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Chapter Three-Hundred-Fifty-Five



~*~Six Days Later~*~



“Sarah if you don’ts get off of me, so help me bob I’ma throws something at you!” Dakota threatened as her older sister pounced on her as a last resort when she wouldn’t wake up after she simply told her to – six hundred times or more. Sarah scrunched her nose up in confusion.


“Who the heck is bob?”


“Uncle Brian gaves me a long talk yesterday abouts using the lords name disrespectfully when I saids a bad word.”


“Well you shouldn’t have said it. You are lucky he didn’t let me put soap in your mouth! Ellie is a bad influence on you.” Dakota scowled, suddenly fully awake at hearing her sister’s words.


“Well, your stupid friend shouldn’t have provoked me and at least Ellie loves me unlike you,” She snapped before shoving her right off of her and onto the floor with a loud thump.


“Ow! Dakota that hurt!”


“I warned you to get off of me and you didnts. Get out of my room I wanna sleep.”


“Well you aren’t going to sleep because daddy told me to come wake you up. We’re making Ashee breakfast in bed an’ I would think you would want to be apart of it!” Dakota pulled her covers up over her head and turned to face the wall so her back was to Sarah. Sarah rolled her eyes and got to her feet.


“Fine you spoiled little brat, miss out on Ashee’s morning surprise an’ make her sad!” She snapped before whirling around and storming toward the door, running quite low on patience.


“I am NOTS a spoiled brat, YOU are! You are just the way you were before we became friends! And I HATES it!”


“I wasn’t ANY different then I was when we became friends, YOU just had it in your mind that you hated me! It was YOU with the problem, NOT me!”


“That is NOT true! Before you were…hurt and stopped talking you were a spoiled little snob who wanted NOTHING to do withs me! You and everybody else and ever since your snooty friends welcomed you back into their group you’ve gone RIGHT back to NOT wanting me around! And everything I do is STUPID and BABYISH in your eyes! I HATE the way you are when you are with them!”


“Kota that is NOT true!”


“YES it is! Nothing I ever do is right in your eyes anymore I’m just a stupid little baby who gets in your way ALL the time! Well now you are in MY way so get out!”


“Kota…”


“GOES AWAY SARAH!” Sarah looked at her for a couple of moments and then she turned and walked out of the room quietly shutting the door behind her and Dakota who was now sitting up in her bed hugged her legs close to her chest. She buried her face in her lap and let the tears fall as that was the first real conversation she and Sarah have had since their last big fight over her clothes six days ago. They’ve only exchanged a few short words to each other every now and then when they had to, but other then that they didn’t talk.


Dakota didn’t go anywhere near Sarah’s friends or her clothes, though does she remember Sarah asking her if she wanted to wear something at one point. Dakota had declined nonchalantly and went on with her business. Also unknown to her sister, (who would normally see these things and take care of it right away) her snooty friends have been picking on her behind her back - hence the trouble she had gotten into yesterday. She had said a word that wasn’t very nice – something she heard AJ say a time or two and she thought fit her anger quite nicely so she would say it too.


Unfortunately Brian was standing right there and had dragged her into the Orphanage by her arm and went off on her – something he has never ever done to her before. She has never seen Brian get that angry in her life and she didn’t understand why. To make things worse, Sarah had gotten a bar of soap when she found out and tackled to her to the ground and tried to stick in her mouth when Brian had quickly intervened. The thing that made it worse was that Sarah didn’t even know or want to know why she had said the word in the first place. She has never felt so cut off from her sister in the entire short life of being her sister and she hates it. To top it all off, she doesn’t even have Elenore to turn to anymore. Not really anyway.


