Finding You Again (H.S.)

31. The Period Care Package

Isabelle had never been happier to clock out from her shift than she did today. It was a fairly alright day, not too easy, not too challenging either, but she was feeling a little off. She took the subway and walked back home as she usually did, breathing deeply and clutching her midriff the entire way. Just one of the setbacks of being a woman.

Her mind fantasised a warm bath and snuggling with her hot water bottle under the covers. But with the pain that twisted and tore through her abdomen, creeping through her waist and back and thighs, all she needed was to lie down.

A squeak and a yelp greeted her the moment she unlocked the front door.

What the hell?

Isabelle's eyes landed on Hannah and Ethan on the couch, one perusing a magazine, the other staring at her phone, both determinedly avoiding looking at the other.

"What's going on?" Isabelle asked, suspicious.

"Nothing's going on. What makes you think there's anything going on?" Hannah asked, her eyes wide, feigning innocence.

Isabelle sighed. "I may not be the best junior detective in New York, but even I can see something fishy's going on."

"Izzy, that's ridiculous," Ethan piped, joining in the charade and throwing her a sceptical look.

"Okay, let's see. There was a funny noise when I walked in just now. Hannah has just-fucked hair and you're reading a LADIES magazine upside down, idiot."

Hannah and Ethan shared a look.

"When did this happen?" Isabelle asked, crossing her arms across her chest, raising her eyebrows at the both of them.

"A couple of days ago, the night you slept over at Harry's," Ethan replied quietly.

"I knew it! This is great, you guys! I'm so happy for you!" Isabelle gushed, circling her arms around her two best friends and squeezing them tight.

"Wait what? You're not mad?" Hannah asked, surprised.

"No, why would I be?" Isabelle asked, sitting against the back of the couch and linking her arms with the both of them.

"Because isn't it always awkward when two people from a group of three get together?" Hannah asked, "Harry Potter, Hunger Games. It's not a group of three anymore, it's just Hannah and Ethan with Izzy thirdwheeling us."

"Oh, gee thanks," Isabelle whined, rolling her eyes.

"Nah, she won't mind. She's got her Harry to shack up with," Ethan chuckled.

"Excuse me, what's that supposed to mean?" Isabelle rounded on him, ignoring the twisting cramps in her lower abdomen.

"It means you've been spending so much time with him, surely there must be something going on too," Ethan explained.

"No, nothing's going on. We're just a couple of old friends catching up," Isabelle defended.

"Oh, stop it with this again! Who are you trying to bullshit, us or yourself? You slept at his house, for God's sake," Ethan argued.

"In his guest room!" Isabelle retorted, "Why are we fighting over this anyway? I'm happy for you guys, gave you my blessing. What else do you want?"

"We want to be happy for you too," Hannah remarked.

Isabelle smiled warmly at her. "I am happy. But right now, I'm also in pain, so I'm gonna go indulge in some self care," she announced.

*

Harry frowned at his phone as though it was the device's fault that his call to Isabelle went unanswered yet again. The only time Isabelle would not answer her phone was if she was in the middle of surgery, and since he knew her shift ended two hours ago, Harry was getting quite worried over the silence.