The following day, Friday, Ellie came on the studio early with her eyes looking swollen. She have brought a bag full with a week's worth of clothes as she decided to finally go home that night.
She was informed by her coach the day before that her mother already knew where she is currently staying, so there's no point in hiding as her mom could just easily track and get her.
"Hey, what's with that look?" El looks up to see her partner smiling back at her.
"Hi. Good morning. Why, do I look that awful?" She concerningly asked in response to the man's commentary.
"Nope. You're beautiful as always. There just seems to be a worried look in your eyes." Renan said as he sits beside the young woman.
"Uhh. Yeah. This past few days are just truly exhausting for me."
"Hmm.. I know there's something going on with your personal matters, but if in case you need someone to talk to, or someone to hang out with just for you know.. Have some fun. I'll always be here for you."
"Thank you Renan. How was the workshop session yesterday?"
The man continued to tell Ellie how things are running smoothly in general for the play. He assured El that she doesn't have to worry much about the production as everything seems to go as planned. Though they still have less than two months before they actually start their run, their rehearsals are already showing the fruit of their efforts.
And so their workshop training for today started without a hitch. Despite having a serious talk yesterday, El and Lea remained to behave and act casual for others to believe that everything is alright.
It was on their lunch break when another spectacle happened for the young woman.
"Hey El! Are you no longer grounded?" asked Mikki Bradshaw.
This made most of them look up to Ellie to hear what would be the latest news about her family dilemma. But the woman was actually the most surprised with the kind of question that was imposed to her.
"No, I still am. I still haven't gone home. Why? I'm just actually thinking of going back tonight." El said.
A puzzled look was painted on Mikki's face which makes the others curious.
"Well, I remember you said you left your car back at your home right?"
"Yeah. I wasn't able to bring my car with me when I ran away."
"The thing is, that car is actually on the parking lot right now."
Ellie's eyes widen with what she heard from the chubby girl. It should be a mistake for the latter to see her convertible there as it was left on her garage back home.
"Are you sure about that Mikki?" Lea asked Nyoy's wife. She is pretty sure herself that El hasn't brought her car as she sometimes chauffeur the young woman to her hotel.
"Yeah. I mean I clearly remember her plate number. And it's the same turquoise Mini Cooper convertible. Why don't you check it out El."
The talented woman quickly finished the bite of her food as she immediately went outside to check out the parking lot. And there she proved that what Mikki said was true. There parked her convertible with a very familiar face standing beside it. She felt a little bit relief seeing the person who greeted her as soon as their eyes meet.
"Kuya Jonny? What are you doing here?" The young woman asked her home caretaker as to why he should possibly be here in their studio.
"Hi ma'am. I hope you're doing fine." greeted the man.
"I do. But what brings you here?" Ellie walks closer towards the man as they converse just beside the car.
"Ma'am Rebecca told me to deliver the car to you ma'am."
There was a hint of confusion that showed on the young woman's face. She could not fully understand why her mother would have this done. El knew that her parents have already been expecting her to come back home this weekend since they have talked with her coach, but for Jonny to personally fetch her on her workplace is no longer necessary.
"Did she say anything in particular Kuya?"
"She just told me to have this brought to you Ma'am." Jonny replied handing over her car keys. The middle aged man then asked permission to leave as he has some other errands to do at home.
Knowing the man would have to commute back to Muntinlupa, Ellie had given her some fare and booked a Grab car for the man to travel back comfortably. She stared a bit at the car for a moment before finally going back inside the studio where everyone else were waiting for her.
Bobbi Garcia was the first one who asked how things went.
"Hey, have you checked? Was it really your car?" asked the bearded man.
"Yeah. Indeed. Mikki was right. Our helper brought it here for me."
Mikki butts in as she came to confirm that her parents would've probably known where she works right now.
"Then that means, they already knew about this place even before!"
Lea, who was just silently listening to the conversation finally joins in.
"El's helper actually knew this place beforehand. Remember, he came here to pick up Ellie's car when we went to Revel."
Everyone came to realize that the Broadway star was right. Ellie on the other hand, kept on thinking to herself on why even after knowing where she could actually be, her mother did not made any aggressive actions towards her, save for the meeting with her coach.
She just knew that there's something going on and she has no idea on what is it about.
So after their break, everybody resumed with their positions to continue their workshop session for the play.
Ellie had tried to forget momentarily all her issues back home as she tried concentrating on their rehearsals. Despite being a neophyte in the theater world, the young woman keeps on showing progress and improvement on her delivery for her character, making the others admire her efforts. There was really nothing she can't do.
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After a whole day of practice, everyone took their leave from the studio as to go back home.
With four days gone from her home, Ellie felt like it was such a long time. She had already started to feel comfortable with the suite she occupied back at the Luxent Hotel.
"Are you going home now?" Lea asks her who came up from behind. They were both walking towards almost the emptied parking lot as their colleagues were already long gone.
"Coach.. Yeah. I'll try to speak with them one more time."
"Planning to convince them about the marriage thing?"
"Yes. I'll try to talk them out of it." The Broadway star could see how emotionally drained her protege is. Though the young woman remains to be beautiful, black bags under her eyes are becoming visible showing how haggard Ellie is.
"Well then, I wish you luck." Lea hugged Ellie tightly and plants a kiss on her forehead before they totally separated ways to go to their very own cars.
It took about two hours of driving for Ellie to reach her minimalist mansion in Alabang. The gates were opened by the man who brought her car earlier and picked up all her luggage she brought from her four-day trip 'escapade'.
As she enters the main hall, both her grandmother and her dad welcomes her as they give her a hug, expressing how they've missed the young woman.
Ellie could see her mother's silhouette going down the stairs as the latter's voice echoing at the house.
"Who came? Would that be Rae?"
Ellie started to feel nervous the moment Rebecca goes to the living room. Supposedly, El has to give her mother a peck on the cheeks as a sign of greeting and respect. But the talented young woman lost her composure and just stood there blankly.
Her mother could only examine her daughter as she looks at her being dumbstruck.
"You must be tired from driving all the way here. Good thing we haven't eaten yet. Why don't you join us for dinner Ellie?"
Rebecca motioned for the four of them to go at the dining area to eat, acting as if she's the master of the house. All the home caretakers could not help but to follow around this woman's orders unless they would like to be kicked out and removed from their employment.
They knew that even if El was the one who hired them, her mother has the full reins and the control over the family.