In The Darkest Hour

Part One - Chapter Twenty-Seven: Being Released

Isla took a deep breath as she pulled on her canvas lace-up pumps, she was finally being let out of the hospital and she couldn’t wait to get home again; she wanted to relax and maybe when things quietened down go and see Gerard.

Tracy and Theodore had done everything in their power to keep Isla away from the footballer, they didn’t want her seeing him ever again even if she had explained he wasn’t the reason she had tried to end things.

“Are you ready to go?” Tracy asked stepping into the room with a smile on her face, she was so happy that Isla was coming home and things were certainly going to be different when she was at home.

Isla nodded her head, she wanted her parents to give her some space but that wasn’t going to happen after what she had tried to do; they were treating her like a child and it made her feel worse.

“Good,” Tracy murmured watching Isla, she and her husband had done a lot of talking in the last month and had come to a decision; one that they were both sure would do some Isla some good.

However they would wait until they were at home away from prying ears to tell Isla, Tracy wanted Isla to get better and that wasn’t going to happen with Gerard around.

Gerard was the one that had caused all of this and she would never forgive him, Isla was too soft for her own good and Tracy wasn’t going to let the footballer take advantage of her when she was ill; she needed space to grow strong again.

Isla looked at herself in the mirror, the navy jumper and skinny jeans that her mother had brought for her made her look so pale and ill; she frowned wondering why they hadn’t given her something lighter to go home in, it was like they wanted her to look sick.

“It’ll be good to have you home,” Tracy said with a smile, she had a little surprise for Isla waiting and she hoped her daughter would like it; she wanted everything to be perfect.

***

“Kieran,” Isla said surprised to see her younger brother, she had no idea that he was back in Barcelona and she was happy to see him; if anyone knew how overprotective their parents could be it was Kieran Cortez.

Isla moved to hug him with a smile before she realised that he wasn’t the only family member in the house, she furrowed her brow at the sight of her aunt and uncle who lived in Sydney, Australia.

“What’s going on?” Isla asked turning to look at her parents, she had a terrible feeling while they were in their home and she knew that whatever happened that they wouldn’t let this go.

Kieran sighed sitting down and watching his older sister, he adored Isla and wished that their parents weren’t about to do this; Sydney had been good to him when they had shipped him off but that didn’t mean it would work for Isla.

“Why don’t you take a seat Isla?” Jeremy Sanz said to his niece, he looked to his sister and her husband hoping that they were prepared for what was about to happen.

Jeremy had been horrified to learn what had happened to his niece and while he agreed that maybe leaving Barcelona would be good for Isla; she was an adult now and they couldn’t force her.

Isla moved to sit down next to her brother, she had a feeling that she was going to need him and this wasn’t going to be pleasant; her blue eyes looked between everyone trying to work out what they were going to do.

“Your padre and I have been talking,” Tracy began wanting Isla to understand that this was what was best for her, she would never get better if she didn’t and they wanted her to recover.

“You’re going to live in Sydney with your aunt and uncle,” Theodore finished for his wife, he wanted what was best for Isla and being in Barcelona was it; she deserved better from everything.

“I’m what?” Isla spluttered looking at her parents, she didn’t want to believe what she was hearing and she hoped that she had gotten it wrong; she looked around hoping that someone was joking.

Kieran took his sister’s hand, he knew how she felt and he hoped that she wouldn’t crack again; he didn’t see how this was going to help her not when their parents were pushing her away.

“It’s for the best Isla… you’re not well,” Tracy said slowly as if she was talking to a child, she wanted her daughter better and back to normal; she had no idea how to deal with Isla right now and she would be better off in Sydney with everyone else.

“There’s nothing wrong with me,” Isla spat disgusted that her parents were treating her like this, she’d had several psychological assessments that had confirmed that apart from depression she was fine.

Kristen Sanz sighed, she truly wished that Tracy would see that this wasn’t going to help but she had already made up her mind and Isla was going to Australia one way or another.

“Then why did you try to end your life?” Tracy snapped getting fed up with all of this, she didn’t know why Isla was determined to stay in Barcelona but she had a feeling that it was something to do with Gerard.

Tracy didn’t care what she had to do to get Isla on that flight, she was doing it because it was what was best for Isla and the footballer was better off left in the past before he could hurt her again.

“Because I felt that there was no other way,” Isla shouted getting tired of the fact that her mother wasn’t listening to her, she was nearly twenty-seven and she wasn’t a child anymore.

Jeremy cleared his throat knowing that he had to step in before there was a fight, he looked at his niece hoping that she would do the right thing for her and not her parents.

Jeremy loved his sister dearly but she was completely unable to look after her own children when they had problems; she had already shipped Kieran to them when he was rebelling and now she was doing the same with Isla when her daughter needed her most.

“You don’t have to move to Australia Isla,” Jeremy reassured ignoring the furious look that Tracy was giving him, he didn’t care what she thought only that his niece knew that she had family that would take care of her.

Isla smiled at her uncle, she was glad that he understood and she would consider it but first she wanted to try things out in Barcelona before she made her decision.

“But I think a change will do you good,” Jeremy concluded wanting Isla to make the decision herself, she was an adult and he would help her rebuild her life away from Barcelona.

Isla nodded her head, she loved her family dearly and she had missed her aunt and uncle; it was a shame that they lived so far away and she didn’t get to see them much.

“Plus Ava and Mia miss you and would love for you to visit,” Kristen said smiling, her two daughters hadn’t been able to fly out because of school and work but she knew that the teenagers had been desperate to see Isla after hearing what had happened.

Ava was nineteen and Mia was seventeen, they loved the idea of their older cousin coming to live with them; they wanted her to be happy again and they knew what Tracy and Theodore were like.

Kieran wrapped an arm around his sister, he would support her in any decisions that she made and he hoped Isla wouldn’t do what their parents wanted; she had to make a decision on what was right for her and not them.