Chapter Ten: The Sun Shines Again
“She’s going to be okay?” Ella asked, looking at the elderly doctor with suspicion, “she’s been in a hospital for like, six days, totally out of it, and you’re suddenly trying to tell us that she’s going to be FINE?”
Dylan edged his elbow into Ella’s side and leaned over, “why are you acting like this is bad news?”
Ella blinked and shrugged her shoulders, “Because it’s too good to be true”
Dylan chuckled, his nervousness still showing a great deal in his wavering voice, “I know “ isn’t it strange how things start to look up without any warning?”
She let out a nearly unheard ‘humph’ and continued to stare down the doctor, “She has diabetes?”
He nodded his head and in a very irritating way managed to laugh, “We were looking for such deep things to be wrong with her “ brain tumors, causes for death” catching a look at Ella’s expression, the doctor cleared his throat and sighed, “it’s not an easy disease to deal with “ and she’s not totally well…but at least we have a diagnosis” he finished his statement by looking at Dylan, as if to gain approval from his words.
“My mom is the healthiest person I know “ how…how could we have not known if she had something like, diabetes? Are you sure it’s not something worse?” Ella analyzed, dramatically squeezing her fists and scrunching up her face at him, “how do I know you aren’t lying?”
“Why would I lie about good news “ I must say, I usually get this reaction when I have bad news to tell people. Your mother came out of, well, basically she came out of a zombie state this morning, and you seem to be angry” the doctor accused, his mustache twitching, due to it being overgrown and untrimmed.
“I’m not angry “ just confused” Ella defended, feeling quite defeated at the doctors misunderstanding of her emotions, “I’m happy “ really…I’m happy, it’s just-”
Dylan coughed and interrupted his daughter; judging by the way that she was studying with a certain unattainable intensity the hangnail on her thumb, let him know she was getting ready to go overboard with analogies and metaphors, “She’s ecstatic” he said with a confident grin, “purely, positively, exceptionally…ecstatic”
Ella rolled her eyes towards the floor and groaned, throwing up her hands, “why not? I’m “ incredibly happy and…yeah” she smiled and shook her head, retreating back to the nervousness she had experienced minutes before.
The doctor gave a weary look towards a now pacing Ella and then turned to Dylan, “we’re going to stabilize her and keep her here for awhile longer. We have to figure out why this wasn’t traced earlier, why…there were no afore mentioned symptoms. I mean “ this is odd…usually diabetes is pretty simple to trace” shaking his head, he sighed, “Oh well! Sometimes there are certain mysteries in life. It all comes down to the man upstairs”
Ella gave Dylan a look and mumbled, “so profound…so profound”
“Be respectful” Dylan muttered forcefully, and then diverted his gaze from Ella and back to the doctor, “yeah, yeah…uh, thanks Doc. You’ve been great. May, I, we…May we see her?”
“Of course you can! Sorry to be holding off for this long “ she seems to be pretty normal, acting quite well to have just experienced such a traumatic event” Ella gave a slight wave and buzzed past the doctor and her father, clearly ready to see her mother, “Is she always so…?” the doctor asked quizzically.
Dylan chuckled and stroked his chin, “I’m afraid that she is “ except usually much more positive. I’m not sure as to why she’s so flabbergasted”
The elderly man shrugged, “Who knows? The youth today, I tell you. What a different and strange generation”
Once Ella had retreated, Dylan lowered his head and immediately his outward appearance turned disheveled and disappointed, “Thank you, doctor…for, allowing me and my wife to do this”
The doctor shrugged, “I can’t say that I understand you or your wife’s reasoning for this, but I suppose you guys know best when it comes to your own child…”
Dylan looked at Ella’s soon to disappear figure and sighed, “I sure hope so…”
----------------------------------------------------
Ella listened to the latter part of the doctor’s rambling and rolled her eyes before turning the corner. She wasn’t weird or unusual; the entire situation was weird and unusual. How would anyone else react if one day their mother was on her deathbed, and the next she was wide-eyed and ready to take on the world? As she entered the room, Ella immediately noticed that wide-eyed and ready to take on the world didn’t exactly describe the way her mother looked. Mary’s hair was mounted on her forehead because of a cold sweat and her skin was haunted by gray undertones. With a small sigh and the moving of her feet in her mother’s direction, Ella sat down in the familiar seat by the hospital bed and laid her head down on her mother’s open faced palm.
