Adele in Love "The woman in the crowd"

51|| canceling the party

Isy lay quietly on the sofa, her arm gently wrapped around Adele, who had slowly drifted into a peaceful sleep over the last few minutes. Adele's breathing had softened, and Isy could feel the gentle rise and fall of her chest pressed against her side. She hesitated for a moment, not wanting to disturb the serene moment, but eventually reached for the remote to turn on the TV, keeping the volume as low as possible.

Just as she settled in, her phone vibrated on the coffee table. It was her mother. Isy sighed before answering, already sensing that it wouldn't be a simple call.

"Hey, Mom. What's up?"

Her mother's voice was heavy with frustration. "Isy, everyone here is sick. Your father and I... we've been fighting again, nonstop. He's impossible to reason with."

Isy closed her eyes, feeling the familiar weight of her family's troubles. Her parents had always had a rocky relationship, but lately, the tension between them seemed unbearable. She listened as her mother continued to vent, but her mind was already elsewhere. The thought of flying home for a party, only to face more arguments, criticism, and stress was the last thing she needed right now.

When the call ended, she sat in silence for a moment, staring at the TV but not really watching. She'd made up her mind: the party wasn't happening. She wasn't going to put herself or Adele through that.

Adele began to stir beside her, her body shifting closer to Isy's, her warmth seeking comfort. Isy smiled softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from Adele's face as her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey, you," Adele murmured sleepily, snuggling even closer to Isy.

Isy laughed quietly, feeling the familiar flutter in her chest. "You're going to crawl right into me if you keep moving closer."

Adele, still half asleep, grinned. "I wouldn't mind."

"How are you feeling?" Isy asked, her voice tender with concern.

"It's manageable now," Adele whispered.

Isy hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly. "My mom called. She said everyone's sick, and my dad... well, he's just making everything worse. We've decided to skip the party. I don't think it's a good idea to go, not with how you're feeling. And honestly, I don't want to deal with all the stress."

Adele shifted slightly, lifting her head to meet Isy's gaze. "If that's what you want, babe. It's your birthday."

Isy smiled down at her, feeling the familiar warmth of Adele's understanding. "I'd rather just spend the day with you and Archie. Maybe go out for a quiet dinner or something. I'm really not in the mood for a big party."

Adele nodded, pressing a kiss to Isy's shoulder. "That sounds perfect."

They lay in comfortable silence for a while, Adele tracing soft circles on Isy's arm, and Isy lost in thought. Eventually, Isy broke the stillness.

"Can I ask you something?"

Adele looked up again. "Of course."

"What's the story with Archie's dad? You've never really talked about him."

Adele exhaled slowly, then spoke. "Ben? He lives just two streets over, but he's been in Spain for the last two months on a work project."

"Is he... is he a good guy?" Isy asked, her voice cautious, not wanting to pry too much but curious nonetheless.

"Yeah," Adele nodded, her voice soft but sincere. "He's a really good person. We were together for a long time, but we just... grew apart. I wasn't happy with him anymore. But he's still my best friend and an amazing father to Archie."

Isy smiled, relief washing over her. "That's good. I'm glad you two are in a good place."

Adele rested her head on Isy's chest, her body fitting perfectly against her. "What do you want to do for the rest of the day?"

"Honestly, babe, you need to rest. The next few days are going to be tough, and I want you to take it easy."

Adele furrowed her brow, lifting her head slightly. "Why? What's coming up?"

"Paul called," Isy began, gently running her fingers through Adele's hair, trying to ease her into the conversation. "He said everything's ready for the hearing. It's in three days. He wants to go over everything with us... or rather, with you... either today or tomorrow."

Adele's face fell, the weight of the upcoming hearing settling heavily on her shoulders. "Oh..." she whispered.

Isy could see the fear creeping into Adele's eyes. She held her closer, not saying anything for a moment, just letting her presence speak for itself.

"I still don't want you to watch those videos, Isy," Adele finally said, her voice barely a whisper, as if saying it louder would make it more real.

"I know," Isy replied gently. "I don't want to see them either. But if it's too much for you, I won't watch them when Paul comes."

"But... you'll see them in the hearing anyway," Adele said, her voice breaking. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over before she could wipe them away. "I need you there, Isy. I can't do this without you."

Isy's heart ached seeing Adele like this. She wiped the tears from her face, cradling her cheeks in her hands. "Babe, no matter what's on those videos, no matter how awful it was, I promise you, I will never see you any differently."

"Promise?" Adele's voice trembled, her tears flowing freely now.

"Promise," Isy whispered, leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss to Adele's lips.

Adele's body relaxed slightly in Isy's arms, though the tension still lingered. "Then let's get Paul over here today. I want to get this over with so I can at least try to relax tomorrow."

Isy nodded. "I'll call him now," she said, pulling Adele even closer, holding her as tightly as she could, as if she could protect her from the pain that lay ahead.