Ellie just sat there and stared into space. She
didn’t know how to react. She just looked at her parents in shock. It took her a few moments before she could say
anything. “When do we have to leave?” she asked them still staring into space.
“Well we needed to sign some papers with the clinic
and they want to talk to you to make sure that this is what you want also but
as your parents because you’re underage you still have to do what we want. So
we need to go back tomorrow.” Cecelia told her.
Putting her hand to her forehead and rubbing, “Yeah
ok. I need to go for a walk.” She said standing up.
“But it’s getting dark out Sweetie.” Her Mom told
her.
“It’s ok I just need to get out of here.” She said as
she went for the door.
“But you don’t have a coat Ellie!” her Mom yelled.
But she just left fast.
“I know where she’s going. She’s just going next
door.” Marsha told them.
“To see that boy right?” Cecelia said. Marsha and
Michael just looked at each other and nodded.
Ellie really didn’t seem to know where she was going.
She was just looking around and walked down to the end of the driveway. Then
she had seen John’s car in his driveway and decided to walk up it. When she got
up to the porch she didn’t know what to do. Should she knock, ring the
doorbell? She really had never been over his house before. She thought that was
funny and strange all at the same time. She stood there for a few minutes and
decided against it. She was too upset to bring down their mood so she just sat
in one of the chairs and curled up in a ball.
The family had just eaten and Carol was cleaning up
in the kitchen. John Sr. was in the living room and was watching the six
O’clock news. Tony and Matty were doing their homework as John was upstairs
listening to music and trying to figure out what his next step was going to be
in the group because he was writing some songs. He thought he would try them
out on Ellie and see what she thought of them when he heard the phone ring. He
heard his Dad yell that he would get it.
The next thing
was his Dad yelled up to him. “John could you please come down here for a
minute?”
“COMING!” John yelled. He wondered what his Dad could want. Jogging
down the stairs, “Yeah Dad what’s up?” he asked him.
Looking up the stairs as John thought was strange,
“By any chance is Ellie up there with you?” he asked his son.
John looked at his Dad liked he lost his mind. Carol
who was in the kitchen heard this and of course came out and walked over to
them. “Um no why?” he asked then looking at his Dad asked, “Ok why is there
something wrong? Is she ok? What the Hell Dad?” he started getting
nervous.
“Ok calm down that was Michael apparently she left
the house about an hour ago and she hasn’t come back yet and she didn’t bring a
coat with her. Now get this she left because her parents are here and I guess
they had a little tiff. Michael didn’t go into it but she just left upset. So
he thought maybe she might have come over here to talk to you.” John Sr.
explained to them.
That was all John needed to hear. “I’ll be back in a
little while.” He said as he went to grab his coat.
“And where do you think you’re going” Carol asked
him.
Huffing, “I’m going to look for her Mom what do you
think I’m going to do?” John said rather loudly.
“Well then I think you would do better if you took
your father with you. You can do better with the two of you looking.” She said.
They both looked at her like she had two heads. “Well don’t be so surprised
will you?” She told them as she made a puckered face at them.
Just then Matty walked over to them and said, “Mom
there’s someone sleeping on the porch?”
“What honey?” Carol asked her son.
“There’s someone sleeping on the porch? I just went
to turn on the porch light for Dad and John and I saw out the window that there
is someone sleeping on the porch.” Matty told them.
John flew to the front door and opened it and as he
went out there on the chair in the corner of the porch was Ellie curled up on
the chair. He sighed and went over to her as she felt cold as ice. So he picked
her up and brought her in the house. “Mom, Mom she’s freezing, please do
something.” He begged his mother.
“Put her over on the couch Johnny. John Honey get the
blankets out of the closet in the den I think I have one of the heated ones in
there. I’m going to get the hot water going for some tea. Then I’m going to
call Marsha and let them know that we found her.” Carol told John.
“But Mom there’s a reason she ran off couldn’t we
just wait a while at least until she tells me why?” John asked his Mom.
