Convergence II: Ella's Mystery

Chapter Six: Reflection

Nick exhaled, walking through the door and dropping the file Mrs. Badgley had given them on the counter. They were clearly sweating, tightening the bun on their hair a bit.

"Nick?" Jackie looked up from the television. "Everything okay?"

Nick didn't respond just yet. They simply rested their hands at their hips and flapped their lips sharply.

"Hellooo?" Jackie said again, lilting their voice. "Are you—"

"Jackie, I have an idea." They looked up, seeming serious but unsure.

"An idea, huh?" Jackie tossed the remote to the side, smirking gently as they looked up. "A good idea or a bad one?"

"Not sure of that yet." Nick removed their jacket. "Is it hot in here, or am I dying?"

"You look shaken up." Jackie tilted their head. "Did something happen?"

Nick's eyes widened as they nodded. "Oh, something happened, alright."

"Are you going to fill me in? Is this idea very life-changing or is it minor?"

Nick opened the file, leafing through all the blank pages of unfilled boxes. "No, this idea is definitely the most life-changing I've ever had." They shut the file, leaning their hands on the counter and talking again to Jackie. "It just won't change MY life. That's why I have to do it."

"Now you've intrigued me." Jackie stood up, walking to the opposite end of the counter. "Can I look at this?"

"Yeah." Nick slid the file over to them. "Don't doubt me just yet, because I know with time I can make this work."

Jackie's eyes bulged at the header of the first page, to which they snapped to attention at their friend. "Nick. You cannot be serious."

"That woman at the office convinced me!" Nick sighed. "Incidentally."

"That woman at the office has no idea what she's doing! Having a kid is serious, and adopting one is fucking expensive!"

"Hey, I think she has some idea." Nick's eyes fell flat, putting their head on their folded hands. "Does Badgley ring a bell?"

"...Jesus, Nick, you just know everyone on the planet one way or another." Jackie sighed again, flipping through the file's pages. "So this woman, supposedly that kid's mom, incidentally convinced you that you needed to adopt Ella?"

Nick huffed, now appearing more serious. "The kid hasn't even been staying at the orphanage. She's not going there to sleep, and God even knows where she does go. Apparently, she's been intrigued with the idea of her family for days now. So, I thought, why not give her one?"

Jackie slid the file back to them, meeting their eyes. "You're not joking about this."

Nick thought back to the conversation they had with Mrs. Badgley, looking away for a second. They didn't feel the need to be defensive with Jackie, because they normally understood. "...I want the best for Ella. And if that has to be with me and you, or even just me, then I will give her that. If it's with someone else, I will give her that. But one way or another, I'll pull the right strings to give her a home."

Jackie allowed themselves to smile just a bit. "You sound like a parent. Bet you weren't expecting that."

"I swore I'd never let my bloodline continue, don't come at me with that parent shit." Nick laughed shortly. "But, uh... yeah. I guess. Life surprises you sometimes."