This chapter is just about Ellie, and made up mostly of a flashback, but similar chapters focusing on Tony and Michelle are coming soon.
Ellie set her brand new birthday copy of The Count of Monte Cristo down on her nightstand and turned her light off. As she heard faint voices coming from the living room, her thoughts drifted to... him. Tony.
He runs. Or he ran. He's not too bad. For a boy, I mean. Well, not really a boy. He's like 40. He's way older than Michelle. At least I think so. Chelle is kind of old.
I wonder if he's kissed her. Eeew... I don't want to wonder if he's kissed her. Why is it that I have such an aversion to my sister dating anyone? I think that I've harbored trust issues from an early age.
It's not that I don't want Michelle to date, or get married, or anything. But if she did, where would that leave me?
Flashback
"You are so weird."
Ellie looked up to see her dad, Andrew Dessler, staring at her from her doorway.
"What?" Ellie looked up from her copy of The Brothers Karamazov.
"You're ten. You're supposed to be reading Dr. Seuss books."
Just as Ellie opened her mouth to come back at her father's remark, she changed her mind and the topic entirely. "Where are you going?"
Ellie was used to seeing her dad dressed up. He was a diplomat; he always wore a suit. But this was different. He wasn't wearing a suit, or a tux, or a ball gown. He looked nice, but casual. Her dad didn't do casual.
Andrew entered his daughter's room, sat next to her on her bed, and took her small frame into his lap. "Ellie honey," he began, exhaling, "I have a date."
"What?" Ellie exclaimed. "You're going on a date? With a lady?"
"No with a dog, silly." Andrew said, taking Ellie's book from her hands. "Of course with a lady. Do you remember Abigail Parker? You met her last Christmas?"
"Yeah, I remember."
"I'm taking her to dinner."
"Oh."
"But I'm bringing her back here first. I want her to meet you," Andrew continued, examining his daughter for signs of what she really thought but wasn't saying.
"I've met her." Ellie replied flatly, not bothering to look into her dad's face.
"I want you to meet her again."
"Oh."
"Can you do that for me?" No response. "Ellie? Will you be nice?"
Ellie nodded.
"Thank you. I'm picking her up at 7:30, and Kerry will be here in about twenty minutes.
"Dad!" Ellie protested, finally turning to face him. "Kerry doesn't have to come! I don't need a babysitter! I'm not a baby!"
"I know," Andrew said, kissing his daughter's forehead. "She wants to see you, though. She's just going to come hang out for a couple of hours." Ellie glared at her father. "What? You love your sister!"
"I know, but don't you think she'd rather be doing other things on a Friday night?"
"It's Saturday, and no, I don't think she would choose to do anything over seeing you. So just be good, okay?"
Ellie nodded again, and Andrew stood up, picking her up with him, and then set her down on her bed. "Thank you Ellie," he said as he handed her back her book and walked out of the room.
Ellie opened her book, but didn't start reading it again for a long time.
At 7:15, the phone rang. "Hello?" Ellie answered it.
"Hi Ellie!" came the perky voice from the other end.
"Hi Kerr..." Ellie said, less than enthusiastically.
"Did Dad already leave?"
"Yeah." Ellie could hear major background noise in the phone. "Where are you?"
"Hey, I'm running a little late, but I'll be there soon, okay?"
"Kay."
Andrew Dessler opened the door of his apartment and led in a tall, blonde woman. "Well, this is it," he said. "It's not big, but we don't need big." He turned to the hallway. "Ellie!"
"Yes?" came a small voice from down the hall.
"Where are you?" Andrew called back.
"On your bookshelf."
"On it?" His eyes glanced sideways at his date. "Baby, will you come here for a minute?" When Ellie emerged from his study, he said, "Kerry isn't here yet?"
"No, she called and said she was running late, but she'd be here soon."
"I know, she called me too."
"What is it with you guys never leaving messages with me?"
Andrew ignored Ellie's sarcastic remark and turned back to his date. "Ellie, this is Abigail, Abby, this is Ellie."
Ellie half-smiled, but said nothing. Abigail, however, quickly filled the silence. "I think we met once just before Christmas." She paused. "Your hair is so cute! I always used to wish that I had curly hair."
When Ellie still didn't say anything, Andrew opened his mouth. "Two of my girls have curly hair. Ellie and Michelle- they look just alike."
Ellie stood rigidly, her dad's hands slowly massaging her shoulders. I hate small talk. If you're going to talk at all, you might as well talk big.
End Flashback
Ellie shuddered at the memory. As she lay on her pillow, she heard Michelle knock on her door, so she hurriedly shut her eyes and pretended to be asleep.
"Hey cute girl," Michelle said softly, opening the door just a crack. Ellie remained "asleep." "I know you're awake, but you don't have to talk to me if you don't want to. I'll see you tomorrow morning, and be thinking of something fun for us to do tomorrow night." Michelle began to shut the door, taking one last look at the silent, still figure in the twin bed. "Goodnight."