“I’m sorry John but if her parents are here then they
are scared to death wondering where the hell she is and if she’s ok? If this
was you I would be besides myself. And the way you talk about her and her
family she is very close to them. I have to call ok?” Carol explained to him.
“Fine but I don’t have to like it.” He told her back.
John Sr. came back with the heated blanket and John
wrapped her up in it. He started it off on low and sat by her and held her very
cold hand and kissed the top off her head.
Carol got the water going and then went to the
telephone. John Sr. then asked her, “Telephoning the Levine’s?”
“Yes it must be what I think it is don’t you?” she
asked her husband.
“Well let’s see her parents are here and she took
off. They’re taking her home. I think we’re going to be going thru the same
thing don’t you think Honey?” John asked his wife.
“Well to be honest at least we don’t have to worry so
much we have the boy he’s street smart not as naive as she is.” She told John
Sr.”
“Don't tell me you’re going soft on me Dear?” John
wanted to know?
“Who Me?” she asked him as she put her hands to her
chest and smiled.
Carol called next door and Marsha answered the phone
and was relieved that Ellie was safe. She told them that they would be right
over to get her. Carol asked them if they could at least wait a while seeing
that she did come by to talk to John and that maybe she should get that chance
to do so. Marsha put her on hold for a moment so she could ask her Uncle and
Aunt. A few minutes later she came back on and told her that would be fine but
by eleven they would come and get her. Carol told her that would be fine. Carol
hung up the phone and relayed the info to her son and husband.
John was getting antsy and wanted her to wake up. He
was getting worried now that she wasn’t waking up. So he decided to take her
arms and rub them down to get the flow of blood going and hope to warm her up
this way also. He also tried talking to her asking her to wake up anything he
could think of. After a few minutes of this she started to come around.
“MOM! MOM! I THINKS SHE’S STARTING TO WAKE UP!” he
screamed to his mother.
“John I don’t think the whole neighborhood heard
you.” She told him as she carried in the tea. “Here give her this as she starts
to waken a little more alright?” she told him as she put the tea on the table. “I’m
going back in the den with your father if you need anything else come and get
me DO NOT YELL alright.” She told her eldest.
Her son promised not to yell again unless something
drastic happens. When he was sure his mother was out of the room he leaned into
her and kissed her on her soft lips hoping that she would wake up a little
faster. When he pulled away he was disappointed that it only worked in fairy
tales. So he continued to rub her arms and within the next few minutes he heard
some moaning and when he looked up she was starting to move her head. So he
grabbed her face and gently rubbed her cheeks and it didn’t take long for her
to start to open her eyes.
“That’s it baby open your eyes come on open your eyes
I know you can do it.” He was cheering her on. It didn’t take her long only
because she swore she could hear his voice and wasn’t sure if it was a dream or
not. She was finally able to open them and in front of her as a fuzzy but
gorgeous John she thought. She was shaking all over as John asked her, “Ellie
Baby can you hear me?”
“J…John?” was all she could get out as her teeth were
chattering she was so cold.
“Hey baby that’s it just take your time I’m here.” He
told her as he pulled up the heated blanket so she would be covered a little
bit more.
“Wh…where am I?” she asked him as she was a little
discombobbled.
“You’re at my house Ellie, do you remember coming
over here?” John asked her.
“N…n…no. Why am I s…so cold?” she asked him.
“Because we found you sleeping out on the porch. Why
didn’t you knock to come in Baby?” he asked her concerned.
“D…don’t kn…know.” she told him.
“Ok, ok maybe when you warm up you’ll remember, here
Mom made some tea for you I want you to try and drink some.” He said as he
lifted her head and then put the tea cup to her mouth as she sipped the tea.
She took a few sips and then John put it back down on the table. “How does that feel Ellie any better?” he
asked her hoping at least it was starting to warm her up just a little. She
shooked her head yes. “Ellie what the hell were you thinking? You could have
froze to death out there.” He told her angrily at her even thou he tried hard
not to.
