Isla

Chapter 14

The hotel room was dead quiet, but Isla's mind was going a hundred miles an hour.

It sucked that it was the weekend and she had nothing to do. She felt like going to work and being on a routine would be better than just letting her thoughts run circles.

Everything had changed. Was she really going to accept the reality that there were supernatural creatures out there? She wasn't sure. There was no proof. She was just going to have to believe them, and she didn't know if she could.

Isla was surprised to find a knock on her door, and the person standing there was not who she expected.

Angela, Sierra and Aedric's mom, gave her a solemn smile as Isla held the door open.

"I brought you some lunch. I know we don't know each other that well, but I was hoping I could answer some of your questions."

Isla sat on the bed and Angela pulled up a chair. Isla was actually a bit glad to see her.

"How do you know it's true?" Isla asked immediately as Angela dug through her bag. She handed Isla a neatly wrapped sandwich and a bag of chips.

"I was at a conference in the middle of the mountains. This place was literally a ghost town, and I dropped into this restaurant for lunch. There were two kids at the counter. The boy - Aedric - was pleading for something to eat for his sister. He was offering to work and everything. He couldn't have been more than eight or nine."

Angela smiled at the memories. "I brought them over to my table, and let them order whatever they wanted. I think Sierra ordered one of everything, and the largest milkshake I had ever seen."

Isla gave a gentle laugh.

"They had been staying with some cousins or something at the time, but it wasn't working out, and they were being placed in an orphanage."

"I don't know why I was so drawn to them, but I was. I stayed longer in town, got to know them, and ended up adopting them."

Isla listened intently as she ate.

"Their aunt was always spewing some nonsense of them being devil spawn's or whatever. I never thought she was anything more than spiteful, but then Sierra started talking about people glowing."

"The doctors thought she was delusional, but I believed her, especially when I realized that she understood how I felt better than I could understand myself."

"And Aedric?"

She shrugged. "I did some research on their family name when Sierra started seeing things, and found something about demons. I don't remember much, but their size and strength stuck out. I just made a conclusion."

"What about the soulmate thing?" Isla asked.

Angela crossed her legs, one over the other. "There was that, yes. Although, we didn't really think much of it until you came around."

"What changed?"

"Aedric's never been interested in anybody, not until he saw you. That dinner, when he saw you, that's when everything changed. It's like something clicked."

"Angela-" Isla shook her head in disbelief.

"I know, honey," her warm voice soothed. "I wish I had more answers for you, but I don't. I just thought telling you my side of things might help make it more believable."

She stood, gathering her bag.

"Thank you for coming, and for lunch," Isla said sincerely. She stood up, following her to the door.

"You're welcome," she smiled. "I can't imagine what it feels like, to finally open up to someone and then feel totally misguided. Maybe Sierra and Aedric didn't go about things the right way, but to them, there is no right way. They're new to all of this, just the same as you."

Isla sighed as the door shut. Did any of it really matter if she was safe and around people that cared about her? It was definitely wrong of her to doubt Sierra's willingness to help her. Without Sierra and Caleb, she might still be with her abusive parents.

And Aedric, she really liked him. He was good to her, and was patient.

She feared by running away she may have ruined things for good.

---

Isla wasn't home for more than a few minutes when Sierra knocked on her bedroom door.

"You're back?" Sierra asked quietly.

"Yeah," Isla nodded. "Sierra, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have kept this from you. I wasn't trying to hurt you. I just knew that your trust was delicate, and I didn't-"

"It's okay," Isla said, feeling a small smile. "No more tears."

Sierra sighed, a bit of a sniffle as she rubbed her face with her palm.

"I'm so glad you're back," Sierra mumbled, and Isla stepped closer until Sierra got the hint and pulled her into a hug. Isla felt a bit unsure at first, but she moved her arms around Sierra's back.

"I don't know what I would do without you, Sierra," she mumbled.

"Stop it," Sierra protested. "You said no tears, and saying stuff like that doesn't help."

Isla gave a soft laugh as they broke apart.

"Do you want to come make breakfast with Caleb and Callie and I?"

Isla agreed with a nod, following her out. There was a relief to being back. This was her home, and these were her friends. If Sierra told her that she morphed into a blue alien, why did it matter? No one had ever treated her like Sierra and Caleb had. They let her move across the country with them, and they let her move in, no questions asked.

Caleb was whisking eggs with Callie on his hip.

"Look who it is," Caleb cooed. "It's your Auntie Isla."

He passed her over, and the baby made a few happy babbly noises.

"We're glad to see you," he said sincerely.

"Me too," Isla smiled.

"Caleb's got eggs and I was going to do bacon. Do you want pancakes, too?" Sierra asked.

"Whatever you all want is good with me," Isla said, grimacing as Callie found a few strands of hair to yank on. "I'm going to play with Callie in the living room if you don't need help."

Sierra waved her off, and Isla let Callie loose on the plush rug. She pulled out the bin of toys, letting her pilfer through them.

"What's this?" Isla gasped dramatically, picking up a singing bear and pushing the button. Callie was infatuated, clapping her hands.

Isla took a moment to soak her in. She felt really lucky to be a part of Callie's life, and to finally have some real family. That's all that really mattered.