“Morning” Mary whispered nearly inaudibly.
Ella stole a glance at her mother and gave a reassuring smile, “good morning “ how do you feel?” a grunt was all she got in reply, “I see…”
Mary shrugged, “I want to go home”
“Yeah “ that would be quite nice, but…this is home for now “ and you know, the décor really isn’t that bad…white washed walls with nice, pleasantly pink wallpaper…that’s so our style”
Chuckling, Mary shook her head, “thanks for making me laugh, baby”
“It’s what I do best I think…although, I’ve come to realize very quickly that people don’t laugh WITH me…they laugh AT me…that’s not encouraging”
“At least they’re laughing”
Ella paused for a moment and then nodded, “that was a profound statement”
“I’m just so full of those lately” Mary said sarcastically, her throat failing under the strain of sudden conversation.
“I’m going to let you rest. Don’t talk “ I’ll go find someone who is willing to listen to me ramble, I love you mommy…” Ella bent down to quickly kiss her mother’s cheek, who was already pleasantly encumbered in dreams, and then dismissed herself from the room with a polite wave and smile towards the sleeping figure.
Closing the door quietly behind her, Ella sighed and looked at the areas surrounding her “ never would she have thought that this hospital’s surroundings would be so familiar to her. With another drawn out and exaggerated sigh, Ella glanced at her ringing cell phone and quickly put it to her ear, “Speak to me, Nic”
“Hello, darling” Nicola breathed into the phone, “How’s she holding up?”
“The same as before “ awake, but incredibly weak and tired “ I’m just so confused...”
“Ella, for once in your life you have taken the place of my negativity and I don’t like it. Just accept the miracle “ she’s back “ you don’t know why this happened. Maybe it all had to take place so that you could do some soul-searching…you just, you never know”
“Well “ I’m tired of not knowing” Ella whined into the telephone, “As much as I love being home “ at the same time I hate it”
“Excuse my bluntness, but the reason you hate it is because it reminds you of what you’re running away from. Sooner or later, Ella “ your past is going to come find you”
“I just don’t want to be one of those people who always have problems “ I’m around those kinds of people and they’re annoying! I just want…to figure things out myself”
“Sometimes you just cant, Ella…you can’t. Give it up, girlie” Nicola said, smiling over the telephone, “But I know you’ll come to terms with everything and figure it out…you’re a fighter”
“Thanks, Nic” Ella said, pausing before continuing with her inquiry, “So…uh…how’s the tour going?”
Nicola laughed in the background, “You’re so obvious “ Justin’s doing fine”
“I wasn’t talking about Justin!” Ella protested, “I was seriously asking about the tour “ I know it’s getting ready to wrap up “ I was thinking about seeing the final show”
Ignoring Ella’s ranting, Nicola continued, “Right now he’s doing some kind of internet interview. I don’t know…he’s been pretty energetic here lately, only moping when he’s by himself. I haven’t seen him with any females, although rumors are going around…but, you know about rumors…um, let’s see…”
Ella’s laughter interrupted Nicola’s speech as she gasped for air before speaking, “Shut up, Nic! I’m not even going to ask any more questions”
“He said he was going to call you whenever he had a free minute”
“I give up” Ella said with a slight shaking of her head, “you’re so bad…we never tease you about Gavin”
“That’s because I don’t have anything going on with Gavin. All that was, was simply that I had premarital jitters…I love Clay, Ella. I really do” Nicola said with a love-sickened tone to her voice.
“I’m beginning to believe you…I don’t know why, but…I am”
Nicola gasped, “YOU “ supporting Clay and I? I think you have stumbled upon the great miracle we were talking about” Nicola said with a laugh.
“I don’t know…its just…when you’re in this situation, seeing someone you love so much hurt so bad…it just makes you want to never take things for granted. And I know that if anything ever happened to Clay “ I would die “ because you would die…and I just couldn’t live with that” Ella paused, “And…you know, the whole Gavin thing “ I think I imagined it all. I wanted to see you with someone suave and debonair…not, Clay “ in all of his...rich boy geekiness. So I really am sorry for pushing you and Gavin together…”
“Thanks for being honest” Nicola offered, “I knew it all along, but at least you’re man enough to admit it now”
Ella laughed, “What can I say? A girl can dream “ and in no way possible does this mean that I actually LIKE Clay “ so in the future, don’t break that line out on me”
Nicola giggled, “You ruined my plan, dangit!”
