Chapter Three-Hundred-Eighty-Nine
When Summer arrived, just as she promised that she would Ann met her and put on a real show of being nice to her in front of her son but making it downright clear to her that she wasn’t liked or accepted at all. Jerald hung around her the whole time making sure that his mother didn’t take her hatred too far and cause any problems, and Ellie stuck close to Kevin making sure she wasn’t caught anywhere alone at all.
“Daddy,” Ellie spoke up in that soft voice that Kevin has only just started to notice that she uses whenever Summer is around as they were all sitting at the table eating Ruben Sandwiches together that Kevin had made for all.
“Yeah princess?” Kevin asked gently as he got up to retrieve a napkin for her. He handed it over to her and she wiped the ketchup from her mouth. Kevin had made french fries to go a long with their sandwiches and Ellie went a little overboard with the ketchup. She suddenly felt Summer’s hateful eyes on her and it took everything in her power not to acknowledge her.
“May I have more fries please?”
“Of course but why don’t you ask your grandmother or Uncle Jerry to get some for you because daddy needs to excuse himself for a moment.”
“I’ll come withs you,” Ellie insisted while sliding off of her chair and looking at him expectantly.
“Uh…honey as much as I love your company, you really can’t join me where I’m going.” Ellie stuck her lower lip out in a pout then and she slid her arms around his leg instantly putting the death grip on him. Kevin sighed softly and glanced at his amused brother and his mother.
“Mom…Jer…a little help here.”
“She’s your daughter Kevin,” Jerald insisted not being able to resist. “I’m sure you can figure something out.” Kevin narrowed his eyes at him then and Jerald just grinned back at him, clearly enjoying himself.
“Just pick her up and put her in her chair and tell her no honey,” Summer spoke up. “If she wants to be a big girl like she claims then she needs to be told how a big girl should behave.” Kevin sighed and lifted Ellie up in his arms.
“No its fine,” He insisted not wanting to give Jerald or his mom any chance to think he isn’t capable of being Ellie’s father. He hugged her close to him and kissed her forehead affectionately and he walked out of the kitchen with her. The moment Kevin was gone, Ann turned to look at Summer with the most un-friendliest look that Jerald has ever seen his mother give and he quickly reached out and grabbed her arm gently as a reminder to behave. Summer just shook her head as she ignored Ann’s venomous glares and looked down at her food.
“He really needs to grow a backbone and learn how to stand up to her or she’ll be walking all over him for the rest of his life.”
“No, what he really needs to do is get rid of you,” Ann snapped making her hatred no secret and Jerald tightened his hold on her hand.
“Ma…” Jerald warned, but Summer just laughed.
“Get rid of me? He’s not going to get rid of me, he loves me.”
“You think he loves you?” Ann asked and she laughed as well. “Oh honey you don’t know anything if you think he loves you. You’re not the first money craving woman that he’s fallen for, trust me.”
“I don’t love Kevin for only his money, I love him for him.” Ann laughed even harder at this and had to put down her sandwich before she choked on it.
“At least he got one with a sense of humor this time I’ll give my son that. But you wont be around much longer once he sees that you are only after his money…and that there is someone very special out there waiting for him. Someone with class, someone who deserves him a lot more then you do.” Jerald ached his eyebrow at his mother in curiosity, as he notices that she’s talking about someone in particular and not just someone out there in general. Just then, Kevin walked in the kitchen with Ellie rested on his hip and smiles on both of their faces and he smiled around at his family and girlfriend.
“How are things going in here?” He asked cheerily.
“Oh peachy,” Ann answered with just a hint of tartness in her voice that Kevin didn’t pick up on much to Jerald’s relief. “I was just having a good laugh with Summer here. She has a really good sense of humor this woman I tell you.”
“Well, I could’ve told you that” Kevin insisted while filling Ellie’s plate up with more fries and sitting down with her in his lap and he kissed the top of her head as she snuggled into him.
“What are you and Ellie so happy about?” Jerald asked curiously, quickly changing the subject.
“I told Ellie that if she was a good girl and went upstairs to clean her room after lunch I would take her to Disney World later on tonight.”
“Well that’s cool, I’m sure you, Ellie, and Summer will have a grand ol’ time,” Jerald replied assuming he would be taking the witch with him.
“I was actually gonna ask you if you wanted to come.” Jerald dropped the French fry that he was just about to take a bite of then and looked completely taken aback for a moment, and then he replied.
“With you, Summer, and Ellie? Nah, I would just feel like the fourth wheel.”
“No, it would just be you, Ellie and me. Summer has already told me that she has plans with some friends tonight.”
“So, I’m just the replacement then? You are only asking me because I’m the only one left to help you with Ellie?” Jerald challenged.
“I’m asking you because you are my brother and I actually wanted to spend sometime with you. But if you are going to act that way…I’ll ask Brian or something.” Jerald stared at him for a long moment, and then deciding that he wasn’t being used, he nodded quietly.
“Okay, I’ll go with you.”