Ellie just turned her head so she didn’t have to look
at him as the tears started to flow. John saw this and now felt like a heel.
“Ellie please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make you cry Baby. I’m sorry you just
scared the hell out of me that’s all.” He told her as he lifted her and held
her in his arms. “Now sh sh, it’s going to be ok I’ve got you you’re safe now I
promise.” He told her as he held her tighter than he ever did.
“John I have to tell you something.” She said into
his chest.
“Ok are you remembering why you came over Sweetie?”
he asked her looking down at her.
“Yeah I guess.” she said as the tears just kept
coming.
“Ok then do you remember why you didn’t knock to come
in?’ he wanted to know.
“Y…yes I didn’t want to b…burden you with this.” she
told him as the tears were now running down her face.
“Ok Ellie I can’t help you if you don’t tell me
what’s going on. Why were you out on the porch? If fact why did you run away in
the first place?” Jon needed to know.
“My parents are here.” She told him still crying.
“And?” he asked getting frustrated.
“They want to take me home John! They want to take me
home.” She told him again putting her face into his chest as he just looked
straight ahead. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He knew this day would
be coming he just didn’t know that it would be this soon. So he just held her
tighter so he could remember everything about her. The way she felt, the way
she smelled, the way she fitted into his arms, the way her hair felt, every
little thing was going thru his mind.
Finally he asked her, “When, when are they going to
take you away from me?”
“I don’t know I just took off when they told me. I
couldn’t handle it and I needed to get some air. So I just walked out the
door.” She told him.
“They let you walk out without a coat?” he wanted to
know.
“I don’t think they had a choice. Plus I think Marsha
thought I’d be coming over here anyway so?” she said numb too.
“They didn’t think that you weren’t going to come and
get me thou. “ he said as she jumped in.
“I told you I didn’t want to bother you and plus I
didn’t know how to tell you ok! Can we just leave it at that please? I made a
mistake I was trying to figure out how to tell you and apparently I fell
asleep. I’m sorry what more do you want me to say John.” She was saying to him
as he jumped in.
“No I’m sorry ok? I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s
just that you scared the hell out of me that’s all. It’s just that I love you
so damn much and the thought of anything happening to you well…” he told her
while hugging her tight. “Look I’m going to go tell my folks that your awake
and what’s happening you know why you were coming over here and everything. Are
you going to be ok for just a little bit?’ he asked her. She told him that she
would and he left to go talk to his parents as she finished her tea.
John found his parents in the den watching t.v. “Hey
can I talk to you guys for a minute?” he asked them sounding upset.
Carol looking at her son knew something was wrong.
“John what’s wrong? There was a reason she came over here wasn’t there?” she
asked him having a feeling that she knew what it was.
“Yeah her parents are here for a reason. I guess they
didn’t like the results that they were getting from the clinic so they asked
for a few things and I don’t know anyway they came here and told her that they
were taking her home.” They could hear a hitch in his voice.
“Oh Sweetheart I’m sorry but you knew this was
coming. You both did.” Carol told him as she got up from her chair to walk over
to him.
“Mom I don’t need to hear I told you so’s right now ok
I just need my parents.” He told her as he really tried not to cry because he
was a guy and guys don’t cry.
John Sr. also got up and walked over to the two of
them. “Well John you have us and we’ll do what we can alright? First thing
how’s Ellie taking this other than taking off?” he wanted to know.
“About like I am she’s upset and needed to talk but
then she didn’t want to burden any of us so she decided to sit down for a
minute and think it thru then fell asleep. You know the rest, man she could
have froze to death if Matty did see her lying there.” John said upset.
“Well she’s one lucky girl.” John Sr. said. “Why
don’t we take her back and then we can at least meet her folks how does that
sound?” John Sr. asked.
“Can’t she just stay here for a little while Dad?”
John asked him as if almost pleading.
