Page 10 of Ella’s Data

“Absolutely. Fee can cook, but nothing beats Esther’s abilities in the kitchen,” he replies.

CHAPTER

SIX

Ella

After spending the day at the farm, then having Paul take me home so I could take a bunch of shit to try and stop the allergic reaction in its tracks, I made the mistake of calling Fee. She then got Thelma on the line, who prescribed a bunch of shit. Then Fee had Prophet come and pick me up and take me to their house so Fee could administer the cocktail of drugs that Thelma couriered to her house. I definitely crashed hard once I finally got back to my RV. Hell, I barely remember eating, although I know that Data came by long enough to check on me, or the ride home. Yawning, I roll over and stretch before shutting my alarm off. I’m actually fortunate that I didn’t end up coming home with a kitten because apparently, some jackass dropped off a box at the end of their driveway with a momma cat and six kittens. Instead, I begged off for right now since they’re still so little. I have no desire to bottle feed a kitten like Prophet did for the one he found in the Carolinas.

Once I’m on my feet, I quickly make my bed then stand in front of my closet as I try to figure out what to wear. “It’s not a date date, you silly goose,” I mutter to myself. “He’s taking you to get breakfast, then to see the haunted house. Friends do that kind of thing all the time.”

Still… there’s a tiny part of me that wants to look cute, which is stupid. I finally pick out my favorite pair of jeans, then find a top I haven’t worn in a few months before I head into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready.

Once I’m dressed, I sit on my bed and dry my hair since the bathroom’s not quite big enough. Satisfied that I’ve tamed it for the time being, I put all of that away, then apply a light coat of makeup. Like Fee, I don’t wear much, preferring to focus on taking care of my skin instead. However, vanity has reared her head, so I decide a little bit won’t hurt.

Finally ready, I head outside to sit in one of my chairs so I can enjoy the early morning while I sip on my ice-cold drink. I just started drinking loaded teas in an effort to move away from soda and found a brand I enjoy. It’s got a ton of vitamins in it, and I drink it in the morning before I switch to water. Granted, at breakfast, I’ll have orange juice, but the tea gets me going.

I hear his truck before I see him and put my empty tumbler in the RV before grabbing my purse and going back outside, making sure the door is locked. “Good morning,” I say as he walks toward me.

“Well, you look good despite the allergic reaction you suffered yesterday,” he replies as he scans me from head to toe. “I mean, your eyes are a little bit puffy, but considering that they were almost completely swollen shut, I say it’s progress.”

“It was the weirdest thing, Data,” I tell him as he walks with me to the passenger side before opening my door. That’s one thing he always did in the past, and I appreciate his chivalry, which seems to be dead most of the time. I continue speaking as I buckle up since he wastes no time getting into the driver’s seat. “I have no clue what I came into contact with, but the next thing I knew, I had hives, my eyes were swelling shut, and I was wheezing.”

“You should’ve gone to the hospital, Ella,” he chides. He said the same thing yesterday from what I remember, and my answer is the same now as it was then.

“Why? I had access to Fee, who pulled Thelma in, and they got me sorted out. All the hives are gone, although I get the dubious joy of taking steroids for the next week as a precaution. My eyes are still a little bit pinkish and puffy, but nothing like they were yesterday. I hate the steroid pack, though, because I feel like I’m hungry all the time. Not only that, but it wires me up, too.”

“Good thing you’re off work for a while then,” he says. “I’ve had to take the packs a few times when I was sick and sleeping was a memory. Does it do the same to you?”

I laugh while nodding. “Yeah, so I imagine my RV will be spotless, and any little project that I’ve put off until I had time to do it will get done as well.”

Our conversation is easy as we head to the diner and I begin to relax. We can navigate this whole friends thing just fine. As long as Fee doesn’t try to push for me to go for more. I may feel a lot better after sharing with Data, but I don’t think I’m ready to contemplate anything more. He finds a place to park and then opens my door before guiding me with his hand on my low back to the front door.

The bell chimes as we walk through and a waitress calls out, “Sit wherever you want, Data, I’ll be there in a second!”

“Thanks, Gloria,” Data replies as he moves us toward a booth in the back. Once I sit down, he slides into the booth on the other side and grins at me. “I probably should’ve left it for a bigger group, but I hate being out in the middle of everything.”

“Me too,” I admit as I grab one of the menus. “What’s good here?”

“Pretty much anything you order,” he replies. “They just added a bunch of healthier options to their menu as well, but I’m sticking with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and home fries. Oh, and coffee.”

I start laughing because he enjoys food and makes no bones about it at all. It’s one of the reasons we got along so well in the past. He wasn’t one of those men who thought women should be stick figures, and I’ve always felt that it doesn’t matter what you order at a restaurant as long as whatever you order, you eat until you’re full.

“That sounds good, but I kind of feel like scrambled eggs, sausage patties, home fries, and maybe a blueberry muffin. Oh, and orange juice,” I say.

“So, no pancakes?” he teases.

“Eh, if I want any, I’ll just snag a bite of yours,” I reply, grinning. He rolls his eyes at me then turns his coffee cup over as Gladys makes her way to our table, a carafe in hand.

“Gladys, this is Ella, an old friend of mine,” he says by way of introduction. “She’s going to try and steal my pancakes so I might need you to run interference for me.”

She grins at his teasing then turns to me. “You can always order just one pancake if you think a short stack is too much.”

“I can?” I ask, rethinking my order. “Okay, um, I’d like a Diet Coke, an orange juice, and a glass of water for my drinks, and food-wise, I’d like two eggs scrambled, with sausage patties, home fries, and a blueberry muffin. Oh, and one pancake too, please.”

“Did you develop a drinking problem, Ella?” Data asks.

“Well, it’s like this. I prefer orange juice with my breakfast, but I also need caffeine and while your coffee smells divine, I can’t stand the taste, remember? The water is in case I finish the other two and Gladys is busy with other customers,” I reply.