“Blackmail is a bitch, Nicola…need I remind you of that Popsicle incident?”
“I have to go! Like NOW” Nicola yelled into the phone, though unseen to Ella, she was flushing a beet red from her neck to the roots of her hair, “I think the interview is over. It’s been great, Ellie “ but you know, duty calls! Talk to you tomorrow!”
Ella erupted into laughter when she heard the click of Nicola’s phone sound in her ear - worked every time…Nicola would never live that little incident down…ever.
----------------------------------------------------
A pair of blue eyes carefully observed the chubby fingers of a middle aged interviewer; her fingernails were painted a thick red and topped off with particles of glitter that sparkled whenever the florescent lighting hit them the right way. She had black hair that stood out against her pale skin and her mouth seemed to never stop moving as she drilled him on subjects ranging from cars, to music, to women, the weather, his favorite eighties icon…the questions never stopped coming. She would smile every now and then, as if to assure herself that she still had his attention.
She didn’t.
Justin Timberlake sighed and leaned back into the leather chair that had held his body weight for hours upon end. Though it was a comfortable piece of furniture, all he could think about was standing up and exercising his limbs.
“Mr. Timberlake?” the woman asked, noticing that his thoughts had finally drifted away from her, “I know this is a tiring process “ but…your fans at AOL have a lot of questions”
“They always do” he said with a charming smile, “And that’s why I love them so much”
She giggled as if the comment was directed to her personally and took a few notes down on her legal pad, “Okay “ on to our next question. This is from Ashley in New York, she asks: Justin, I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of you a few months ago with your girlfriend at an Italian eatery. Are you two still together?”
Justin blinked, how did his fans remember all this stuff? “Well…I imagine, Ashley in New York, that the girl you’re speaking of is a past girlfriend of mine…and I’m regretful to say that we aren’t together anymore”
The interview sighed and clucked her tongue, “what a shame “ I’m sure that your fans are very sorry to hear that “ yeah right!” she laughed and it vibrated the walls in the room, “I know my daughter can sleep better now”
Justin gave a complimentary chuckle and shrugged his shoulders, “that’s life…”
“Oh, Mr. Timberlake “ you are just too funny…”
Justin shrugged yet again and watched as she burst into a fit of giggles. If only Ella were here to see this, she would be able to relate to the woman due to the fact that they both erupted into bouts of hilarity whenever the time seemed right. Somehow with Ella though, it was a lot more of an endearing quality.
“Speaking of women, Justin “ we have gotten so many questions inquiring whether or not you’re single, or taken “ would you care to clear up the air surrounding your status as a bachelor?”
Smiling, Justin nodded his head, “I’m single”
The woman grinned and made a checkmark on her clipboard, “perfect”. With another quick round of pointless questions, she finally clicked the top of her pen and ended her tape recording, “I think that’s it Mr. Timberlake, thanks so much for your time”
They stood up simultaneously and Justin gave her a firm handshake, “No problem “ anything for AOL” he shook his head and left the room with a scarred perception of interviewers.
“How did it go?” Gavin asked, his hand patting Justin on the back with guy-like sympathy. Justin gave him a look and rolled his eyes, “That well, huh?” Gavin responded, “See! I knew it wouldn’t be too bad…I mean…” he cleared his throat and began to bat his eyelashes, “anything for AOL”
Justin elbowed him, “smartass”
The two men’s attention was taken from them at the hearing of another man’s voice rising above the complimentary music playing softly in the background. Though Justin couldn’t place it, the voice sounded vaguely familiar. He tuned his ears into listen, though eavesdropping was considered a rude thing to do “ he just couldn’t help himself.
“WHAT do you mean it’s not working? That’s CRAZY “ of course I KNOW her…What do you think I am? Stupid? Did I think she was stupid? Well “ admit it, she does seem a little flaky “ look, I’ve tried my best, Catherine…I have. I don’t think I’m cut out for all of this stuff, I’m getting ready to hand the job over to you”
Justin looked at Gavin, who was now on his cell phone and gave a deliberated sigh. He inched himself closer to the hallway that held the man’s voice and leisurely leaned against the wall in hopes of hearing more of the conversation.
