Isobel

Isobel Pt.3; Strangers When We Meet

Isobel has awakened. She didn't sleep at all last night. Being in a strange place didn't help either. She gets up and walks over to the sink to wash her face, looking in the mirror, her face looks drawn. 'What am I doing here,' she thinks to herself.
She doesn't want to hang around here for too much longer.
She puts on her clothes. She packs her bag and zips it closed.

In the reception area a telephone hangs on the wall. She lifts the receiver and dials a number. The phone rings. She waits on an answer. It rings and then rings out, straight to the answering service. She hangs up, and looks disheartened. She thinks to herself. 'Maybe she will see what this town has to offer.'

She steps outside. It is raining. She unfolds her umbrella and walks along the street. The street is quite crowded for this time of day. She makes her way to the other side of the street looking more relaxed now than before. She is lost in her own thoughts as she turns the corner and walks full force into Raymond, who just happens to be coming in the opposite direction and not paying attention. She falls to the ground and is furious. He helps her to her feet. She straightens her herself, fixing her hair and dress.
"Hey! Will you watch where you're going?" She shouts at him.
He starts to stutter his words.
"I...I...I'm sorry!" He said.
He is stunned. He can't seem to get his words out.
"Have you nothing to say for yourself?" She said.
He is still stunned and for once is lost for words.
She is getting impatient with him and just walks away.
He is still trying to say something but still can't get the words out. He kicks a nearby bin in frustration. He then curses to himself. He hangs his head, ashamed. As he glances down at the ground, he spots a small item; a purse. He proceeds to pick it up and examine it. Searching through it he realises it belongs to the girl. He franticly hurries to see if he can catch up with her, but to no avail, he has lost her. He places the purse in his jacket pocket for safe keeping as he hurries along to his next destination.

Isobel walks along the street and finds herself outside 'Fitzpatrick's' shop. She goes inside.
A bell rings. She enters but there doesn't seem to be anybody about. She idly wanders about the shop picking a few items off the shelves. Brendan is on his knees trying to recover a tin of beans that has fallen under the shelves. He has heard someone enter the shop but is unaware as who it may be. He can see, Isobel's legs from the knees down, walking past him. He immediately jerks his head up and bangs it on the shelf, making an abrupt noise. She is startled and looks in the direction the noise came from. He gets up holding his head as she smiles at him and resumes her shopping. He goes about his work but occasionally glances over in Isobel's direction, unbeknownst to her.
"Brendan!" Joe shouts from the basement.
Brendan pretends he doesn't hear his father calling him.
"Brendan!"
"Yes!"
Isobel looks around at the direction of the calls.
"Have you sorted out those shelves yet?" Joe shouts.
"Yes!"
She approaches the counter. She smiles at him.
Joe continues shouting up at him. "Can you clean the floor down here too, there seems to be some sort of shit on it or something?"
Joe comes up from the basement, cursing to himself, unaware that there is a customer in the shop.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realise we had a customer."
Joe smiles at Isobel. He turns to Brendan.
"Did you hear what I said?"
"Yes," Brendan replied.
Joe returns to the basement.
Isobel is searching in her bag for her purse and realises it is missing. "Oh no!"
"What's wrong?" Brendan asked.
"I seem to have been robbed.
It must have been earlier...oh no, how could I could I have been so stupid."
Brendan feels sorry for her. He glances to where his father is and hands the groceries to Isobel.
"Take these, on the house."
"I couldn't..."
She accepts the groceries for free but is obviously very distressed at losing all her money. "You're very kind. Thank you," she said.
Isobel leaves the shop. Brendan watches her as she leaves. Joe comes back up from the basement and stands beside him. He also watches her leave, this embarrasses Brendan. Joe nudges him. "She's a bit of all right. You should have asked her out or something...When I was your age..."
Joe returns to the basement muttering away to himself. Brendan returns to his work. All the while thinking about his lost opportunity and how he maybe should have asked her out at least. He shrugs as he goes about his work.