Consequences

Part 64

Two days later Isabelle groaned and buried her throbbing head in her hands. Not again. Not again, the thought hammered as she read the paper in front of her. She had two phone calls from friends congratulating her, and two from the press.

From the garbled messages, she worked out that her engagement to Doug had been re-announced in the paper! Her grandmother swore blind that it wasn't her this time. Cara muttered something rude about people playing horrible jokes. Marina said she knew nothing about it. Of course Isabelle could not see their faces to see if they were being honest, as they were all presently away. Her grandmother was at Isabelle's sister's home in Australia, doting on her recent great grandchild. Cara was on her annual holiday trip around the south Island and not due back for another week and Marina and Rafe were at a medical convention in Christchurch for the next three days. But from their shocked responses Isabelle thought they were all telling her the truth.

Isabelle wondered how long it would be before Doug contacted her, demanding, demanding what, she wondered? An apology? A retraction? But then she wondered whether he'd bother to contact her at all.

Someone was playing a horrible practical joke. And she wondered whether she had the mental toughness to cope with Doug. She had no doubt he'd be angry. Furious more likely. And what did she say to him? She'd checked with every member of her family. No one was taking responsibility for the announcement. It was a sick practical joke.

To top it all, she wasn't feeling well. The cold she'd been trying to shift for the last couple of days was transforming into the flu. She knew why.

She was exhausted. Physically and mentally exhausted. She'd never felt this flat, this despondent, even when she was frantically trying to keep the family afloat, she had never felt so lost.

It had been easy for the cold to transform into something bigger, her body couldn't fight anymore. Of course she knew why things felt worse than they were.

Isabelle was barely sleeping. She was achy, feverish and tired and she just wanted to sleep. After the fourth phone call, Isabelle decided that she couldn't be bothered to fend any more message of good will from friends or inquiry from the media. She just wanted to be left alone. Who ever was playing this joke could just go ahead and have the last laugh. She simply did not care any more.

So having decided to avoid answering the phone. Isabelle phoned her family to tell them she was taking the land line phone off the hook. She was not going to answer any more questions about this engagement. She was ratty, tired, and emotional, not the best place to be when it came to handling the media. Best to avoid them until she had regained some physical and emotional strength.

Marina had told her to make herself a hot drink and go to bed. And that was precisely what she intended to do. This engagement could go on without her.

The following morning Doug pressed the doorbell and waited. Half of him was relieved to be here. He had a bonafide excuse to be here. The other half of him was worried. What if she slammed the door on his face? Their last meeting all those weeks ago had not gone well. Though it had left him determined to sort things out. He'd just found it really difficult trying to figure out how to sort things out without making things worse. This engagement notice gave him the perfect excuse to see her.

Weeks, he knew he'd had weeks to come up with a plan. But everything he thought about doing seemed light weight and he knew doomed to failure. So he had not seen her for six weeks. Had not been in touch for six long weeks. And until he'd read the paper, seen the notice and started receiving telephone calls to congratulate him, he hadn't come up with a plan. But now he had one. He just needed to get this initial contact established.

He'd tried phoning yesterday and got no response. So he was showing up in person. Doug was not sure of the reception he'd get, but he fully intended taking this opportunity to reestablish contact. He'd been a fool. He knew that. And he'd spent the last few weeks trying to work out how to sort out the mess.

Doug leaned on the bell again. If she wasn't in, he'd be back later, and again, and again until she did see him. This was his best shot at getting some time with her. She'd want to clear this up. He knew that. So he pressed the bell again and looked around the drive way as he tried to work out if she was likely to be home.

Just as he was about to give up for the day, the door opened. Not that it did, his heart started pounding.