“I know it’s NOT supposed to be hard, but it is! You try working with the girl, she never shuts up! I don’t know, I’m not around him very much. I’ll try harder. Ever since she went away things have been hell for me. I’ll try to do it without her help…bringing down the almighty-“
“JUSTIN!” a voice said loudly, over the man on the phone, over the music in the background, over Justin’s stunted breathing.
Justin closed his eyes and held his breath. The guy on the phone quickly ended his conversation and made it a point to quickly leave the area. With a defeated sigh, Justin brought himself out of hiding and shook his head, “Why’d ya have to scream so loud, Gavin?”
“Stop trying to play James Bond and get over here. It was probably just some guy bitching about his girlfriend. Time to get out to the vans before management has a cow “ I don’t know why the chose me to be your chaperone on this outing”
“Please, Gavin “ do I need a chaperone? Honestly?”
“Justin” Gavin said seriously, taking the man by his shoulders, “five more minutes with you listening in on that conversation and you would have created some illusion with your feeble mind and went Jet Lee on the world. You’re a pop star “ interesting things shouldn’t have to be thought up…they are supposed to happen naturally”
“You mean kind of like that forty year old interviewer giving me the eyes for three hours?” Justin asked quizzically, “Because that was pretty weird”
“Justin “ don’t act like you were actually in an interview for that long “ you know as well as I do that you were dying to jump those bones” Gavin joked, his face involuntary scrunching up into disgust.
“Ew “ and I actually thought I was hungry there for a minute…” Justin said, his head still shaking at the thought, “ew…”
----------------------------------------------------
One Week Later
Ella looked at the brightly decorated room that she had awoken in, and had to smile when she saw the set of luggage resting by the door. It was time to go back home. The last date of the tour ended in New York City and her schedule with her mother had worked out perfectly so that she could be back in time for the show.
Mornings usually didn’t come so easily, but she was somewhat ashamed to say that she had been looking forward to this one for quite some time. With Mary’s recovery being so speedy, and Dylan managing to have so much of it under control, Ella couldn’t help but feel vindicated by leaving New Orleans so soon.
Kicking her legs out from underneath a rumpled set of sheets, Ella landed on the floor with a thud and lifted her arms high above her head as she attempted to stretch all the kinks out of her body. The stress had been mounting on her with all of Mary’s troubles, and having to deal with Peter’s lingering threat didn’t really help things much either. She shook off the ghastly memory and practically forced herself into the kitchen where she could already smell one of her father’s masterpiece concoctions floating up towards the ceiling.
“Morning, daddy” she whispered groggily, sitting her lithe frame on a barstool, “did mom sleep well?”
“I think she had a really good night, Ella. She woke up only a few times complaining of a headache, and with some of my charm, I had her back to sleep in no time at all”
Ella raised her eyebrows and clicked her tongue repeatedly, “I bet you did, pop, I bet you did”
Dylan smiled, “What do you want in your pancakes, love?”
“Do you have to ask?”
“A triple dose of chocolate it is then” he said with a laugh, “glad to know that the big city hasn’t entirely corrupted my baby girl”
Ella laughed along with him and rested her head on his shoulder for a lingering moment, “I’m afraid to admit that when it comes to my take on chocolate “ I cannot be corrupted”
“Morning, my beautifuls” Mary said, her voice weak as she spontaneously appeared at the door frame.
“Mom!” Ella scolded, her father’s expression just as worrisome, “what are you doing walking around? The doctor gave you strict orders to stay in bed…”
Mary seemed to float towards them, her pale complexion seeming somewhat rosy next to her fuchsia bath robe. “Honey, I can’t possible stay bedridden for the rest of the week, “I haven’t done anything but watch soap operas and Judge Judy for the past eight days of my life. I need interaction with my family before you leave”
“We can interact with you in bed”
“Just because I had some freak accident does not mean that I’m going to let all of this pass me by…people deal with this kind of illness all the time, I refuse to let it get me down…” Mary said with a humph, “it’s not like I have some kind of heart disease or cancer…its diabetes for heavens sake”
Ella’s eyebrows rose in recognition and she slowly nodded, “right…”
Dylan however remained to be quite shocked as he shook his head fervently towards his wife, “Ella- can you give us a few moments alone, please?”
