Missing Keys and Finding Love

Written for: Cyd Kelly/ Tiffany Vee

Written By: Umbrellaprincess/ Rhonda Erickson

Summary/Prompt used: a set of lost keys and a family prank

Missing Keys and Finding Love

Ella was a petite brunette ball of fire. She grew up in New York city but moved to Portland, Oregon right after college. Her college years were not full of boyfriends and endless parties. They were full of long nights at the library and studying. Her social life was a fail but, in the end, she graduated with top honors, with job offers pouring in. In the endless stream she decided to take the offer for the director of Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI for short).

In the few years of her working she had become fast friends with Susie and Fred. Her two best friends were also connected at the hip. When they first met, she tripped over the carpet and landed ass end up, Ella with a red face but all of them laughing. They quickly learned that Ella was an accident waiting to happen and was always losing things. They also became her family as she had lost her mom during her sophomore year in college, her dad took off when she was young. She has vague memories of him, but they were disappearing with time.

Ella loved her friends fiercely but always felt like the third wheel. She had gone out on a few dates, but most wanted in her pants, not a relationship. Ella may have been in her 20's but she knew what she wanted which was the whole package: a career, a husband and children.

It was an overcast day in Portland as Susie and Fred drove to work. They were each other's halves. Black and white, yin and yang, sugar and spice to each other. They had been engaged for a short few months and were planning to get married as soon as possible. Both had come from meager beginnings so neither wanted a big flashy wedding. They wanted something simple at the justice of the peace or the park with their friends and family with them. Then one big party afterwards. Susie knew that Ella would be the only one standing up for her just like Adam would be standing up for her beloved.

Adam was Fred's best friend and they had known each other most of their lives. When they went out he was often with them along with Ella. Adam was shy and nerdy but looked like Adonis. He thought Ella was gorgeous but didn't have the balls to ask her out. They really did know each other very well and had the same tastes. Even when they argued about differences it was all done in jest and a little bit of love.

When Susie told Ella they were engaged she saw both happiness and sadness in her best friend/sister's eyes. She knew that she needed to find her true love, but how?

"Sus, I have a brilliant plan when it comes to the heart of our Ella and Adam. We both know that she and Adam are perfect for each other. We both know how Ella is on the border of being extreme when it comes to her keys. I say we take them and make it into one big game of cat and mouse. We become busy when she needs help, yet make Adam available. Maybe through this they will find out they really are each other's soul mate. Make it a scavenger hunt for them both. What do you say?"

"I love your brilliant mind and let's start brainstorming!"

When Fred and Susie arrived at work they quickly got to what was needed. They saw Ella often, but she was busy dealing with the manager business. Sometimes they all had lunch together but today was not the day. Fred took this as a sign to get their plan underway.

The plan was this- Ella's keys would mysteriously go missing but they knew she had backups.

Susie had the first clue all typed out, but she hoped that Ella wouldn't go Sherlock on them and figure it came from work. She quietly went into her office and knowing Ella the way she did she had left her keys next to her coffee cup like clockwork.