Chapter 3.5

If someone asked Isabelle, peaceful and idled days were the best.

To wake up as the sun rose. The gentle morning breeze carrying the aroma of dew-covered flowers and herbs. Birds also waking up, chirping their songs to announce the beginning of a day. Going about the morning ablutions greeting each other with soft good mornings. Having a nice and cheerful conversation while cooking breakfast. Eating the cooked meal and listing out the plans for the day:

"I'll water the patch 'nd harvest the ripe vegetables and fruits. I think some oranges are ripe enough to cut."

"I'll help you once Lucas and I go to the mountains to look for firewood."

"I have to wash the clothes today!"

"I think I can finish embroidering today to deliver tomorrow."

Then, they would implement all the plans.

It was a perfect day, with perfect weather and perfect company. She thought nothing could ruin such a peaceful day. When she finished embroidering the thirteenth pillow case, it was time for lunch. Appetizing smells wafted from the kitchen, from Felix and Ethan's cooking. They made a delicious chicken soup from Lucas' latest hunt.

While the breeding project was undergoing, they made sure not to touch the hens and rooster in the pen. The pen was divided: one side for the chickens and the other for Mrs. Rabbit who had finally given birth to eight baby rabbits! Isabelle would always stare at the baby rabbits whenever they dared to come out from their nest.

They were so small and cute!

But back to the chickens. After failing at keeping them in the backyard because they would constantly run away, Joseph and Ethan had to improvise another pen and divided the already existing one, making it higher so the chickens would not fly over it. It even had a removable door for when anyone went in to feed them.

The chickens seemed to get used to their new life and stayed put.

The five were hoping for the hens to lay eggs soon, or even to have little chicks. But that was for the future as the chickens were barely starting to settle into their new environment, so they did not feel safe enough to lay eggs. Maybe at the end of Spring or the start of Summer they would start doing so.

After lunch, Felix took a nap again, Lucas accompanied Ethan in practicing their writing and Joseph said he wanted to check on the tomato and cucumber saplings he planted recently. One sapling was planted in a small pot next to the trunks with herbs, and the other were planted in the patch.

He had wanted to see if the soil in the patch was good for the plants or if they had to get new soil for them. Isabelle admired his careful planning when it came to plants; ensuring that they would see benefits from the money spent on the new plants. Watching him leave for the patch, she thought it was a good opportunity to speak with him. They would be alone in the patch with no one to interrupt their conversation.

Decided she tackled her embroidering with renewed vigor.

As her hands moved, the sounds of both Ethan and Lucas scribbling on the board reached her. Thoughts crossed her mind, which inevitably made her smile.

"Why are you smilin'?" Ethan suddenly asked, getting her attention.

Isabelle tried to suppress her smile, but it still stretched on her mouth. "I was just thinking today is a beautiful day..." She trailed off, unsure of her next words but still decided to voice them out. "It also took me to the future. Instead of you two practicing how to write, it would be our kids."

The image of two kids, either boy or girl, fighting over the chalk, arguing on how to write a word and whining when corrected over their mistakes made her smile in return. Each time softer and more indulgent. Sweet.

"You really wanna have kids with us?" Ethan's soft question made her look at him and at Lucas. Their expressions were… kind, tender even. And so very fragile.

Isabelle could not start to comprehend the reason for their expressions, but she still nodded. "We have a lot to do to stabilize our lives. But I do want kids with you." Silence settled between them. It was not awkward or uncomfortable. It was more like letting the implicit promise wash over them.

It was a very special moment.

And it was broken by someone who barged into the house.

"Where's she?!" A woman came in, shrilly screaming.

The three looked at the middle-aged woman who was wearing coarse clothing, typical villager clothes. Isabelle did not recognize her; granted, she knew close to no one in the village bar the two women from before and the Chief, so it was natural for her to be confused as to why the woman came fuming like that.

The brothers, though, immediately recognized who she was, and that her appearance meant trouble.

"You!" The middle-aged woman pointed at Isabelle. "Ye really have the face o' a whore!" She immediately cursed, shocking the three. "A whore who ain't doing her job! Leash yer dog or I'll leash it fer ye!"

"Mrs. Ekore!" Ethan finally reacted and harshly rebuked. "You can't come here spittin' such venom." He stepped up to cover Isabelle from the woman's fierce glare and returned the glare.

The woman, though, was not deterred. She was not even afraid of her husband's glare, much less the glare from a brat who only knew how to roll on the sheets. Same as that filthy brother of theirs.

"I should've beaten that dog fer gettin' close to ma daughter! He's spoiled her! She can't go 'round without sayin' his hateful name! Ye know what people're sayin'?! That her marriage failed the moment she met that rotten boy! It's all yer fault! Make 'im apologize with his death!" She spat.

"Who are you talking about?" Isabelle stepped from behind Ethan, who tried to stop her with his arm. But she needed an answer, not to be mollycoddled. She was not going to let people come into their home willy-nilly to say and do whatever they wanted without hearing a piece of her mind.

