A/N: I don't own Miracle and I'm not sure what I'd do with twenty gorgeous guys. I mean, I already have a wonderful boyfriend; what more do I need?
TO EVERYONE: GO BACK AND REREAD CHAPTER ONE; I CHANGED A LOT ABOUT IT.
Klinoa: Emador named Emily. Oh, yeah, there's loads of Mrs. Mac trouble in the future. You're reading too much into things. The thing with Robbie and Rammer's car is explained in this chapter.
Killerkeanegirl: Mrs. McClanahan is an awesome villain and heaps of fun to write. I'll work on giving Johnson a girlfriend.
Darkdestiny2000: The new girls will show up soon. Ellie will stand up to her mother…someday.
CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: I'm so happy you actually liked how long the chapter was. More sweetness to come, I promise.
Mae: Yeah, you can't attack a made-up person, but you can kick the asses of real people.
Nascarchick: Mrs. McClanahan is a moron and she's very simplistic, and stupid.
Miraclegirl: No, you'd know if I was in the same play as you. See, I'm the really loud, really bossy student director who also happens to spend most rehearsals babysitting our director's eight-year-old daughter.
Meadow567: You live in Michigan? That's awesome! Yeah, Emador emailed me and she figured it all out; Billy was born in 1981. I don't know if you've been paying attention before or not, but I never specifically said why Jannie and Ellie broke up.
Emador: All the stuff the guys said about the restaurant came from comments my younger sister and my older brothers made about this restaurant my dad's parents like to take us to on Mother's Day. Except Mark and Greg say that water there costs more than my older sister's wedding ring.
StarrShyne: You have a cute Jimmy. Yeah, Jack is irresistible and I want him to bad. My room's scary; I crash into everything in sight. And then this morning, I walked in there to dry my hair and my cat was sitting on my bed and my thirteen-month-old sister was screaming.
Anmerie: Yeah, Rammer rocks. I discovered him when I was watching the movie last week and I was like "whoa, he totally needs more attention." Emily and Robbie are awesome and Jack's the best.
Jack's POVI was sitting on an airplane to Norway. I love playing hockey, but right now I wanted to be with Ellie. Her mom was giving her a really hard time about dating me and I wanted to take care of her, make her feel better. Gayle and Emily said they would take care of her, but I was still worried about her. We'd gone out for dinner the night before and she looked sick. Her skin was gray and she barely ate anything, but she pushed aside all my questions. She insisted that she was healthy, but I couldn't believe her for anything.
I was sitting between Rizzo and Jimmy Craig. "Are you okay?" Rizzo asked me. "You seem distracted."
"I think Ellie's sick," I told him.
"So she'll rest and get better."
I shook my head. "She says she's not sick. But her skin is gray and she's not eating."
"Is she still a virgin?" Jimmy asked me.
"What did you say, Jimmy?" Rob's voice came from his seat in the row behind us. "Why on earth would my sister not be a virgin?"
Jimmy turned around and stared at Rob. "No reason," he said in a severely falsetto voice. "There's absolutely no reason why your sister wouldn't be a virgin."
I looked across the aisle and saw Bah roll his eyes and Rammer look at the ceiling; I'm not sure but I think Rammer was whistling. I really needed to talk to those two about some things after the plane landed. I would love to know what happened the last time Mac borrowed Rammer's car.
"There'd better not be any reason why Ellie isn't a virgin and if any of you change that without marrying her first, I'll kill you," Rob threatened. "OC, that goes for you too. If you and my sister have sex, I'll make sure that your ability to become a father is forever destroyed."
"I'll behave myself," I promised him. I did not want him to hurt me nor did I want to ruin my chances with Ellie. I was falling in love with her; I wanted to do everything in power to ensure that our relationship lasted.
When the plane landed, we were immediately rushed the hotel. We were supposed to sleep for six hours and then go practice. It would supposedly be morning when we woke up. We would practice for four hours and then we would rest for an hour. Then we would play the Norwegian national team. I had a feeling I was going miss Ellie and her massages.
I was sharing a room with Rob, Silk, and Rammer. It was some idea Herb had about making sure that us Boston Boys were getting along well with his Minnesota boys. It gave me the perfect chance to talk to Rammer about a few things though. The problem would be talking to him when Rob wasn't around.
