Dahven woke up to Mrs. Hanson waking everyone up to get ready to go home. She found that she was facing Taylor, and Isaac's arm was draped casually over her.
When she saw Taylor looking at her, he blushed slightly and turned away.
Laughing quietly, she turned to face Isaac, who kissed her before she could say anything.
"Time to get ready to go home." He said smiling excitedly.
He quickly got out of the huge bed and went to his suitcase. Dahven grabbed her pile of Taylor's clothes and went inside the bathroom.
Knowing that there was probably a line behind her, she quickly took a hot shower and changed into the fresh clothes.
Wearing Zac's belt again for Taylor's jeans too she shrugged at her reflection and walked out.
Going over to Isaac she went to ask him for his hair-dryer and she nearly tripped on a pair of Zac's shoes.
Managing to make it to the bed with no more pitfalls, she mumbled to herself as she dried her hair.
After it was dried and they ate, everyone was ready to go.
They had planned it before, so that Dahven's plane seat was right with theirs. And the ride home was spent mostly in anticipation and aggravation. Anticipating being back home and aggravating because it took so long.
Dahven smiled when everyone sighed in relief as the plane started to land. Flying in a plane for over an hour or two was not her idea of fun. At least in this lifetime it wasn’t. She felt like she was going to explode if she had to stay on there much longer.
When her feet touched solid ground she was ecstatic. Dahven could have been in another state or even another country and she wouldn’t have even cared.
Just as long as her feet were safely on the ground she was happy.
She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of air. "It’s going to rain soon." She said opening her eyes and looking at Isaac with a gentle smile on her face.
Isaac smiled back, and squeezed her hand. "I can’t wait." He murmured in her ear as he stood behind her. He lightly touched his lips to her ear.
Dahven giggled, and covered her mouth with her hand. "Neither can I." She said it softly but truthfully.
She took another deep breath when she saw young girls inside the plane terminal. "You're gonna come over and meet, Essence?" She asked as they walked to her car that was safely parked in the parking lot.
Isaac looked over and smiled and waved at the girls who were staring at him. Sighing cautiously, he took a few safe steps away from Dahven, so as not to cause any problems. "If you want me to. I’d have to ask first though." He replied shrugging.
"Well, go and ask. I can wait, and I can drop you off at your house when we’re done." Dahven said simply.
Isaac nodded. "Be right back." He called over his shoulder.
"Zac and Tay can come too!" She called to him as he walked away.
Isaac only nodded his head again, confirming that he had heard her.
Pulling up to the front of the house, Dahven took a deep breath as she stared up at it. It was still hard to imagine that inside she wouldn't have to sneak around or cringe anymore.
Smiling over at the trio, she smiled weakly and plowed ahead. Barging in and stalking to the library.
"Essence, this is Zac, Taylor, and Isaac." Dahven said as she pointed to each of the guy’s to her new sister in-law.
"Hello." Zac said shaking her hand roughly, as he shot past Taylor and Isaac.
Stepping forward, Taylor barely gripped her hand. "Hi." He said disinterested in her, but none the less being polite.
Isaac simply nodded in her direction. "Hello there."
Dahven tried to hide her smile. She wasn’t all too fond of Essence either. She only thought that it was because she had married her brother.
But evidently it wasn’t that, and Dahven bit her fist to keep from laughing. She excused them and went into the parlor. Once they were all safely in there she started laughing out loud.
"What’s so funny?" Zac asked looking at her questionably.
"You don’t seem to be taken by Essence that much either." She said grinning broadly.
Isaac laughed also and shook his head. "There’s just something about her that don’t seem right." He tried to explain.
Taylor smiled weakly. "She doesn’t look like she belongs here. With Arie and you, I mean." He quickly added.
Zac shrugged. "I wasn’t paying much attention to her. She doesn’t look like she has a lot of fun. She reminds me of Devil Lady." He said shuddering slightly.
Dahven, Isaac, and Taylor started laughing some more.
Snapping her fingers, Dahven replied, "I thought I knew her from somewhere." She said in mock seriousness.
"Guys, if you think about it, they actually do kinda look alike." Taylor commented, being far and beyond serious.
Thinking about it; Dahven, Isaac, and Zac had to agree. Essence did look remarkably like Julia.
"Oh God, that’s why I can’t stand her. I probably thought that when I first saw her." Dahven said slapping her forehead with the heel of her hand. "How could I have been so blinde to that?"
"What if they’re related?" Zac asked.
Dahven’s head snapped up quickly along with Isaac’s. Anger flashed white hot in her eyes. "Don't say that, Zac! Not even in joke is that funny." She said trying to make herself sound calm and rational, while all she wanted to do was break something.
