Chapter Five
Isabella was sat curled up on the sofa, hugging her legs to her chest, as she stared out the living room window. She didn't move when she heard her half-sister move or when she sat down next to her.
"Izzy, I'm sorry for what I said last night," Tatum started, making herself comfortable by crossing her legs underneath her. "You're right that I should've, maybe, not been so antagonistic with Aaron Miller… That man just makes my blood boil and after all them years… I just don't wanna be scared of them anymore," she launched into what was on her mind, hoping that maybe it would lead to them getting to know each other better. They hadn't seen each other for ten years after all.
"I'm sorry for not havin' your back," the brunette said slowly. "I'm not usually like that," Isabella tagged on. She was perfectly capable of standing up for herself, just not with David or indeed the Millers it seemed.
"That's okay," her half-sister nodded. After the initial confrontation and getting the first few customers in, Isabella had shown her true colours; she was happy, bubbly, polite but flirty in the right measures. Tatum reckoned together they could be quite a successful team. "I know we'll have to go back to the bar later, but do you wanna spend today clearin' stuff out and gettin' to know each other again?" the redhead asked now, finally seeing her half-sister turn to face her as she nodded.
"Sounds good," Isabella smiled, getting a big relieved smile back.
The girls started by having breakfast together, as Tatum had done some grocery shopping when she'd first arrived yesterday. This is where they got most of the talking out of the way. Tatum had managed to go to college and eventually university soon after Maya had moved her away. They'd mostly stayed in the same place, only swapping one rented accommodation for another and another before Maya had been able to buy a small house for the two of them. She could count the number of new partners her mother had had on one hand and none of them had ever been anything like Grayson had been. There was one who'd come close when they'd first moved, but Tatum had kicked him out and called the police on him. It was enough for him to decide that they weren't worth the hassle. Her own love life wasn't much more colourful. It had taken her a little while to realise that, just because they didn't abuse you in one way or another, it didn't mean it was a good relationship or worth sticking around for. Kenny had been a prime example. He didn't beat her and wasn't mean to her as such, but he was still an asshole in general. And she'd had enough of assholes for one life.
Isabella was a little relieved to hear that at least her half-sister's life had been a little easier, but it also saddened her. What did Tatum have to pull through like that, that she didn't? Determined not to think of or mention David in case it called out to him like a beacon, she focused mostly on her mother's failed relationships. Sofia had been left with no self-esteem and a slight alcohol problem when she'd moved away from Grayson, and had carried that into every single relationship after that. Some were just drunks, so didn't abuse her but they also didn't actually treat her very well. Others did struggle keeping their hands off of Sofia, and Isabella had no idea how they had never beaten her as well. She told the redhead how it had felt the first time her second boyfriend had slapped her across the face. She'd been so furious with how much it hurt and how little it made her feel, that she'd kicked him out there and then. But when it happened again and again with different men… She gave up. Clearly, she didn't deserve better otherwise she wouldn't keep ending up with such losers.
"You do too deserve better," Tatum corrected her, surprising her by pulling her into a big hug. "Don't let them make you think any different. You're here now and maybe we can turn things around," she added optimistically. Even she wasn't entirely sure how herself, as nothing in the town seemed to have changed much when it came to the Millers still running everything and owning everyone. But she was determined that both of them would come out of this better and stronger, one way or another.
"Thanks Tatum. I hope you're right," Isabella said gratefully, hugging her back. It was off to a relatively good start in any case, as she couldn't remember the last time she'd even just had such a nice hug as this.
"Of course," the redhead nodded. "Right… I'm thinkin' maybe we should get away from the heavy stuff now. Let's put on some music and start clearing this place out. We need to make it our own," she suggested, thinking it would be good for them to get moving and get rid of some of the memories.
"Yes, let's," Isabella agreed, hoping it could be that simple.