Hinder • {Bill Skarsgård}

||Chapter Twenty-Two||

A week had passed. Diane stared through the window across the lawn toward the guest house. It had been two days since she'd seen her, despite her daughter living only half an acre away. She had quit the firm; not even bothering to give a two weeks notice, she just stopped going into work.

"You're going to worry yourself to death if you keep doing that." Richard spoke behind Diane, causing her to peel her eyes away from the guesthouse.

"You're not worried?"

"This is good for Ella. She needs this."

Diane signed, "I haven't seen her in two days. Do you think she's drinking?"

Richard shrugged. "You know what they say, the only way to go from rock bottom is up, right?"

"Do you think I should go check on her, see if she's hungry?"

"I wouldn't. I'd leave her alone, it's what she wants."

The doorbell rang, causing Richard and Diane to exchange a troubled glance. They feared that Dean would show up; that he'd try to convince Ella to return. They both knew how much Dean was in love with Ella, and how those feelings weren't going to go away in a week's time. But they knew their daughter was better off without him—she was not in love with Dean.

"I'll get it." Diane pursed her lips, brushing her hand against Richard's back as she made her way to the unwelcome visitor. She was already preparing a speech for Dean, "she needs space." "You coming back is going to complicate things."

When she opened the door, it was as though a weight had been lifted.

Bill stood on the other side with sunglasses setting in his hairline. He was wearing blue jeans and a thin grey sweater; a tank top visible underneath.

He started to ask if he could speak to Ella, only to have Diane cut in. "Oh, thank God you're here."

Bill's brows furrowed, questioning if Diane was being snide. When she ushered him inside, he realized that she was serious.

"She's been staying in the guesthouse. I haven't seen her in two days, but I don't want to be nosy."

"Is she okay?" Bill asked, letting Diane guide him to the backdoor through the dining room.

"I don't know." She shook her head. "But I know she will be once she sees you." She forced a smile. "Go on." Diane opened the door, gesturing Bill toward the guest house.

He laughed nervously, making his way across the lawn. He could feel Diane's eyes on him as approached the modest house.

Ella sat reading a book. She was doing anything to keep her mind off the trouble she had put herself in. It was time to grow up, and turning to alcohol seemed to only complicate things. It was a "juvenile" reaction, one Bill had pointed out.

A knock on the door pulled Ella out of her thoughts, causing her gaze to shift toward the door.

She rolled her eyes, knowing it was her mother coming to check on her. "It's open!" Ella yelled, going back to reading the same paragraph she had read a total of three times. She couldn't seem to get past it; she found herself rereading the same thing because of her wandering mind—her mind wasn't registering what her eyes were reading.

She saw a figure in her peripheral. Without looking in it's direction, Ella spoke, "I'm fine, Mom... really." Her eyes trailed to the figure; her chest tightening at the sight of Bill standing in the entrance between the small kitchenette and living area where she sat.

She stiffened; closing her book quickly without marking her place. Great. She was gonna have to read the same paragraph again.

"What are you doing here?" Ella sat up, tucking her legs beneath her. She felt awkward and insecure; suddenly aware of her own physical appearance. She had a bare face, not a single speck of makeup.