Page 81 of Isabelle and the Beast

To me, it was real. If I’d met Isabelle any other time or place, I’d know that she was the one I was meant to be with. But I would never subject her to be stuck with a beast of a man like me.

A loud knock sounds on the front door. I listen for Lionel to go open it, wondering who would be here at this time of night, and in this rain. The snow has mostly melted, but there are patches of slush all around the castle. All the beauty from the snow is gone, replaced with dirty brown splotches and a gray sky.

I wait a minute but don’t hear anything from Lionel. The knock sounds again.

“Fine, fine, I’ll get it,” I mutter to no one, getting out of my chair. I trudge to the front entryway, pull the door open, and see…

Isabelle.

My Belle.

Soaking wet, with rain dropping on her head, and a huge smile lighting her face.

Before I can tell her to come inside and get warm, she yanks my shirt, pulling me outside in the rain with her, and kissing me square on the lips.

I’m still in shock, and it takes a minute to process what’s happening. Isabelle is HERE, not THERE, and she’s in my arms and her lips are on mine…and now that my mind has caught up to the present, I hold on to her tightly, never wanting to let her go.

I can’t believe I let her leave in the first place.

Her foot slips in the rain, and we both go down. We both land on our backs, but I keep one arm under her upper body tobreak her fall. Propped up on one arm, the other hand on my chest, she leans down to kiss me again, and I feel like I’m whole.

“You came back,” I whisper.

She nods. “I’m sorry I left at all.” She gently runs her hand down my face. “I’m just glad I’m here with you now.”

“Why? Do you think I’m dying?” I ask with a laugh.

She smiles. “No, I didn’t think that. But I shouldn’t have left you all alone to deal with the fallout. We should have been together. At least now we can be.”

I reach my hand up to her face and stroke her cheek. Her skin is so soft, and I’ve missed her terribly. So, I tell her. “I missed you so much.”

She blinks, and I think she’s holding back tears. “I missed you, too.” She leans down and kisses me one more time. “I love you, Adam.”

The weight of her words hits my chest, and it’s like my life is complete now. “I love you, too, Belle.”

She laughs and rests her head on my chest, and suddenly, the rain clears. The sun peeks out from behind the clouds. Isabelle sits up and looks at the blue expanse stretching over us, dotted with clouds. It’s like the heavens themselves have opened and shine down on us, warming my skin and lighting my beautiful Belle. “Well, that was interesting timing.”

I look up at her, illuminated by the picturesque sky and sun behind her, and think how much she’s been an angel to me, sent to heal me and my life. She appeared when I least deserved her and healed every piece of me that seemed unreachable. She is everything I need and more than I could hope for. In this moment, I realize something else.

“Isabelle,” I whisper. “My sight. It’s back.”

“What?”

“I thought it’s been returning. I’ve had little flashes hereand there, but I wasn’t sure. But now…I think it’s back for good.”

Her eyes widen. “Really?”

“Really. Test it out.”

She covers my good eye with one hand and holds up the other. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Five.”

“And now?”

“Three.”

“What color are my eyes?”

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