But thankfully, Rob hit the showers the minute we got back from practice leaving Silky, Rammer, and me alone in the bedroom. Silky went back to sleep, so I decided to talk to Rammer. I looked at Rammer who was sitting on the opposite bed. "Got a question for you," I said slowly.
"What?" he said as he dug through his suitcase.
"When we went out to dinner with the McClanahans, Ellie said something about something strange happening the last time Rob borrowed your car," I said. I wasn't quite sure how to ask him what I wanted to ask.
"It wasn't exactly strange," he said, pulling a shoe out of his bag. "Well, it's not strange to me, but it would seem strange to Ellie."
"What happened?" I asked.
He looked at the bathroom door to make sure Mac wasn't about to come out. "Robbie borrowed my station wagon for a date he had with Emily the night after their graduation. It was their two-year anniversary and the station wagon has a really big backseat," Rammer said slowly. "And they were by a lake and they got romantic."
"How did Ellie find out?"
"Remember how she went to California back in June?"
"Yeah."
"She and Emily dropped Robbie and me off in Colorado on her way out there. That little Volkswagen of hers wasn't going to make the trip, so she borrowed the station wagon. Ellie and I took turns driving and Robbie and Emily stuck in the backseat. Somehow, what had happened back in May came out somewhere between Minneapolis and Colorado Springs."
"Two more questions," I said.
"What?" Rammer asked.
"How did you and Robbie get home?"
"Buzzy drove us back," he answered. "He was being nice. What's the other question?"
"What did Ellie do when she found out about Robbie and Emily?"
Rammer shuddered. "Ellie wasn't allowed to drive the rest of the way to Colorado Springs because she was so mad."
I smiled. "I can imagine that would make her mad."
"Mad doesn't begin to describe it," Rammer said, pulling a shoe out of his bag and throwing it across the room. He smiled. "I swear there was smoke coming out of her ears."
"She loves her brother."
"Yeah, she's a good sister. Sometimes, she makes me wish I wasn't an only child, but that's not that often."
I smiled. "I have a younger brother and sister. They're cool and I couldn't imagine life without them, but I imagine it would be hard to adjust from being an only child to having younger siblings."
"Robbie was an only child for a couple minutes."
"Then Ellie put in an appearance," Mac said walking into the room. "And it was the two of us together against the world for the next six years until Jennie decided to show up."
Rammer smiled. "You're still resentful about that, aren't you?"
"You bet. Things were fine without Jennie, Natalie, and Kathie, but I'm adjusting."
I laughed as Rammer said, "Rob, the last time I checked you actually liked Jennie and Natalie. Kathie, well, that's understandable."
I didn't ask this, but I was beginning to wonder why Kathie was the way she was. I knew that her mother was trouble, but Mac, Ellie, Jennie, and Natalie had escaped her influence. It was something I really wondered about. But we had a game to get to and time was running short.
Ellie's POVIt had been three days since Jack had left and I couldn't get out of bed. It wasn't the fact that my boyfriend was out of the country; it was the fact that I became nauseous when I lifted my head of the pillow. I needed to call Emily or Gayle, but the phone was in the kitchen. I couldn't crawl to the kitchen, but how else was I going to take care of Heidi?
I slowly climbed out bed and climbed down the floor. Then, I crawled to the trashcan and threw up. I picked myself and crawled to the kitchen. When I reached the kitchen, I threw up in the trashcan again. I pulled myself up and picked up the phone. I dialed Gayle's phone number. I wasn't sure if she worked or not, but I knew Emily did and I didn't know Emily's new work number yet.
"Hello? This is Gayle Schneider," the friendly voice came calmly over the phone.
"Oh, Gayle, thank God. It's Ellie McClanahan," I said. Just as I finished saying that, I threw up again.
"Ellie? Is something wrong?" she asked.
"Gayle, I think I have the flu," I moaned.
"Are you at your apartment?"
"Yes," I whimpered. I felt like a little girl who needed her mommy.
I heard the sound of keys as she said, "I'll be right over there. Don't worry, sweetie."