She is always there to play with her – they are inseparable now that Sarah isn’t around but everytime things get personal Elenore pulls away. They don’t hug, they don’t snuggle with each other like they used to, and everytime Dakota goes to do so out of habit, Elenore pulls away sharply. And she wont talk to her about anything important anymore. So long as they are always laughing and having a good time with their Ninja games or whatever, everything is perfectly normal. Except everything is not normal in the least bit with Elenore, Dakota knows it. She walks in on her talking to herself all the time and when she tries to ask her who she is talking to, she easily changes the subject. She is always tired, and the worst of the whole thing is that Josh doesn’t know anything either and is getting the same distant Ellie. Whatever is going on with her best friend, she’s going to get to the bottom of it that’s for sure. She misses her snuggles. If this has anything to do with Summer – and Dakota has a feeling that it does, then Uncle Kevy is about to get an earful. With that thought in mind, Dakota rubbed at her eyes and crawled out of bed before leaning over and scooping Lily up in her arms and she headed downstairs. Once down there she went into the kitchen where she discovered Nick and Sarah making breakfast.


“Morning sleepyhead,” Nick greeted gently, as he heard all about the mini fight the sisters had upstairs for the first time since six days ago.


“Morning daddy” Dakota answered while going over to him with her arms open wide and he gathered her into his own and hugged her close to him affectionately. She rested her head against his shoulder as she looked behind him at Bella who sat in her vibrating chair on top of the counter and Nick planted a kiss on Dakota’s forehead before going right back to making bacon.


“You’re making bacon, eggs, hashbrowns an’ toast right daddy?” she double-checked after awhile.


“Of course I am sweetheart. Its Ashley’s favorite.”



~*~*~*~*~



“Ellie…” Jerald called gently as he walked into her Ninja Turtle decked-out room. “Ellie baby wake up,” he added while going over and sitting on the edge of her bed where Josh would normally be laying except for the past six days she’s been downright refusing to let Josh sleep with her with so much as a single explanation at all. When Brian, Kevin, and Jerald tired to get one out of her she just simply said she got over her fear. Kevin believed her and was thrilled, but Jerald and Brian both know better. You don’t just get over a fear like the one Ellie had over night – Anthony is great, but not that great. The concerned Uncle and Cousin has been watching her very closely ever since she decided she no longer wanted Josh in bed with her and she seems to be tired all the time – like she isn’t getting any sleep. Jerald suspects she lies awake half the night frightened out of her mind. She wants and needs Josh, but something is keeping her from admitting it. She seems quiet most of the time, she doesn’t snuggle with Jerald anymore the way she used to, and she throws these really bizarre tantrums for no real reason at all – just because she wants to. Brian has even noticed that she and Dakota seem a little off. Shaking his head at the thought, Jerald lightly placed his hand to Elenore’s forehead and swept her bangs to the side.


“Honey come on—“


“DON’TS touch me! Don’ts touch me!” Elenore wailed, suddenly jerking her head away. Her eyes snapped open and she swatted at Jerald’s hand. Jerald sat there gazing at her with deep concern behind his eyes for a few seconds.


“Ellie baby I just came in here to wake you up is all. Don’t you want to go to Kota’s house? It’s Ashley’s birthday. We’re going over there to have breakfast at her house this morning. Remember?”


“Kay…” Elenore replied emotionally. “Kota’s house…” She sat up then, her eyes bloodshot and dry. She crawled out of bed and immediately walked over to her dresser pulling out random clothes, not even caring if she’s getting the right ones or not.


“Sweetheart would you like me to help you?” He asked softly, as that is normally what he does. Help her get dressed.


“No I can do it,” She insisted. “Leaves me be Uncle Jerry k? I’m a big girl.”


“You haven’t let me touch you or help you get dressed in six days. Baby what is going on?”


“Nothing I’m fine,” Elenore insisted, turning to look at her uncle and she did her best to give him a convincing smile. “I’m just tryin’ to be a big girl cause that’s what daddy wants.”


“Is that why Josh isn’t allowed to sleep with you anymore? Do you think Kevin doesn’t like it that you can’t sleep alone?” Jerald pried gently. When Elenore didn’t answer, Jerald continued. “Cause, it’s not true baby. Its okay if you are still scared to sleep alone. No one is pressuring you to get over that fear. You can sleep with Josh for however long it’s necessary.” Elenore said nothing; she only stood there staring at Jerald expectantly. When he got the hint that there will be no talking about what’s bothering his niece he got up and walked out of the room shutting the door behind him. Elenore went over and turned the lock on her door so that her nosey prying uncle wouldn’t be able to come back in unexpectedly – or worse – Kevin and she began to strip. She pulled off her shirt wincing slightly as she did and she stared at herself in her my-size-mirror as her eyes clouded up with tears. She reached down and pulled down her pajama pants to her ankles before stepping out of them before looking back in the mirror and she jumped nearly three feet.