"Such a saintly attitude fo' bein' a whore, tryin' ta play stupid! I won't repeat it. Either that bandit gets away from ma daughter or ye'll see what I do with 'im." Mrs. Ekore threatened one last time and rushed out of the house as fast as she came in.

Isabelle's stomach churned in anger at not being able to say a word or two or three back to the woman. Yet, she was more confused as to what had triggered the woman to come throwing insults. One thing she was sure of was that she was talking about Joseph.

The woman had not pointed at Ethan or Lucas, and Felix - who had come out of the house at Mrs. Ekore's screeching - had not had any contact with any woman. So, the answer was pretty clear.

"Where is the patch?" Isabelle asked the brothers, carefully looking at each of them.

"Isabelle..."

"Where is the patch?" She harshly cut off whatever Ethan tried to say.

"Go left and walk until the end of the road." Lucas readily replied.

"Lucas!" Ethan admonished his brother, yet Lucas did not back down.

"It's between them." Lucas reminded his brother. Ethan hesitated before those words and threw his arms up, giving up.

Isabelle did not stay any longer to watch how their argument developed and quickly made her way towards the patch. The directions Lucas gave her were quite clear. It also helped that there were no other patches around, so she could easily identify the one from the brothers.

Not in the mood to appreciate their work at the patch, she quickly crossed it while looking for Joseph. She found him almost at the back, crouched by some fence.

"Why're ya here?" He asked as soon as he heard her approach and looked over his shoulder. He was surprised to see her there. After all, she had never expressed a desire to see the patch; trusting that he was making a good work with it. It was a nice feeling to be trusted like that.

"Who is the woman?" Isabelle did not want to dither in the matter anymore and went to the point. She had a hunch it had to do with that woman at the market. So, it was time to solve that matter.

Joseph felt his stomach drop. Slowly, he stood from his crouched position and looked at her with guilt-ridden eyes. Ethan had been right. He should have told Isabelle about Milly before others told her. Joseph wondered who he had to beat up for telling Isabelle. He first had to fix the mess though. "It's not what ya think."

"You do not know what I am thinking." Isabelle immediately rebuked. "I want to know who the woman is and why her mother just came to spit insults at me, calling me a whore. She even told me to leash you. So, I ask again: who is the woman and why are you looking for her?"

Her frigid tone made Joseph's heart jump in fright. "I ain't looking for her! She came ta me!" He loudly and quickly explained, taken by panic. It really was not like that! He rose his arms in sign to give him a moment to calm down. As impulsive as he was, he knew it was not the time to freak out and mess things up even more. "Fuck, I should've told you sooner." He muttered.

"Yes, you should have." Isabelle cuttingly interjected. Joseph bit his lips and put his hands on her shoulders to pacify her. However, she shrugged them off and took a step back. "No. Do not touch me. I have been waiting Joseph. Since that day you walked off with some woman in the market, I have been waiting for you to tell me what is going on. If you are not interested in me anymore, go ahead and tell me. I hate secret affairs!"

"Shit, you saw that?" His already muddled and panicked mind made him blurt out the first thought that crossed it.

"Why are you not answering?!" Isabelle yelled. The more he kept dodging the matter, the angrier and hurt she felt.

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you! Calm down!" He replied in the same exalted way. Fuck, it's not time to match her tone! He admonished himself and closed his eyes to try to regain some control over his emotions.

"Joseph?"

Joseph wilted at the sound of the new voice. It was over. He completely fucked up. Isabelle whipped her head so fast to look at the newcomer that it was a miracle she did not break her neck. Though, the moment she saw the woman, she really wanted to faint or something.

She was pregnant!

Isabelle did not want to jump to conclusions, but she also did not want to see either of them.

"Fine then. You stay here and do whatever you want with her." Isabelle told Joseph.

No, tears, do not spill. Not yet.

"He is all yours." She, then, told the woman and strode off. The moment she was out of the patch, she started running. The shame, anger and hurt she felt was enough to prevent her from returning to the house and let the others see her state. So, she went the opposite way even if she did not know where the path would take her.

"Isabelle!" Joseph stepped forward to chase after Isabelle, but was stopped by Milly.

"Who's she, Joseph?" The reason of his problems even dared to grabbed him by the arm.

Joseph pulled his arms off her hold and looked at her with irritation and something close to loathing. Why could she not stay put in her home with her husband and reap what she sowed? She had done so for close to a year. Why did she have to ruin Joseph's hard-earned happiness? She even dared to parade her swollen belly when she was ashamed of it before.

Just when he was so close to finally settling down…

His fierce gaze made Milly step back in fear; it was the first time he looked at her like that. It had always been mischievous glints and smiling eyes. Not once had he used his fierce gaze at her. Until that moment. Her lips trembled and her eyes filled with tears.

"Don't come anymore. Don't look for me. I can't give ye anything. I can't even believe I had wanted to marry you; shameless wench that you turned out to be." Joseph told the frozen Milly and ran off to follow Isabelle.

He would be damned if he let her run off.

Luckily, even when running, Isabelle was slow, so he was able to see her disappearing back on the far left. She was running straight to the mountains. Not losing one more second, he went after her.