“Please, don’t do it if its going to feel like a hassle, I don’t want you to feel like the hired help or anything like that,” Kevin told him sarcastically.
“All right, all right. I’m sorry I judged you okay? Of course I really want to go with you.”
“Okay,” was all Kevin said and he hugged Ellie closer and lightly rested his chin on top of her head. They all sat there enjoying lunch together for a little while longer, and then Ann spoke up.
“Well anyway, Jer, now that lunch is taken care of you and I have some shopping to do remember? And then I want to take you to Denny’s…I want you to see…how good their pie is.” Jerald looked at her curiously.
“Why? Its not like I haven’t eaten their pie before…” Ann looked at him for a moment, searching for the right words.
“Oh, you’ve never tasted any kind of pie quite like this before, trust me.”
“Well, Okay then,” Jerald replied and he looked at his brother and niece. “I guess we’re going shopping and then to Denny’s…for apparently, some really good pie.”
“Don’ts forget to try the…pie special,” Ellie added playing a long as she knows exactly what Ann is really talking about. “It’s the best.” Kevin rolled his eyes as he too knows what his mother is really talking about and Ann got to her feet, grabbed Jerald’s hand and pulled him up from the table, and she led him out of the kitchen. When they were gone, Kevin looked across the table at Summer who sat there quietly and he smiled at her lovingly causing her to smile sweetly back at him making Ellie instantly feel like she needs to vomit. Kevin looked down at Ellie then, who looked up at him in return.
“Why don’t you go on upstairs and get started on that room okay? I’m gonna clean up the kitchen while Summer and I have a conversation between grownups.”
“Gladly,” Ellie replied wanting to get as far away from the gross scene in front of her as much as possible and she slid down off of his lap. He narrowed his eyes at her playfully then before lowering his head down to her height and she leaned up and pecked his lips before walking out of the kitchen. As soon as the kitchen door behind her was shut she ran up the stairs and into her room, shut the door behind her and locked herself in, and then she went on over to her stereo. She hit the play button and switched it to the number six track of Millennium before turning it up loud enough that Kevin and Summer would surely hear it and Don’t Want You Back came blaring out of the speakers. Smiling triumphantly to herself and feeling mighty safe in her room with the door locked, she instantly got started on cleaning her room like she promised so that her daddy would take her to Disney World later.
~*~*~*~*~
“Are we there yet?” Julie whined in the backseat of Doctor Johnson’s car after having been sitting there all morning and all afternoon as they drove to Oklahoma.
“Almost,” Doctor Johnson answered with a cheery grin. “Just have a go at another round of word search with Peyton and before you know it we’ll be pulling into the driveway.” Julie heaved an exaggerated sigh.
“But my butt is asleep and I hafta pee.” Doctor Johnson and Peyton both laughed amusedly and Annabelle gave Julie a look through the side view mirror that made her daughter stare back at her innocently.
“Julie! ”
“I mean…my butt is asleep and I really hafta use the potty.”
“I’m sure there is a rest stop up ahead somewhere kiddo, can you hold it?” Doctor Johnson asked her in the same chipper mood that he’s been in all day and Annabelle gazed at him curiously in the front passengers seat.
“I guess so,” Julie replied feeling slightly grumpy and Annabelle reached over and gently rubbed the back of Doctor Johnson’s neck.
“Why are you in such a chipper mood huh? I mean I know we’re headed back to your hometown and everything, but you’ve been behind that wheel since six in the morning. I would be as grumpy as Julie back there if the roles were reversed.”
“I’m just excited is all. I haven’t driven home to see my brother in years it’s always been the other way around.” Annabelle sat there quietly gazing at him in wonder for a couple of moments. Its more then that, and she knows it. Her gorgeous Doctor is a man on a mission right now and she is anxious to find out what that is.
“Well I bet he’ll be just as excited as you are then, huh? I haven’t known Brandon for very long but I bet he’s running around that home of yours like a headless chicken trying to make everything perfect for your return.” Doctor Johnson laughed at this.
“Yes that sounds like Brandon all right. We’ll have to watch him while we’re there because he’ll see this as an excuse to go completely overboard with the cooking if we let him.”
“Can I play up in the Tree House while we’re there Stevie?” Julie asked hopefully from the backseat. Annabelle smiled at Doctor Johnson warmly.
“I see you’ve been telling her all about Kayline and her Tree House.”
“I haven’t said a thing to her about the Tree House,” Doctor Johnson insisted with a shrug of his shoulders. “Didn’t you?”
“No, but she’s been going on and on about it lately, I thought maybe you’ve been telling her stories or something.” Doctor Johnson shook his head as he gazed back at the seven-year-old in curiosity.
“Huh, interesting. Maybe she just over heard you and I talking about it or something. Kids pick up on things really easily like that.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Doctor Johnson agreed, but he continued to gaze back at Julie through the rear view mirror as he drove. “Of course you can sweetheart,” he told her after a moment and he smiled at her some. “I’m sure it would be good for that old Tree House to have a little girl playing inside it again. I might have to go up there and make sure there aren’t any spider webs or anything like that first though all right?”