I was lying on the floor when I heard Gayle at the door. I knew the door was locked, so I dragged myself over to the door and let her in. Heidi had been screaming since I called Gayle. Gayle bent down next to me. "Oh, Ellie, let's get you to the bathroom."
She helped me struggle to the bathroom where I bent over the toilet and threw up. While I emptied my stomach into that white porcelain altar, Gayle went to the bedroom to get Heidi. Gayle came back just as I retched up the last of my stomach bile. "I made a bottle for little Miss Heidi here," she said. "How are you feeling?"
I shrugged. "My stomach's completely empty and I want to go back to bed. Oh, gosh, Gayle, Jack was right; I am sick."
As she helped me to my bed, she asked me what I meant.
"At dinner the night before he left he told me I looked sick and I should go home and go to bed for about twenty years." I sighed. "I protested, but he was right."
"One question," Gayle asked. "Have you had sex with Jack?"
I shook my head. "No, I'm still a virgin."
She nodded. "Then I think you have the flu."
"And Jack's coming home tomorrow. That's just lovely."
"I'll stay here today to take care of Heidi and keep an eye on you," Gayle told me as she tucked me in. Getting tucked in, yeah, that hasn't happened to me since I was eight. I'm firmly convinced that Fiona was my real mother because she was always taking care of me when my mom was drunk.
Gayle called Emily that evening and Em came to spend the night at my apartment and take care of Heidi for the night. Gayle was going to go home and come back in the morning "With hot soup and teabags," she promised as she left.
Emily smiled at me; I'd moved to the couch to watch TV around noon. "I brought you tea," she told me. "Do you want me to make you some?"
"What kind do you have?"
"Earl Grey, English breakfast, herbal, raspberry, apple-cinnamon, and green," she replied, pulling a wooden box out of her overnight bag.
"You brought your entire tea collection over here?" I gasped. "Emily, you're nuts!"
"That's why your brother loves me," she replied. "Now pick a flavor of tea."
I shrugged. "I'll go with green."
"Strange McClanahans, I'm sticking with English breakfast," she said as she headed off to the kitchen.
I snuggled up against my pillow and went back to sleep.
The next morning, Gayle was back with the promised soup. "The guys' flight is coming in at nine," she said.
"If you want, I can bring Jack back here," Emily told me, handing me a bowl of soup.
I nodded. "That'd be great. Just warn him that I'm sick before he gets here."
"Yes, mother," she sighed.
Jack's POVEmily and Gayle were waiting for us at the airport, but Ellie wasn't with them. She was probably at home with Heidi or something, so I figured I'd just go back to the dorms with the team and see her tomorrow. But as I was leaving, Mac grabbed my arm. "OC, listen," he said. "Emily has to tell you something."
Emily looked at me sadly. "Ellie's at home because she came down with the flu yesterday. She said to tell you that you were right about her being sick; she was running a 103 degrees temp last night, but she's down to 99 degrees now and she's looking a lot better."
"She's all right?" I asked.
"Yeah, she's fine, but she wants to see you," Emily told me. "She asked me if I would drive you over to her apartment."
I was glad to go over to Ellie's apartment and take care of her if she was sick. But before I got out of the car, Mac looked at me. "OC, I have to warn you that tomorrow's the anniversary of the day Peter died. Be careful with her and keep a close eye on her."
"What he means is make sure she stays sober and doesn't do anything stupid," Emily told me.
"Got it," I told her. Then I got out of the car and went up to Ellie's apartment.
I knocked on the door and heard, "Come in!"
I opened the door quietly and walked into the apartment. The TV was on; I'm not sure what was on, but it was on. Ellie was lying on the couch with a blanket pulled up to her chin and an empty soup bowl sitting on the floor by the couch. I walked over to her and knelt down next to her. "How're you feeling, sweetie?"
She moaned. "Better than before."
"Where's Heidi?" I asked her, moving the soup bowl and the teacup that was sitting next to it.
"Sleeping in my bedroom," she whispered. "Gayle gave her a bottle before she left and put her down for a while."
I nodded. "So, what's happening on Happy Days?"
"Huh?"
"Happy Days," I repeated, pointing to the TV.
