Secret Revealed

Ellie was running around with her head chopped off even thou it was the second day of the sale and it was Calico’s, Broadcloth’s, Gingham’s, Velvet’s and Gabardine’s. Shirley and her were going non-stop all morning. By twelve she had to tell Shirley to go to lunch since they both gave up their breaks and Ellie wanted to make sure that Shirley at least ate lunch. It was finally starting to slow down a little so Ellie could get a breather when this handsome young man came around the corner and saw her cleaning up the department. He just stopped to watch her for a moment to see her in her environment. Ellie was just about to go into Receiving to get to the baler when she saw Jon staring at her.

Smiling, “Hey what are you smiling at wise guy.”

“Oh this beautiful girl just doing her thing. I thought I’d take her out to lunch if she was still up to it?” He asked her as he walked up to her.

“Oh you don’t know how much I’m up to it. It’s been a hell of a morning.” She told him. “Just wait here a sec and I’ll be right back ok I just need to dump this crap.” She went off as he went more into the department to just look around. He couldn’t believe that she ran this and had to talk to management and customers all day. As he was walking around he saw out of the corner of his eye a guy wondering around where he had walked in and he was watching him. ‘Oh great’ he thought. Just then this older lady came into the department also.

“Oh Hello Bob do you need anything?” Shirley asked him. Bob just shooked his head no and ran off. Shirley thought that was odd and continued on when she saw Jon. “Hello can I help you young man?”

“No I’m just waiting for Ellie to return.” He told her. “She went back there with some rubbish.”

“Oh ok then she shouldn’t be too long then.” She reassured him. And it didn’t as within five minutes Ellie came out with the carriage and back to the fabric table.

“Hey Shirl I’m going to Lunch with Jon. You remember him from last week?” she asked her.

“Yes that’s right. How are you?” she asked him.

“I’m fine it’s nice to see you again.” He told her smiling. Turning to Ellie, “Are you ready?”

“Yeah just let me get my pocketbook ok?” she told him and went out back.

They headed over next door to the restaurant and they got a table for two. Once seated Jon asked her, “I didn’t know that you had to punch out to leave. I thought you were management?”

“I am but I had a choice to either go on salary or not and Daddy told me to take it because would benefit me if they clock me. People on salary well they take advantage of and if I’m on the clock I get paid and I get time and a half. And I need the money so…” she told him.

“Well if you take my offer you won’t have to worry about anything anymore. I’ll take care of the both of you Ellie everything. Your bills will be paid off and if you need anything you’ll get it. I’ll make sure.” He told her happily.

Ellie just looked at him and wasn’t sure what he meant by that. Just then their food had come and she waited until the server left. Jon started eating and noticed that she wasn’t. After he swallowed he asked her, “Ellie is there something wrong with your food?”

“Uh no I was just thinking over what you said. You said it was an offer? An offer Jon? Really? You’ve got to be kidding me right? I thought that you really wanted us to be you know but now it’s an offer?” she asked him upset.

Jon just looked at her not knowing that he had said offer in that meaning. “Ellie I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. It’s just an expression. Honest sometimes I say things that don’t come out right. I’m sorry. You know I want you come with me how many times do I have to say it. God Ellie I’m not going to beg you I don’t have that in me to do it. Either you want to be with me or you don’t or you know I’ve been burn too many times Baby.” He told her matter of fact.

Ellie sat there shocked that he just came out saying that when he was the one that suggested that they come with him and leave everything behind. “Are you fucking kidding me Jon? You’re the one that wanted me and Jimmy to come with you and play house with you. You wanted me to uproot him and go on the God damn road with you with drunken rock stars, whore groupies, paparazzi’s taking your damn picture everywhere you go and God knows what else and you’re telling me that you have been burned too many times! Well get in freaking line Baby! Because until you have been rap…assaulted and no I’ll tell you when you’ve been seeing this guy for about a year then he decides that he feels that yeah what the hell I love you so much that I don’t want any guy looking at you anymore and starts stalking you that if you talk to him he starts hitting you. And then when your family tells you to break up with him and he won’t he ra…assaults you and God I can’t even get into it here you finally get him into prison for what he did to you don’t ever tell me I DON”T KNOW!” she angrily told him as she got up and left as she walked back to the store.

