IN FOR A SURPRISE

chapter five

"how about a movie?" Isabelle asked when she came to sit with the family
"It's not Friday the 13th again is it" carmen tease
"For you it's a school night go to bed" isabelle said
Carmen giggle
"What kind of movies?" Jeana asked
"One to made you cuddle a bit tighter tonight" isabelle said
"Not in front the kids" Jeana said
"What movie is that to get you cuddling tighter maybe you need to watch it more" carmen whisper  with a giggle isabelle poke  her head and she laughed
""Have you seen the run away bride?" Leona ask
"Oh yes I have" carmen grin and isabelle knew why she said that,
Isabelle stood look at her her hands in a kimbo,
Jeana grin
"I'm sure we have honey" isabelle said "let's watch some Christmas movies" she said
"The Freud Claus!” Leona said with a shout both handing the air  isabelle look at her that was james favorite movie and she never knew her daughter like it, they say it and she gave the same reaction he would, she wonder if where he his if he's still watching it and getting that excited about it
The movie finish a little bit late so leona get to stay up beyond her bed time then they all went off,
Leona was in the kitchen with auntie pat when isabelle come to the kitchen on Tuesday,
"Good morning" isabelle said
"Good morning mom" leona said
"Good morning dear" auntie pat said
"Good morning" isabelle heard many voices behind her she turn the family were all coming in the kitchen,
Leona serve tea and sat between her grand father and great grandma June
"So mom if all the family stayed home how comes you ended up in New York?" Leona ask
"No specific plans" isabelle said
"But why I would have love to live here" leona said
"When I am to go back after the holidays I'll leave you" isabelle tease
"Why not stay?" Leona ask
"New York is home now honey"
"But the family is here" but you got family in New York too"
She didn't know anyone who was her family but she left it anyway
"You know I thought we would all stay home" Jeana said
"Why we're not the golden girls" isabelle said
"Your daughter wants to try a new town"
"I'm sure two years from now she's capable of calling the shots"
"Yeah I'm sure too" carmen said "but Atlanta has fine schools, you don't own your home or your business in new York in no  time you'll set up a business here and you and your daughter could live comfortably here"
"Seems you plan what you were going to say before I came"
They laugh
"I have to go love you later" Jeana was the first to leave,
"Sorry baby auntie was trying to put in a few words for you" carmen said to leona
Leona smile
Isabelle roll her eyes
Carmen  kiss Isabelle's cheek "we'll talk later love you she said"
"Ok love you" isabelle said and watch them off,
marlon and keith went off little later,  uncle rowey took off to go to the garage saying he might be long, aunt Betty auntie pat and maybel went by the church for prayer and grandmother June go a long,  winston told he was going  golfing with some buddies and invite ralf to come a long,
isabelle took Anna and Earl a long while she drop  Shelly and leona to the center,   she waited today while doing so she paint a picture of the front of the building it was so nice now thinking who ever stepped in must be into this a lot she left the two children and  walks the grounds looking around,
"May I help you" a woman ask when isabelle was caught walking around
"I'm just looking around my girls are here for piano lessons so I'm waiting"
"Your daughter is the one helping out?" She asked
Isabelle nods "that's the one"
"I thought she was related to the one that owns the center now she almost has a small resemblance"
Isabelle smile she was sure she didn't know who owns the center
"Well go a head and look around"
"Thank  you" isabelle said walking away  isabelle continue to look before turning around and went back to her car and sat with Earl and Anna to the many different sounds that surrounds her even that from the children's device as they were watching something,
Practice was over but neither girls knew that their aunt and mother was waiting Denoy took them to watch the basketball game, leona make the time useful and took some pictures leona was satisfied with the pictures and couldn't think of anything else to snap at the moment Y"we're going to wait for my mom" leona said
"Ok" Denoy told her, "so I'll see you tomorrow"
Leona nod
"Bye Shelly" Denoy said
"Bye Shelly said
Isabelle and the two children  were  waiting in her car when  her daughter and her niece found them,
"Hey" isabelle greet the girls when they came
"Mom" leona said
"Hi" Shelly said
"Hi" they together greets Anna and Earl
"Hi" Anna and Earl said
"How was it?"