Shrugging her shoulders, Ella reached for the plate in front of her, “I’ll be in the living room, watching Saved by the Bell”
As soon as she was out of earshot, Dylan rested his hand on Mary’s cheek and sighed, “You know this is going to be hard, keeping this from her…but you can’t just act like every thing is okay, when you know that it’s only going to get worse as time goes on. Doing every thing you can to help yourself in the beginning, is going to length-“he stopped to close his eyes and gather his words, “Is only going to lengthen your time with us”
“Well, what is she going to think, Dylan? If I act as sick as I am really supposed to be, then she is never going to free herself from any of this…” she looked around her and sighed, “she has to let go, Dylan….and I just know that she isn’t going to able to do that if she is stuck here”
“Maybe it would do her good, Mary” Dylan stated, looking around the stainless steel kitchen, “maybe she has to BE here to actually let it all go…”
“With her dying mother?” Mary scoffed, “I don’t want her here to see me like this…”
“Have you ever thought of the possibility that she might despise us after she finds out what we’re keeping from her?”
Mary lowered her head and fought back tears, “Every second since my decision not to tell her, Dylan…but I just…I know this is right”
He still remained unconvinced, but seeing his wife in such disarray over it, he let her have her way. It had been a difficult decision when it came to telling or not telling Ella the truth. They were supposed to be a family of strong values, but they were doing wrong to do right. To what extent could you draw the line?
“Are you two finished talking, yet? I forgot the syrup!” Ella shouted, her voice muffled by the sounds of a familiar opening to a TV show.
“Come on in!” Mary said to her, smiling when Ella appeared almost instantly.
Dylan gave his wife one last look of doubt before glancing towards his daughter, “and what in heavens would you do without your syrup?”
Ella shook her head and sighed, “I wouldn’t survive. I just wouldn’t survive…”
“Mary, I know you don’t want to hear this…but please, go back to bed, and I will wake you when Ella is walking out the door”
“I thought we were both taking her to the airport?” Mary asked, glancing back and forth from her daughter to her husband.
“I called a cab, mom” Ella stated, “You need to be home, and dad needs to be with you. Don’t even argue with me, because I know this time that I am utterly and completely correct”
Mary closed her open and ready to debate mouth and swallowed all of her retorts. If only Ella knew how right she had been in that assumption. With a slight sweeping gesture, she coughed and her countenance turned from a cheerful brightness to a weakened state, “I think…I think I need to get back lying down, now” Mary whispered, “I thought I could…”
Ella and Dylan immediately rushed to her side and both lead her to the bedroom. Within a few short minutes, the woman was nestled into an array of sheets and her eyes were already beginning to close, Ella leaned over and kissed her cheek, “I love you mommy….” Dylan’s own endearments were heard as she walked out the door, and in no time at all had he found his way towards the side of Ella, “Dad…I’m not a medical expert- but I don’t think mom has diabetes”
Dylan smiled as assuring as he possibly could, “Don’t worry your head, Ella…the doctors know what they’re doing. It’s our duty to be worried, and I think your doing too good a job for both of us. She’s just weak right now…we have to understand that…”
“I know…I just…I hate seeing her sick…” Ella muttered, “I hate it…”
“Never hate, darling…never hate…one day you’ll understand” with a soft kiss on his daughter’s temple, Dylan wrapped his arms around her and begged for forgiveness inwardly,” it’s all going to be okay…”
----------------------------------------------------
With the simple act of opening a door, Ella felt more refreshed and empowered than she had in weeks. Breathing in the scent of leftover perfume and perhaps something rotten in the refrigerator, Ella felt more at home than she had her entire stay in New Orleans. The hardwood floors, with their constant squeaks, seemed to scream her name in complete and utter joy at the fact that she had come back to them. The curtains billowed, their arms reaching out for her in attempts to be embraced. She was finally home. Leaving her luggage by the door, in a few giant leaps she was right back to what she had dreamt of ever since he first night of that tour- her bed. With a sweeping of her entire body, she landed on the mattress with a thud and immediately felt all the stress and pent up emotion flow from her body and seep themselves into the pillows that held so many tears and fears already.