She shrugged. "Henry Winkler's gorgeous, and I'm developing a fondness for Ron Howard."
I smiled and stroked her cheek. "Do you want me to stay the night?"
She nodded. "I might need help with Heidi."
"I'll stick around; I have my bag with me. But I have one question."
"What's that?"
"Got any room on that couch for a Boston boy?"
She climbed off the couch and I got on the couch. Then she got back on it and snuggled up against me. She was still warm and her forehead felt hot when I pressed my hand against it. But the thermometer said her temperature was normal, so that was a good sign. "The swelling in my lymph nodes has gone down," she whispered.
"That's good," I replied. "Do they still hurt?"
"A little."
I pressed my fingers against the lymph nodes in her neck. "Does that hurt?"
"Yeah."
"They still feel a little swollen."
We fell into a silence for a while. Then she whispered my name. "Jack."
"Huh?"
"Did Robbie tell you about Peter?"
I nodded.
"He was a great guy," she began. "I was eighteen and he was twenty-one when we met; Jannie and I had broken up about two months earlier. I was babysitting Danny and Kelly Brooks all day on a Saturday and I took them to the rink. He was there too and he was watching me skate with them for almost an hour before he came over to me. He offered to buy the three of us hot chocolate and the kids accepted for me."
Her eyes were filling with tears; she'd really loved him. I handed her a tissue. "Go on," I prompted.
"I wasn't sure about him, but he was nice. He grew on me and when he offered to take me out for dinner the next Friday, I accepted. We dated for about a year and a half and I fell in love with him. In my mind, it was the best year and a half of my life. Plus, his family was very well off and Mom adored him."
"And you fell in love with him?" I asked.
She got up and walked over to the bookshelf by the entrance to the kitchen. She took a photo album off of it and brought it over to me. She opened it up to a picture of her with a tall young man with dark brown hair and green eyes. He was sort of slender; I guess that's the way you would describe him. He was smiling and he had his arm wrapped around Ellie. They were dressed up like they were at some kind of party. "That was a week before he died," she told me softly.
I was about to ask her again if she had loved him when she looked me in the eye. "At the time I thought I was in love with him; now, I don't think that I really loved him. He was an amazing guy, but I think that our relationship wouldn't have lasted. By the time he died, he was twenty-three and I was twenty. He'd been out of college for a year and was in law school; I was still in college and I had another two years before I would graduate. Peter was talking about marriage, and I went along with everything. But looking back, I know that I wasn't ready; I was too young to get married. The night he died, he was going to ask me to marry him."
"And you were going to say yes?" I asked.
She nodded. "I had it all planned out. I was going to marry him the next summer, finish college, and then we'd start having kids. The thing is I'd probably be in the process of a divorce right now."
"Why do you say that?" I asked her, rubbing her hand.
"I didn't love him. The night of the accident, I sat in the emergency room with his mother waiting for news about him and I realized that he was an amazing guy and I loved him, but I couldn't spend the rest of my life with him. I didn't love him enough to spend the rest of my life with him. You want to know how I figured that out?"
"How?" I asked her.
"Robbie, Buzzy, Jannie, and Rammer stayed with me at the hospital that night. I was sitting in Rammer's lap crying while my boyfriend was dying. And you know what I was thinking? I was thinking about how hot Rammer was. I was wondering what our kids would look like if we got married. I just wasn't ready to get married." Ellie was bawling, so I pulled her in my lap and held her.
"Shh," I whispered. "It's all right."
"No, it's not," she burst out. "I was almost engaged to a guy and while he was dying, I was thinking about what would happen if I married Rammer. Think about that, Jack. It's disgusting and it's probably a sin."
I hugged her and rubbed her back. "It's not a sin, Ellie. I went to Catholic school from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Trust me, thinking about one guy when you're dating another isn't a sin. Is it weird? Yes, but a sin, no."
She nodded and leaned against me. "I'll trust you on that one."
"Good, because I know what I'm talking about."
She smiled and stopped talking. The next time I looked at her, she was asleep. She was an amazing girl, crazy, but interesting. I didn't get that whole thing about how she was certain she'd be getting divorced now if she had married Peter.
A/N: Please review!