Encino, California - February 1998
Ellie and Chuck had been home for nearly a week now. It was strange to be back in Encino, which was odd since it was supposed to be home. It just didn't feel like home right now. Maybe because it was now officially in her name after she signed a bunch of forms yesterday.
There was so much she had to do, so while Chuck and Morgan were in his room playing video games, Ellie was wandering around the house deciding what needed to be packed up and put into storage. Once the living room and kitchen had been taken care of, she eventually made her way into her dad's room. Her mother had been gone so long, she stopped referring to it as her parents' room. The room just seemed so...empty. Like someone had packed up and took off. Of course. She opened the closet, expecting more of the same emptiness. But there was a box left on the top shelf. Ellie reached for it, surprised to find her name written on it. Obviously, it was meant for her.
Half expecting to find top secret information about the existence of aliens (which she was aware of anyway since she attended Fandom High), she was more surprised to find a photo album and an old jewelry box that belonged to her mother. She opened it, finding quite a bit of jewelry inside. There was one piece in particular she was drawn to, a bracelet with a charm of a little girl's silhouette hanging from it. There used to be a little boy included, meant to represent her and Chuck. Years ago, he had accidentally broken it, thinking it was for that reason that their mother left. Ellie hated her for making him think that. It wasn't because of a stupid bracelet. It was because their mother was a selfish person who couldn't handle family responsibility. At least that's what Ellie always believed. She shook her head, tossing it back in the box. Why did her dad want her to have trinkets reminding her of terrible memories?
She couldn't bring herself to look through the photo album of happier memories. That was even more cruel. The lump forming in her throat indicated just how close to tears she was. She was not about to cry over the parents who abandoned her, so she packed the box up and put it back on the shelf. She'd deal with it later.
Instead, she ordered a pizza for her and Chuck. And yes, even Morgan. Having him around made things seem a little more normal.
Whatever normal was.
[NFB]
There was so much she had to do, so while Chuck and Morgan were in his room playing video games, Ellie was wandering around the house deciding what needed to be packed up and put into storage. Once the living room and kitchen had been taken care of, she eventually made her way into her dad's room. Her mother had been gone so long, she stopped referring to it as her parents' room. The room just seemed so...empty. Like someone had packed up and took off. Of course. She opened the closet, expecting more of the same emptiness. But there was a box left on the top shelf. Ellie reached for it, surprised to find her name written on it. Obviously, it was meant for her.
Half expecting to find top secret information about the existence of aliens (which she was aware of anyway since she attended Fandom High), she was more surprised to find a photo album and an old jewelry box that belonged to her mother. She opened it, finding quite a bit of jewelry inside. There was one piece in particular she was drawn to, a bracelet with a charm of a little girl's silhouette hanging from it. There used to be a little boy included, meant to represent her and Chuck. Years ago, he had accidentally broken it, thinking it was for that reason that their mother left. Ellie hated her for making him think that. It wasn't because of a stupid bracelet. It was because their mother was a selfish person who couldn't handle family responsibility. At least that's what Ellie always believed. She shook her head, tossing it back in the box. Why did her dad want her to have trinkets reminding her of terrible memories?
She couldn't bring herself to look through the photo album of happier memories. That was even more cruel. The lump forming in her throat indicated just how close to tears she was. She was not about to cry over the parents who abandoned her, so she packed the box up and put it back on the shelf. She'd deal with it later.
Instead, she ordered a pizza for her and Chuck. And yes, even Morgan. Having him around made things seem a little more normal.
Whatever normal was.
[NFB]