A DISTRESS CALL

Lucas went back to Seattle the following day to complete his unfinished tasks of bringing Isabelle back. More importantly, he needed to make sure Andrew was safe and he wanted Damon’s son not to feel insecure about anyone protecting him or keeping him occupied with someone to play with in the motel room where he had left him alone all by himself, even though he had previously decided to let Damon handle matters with Isabelle himself during his last conversation with the alpha. Other than his primary intent of seeing Isabelle, he left Jacksonville on a train to ensure Andrew was in good hands as soon as he was done resolving personal matters with Uncle Danny

It was dusk when Lucas arrived at the train station on Seattle's western outskirts. Though he arrived early, he made the decision to stop by a grocery store to pick up some groceries because he thought Andrew was already starving because he had left him without enough food to eat breakfast in the morning. Having the motel's address in his possession, he found Damon's son in good hands even though the young child was beginning to worry that he had been left alone with no one to keep him company.

Andrew was delighted to see Lucas yet again and was very much relieved that he had returned from his trip to Jacksonville..

Why did it take you so long? Andrew asked, as soon as Lucas walked into the room he had rented for them to stay in a few days earlier.

"I had personal matters to attend to with Uncle Danny." Lucas said as he placed the large bag of groceries he had purchased at the store onto the bed, which was the sole piece of furniture in the room.

“That explains the delay then. I hope Damon wasn’t mad that you left without me.” Andrew said, searching for something of great interest in the groceries with his eyes.

“Not at all but he didn’t quite expect that I’d leave you here.”

“Sounds like he has a lot on his mind.” Andrew replied, desperately looking for something edible to get his teeth on.

“Trust me, he does.” Lucas said, taking out some slices of bacon and canned chips. He tossed one to Andrew who caught and smiled wistfully the very moment he noticed the desperation in the child’s eyes. Lucas chuckled when he saw the happiness in Andrew’s face and fondled Andrew’s hair with his fingers.

“Help yourself with that, kiddo.” Lucas said and got up to leave to get some fresh air.

“You’re leaving? Aren’t you hungry?” Andrew inquired when noticed that Lucas was leaving.

"No, I am not.” Lucas answered.

“I feel bad eating alone and besides, if you are going to visit that lady we saw the other day, you should take me with you.” Andrew suggested, perceiving that Lucas had deliberately bought the groceries to refrain him from accompanying him to see Isabelle.

“And why should I buy that idea?” Lucas questioned curiously.

“Because I love to see her again.” Andrew replied brazenly, not minding the pieces of chips that had soiled his cheeks, and returned to eat his chips hungrily.

Lucas felt inclined to leave but with the thought of Andrew resting alone inside this dark room, he gave up to thought of going to see Isabelle all by himself and returned to sit on the bed.

“Fine, if that’s what really want.” Lucas said nodding his head in agreement.

“That’s a relief.” Andrew said with food in his mouth and started munching the chips and bacons hungrily. Lucas joined him as well to eat. After having lunch, they both departed the motel to see Isabelle again an hour later. They had paid me a visit about the same time, anticipating that, in contrast to the last time Lucas came to my place, I would treat them with affection. Luckily for them, I was sleeping soundly at home when they got to my apartment because I had taken a leave of absence from the office to rest. I came to the conclusion that Damon had given the beta permission to convince me that my former lover had good intentions for me only after he and the small child who had brought up some really awful memories showed up at my home.

After we had argued previously, Lucas made his way to my apartment and brought the little child I had seen with him the other day at the office. He rang the doorbell three times to get my attention, thinking that I was still at home. When I answered the doorbell the fourth time, he had pressed for attention outside. On the fifth attempt, I opened the door to find Lucas outside with the child whose name I had neglected to ask because of our earlier argument. The child rushed to hug me before I could stop him. I was horrified and wanted to hold him back, but he tightened the grasp on me.

“I..” I said, feeling aghast at the little kid’s attitude but I was interrupted when Lucas’s cell phone rang. Lucas hurriedly took his cell phone out and saw that it was Damon calling.

“Yes, Damon, anything the matter?” He asked as soon as he answered the call and I became even more overwhelmed to hear that Damon was calling. I felt infuriated and pulled the kid away from me but I did not shut door and waited to hear what Lucas had to say after his call with my ex-boyfriend.

“Where are you, right now?” Damon asked from the other side of the phone.

“In Seattle.” Lucas retorted shortly.

“Good. I want you to go see Isabelle to help sort things out.”

“Uh…About that, I’m at her apartment right now.” He said, looking away at the open street.

