Isobel

ISOBEL Chapter 25

It had been a long week for Callen and his family, but finally, Isobel was released from the hospital and Jack was transferred to The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. Being back home gave Isobel some comfort, however, she was quieter than usual, as she sat beside Jack's hospital bed, waiting for him to recover from his own injuries. She carried the guilt and Callen watched her punish herself for almost losing their son and for the loss of her mother. Her panic attacks had subsided, thankfully, but a new problem arose, the worry of her withdrawal from loved ones. She would sit and watch but not interact with any of them, and she refused to leave Jack's bedside at night when the nurses would order them out.

Her eyes looked hollow and Callen was sure she wasn't eating enough. The outlook had looked positive on that first morning when Isobel had hungrily eaten. But she had stopped eating much since then. Callen knew he was going to have to come up with a plan to get her out of the hospital before Isobel continued any further on her spiral downwards. Callen approached Marcus, seeing he knew Isobel from her growing up years in Melbourne. The following day was Rose's funeral and he knew he had one chance to get Isobel out of the hospital to take her away somewhere for her to really recover. 

"Marcus. I was thinking of taking Issy away somewhere for a week, to help her recover. I'm worried about her."

"That's a good idea, Callen. I'm glad you've also noticed. You know there is somewhere that just may help her recover...we have a holiday house down the Great Ocean Road, across the road from the beach in Lorne. Isobel has always loved where the bush meets the beach. It's up near Teddy's Lookout." Marcus went to a drawer in the kitchen and pulled out a set of keys. He wrote the address down on a piece of paper and handed it to him. 

"Here's the address. The GPS in the car will direct you. Take my Jeep, Callen. Isobel always loved that car."

"Thanks, Marcus. I appreciate it." Callen left to pack some things for their trip. He needed to sit down with the girls and explain why he was leaving them behind.

"Can't we come too?" Caitlin asked him. "We always go there as a family."

"They don't want us, silly." Georgia scolded her sister. "They want to be alone..."

"That's not true, Georgia. You know I would love for you all to come. Maybe when Jack is stronger. But I am very worried about your Mom. We need her to get well again don't we?" Callen watched Caitlin and Georgia think over his words. "I tell you what..how about I ask Grandpa to bring you down one day for a visit?"

Caitlin jumped up and wrapped her arms around Callen. "Yes, please."

Georgia rolled her eyes at her sister.

"Georgia, please be nice to your sister. Family is really important. You know I love you and want you both with us. Sophie and Jack too. But with Jack still in the hospital, I need you to help Jack get strong again so he can come home."

Georgia rose and left them, walking outside into the garden.

Callen found Georgia the most difficult after Rose's death to help. Marcus explained that Georgia was very close to her grandma. He followed her outside and found her up the lemon tree. He looked up and realised that the tree would not hold his weight as well. He pondered for a moment and walked to the shed. He returned with a ladder, which he climbed and sat on the top.

"Nice view from up here. You know...we haven't built a treehouse in our garden yet, have we? What do you say about helping me design a treehouse in the Californian Fig tree out the back? You can choose the colours, and I have a rope we can tie from a branch to swing on, a rope ladder to climb up top..."

"You're just saying that to get me to come down..."

"Would I be sitting on a ladder talking to a tree if I wasn't serious about this, Georgia?"