Her Brothers ✔️

chapter 42

Isabella 

The winter break was flying by so much, that the holidays were just around the corner. 

After that whole bet situation, Silas has been overly protective of me, he wouldn't want me to step foot outside. then god forbid I sneeze he'll come rushing to me, checking to see if I have a fever, at first I found it comforting that my brother would be concerned for my well being then it just gets too much. 

He insisted that I share a room with him that night, just so I could be nearby in case anything bad happens to me, he'll be right there. 

I tried my best to protest against that especially knowing he slept with ... some people in here. 

"Papa.. you promise it's a new mattress and everything?" I stared him down as I held up my pinky and he nodded with determination, "Yes, I promise, and you can even check the receipt" He handed me the receipt so I examined the dateline and nodded in approval. 

"Okay. I trust you on this" I was still reluctant to share the night with him, but my childish side of me got the final say since I am forever going to be my brother's little girl. 

Other people might find it peculiar to act so childishly with my brothers, but they are the reason I can be childish since the whole incident of being away from them. 

Often times I catch myself caring about what others think, that I forget they don't live my life and no matter how much I try to explain myself they'll only continue to misunderstand me and I'm alright with being misunderstood as long as I am happy with my little family. 

Meanwhile... the whole arrangement was made until I got better, and to be honest I think it's because Silas is always smitten with me, I love the princess treatment. 

"Relax yourself, I am going to read you Le Petit Prince Antoine de Saint-Exupéry" Papa announces suddenly as he finishes tucking in the covers under my arms before retreating to his bookshelves alongside the same wall as his en-suite closet. 

"But Papa I'm a princess, not a prince" I wanted to read a princess story, "Baby, you're always my princess, okay? But I enjoy the story" he gives me the typical reassuring smile as he gives a gentle kiss to my forehead, before he pulls up a chair next to the bed. 

"Chapter one: It was said in the book: "Boa snakes swallow their entire prey, without chewing it. Then they can no longer move and.." Papa pauses as he looks up from his book to see I am actually not falling asleep, instead, I was confused as to why we're reading about how Boa snakes eat. 

Nonetheless, Papa proceeds with the story despite my confusion, "they sleep during the six months of their digestion. "I then thought a lot about the adventures of the jungle and, in my turn, I managed, with a colored pencil, to draw my first drawing. My drawing number 1. He was like that" Papa brings the book to view as he shows the drawing illustrated by the author. 

after some time, we made it chapter seven and he lulled me to sleep by now. 

"..He saw me, my hammer in his hand, and black fingers of mud, leaning over an object that seemed very ugly to him" I vaguely hear Papa mentioning something of hammer...black fingers.. something ugly, just as I had been engulfed in sleep. 

But a vivid nightmare soon disrupted my peaceful sleep, I could feel my entire sweat as I faced some headless horseman on a skeleton horse, I thrashed in my sleep then I heard a distant voice of familiarity... "Baby.. shh it's okay" I felt delicate hands caressing as I continued to thrash in bed, and then soon I am met with eyes of comfort.