Here you go Chapter 23!
Chapter 23.
Zoe.
We visited the police station a few hours later and discovered that Pete had been telling the truth and he had gone there straight away and told them I could have Jess. We would still have to go to the family courts and be granted custordy but it wasn't likely that I would be. I was so happy, Ella was coming to stay for the weekend and Ash had finally sold his house and had moved everything in. My life was finally coming together.
"Zoe." I heard Ash call from the kitchen where he was busy preparing Sunday roast on a Saturday. "The door just went, I think its Ella can you get it, I've got my hand up this stupid bird!" he yelled.
"Sure!" I replied leaving Jess making a mess of the playroom and going to answer the door. Ella hadn't met Jess before and Ash had only mentioned it to her in passing so she still didn't know too much.
"Hi Ella!" I said as I opened the door. She was stood there in jean and a jacket with a small suitcase stood next to her. "Come on in."
"Hi Zoe," she replied loosely hugging me as she came through the door.
I took her suitcase and put it in the hall guiding her though to the kitchen.
"Wow, your house is big." She exclaimed. She hadn't been here before we had always met at Ash's or at a coffee shop somewhere.
I smiled and we entered the kitchen.
"Hi dad!" she shouted over the noise of the blender Ash was now using to perform some task or other.
"Ella, darling! How are you?" he smiled putting a stop the racket. They hugged.
"I'm good thanks dad, what about you?" she asked.
"Great thanks."
"Ella, do you want to go and get your things put away? Ash, do you want to show Ella her room?" I asked as a crash came from the playroom and I ran off.
"Jess! What have you done!" I exclaimed as I saw that the bookshelves with all Jess's toys in had come crashing down to the floor.
"opps." Jess said. Rushing over to me and crying from the shock.
"Don't worry baby. We can clear it up." I said bending down and hauling the shelves upright again.
Ash.
Zoe and I had agreed to let Ella have her own room that she could do what ever she liked to and had decided to give her the room next to Jess's. it had an en-suite and a king-sized bed in. We had also agreed that I would tell her about Jess before she met her.
I washed my hands quickly after Zoe had left the room then ushered Ella out before she could ask any questions.
"Right where's your bag?" I asked as we got into the hallway.
"Just here," she said grabbing the suitcase.
"I'll take that, go on up. You room is the first on the right." I said.
"What was that crash?" she asked.
"Probably Jess knocking something over." I replied.
"Jess?" she asked.
"Zoe's niece." I explained.
"Why's she here?" Ella asked.
"Zoe's sister died about 3 weeks ago. Her funeral is in two days and Jess is now living with here with us." I said.
"What about her dad?"
"Druggie and alcoholic. Doesn't want anything to do with her."
"Poor girl. How old is she?" Ella asked sympathetically.
"Near five." I answered. Ella was taking this well, better than I had thought. I thought she would have flipped and been angry at me for trying to replace her, which was not what I was doing.
"Sweet heart." She said as we entered her room.
"Do you like it?" I asked.
"It's huge! OMG! Really is this mine?" she said excited.
"Sure, if you want it." I assured. "Bathroom is through there, Zoe filled it up with everything you might need and if there isn't something then just come and ask us and we'll get it for you." I told her.
"Thanks dad! Zoe rules!" she exclaimed hugging me tightly.
"No problem Ella, come down when you're ready." I said, leaving her to unpack.
As I went down the stairs I heard her come out of her room.
"Dad," she asked.
"Yes."
"I'm really glad you're happy." She smiled.
"Thanks darling. That means a lot." I replied.
"It's great." She said and turned to go to her room.
"Ella," I called after her.
"Yes,"
"I think Zoe has hidden a few things in your room, everything you find in there is available for your use." I said and she ran back into the room to look.
Zoe had gone out and brought a load of make up and a few items of clothes that she hoped Ella would like and put it in her wardrobe and a huge make up box in the bathroom ready for her to find. There were necklaces and earrings and generally things that I had no clue about. I heard her exclaim and guessed that she had found something.
Smilng to myself I went on my way back down stairs to help Zoe tidy up whatever mess Jess had made.
Zoe.
Ash came back downstairs and into the playroom where Jess was sitting in silence on the sofa whilst I started to tidy up the toys and games that scattered the floor.
"Oh Jess!" he exclaimed as he saw what had happened and picked her up and tickled her.
"Uh Oh!" Jess replied laughing.
Ash put her down.
"Need any help there, Zoe?" he asked me.
"Could you help me put everything back in the boxes. How'd it go with Ella?" I asked.
"It went great, she's upstairs now loving all that new stuff you brought her, and you know you didn't have to right, she'd have stayed anyway." He explained getting down to help me.
"I wanted to. She is a part of this family, Jess has her own room and stuff so Ella should have the same, it means that she doesn't have to bring everything with her when she comes to stay anyway." I said, scooping Lego back into a plastic tub.
"Thanks." Ash said.
"What for."
"Making everything so perfect." He replied kissing me on the lips.
We stopped when we heard two voices behind us going "ewe!"
"Hi Ella," I said turning round to discover her at the door way laughing. Jess was sitting on the sofa and laughing too.
"Ella, this is Jess. Jess this is Ella." Ash said standing up.
"Hi Jess, what happened here then?" Ella said going over and sitting next to Jess.
"Uh Oh!" Jess repeated laughing.
"Why don't we go and leave Zoe and dad to clear up whilst we go and stop the dinner from burning." Ella suggested holding out her hand, which Jess took.
"Dinner! I completely forgot, I'll come and help once this is cleared El's" Ash said, smaking his hands to his head.
"Dad, don't worry. I'm great in the kitchen just let me do it. It'll be great for me and Jess to get to know each other." Ella said leading Jess out the room.
Ash and I exchanged glances.
"They're getting on really well." I said.
"Yeah, how great is that?" Ash exclaimed.
"Fantastic."
We finished tiding the playroom and went back into the kitchen to find Ella taking the roast out of the oven and Jess sitting on the side laughing at something that Ella had said.
"Wow girls this looks great." I said as I went over.
"It's nothing. Honest." Ella said as she plated up everything.
"Diner is served." Ash laughed. "I never thought that there would be a day when my daughter cooked me a roast dinner!"
"It'll probably be better than yours babe." I said kissing him again. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ella and Jess exchange glances, they were remarkably similar.
We sat down and my suspicions were correct, Ella was a fantastic cook.
"Wow Ella, this is great." I complimented.
"Mmmm. I agree." Ash mumbled, through a mouthful of food.
"Thanks." Ella replied embarrassed.
"Yum, yum." Jess said. "Zoe, Ash, is Ella staying for a sleepover?"
"Yes, do you remember we went out to get her those new things last week?"
"Oh yes! Can we watch Madagascar?"
"Maybe, lets see what we think later." I answered.
Conversation came easily and we all laughed with eachother and had a fantastic time. It felt good to be surrounded by the people you care for most in the world.
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