Invincible

ninety-three

another update am i great yes i am

     The next three weeks passed relatively slowly. Isaac was definitely improving, albeit in tiny increments, and the counselling seemed to be helping. Jared had only accompanied him to the first session, after which Isaac took himself and told Jared later some of what they'd spoken about.

     He was talking much more, taking more interest in stuff, and Jared had even got him to laugh a few times in the week just past. (Jared had been so fucking excited about that, it was almost scary.)

     That Friday there was a knock at the door and Jared opened it to find Rosie with her messy hair up in a bun, sunglasses pushed up into it- and a small boy perched on her hip.

    "Hi," she said, with a triumphant smile. She was almost buzzing with anticipation. "Could you possibly get Isaac for me?"

     Jared opened his mouth and then shut it again, watching as the small boy made as if to say something as well but was quietened by a finger on the lips from Rosie.

    "Surprise, remember!" she whispered.

     Jared turned in the hall and yelled,

   "Isaac! Your sister's here."

     He wasn't prepared for Isaac's face as he came down the stairs and caught sight of who was in the doorway- because it was a happier expression than he'd seen on him in weeks, a delightedness that took Jared's breath away.

    "Joseph!" Isaac greeted the boy (which, okay, now Jared understood). He was smiling properly, almost grinning, and when Rosie let Joseph down he held out his arms for his little brother and hugged him. Jared felt like his heart might fucking explode.

    "Hello!" Joseph was chattering, "Rosie said you'd take me to the park and push me on the swings, really high. Are you going to do that? You will push me on the swings, won't you?"

    "Yeah, course," said Isaac, even though he'd only really been going out for his counselling till now. He looked up at Rosie over Joseph's head and said incredulously, "How d'you manage this? They actually let you take him for the day?"

     Rosie smiled smugly.

    "Came home from university to see you, stopped at home to get some stuff I left there and found Dad in a panic cos they needed him early at work and Mam's in London at this prison work conference, so there was no-one to drop Joseph off at summer playgroup. So I offered to look after him."

     Isaac shook his head, still smiling.

    "I- thanks, Nosy."

    "No problem, kiddo."

     They took Joseph to the park and the sun was shining, and Jared felt like maybe he'd stumbled into some parallel universe where everything was okay. He watched Rosie and Isaac chase Joseph round the play park, watched Isaac push him on the swings as promised and then join him on the seesaw. Towards the end both Isaac and Joseph seemed to be looking a little tired so Rosie called things to a halt and bought everyone ice-creams, which they ate on the way home (Jared watched disbelievingly as Isaac ate all of his, even the cone).

     Isaac's counsellor had said there would be good days and bad days, and maybe she was right.

————o————

     At home they put CBeebies on for Joseph and Isaac sat on the sofa with him to watch. Jared and Rosie were in the kitchen making sandwiches for lunch when Rosie said quietly,