"What about us?" Abby demanded.
Her mother took a deep breath as she bit her lip and closed her eyes. Her father wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest.
"Use the bathroom in the basement," her dad told them. The twins groaned in unison before turning and stomping down the stairs. "You really want more?"
Her mother laughed as she shook her head. "Not for a long time."
"Good," her father said.
Isabelle watched as her parents grew silent, and then her mother burst out laughing and hit her father playfully. She had long ago adjusted to the soundless conversations they had with each other. Sometimes, when she watched them, she wondered what it would be like to meet someone who would make her so happy, but more often than not the idea frightened her.
She couldn't imagine needing someone so much she would die without them; it terrified her to even think about it. It was the main reason she kept herself locked away. It was the last thing she ever wanted to happen to her.
She would gladly stay here for the rest of her existence before she gave up her heart, her soul, and her freedom to someone else. Her parents couldn't stand to be apart for extended periods of time, and when they were apart, they were in constant communication with each other's minds. She knew their love was rare and precious, but to never part with someone was something she didn't want to contemplate, let alone experience.
"So how are things going with the house?" her mom asked.
"They're going," Ethan answered tiredly.
A knock on the front door turned all their heads around.
"Who could that be?" Aiden pondered.
"Probably some of the material I ordered for the new house, it was supposed to come today," her mom answered. She untangled herself from Liam’s arms, swiftly heading past the fridge and down the stairs to the front door.
"I'll go help her," Isabelle said.
She couldn't wait to get her hands on the new material. It had to be the paint they’d ordered, or maybe the kitchen cabinets. She smiled with anticipation when her father suddenly went rigid. His eyes flashed a vibrant red before he vanished. They stood gaping at each other before turning and running for the front door.
Chapter Three
By the time they got to the front door, her mother and father were outside, kneeling over a woman. Isabelle skidded to a halt when she spotted the middle-aged woman on the ground between them. "Kathleen!" Ethan blurted.
Isabelle's mouth dropped open. "What happened?" Aiden demanded.
Her mother looked up at him with unshed tears in her violet blue eyes. "She fainted," she whispered.
"Mom! Mom!" It was then Isabelle noticed the young girl kneeling over Kathleen, lightly tapping her face and attempting to wake her.
"Who is that?" Aiden insisted.
"Kathleen," Isabelle answered.
"Who?" Ian asked in confusion.
She rolled her eyes at them. If it didn't have to do with a girl or blood, they paid no attention to anything. "Mom's friend from college!" she told them impatiently.
"Oh," he said dully. "Oh shit!" He exclaimed loudly when the full realization sank in.
"Liam, get her up, we'll take her inside," her mother ordered briskly
Her father bent and scooped Kathleen up.
"Put her down!" the girl screamed as she pulled on her father's arms. "Put her down now!"
"What is going on?" Jack bellowed from the back of the pack still crammed in the doorway. "Is that... oh, this can't be good."
"Get out of the way, Jack!" her father snapped as he quickly carried Kathleen inside.
Her mother followed eagerly behind, her beautiful face pinched with apprehension. "Ethan, please take care of ah... Kathleen's daughter."
They all turned to look at the young girl as she stared worriedly back at them with wide blue eyes. Tears streaked her pretty face as she tried to shove her way past them.
Ethan gripped her shoulders and pulled her back from the doorway. "Just calm down," he said.
The girl's sky blue eyes were filled with distress as she shoved at him again. He grabbed hold of her slender arms and pinned them to her sides. "Your mother is fine; she just went inside to catch up with her good friends." The girl's eyes began to glaze over as his power started to wrap its way into her mind. "You decided to stay out here with us while they catch up. Okay?"
She nodded as he released his hold on her. Isabelle nudged him out of the way and took hold of the girl’s limp hands. "What's your name?" she inquired.
"Delia," she replied numbly.
"Delia, that's a nice name. How old are you, Delia?"
The girl continued to stare at her dazedly. "Sixteen."
"What brings you here?" Isabelle prodded as she tried to break the girl from her trance.
Delia blinked in confusion, and then her eyes focused on Isabelle. "My mom wanted to see yours."
Isabelle let out a small sigh of relief as the girl began to regain full consciousness. "I'm sure they'll have a good time."
"Yes, they will. Who are you?" the girl asked.
"I'm Isabelle, and these are my brothers Ethan, Aiden, and Ian. The ugly guy with the wet hair is Jack, one of The Stooges."
"Hey!" Jack protested angrily at the same time Delia asked. "The Stooges?"
Isabelle grinned at Jack as he scowled disapprovingly back at her. "Yeah, that's what we call our parents’ friends, Jack, David, Mike, and Doug."
Delia’s forehead puckered as she frowned. "There were only three stooges."
"You're forgetting Shemp," Ethan interjected. "Everyone forgets Shemp. Trust me, once you get to know these four they are just like The Stooges."
"Hey!" Jack protested again as he frowned at all of them. "We helped to raise your ungrateful asses!"
"Yes, and that's why we are the way we are," Aiden retorted.
Delia smiled as she looked over Isabelle's shoulder toward the group gathered on the porch. She had delicate cheekbones and a full mouth. She was
