Finding Arizona

Chapter Eight

Chapter 8

"Cameron, me estas poniendo nerviosa! Chew and swallow." Isabel said the next morning after dropping by and bringing breakfast for everyone. "Don't just swallow the whole damn thing down! Jesus, you're twenty six, love. Act like it!"

"Sorry, you know I always can't control myself when I'm eating your family's meals, babe." He kissed her cheek as a thank you and she blushed at him appreciatively.

Olivia watched the two of them from across the table in wonder, fascinated at their obvious love. She was a little envious, she had to admit. Dante was out with Colton to find a surf board for his upcoming birthday. He's turning twenty-four, Dante's age, I heard. Olivia suddenly felt so young just thinking about it. She was only twenty-one, not far behind at all from Isabel's twenty-two, but still.

Chase grabbed a biscuit from the basket of baked breakfast goods and sat at the table beside Olivia.

She tensed up, blushing and grinning like an idiot. She had an amazing time last night. Watching another movie and all with him, just talking about nothing and everything. She felt good about it, but knew she couldn't get too attached since she knew she and Dante couldn't be here forever. Sooner or later, he'll get tired of her and decide to take her back to Seattle, and he'll continue his never ending journey of being on the road in his RV. The thought worried and nagged at her.

Chase elbowed her. "Why the long face, pretty girl?"

"Nothing, just thinking about how cute Cameron is with Isabel." It was the partial truth. She raised her glass of orange juice and smiled. "Cheers to such a beautiful couple."

"Cheers," Chase agreed, smiling at them.

Isabel did a fake curtsy and Cameron just smiled at her in admiration.

"How long you two been together?"

"Three years and ten months," Cameron spoke up before Isabel could. She turned to him and grinned. He shrugged, "But who's counting anyway?"

"We've actually known each other for six," Isabel explained, "We always knew we liked each other, but didn't have the guts to say. He finally told me on my eighteenth birthday. We made it official I think...four months later?"

"Wow," Olivia chewed on a bagel. "Almost four years and no ring yet?"

Isabel stopped smiling and Cameron's face fell. Chase stuffed his face yet again, which Olivia noticed was something he does whenever he doesn't know what to say in such an awkward/tense atmosphere. Olivia sighed. At last, she said the wrong thing yet again.

The phone rung, slicing through the all of a sudden thick air and Olivia sighed in relief. She hoped they'd forget.

Cameron got up and went to answer it and Isabel just sat there, her face suddenly sad and anxious. She was gazing down at her ring finger, studying it as if she was trying to communicate with it through her eyes, begging for answers she couldn't get from Cameron or anyone else.

Chase cleared his throat and said out loud, "Hey! It could be dad! He said he's supposed to be back tonight."

Isabel's face flustered at the mentioning of their dad. She stood from the bar stool and turned to both Olivia and Chase.

"Hey, I gotta go. Let Cameron know it's no big deal about the breakfast, that I love him and I'll see him later."

"Oh..kay?" Chase's face went awkward and she walked out the front door. Olivia fiddled with her fingers, trying to figure out what the hell had gotten into her.

Cameron walked back in shortly after. "It was dad. Said he might be back in earlier..." He stared at the empty bar stool his girlfriend sat in before. "Where's Isabel...?"