Chapter Two-Hundred-Eighty-Seven
“Dead?” Nick asked softly, mirroring the shock on Kevin’s face.
“Yes…dead.”
“How?” Brian asked, sitting down in the empty chair that he was sitting in earlier.
“Suicide. A prison guard found him in the shower with his wrists slit.”
“Suicide?” Howie asked incredulous. “Nah…I don’t think so. Lou valued his life too much – he took deep pride in himself. You all know how incredibly self-observant he was. There is no way he would take his own life…”
“Then what other explanation is there? Why was he found dead in a shower with his wrists slit open?”
“He was murdered,” Howie answered simply, and everybody stared at him skeptically.
“That’s not too hard to believe,” AJ replied after a few moments. “I mean it’s not hard for Lou to make enemies. I can see him pissing some big guy off enough for him to want to kill him.”
“I don’t think he pissed the big guy off,” Howie replied, and everybody once again looked at him with raised eyebrows. “I think he pissed someone else off. Like…Sean maybe?”
“Sean?? No way,” Kevin replied, and none of them noticed the small child near by listening to them intently.
“Yes way. Think about it you guys…how coincidental is it that he gets thrown in prison for almost molesting Ellie…and then a few days later he’s found dead? I think Sean pulled some strings to have him murdered for hurting his little girl.”
“That’s crazy…”
“Is it Kevin?” Brian asked. “Sean may have never treated Ellie right, but I’m starting to think that deep down inside a small part of him still cares about her. Why do you think he posed as Santa Claus and told Ellie that she could stay with you? That he is done trying to take her away from you? The one right thing he has ever done for her in all of her five years. What if he’s still looking out for her? I don’t think a father can just give up his child…no matter how horrible or abusive they are. Not completely. I think Ellie has…a ‘guardian angel’ so to speak…only not so angel-like. We all know he knows about the almost molestation of his daughter. He has people watching us, right? Of course he knew. And he took matters into his own hands, in his own way to see that he never touches her again.” Kevin, Brian, AJ, and Nick all remained silent after hearing Howie’s sudden epiphany, as none of them know what to make of this.
Meanwhile Elenore stood rooted in her spot in the block area as she had heard the whole thing and her little face went white with fear. Her daddy killed somebody – again. After she begged him to stop. Did her letter not mean anything to him? A tear rolled down Elenore’s cheek and she felt an arm wrap around her. She looked beside her and discovered that it’s Sarah’s arm. She had come downstairs a long time ago to play and she was now looking at her friend with sadness in her eyes – and something else. Understanding? How could she possibly understand how it feels to be so close to losing your daddy to something as horrible and final as death? Deciding that it doesn’t matter at the moment, Elenore slid her arms around Sarah’s waist and rested her head against her shoulder and Sarah wrapped her other arm around her and hugged her close. She even kissed the top of her head as she gazed down at her younger friend with complete empathy, as she knows far too well how she is feeling. No one knows how she lost her parents. No one except her and Brooke that is…and Brooke promised her that she wouldn’t tell anybody. That it would just be between the two of them unless Sarah ever decided she wanted to tell. A single tear rolled down Sarah’s cheek at the memory but she quickly wiped it away hoping that no one would notice it – no such luck. Josh who also was standing there with the two girls looked at her concerned.
The grownups talked with one another for a couple of hours more, and then around ten thirty, they instructed all of the children in the playroom to clean up their toys and head on up to their rooms for bed. Nick walked over to Sarah and he gathered her in his arms. She slid her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder and he kissed her forehead softly as he carried her out of the room, as he no longer has Bella with him. He had taken her back up to Ashley again when she had fallen asleep in his arms. When the two of them got upstairs to the correct floor he carried Sarah down the hall to their room and walked in to find Ashley all ready getting Dakota into her pajamas and Kori, Riley, and Denise were all gone.
“Hey sweetie, how was girls night?” Nick questioned, as he kissed her cheek before taking Sarah to the dresser with him. He opened up the drawer and allowed her to pick her pajamas.
“It was fun,” Ashley smiled.
“Good, I’m glad” Nick replied while smiling too at the sight of her smiling. As soon as Sarah picked out her pajamas he set her down and she began changing into them. Nick noticed Ashley was finished with Dakota and Dakota crawled over and got in bed. Nick went over and covered her up before leaning forward and kissing her cheek.
“Did you have fun Kota?”
“Uh-huhs.”
“Good, then my mission for the day is accomplished” he told her, making a silly face and she giggled. When Sarah finished changing into her pajamas, she went over and crawled into bed also and crawled under the covers next to her sister and Nick talked to them for a little bit before singing to them. When he finished and they were asleep, Ashley shut off the light while Nick plugged in the Christmas Tree and he went over and sat in the lazy boy chair before motioning her over to him. She smiled at him some before going over and allowing him to pull her into his lap by the waist so he is cradling her and he put the footrest up so they were lying back together.