Pulling back some, Zac just shrugged. "Maybe she is." He said gently. "I know it’s funny, but maybe she is." He was stating the almost complete obvious.
Isaac pulled Dahven into his arms. "It’s okay, D." He said soothingly. "They probably aren’t related. It’s just a coincidence. That’s all." He reassured her.
Taylor decided to try and help out a little too. "They didn’t look that much alike either. Julia had green eyes and Essence’s eyes are almost black."
Dahven stared at him blankly. "You have blue eyes, Isaac and Zac have brown eyes. Does that mean you aren’t related?" She asked flatly.
Taylor shook his head and remained silent for a few moments. "Why don’t you just ask her sometime then if you want to know for sure?" He asked shrugging. "Simplify the matter some, and get past it."
"I will, but right now." Dahven said shaking her head. She didn't want to have to deal with Essence, or any thoughts on Julia. "I need to get you guys home. Or your mother is going to kill, me." She said walking beside Isaac out the door.
Settling in for bed, Zac turned on his side, "Guy’s do you really think that Essence is related to Julia somehow?"
"I don’t know, Zac." Isaac said looking at the ceiling. "Ask me an easier question."
Zac laughed quietly, "Okay then, how do they get holes in the Swiss cheese?"
They laughed along with him.
"You have asked us that question every night for the passed few nights." Taylor said as he continued to laugh lightly.
"And we keep telling you that it’s because of the air bubbles." Isaac put in.
"Oh. I can’t help the fact that I forget. I sleep before I ask you again, you know?" Zac playfully defended himself.
Isaac laughed some more. "Go to sleep, Zac." He said rolling onto his side and staring at the wall for a moment. God, I hope she isn’t related to Julia. He thought to himself before he slowly fell asleep.
Zac decided not to say anything else and sleep too. He wasn’t aware of how tired he actually was, and yawned slightly beforing falling into sleep.
Taylor, on the other hand, was worried about Dahven. Not because he started to feel something new for her, but because he was wondering how she was really taking to living with her older brother.
She was too stubborn to admit that she often felt envious when his mom was making sure that Isaac, Zac, and him were doing okay. He had seen the pain in her eyes. Only staying for a second before she hid it again.
Now her brother was married? That must’ve been a low blow. Taylor though to himself, sighing lightly and roll onto his side looking down at Zac.
He smiled and tried to sleep himself, and after a few moments he fell into his own slumber.
Dahven was pacing her bedroom floor when a soft knock landed on her door.
She jumped, not used to the sound of someone knocking. Slowly, she eased it opened and Essence walked in. "Shouldn’t you be in my brother’s room?" She asked coldly.
Essence placed her hands on her hips. "Look, I don’t know why you hate me." She started.
"I don’t hate you." Dahven interrupted. "Hate is a very strong word. There are very few people that I hate. You are not among them."
She gritted her teeth, "At least, not yet anyway." She added harshly.
"Then why do you act like you hate me?" She asked softly, her body visibly relaxing from her fighting stance.
Dahven stared at her for a moment. She was almost the exact mirror image of Julia.
Before she knew it, anger and hatred rose up in her. She wanted so much to hurt the person who was standing before her. "Are you related to Julia Reed?" She asked out of nowhere.
Essence was slightly taken aback. "H-h-how d-do you- you know her?" She stuttered.
"Answer me!" Dahven yelled. "I have to know this!"
Essence sank obliviously onto her bed and slowly nodded. "She’s my younger sister. How do you know her?" She asked again, only this time more clearly.
Dahven's eyes became steel. "She nearly broke up a friendship of mine that means everything to me. Only because she felt threatened by me. She almost destroyed the relationship that I have with him now. She broke my family apart." She flashed sharp teeth in a bitter smile, "Now do you understand why?"
Essence shook her head roughly. "I’m not my sister. I’m nowhere close to being her. I didn’t even know that you knew Julia. Let alone the things that she's done." She said looking at Dahven with saddened eyes.
Sitting beside her, Dahven sighed. "I’m not used to having someone here to take away the attention of my brother. Let alone a sister in-law." She confessed quietly. "But I am glad that you aren’t Julia."
Laughing through unshed tears of shame, Essence nodded her head. "I can understand that."
Reluctantly Dahven let Essence hug her. But I’m still not going to trust or like you. She thought to herself.
"Goodnight." Essence said quietly as she walked out.
"Night." Dahven responded, her brow furrowing. I’m not even going to try and trust someone related to Julia. Because I don’t like having the sharp pain of a knife in my back. She thought bitterly to herself as she stared at her door.
Changing into her silver silk pj’s and laying in bed, she thought of her trip in Paris and smiled. "Kiss the rain." She murmured before she fell into her rough slumber.