The drive from North Carolina to Washington took it's toll on me, but I still pushed on once I bought the map from Seattle to the tiny little town of Forks, which was only a mile or two away from La Push, the Indian Reservation.
Staring at the crinkled map with weary eyes was never the smartest thing, but it was my only option. I had no where to stop and I knew I had to find them as fast as possible. With less than half a tank left from the stop I made in Port Angeles, I parked into the cracked, and worn in drive way from previous bed time stories. From memories and times that seem like ages ago. I stare at the two story house that resembled a log cabin in so many ways. I've seen it in pictures, and paintings but I would've never imagined it to look as glamorous as it did at that moment.
Opening the truck door, I slide out slowly until my feet hit the ground. Stepping to the left three steps, then closing the door never took as long as it did right then. I don't know what it was; Was it fear? Was it nerves? Or anticipation? It felt as though my mind was mush and my body did as it pleased, taking me to the large porch step by step. Glancing back at the truck, I sighed, and walked up the three steps that led onto the porch. My hands are shaking as I lift them to knock on the door.
Knock. Knock . Knock
I hear laughter and footsteps coming closer and the butterflies multiply, making my stomach a big bundle of nerves. The door opens and my eyes take in the tall, toned, and tan man at the door. His face was turned away, laughing and smiling at something previously said, but when he turned to face me, his chocolate brown eyes dull with confusion and worry. I look down and try to think of what to say. More foot steps come and I hear a soft boom.
"Yo, Jake. What's taking so long?" Someone said.
My head snapped up faster than a snake does at his prey. Gray eyes meet hazel and my mouth opens and closes. His eyes widen with shock and his face pales with recognition.
"Ellis? Is..What…How?" He asks while the man, Jake, stares at us like we've grown another set of heads.
"Will…I'm…I….Help…But…" I sputter while trying to remain upright. He took a drastic turn from the short and skinny boy that left me close to two years ago. Now, William Duncan Panez is tall, muscular, and dangerously handsome. My eyes water and he takes a step forward only to turn to Jake and mutter " Go get Gabe and Sam…Now." Will stares at me with many emotions on his face, but not any of the ones I expected. These were ones similar to admiration, love, and pride. Never in my life have I seen all three at once, and I guess that's what caused me to breakdown. The breakdown that I should've had that day in April two years ago when my best friends, who were like overprotective older brothers, left with my father to rekindle family ties here. The day they left me to my own personal hell.
He didn't step forward to try to comfort me as I wept right in front of the door, nor did he move away. He stood there, battling his emotions, while I sobbed at the hurt and pain I felt. I still wept as warm arms wrapped themselves around my shoulders and I didn't hold in the noises that came out as strangled cries. I didn't feel any others on the porch along with us, but from the way the door opened and shut, there must've been.
My sobs died down a little later, but the arms never let me go. Whispers and sighs are what I heard until a deep voice broke them all.
"Will everyone please go back into the house? Gabriel, William and myself, along with the young woman, are all that should be out here. Understood?" He said with hints of authority in his tone. Thumps and whispers continued through the open door until it was slammed shut. I pulled away from the warm body and gasped when I realized who held me as I sobbed. My fingers flew to his flawless face and my eyes watered again as I noted the changes in him. This wasn't my Gabe, and this Will wasn't my Will. Gabe let me go, but stood close to me as if I was a flight-risk. I could feel all of their eyes boring down on me from their tall heights, but I couldn't look up at them. It was just physically impossible. The man who ordered everyone to leave grunted and coughed.
"Gabriel, Will? Would you care to explain?" He asked, his tone implying his impatience.
"Sam, this was our good friend Ellis. She's Aaron's baby girl. Ya know, his daughter." Will said. I felt someone touching my face, but after wincing away, all movements from the source stopped. The guy, Sam, huffed again and tapped my arm.
"Ellis?" He said, unsure of something.
"Yessir?" I sign, looking at Will and Gabe to translate.
"Would you like to come inside? My wife, Emily, can set up a bath for you and get you something to eat, if you want." He says hesitantly with a nice, soft tone.
"I…I…I need to see my daddy. Gabe…" I signed, looking up at Gabe and taking a shaky breath, " Please, go get him…please.. I…" I sign quickly.
It wasn't the way his face tightened, nor was it the way his mouth went firm. It was the look in Gabriel's eyes that said it all. That my daddy was gone and I was too late. His green-flecked eyes were the last things my gray ones saw before they rolled back and made everything go black.
"What do you mean, 'what do you mean?'? This is Elle we're talkin' bout, not some hitchhiker from the street!" Will yelled.
The pounding in my head was relentlessly going strong but not unbearable. Opening my eyes though, wasn't a possibility just yet.
"What I mean is, Aaron left her there for a damn reason Will! He knew that she shouldn't be swept up in this bullshit! I don't want his reasons to be shot to shit." Gabe retorted while huffing out.
"That still don't mean shit! Did you forget who Elle was to us? Who's kid she is? That you were in love with her?" Will hollered at Gabe, effectively causing my eyes to pop open. Neither noticed though.
"No, I didn't forget, but damnit all to hell, Will! She has the choice! Back there, she could've been somebody and lived the way she deserved, and Aaron knew that! He wasn't gonna drag his only daughter up here to be ridiculed and gossiped 'bout. He left her with her mama's family and we all knew that was for the best! So, keep your head about cha, and let's just get to the bottom of this. It's what A would've wanted." Gabe finished as he stood over me. I stared in his eyes and saw the determination that was always there growing up. I smiled and so did he.
"Hey EllieBells. How're ya feelin'?" He asks as Will sat next to me. Will pats my foot and I give him a small smile before turning back to Gabe.
"I…" I start, but my lungs and throat won't cooperate. I quickly make out the hand signs for 'I don't want to say, but we need to talk' . He nods and starts with a deep breath.
"Ellis, your daddy died trying to save someone from drownin'. When we got there, the paramedics already claimed him dead. We tried contactin' y'all but we never got a response. I'm sorry baby girl, but I don't know what else to say." He ended with a sympathetic glance at me and I nodded before starting to sign 'I never received a damn thing from y'all. Not one bit. In all the two years y'all been gone, no one sent nothing.' My hands flew fast and their eyes caught every movement.
"But, Elle," Will said, while grabbing my calf, "We sent you letters every week for the first six months…then once a month after that. Once we realized you were never gonna respond, we stopped." His grip was meant to be comforting, but instead it was painful. I winced and he let go.
"Sorry Elle." He said sadly.
I sat up from the bed and asked where I was. They both explained that I was in Gabe's room in the Elterca house, which they inherited after daddy passed. I just nodded and moved out of the bed. That's when things got worse.
Three more sets of eyes looked from the door way and I didn't need to look down to see what they were staring at.
I just pray they don't ask me to explain.