~*~*~*~*~
“Ellie honey, I need you to pick out your pajamas – it’s bedtime,” Kevin told her, fully prepared for his little girl to put up her usual fight.
“Kay,” Elenore replied softly, and she went right on over to her drawer that Kevin had assigned her – the bottom one so that she could easily get in and out of it. She opened it up and peered inside; completely aware that her Kevy is standing there with his eyebrow raised. She pulled out the X-Man pajamas she had secretly taken from Josh’s drawer awhile back, and she brought them over to Kevin so he could assist her in getting changed. Normally he would chuckle at such a thing, but he is too busy worrying about her at the moment. Why hadn’t she thrown her usual bedtime tantrum? Why is her face so pale? What is wrong with his baby? He quietly dressed her in Josh’s pajamas and when he finished he gathered her up in his arms and brought her over to the bed where Josh sits and waits. He sat Elenore down and he looked at him, waiting for him to take claim on his pajamas and lecture her for taking them, but he did nothing of the sort. He only pulled their blanket up on her and handed her, her Donald Duck and she tucked the duck under her arm and she looked at Kevin expectantly, waiting on him to go through their normal bedtime routine.
“Okay, I can’t stay quiet any longer. Ellie, what is the matter?” He asked gently, and he sat down on the bed before lying down next to her and resting his head in the palm of his hand.
“Nothing Kevy, I’m just sleepy.”
“You are lying to me,” Kevin accused, before gently pushing a lose strand behind her ear. “Why are you so pale honey? Are you sick?” He asked, placing his hand to her forehead to check for a temperature. He frowned with confusion as he found that her head felt normal.
“Elenore Ellerbee, I want to know what is the matter with you this instant young lady. I don’t like it when you get this way. I don’t like not knowing what is bothering you.”
“I’m FINE!” Elenore snapped and she glared at Kevin before rolling over and burying her face in Josh. “Can I goes to sleep now Kevy? Please?” She pleaded into his chest. Kevin stared at her in bewilderment for a few moments, and then suddenly an idea hit him.
“I see what this is about,” he told her. “You are punishing me, aren’t you?” he asked. “You are still upset with me for fighting with Jerry, so this is my punishment. Isn’t it?”
“GOES AWAY AN’ LEAVES ME ALONE!” Elenore shouted, suddenly looking at him and bursting into tears. She grabbed her Raphael doll then and she thrusted it at Kevin, but he dodged it before it could hit him.
“Elenore Ellerbee there is NO need for this behavior AT all! Now you knock it off and tell me what is bothering you like a big girl or I’ll start taking things away from you!”
“DON’TS YOU CALL ME THAT!” Elenore shouted at him, before throwing her Leonardo Doll at him next and actually hitting him and he stared at her with a mixture of confusion and bewilderment.
“What am I supposed to call you then? Ellie…that is your name.”
“I DON’TS LIKE THE NAME ELLERBEE ANYMORES, AN’ YOU AREN’TS ALLOWED TO CALL ME THAT!”
“Why not?” Kevin asked softly.
“CAUSE I HATES THE MAN WHO GIVES IT TO ME AN’ I DON’TS CARE IF HE DIES!” Kevin stared at her as if she has four heads for a few moments, and then he looked at Josh, who was sitting there quietly staring down at the bed.
“Josh, out in the hall with me. Right now. Help a cousin out will you?” Josh eyed Elenore for a few moments, and then he crawled out of bed and started to follow Kevin toward the door.
“Joshua Littrells if you tell him I will nots only beats you to a pulp, but I will never talks to you again,” Elenore threatened. Josh stopped suddenly and he stared back and fourth from Elenore to Kevin feeling completely torn.
“Elenore Eller—THAT is enough! You do not talk like that to your friends! And if I ever catch you doing it again you will be in BIG trouble young lady. Josh – out in the hall – now.” Kevin ordered, and with that he walked out the door. Josh sighed heavily, before following his cousin out into the hall like he was told. He really has no choice now that he made it an order and not a request. Kevin shut the door behind him and he turned on Josh who was leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Now…how about you tell me what’s turned my little girl into the devil child?”
“Sean,” Josh answered simply, as that could mean many things. Kevin raised his eyebrow.
“You are going to have to elaborate kid.”
“I can’t,” Josh replied dutifully, and he looked everywhere but at Kevin. Kevin sighed and ran his fingers through his hair impatiently before kneeling down in front of the little boy and looking at him seriously.
“Joshua you have to. If there is something seriously wrong with her I need to know about it.”
“I won’t.”
