Remains

People Ain't No Good / Nick Cave

"Are you okay?"

Isabelle met Liam's eyes, pools of green that shone from across the room. Her knuckles were white from clenching her fingers around her now half empty mug. 

"We can stop if you want to, Isabelle. You know, if it's too much..."

For a moment, Isabelle was confused by his words. She was about to ask why he was concerned, but she was answered by a droplet splashing into her coffee. She brought a hand to her face, feeling moisture coating her cheeks and soaking her eyelashes. 

She was crying, but she hadn't noticed until he had brought it up. She quickly wiped away the tears and gave him a weakly executed smile.  

"Uh, yeah, sorry. I didn't even notice." She said. She tried to laugh, but nothing left her lips. She swallowed hard, a lump in her throat forming. 

Isabelle worried that Liam would find her behaviour strange or deterring. She was afraid she would scare him away, just after she found enough confidence to open up to someone. If he left now, Isabelle knew she may never be able to talk to anyone about that day ever again. The few seconds it took him to reply felt like minutes. Her anticipation was rising, and the fear of him leaving was becoming overwhelming. 

"Oh, it's alright. It happens to everyone sometimes. Take as much time as you need." He smiled as he spoke, his tone inviting. Isabelle immediately felt relieved. She mentally slapped herself, telling herself she should have known that he would have been expecting a few tears.

Isabelle smiled the first real smile in five years. Somehow, she trusted him in this moment more than anyone since the incident. She couldn't tell why, or how, but it was the way he acted, the way he was willing to wait for her.

Isabelle felt the confidence slowly but steadily rise inside her. "Do you, uh, have any questions?"

Liam thought for a moment, before looking back at her. "You said you related to Life On Mars? quite a bit. Surely that's more than just your hair colour?"

Isabelle bit her lip, she hoped this wouldn't come up, but before she knew what she was doing, more of her story left her mouth. "My parents argued a lot. When I say a lot, I don't mean they'd fight, kiss, and make up. I mean they'd ignore each other for days. My father cared enough to speak passively to me, letting me go out, especially when he and my mother were fighting. Mom, however, never bothered with the pleasantries. She always shouted at me, and even shouted at Dad when he told me to leave the house for a while. As a kid, that was too hard on me. I often went to the cinema, watching the same movies over and over. As soon as I turned eighteen, both my parents left and went their separate ways, leaving me this house to live in. At least they left me something other than sadness. I don't really think about them, though. My life completely changed when they were gone, and I was happy with my life. Until, you know. That day."

Liam was silent, taking in everything she had just said. Fresh tears were streaming down Isabelle's cheeks, and she let them fall. She had just let one of her darkest secrets into the light, and relief momentarily coursed through her system. 

She took a few deep breaths and dried her tears. She put her mug onto the coffee table and sat back, composing herself. 

"Now, where were we?" She asked, trying to lighten the mood. 

Liam scribbled something on his notepad before looking back up at her. "Are you ready to continue with your story?"

Isabelle let out a half-smile. "Of course."