Promises in Moonlight

Part 30

The day after Jack's and Amelia's wedding, David went to Ella's place where he met Evie who had brought scones as a peace offering. But there was no sign of Ella and Ella's neighbour told David and Evie that Ella had left earlier today. That news left David and Evie in a state.

Evie was close to crying. Thoughts whirled in her brain, like a typhoon as she reviewed what she said to Ella. "I knew something was wrong. She said goodbye. She called me Evangeline at Ames' wedding."

"Well, that is your name!"

"I know, but she never calls me Evangeline! I phoned when I got home, but she didn't pick up. So I decided that I would go around to her place, today, with a peace offering." She lifted the Tupperware with the scones. "And she isn't there." Her eyes smarted with tears. It felt like her comfort blanket was removed leaving her vulnerable. Ella had for the last two years had provided a comfort blanket, protecting her from rumours and gossip about her father. And her comfort blanket was removed because of her own, selfish behaviour: it was more important for her to back her husband, otherwise she thought, she would end up like her mother, abandoned. But she also thought, she could do that, without destroying her friendship with Ella and should have thought about her statement before saying it. Evie's tears escaped the boundaries of her eyelashes. Her fingers' pads dashed at the tears.

"Where would she go?" David dropped an arm around Evie's shoulder and gave her a hug. He was not good with weeping women, and he never expected Evie to cry in public.

Evie sniffed. "To her family? I guess." She ran her palm beneath her nose, and sniffed, as more tears escaped. She moved away, and again dashed at her eyes. " Well, her dad or her sisters. But her neighbour said she would buy a new place." That is what Ella's neighbour told them a few moments ago.

"Where?" David asked, hoping it would rescue him from dealing with a sobbing woman.

"I don't know. I am not her minder!" She snapped. Evie's tears of sadness and frustration tainted her statement and then she apologised, "Sorry, David." She sniffed. Softly she said, "She didn't tell me. I mean, I knew something wasn't right. But I didn't know that she was going to leave. For good. She could have told me."

"Perhaps she might buy close to her parents. Where do they live now? Her parents. Do you know?"

Evie said as she ransacked her brain for germane facts. "Just her father. He manages a team in England I think."

"England? Are you sure? "

"Yes. Well, I think so.Sorry, David, I don't know for sure."

"I'll have to go."

"Go to England? You want to track Ella in England?"

"We need to talk." David rubbed the back of his neck.

"Join the queue!" Evie sighed. "It's still term time. You are teaching ...."

"I know."

"Well, is that a problem for you? I mean you are the only Phys teacher! In any case, you don't know where they are in England"

"I know. I'll find out."

"David, come on! You have a job, remember!"

"I'll ask for leave." His world was crashing down.

"You can't vanish and leave the school in a lurch!" Evie said bluntly "That is silly!"

"No it isn't! She has vanished, what do you expect me to do? Just let her leave? I won't, I really wouldn't. Her best friend is married to my brother, she can't walk out without sorting our issues...."

"David, stop and think!" Evie interrupted him. "You can't leave for England. You know that. You don't even know where her father is, in England."

"I'll check on the web!" He barked. "There's bound to be information as to where her father is coaching or managing."

Evie folded her arms, her lips narrowed. "She might not have gone to England. The house is locked up but she hasn't packed her stuff, her furniture, and, well all of it is still here. Her neighbour said she would come back to get it packed. Or arrange for it to be packed. But her neighbour said Ella will be back. No point flying to England, only to find she's gone up the road." Evie said with empathy. "And if you wait till Amelia gets back, she might know where exactly Ella is."

"You think she told Amelia?"

Evie nodded firmly, "Yes, I think so, kind off. Well, actually, pretty sure about that. Something Amelia said to me at the wedding, made me think she knew about this."

"Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't she tell you?"

"Probably because you think Ella is an icicle!" Evie held up a hand. "I shouldn't have reminded her. I get that you have a problem with Ella, but she really isn't an icicle."

"I never said she was an icicle! You made it up! And implied I called her an icicle!"

Evie accepted that charge, "Ok, ok, I get it, it is my fault. But you have to admit, you don't like her!"

"Of course I bloody like her! If you don't mind, I have a few things to sort out." David turned around and walked away.

"Then why have you avoided her?" Evie traipsed after him. "You could have asked her out. For two years! You only took notices of her until your brother started to date Ames!You definitely have lots to sort out!"

"I didn't avoid her. She did." David grumbled.

"No! You both did." Evie corrected.

"Look, if you don't have anything constructive to say, just leave me to sort out my issue with Ella. I don't need her friends to give her false information."

"Back to the icicle comment." Evie huffed. And she knew David was right, Evie was wrong.

"Yes. Exactly." He snapped.

"The icicle comment is the last thing that you have to worry about!"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, if you dig a trench between you and Ella, then don't blame anyone apart from you! Ella told Ames and me about the issue at the rugby camp when you were training with the team. That some idiot took a molehill and made it a mountain."

"If you knew that..." David folded his arms and Evie interrupt his statement.

"She only told us a few weeks ago, because you told Ames at that cycle trip about that incident, but you didn't tell Ames the whole matter and left Ella to fill in the blanks."

"So you knew about the incident!"

"Kind off." Evie nodded and shrugged

David frowned, "Did she tell you I had a tribunal?"

"Yes."

"I can understand why you have an issue about the fallout from that incident. But Ella didn't accuse you of anything! Even her father stood up for you at the tribunal, according to Ella, because she told the truth. What happened to you was not Ella's fault. From my position, I think you need to build bridges, and listen to her. Ask her what happened to her?" She thought she should make an effort to fix the mess she has created.

"What do you mean? Has she told you..."

"No. No. She's hasn't. But she has not told us, or you, what happened to her." Evie said pointedly, and hoped that David would pick up the reins. She waited for seconds, to see that David understood the message. David ran his palm over his face. But when he lowered his palm, Evie could see that David was now thinking about what happened to Ella? "I have to go. If you catch up with Ella, can you ask her to call me?"

David nodded. Evie walked away. David remained on Ella's driveway.