“John she’s going to have to go back some time so we
might as well go now and go with her.” His father told him. “So why don’t you
go out and tell her while your mother and I grab our coats and tell your
brothers.” John Sr. said.
John went back in the living room and explained to
her that he and his parents were going to take her back next door. She really
didn’t want to go but she understood. John went and got his coat and one for
her. But before his parents came into the room he snuck a quick kiss in just in
case they weren’t able to when he leaves her.
*********************************************************************
Back at the Levine’s Paul was wearing the carpet thin
as Michael was trying to calm him down and the women where in the kitchen
getting the coffee. Cecelia thought it was best that neither of them should be
drinking at a time like this. They brought the coffee into the living room and
they all sat trying to make conversation when the front door bell rang. Marsha
was the first one up to get it. Opening the door there stood Ellie and the
Bongiovi’s.
“Ellie oh my God Honey are you ok?” she asked her
cousin.
“Yeah I’m fine.” She told her as they walked in.
“John, Carol thank you for bringing her back. Oh let
me introduce you to my Aunt and Uncle, Paul and Cecelia Anderson this is Carol
and John Bongiovi and their son John.” Marsha told them as Ellie and John were
hand in hand. They all shook hands and then Paul came to John and John gave him
a good handshake.
“I’m sorry our daughter bothered you in any way but
she received some unwanted news and decided to just take off instead of talking
to us about it.” Cecelia told them.
“She didn’t bother us did she Mom?” John interjected
upset.
“No Dear she didn’t you see, Cecelia correct? My son
and your daughter have been seeing each other about a month since she arrived.
So we know her very well she’s a very nice girl and my son is very taken with
her. Anyway we just thought that we would bring her back and introduce
ourselves.” Carol explained to them.
“Well I’m glad you did only because we knew of your
son but not to the extent of their friendship. She only told us the he was a
friend of hers not a boyfriend.” Cecelia told them giving her daughter the eye.
John just squeezed her hand as he listened to all
this as she just looked at him with an apologetic smile. He gave her a wink
that told her that it was alright. Finally they all took a seat as Ellie’s
parents explained to them what brought them there and why. What the doctors
said and how they thought they wanted to do more exams on her to see if they
could pin point the exact location to trigger that was causing her pain, but as
they thought about it more they realized they were just using her as a guinea
pig and they thought that she was being put through enough. Cecelia could see as they were talking that
Ellie and John were holding hands the entire time. She realized that this was
going to be very difficult for her daughter to leave here. But if this was
meant to be they would find a way to be together some way in the future but not
right now.
“Look we’ll be leaving tomorrow afternoon because your
Dad needs to get back to work on Monday Ellie and we have a lot to do over the
weekend. I can see that you and John are very fond of each other and if you two
want to continue having Oh My a relationship well if it’s meant to be you two
will find a way. But right now you need to come home with us. Do you
understand?” he mother asked her.
With her heart sinking she looked at John then at her
parents. “Yeah I understand. I don’t have to like it but I do understand.” She
told them sadly. “Can I say goodbye to John at least?” she asked.
“Oh course you can.” Her father told her.
They walked into the kitchen and when they were out
of everyone’s eye sight they just grabbed each other tight.
“John what are we going to do?” she asked as the
tears started all over again.
“I don’t know Baby we’ll just do what we can ok?
We’ll call each other and write and when I turn eighteen I can come to
Massachusetts and visit you. Then once you turn eighteen then we can figure out
what we want to do. It will go by fast I promise.” He told her as he kissed the
top of her head.
“No it won’t and you know that. John I’ll die without
you.” She told him holding him tight.
“No you won’t ok, just think of the time when I turn
eighteen ok. That will help and I’ll save up so I’ll have my own room and we
can be together just you and me. I promise it will work out, we will be
together. Look I’ll call in sick tomorrow that way we can spend all morning
together before you leave. I love you Ellie we’ll get thru this.” he told her
and gave her such a kiss that it curled her toes. Next thing they heard was
Carol calling his name so they went back into the living room. Carol and John
Sr. told him and Ellie that they had to get back to the boys so they should be
leaving. They all made they’re goodbye’s and John told her he’d see her
tomorrow. Carol looked at her son and he just gave her the eye.