Within a few minutes, she could feel herself falling asleep, but the shrill ring of a telephone, the dream was truly over. Groaning and reaching for the receiver by her bed, she whispered a quick “why?” to the ceiling above her and then answered with as much gusto as she could possibly muster up, “Hello?”
“Welcome HOME!” Nicola screamed, giggling through the line, “how does it feel to be back? I’m so jealous of you”
Ella smiled, appreciative that the intruder of her solitude was none other than her best friend, “it feels divine”
“A few short days…just give me a few short days and I’ll be right alongside of you”
Ella heard a faint but recognizable voice in the background, “me too!” it agreed, causing Ella to involuntarily smile.
“Is that Justin?”
“Sure is” Nicola said, “I think he’s almost as ecstatic as I am to have you back for one last night”
Ella laughed, “there’s no way he could me any more excited then you are. I mean, puh-lease!”
“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure” Nicola said with a laugh, her much missed accent floating into Ella’s ears with ease, “the boy hasn’t stopped sulking since the day you left…”
Ella could only hear a few distant mumblings, and finally a grunt, and within an instant Nicola’s voice had taken on a very deep and smooth tone, “She’s trying to corrupt your picture of me…I never sulk, Ella, you know that…” Justin said with a smile, more than happy to have taken Nicola’s phone away from her.
“Justin, I have seen you, in our few short weeks together, sulk more than Nicola and I have sulked in our entire lives “ combined!” she paused to laugh at his stunned reaction before continuing, “if you don’t get enough ice in your coke you have to call a waaambulance” Ella chuckled at her own pun and waited for him to respond.
“I think he’s sulking” Nicola said with a grin, “hey, we have to go, love”
“I know…” Ella smiled, “another city to entrance with you guys magic. Wish I was there”
“I wish you were too” Justin said, somehow having taken the phone from Nicola yet another time.
“You know…” Ella said, “I’m beginning to wonder if I haven’t been talking to one of you this whole time. The constant switching of the voices is starting to you know, weird me out…”
“Good” Justin said, clearly satisfied with his ability to take Nicola’s precious cell-phone minutes, “I really do have to go…”
“Bye, Justin…sing your heart out for me…stun the crowd, break a few hearts!”
He flirtatiously replied, “always, my dear, always…”
The blush slowly began to rise from her neck and didn’t stop until it reached the tips of her ears. Why did he do that? It had been too long since she had talked to him, and she wasn’t accustomed to his charm yet,” okayyy…” she said back to him, recovering from the rush that invaded her only moments before, “well, Justin, you need to-“she prepared herself not to laugh and ventured on, “make like a Tom and Cruise!”
Justin couldn’t help but smile at her. He could hear the incessant giggling on her behalf and simply shook his head, “that, Ella, is exactly why I miss you so damn much” he paused and smiled again at her sudden silence, “Later.”
When the click of the phone sounded in her ear, Ella went back to her reclined position and tried to wipe the smile off of her face. When she didn’t succeed, she simply turned over on her stomach and buried her head into the pillow that held all of her secrets, “I miss you too, Justin…” with the echoing sound of a girly giggle, she shivered from pure excitement and stretched out her limbs only to curl them back up into a tight ball underneath the covers, “I miss you too…”
It was only a few short moments before her energy turned into exhaustion and she managed to calm herself of all the adrenaline flowing through her. Nervous scenarios and awkward silences ran through her head when she envisioned seeing him again, but none of them could frighten her enough not to want to see his face any time soon. And Nicola’s of course.
With a quieted and content yawn, she reached over and turned the switch of her light to its off position. She let her fingers take one last run into her tangled hair and smiled when they automatically began to toy with the strands. When she was a little girl, her mother had always told her to play with her hair when she was sleepy. Never knowing whether or not she would pass out into sleep because of the hair twirling, or the simple tiredness of her arms, Ella stood firm on that little tradition. With a smile still glued tightly onto her face, her arms slowly came falling from their position high above her, and they landed softly beside her, the few strands of hair still locked onto her fingers. One thing was definitely true, whether it be an old fable about an easier way to sleep, or one of the most important decisions of ones life…a mother could always be trusted.
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