Addicted To Greed (13 page)

With this Ella jumped into the seat, reversed the car and drove
off at an acceptable speed, never forgetting her mother standing
at the end of their drive watching and waving, feeling very
proud. When she returned several hours later, she saw her
mother sat with her head in her hands rocking back and forth in
the rocker; she hadn’t noticed Ella’s presence. Ella stood in
shock for all of two minutes and her mother she still hadn’t
realised she was there. The first thing Ella noticed was a hefty
pile of papers on the floor, just in front of her mother’s feet,
upon further inspection she realised that they seemed to be
official documents, she automatically reached out to grab them
and her mother snapped out of her trance like state.

“No, Ella Please, don’t look at them!”

But her mother’s response was too slow and Ella reached them
just in time. She witnessed her mother slumping back into the
rocker holding onto her body as if it was her dear life.

Ella took a seat opposite and began to read the documents, they
turned out to be a divorce papers from her father, and her father
was petitioning her mother for a divorce. She couldn’t bear to
read any further, she was in a state of shock and so many
questions ran through her head, as to why? After all her
mother’s years of devoted loyalty to him, and now this? What
would happen to Destiny and Chase? Would her father try and
get custody of them to? So many questions were making her
head dizzy with little or no answers to follow. Ella made her
way to the drinks cabinet and poured herself and her mother a
neat whisky.

“Please drink this mum!”

Ella found an enormous sense of relief when her mother gulped
down the dark brown spirit as she did at the same time. She
soon pored them another one, as they both sat there in silence.
Ella remembered sometime after their shot that her mother
finally broke the silence and began talking. It turned out that
Ella’s fathers work wasn’t the only thing that drew him over to
America, he had also met a women, with he had been having an
affair with who once lived in France, then emigrated to the
states. Her father had been cohabitating with this new woman
all the time he was over in the states, living a double life,
betraying them all, especially her mother. Ella eventually
realised that she could never forgive him and that is why if she
ever needed advise from her father he would be the last person
she would turn to.

Now, presently ten years on from that dreadful childhood
memory, she still hadn’t forgiven her father for his dishonesty
and breaking her dear mother’s heart.

♣

Ella met up with Destiny for lunch at Cassidy’s, it was their
Friday treat, both had finished with their working week, and
their weekend was just beginning. Ella arrived late as usual,
upon arrival she noticed Destiny was wearing a grim and
frustrated expression, sitting alone sipping on a martini, clock
watching.

“Sorry I am
late; Queen Elizabeth had me setting up the new
dummy brides in the shop windows, as she insisted it was the
last thing left to do before I left for the weekend.”
“Talking of leaving, I was just about to do the same thing, good
job I ordered one of these, to settle my acute anxious state!”

Ella noticed that Destiny was on her second Martini on the rocks
and Destiny was showing early signs of slurring her words.
Both girls soon found themselves giggling at this.

Ella asked curiosity,
“Hope you’ve ordered me the same!”
“It’s already on its way Ella.”
Ella loved how they could sense each other’s needs.
“Good, let’s have a few before we order any lunch.”

Ella was feeling quite flat, and while Destiny sensed this, she
tried her best to avoid the subject of Ian, although Ella couldn’t.

“He still hasn’t called, do you know how many times I’ve
checked the answering machine, skipping through all the
messages, in the hope that the next one is from him? I even went
as far as calling the operator asking if there was a fault with my
line, she ran some tests and said there doesn’t appear to be any
faults. I felt like such a fool.”

“God Ella, you’ve got it real bad, have you not considered
calling him?”

“Y
eah, but I guess I’m scared of taking the initiative, he may
think I’m a little forward with my advances and this may put
him off!”
“I doubt it; look at the way you both met? If Ian was the type to
shy away from women, especially after you knocked him down,
he would of definitely made some excuses on not to accept your
drink offer and I’m sure he would of looked for the nearest
escape route!”

“Yeah, I guess you are right.”

“Maybe he has been busy and will call you when he has free
time, after all it’s the weekend, and my guess is he will be in
touch.”

“I hope your right sis!”

They ordered a light lunch, Ella barely touched hers. Destiny
ordered some Feta cheese delight, wolfing hers down at an
incredible pace. The whole Ian business had certainly kerbed
Ella’s appetite, she hardly touched a thing. After their fourth
martini, they both said their goodbyes; Destiny decided she
would have more retail therapy whilst Ella retreated to her
apartment for a siesta, feeling the effects of the martini whilst on
an empty stomach. It wasn’t the best idea she thought, but what
the hell at least it made her forget about Ian Dumbridge for a
few hours. As Ella entered her apartment, thoughts of checking
her answering machine deserted her in her light headed state as
she headed straight for her bed, just hitting the pillows and
falling into a deep sleep.

It was eight o clock before she woke, vaguely trying to
remember if she had slept through until the next morning,
looking out of the bedroom window was proof she had. She
quickly got up and headed for the kitchen and turned the coffee
machine on, in need of a caffeine boost. She still felt a little
disorientated, and that’s when she noticed her answering
machine was flashing with four new messages, her heart began
to race, she must have been in a coma not to hear the telephone
ring, and there it was the message she had been longingly
awaiting, Ian’s voice inviting her out to dinner tonight. She
replayed the short message again like a love struck teenager
incapable of doing anything else but clinging onto his every
word, she nearly missed the part about calling him back to
confirm if she could make it or not. Gazing towards the clock
she realised it was too early to call him back and decided to
indulge in caffeine. After her first mug of coffee she got a
sudden attack of the butterflies in her lower abdomen. What on
earth was she going to say? Without sounding too thrilled? What
if it went to answering machine? How she hated talking to them,
she began working herself up into a panic, soon realising it was
also Destiny’s and her weekly night out on the town. She called
Destiny in the heat of her panic.

“You’ll never guess who’s been in touch?”
“My god, I think I know who!” Destiny replied sounding
thrilled.

“He’s
invited me out for dinner tonight.”
“That’s fabulous, do you want me to come over and help you
dig something out to wear?”

“Yeah, course but it’s also our night out to. I haven’t accepted
his invitation yet!”
“Nonsense, you must accept, we can go out anytime. I’m on my
way over.”

Ella heard Destiny hang up excited that she only lived a few
blocks away, which meant that Destiny would be here in less
than twenty minutes, which gave Ella enough time to pluck the
courage to call Ian.

Ian luckily picked up after the second ring, they exchanged a
few nervous pleasantries and Ella thought that Ian sounded
pleased that she´d accepted his invitation and asked if she would
like for him to pick her up? Ella agreed eagerly and agreed that
seven thirty would be great. Hanging the phone up, she felt an
enormous sense of relief, she’d done it.

As soon as Destiny arrived the first thing Ella noticed was the
enormous suitcase on wheels.
Ella asked curiously, “Are you planning on moving in with
me?”

Desti
ny burst out laughing, “I don’t think so, as much as I love
you, it’s also great to have my own apartment only a few blocks
away.”
“Then are you going to share with me what’s exactly in your
case, the suspense is killing me?”

“There’s time yet! It’s a litt
le surprise for you and your big date.
I hope you’ve managed to get some Earl grey on the go, I’m
parched lugging this heavy case around.”

With that Ella gave Destiny a huge hug as they air kissed one
another.
“You’re one in a million little sis; you’ve no idea how much this
means to me!”
“Trust me with the loved up expression on your face I think do!”
“Have you got any other plans today except helping you’re love
struck sis out?”

“No
, you’ve got my undivided attention all day if you like,
although I have an appointment for my nails at three, I’d rather
not miss, but seen as it’s you I can always cancel!”

“Are you joking I’d never be held accountable for getting in the
way of your talons, besides it leaves us plenty of time!”

