Page 9 of Ella’s Data

“I’ll run the numbers and see what we can afford to pay them, as well as how many we can hire,” Psycho advises.

“Then it’s settled. Anything else?” Rebel asks. When he sees we’re all shaking our heads, he bangs the gavel and announces, “Church dismissed.”

Back in my office, I pull out my phone and send a text to Ella.

Me: Hope you’re having fun. Let me know when you wanna check out the haunted house.

Ella: Chickens are crazy. I don’t think they even have a brain! Yes, I’m having fun and am so relaxed it’s ridiculous. Holly brought the kids over and I’ve laughed so much that my ribs hurt. We can go tomorrow if you have time. Fee’s taking the baby to the pediatrician for a wellness check in the morning, and Cami’s getting a couple of shots.

Me: I’ll pick you up and take you to breakfast.

Ella: Works for me, although if I keep eating all the time, I’m going to need to shop for new work clothes.

Me: You don’t have anything to worry about, Ella. You’re fine the way you are, and who cares if you gain a few pounds?

Ella: My checking account… lol.

Me: From what you’ve said, you work all the time, so I doubt you’d even notice spending the money.

Ella: Whatever. See you in the morning.

Grinning, I set my phone to the side and start doing some research on creating the rooms that were mentioned in church today. I’ve got plenty of contacts out there and am positive I can get what we need for next to nothing. Hell, it’s important enough to me that I’m willing to offer up my IT services in trade if necessary.

Because if the programs we’re thinking about creating keep even one kid from falling through the proverbial cracks, it’ll be worth it in the long run. I won’t claim to be an expert on why that shit happens, and I’m sure there are those who have mental health issues that cause them to attack their peers in that manner, but I suspect some of those kids just need to know that somebody gives a shit.

By the time I take a break to grab something to eat, I’ve got a rough outline for the two new rooms. One will be a morgue, with live action zombies who are attacking, and the other will be a treatment room, where the nurse is a ghost who’s performing unauthorized medical tests on her patients.

“Yeah, that should cause a few of those coming through to shit their pants,” I snicker as I print out my drawings to show the brothers. “Now, let’s go see what I can rustle up to eat.”

I shut down my computers after clearing my searches, glance through the security monitors to make sure everything’s the way it’s supposed to be, then head out for some food and a few beers.

Seeing Prophet, I look around for Ella in case she decided to come and spend some time with Phoebe. “She’s not here,” Prophet says when I reach his side. “Apparently, she’s allergic to something, because after helping Paul do some things in one of the barns, she blew up like a blowfish. He got her home and after talking to Fee, she took a cocktail of sorts to try and get some relief.”

“Shit, should she have gone to the hospital instead?” I question, alarmed at how her day went downhill.

“No, she Facetimed Fee, who got Thelma on the call. Thelma prescribed something, used her resources, and it was couriered to Ella about an hour or so ago. Apparently, she and Fee used to do their own IVs to see if they could, so she hooked herself up and the last I heard, she was planning to sleep it off.”

But what if something happens? my brain whispers. “She shouldn’t be by herself.”

“She’s not. I went and picked her up and took her to our house,” he replies. “Fee’s watching over her, Holly’s helping Fee with the kids, and I came here to pick up dinner for all of us since Esther sent Paul with containers of lasagna for all of us.”

“Is she… is she going to be okay?” I ask.

“Yeah, brother. She was already looking better by the time I picked her up. I mean, her eyes were still badly swollen, and she had hives everywhere I could see, but Fee told me she looked worse earlier,” he replies. “You’re welcome to come and see for yourself,” he offers.

“She probably wouldn’t appreciate it,” I muse, although that’s exactly what I want to do. “Fuck it, I’m worried about my friend, so yeah, I’ll help you get dinner together then follow you to your place. If nothing else, I can put my worries to rest.”

“Then let’s do it, brother. I’ve got a hungry wife to feed,” he teases. “Now that she can eat and keep it in, that’s all she’s been doing.”

“Can’t say I blame her, Prophet. Her own body betrayed her during her pregnancy,” I reply.

“Not having any more kids, can’t watch her go through that again,” he murmurs as we walk into the kitchen.

“You don’t know that it would happen again, brother. I think I read somewhere that every pregnancy is different. Plus, now that her doctor is aware that she had it with Colleen, she can keep an eye on things.”

“Maybe. I don’t know. I think I’ll enjoy the two we’ve got right now,” he replies.

I start laughing when I see two of the recyclable containers labeled with Prophet’s name on them. There’s also a loaf of sliced Italian bread next to them, as well as another container that simply says, ‘dessert’. “We’re gonna be eating good,” I mutter as I grab a large reusable bag and carefully put the containers inside.