“Lindy, you can’ts sneak up behind me likes that” She insisted in a hushed voice and she turned to look at the friend that only she can see.


You need to tell your Uncle what is going on, Ellie.


“No I can’ts tell Uncle Jerry, are you nuts? Then he’ll tell daddy!” she peered at her imaginary friend (and Grandmother, little does Ellie know) through the mirror as she put her clothes on – amidst wincing and such. It’s almost to the point where it’s just plain getting hard to move these days.


That’s the point. Someone has to since you won’t.


“Ya know, for an imaginary friend you are pretty stupid,” She informed. “How coulds you want me to tell daddy? You heards Summer – it’ll makes him sad an’ I don’ts want that.”


Then tell Sean. After managing to get her red Mickey Mouse thermal tee on (It has long white sleeves and everything – just perfect for hiding bruises) she looked at her friend with narrowed eyes.


“And I most definitely can’ts tell him either.”


Then I will tell him. She whirled around then and placed her hands on her hips angrily.


“DON’T you dare! You knows what he’ll do!” Elenore glared at her imaginary friend/grandmother’s reply.


That’s the point


“That’s the point? Boy you really are stupid this morning. If he goes an’ kills her then he ruins the chances of me saving him – an’ isn’t that what you’ve been trying to push me to do all a long? Hmm? Isn’t that what you tolds me you were here for?” She pulled on her jeans then and sat on the floor with her shoes and socks.


So what are you going to do? Bare the bruises and the beatings? I won’t sit here and watch that Ellie.


Elenore looked slightly taken aback by the sincerity behind her deceased Grandmother’s eyes. She has only ever seen that kind of concern from Ann before. “Well that is just tough on me huh? I woulds rather suffer. That way daddy K is happy, an’ Daddy S doesn’t kills another person.”


I’m not putting up with this. I’m going to go find a way to help Sean find out. Elenore glared at her.


“Do its Lindy an’ I swears to you that I won’t speak to you ever again. I don’ts care if you follow me around everywhere I go I will pretend your nots there.” Suddenly Elenore’s pile of TMNT coloring books flew off of the nightstand making a great big mess all over the floor and Elenore rolled her eyes.


“Throw your tantrums all you wants. I am ten times better at it.”


Oh yeah you little smart aleck? Where do you think you got it from, hmm? Elenore froze amidst tying her shoes.


“What do you mean where do I think I gots it from?”


Just…nevermind. Mind your elders and go tell your uncle what is bothering you like I’ve told you to!


“No, NOT nevermind you are going to tells me what you mean. I gots my tantrums from my daddy an’ I knows it! Everybody knows it, an’ your gonna knows it too!” Elenore insisted grumpily. God does she need her sleep. She needs her Joshy. But she can’t have her Joshy because its one of the many sacrifices she has to make in order to keep her secret.


Right. Your daddy.


“Yes my daddy,” Elenore insisted indignantly.


Gee, I wonder where he got his tantrum gene from? Elenore, now extremely confused opened her mouth to reply when suddenly there was a light knock on the door.


“Ellie sweetie?” Jerald called from the other side of it.


“Whats?”


“Who are you talking to in there?” Elenore silently struggled for an excuse.


Kota on walkie-talkies.


“Dakota on walkie-talkies,” Elenore repeated gratefully.


“Then how come I didn’t hear her talking back?”

“The volume was down low.”


“Oh…well, it’s time to go honey. Tell Kota you will see her in a bit and come downstairs okay?”


“Kay.”


Telling white lies like a pro already…yup, you definitely have Ellerbee blood in you all right. Elenore raised her eyebrow at the proud look in her imaginary friend/grandmother’s eyes.


“What do you mean by that?”


Never you mind. Finish tying those shoes laces and do as you’re told like a good girl. Elenore looked down at the shoelace she’d been trying to tie in defeat.