“Kay,” Julie replied happily.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Daddy,” Ellie spoke softly as she walked into the kitchen and found Summer sitting on the counter next to the sink as he was in the process of doing the dishes.
“Yeah Princess?” Kevin asked gently as he turned and looked at her with a loving smile. “You aren’t finished cleaning your room all ready are you? I was sure that would take you quite awhile with the way its been looking lately.”
“No I’m nots finished but my nose is all stuffy an’ I can’ts breathe,” Ellie complained and as if to prove her statement, Kevin could hear it everytime she spoke.
“Aww…my poor baby,” Kevin told sympathetically and he turned the sink off before going on over and gathering her in his arms so he is cradling her. “It’s a good thing daddy picked up some cold medicine at the store huh?” he asked her while going on over to the medicine cabinet and getting out what she needed. When Ellie saw the box of medicine in his hands she looked at it as if it were a can of muddy worms and she looked up at him with a you don’t expect me to take that do you? kind of look. He gently sat her on the counter then before opening up the box of brand new medicine. Soon enough he had it poured inside the medicine dropper and he held it up to her mouth. Ellie clinched her mouth shut and looked away from him stubbornly.
“Come on honey, I know it’s not the best tasting stuff in the world but it will take care of that stuffy nose and the awful cough that Josh informed me about this morning. He says you were coughing all night and it didn’t sound good and that he was concerned.”
“No.”
“Yes,” Kevin insisted and he looked at Summer.
“Sum, will you do me a favor and pour a small cup of water for me please?” He asked and as she reluctantly got down from her perch on the counter to do as was requested of her, Kevin looked down at Ellie. “As soon as you take it I’ll instantly replace the dropper with some water and maybe that wont make the taste seem so bad.” Ellie ignored Kevin now as she watched Summer carefully to make sure she doesn’t try anything funny with her water. Not that she would get away with it, seeing as how water is clear but still. When Summer had a cup of water poured she handed it to Kevin and he held the medicine dropper to her mouth once again. Ellie glowered at him before reluctantly opening her mouth and allowing him to drop the medicine in it. Soon as he did, she made a really disgusted face and closed her mouth up once more refusing to swallow.
“You need to swallow it princess, having the taste in there is only making it worse.” Ellie’s eyes began to water up as the taste of the medicine was beginning to be too much for her. Wanting more then anything to get rid of it but not wanting it to go down her throat either, Ellie did the only thing she could think of. She opened her mouth and coughed causing medicine to fly out of her mouth and land all over Summer’s shirt.
“Damnit Ellie!” Kevin cursed feeling slightly irritated and he looked at Summer who stared down at her shirt in complete and total shock until finally the reaction he’d feared finally came. She shrieked in horror and looked back and forth from Ellie to Kevin a couple of times before settling her eyes on him.
“This was a very expensive Abercrombie shirt, Kevin!” she informed him and Ellie burst into sobs at the realization at what she had done and the big trouble that she knows she is going to be in the moment she is left alone with Summer. Kevin sighed heavily.
“I’m sorry honey I’ll wash it for you all right? Just go ahead and take it off and go put one of my shirts on while I take care of Ellie,” he insisted while gently grabbing her up off of the counter and then the medicine and her water and he headed upstairs to her room. Summer glowered after him angrily as he went and she waited until the door was closed all the way before speaking low under her voice.
“I’ll take care of her for you…just you wait.”
When Kevin got upstairs with Ellie he crossed the room to her stereo and went to turn it off when Ellie shrieked in protest.
“Daddy no! I want it on, please…” Kevin looked at her for a moment and then twisted the volume dial so that it was turned down and then he brought her over to her bed and laid her down in it before sitting with her.
“Now you are going to let me give you this medicine, swallow it, take a drink of your water and stay in bed for the rest of the day or guess what? There won’t be any Disney World for you tonight, do you understand?” He told her firmly. Ellie nodded tearfully and she lay there watching him as he poured more medicine into the dropper. When it was ready he held it up to her mouth. She stared at it in displeasure for a long moment, and then finally opened up and allowed him to drop more medicine in. She made the same face as earlier as she slowly swallowed it and he helped her get a drink.
“I’m supposeds to be cleaning daddy, remember?” she asked weakly as he got up and covered her up with her blankets.
“Yes I remember but that was before I knew your cold was getting worse. You need to stay in bed and rest up or I’m afraid there won’t be any Disney World for you until you’re completely better.”
“Where’s Donalds?” Ellie whimpered and Kevin went over and grabbed it off of her window seat before bringing it over to her and she took it from him and held it close. Kevin leaned down and kissed the top of her head softly.
“Let me know when you get tired of listening to music and maybe daddy will bring up a movie for you to watch in here okay?” Ellie nodded quietly and he turned and walked out of the room to take care of his fuming girlfriend when suddenly his phone rang.
Author's Chapter Notes:
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Enjoy =)
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