The First Nine Lives of Isabella LaFelini

by Harvey, Rhonda

  Isabella looked wide eyed at Ty and motioned him to say nothing. “Ha, a cat, Mom? With our allergies? That wouldn’t be good, now would it? Well, have a good evening at the hospital. I’m just going to have a sandwich for dinner. We have tuna in the cupboard?” Ty realized she was talking too fast, but her mother didn’t seem to notice.

  Luci thought a moment, biting her lower lip as she did. “I don’t think so, Isabella. You’ve been eating a lot of tuna lately…”

  “I like tuna. Is that a crime?”

  “No, not a crime. Just weird. I think you’ve eaten more tuna in the last two weeks or so than you have in your entire fourteen years…” She shook her head. “Oh, well, I guess there are far worse things that you could be doing! Have to get back to work. Gimme a hug! Bye, guys!”

  “Hey, Mom—stop at the store and get some more tuna, would you?” Isabella called out as her mother left the room.

  “Whoa,” Ty said as he double-checked that Mrs. LaFelini was gone. “That was close, Isabella. Too close! And you and all that talk about tuna!”

  “What? She’s my mom, Ty. She knows things about me that no one else knows. I think she’s psychic or something. She probably senses something is wrong already.”

  “Oh, grrreat. Just great. I’m trying so hard to keep things quiet, and your mom probably already knows? Do you think…do you think she’d say something to you?”

  “Nah. Probably not. I don’t think so, anyway. Truth is, Ty, I was thinking about telling her, anyway.”

  “Telling her! Are you kidding me?”

  “No. Not kidding. My mom is my friend, Ty. I trust her. If it weren’t for her, I’d never have gotten over my dad…” her voice trailed off.

  Ty felt sorry for her. “Isabella, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of that…I know how much it hurts…I mean, I don’t know…I sorta know, but…” He bit his lip, sorry he had ever brought up the subject.

  “Nah, it’s okay, Ty,” she told him. “I know. My dad was too young to die.” She wiped away an emergent tear as she spun her ring around her little finger. “I was too young to lose my dad. My mom was too young to become a widow. The entire thing just sucks!”

  Ty suddenly felt very protective and studied her across the kitchen counter. Her long red hair was slightly curly, her long blondish lashes were slightly damp from tears, her lips were slightly pink, but Isabella was much more than “slightly” pretty. She’s beautiful was his first thought, immediately followed by Ty, you dork. She’s your friend, your buddy. And even if you don’t feel like that toward her, she thinks of you as just a friend. So get over yourself, will ya? In an effort to squelch his inner dialogue, Ty asked her, “Hey, Isabella, that ring. Did you get that from your dad? I know you never take it off.”

  “Yes,” she answered proudly, “Daddy gave it to me when I made my First Communion. It was his great-aunt’s ring. It’s a …”

  She was interrupted by Ty’s cell phone’s Lil’ Wayne ring tone. “Hold on a sec,” he told her as he flipped open his phone. “Yeah, hi, Mom. What? No, I’m at Isabella’s. Yeah, she found me. What? Now? But…c’mon, Mom. No. Mom…yeah, okay, whatever. You know he’s not gonna show, Mom. Why should I even try? Yeah, okay. I said ‘okay’. I’m on my way home now.” He closed the phone.

  “Sorry. Gotta go. My father is supposed to be coming over.” He said the words ‘father’ and ‘supposed to be’ as if they were in italics. “Like he ever keeps his word, you know?”

  “Yeah, I know.” Isabella let out a long sigh. “Boy, we’re two of a kind, huh? My dead father and your deadbeat father…” She grinned at him, and he smiled in return.

  “Thanks, Izzy..um..Isabella. It’s good to know you understand. You really are a great friend. Call ya later—earlier than later if he doesn’t show up! Bye!”

  And with Ty gone, Isabella opened up the cupboards to see if she could find a stray can of tuna tucked away in the back someplace.

  Six: A Close Call

  THREE WEEKS AFTER her first transformation, Isabella transformed again. This time, it was on a hot rainy day—the kind of day when steam rises from the rain hitting the hot pavement. She was on her bed, reading the latest teen vampire novel when the need for sleep hit her. The book slipped from her hands as she drifted off to sleep—only to awaken in her feline state. Dang! I hate this. I never know when it’s going to…

  “Isabella?”

  Holy crap! Mom! Mom ’s home! What am I gonna do? She quickly slipped under the bed.

  “Isabella? You home?” Luci poked her head into the bedroom. “Isa—ah…ah…ah…choo! Isabella? Where is that girl? Probably went to Ty’s house,” she answered her own question. She went back into the kitchen and dialed the phone.

  “Hi, Peg?” she greeted Ty’s mother. “Hi, Luci LaFelini. Is Isabella over there? She’s not? Is Ty home? He’s not, either? Well, they’re probably off somewhere together. Yes, I know. I was going to take my daughter to lunch, but I guess I’ll just go back to the hospital. How are you? He did? Well, that’s something. He actually showed up when he said he would? I know that Ty takes his father’s absence hard. So does Isabella. It’s about to get worse. Yes, Saturday is the anniversary—Bobby passed away five years ago Saturday.” She swallowed hard. “Yes, we both miss him very much. Isabella doesn’t say much, but I know it’s so difficult for her. Do you know why she won’t let anyone call her ‘Izzy’ or ‘Bella’? Because that’s what her daddy called her. At the funeral, she looked at me and said, ‘No one will ever call me “Izzy” or “Bella” again, Mommy. Never again.’ Not even ten years old. Broke my heart to see her like that, but here it is, five years later, and she still won’t let anyone call her anything but ‘Isabella’.” Luci sighed. “Thank you, Peg. I appreciate it. And if you see that daughter of mine, please let her know I was looking for her. Maybe I need to break down and buy her that cell phone after all!” She laughed. “Yeah, I know—they do know how to get what they want, don’t they? Thanks, Peg. Talk to you soon!”

  She took another look around the house, grabbed a banana from the basket on the counter and went back to work.

  Isabella the cat came out from under the bed. Ah…ah…ah…choo! She had overheard everything her mother had said to Ty’s mom. Oh, Mom, you’re right—it is hard for me. So hard. I miss my dad. Isabella closed her eyes tightly, remembering the day she came home from school to find her mother and two grandmothers, red eyed and whispering. She didn’t hear everything, even though they were patient when they spoke to her and were careful to choose their words. Accident. Crushed. Quickly. Probably never even knew. All she knew, all she cared to know, was that her father was dead. Her daddy. The first man she ever loved. The man who sang silly songs, calling her his “Izzy” and his “Bella.” It might have been nearly five years ago, but Isabella remembered the pain as if it had happened yesterday. Bobby LaFelini had been more than her father—he had been her best friend. And he was gone. She wiped away a tear from her cat-slanted eyes. Wish you were here now, Daddy, Isabella thought. I know you could help me with this. I just know you could. And Isabella the cat cried herself to sleep.

  THE RINGING TELEPHONE woke Isabella the girl. “He…hello?” She yawned.

  “Isabella? You sound weird. Are you all right? You haven’t…you haven’t…um…”

  “Not now, but earlier, yeah. And my mom came home.”

  “What did you do?” Ty sounded horrified.

  “Um…what any good cat would do. I hid under the bed.” She giggled a little. “I hid under the bed, Ty. Can you believe it?”

  Ty laughed. “I’m just glad your mom didn’t see you! So…it’s still raining. Wanna go to a movie or something? My mom will take us.”

  “Eh. I don’t know. I guess. Unless you want to bring over a DVD or something? We could get a pizza delivered?”

  Ty hesitated. “Are you…are you all right?”

  “Oh, no. Your mom told you, didn’t she?”

  Ty tried to sound like he didn’t know what
she was talking about. “Told me? Told me what?”

  “Ty, you’ve never been a good liar. You’re acting like I’m going to go hurl myself off the highest building or something. Not that there are any tall buildings in Bath. Oh, I know, you think I’m going to throw myself into the Sound. I’m fine. Yeah, it’s almost five years, and I miss him, Ty. I miss him a lot. But at least I had a great dad—I think I’m lucky to have had him, even if it was just for a little while. I heard my mom talking to yours—and my mom thinks I’m gonna melt down or something. I’m not. I’m okay—for the most part. Sometimes it makes me really sad, like today. I was wishing he was here because I know he’d help me get through this cat thing. So…you coming over or what?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be there. And I’m pickin’ out the movie. You chose last time. If I have to sit through one more movie with Miley Cyrus, I’ll be the one throwing himself into Pamlico Sound…”

  “Oh, stop! It was just one movie. And it wasn’t that bad!” She laughed as Ty faked gagging sounds. “Oh, okay—so it was. Just get here! See ya in a few!”

  “SO,” TY ASKED Isabella as the credits on the martial arts movie were rolling, “if you don’t mind my asking, um…how…how did your dad die, anyway?”

  She sighed. “I don’t mind your asking, but truth is, I don’t really know…not exactly. There was some kind of accident at work. He did construction. He…” she swallowed hard before continuing, “he was crushed. Not sure what happened. Not exactly. I’m sure my mom and my grandmas told me, but…” She shuddered. “I was so upset…so lost that I didn’t even hear everything they said.” Isabella blinked away the tears that were forming in her eyes and cleared her throat. “I think it’s time I knew, though, Ty. I’m gonna ask my mom.”

  Ty looked at her with wide eyes, but said nothing. Once Isabella had made up her mind, there was no changing it. “So…you wanna watch Death Kicks 3 or…?”

  “Sure. Put it in,” Isabella told him. “You have crappy taste in movies, but as long as it’s still raining, there’s nothing else to do!”

  Seven: Remembering Bobby LaFelini

  “WHAT DO YOU want to do today?” Luci asked Isabella as she poured herself a second cup of coffee on Saturday morning. “Do you want to go to the water and release balloons like we usually do—maybe in Little Washington? Your dad loved that place. Or do you want to go to dinner or…”

  “Mom, before we make plans, I need you to tell me something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I want to talk about how Daddy died.”

  Luci bit her bottom lip. “Isabella, you know how he died.”

  Isabella shook her head. “No, Mom, I really don’t. I mean, you and Grandma LaFelini and Grandma Corbett told me some of it, but not everything. I want to know everything.”

  Luci sat down at the kitchen table across from Isabella and took her hands in hers. “Okay. I’ll tell you everything I know. You remember that Daddy was a construction manager and that Uncle Louie worked with your dad, right? And you know how much your dad loved animals, right?” Isabella nodded, so Luci continued, “he was working on putting up a high-rise in Manhattan when he noticed a mama cat and her kittens nestled in a corner. They were facing certain death, so your dad stopped his crew while he rescued the cat family. They were afraid of your dad—and he had to go after them.” She took a deep breath and went on. “There was a weakened beam, Isabella…and…well…the building collapsed. Ironically,” she swallowed hard and fought back tears, “the cat and her kittens were fine. Uncle Louie saw them run out of the building safely. But your dad…your dad…well, um, now you know everything I do.” She took a swallow from her coffee cup and tried to brighten her face with a forced smile. “So. What do you want to do? Balloons or…?”

  Isabella took a deep breath. “Sure, Mom. Balloons are good. No Mylar ones, though—they’re bad for the environment. And let’s call Grandma LaFelini. And maybe dinner out. But if we do go out, can Ty come?” Isabella needed to talk to her friend, and she knew of no other way to find time when she could. Cats. Cats had caused her father’s death. It was true. There really was a LaFelini family curse. A curse. And Isabella knew that if she was going to get to the bottom of it, she was going to need Ty’s help.

  “SO WAIT A minute. You think your dad died because of the curse?” Ty asked in a low voice as Luci drove them down Route 92.

  Isabella shot him a warning look. “Mom, can you turn up the radio? I love this song.” She nodded in Ty’s direction.

  He lowered his voice further, “Isabella, are you sure?”

  Isabella nodded. “Ty, he died trying to save a family of cats. Cats. The cats were fine, by the way. It’s the LaFelini curse. Nonna Rose comes home in ten days, Ty. And when she does, I’ve got to talk to her!”

  Ty was quiet. Maybe there was something to the curse. It sure seemed that way. “What exactly are we doing, Isabella?”

  “Same thing we do every year. We buy balloons—it’ll be five this year—one for every year Dad’s been gone. When we were in New York, it was different. But since we’re down here, we’ll go to ‘Little Washington’ at the water’s edge and release them. Then maybe we’ll go through the Estuarium and then get something to eat. Mom and I went there when we first moved down here.” She looked away briefly, then continued, “My dad really loved Washington, which is why he and Mom bought the house in Bath in the first place. They were planning on retiring down here. They were going to buy a boat and take tourists around the Sound…” her voice trailed off when she thought about the plans her father would never see to fruition. She cleared her throat and continued, “So, that’s why Mom and I are in Bath—historic but boring Bath.”

  “Boring? Are you complaining again?” Luci called over her shoulder as she eased the car into a parking space at the waterfront.

  Isabella rolled her eyes. “Um, no, Mom. Not complaining.”

  The three got out of the car, Luci carrying the red balloons as they did. “Red was Daddy’s favorite color,” Isabella explained. “On their first date, Daddy didn’t bring Mom a rose—he brought her a red balloon.”

  “Cool,” Ty told her. “Not what you’d expect, but romantic. Bet your mom was bowled over by that.”

  Luci laughed. “Actually, Ty…” she grinned, “I thought it was cheap and corny. And figured our first date was going to be our last. And it probably would’ve been—if he hadn’t cut himself so badly on the knife at dinner!”

  “Huh?”

  Isabella grinned at her mother and at the story she knew so well. “Daddy was showing off, and he nearly cut off his thumb. Mom had to stitch it herself. The restaurant was nearly closed, and of course, the hospital emergency room would’ve been packed on a Saturday night and was nearly thirty miles away, so Mom asked the owner to bring her a needle and some thread. Mom sterilized the needle over the candle flame and sewed Daddy up right then and there—with no anesthesia—just an ice cube to freeze the area. He was so brave that Mom couldn’t even think about saying ‘no’ when Daddy asked her out again!”

  Luci chimed in, “He ended up with a heckuva scar—which he called his ‘souvenir’ of our first date! And he was manipulative enough to know there was no way I was going to turn him down if he asked me out again!”

  “Good thing you’re a nurse, Mrs. L. So you didn’t fall in love at first sight?” Ty asked as they made their way across the parking lot toward the water.

  Luci sighed and as she shook her head, her short brown bob bounced from side to side. “Nope. It wasn’t until our fourth date. He had taken me out on the water. I was nervous—hadn’t ever spent much time in a boat. He was an expert—which was weird when you consider that he was a construction worker from New York! Anyway, he took me out on the river…and promptly fell in! I laughed so hard I almost fell in after him! And as I fished his soggy behind out of the water, he looked so helpless, so much like a little boy that I just couldn’t help myself. He might have fallen into the Hudson River, but I fell in love.”
Luci smiled wistfully. “Thank you, Ty…that was a great memory—and one I hadn’t thought about lately. Thanks for asking.”

  “Um, you’re welcome. You want me to hang back here while you guys go do your thing…?”

  “No, we do not! You’re practically family, Tyson. Come with us!”

  Luci handed him a balloon. “I know you didn’t know Mr. LaFelini, but it would be nice if you said a word or two and then released the balloon. Isabella and I will show you first.” She took two balloons for herself and handed two to Isabella before she stepped closer to the rail. She looked skyward and then said something softly, too softly for Ty to hear. She held her arms close to her body—as if she were hugging herself—and then released the balloons. Isabella followed in the same manner, and then the two women looked to him. Ty thought about the times when he had gone to St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church with his grandmother. “May God bless you, Mr. LaFelini,” he said a little too loudly and released the balloon into the sky.

  “Good job!” Luci told him and hugged him. She sat on a long bench and stared out into the estuary.

  “C’mon,” Isabella nodded toward Ty and nodded toward a large building to their left. “I’ll show ya the Estuarium.”

  “Thanks for coming along today, Ty,” Isabella told him as they walked toward the Estuarium. “This is the first year we’re not in New York…Mom and I used to go down to Battery Park to release the balloons, but I think it’s good that we did it here. Dad loved it down here.” She sighed. “I still can’t help thinking about those cats, Ty. My father died because of cats. I turn into one. And get this: felini means felines in Italian. More freaking cats.”