"Good" leona and Shelly answer
Shelly got in on the back seat as leona was about to sit she saw the painting,
She grin"wow mom you paint this just now, you didn't leave?"
"No" isabelle shook her head
Leona grin "it's pretty cool mom"
"Thanks honey"  Isabelle nod as she started driving home "any one hungry?" Isabelle asked
"Yes" the four children echo
"Then I'll get us something" isabelle said as she pulled up at the food cart and  let them ordered what they wanted they sat  there to eat while leona took pictures isabelle focus on the street and surrounding thinking on the development she flash back on the community center now and the one before, now there's a finer look the situation of the town wasn't her reason for  leaving but she was afraid to commit much as she loved james there is a part of her that love him still and wasn't sure she'll give her heart so completely, she becomes lost in thoughts
The children were finish "are we ready?" Leona asked isabelle didn't hear her first pleed,
"Mom, mom, MOM!" Leona said isabelle turn to face her, "you drift off again, can we go?" She asked
"Yes" isabelle got up neither spoke by leona look at her most the time,    isabelle was glad to see the changes in the town  fire station had developed  police station was now located in the heart of harlem and you didn't need to drive to marvalley to get the police marvalley was like three and a half hours it didn't make sense the post office was still work they did some fixtures on it too but nothing fancy isabelle believe is that post office is to remain old she thought it smiling
"What?" Leona ask
"Nothing" isabelle said
Leona  turn her head and look outside it was while getting in the driveway she turn around
"What ever is on your mind mom, you're doing a awful lot of thinking on it" leona said
"I was just admiring the town" isabelle said
"Yeah I noticed that you were before we even got here last Thursday" she roll  her eyes and walk away
Isabelle widen hers and follow them up auntie pat, aunt Betty, grandma June and mother maybel were home but the others weren't just so she joined them for a conversation,
"Hey honey bear" winston said coming in the living room
"Hey dad" isabelle giggle as she got up to his her father and he kss her cheek softly
Winston squeeze his daughter "how honey I missed these hugs,  didn't you?"
Isabelle smile,
"Didn't you missed home?" Winston asked
Isabelle didn't reply winston rub her cheek he take a week next to his wife and kiss her pressing his lips to hers,
"How was church?" He asked
"It was lovely what about your game?"
"It turn out ok, lost but ok"
"Better luck next time" maybel said
Winston nod,
Ralf walk in the living room,
"Hey ralf how was your game?" Aunt Betty asked with a smile
Ralf smile he nods with out any other response,
"Ah let me get you boys something" maybel said she got up auntie pat went a long as she decided to start dinner since maybel was going to help isabelle sat with the others the children came down for dinner was near ready the family were coming in one by one keith, Jeana, marlon and uncle rowey carmen who was the last  "is that food ready I'm hungry, good evening you all, her daughter ran to her and they hug,
"How was practice?" She asked
""Im getting better" Shelly said
"Isn't that something" isabelle said "thanks to me who gets her there"
Carmen slap her and they laugh,
"I'm going to miss you when you leave" carmen outer reach out and held Isabelle's hand
"I'll miss you too"
"When again another fifteen years?" Jeana asked
"I'll be ready by then" maybel said
"Then I'll be dusk once more" grandma June said
"Oh Gramma!" Isabelle said getting up to hug her grandmother, "it won be so long, I promise to visit twice per year summer and I'll come up for thanks giving and stay for Christmas"
"Empty promises" Jeana said
"Sounds like a fairytale to me" carmen said
Isabelle make a face, she got back to her seat at the table tonight winston said the grace and they will eat,
James walk in the living room and turn  on the stereo before going to the kitchen to get a martini he come and sat down on the largest sofa in the living room and extended his legs he didn't do nothing tonight he just sat there and let his thoughts wander
"I'm off to bed" isabelle said few minutes to midnight she got up leaving the conversation, the children had already gone off
"What's the hurry?" Carmen asked
"It's late and tomorrow I have work" isabelle said
Every one look at her in wonder,
"What you doing tomorrow?" Carmen asked
"What was that one marlon the escort?" Isabelle asked her brother in law
