𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐄𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐬 (Book Two)

6. Beach Day

Isabella

To say she was nervous would be an understatement. She needed this outing to go well, for everyone to play civil. Cassian had taken the time she had offered, had spoken with Azriel if the lack of shadows was any induction. Not that the little creatures had left her entirely, some of them Azriel had linked to the bond, meaning they were essentially hers.

Hence the neatly wrapped sandwiches in brown paper being dragged and pushed along the kitchen table until they fell off the side and into the picnic bag waiting below.

So maybe she was overpacking a little but who could blame her.

Cassian, as the only other adept cook among the group, was packing food for the males so she only had to look out for herself and Oliver. Packing sandwiches, beach towels and all the random things Oliver needs. Honestly, fifty percent of motherhood is just being a packhorse and carting your child from one place to the next.

Said child has taken on the daunting task of working out which toys to take with him to the beach. Surprisingly, Oliver understood they would get dirty- not sandy - he had never been to a beach so didn't understand that concept but he was greatly concerned about the cleanliness of his toys.

But he wanted to take his soldiers and bat-bat.

Bat-bat was always coming but Isabella had cruelly placed a limit on the number of toys he could bring. Oliver hadn't spoken to her since, because there clearly was no worse rule to impose.

Isabella had taken to talking aloud. There were numerous "I wonder which sandwich Oliver would like." Followed by the proclamation that she was packing his least favourite, it was only once he had suppressed little gasps of horror that she had relented with a grin and narrated her packing of his favourite jam sandwich.

A steady knock at the door had her nerves returning. Isabella had made the decision to reach out to Rhys yesterday in person and send a letter to Azriel and Cassian via the shadow postal service.

Oliver was understandably frustrated at once again returning to Rhys' townhouse. This place wasn't exactly known for its fun to the young boy so Isabella had packed a few of his favourite toys and a colouring book to keep him entertained while she spoke with Rhys.

Not that she should have worried.

Rhys had lasted all of two minutes under the boy's pitiful looks before suggesting a walk to the park.

It was only once Oliver was excited running around the playground equipment that hadn't been there last week that Rhys slowed to a stop. Isabella had been relatively calm up to this point. Content with the amiable silence as they walked. Well, relative silence considering her son filled it with chatter.

"Shall we sit?" Rhys gestured to the bench next to her.

She nodded stiffly, letting him help put the Oliver-entertainment-bag on the floor. Oliver had glanced bach at her then and she waved in answer, grinning at his overzealous waves back. It took her a second to notice that Rhys was watching them with a soft expression. One that reminded her why she was there in the first place.

"I though it was about time we caught up."

"Was the awkward tea not enough for you?" Rhys arched a brow but there was real guilt in his eyes. "I shouldn't have sprung that upon you."

Isabella shrugged, "The execution was exactly the best but I can understand why you felt the need to engineer a meeting."

"You have been avoiding me then." She swallows nervously at his sad tone, toying with her hands. "I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable."