SO SORRY about the forever delay. If you read Away from the Sun which I have occasionally updated you know the deal. Too much to type in here. Anyway, still on the brink of being kicked out of school, but I realized again how in love with this story I am. I think it comes through in the chapter. Expect another update much sooner. Also the last chap of Mediocre Bad guys will be up by tuesday, and then possible an epilogue!
READ AND REVIEW!
XOXO Jules
Chapter 30: "I dream that the buildings all fell down"
Ella bounced down the stairs the next morning.
"Morning." She said smiling.
"You sure are in a good mood." Seth said from where he sat at the table, still rather immobile in his wheelchair.
"I had a dream that I was a famous skater boarder-dancer." Ella said smiling proudly.
"Wow…That's a first" Seth said raising an eyebrow.
"Do you know where mom is?" Ella asked sitting on her dads lap.
"She's at her apartment kiddo." Seth said stroking his daughters curly hair hoping with all of his might that that was true.
"Is she still going to come see me?" Ella asked
"Of course." Seth said tickling her sides causing the little girl to squeal.
Ella climbed into the wheel chair on her fathers lap.
"Did you dream when you were in a coma?" Ella asked looking at her father with big chocolate brown eyes
"Yeah, I did." Seth said smiling down, just glad to have his daughter back in his arms
"What'd you dream about?" Ella asked
"I dreamt about me and you surfing." Seth said pinching her sides
"But you don't surf Daddy, Grandpa surfs." Ella said rolling her eyes. "You're so silly." She said trying to act like a big girl, clearing away the dishes in front of her father.
The doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Ella said running to the door, her curly hair trailing behind her. "Who is it?" Ella yelled through the door.
"Summer!" Summer yelled through the door. Was she supposed to say Summer, or should she have said mom?
Ella swung the door open with a toothy smile.
"Morning." She said grabbing her mother by the hand and dragging her back to where she left her father in the kitchen. "I'll be right back." Ella said running up to her room.
Summer smiled as she watched her daughter disappear up the stairs.
"Since when is she a ball of energy in the morning?" Summer asked
"I have no idea." Seth said smiling putting his glass of juice down.
"You look tired." Summer commented now focusing on Seth.
"I stayed up late playing Magic and ended up falling asleep on the couch." Seth said smiling his childish smile.
"And to think that I thought you grew up." Summer said smiling back
When they could banter back and forth it was so easy to forget all of the mistakes they made so many years ago. When they were with each other everything just melted away, everything made sense.
"Where'd you run off to last night?" Seth asked leaning back in his wheel chair.
Summer looked down at her hands before she spoke.
"I went to San Francisco to find Noah." She admitted.
Seth suddenly getting interested leaned forward again.
"Did you find her?" Seth asked
Summer nodded.
"Yep, I went to every McKenzie in the phone book until I found it." Summer said
"Well what did she say? When is she coming back? Is she okay?" Seth rattled off all at once.
"She's not coming back…" Summer said, the words painfully exiting her lips.
Seths head dropped. Now all that either of them could think about was what this would do to Ella. Little did they know that she was listening from the hall and heard every word…
Ella felt a bad feeling rise up inside of her. She didn't know what it was but she never felt that way before. Tears were on the brink of pouring out but for some reason they wouldn't come this time… this time they refused to fall. Ella gritted her teeth in anger as she grabbed hold of her skate board and headed for the back door where she slipped out unnoticed by her parents.
---- Marissa awoke to the touch of a small hand on her back.-------
"Mumsy! Aunt Marissa! Mumsy!" Ella whispered desperately trying to wake the older woman up.
Marissa held the baby close, knowing exactly who it was.
"Ryan, see if there is a bottle in it's bag."
Surely enough there was and Ryan gingerly handed it to Marissa. Marissa held the nipple of the bottle to the baby's mouth. And kissed it's forehead. Ryan and Seth watched in awe.
"Ella?" Marissa asked turning over in surprise. She sat up in bed.
She was trying to catch on the sleep that she had been missing since the twins were born while Ryan was out with Aden and Andrew.
"Ella baby, what are you doing here?" Marissa asked as she swung her feet to the floor, trying to remember if she had fallen asleep on babysitting duties.
Marissa looked down at the girl, "Ella". She had Seth strong jaw, and he and Summers dark hair. Anyone with two eyes would be able to realize that she is Seths.
Marissa carefully picked up Ella and held her close. Ella soon began to cry.