“What a coincidence?!” The caller remarked.

“It sure is and Isabelle’s here with me along with Andrew.” Lucas replied and it was then I knew the name of the little kid whose eyes were still fixed on me the entire time Lucas was talking privately with Damon having overheard their conversation. Knowing that it had been a few years since we last talked to each other, Damon hesitated a little before deciding whether dialing me would be in his own best interests. He also felt much more hesitant to strike up a conversation. He was too confused about expressing his desire to speak with me since he didn't know how I would react to him. After seven years apart, Lucas realized that he felt anxious, unsure, and contemplating whether or not he wanted to hear my voice again, which caused a separation to form between us. Even though what he felt was not a good feeling, he resolved to get straight to the point.

“Really? Then let me have a word with her.” The caller requested and Lucas turned around to give me the phone. Although I was already very upset at the thought of talking with Damon, who was calling the beta from a street corner in Jacksonville through a payphone, I took the phone from Lucas when he handed it to me.

“Hey, Isabelle, how…have you been?” Damon asked anxiously as soon as I held the phone against my left ear. His voice was shaky and I knew at once that he was nervous.

“I’ve been good.” I answered, fighting hard to suppress the pain I was feeling inside and folded my hands across my abdomen while Lucas and little Andrew fixed their gaze on me as I talked to Damon on the phone.

“I know I had hurt you in the past but—” he said but I interrupted him from speaking further.

“But nothing, Damon. I don’t love you anymore and it would be best if leave me alone.” I said intrusively after losing my composure.

“Look, Isabelle. I know that you are upset but you have to listen to me.” Damon demanded but I remained adamant and emotionally furious.

“No, I won’t. I’m done listening to your lies and after you betrayed me on my birthday, I’ve come to realize that you are doing everything in your power to ruin me” I said blatantly leaving Lucas and little Andrew in shock.

“It isn’t what you think. I only have your best interest at heart and believe me, I bear no ill intentions in reaching out to you after all these years.” Damon explained persuasively hoping his words would persuade me but I barked at him.

"You can...pretend to have changed your ways after causing me pain for seven years, but I know better. I don't care what you want to say to me since I know who you truly are. You can go to hell for all I care, since you are a sick, lying, self-centered man that is full of deceit.” With my eyes heavy with tears and my voice shaking, I yelled at him on the phone. I retorted harshly even though my voice was trembling and my eyes were clouded with tears. Not only was Lucas marveled at the hurtful words I said to Damon who suddenly kept quiet on the phone since he sensed that I was crying, but little Andrew felt furious and glared at me even though I refused to look at him in the eyes.. Damon was shocked by what I said to him over the phone, but rather than feeling upset, he was perplexed as to why I had become angry with him, even though he could understand why I had done it. After expressing the anguish in my heart, I wiped the tears from my cheeks and felt a little relieved because, after all these years of feeling regretful of having to fall in love with Damon, I had always craved and wanted to yell at him, and Lucas had given me the perfect chance to express my dissatisfaction with the Alpha who had been the only source of my suffering. Despite the feeling of relief from the agonizing pain and distress, I also felt bad at myself saying such hurtful words in front of little Andrew and his cute round eyes which he used in staring blankly at me with his mouth half open, did much to remind me that of the repugnant words I uttered in front of seven years old son of a werewolf.

At first, I thought Damon was going to end the call after going silent and refusing to speak but he soon found his voice to speak as soon as he was able to summoned the courage to converse with me even though I clearly insulted him in the presence of his son and Lucas, the beta he sent to find me. I did my best to regain composure and luckily soberly kept myself from breaking down in tears.

“Listen, Isabelle. I feel bad I’m partly responsible for causing you pain but I suggest we get rid of the past and let us reunite like we were before things got complicated.” Damon suggested but his appeals did little to help the situation. I flew into a rage before he could say anything further and felt even angrier listening to his words.

“Damon, if it’s a happy reunion you want for both of us, sorry to say but you’re not getting it now or ever and I fall for your vengeful plan of making me a laughingstock,” I replied agitatedly and ended the call before he could speak. Afterward, I handed the cellphone to Lucas who received it, appalled and too confused to speak since he was already in a bit of bewilderment when he collected back his cell phone while little Andrew stared expressionless at us both and entered the house to avoid breaking down in tears any further than I had already done in front of the two guest. Then I shut the door against Lucas when he tried asking me why I had accused Damon of taking revenge, and left Andrew perplexed even before they could realized that I needed time alone.