He sat there stunned at what he just learned. The word Rape just kept going thru his head. She was raped… She meant raped. He couldn’t fathom that at all. How could anyone do that to her. He paid the bill but didn’t go back into the store because he didn’t want to upset her any more than he did.  He went directly to the City Hall to see if he could pull any records of that event. He called their lawyer to meet him there if there would be a problem. He was going to find out what the hell happened and why.

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It was after school and Sean had gotten home and about a half an hour later Wayne had showed up at the house. They had gone done to Sean’s room and while they were down there Wayne decided to ask Sean the question. “Hey Sean you know I went to the concert last night right?”

“Oh yeah how was it?” he asked his buddy Wayne.

“It was awesome. RATT was ok but the opening act was a lot better. You do know the opening act was called Bon Jovi?” he told him as he watching for his reaction.

“Yeah I know Ellie told me that they were opening for them. What of it?” Sean told him not really making anything of it.

“Well I met them last night and me and my Dad met Jon.” He said.

“Yeah so he’s a good guy.” He told his buddy.

“Well I thought you said he was seeing your sister?” he asked him skeptical.

“Ok Wayne what are you getting at because Jon is seeing my sister.” Sean told him.

“Well if he is he wasn’t last night because he was with this blonde and she had big boobs!” Wayne told him.

Sean just looked at him disbelieving him. “Nuh huh. He was just here the past few days then he took her out to dinner. I had to watch Jimmy for them.” Sean told him confused.

“Well I don’t know what to tell you but I know what I saw.” He told Sean directly.

Sean didn’t know what to say but he felt he had to tell his sister. They both waited until she got home after five p.m. Which she was exhausted at the day she had. She hadn’t stepped foot in the door when Jimmy came zooming into her wanting his mother. And two minutes later Sean and Wayne were on her too. “Whoa guys can you give me five minutes to unwind?” she asked them. She put away her things and went to the den to sit down. Jimmy was sitting on her lap telling her everything that he did that day when the guys came in too. She asked them what was up and Sean told her Wayne had something to tell her. So Wayne told her everything that happened last night. She listened intensely and she told them thank you for the information. They wanted to know what she was going to do. “Well until I talk to him and hear his side of it I really can’t make a judgement call now can I? I mean guys it wouldn’t be fair now would it. There might be a real good reason he was talking to her and I do mean talking. So let’s just wait and see if he tells me ok?” she told them even thou she was still mad at him.

Wayne had gone home and they had just finish up eating and Beth had some friends upstairs doing their homework and Sean doing his in the den. Ellie was playing with Jimmy also in the den when there was a knock on the door and Paul answered as Cecelia was just finishing up. “Jon Hi come on in. Ellie is in the den with Jimmy go on in.” he said to him.

“Thanks Mr. Anderson.” He said as he started but Paul stopped him.

“Jon I think it’s time that you call me and Cecelia by our first names don’t you? It’s either that or Gram and Grandpa and I’m really not ready for you to do that.” Paul told him.

“Thanks I will.” Jon said smiling and breathing easier now. He walked into the den and saw the best site ever as he saw Ellie and Jimmy wrestling on the floor. She finally got him where she wanted him and started tickling him and him squealing. Sean was laughing as Jimmy was yelling for help to Uncle Sean but before Uncle Sean could that’s when Jon walked into the room.

“Well it looks like Mommy got you good.” He said to Jimmy. Well everything stopped and they all looked at Jon.

“Yup Mommy got me good.” Jimmy told Jon laughing.

“Ah what are you doing here Jon?” Ellie asked him.

“I need to talk to you about what happened back at the restaurant Ellie.” Jon told her directly.

“Yeah about that I said some things that I didn’t mean…look I was angry and said somethings out of context you know I blew them out of proportion.  I was just looking for sympathy that’s all so forget it will you.” She told him hoping he would forget what she said.

Walking over to her and bending down to her, “Yeah I don’t think so because I went to the City Hall after our little spat and I found some very interesting things that we need to talk about. Now either we talk about it right now or I go into that kitchen and ask your parents what the hell happened. So what do you want to do?” he asked her.

“You’re a jerk you know that.” She said to him pissed.

“Whatever it takes. Do you want to come with me back to my hotel or do you want to do it here?” he asked her straight out.