“I haven’t really mastered shoe tying yet,” She admitted sheepishly. “I’ll just get…” but before she could finish, she watched as her imaginary friend/grandmother tied her shoes for her.


“How are you doing that?”



I’m getting better at it moving objects.



“How long have you been an imaginary friend?”



Longer then you’ve been around, dear. Now go. I’ve got something I need to take care of.



“You’re not gonna goes an’ see my daddy are you? You can’ts tell him or you’ll ruin everything!”


No I’m not going to go and see him.


“You promise?”


Yes I promise. When Elenore knew she was telling the truth she got to her feet and ran to her door. She unlocked it and hurried downstairs just as Kevin was on his way up to get her.


“There you are!”


“Here I am.”


“What was taking you so long honey?” he asked, and he went to gather her in his arms but she stepped away.


“I couldn’t decide on what shirt to wear so I asked Kota on the walkie-talkie,” Elenore answered, telling another easy lie.


“Oh…well come on baby we’re walking to Brian’s house and he is going to drive us to Nick and Ashley’s.” He reached over to gather her up in his arms once more but she held her hand up instead as she noticed Lindy come down the stairs in the corner of her eye. Kevin frowned at this, not liking the distance between him and his daughter in the least bit but he took her hand nonetheless and led her the rest of the way downstairs where she spotted Summer and Jerald waiting. Summer threw a nasty look at Elenore when their eyes met and Elenore wrapped her arms around Kevin’s leg when he came to a stop in front of Summer and his brother.


“Are you ready now?”


“Yes Summer, sorry I tooks so long,” Elenore answered softly.


“Its okay honey, we aren’t mad at you” Jerald insisted fighting back the urge to strangle the bitch who has successfully taken over his little brother. “Want a piggy back ride princess? Or is that too babyish for you?” he asked grinning at his niece for her sake. Elenore thought that question over carefully. She loves her uncle’s piggy back rides especially when they make her feel safe from Summer, but how can she get up on his shoulders without him unknowingly hurting her? After thinking it through she nodded and walked over to him and he gently lifted her up from under her arms and she held back the need to whimper as he placed her up on his shoulders. When she was holding onto him tightly he began to carry her outside and Kevin and Summer followed close behind them. They stepped outside and Jerald stopped a few feet ahead as he waited for the witch and his brother. Kevin allowed Summer to go first holding the door open for her. As she went to step outside she stumbled suddenly and lunged forward.


“AHH!” she shrieked, grabbing at the wall to catch her fall but missing it by mere inches. Kevin darted forward and slid onto his knees in front of her just on time for her to land in his arms. Elenore erupted into a fit of laughter nearly falling off of Jerald in the process but she quickly held on.


“Ellie stop that! That’s not funny!” Kevin snapped, turning his head to look at her and he gave her a sharp look but it didn’t phase her in the least. “Jer control her,” he demanded, before looking down at Summer.


“Are you okay honey?” He asked gently, the angry look on his face instantly turning to concern and he brushed back some of her bangs as he looked into her eyes. “There’s a step there, you have to be careful,” he told her as he heard his brother grumble I am not going to get mad at my niece for laughing for the first time in six days. Why don’t you get that stick out of your ass? and walk away.


“I know there was a step there, Kevin! Something got in my way!” Summer snapped, and she looked pointedly in the direction of Elenore who was still laughing uncontrollably. Kevin raised his eyebrow.


“Now I know my daughter can be a huge trouble maker and she isn’t showing very good manners right now but there is no way she could’ve had any part in this. Jerald had her the entire time."


“Just like she didn’t have any part in the restaurant incident?”


“I told you, that was just a very big accident. I know you were embarrassed, but you just need to let it go. Neither of the girls meant to do it. As for this fall you just took, well, steps jump out at people all the time it’s not a big deal.”


“It wasn’t the step – I actually felt some thing trip me Kevin! I know I did.” Kevin sat there quietly looking at her for a couple of seconds, and then he got to his feet before helping her up as well. He offered her his hand but she pulled it back, too angry at him for not believing her.