"It's okay… your mommy will be back soon."
Ella had a hole torn in the knee of her pants, and scraped up elbows.
"What happened Ella?" Marissa asked leading the girl to the kitchen and propping her up on the counter.
"I fell off my skateboard." Ella said watching as Marissa hurried around trying to find something to clean off her cuts.
Marissa cradled the baby in her arms. She would love and protect he as though she were her own. Summer was like her sister, and she intended to do the best by she and
her daughter.
"Do your mom and dad know where you are?" Marissa asked
Ella looked away from Marissa and didn't respond.
"This is going to sting." Marissa said dabbing Ella's knee with alcohol, and then blowing it lightly. The little girl squirmed under her.
"Ow!" She said
"Did you make it all this way hurt like this?" Marissa asked tending to a cut on the girls chin.
"Yea." Ella said wincing in pain. Her tears still had yet to fall…
"Tell me what happened Ella." Marissa said standing in front of the counter where Ella sat looking all too sullen.
…Marissa laid Ella down in the middle of the bed and placed pillows around her…
Ella just sat on the counter with her jaw clenched. She was as stubborn as her mother.
"Ella you have to tell me something." Marissa pleaded with the girl. "Are your mommy and daddy okay?"
Ella just nodded yes.
"Are they at home?"
Ella again nodded yes. Ella looked around the room.
"Where are the babies?" She asked suddenly.
"They are out with Uncle Ryan." Marissa said still trying to figure out what this was all about. "I bet your mom and dad and worried about you."
"Nope, they're not." Ella said almost completing a full sentence.
"Why not?" Marissa asked surprised at the little girls reaction to the question
"Cause they don't care about me." Ella said as if Marissa should already know.
"That's not true honey. Of course they care about you. We all do." Marissa said taking the little girls hands, her nails were painted hot pink thanks to her mother.
"If they cared about me they wouldn't leave." Ella concluded tears now falling.
"… When Summer left she was pregnant. Ella is yours…"
"Are you talking about your mom?" Marissa asked "You can talk to me about anything."
"Nothin'. People always leave me. Dad left and went in'a coma, and Summer left when I was a baby, and Noah left." Ella said
"Noah left?" Marissa asked in surprise
"She didn't say goodbye either, or rub my tummy or anything!" The little girl said crossing her arms in frustration.
"When did she go?"
Ella shrugged.
"Mom and Dad were talkin' bout it an' I heard them." Ella said her feet swinging back and forth against the counter.
"So they don't know where you are?"
Ella shook her head no.
"Hold on."
Marissa went back to her room and quickly dialed the Cohens number.
"Summer?" Marissa said when she heard the phone pick up.
"Oh my good Coop, Ella's missing an-"
"Calm down! She's here with me. She came over on her skateboard."
"Oh thank god." Summer said letting out a sigh of relief
Marissa could hear Seth asking questions in the background.
"We'll be right over." Summer said
"Take your time, she's in good hands."
When Marissa re-entered the living room Ella was lying on the couch.
"Your mom and Dad love you very much, so does Noah."
"Then why do they leave?" Ella asked looking at the adult that she trusted the most in the world right now.
"I don't know. Sometimes things happen, and it makes you angry, and it's not fair, and it hurts!" Marissa added messing with Ella's curly hair. "But that doesn't mean that they don't love you."
Ella snuggled into Marissa's lap.
She had left her bedroom door open so that she would be able to hear if Ella were to cry… and there she lay, in the middle of the bed with big pink pillows surrounding her. Marissa had laid Mr. Sniffles, her old stuffed bunny from when she was a little, next to Ella. Her little arms were outstretched above her head, and the soles of her feet rested together.
"Do you think that Noah will come back like my mom came back?" Ella asked
"I don't know Bam." Marissa said holding her a little closer "I'm not sure."
"I miss her."
Noah had been there the six years that Summer had not. Ellas life was changing drastically and rapidly… sometimes it felt like all you could do is sit back and watch.
"I love you." Ella said looking up at Marissa.
"I love you to baby." Marissa said winking down at her before attacking her with tickles.
Ella would always be hers in some way or another. Always.
"But you can't hide it either." Marissa said picking up a sleeping Ella, and placing her in Seths arms, "she's yours. I am sorry for keeping you away." She said
I loved the chap. It was lovey dovey for me but I wanted to show the relationship of Ella with all of the adults. Wat'd ya think?
xoxo Jules