“Fine your place.” She told him. She went to her parents and told them what was going on and they thought that he deserved to know about Michael and what he did. She asked Sean if he could stay with Jimmy again and he told her fine. She told them that she may or may not be coming home tonight depending on how long this was going to take and how much it was going to take out of her. They told her that would be fine and they would take care of Jimmy and not to worry. She grabbed her sweater and pocketbook with her meds in it and they took off. Once they got there Richie was watching t.v. when they arrived.

“Yeah Jon you didn’t tell me you guys were coming back here.” Richie asked him.

“Yeah I’m sorry I wasn’t sure can I talk to you outside for a sec.” he asked him as he nodded his head towards the door.

“Yeah sure hey Ellie how are you?” he asked her as he had gotten up from his bed.

“Fine thank you.” She said as she just wanted to run as far as she could.

Outside the door in the hallway. “Hey Rich I really need to talk to Ellie and it’s real important. Do you think you could find somewhere else to bunk for the night?” he asked his best friend.

“Oh oh really hoping for something to happen uh?” Richie asked him smiling.

“No not really I just found out some disturbing news this afternoon and I want to ask her about it. Look I’ll tell you all about it  once I get it all out of her but first I need a quiet place for the two of us to talk things out so do you think you can find somewhere?” he asked him pleading.

“Yeah sure let me see if Dave can hole me up I’ll be right back ok?” Rich told him and he started down the hall. Jon went back into the room where Ellie was sitting in one of the chairs waiting.

“So what did you do kick your buddy out?” Ellie asked him pissy.

“No he’s gone to see if he can bunk with someone else for tonight if that’s ok with you?” Jon said back smart assy.

“It’s your room.” She said almost as if she didn’t care.

Jon had to go to the bar and grab a glass and poured himself his jack. He figured that this was going to be a long night. Ellie noticed the drink that he had in his hand and wondered when he started drinking the hard stuff. Richie had come back from Dave’s room and told him that he could stay with him tonight. “Yeah he said he didn’t mind. April wasn’t coming to see him until we’re in Philly so he has room for me. Is everything ok?” Richie asked carefully as he packed just a few things for the night.

“Yeah everything is fine. We just need to go over a few things and we might go into the night you know?” he gave Rich his signature look.

“Ok then I hope I see you sometime tomorrow then Ellie.” Richie said as he headed out. Ellie said bye and just sat there staring into space as Jon walked up to her.

“Ellie do you want anything to drink?” he asked her trying to get her attention.

“No thank you let’s just get this over with so I can get home.” She told him with her snotty attitude.

“Look Ellie why the attitude? All I want to know is what happen when we were apart. And I want to know who the Hell is this Michael Jenkins.” He told her rather demanding.

Looking at him shocked she asked him, “How did you get that name?”

“I have my connections. Plus everything is public record Babe. So this afternoon I did some digging around. So I am going to calmly ask you why you didn’t tell me on our first date when we were telling each other about the people we dated that this asshole raped you. Ellie he raped you? You want to tell me what the hell happened please!” Jon asked her agitated.

Ellie sat there very uncomfortable. She finally gathered her courage and told him, “Yeah he did. There’s nothing else to tell. We dated for about a year and a half and then he turned into a crazy person. Started stalking me and wanting to know where I was every minute of the day and God forbid if I talked to a guy. He also had a pretty good right. It only took once for me to get hit by the way when I told him to hit the bricks. I thought Daddy and my brothers were going to kill him. Luckily Uncle Dick talked them out of it. Seeing he’s on the Oxford Police force and knew what would happen if they did touch him. Anyway after a long trial he got what was coming to him ok.” She told him in a monotone voice.

Jon just got up and went to wrap his arms around her but she backed off from him. He didn’t understand why she did that. “Ellie what’s the matter? It’s me.” He told her not understanding why she was distance.

“Jon really? You drag me here to get this out of me because you demanded it when I really didn’t want to tell you that I was raped by some crazy. He just didn’t do…that. He beat the shit out of me Jon because he thought I was cheating on him. Jimmy almost lost me. Mom and Dad would have raised him until a certain point or until the age of eighteen. Their his guardians.  I made sure of that when he was one you know just in case. Joe is second. So yeah I’m a little jumpy sometimes when people come up behind me when I don’t expect it. Now can I go home?” she asked him really angry now.

