Written 2015
Revised April 2021
*The following day*
*Demi's POV*
"I don't want to go!" Maddie says, dropping her luggage back in front of the door, running up to hug me one last time. She intertwine her fingers around my waist in a strong grip, almost making me loose my breath. I wrap my arms around her shoulders, leaning my cheek on her head.
"I know, baby." I say, rocking her back and forth slightly.
"When will I see you again?" She asks, her breath hitting my arm.
"I will be back on the road in two months. The time will fly by. I'll make sure I see you." I say, letting go of our hug, knowing my family needs to leave within minutes if they want to arrive at the airport on time.
"Do you promise?" She asks.
I lift up my hand, exposing just my pinky finger. Madison grabs it with her pinky finger. "I promise."
The promise of seeing Madison sometime on tour seems to calm her down, giving her a sense of hope. Ellie and I embrace the rest of my family in hugs as soon as the last piece of luggage is in their rental car. She and I stand in the doorway, waving goodbye as Eddie drives the car around the cul de sac, disappearing behind our neighbors overgrown tree. I linger in the doorway for a few seconds longer, knowing damn well they can no longer see me waving. Ellie turns around and without a word starts walking towards the stairs.
Ellie's been distant and not her usual talkative, beaming self. As much as she wants to deny it, I know she was crying yesterday when I found her cuddled up on my bed before dinner. What it was about, I don't know. But now with my family gone, I'm going to get to the bottom of it.
I shut the front door before speed walking to the stairs, hoping to catch up with Ellie before she's all the way up. "Ellie, babe?" I say softly, almost in a questioning tone. She stops on the third step, turning around to face me. She puts her hands in her sweatpants pockets, leaning against the handrail. I linger on the bottom of the stairs, not wanting to be too close or too far away. "Is everything okay?" I ask, letting my finger dig into the wooden handrail.
"It's not that big of a deal." She says, taking one hand out of her pocket to run it through her hair, pulling all of it to one side.
"Please talk to me. Remember? Honesty first." I say, taking a step closer.
Ellie sighs, turning slightly before sitting on the step she was just standing on. She leans forward, with her elbows resting on her knees and her hands pressed together. I take a seat next to her on the same step. Not sure what to expect I grab her hand closest to mine, wrapping my fingers around it.
"How come you haven't asked me about my family?" Ellie's question caught me by surprise. "We've been dating for four months."
"Well, I figured you would tell me when you're ready." I say truthfully. "You talk about them sometimes. How your dad would bring you to Richie's for French toast and how you would spend the summers up at your cabin. I just thought maybe you had a falling out." I add before stopping, letting Ellie speak next.
"I guess you could say that." She mumbles. She lifts her head up, looking around the house. "I called my mom yesterday to wish her a merry Christmas. I could barely finish the sentence before she told me to never call her again." She says, pushing her hair behind her ears.
"Why doesn't she want contact with you?" I ask, rubbing Ellie's back comfortingly.
"My family is very religious. I even went to catholic school and church camp every year till high school. Anyway, they believe I let down God by having sex before marriage and then giving my child up for adoption."
I try to hold back the anger that is coursing through my veins. I take a deep breath, like my therapist tells me to. I feel myself become centered again, calm enough to respond. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, through life without their approval. But listen to me," I say taking both of Ellies hands in mine. "You don't need their approval to life a happy and full life... you have me and plenty of other people." I say, wiping a tear off of Ellie's cheek.
"I don't want Isabella to grow up like I did." Ellie mumbles under her breath, just loud enough for me to hear. I don't say anything, in case I wasn't supposed to hear it. "I want her to grow up knowing I love her even if I can't be with her." She says, this time more audible.
"So let's tell her." I suggest nonchalantly as if reconnecting with the child you gave up for adoption is an every day task.
"What do you mean?" She asks, her eyes meeting mine in curiosity.
"I don't see what the harm in sending her a care package would do. She is in a group home. People tend to volunteer and donate to kids in need all the time." I say, immediately regretting my choice of words. Kids in need. I shake my head, hoping Ellie doesn't comment on my choice of words.
"I don't even know what she likes." Ellie says, a hint of humiliation on her lips.
"Let's buy her toys you liked as a kid. I'm sure if she's anything like you, she's got a great sense of tv shows." I say, hoping to cheer Ellie up. A smile creeps upon her lips, the first one throughout this conversation. She nods her head in agreement.
Not as sad anymore, Ellie cracks a joke. "You know, I wonder what my uptight, religious parents would say if they found out I was sleeping with a woman." A smirk creeps upon her lips.
"I'm not just any woman," I say flipping my hair with a smile, "I'm Demi Lovato."
***
Ellie and I browsed the kids toy section of Target for what seemed like hours. We didn't want to buy too much, but we also didn't want to buy just for Isabella. She's not the only lonely child at her group home and it would be insensitive to only send her toys. Not knowing the ages of the other kids, we settled on a few board games, LEGO's and Barbie dolls. Ellie's favorite toy she picked out for Isabella was a Supergirl doll. She was wearing her signature supersuit, with a shiny red cape, her blonde hair straight and let down. Ellie swore it looked just like Melissa Benoist who played Supergirl in the show, but from my angle, it just looked like any other Barbie doll.
A few toys later, Ellie and I were done. We left the store satisfied with our choices, agreeing to ship them out to the group home tomorrow. With the rush of Christmas packages, we hope the package doesn't take too long to get there. Or worse, get lost. I make a mental note to make sure to buy tracking and insurance.