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Ellena arrived at the pub fifteen minutes later than planned. “Someday I’ll be able to stop using public transportation.” She grumbled to herself as she opened the door to the lounge. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness as she scanned the room for someone she had never met before. Her gaze swept past several tables, two lovers locked in a tight embrace, three young girls playing darts by the video games, a light haired man talking seriously with a large black man that immediately reminded Ellena of Mitch. “Wait a minute.” Ellena said out loud as the black man turned his face towards her and smiled. “That is Mitch.” Her eyes narrowed as she realized he was sitting with Brian Littrel. She slowly walked across the room, wondering what the hell she would say when she reached her destination.
“Well, well, well, what a freakin’ coincidence.” She said sarcastically. Mitch got up and gave her a great big bear hug.
“Missed you sweetheart.” He whispered and held her out at arm’s length so he could look at her. Tears sprang to Ellena’s eyes. The unexpected hug from Mitch had threatened her composure. She smiled weakly, not able to say anything. Brian cleared his throat. Mitch let go of Ellena’s hand and glanced towards the door. “I have to um…visit the little boys room.” He grinned and scurried off. Ellena would have laughed if she hadn’t been left alone with the person who despised her most.
“Sit down, Ellena.” Brian ordered, then less sternly, “Would you like a drink?”
Ellena nodded and glared at Brian. “I have a feeling I’m going to need it.”
Brian signaled for the waitress, who came and took their order, and quickly disappeared. They sat in uncomfortable silence for a few moments. Ellena wondering just what he wanted with her and Brian wondering how to approach the subject of Kevin.
“How have you been?” Brian initiated the conversation.
“Absolutely peachy.” Ellena replied with a sarcastic cheerfulness. “I’d ask you the same question but I just remembered – I don’t care.” She clasped her hands together and leaned back in her chair. More silence. “You know, it was very cruel of you to lure me here in the hopes of a new sponsor for the dance troupe.”
The waitress reappeared with their drinks and set them on the table. Brian waited until they were alone again to reply. “Yes, I’m sorry. I didn’t think you would come if you knew it was me.”
“Damn straight.” Ellena snorted and took a swig of her beer.
“Ellena,” Brian started, not sure of what to say next. “I think that we got off on the wrong foot.”
Ellena’s eyes widened and she slammed her bottle down on the table. “Oh cut the crap, Brian!” She bit off. “Kevin sent you here, didn’t he?”
Brian shook his head. “No. He doesn’t know I’m here.” Brian raked his hands through his hair and frowned. This was not going well at all.
“Then why are you here?” Ellena’s angry eyes burned through him.
More silence, and then. “I know about your brother and what he did to you.”
“So now you feel sorry for me, is that it?”
“No, I just think it was unfair. Nobody deserves to be treated like that.”
“No, nobody does, but I got through it on my own. Do you think I want your sympathy/”
“No, Ellena. Would you give me a chance?”
“The way you gave me a chance when we first met?” She paused. “Fuck you, Brian.” Ellena’s eyes never wavered from his.
Brian broke into a smile. She may have changed her name, but the same determination was still there. “I guess I deserved that.”
“Yeah, you did.” There was a long, tense silence.
“Brian, I know you don’t believe this but I was never out to hurt Kevin. I was never going to take anything from him.”
“I believe you now. But when you left, you stole his happiness, you stole his heart.”
Brian’s last sentence hung in the air like a thick black fog threatening to consume her.
Ellena peeled the label off her bottle and finally asked what she was dying to know. “How is he?”
“He misses you.”
Brian didn’t miss the faint glimmer of hope that surfaced in Ellena’s eyes before fading out. “I’m out of his life now, that’s what you wanted in the first place – remember?”
“Why did you let your brother treat you that way? Why didn’t you leave years ago?”
Ellena sighed. “If I tell you will you leave me alone?”
Brian nodded. The waitress came with another round of drinks and set them on the table.
Ellena then proceeded to tell Brian everything about her childhood. She had grown up without a father and didn’t want Lacey to feel the way she had when she learned her father never wanted her. She told him that it would break her mother’s heart if she ever turned Eric away. Ellena made a promise to her on her deathbed that she would take care of him and that they would always stay close. Her mother knew that Ellena was strong and Eric was as weak-willed as his father. Before she died, she left Ellena the responsibility of keeping the family together, no matter what the cost or sacrifice.
“My mother seemed to think that I was strong enough to handle it.” Ellena finished her story bitterly. She was caught between loyalty to her deceased mother and a good for nothing brother.
“You know Ellena, you and I aren’t that different.” Brian stated, once Ellena stopped talking.
“How so?” She questioned.
“We both would do anything to protect our families.” He replied, besides, that’s all he was trying to do when he warned Kevin about how she could have hurt him.
“That is where you are wrong, Brian. You might do anything to protect your family. I don’t have a family anymore. You and I have nothing in common. Don’t presume to know what it’s like to live my life. You have no idea.”
“You’re right, I don’t. But I know what I see and I see two people who belong together, being kept apart by their foolish pride.” Ellena winced.
“Why did you really come here?” She asked, trying to change the subject.
“I wanted to apologize, to say that I was wrong about you.”
“Well, now you’ve said it.” Ellena stood up and picked up her purse. “I trust that you know your way back to your hotel? I’d escort you but I’m not in that line of work anymore.” She added sarcastically.
Brian watched her retreating figure as she left the pub. Mitch took the seat Ellena had just vacated.
“So, how’d it go?”
Brian shook his head. “I don’t know, Mitch. I honestly don’t know. Two days ago I wouldn’t have cared, but now that I know what I know, I haven’t been able to get this sick feeling out of the pit of my stomach whenever I think of her and Kevin not being together again.”

~*~

Ellena threw her duffel bag on her bed and began to throw clothes out of her closet. She didn’t know where she would go this time but she had to get away. There was no way in hell that she was going to let Kevin Richardson find her this time. There was no way she was going to let him back into her heart again. She didn’t care about him, she didn’t care about anything. And if she kept telling herself that, maybe one day she would believe it too.
Marci came home and heard Ellena talking to herself in her bedroom. She walked down the hallway and peeked in the doorway to see Ellena struggling with the zipper of the canvas bag that held all of her worldly possessions.
“Fuck!” Ellena screamed, shoving the bag on the floor and kicking it repeatedly.
“Lenore? Are you okay?” Marci ventured further into the room.
“My name”, Ellena yelled. “Is not Lenore!”
Marci sat down on the bed and looked at Ellena like she had cracked. “Lenny, what are you talking about?” She asked carefully.
Ellena took one look at her friend and crumpled to the floor. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed against the bed. Marci walked around the clothes thrown across the bedroom floor and knelt beside Ellena. She put her arms around Ellena and smoothed her hair with her hand. Ellena moved so that she was crying on Marci’s shoulder. “Shhh, honey, it’s okay.” Ellena listened to her friend’s soothing words. Ellena lifted her head to look at Marci. “My name isn’t Lenore.” She whispered, then buried her face into Marci’s shirt as hot tears spilled down her face.