A Bucket List for Ella

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

                  "So Nico, Jodi tells us you're studying to become a doctor," Paul commented while stabbing a piece of pork on his plate.

"Yes, I'm very early off in the program though, so I won't be a doctor anytime soon," Nico replied modestly.

"That's very honorable Nico – you're going to be a great catch one day," Leanne said, glancing in my direction. I felt like snidely questioning her motives, but I didn't. I didn't so much as flinch as Leanne implied that Nico and I* should get together – it was never happening.

"What about you Ella?" Paul questioned.

"I- I don't really know what I want to do yet..." I stammered.

"Aren't you a year out of high school already?" Leanne prodded.

"Um...yeah, but I took a year off...for personal reasons..." I said. It was half true. Besides, Aunt Jodi had probably already told them about me having cancer. I didn't need to reinstate that fact.

Leanne gave me a pitying smile before turning to Aunt Jodi.

"Liam, do you know what you want to do?" Mike said out of the blue. He had been silent and sharing in my pain up until this point.

"I'm thinking of going into history. Or maybe anthropology," Liam replied.

"Ah, that sounds interesting," Aunt Jodi said. Nico nodded in agreement.

"Anything in particular you want to specialize in?" I asked Liam.

"I'm hoping to specialize in World War I and II research, and maybe some American Civil war history," he said. "But I'll likely end up teaching it instead."

"I love World War I!" I exclaimed, maybe a bit too enthusiastically.

"Do you? I've never really met anyone else who thought it was interesting," Liam said, raising his eyebrows.

"I think it's so interesting," I said. I didn't notice until then that everyone else at the table had gone silent and was listening to our conversation. Soon enough though, Nico, Paul, and Mike launched into a conversation about new medical discoveries, Leanne and Aunt Jodi talked about what stores were having sales, and I was left to talk to Liam. But I didn't.

"Shall we go into the sitting room for dessert?" Aunt Jodi asked. "And hey, after dinner Ella, why don't you go show Nico and Liam the pool? I'm sure they'd love to see it and maybe go for a swim."

"Sure," I told Aunt Jodi simply. But there was no way in hell that Liam and Nico were going to see me in a bathing suit.

Leanne and Aunt Jodi brought cups of chocolate mousse into the sitting room along with a bottle of dessert wine and some glasses.

"Ella, you can have some this time, special occasion and all," Aunt Jodi made sure to say. I felt the blood rush to my face and turn it scarlet.

She handed me a glass and I took a few huge gulps, much to Aunt Jodi's dismay. Then I set the glass down and picked up a cup of mousse. My mouth was watering in anticipation.

"So Ella, I never asked where you're from. I'm assuming you're not Australian, because you don't have an accent," Liam asked right before I could put a spoonful of mousse into my mouth.