“What is going on out here?” Brian asked, suddenly coming out of Chris’s room and looking at his cousin and son curiously.
“Something is seriously wrong with Ellie. She didn’t throw her bedtime tantrum – well, she is throwing a tantrum, but for the opposite reason,” Kevin began explaining, and Brian raised his eyebrow confused.
“Come again?”
“Something is wrong with her. She’s upset, her face is as white as a ghost, and she’s throwing a tantrum because she wants to go to bed. She won’t tell me what’s going on, and I’ve tried to get it out of Josh, but Ellie threatened him and now he refuses to tell me.”
“Josh…if there is something wrong with Ellie, we really need to know about it buddy” Brian insisted gently.
“I can’t.”
“Ellie is five years buddy her threats don’t mean a thing. A couple of days later and she is going to be loving on you all over again. So just tell us what’s going on.” Josh crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from his father.
“If you love Ellie at all you will do what’s right.”
“That’s not fair! ”
“Josh look at me,” Brian replied, and he gently took his arms into his hands and leaned over and looked into Josh’s face. “I know its not, but sometimes you have to do things that aren’t fair. That’s the way life is.” Josh was silent for a few moments. There has to be a way to tell them and get them off his case without betraying his best friend. There has to. After thinking about it for a few moments, he spoke up softly.
“She over heard you guys talking about Lou being dead.” Kevin raised his eyebrow.
“Why would this upset her?”
“Because…she knows her dad did it.”
“And?” Kevin pressed.
“She knows he did it for her, and that upset her because she knows he did it out of love and it just triggered something inside her,” Josh lied.
“Why would that cause her to not want his last name anymore?” Josh shrugged his shoulders. It was all he could do without telling another lie or betraying his best friend. Kevin stared at him for a few moments suspiciously, and then he accepted it and got up and walked back into the room. Brian lifted Josh into his arms and followed suit and they found Elenore sitting there with her arms crossed over her chest glaring at the door as if it were her worst enemy.
“If you tolds him Joshy I’m gonna hates you forever!” Josh said nothing; he only looked at Kevin waiting on him to tell her that he did tell on her – though, not really. He will have to let her get upset with him to keep the act going, and then some how try and convince her later that he didn’t.
“He didn’t say anything Ellie. He was true to his word,” Kevin lied. Elenore raised her eyebrow at him, and then looked at Josh skeptically.
“He downright refused. But it’s okay, I can see you are tired, so why don’t we just call an end to this fight and get you to sleep. Deal?”
“Deal…” She replied softly, still looking utterly confused and he went over and gently lay her back in bed and he covered her up as Brian lay Josh next to her. Kevin wrapped his arms around Elenore and he leaned down and kissed her forehead softly.
“I love you Ellie,” he told her gently and he gently raked his fingers through her hair for a few moments before getting up. When Brian finished saying goodnight to Josh the two cousins turned and walked out of the room closing the door behind them just a crack with the light off. Elenore eyed Josh with her eyes narrowed.
“I don’ts believe him. You told him something an’ I want to know what it is!” She whispered. Josh noticed a shadow out in the hallway and recognized it as Brian’s. He leaned over and whispered quietly in Elenore’s ear what he had said. When he pulled apart from her she scowled.
“That was very close to the truth Joshy! Too close.”
“Yeah well it got them off my case, didn’t it? Just be happy he accepted it. Believed me, no. But he accepted it” Josh whispered back. “Meanwhile, you need to be more careful with your emotions. I’m not gonna continue lying for you Ellie,” he whispered in her ear so the shadows outside the door wouldn’t hear him.
“I can’ts help it,” Elenore whispered back. “You try dealing withs a stubborn daddy who seems to have a death wish.” Josh sighed heavily.
“Ellie, I think you should just give up.”
“NO!!!” Elenore exclaimed, suddenly bursting into tears all over again.
“Ellie stop it!” Josh hissed, still maintaining his whisper, and he glanced toward the door. She did too and saw the two shadows moving closer to it. She forced herself to stop crying then and managed to make it so she was just sniffling and hiccuping. Josh sighed again, as he could see just how broken up she is about this. She moved closer to him and placed her hands to his cheeks and she whispered quietly in his ear.
“I can’ts give up. I already tolds you Joshy…he may’ve never been a good daddy, but that doesn’t change that fact that he’s mine. I sure as hells don’t wanna go back to him, but I don’ts want him to die either. He’s my daddy for gosh sakes.” Josh rested his forehead against hers and gently wiped away her tears.
“He doesn’t seem to feel the same way. Why waste your time?”
“If he’s not gonna saves his life, I am. I haves a plan Joshy.”
“Do you mind telling me what that plan is?”