Ella felt a tint of guilt for Destiny, she wished that she would
meet someone really nice; she knew Destiny was lonely, just
like she was, but wouldn’t admit it; it wasn’t as though Destiny
was short of offers, occasionally taking them up. Ella had only
known her to have one boyfriend and that was her first love,
with a guy named Spencer Pratt. Destiny had met him in the first
semester at university, it lasted two whole years and Destiny
really thought he was the love of her life, until he decided when
he graduated that he wanted to see more of the world and globe
trot for a few years before settling down into a conventional job
and committing to the sin of marriage. Spencer didn’t invite
Destiny and encouraged her to see other people, in other words
he was breaking up with her, because it was him who clearly
wanted to do so. Ella hated him for breaking her sisters heart
and remembered calling him a self centered rat on a number of
occasions, although it was well over three years ago now and
Ella sensed that Destiny still hadn’t fully got over him as she
would occasionally still bring him into conversation. Destiny
confessed to Ella that for the first six months of his travels
Spencer would write to her and she would occasionally write
back, then the letters stopped and Destiny never heard from him
again.

“I’ll give you a penny for your thoughts Ella!”
Ella soon snapped out of the past and replied playfully, “You
couldn’t afford them, they’d cost you millions!”

“Glad this love business hasn’t taken away
your sense of humor;
I was worried for a moment that you’re on the way to getting all
serious and boring!”

They engaged in conversation, debating on what Ella should
wear. Destiny opened the top compartment of her suitcase and
Ella gasped in disbelief as she laid eyes on every possible
accessory for any occasion.

Destiny handed over a small gift wrapped box, “This is my
surprise for you, go ahead and open it!”

Ella couldn’t believe
her eyes upon opening the gift wrap
revealing a small green leather box. Opening the box gently she
gasped breathlessly, they were the daintiest diamond earrings
she had ever seen.

“I can’t possible accept these, they are far too extravagant a
gift!”

“
Nonsense, I was holding out for your birthday next month, but
couldn’t any longer, as now you have the perfect occasion to
wear them. They’ll bring you luck and I’m not going to face the
embarrassment of returning them, there yours and if you don’t
accept them, I’ll be deeply offended!”

Ella looked directly into
Destiny’s eyes realising she was
adamant, it was pointless arguing with her little sis, as she could
be so stubborn, and Ella knew that she meant it well.

“These are the best gift I’ve ever received. I’ll treasure them,
thank you so much sis!”

Ella
couldn’t contain her excitement, she put them straight into
her pierced ears, and they looked beautiful. After talking
endlessly all morning and afternoon, about their mother, father,
and Chase and the heartache they both shared for their mother
and Chase in the absence of their selfish father, Destiny reached
for her bag.

“It’s time I was going, I can’t miss my nail appointment and
besides I’m sure you’ll find the perfect outfit, now we’ve
rearranged the entire contents of your closet. Remember don’t
forget to accessorize!”

“No problem D
estiny, how could I forget, you’ve left me all the
accessories any woman could ever dream of. I had no idea you
had so much, you lucky thing. Good luck with your nails, what
weird and wonderful colour are you experimenting with today?”

“Not sure yet thinking about a deep metallic purple, or maybe
even black with silver sequences.”

They both exchanged hugs and said their goodbyes. Ella
assured Destiny that she’d be the first to know how her date
goes with Ian.

With much deliberation Ella settled for her black lace evening
dress as it hid a multitude of sins, making her waist look tiny
and her legs long and lean, flesh colored satin tights, as they
were all the craze in the nineties, no girl or women was without
them and her sequenced black ballerina pumps as she recalled
that she was a few inches taller than Ian and they wouldn’t add
to her height. She applied minimal make up with the lightest
shade of fuchsia pink lipstick, black mascara to accentuate the
great length of her eyelashes. In Destiny’s dreamy accessory
case, she opted for a green Esmeralda facet ring, a necklace with
the daintiest green sparkle. Once finished she admired her
silhouette in her oversized full length mirror, happy with the
final result. She felt and looked amazing, stunning in fact,
without been over the top, now all she had to do was wait for her
prince charming and not over indulge into her third glass of
wine, as she was already feeling a little tipsy, it had clearly
settled her nerves although she couldn’t stop the butterflies in
her lower stomach.