Once home Carol asked John what was all that about
seeing Ellie in the morning and John told her not to freak out about it but he
was going to call in sick tomorrow so he could spend his last day with her.
Carol was about to argue with him but John Sr. stop her. He told his son to go
to bed so the morning would get here faster. Once John went upstairs he said to
his wife, “What was all that about?”
“What?” she asked him.
“You know damn well. You were going to argue with him
about taking the day off tomorrow to say goodbye to her. I mean really Carol
it’s one day.” John Sr. told her pissed.
“Well I didn’t and you were right to shh me. Tonight
wasn’t the night just a bad habit. Let’s just go to bed also it’s been a long
day.” She told her husband trying very hard to hold her grin in.
*********************************************************************
Ellie wasn’t talking to anyone as the Bongiovi’s
left. She just went to her room in a huff.
“She’ll get over it Aunt Cecelia just give her time.”
Marsha told as she was trying to comfort her.
“She in love so she’s not going to get over it for a
while. But she can’t stay here forever and after a while they will forget
they’re young. Marsha I need to get Paul out of here before he blows. We’ll be
back here early just take care of my baby and don’t let her run off with him
please?” Cecelia asked her niece.
“I won’t Aunt Cecelia she’ll be fine here and with
Michael watching them believe me she won’t be going anywhere.” She promised
her.
*********************************************************************
Morning came and Marsha was helping Ellie pack her
things. Ellie wasn’t saying much as there really wasn’t much to say. Then
Michael came in to tell them John was here to see her. She asked if it was ok
to see him. They told her of course it was and she left to go into the living
room as Marsha stay to pack up the rest of her things.
Entering, John was standing there wringing his hands
and just looking his gorgeous self. Her heart jumped and she tried to keep the
tears from flowing. John turned around and saw her standing there staring at
him. “Ellie? Hey. You look absolutely beautiful.” He told her as he held out
his hand to her. Walking to him she wrapped her arms around him as he did her
and they kissed each other passionately and didn’t care who was in the house. They
had lasted about a minute when they finally parted, “Well maybe I should walk
in and we can do that again?” he said to her as he squeezes her tight.
“I wouldn’t mind that.” She told him smiling.
“So are you’re um parents here?” he wanted to know.
“No not yet but they called and are on their way. God
John I so don’t want to go home but I don’t have a chance in hell to stay here.
I love you so much John.” Ellie told him with all of her heart.
“I know Baby and I love you too believe me and we’ll
find a way believe me we will. Like I said when I turn eighteen I can come and
visit you then we can figure something out alright? We can do this.” he told
her.
They talked about what was going to happen when she
got home and she gave him her home number and address as he did the same. It
wasn’t long when her parents got there and she had brought John with her into
her room to carry her bags to the rental. When the car was all packed it was
hard to say goodbye. Katie and Tommy didn’t understand either why she had to
leave and were crying as they were saying their goodbyes. They were clinging on
to their parents as she was trying to say thank you to them for letting her
stay with them and everything they did for her. But the hardest was John. Even
thou they had already said goodbye just seeing each other and knowing that this
was the last time that this was going to be the last time that they were going
to see each other for a long while was killing both of them. They held each
other’s hands and finally John could have cared less and went in for a kiss.
Just a sweet kiss but a kiss. He then walked her to the car and opened the door
for her and then closed it as he felt his heart closed also. Paul started the car and as he drove out he
honked the horn as it went thru John’s heart as he saw them drive away. He just
stood there for a while looking at nothing until Marsha finally walked up to
him and put her hand on his shoulder. He just smiled weakly, turned and walked
home.
Until the next installment year 1985