“Later,” she whispered, not wanting to risk being over heard. Josh didn’t reply he only wrapped his arms around Elenore and pulled her near for a tight hug.
“I hate him for hurting you so much,” he told her softly, not caring if that is over heard. They can’t guess anything off of that. “He doesn’t deserve to be your father.” Elenore rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, prepared to go to sleep. She is emotionally drained, and all she wants to do is sleep.
~*~*~*~*~
Later on in the middle of the night as Ashley and Nick still sit in the lazy boy chair talking quietly to themselves, one little girl lay tossing and turning in bed near her little sister.
“No…” she whimpered, causing Nick and Ashley to turn their head towards her for the first time with concern. “Stops it…” she pleaded, clutching onto her pillow for dear life. Nick got up from the chair and gently placed Ashley onto her feet and he headed for the bed just as things became worse. Sarah began kicking her feet as she still hugged her pillow close. “NO YOU CAN’TS TAKE HIM, YOU CAN’TS TAKE HIM!!!” she shrieked, and her eyes flew open and she began to sob. Dakota lay there in her spot watching Sarah with tired eyes, but at the same time feeling scared for her. Nick rushed over to the bed and he gathered Sarah into his arms.
“Baby, baby I’m here…you are okay, you are safe” he soothed, rocking her gently in his arms and she clung tightly to him like she had with her pillow. “YOU CAN’TS TAKE HIM!!!!” she continued to shout.
“Take who baby? No one is taking anybody.”
“MOMMY YOU CAN’TS LET THEM!!! HE DIDN’TS DO IT!” She went on as if she hadn’t heard him. Suddenly the door opened, and pretty much the whole gang rushed in as Sarah’s cries had woken them.
“Sarah baby, look at me” Nick pleaded, as he sat her up right in his arms and he placed his hands to her cheek making her look him in the eyes. “You are having a nightmare sweetheart, come back to me” he told her gently. “Tell Nicky what’s going on.” Sarah looked at him through tears for a few moments, blinked, and then she threw her arms about him, buried her face in his chest and she began to sob. Nick rubbed his hand over her back in a slow circular motion, as he looked at his friends, fearful for his daughter. He is used to his kids having nightmares by now, but this one he hasn’t heard of before. Something he doesn’t know about is seriously bothering her. And it’s even worse that she doesn’t talk to him. Nick looked over at Dakota, who had crawled into Ashley’s lap.
“Kota baby, do you know what’s bothering Sarah?” he asked gently, and Dakota shook her head.
“I wish I did’s daddy but I don’ts…” she told him softly, and he knows she’s telling the truth because she looks genuinely scared for her big sister. Nick looked back down at Sarah and he continued to rub his hand over her back.
“Talk to me baby…please…tell me what’s on your mind,” he pleaded. Sarah’s eyes flew over to her notepad on the nightstand then. Ashley reached over and grabbed it, as well as her pen and she handed it to Sarah. Sarah opened it up and wrote two simple words down. Wants Ellie. She handed the notepad to Nick then, and Nick read it before looking at Kevin slightly confused.
“She wants Ellie.” Kevin looked down at the little girl who had run in along with Kevin and was just standing there holding onto his pantleg and all eyes were suddenly on her as she looked just as confused. Usually Sarah wants Dakota – not her.
“Ellie come here sweetheart,” Nick told her gently and she went over and crawled up onto the bed and over to Sarah.
“What’s the matter Sarah?” she asked softly, even though she knows she isn’t going to answer her, and she if she writes it down, Nick is just going to have to read it to her. Instead of answering Elenore’s question, Sarah slid her arms around her and buried her face in her shoulder and she hugged her tightly. Elenore wrapped her arms around her in return and hugged her back and Sarah pulled her onto the bed with her so that they were lying side by side making it perfectly clear that she wants her to sleep with her tonight. Nick raised his eyebrow and looked at Kevin.
“Is this okay?”
“If it makes Sarah feel better, by all means. That’s all that matters right now.”
“Joshy has to stay too,” Elenore insisted, looking over at Josh who had also run into the room, as he had already been worried about Sarah in the first place.
“That’s fine,” Nick replied. “Slumber Party in our room. Ashley and I will just sleep in the chair.” Josh went over and crawled up onto the bed as well and he went over and placed himself between Elenore and Dakota. Ashley looked at everybody else.
“I’m sorry we woke you up,” she told them. “Everything’s okay…you can go back to bed if you’d like.”
“It’s no problem sweetie. We’d come running all over again in heartbeat,” Brian replied gently. “Goodnight,” he added and soon enough everybody was heading out again. Nick and Ashley looked at the kids and noticed Sarah was already half asleep again, holding onto Elenore like a security blanket. She really has no idea how much she understands how important It is to Elenore that she saves her daddy. No idea.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
