Eyes on You

Pippa

A/N: Sorry, my updates have been a bit sporadic lately.  On vacay, visiting my manfriend in NYC.  Sometime this week I'ma head up to Washington Heights...

A week after Isabel had come home, she was still shut up in her room. She barely came out and was barely eating. We knew she'd need some time to grieve, because this was almost like a loss. She didn't want me. She didn't want Lin. All she wanted to do was stay in her pajamas all day and sleep.

After Ellie had been put down for the night, we convened in the kitchen, concerned.

"We have to do something," I urged Lin. "She hasn't showered in two days. All she ate today was a bowl of cereal."

He seemed reluctant to impede on her privacy. "Well, that's better than a few days ago. Let's give it a few more days."

"Will you at least go check on her again?" I urged him. For whatever reason, she seemed to be opening up to him a little more, which was fine. I just wanted her to talk to someone. Luna was getting frustrated with her sister, not understanding why she'd given up her son in the first place.

Lin nodded and headed down the hallway to see if he could maybe coax her out for a bath or some food. About five minutes after going him, I heard him come back out. He returned to the kitchen, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"What did she say?" I asked.

"Barely anything," he told me. "Said she's not hungry. Didn't seem to care about bathing."

I sighed, not knowing what to do. "Tomorrow morning we need to get her out," I decided. "This has gone on long enough."

I grabbed my wine glass and strode over to the couch. I wasn't sure what I was hoping for Lin to accomplish, but I'd expected some magic. Lin seemed to have a way of coaxing the girls out of their funks, and they listened to him. Why couldn't he get her to snap out of this?

Lin seemed to sense my frustration. He slowly walked over and stood behind the couch where I sat. I dropped a kiss to the top of my head then massaged my shoulders. "Just give her a bit more time," he urged me. "We don't know what she's going through."

I let one of my hands cover his. I wasn't always the most patient. It had only been a week, after all. Of course she was still having a hard time. It was just so hard to see someone you love go through something terrible. Nothing I could do or say would make it alright.

We reluctantly went to bed, having only seen Isabel once or twice during the day, mostly when she needed to use the bathroom.

In the morning, Ellie was in an especially good mood, so I took her into Isabel's room, still in her jammies.

"Good morning," I said cheerfully to Isabel as I twirled her blinds open. Isabel shifted in her bed, rolling over. Her hair looked greasy and her covers were all twisted. I set Ellie on the bed and she climbed over to her cousin.

"Izzy!" she greeted her. Ellie was the only person who could get away with calling her Izzy. Isabel smiled slightly as Ellie worked her way up the bed for a cuddle.

"How are you munchkin?" she asked, giving her a kiss.

"Goooood," she said, shifting around. Three years olds were rarely still. "You smeeeeeewww."

Isabel chuckled a little, which she hadn't done in days.

"Ellison," I chastised her gently. "That's not polite."

"I probably should take a shower," Isabel agreed, rubbing at her face.

"You can take a baf and pway wif my toys," Ellie offered sweetly. Isabel hugged her a little tighter.