At Last

VII

Isabella didn't like being back at her apartment. It used to her home, her favorite place in the entire world, but she had grown so used to living with Demi that now being back in her apartment felt weird. It was like her and her dad just didn't belong there anymore. It used to be their oasis in the middle of the crazy city but now it was just...uncomfortable. And the worst part was that she couldn't bring Buddy with her because their landlord didn't allow dogs.

"Isa, come eat!" Her dad called. She could tell that he was trying to readjust to living alone as well. When was the last time that it had just been the two of them? When was the last time he even slept in his bed alone? They had grown so accustomed to living with Demi and the twins and now that was all over.

He made chicken Alfredo. It was the same dinner he made when she had practically forced him to let Demi and the twins come over after her recital, when they finally reunited after coming back from Europe. She wished she hadn't forced them together. She wished she would've just left them alone because then her dad wouldn't be so sad. Demi was the cause of it all. She broke his heart in Europe then broke it again when everything finally seemed to be okay. But Isabella just couldn't figure out why. They were both so in love with each other. Demi needed her dad just as much as he needed her. So why did she allow their relationship to just fall apart?

"Stop playing with your food and eat it," her dad grumbled. He had been in a terrible mood since they moved out. They still hadn't gotten the rest of their stuff out and she wasn't sure when they would. Maybe they wouldn't. Maybe if they left their stuff, it would mean that Demi and her dad still had a chance, and it wasn't all over for them.

"But I don't wanna wear this dress," Nolie whined, tugging at the material that bunched around her knees as Demi rolled her eyes and tried to finish brushing her hair back. Nolie hated getting her hair done and now she hated being told what to wear too. Demi could only imagine how she would be when she was a teenager and cringed at the thought. She wanted her babies to be babies forever.

"Nolie, I don't care. You have to wear it. Any other day I would put up with your whining but not today, okay?" Demi said, tying the front half of her hair into a ponytail and brushing it all down before adding a polka dotted bow that matched her dress.

"Okay..." Nolie trailed off. Her mom was never usually so harsh with them but she was today. The first thing that she said to them when she woke them up was that they had to behave today because they were going somewhere really important.

"Come on princess," Demi said, tugging on her hand as she led her out of the door. Nicholas was in the living room playing on his iPad but he put it away as soon as Demi entered. They all got their coats on and Demi fixed her glasses on her face before leading them out of the door. She had cried so much last night at the thought of everything that she was giving up that now her eyes were too irritated for contacts. Not only that, but she was running on maybe two hours of sleep. Between her crying, all she knew to do was pray over and over again that by some miracle, she could keep her kids. She didn't feel any better but if she missed the trial today, then Nick would automatically get primarily custody.

They were greeted by paparazzi screaming questions at them and blinding them with their flashes but Max rushed the kids into the car then helped Demi in as well. Demi couldn't wait until this was all over and she stopped getting mobbed by them. Usually she didn't mind but when she had her kids with her, it was a whole different thing.

"Mommy, why are we here?" Nicholas asked as they pulled up to the courthouse. Demi has given Dorinda the day off yesterday so she was meeting them there to watch the twins. Demi still hadn't sat them down and explained what was going on. She just didn't think they would understand it.