Twenty Five.

Chapter nine

Here's a proper update too. Please tell me what you think. :)

Ellington hung up his apron at the end of a long hard day and left the diner. He walked towards daycare, his heart sunken in his chest. He really didn't want to break up with Rydel. He was happier than he had been since as long as he could remember with her and now everything was falling apart. He loved her so much that he didn't want Darren to hurt her.

"Hi Val." He said, resting his arms on the counter at the daycare. The brunette smiled at him.

"Hey Ellington. i actually have something to show you. come with me." Val said, lifting up the partition in the counter and leading him behind it. Ellington followed down the corridor and into the room in the back which was where they looked after the children. The walls were painted bright red and the room was filled with baby toys with a row of cribs against one wall.

Immediately as soon as joey saw him he crawled over, squealing with joy, his little chin covered in drool. He stopped at Ellington's feet and reached up to him grunting a bit. Ellington scooped him up in his arms and showered him with affection which made him giggle the cute baby giggle.

Val watched them and smiled. She picked up a piece of paper covered in handprints that were done in different color paints. They were messy but they looked effective. "This is what joey made today. His first piece of proper artwork and i told him that his daddy would be so proud!"

"You made this joey?" Ellington asked him. Joey smiled, not understanding what he was saying at all. Ellington chuckled. "I am so proud of my baby boy!" He announced, showering him with more affection. For a few minutes he had forgotten about Darren's threat and breaking up with Rydel.

The two of them walked out to Ellington's car, Ellington holding the artwork in his hand. He put it into the trunk of the car and then strapped a giggly joey onto his seat. By now the sun was beginning to set leaving a warm yellow glow above the top of the buildings in the area. Ellington handed joey his bottle and joey took it, holding it in his mouth. He pulled a blanket over his sons legs and closed the door.

Ellington sat in the drivers seat and glanced at joey who was almost asleep in the back. He smiled to himself putting the radio quietly as he began driving to Rydel's house.

Ellington slowed down outside a stripclub because of traffic. He rested his head back in the chair and peered out of the window. There were crowds of people but unmistakably in the middle, there was a huge guy. Darren. However, Rydel was no where to be seen. Instead, he was surrounded by dozens of girls wearing very little clothing. Ellington rolled his eyes. Darren really didn't deserve Rydel. The traffic cleared and he continued driving.

He remembered Rydel talking about her house the night she came over for pizza. She said it was a very small, modern house. It wasn't posh or anything but she liked it. She had told him her exact address. Despite the journey being less than ten minutes, by the time he pulled up outside her house it was almost dark.

He checked on joey who was sleeping peacefully before quietly closing the car door. The air was now cold and breeezy. Ellington pulled his jacket on and shoved his hands into his pockets. He approached the front door, reluctantly, not wanting to break up with her. His heart raced in his chest as he knocked on the door, trying to fight the tears that attempted to fall.

There was no reply. Finding it strange, he knocked again. Still no reply. He pushed down on the door handle and the door clicked open. He looked left and right before stepping into the house.

Inside, it was exactly as she had described. Homely but not quite enough to match her personality. It was furnished simply reflecting on the fact less than two weeks ago she still lived in New York.

"Rydel?" Ellington yelled into the house. His voice echoed but there was no reply. The longer he stood there the less it felt like a home.

He walked into the kitchen and his eyes widened. On the side there was a piece of paper. In the corner of the paper there was a splotch of red that vaguely resembled blood. In the middle of the page the words printed in large:

I couldn't take it anymore.
I'm gone. - Rydel.