“No you can’t go home now. I’ve read the police report Ellie and I know what he did to you and it makes me sick. They go into great detail by the way. You’ve always told me everything and I can’t see why you couldn’t find it in your being to tell me about this. Did you think I would look at you differently? And did he hurt Jimmy?” he asked her as he felt this anger going thru him for this man that he wanted to hurt more than anything.

Looking at him and knowing how he gets pissed real easy, “Jon I know you wouldn’t look at me differently. I was afraid that you would freak out like you’re doing now. It was bad enough that Daddy and my brothers went after him. Plus Joe and Chick have friends. But you? Oh my God I know you have friends in high places. So you cannot do anything do you understand me. A lot of things were said at the trial and I don’t want anyone getting in trouble ok? And no he never touched Jimmy. Because if he had I would have killed him myself.” She told him with a wildness in her eyes.

“First of all me knowing those type of people are extremely exaggerated. I just know some by mutual friends I don’t know them as buddies ok? I’m not that stupid. And I’m real glad he didn’t touch Jimmy because then I’d go into hawk to make sure that he’d get his in jail if you know what I mean. But a part of me still wants to do that for what he did to you. Ellie it’s ok to talk about this.” he told her as he had got up and wrapped his arms around her as she tried to break free. “Ellie stop it. I love you.” He told her.

“Oh really then what were you doing with a blonde bimbo last night?” she asked only because he never brought it up to her.

He stopped and just looked at her trying to figure out how the hell she knew about that girl last night. “Huh? Wh…what blonde?” he asked her trending carefully.

Oh this was going to be fun. “The blonde bimbo with the big boobs apparently that was hanging off you by the couch you were sitting at.” She told him almost verbatim of the night.

How the hell did she know? She wasn’t there was she? No. “Ok I’ll bite do you have someone you now that works at the Centrum?” he asked her as this was driving him crazy.

“No but I wish I did at least I’d get back stage passes. Do you remember a guy and his son coming up to you last night?” she asked him.

He did as he replied, “Oh yeah I was glad they did because I was trying to get her away from me. She didn’t have much upstairs in the brain department if you know what I mean. I mean Whoa! Stupid. Wait you know them?” he asked her surprised.

“Just the son Wayne. He’s a friend of Sean’s. He got all worried that when he saw you he thought you were cheating on me. So this afternoon he told Sean and they waited for me to get home to tell me. I had to tell them not to worry and that sometimes you have to, oh what did I say Take one for the team. I told them not to worry and that I didn’t think you would do anything stupid if you wanted to see Jimmy.” She told him smirking.

“So you believed me without even talking to me first. Wow Dotty would of ripped me a new one the second I walked in the door never mind having a discussion first like we just did. So how did you I didn’t cheat?” Jon asked her surprised actually.

“Because you’re trying really hard to convince me that you love me and that you want to make a life with me and Jimmy and I, well I like to think I can read your face. It would have been nice if you told me but then again I don’t think I need to hear about every single girl that hits on you.” She told him rolling her eyes.

“No I suppose not. So are you still mad at me?” he asked her as he ran his hand up her face and then in her hair.

“Uh I’m still a little peeved I guess. You got me all worked up.” She told him smiling.

“I did huh. Well we did make arrangements you know and Richie is staying with Dave tonight. And it is getting late at least for you it’s a little past eleven you know.” He teased her.

“Maybe I will let you take care of him for a whole day and see how tired you get smartass.” But before she could say anything else he bent down and started to kiss her passionately. Ellie didn’t know what hit her. She felt it all over her body. Jon could feel that she was getting weak in the knees so he bent a little and scooped her up. Breaking off the kiss she yelped, “Hey what the hell?”

“I felt that you were getting weak in the knees and I didn’t want you to fall down. So I’ll just lay you down on the bed.” He told her grinning.

“Yeah well um where are you going to sleep?” she asked him nervously.

“Babe stop ok. I’m not going anywhere. I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited for this moment and now and now I get to show you just how much I love you. Please let me do that.” He asked her as he looked at her so lovingly. Sitting up and looking into his deep blue eyes she smiled and started to kiss him like there was no tomorrow and that’s all Jon needed to know. He laid her back after taking off her shirt and laying besides her. It was nothing like what either one had ever experience before and that included the few times when they were together before. Jon was determined to show her how much he loved her and how she should be loved.