Fairytale Come Alive (Ghosts and Reincarnation #4)(30)

And that wasn’t all.

They made nasty comments, some of them loud, most of them when Isabella was in earshot.

They at least shielded Annie from it; she didn’t hear a word for which Fiona was grateful. They’d also been careful around Jason and Sally (Sally was oblivious, as usual; Jason had overheard a few things, which pissed Fiona off). The rest of the time they ignored her, cast her dirty looks or walked away when she approached.

Although they shielded Annie, they hadn’t any qualms about doing their worst in front of Fergus, Mikey, Dougal or Prentice.

Which made all four men livid even Dougal, probably on Annie’s behalf.

The picnic had started at two o’clock. It was now ten. Eight hours of torture for Isabella.

At first, Fiona had been shocked at how she coped. She acted for all the world as if she didn’t give one whit and spent her time talking with Fergus, Mikey, Annie, Sally and Old Lady Kilbride who wasn’t capable of hating anyone and had always stuck up for Isabella, unpopularly saying, “We don’t know. There are always two sides to every story.”

Isabella even spent time with Jason which was surprising since Hattie also commented loudly within Isabella’s (and Prentice’s) earshot, “God, the nerve of the woman. Fiona’s children. Jason. Who’s been devastated. The absolute nerve.”

But as the hours slid by, it had begun to wear, her façade slipped, as anyone’s would, and Fergus, Mikey, Dougal, Jason and, most especially Prentice, noticed.

Fiona was back to not hating her. In fact, she felt sorry for her. She had no idea what she would do if she’d been alive at the picnic rather than dead and haunting it but she hoped she wouldn’t have done that.

Of course, she did realize that, as a ghost, she had access to information that the villagers couldn’t know, but still.

They hit the great room and Isabella turned immediately toward the hall.

“I’m going to call it a night,” she said softly, her hands still fists.

Prentice opened his mouth to speak but Sally got there before him.

“Will you read me a story?” Sally asked, her voice tired.

“Sally –” Prentice began but Isabella talked over him.

Without hesitation, she switched directions, unfisted a hand and held it out to Sally, saying, “Of course, honey.”

Sally took Isabella’s hand and they walked up the stairs. Prentice’s eyes followed them, his face tight.

“Dad –” Jason began when the two females disappeared.

Prentice looked at his son. “Not now, mate.”

Jason wasn’t to be denied. “I heard some things –”

“It’s late, go to bed,” Prentice ordered.

Jason stared at him, defiance written in every line of his body.

Fiona felt worry tear through her. How was Prentice going to handle this?

Her husband sighed and turned to his son. “All right Jace. As you know from last night, a long time ago, Mrs. Evangelista used to holiday here.”

“Aye,” Jason prompted when Prentice stopped speaking.

“She did a couple of things that angered a few people. They haven’t gotten over it.”

“What’d she do?”

“It doesn’t matter now.”

“What’d she do?”

“She hurt some people’s feelings.”

“So?” Jason asked. “People get their feelings hurt all the time. Worse stuff happens.”

Prentice’s face changed, anguish tore through it because both her husband and son had learned that lesson.

And Jason was right. Worse stuff happens, that was the God’s honest truth. Fiona was beyond the veil existence proof of it.

And now Fiona knew that something did not quite fit together with Isabella Austin Evangahlala.

There were, indeed, two sides to every story and no one knew Isabella’s.

Except perhaps Annie, Mikey and Fergus and they were all intensely loyal to her, something Fiona never understood about Annie or Fergus and didn’t think much about, until now.

Fiona felt another bolt of worry tear through her.

“Aye, Jason, worse stuff happens,” Prentice agreed.

“You should have said something,” Jason accused and Fiona was surprised at the heat behind his words.

He was defending Isabella. Fiona didn’t know what to feel about that but she had to admit the first thing it felt like she felt was pride.

Then again, Jason had always been a good lad.

“Jason –” Prentice started.

“You know she’s no’ a bad lass. You ate her pancakes.”

“Jace –” Prentice tried again.

“And she liked Mum,” Jason kept at it.

“Jason, it’s complicated,” Prentice finally got out.

“I don’t know what’s complicated about it. She’s nice and she painted Sally’s fingernails. And people like you. You’ve been living here all your life. They’d listen to you.”

Fiona watched as Prentice approached his son, reaching him and putting his hand on Jason’s tense shoulder.

“You’re right, I should have said something.”

“Next time, you hafta say something.”

Prentice nodded. “Aye, I will.”