Ellie

Chapter Sixteen

Before Ellie went back to college the following afternoon, the whole family decided to take a little drive that morning to visit her mother Caroline's grave, so they could lay some flowers as well. It seemed somehow fitting after all that had happened. On a more personal level for Jake, it was a kind of final closure for him, as he found himself kneeling at the graveside with Ellie, and together they arranged the flowers into the vase beside the black marble headstone.

It wasn't the first time they had came to visit her grave, but those times had been few and far between. This time it was different, this visit held so much more significance, now Ellie knew the truth about her mother. He had gone on to reveal to her the circumstances how he had found out about Caroline's death, and his daughters existence in the same blow, hoping it would help Ellie understand  a little further why he behaved so over protective with her.

"I want you to know it never entered my head once that you would end up like your mother" he now attempted to reassure her, as he remember her accusation, "In fact despite the fact you resemble your mother in looks, you remind me more of Gemma; you are far more sensible and level headed than either of your birth parents" he admitted with a wry smile.

"I will take that as a compliment," Ellie smiled back, "Though you have probably been thinking I have gone a little crazy lately, getting mixed up with Kikz, and doing a complete U turn from everything I thought I wanted for my future" she also realised a little ruefully

"Well yes, there is that," Jake conceded with a good-natured grin, " and despite my freaking out at first, believe it or not, I am still proud of you that you had the guts to go with what your heart wanted in the end. And I know whatever you do, you will succeed when you put your mind to it. I just want you to be happy, and safe," he then explained honestly, "I am just starting to realise I cannot protect you from everything out there, as much as I want to. So I  will have to let your find your own way, then support you in whatever way I can" He paused for a moment reflection at this realisation.  Ellie looked up from the vase where she had been arranging the flowers, suddenly seeing her fathers concern in a whole new light as he continued

"That's why I felt you needed to know about your mother's, so you will know what you will be up against. And I know even the short time she was on this earth with you, that you were the most precious thing to her and she loved you so much, and she would be so proud of you today as well if she could be here to see how you turned out" he then added in a much more solemn note.

Ellie now  felt herself getting a little emotional, it had been a week that had turned her whole life upside down, but one thing she was certain about was how much she loved and appreciated her father, and now put her arm around him, to give him a hug to show him she understood and that everything was going to be ok between them.

Meanwhile, Gemma and Dana stood leaning against the car, surveying the little scene from a short distance away, as they let Jake and Ellie have their private moment at Caroline's grave. Watching them hug, Dana smiled, "I guess they have well and truly made up now, so hopefully no more drama over Ellie and her plans for the future"

"Hopefully," Gemma agreed, then put her arm around her daughter, deciding she needed some reassurance as well, "I don't ever want you think that because of what happened with Ellie's mother, that  your father somehow thinks that she is more important than you." she then said wondering if it had flitted through her younger daughters head lately. "It's just he never even had a chance to be with Ellie when she was born, and everything was so messed up. So all this time he has been worried how she would take it when she found out the truth" Gemma then went on to explain with a small troubled frown, as she found herself recalling how Jake had still been  in a state of shock still from Caroline's death as well as finding out he had become a father when she had came back into his life all those years ago.

But now, recalling happier times she went on, "then when I fell pregnant with you, he was so excited waiting for you to come into the world, and to actually have the chance to be there for your arrival. Then, the look on his face when you were just born, and when he first got to hold you. He said it was one of the best moments in his life, he couldn't stop kissing your little face. It was hard to get him to put you down" she laughed at the memory of it, "so you are just as precious to him as Ellie is, so don't you ever think otherwise" she then give Dana a reassuring squeeze, hoping that now it was all out in the open, they could put it to rest, and move forward with less tension as there had been lately, even if she and Jake were still a little concerned about Ellie's new ambitions and the complications it could bring.

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"You are unusually quiet," Brett remarked, as he eyed Ellie a little speculatively, whilst she was occupied getting her guitar out of its case a few days later, when the band had gathered for rehearsals.

 "I have given you several opportunities for you to give me one of your snarky put downs to put me in my place, and you haven't taken me up on any of them up" he realised looking slightly perturbed

"Maybe I have decided it's just better to just ignore you," Ellie returned dryly. She certainly wasn't going to disclose to him all she had learned from her latest visit home, especially when she was still trying to absorb it all herself since she had returned back to college life. If she was honest with herself. it had affected her thinking about her forthcoming future with the band, and what it she might have to face if they actually did become successful

"Nah, I don't think it's that," Brett's eyes narrowed a little thoughtfully knowing she had spent a few days back home with her family, and was genuinely curious, "So uh, what did your father say when he found out we have a recording deal with Alaska records? Was he pleased in your change of direction for your future career choice, now you might be following in his footsteps to fame and fortune in the music business?"

"Lets just say he's coming around to the idea more, now he knows that it's what I want to do. Of course he has his concerns. But he is still happy too that I have chosen to follow in his footsteps in the end'' Ellie could reply truthfully without going into too much detail about what she had learned about her mother. 

It was the last thing she wanted to discuss with Brett and the band right now, just wanting to focus their up and coming official meeting with Alaska records in a few weeks time when they would be signing up for their official recording deal, she had to admit it did make her feel a little jittery, but at the same time she had come to far to back out again and take the easier option of returning and focusing to her business studies, the band were now depending on her.

 But apart from not wanting to let them down,  she was realising Brett had been right, she didn't think she would be happy in that chosen career anymore, now she had a taste of what it was like being in the band and playing music, This was what she wanted to do.  But she was never going to  admit that to him openly  to make him feel even more smugger than he already was heaven forbid.

And at  least now she knew the truth about her mother's past, it did have its advantages.  After all, if should she ever have to come up against the media speculating about her  if band became popular and famous, Ellie knew what she was dealing with, and would be ready for it.

In the end, it made her only more determined to forge ahead and face the challenges that lay ahead, and make her parents, especially her father proud, and also  hopefully leave a more positive legacy of her mother's tragic life and death, and show that it had not been in vain despite all that had happened.

Brett wasn't exactly sure what was going on with Ellie as the week went on, but he wasn't complaining either.  He couldn't help  noticing she seemed somehow more focused and serious about the band's future which suited him fine. After all having her one hundred percent on board and committed could only be a good thing. He was just glad she was starting to realise it, after all in the grand scheme of things it  just made him feel more certain they would succeed