Reassurance (#sytycw15) (#loveInspiredRomance)

part four

August 21, 1998
•••

"I hope you're satisfied with all that has happened..." Adel hissed lowly at Isla. She  knew it wasn't a surprise that Isla could ruin such important things for her.

"I told you mothe-" being cut off of her words, Adel sauntered her way towards Isla with a narrowing gaze.

"Speak of this none sense again and I will make sure that slap you received yesterday was only just the beginning!"

Isla winced at the horrific memory of yesterday's events. She wanted so badly to erase them from her mind, but to no avail, it remained there just as the bruised skin lay on her cheek.

"He is not coming back for you! And no matter how many tears you shed or how many days you wish for him to return at your doorstep it will never happen. You know why? Huh?" Isla looked at her foster mother in distaste, she tried her best to hide it though she couldn't stand the way she had been treating her.

Isla said nothing. She didn't bother to open her mouth to any questions Adel may have have for her. She just stood there with tears brimming at the corner of her eyes.

"Answer me Isla or so help me God!" This time Adel reached and grabbed the collar of her shirt and forced her forward, nearly causing Isla to tumble over her own two feet.

Isla while shaking her head quickly spoke up, "N-no, I don't k-know w-why..." Isla bit the inside of her cheek as she frowned mainly at herself.

Why couldn't she speak properly? She did, after all, want to become a world speaker and share her dreams and desires for the future. How would she do it? She didn't know the answer either. But she knew, somewhere in her heart what she had desired since a youngling, would come true.

"Because you're too much of a nuisance to be involved with a man like him! You're useless and incapable of what others put in this world! I couldn't possibly leave anything in your godforsaken name because you're too incompetent, you're just some rubbish I should have left at the side of the curb. If it wasn't for Robert, whom you ruined any chances I had with, I would have left you to rot!"

The room was silent after the sickening painful words Adel had called her adoptee daughter.

Isla had said nothing, she hadn't even moved an inch after Adel had released her of her strong grip and had turned on her heels with a snarl.

Incompetent

Nuisance

Incapable

Useless

Rubbish

They were all words that were once locked away with a key of gold, were now being restored in her heavy heart and suddenly everything turned numb.

Weak, that was another word to set on her table of insults. She had to agree with this one though. She felt weak, so weak that she couldn't even speak up and fight for herself.

She couldn't.

It was as if her body and mind just succumb to Adel's heartbreaking words and willed herself to believe that they were true. She tried hard in fighting the mental
battles that always popped up.

Committing suicide were one of the many mental battles she had to go through. She knew that if she had ever even did commit suicide then she would have let Adel win. She would have caused Claire heartbreak a million folds over and would have seen her role model, mrs. Callus, be diminished and disappointed in what she thought Isla could become but instead turned for the worst.

Isla just wouldn't let that happen to her.

Not even if the world turned against her, no, she still had her Claire-bear and her role model.

***

How could life be so cruel? She thought to herself. After deciding to go for a walk to the park with Claire she had been almost questioning God if he was punishing her for something she did in the past.

Maybe I didn't do something wrong. Maybe it's just that luck hasn't been on my side? Or somehow God is putting me through a test? Yes.

She decided to believe it was a test of courage. A test that would decide if she was worthy of becoming who she desired to be. Maybe not a world speaker, maybe just someone who would make the difference. Yes, she liked that idea. To make the difference, here in a small town that needed a lot of change she so badly wanted to make.

Soon enough the park came into view and the first thing that Isla saw had her nearly turning back, sprinting home.

Can things get any worse? Isla thought with an annoyed eye roll as she stepped towards the park, seeing a tall handsome man in a suit sitting on a bench as he stared at a little girl swinging back and forth giggling.

Slowly, Isla tugged on Claire's sleeve as she whispered, "Maybe we should come here another time?" Almost immediately, Claire began to whine,

"But Isla! You promised me! We have to go, please?"

Isla's heart tugged at the begging words of her younger sister. Slowly but surely, Isla had agreed.

With a short giggle and a squeezing hug, Claire ran towards the monkey bars immediately.

With nervous steps, Isla made her way towards the man in suit and tie, placing on her usual facade.

"You know, I never took you as a pedophile too."

His head shot up in shock as his mouth that was slightly hung open turned into a gorgeous smile.

"So we meet again, mystery girl. And by the way, that's my cousin." His smile never fading. And true to his words Isla stared at the young girl in fascination, with the same beautiful features.

"I'm not your mystery girl, I told you my name, remember?" She said sitting next to him as she watched Claire struggle her way to the next set of bars.

"Yes I remember, Isla Mcwelsh was it?" Isla nodded keeping her eyes trained on her sister. "You know, you look extremely familiar, so is that name."

"Oh yeah," at this point Isla wasn't really paying attention. She had picked up a few words but mainly because he was sitting so close while talking too loud for her liking.

She watched as her sister and the young her played together as they chase down squirrels and builded sand castles. She smiled.

"-I had a best friend named Isla,"

Suddenly everything went numb and Isla's smile disappeared as well as her facade.

"W-what did you just-" cutting her off he turned towards her, "you heard me, except my Isla was more different, she was more stuborn, brave and kind. I-"

This time Isla spoke, "You don't get to say that to me, you don't get that! You don't understand what I've been through to say such words as if I had a choice in what happened. Yes, I may have been more happy or more rebuttal or maybe I was more open..." Slowing down she took a breath.

"But things change. You left and I was alone," her voice cracked a few times but at this point Isla didn't care. She stared down at her fingers as the traitorous tears clouded her vision.

"I may not be the same girl. Yes, I lost all my wonderful characteristics that made me so much more like-able, but I did what I had to, to save what was left of me when you left."

It was then Isla decide to get up as she calls her sister to leave.

Leaving John frozen in spot as he stared at her in bewilderment.

•••

Done!