friend.
“Let’s go inside,” Daniel says.
She nods and gets out of the car.
Once inside, she pauses to really look around. Daniel has made this his home, not hers. She’s not sure she’ll ever be able to call it home again. Nothing about being here feels comfortable. It’s like she’s a visitor. “Daniel, I think I need to be in California. Do you think it’ll be okay to live with Taylor? And what happens if I get there and we can’t stand each other? What if Eric starts harassing me? Daniel, I’m scared.”
“Bella, Taylor will take good care of you. I promise. I’ll only be a phone call away. I can get there in a day if you need me. It’s gonna work out.”
Chapter Fifteen
THE WEEK PASSES quickly as Daniel helps Isabella get ready for the big move back to California. She can’t wait to sink her toes in the sand and smell the ocean breeze again. The gorgeous Southern California beaches are the only place she ever truly felt at peace. That calm inside has been missing, but hopefully the move back will get it back.
It isn’t surprising that it takes such a short time to pack. After all, she only has what she came here with to worry about, and it all fit in the car. As she packs, she comes across the box she found on the beach the day she left. She had forgotten all about it. She sits back on the bed and looks for a way to open it. As it turns, she can hear something inside, and she’s dying to figure out what it is. She’s so engulfed in figuring out how to open the box, that she doesn’t notice Daniel watching her from the doorway.
“What are you doing?”
His voice startles her, and she throws the box in the air. “Shit, you scared me.” Isabella gets up and grabs the box.
“What is that?” He walks towards her to get a closer look. “Where did you get it?”
“I found it on the beach before I left California.” She shakes it for him. “There’s something inside. I’d forgotten about it. What do you think it is?”
“Why do you care? Just throw it away and finish packing.”
Disappointed, Isabella appeases him by putting the box in the trash can by the bed, even though she plans to take it out as soon as he leaves. She doesn’t know why, but she needs to know what is inside. Her curiosity has definitely gotten the best of her, but it’s even more than that. She’s drawn to the inside, connected in a way, feeling like it’s a step in the healing process because of how she found it.
Daniel helps gather the suitcases she has packed and takes them into the living room. When he comes back inside, he finds Isabella trying to open that damn box again. “Fine. Let me have it, if you must know what’s inside.”
Isabella gets comfortable on the bed, while watching Daniel try to figure out how to open it. “See, it’s not that easy, is it?” She giggles a little, which warms Daniels heart, if only that carefree attitude showed itself more these days. He misses his happy Bella of old.
“How badly do you want this open? Should I break out tools?”
“Admit it, you’re curious too. Of course you should get tools!”
“Okay, okay. Geez. Let’s do this in the garage.” He walks out of the room laughing, and Isabella bounces behind him.
Once inside the garage, Daniel searches for something to use. After opening every drawer once, he opens the top one again and pulls out a pocket knife.
“Really, your pocket knife is going to open it?” Isabella scoffs.
“Do you think you can find something better? If I recall correctly, you thought just looking at it would open it.”
She laughs and concedes, “You’re right, go right ahead and do it your way.”
Daniel is concentrating so hard, Isabella can’t help but bust into a fit of laughter. Daniel doesn’t find it amusing at all, and starts throwing little nuts that are sitting atop the workbench at her.