Isobel

Isobel Pt.8

A cabaret singer is singing away in his warbling style. Brendan and Raymond stand anxiously by the door, waiting on Isobel showing up.
"Are you sure you told her it was here?" Brendan said.
"Yeah!" Raymond replied.
"At this time?"
"Yeah! I'm sure I told her."
"You mean you did, or you're not sure?"
Raymond scratches his head. "Eh? Now I'm confused. I'm one hundred percent sure I did, but then I'm not one hundred percent sure about that."
Brendan gives Raymond an astonished look, one I'm sure he's given to him on numerous occasions. "Well, I don't see her about anywhere," Brendan said. "I'll go and get us another drink, while you wait here, in case she shows up."
Raymond nods in agreement as Brendan walks in the direction of the bar.
A loud roar of laughter can be heard coming from the downstairs part of the pub. Brendan is curious as to what it may be; he ventures to take a look. Leaning over the banister he can just barely see a group of people sitting at a big table and in the middle of the whole party playing centrepiece is no other than Isobel. He wonders to himself should he go down and interrupt her with what to him seem like complete strangers. He puts one foot on the stairs and slowly descends.
She continues unaware that Brendan is quietly watching her. He stands and observes, these people whom she has befriended are hanging on her every word, she obviously doesn't realise that she may be making a fool of herself. Brendan feels now is the time when he should intercept. He laughs out loud at her last remark.
Isobel is surprised to see him. "Brendan! Won't you come and join us?"
"How long have you been here?" Brendan asked.
"Oh, I don't know?" She glances down at her wrist and then realises she doesn't have a watch on. She then gives a "I don't know" gesture. "....About two hours or so," she said.
Brendan is getting infuriated. "I think your drunk and I also think we should go now."
"Don't be so childish. I'm enjoying myself. You won't deny me that now, will you?"
"Raymond is upstairs and I don't want to leave him by himself."
"Well bring him down then here."
"No, we'll go up to him."
She is surprised that he is disobeying her. "Maybe I don't feel like going. I'll stay here."
Brendan leans close to her and whispers in her ear. "Listen you've had too much to drink and I think I should take you home."
"You're not my father. You can't tell me what to do," she said.
"These people aren't your friends, they don't care about you. I'm the only one who cares about you. So, won't you come and let me take you home, you're drunk."
She gets up of her seat towards him. "I'm not drunk!" As she says this she falls under the table.
He rushes to pick her up. She agrees to go with him.
They get some funny looks as they leave from the rest of the downstairs clientele. She is visibly disorientated as he walks her up the stairs.
They make their way towards Raymond, who is still waiting on Brendan returning from the bar.
He sees Brendan first and then Isobel.
"What kept you? Didn't you get the drinks?" Raymond said.
"I think we should get out of here," Brendan said.
"But we only just got here."
They all leave the pub.

The three of them walk along the streets with only the streetlamps illuminating their way.
Raymond is quite oblivious as to what has happened.
Brendan and Isobel walk in silence. Raymond catches up to ask Brendan some questions as Isobel falls behind. "Maybe I'm being a bit nosey, but what happened back there?" Raymond said.
"It's perfectly alright for you to ask... It's just that Isobel has already had too much to drink and I thought we should leave," Brendan said.
Isobel has overheard their conversation and is furious. "You thought? Who gave you the right to decide what I should do?"
Brendan glances back at Isobel and then continues his conversation with Raymond, who looks back at her sympathetically. He whispers to Raymond. "Don't listen to her, she's drunk. It'll be best she sleep it off and in the morning it'll be forgotten about, instead of saying something now that will only be regretted."
Isobel in a bold gesture to get their attention, climbs onto the wall of the river bank, runs to the back of the town hall ledge overlooking the river.
They try to stop her; she is too fast and stands there motionless.
"Come down off there, before you fall!" Brendan shouts at her.
"Maybe you'll be better off if I'm gone, then you won't have me bothering you anymore," Isobel said
"Don't be silly, Come down off there and stop acting childish," Brendan said.
Raymond is getting more nervous, he doesn't want to see Isobel hurt herself, just to prove a point and feels compelled to intervene. He jumps up onto the ledge and moves somewhat shakily along towards Isobel.
"Come down! Brendan shouts. "That's all she wants, she's just acting silly, for attention."
Raymond isn't listening to Brendan but is gradually clawing his way along to Isobel.
She sees him coming towards her and her face brightens up. He is almost beside her as she looks at him. He is far more courageous now in her eyes and a lot more worthy of her attention.
Raymond hasn't taken in the full extent of what he has done; he grabs hold of Isobel and takes her to safety at the other end of the town hall.
Brendan hurries to meet up with them, hurrying round the front of the building and over the bridge.

Raymond and Isobel have just come down of the ledge; they are still clinging on to one another.
Raymond looks visibly shaken as Isobel kisses him passionately on the mouth without letting go.
They can begin to hear Brendan's footsteps as they come closer.
Isobel continues to hold on to Raymond and finally releases him from her embrace as Brendan walks around the corner.
Isobel walks off smiling to herself as Brendan turns to Raymond who stands visibly shaken, looking disorientated.
Brendan turns to Raymond. "What the hell are you playing at? You could have gotten yourself killed."
"Leave him alone! You're always picking on him. At least he made an attempt to help me!" Isobel said.
She walks across the road, as both Brendan and Raymond look on. There are cars going by honking their car horns as she staggers on to the middle of the road.
"What are you doing now?" Brendan said.
A car slams on the brakes, as it almost hits her. Angrily, she bangs it hard on the bonnet with her fist.
Unfortunally it's a police car and two policemen emerge from the car as they approach her, trying to calm her down,
Brendan and Raymond can't believe their eyes as they look on in disbelief.
The policeman takes hold of her arm. "What's the matter, now?" He asked.
Isobel pulls away from him. "There is nothing the matter with me!" She said.
"Are you two with her?" The policeman said to Brendan and Raymond.
They both nod.
"Can't you take her home?" The policeman asked.
"Leave me alone you, bastards!" Isobel shouts at the policemen.
She kicks the front of the car. The policeman takes her by the arm again and escorts her, with great difficulty into the back of the police car. Slamming the doors, they drive off.
Brendan and Raymond are left standing, speechless at the side of the road.
"I can't believe it, this night is just getting worse," Brendan said.