Marlon nod "that's the one"
"I am the escort" isabelle said
They laugh,
"Don't worry the pageant is in lest than a week" carmen said
Today  was Tuesday the seventeen of December it's six days since isabelle came to Atlanta and she has like two more weeks to go for she won't leave until after the new year,
"It's not tomorrow so I still must do my job"
"I MUST COMPLETE MY WORK" carmen said in a rough time walking like a zambia
"Yeah that sounds like me" isabelle said she turn to leave the room "come on ralf it's passed your bed time" she took his hand and lead him away both calling out "goodnight"
"Goodnight" they said carmen grin "seems ralf is in for a treat tonight" she said
"I'm sure ralf got treat every night" Jeana added
"Unless he's not sleeping with my sister" carmen said she and Jeana giggle
"Isabelle was up to loving tonight she and ralf make love and went to sleep,
Eventually james thoughts puts him to sleep for he woke up hours later in the position he was with the unfinished glass of martini still in his hand clutch there he ease up and put the glass on the center piece he rub his face he checked his phone and miss some calls been had call him up a few times but it was already too late he finished the night on the sofa,
Leona got up early a head of every one and went to the kitchen to make breakfast she scrambled eggs with bacon toast bread and made tea,
"You child?" Auntie pat said coming around the counter to look what she was up to
Leona smile at auntie pat  auntie pat widen her mouth and kimbo  "well this is wonderful miss leona"
Leona smile again,
She never normally make breakfast this big for when ever she did it was only just her mom and herself ralf never stayed over and when ever he came early it was always her mother's turn to fix breakfast,
"Something smells good" Jeana said she came to the kitchen with keith
"Leona fix breakfast" auntie pat said
"She did for everyone?" Isabelle asked smiling as she came to her, "that's my girl" she kiss her, "need help?" Isabella ask
"You can sit i'll managed" leona said
Isabelle nod and walk to the table she was about to sit on a chair when carmen race her to it an plop down on it isabelle sat on her "do we need to buy more chair?" Marlon ask seeing them like that
"I was about to sit and she rush over and took my chair I don't want to sit anywhere else" isabelle said
"Too bad I was before you" carmen said
Winston smile at them as he and maybel came grandma and aunt Betty, uncle rowey came in after him ralf then the children all came together Anna, Earl and Shelly,
Leona serve them all breakfast isabelle got up from carmen's lap and sat next to talk
"I'm dropping Shelly and leona and going to  meet Marsha we're having lunch" isabelle said
"You know what I like about you isabelle you always take your job seriously" carmen bother
"I know right" isabelle said
"I wish you take relationship more serious like you doo your job" carmen added
"Ooh yeahhh" Jeana said
"What relationship how many relationship out of family relationship do I or did I have or had?" Isabelle asked
"Mom you never told me how much relationship you had" leona said
"One more than what you'll have young lady"isabelle said
Marlon laugh keith smile and look around
"You're saying she should have two for you had three" carmen said
"Isabelle took a deep breath she never though of how they were going to see it she left a man at the alter and convince the family her daughter father is from new York and she's seeing ralf now she only gone to bed with james and the times with ralf she didn't mention anything about it not being three then she'll have to explain herself to the family,
"So what carmen?" Isabelle shrugged her off and turn from her,
Leona shrugged, "I might have none" she said
"Of course you're going to honey we all need for that feeling that only a man can give" isabelle said
"What feeling?" Leona ask
"That feeling of love" Jeana said
"I know the feeling of love" leona said
"You will get to know more when you're at an age to experience it" carmen said "do you have a boyfriend"
"My best friend Kayden mills he live in the neighborhood he's on the second block but we hang out all the time" leona was
"I'm talking about one who's not your best friend but you passionate about him" carmen said
"I don't think I'm ready" leona said
"You're your mother's daughter I hope you remain pure" maybel told her  grand daughter she got up and kiss her forehead and went around the counter,
Leona wasn't sure why she said it but it's true she is her mother's daughter.