The Mechanic.

Chapter 8

"Well, you sure have a weird way of showing it." He teased. It made Ella smile.

"I'm sorry, big brother."

He laughed. "You know I hate it when you call me that. But since you're sad, I'll let you get away with it." His tone became more serious. "You let him know that next time he bothers you, I will be there to break his bones to little pieces."

"You're too nice to do that." She teased him.

"I am. But not when it comes to you and Claudia." Ken said. "I'm sure he hasn't forgotten about the black eyes and the broken nose."

Ella laughed. "That was fun."

"Mom and Dad didn't think so." Ken grumbled. "How's Josh, by the way?"

"He's sick."

"Really?" Ken asked, concern evident in his voice. "Is it serious?"

"Not really, it's just a flu." Ella tried to hide how worried she actually was, but Ken, being Ken, knew that it was all an act.

"Ella. He'll be fine."

"I know that." Ella said, wringing her hands together.

"Leave your hands alone." Her brother said sternly from the other end of the phone.

"How did you...?" She started but he interrupted her with his laughter.

"Anyway, you wanna go hang out with Claudia and the bunch?" He asked. "They could help you feel better, you know."

"I already slept over at theirs last night." She replied.

"Ella, they're family. It doesn't matter. They are there when you need them." Ken lectured.

"I know, but -"

"Ella." He interrupted. "Claudia isn't holding any grudges against you, she loves you and Josh. "

"I know that." Ella said. "It's just hard, sometimes."

"I know." Ken sighed. "I love you, baby girl."

"Stop calling me that." She complained. "I love you, too."

"Alright. I'll talk to you later."

"Yeah. Bye."

She hung up and put the phone down. She felt so much better. Ken always made her feel better. He was the one person that understood her completely. She smiled as she walked to Josh's room to check up on him.

****

Ella was sitting in her office at the bakery and sorting through the orders they had gotten within the week and when these orders were to be delivered, when her phone started to ring. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was her mother. Ella sighed. What did she want now? She hadn't completely forgiven her for what she had done.

"Mother." She greeted coldly, to let her mother that all was not well.

"Emmanuella, I do not appreciate you telling your brother to call me and yell at me like some barbarian." Her mother scolded, anger evident in her voice.

Her mother always did this. She would do something wrong and instead of accepting it, she would turn it around and make it seem like everyone but her was wrong, and she was the innocent little victim.

"What are you talking about?" Ella could play that game too.

"What do you mean, what am I talking about?" Her mother screeched. "Kenneth called me yelling at me for telling Caleb where you live."